SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNERS' PROFICIENCY LEVEL AND THE FACTORS AFFECTING THEIR SPEAKING ABILITY

Abstract

The study attempted to find out the English proficiency level of 367 second language learners of Isabela State University and the factors affecting their speaking ability. It made use of the descriptive correlational method. Also, frequency, mean, averaging and spearman rho were used in computing and analyzing the gathered data.

The findings revealed that the overall proficiency level of the respondents is “Approaching Proficiency” and age, gender and respondents’ parents’ educational attainment showed a significant relationship to English proficiency.

In factors affecting speaking ability, in terms of “Teacher Aspects”, all factors rated “Moderately Agree”; in “School Aspects”, factors 1 and 5 were rated “Moderately Agree”; in “Students Aspects”, factor 7 got a description of “Moderately Agree”; in “Home/Environment Aspects”, factors 2, 3, 4, and 7 got a descriptive rating of “Moderately Agree”, while the rest resulted into “Agree”.

In relationship between factors affecting English speaking ability and profile, in “Teacher Aspects”, factors 1, 3, 5 and 6 showed a significant relationship to age, and factors 1, 3, 4 and 7 for respondents’ parents’ educational attainment. In “School Aspects”, factors 1, 2 and 6 showed a significant relationship to age, and factors 1, 2, 6 and 7 to respondents’ parents’ educational attainment. In “Student Aspects”, factors 1 and 6 to respondents’ parents’ educational attainment, and factor 4 showed a significant relationship to gender. In “Home/Environment Aspects”, factor 3 to age, and factor 5 to parents’ educational attainment.