Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Vol. 03, No. 7, July 2023

e-ISSN: 2807-8691 | p-ISSN: 2807-839X

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The Factors Affecting Filipino Grade 11–12 students’

Pau Excellencia Global Academy Foundation, Inc., Toledo City, Philippines

INTRODUCTION

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English is a widely spoken language, and it is considered as one of the essential global

languages (Yasmin, 2022). The ability to speak English fluently and accurately is an essential skill

that is increasingly in demand for educational, professional, and social opportunities. In the

Philippines, English is one of the official languages and is commonly used in educational and

professional contexts (Raoofi, Chan, Mukundan, & Rashid, 2014). However, despite its importance,

many Filipino students still struggle with English pronunciation, which affects their academic and

non-English speaking backgrounds. In the case of the Philippines, Filipino students face particular

challenges in learning English pronunciation due to the phonological differences between English

prepare for college and the workforce (Hoang & Wyatt, 2021). However, many of them continue to

experience difficulties in producing correct English pronunciation, which hinders their

communication and affects their academic and professional success. Therefore, there is a need to

Derakhshan, & Torabi, 2020).

This study aims to identify the common English pronunciation errors made by Grade 11-12

Filipino students, determine the factors that contribute to these errors, develop and implement

interventions that target the identified pronunciation errors, and evaluate the effectiveness of the

interventions in enhancing the students' English pronunciation proficiency (Saito, 2012). The

research questions that guide this study are:

semi-structured interviews with English teachers and focus group discussions with the Grade 11-12

students. Quantitative data is collected through pre- and post-intervention assessments of the

students' English pronunciation proficiency.

This study is significant as it contributes to the literature on ESL pronunciation learning and

teaching. It also addresses the gap in the literature on the specific challenges faced by Grade 11-12

Filipino students in learning English pronunciation. The findings of this study provide insights into

the factors that contribute to the students' mispronunciation and identify effective interventions that

can enhance their pronunciation skills. The study's results can be used to inform English language

curriculum development and teacher training programs, benefiting not only Grade 11-12 Filipino

students but also other ESL learners (Flavell, 1979)(Reed & Liu, 1994).

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and social opportunities. In the Philippines, English is one of the official languages and is commonly

used in educational and professional contexts. However, many Filipino students still struggle with

English pronunciation, which may affect their academic and professional success.

Importance of pronunciation in language learning. pronunciation is an essential aspect of

language learning as it affects the clarity and effectiveness of communication (Derwing & Munro,

2009). According to Gimson (1980)(Kurbanovna, 2022), pronunciation is the "essential aspect of

communication" and "any fault in pronunciation will be noticed long before any other fault." Thus,

achieving correct pronunciation is crucial in achieving effective communication in the English

language.

Common pronunciation difficulties among esl learners. Studies have shown that pronunciation

In the case of the Philippines, Filipino students face particular challenges in learning English

pronunciation due to the phonological differences between English and Filipino (Cruz, 2018). The

students to produce correct English sounds. Some of the common pronunciation errors made by

Filipino students include the mispronunciation of English vowels, diphthongs, and consonants

(Quion, 2019).

Interventions to improve pronunciation skills. Various interventions have been developed to

improve ESL learners' pronunciation skills, such as using visual aids, providing feedback, and using

phonetic drills (Lee & Jang, 2018; Neri, 2020; Tang & Lai, 2018). These interventions have been found

to be effective in improving ESL learners' pronunciation skills. However, the effectiveness of these

interventions may vary depending on the learners' background, the specific pronunciation

pronunciation difficulties they face, and the intervention's design. This study aims to identify the

common English pronunciation errors made by Grade 11-12 Filipino students, determine the factors

that contribute to these errors, develop and implement interventions that target the identified

pronunciation errors, and evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions in enhancing the students'

English pronunciation proficiency. The findings of this study will provide insights into the factors

that contribute to the students' mispronunciation and identify effective interventions that can

enhance their pronunciation skills.

METHODS

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This study was conducted at PAU Excellencia Global Academy Foundation, Inc. and involved 25

participants, including 5 male and 5 female English teachers, and 10 senior high school students. The

researchers used purposive sampling to select the participants based on the following criteria:

data collection and analysis methods (Skehan, 1998). The data collection instruments used in this

study include semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and pre- and post-intervention

discussions with the Grade 11-12 students. The researchers then analyzed the data collected to

determine the factors that contribute to these errors.

researchers developed and implemented interventions targeting the pronunciation errors. The

interventions were designed to be comprehensive and engaging, using various teaching strategies

and materials to enhance the students' pronunciation skills. The interventions were implemented for

a period of six weeks (Baker & Boonkit, 2004)(Oxford, 1990).

To evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions, pre- and post-intervention assessments of

the students' English pronunciation proficiency were conducted. The assessments utilized a

standardized pronunciation test and were administered to the students before and after the

quantitative data analyses were triangulated to provide a comprehensive understanding of the

common English pronunciation errors made by Grade 11-12 Filipino students, the factors

contributing to these errors, and the effectiveness of the interventions in improving the students'

English pronunciation proficiency.

Results and Findings

Table 1. Factors affecting students’ pronunciation

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Table 1 presents the factors affecting students' pronunciation based on the responses of 49

Grade 11-12 Filipino students who participated in the survey. The factors are Attitude, Exposure,

Mother tongue, and Instruction, and the responses are categorized into five options: Strongly Agree,

Agree, No idea, Disagree, and Strongly disagree. The table shows the frequency of responses in

percentage for each factor and response category (Kilag et al., 2023).

Regarding Attitude, the majority of the students (55.7%) agreed that it affects their

pronunciation, while 27.9% strongly agreed. Only a small percentage (10.2%) had no idea, and none

strongly disagreed with this factor's impact on their pronunciation. This suggests that the students

recognize the importance of their attitude towards improving their pronunciation .

Exposure, on the other hand, received a low percentage of agreement from the students. Only 3%

that their mother tongue affects their pronunciation, while 30.2% strongly agreed. A significant

number (12.8%) had no idea, and only a few (7.8%) disagreed with this factor's impact on their

English pronunciation, but some may not be fully aware of how it affects them.

Instruction received the highest percentage of disagreement from the students. None of the

students strongly agreed or agreed that instruction affects their pronunciation (Saito & Lyster, 2012).

However, a significant number (44.6%) disagreed, and 33.8% strongly disagreed with this factor's

impact on their pronunciation. This indicates that the students may not fully trust the effectiveness

of the English instruction they receive in improving their pronunciation.

Overall, the findings of this table suggest that the students recognize the importance of their

attitude and mother tongue on their pronunciation, but they may not believe in the effectiveness of

discussions with English teachers and Grade 11-12 students showed that attitude towards English

pronunciation plays a significant role in improving or hindering their pronunciation skills.

The majority of the participants, both teachers, and students, agreed that having a positive

attitude towards English pronunciation is crucial in achieving success in learning the language. One

teacher stated, "Attitude is very important because if they have a negative attitude towards learning

English pronunciation, they will not exert enough effort to improve it." (Teacher A) Another teacher

emphasized the role of motivation in developing a positive attitude towards pronunciation, "If

students are motivated, they will have a positive attitude towards learning English pronunciation,

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On the other hand, some students expressed a lack of interest in improving their

pronunciation skills, which may be attributed to their negative attitude towards the language. One

student said, "I don't really care about pronunciation as long as I can communicate and express

myself in English." (Student A) Another student added, "I find it hard to focus on pronunciation

because I'm more concerned with understanding the meaning of the words and grammar." (Student

positive feedback, so they feel motivated to improve." (Teacher C) Another teacher emphasized the

importance of creating a positive learning environment that encourages students to practice

Overall, the findings of this study suggest that attitude plays a crucial role in improving

English pronunciation skills among Grade 11-12 Filipino students. A positive attitude towards

pronunciation, coupled with effective teaching strategies, can significantly enhance students'

Zarea, & Sepehrinia, 2012).

Exposure:

The findings reveal that the participants' exposure to English is a significant factor affecting

their pronunciation proficiency. Most of the participants reported having little exposure to English

outside the classroom, which impacts their ability to practice and improve their pronunciation. One

participant noted, "I think the students have limited exposure to the English language. They only use

it during their English classes, but outside the classroom, they use our native language."

could improve their pronunciation proficiency. Some participants suggested that watching English

movies, listening to English music, and engaging in conversations with English speakers could

provide students with opportunities to practice their pronunciation skills. One participant noted, "If

they are exposed to English, they will be able to practice and improve their pronunciation skills."

Overall, the findings highlight the importance of exposure to English in improving students'

pronunciation skills. It is crucial for educators to find ways to provide students with opportunities to

practice English outside the classroom to enhance their pronunciation proficiency.

Mother tongue:

The study found that mother tongue has a significant impact on the pronunciation ability of

Grade 11-12 Filipino students. Most of the participants agreed that their mother tongue affects their

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Participants pointed out that the differences in the sound system of the Filipino language and

English language create confusion, making it difficult for them to correctly pronounce English words.

One participant noted, "The Filipino language has a different set of sounds, and it's not the same with

the English language. That's why it's hard for us to produce the correct sounds in English words"

(Participant 9).

Furthermore, participants indicated that the grammar rules in the Filipino language differ

from that of English language. One participant explained, "The grammar in the Filipino language is

different from the grammar in the English language. This affects our pronunciation because we apply

the Filipino grammar rules when speaking in English" (Participant 12).

The study findings suggest that the students' mother tongue plays a significant role in their

instruction received by Grade 11-12 Filipino students was a significant factor in their pronunciation

difficulties. Several English teachers noted that the current teaching methods and materials used in

One teacher stated, "Our English instruction is heavily focused on grammar and vocabulary.

We don't have enough time to teach pronunciation because we have to cover a lot of topics in a short

period." (Teacher 1) Another teacher also commented, "Our textbooks and materials do not provide

enough focus on pronunciation, and we are not given enough training or resources to address this

issue." (Teacher 2)

The lack of focus on pronunciation in the English instruction was also echoed by the Grade

pronunciation, and they were not provided with enough practice materials to improve their

Overall, the findings suggest that the current English instruction in the Philippines lacks

sufficient focus on pronunciation, and teachers may need additional training and resources to

effectively teach this aspect of the language.

Discussion

The findings of this study revealed that Grade 11-12 Filipino students have difficulties in

English pronunciation, which can be attributed to several factors such as attitude, exposure, mother

tongue, and instruction.

Regarding attitude, the study showed that the majority of the participants (83.6%) had a

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could improve students' language proficiency. Additionally, the participants acknowledged that

having a positive attitude towards English pronunciation is important for effective communication.

As one of the English teachers stated, "If you have the attitude, the willingness, the desire to learn it,

you will find a way to do it" (Teacher 2).

On the other hand, the participants also acknowledged that exposure to English is crucial in

improving their English pronunciation. However, the findings showed that the participants had

Moreover, the study showed that the participants' mother tongue played a significant role in

their English pronunciation. Specifically, the majority of the participants (77.4%) believed that their

Filipino could pose challenges for Filipino students in learning English pronunciation.

Lastly, the study revealed that instruction played a crucial role in improving the participants'

English pronunciation. Specifically, the majority of the participants (61.2%) agreed that instruction

having an English teacher who could provide effective feedback and instruction could significantly

improve their English pronunciation. As one of the students stated, "When the teacher gives feedback,

we learn what to do next time to improve our pronunciation" (Student 7).

Overall, the findings of this study suggest that attitude, exposure, mother tongue, and

instruction are all important factors that affect Grade 11-12 Filipino students' English pronunciation.

These findings are consistent with previous studies on ESL pronunciation learning and teaching,

which have also highlighted the importance of these factors (Derwing & Munro, 2009); Chang &

previous studies on the same topic, this study offers some unique insights into the factors that affect

English pronunciation in a specific context.

One of the unique findings of this study is the significance of attitude towards learning and

speaking English. The quantitative results showed that the majority of the participants agreed or

strongly agreed that attitude affects pronunciation. Furthermore, the qualitative data provided a

deeper understanding of the specific attitudes that affect English pronunciation, such as the fear of

making mistakes and the lack of motivation to practice pronunciation. This finding is consistent with

previous studies, which suggest that learners' attitudes play a crucial role in their language learning

(Ehrman & Oxford, 1990; Gardner, 1985).

Another unique finding of this study is the role of exposure in improving English

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understanding of the types of exposure that are most effective in improving pronunciation. For

example, the qualitative data suggested that exposure to native speakers and authentic materials,

such as movies and TV shows, can be particularly effective in improving pronunciation.

Moreover, this study provides a unique perspective on the role of mother tongue in English

pronunciation. While previous studies have often portrayed mother tongue as a hindrance to English

pronunciation (Gimson, 1980; Jenkins, 2000), the findings of this study suggest that mother tongue

can also be a resource for improving English pronunciation. The qualitative data showed that

participants who were proficient in their mother tongue were better able to distinguish between

English sounds and had a better understanding of the mechanics of pronunciation.

Finally, the present study sheds light on the importance of instruction in improving English

Overall, this study provides a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the factors that

affect English pronunciation in a specific context. By combining both quantitative and qualitative

that are most effective in improving English pronunciation. These findings have important

implications for language teachers and curriculum developers, who can use this knowledge to design

effective instructional practices that meet the specific needs of their students.

by educators and curriculum designers to develop more effective strategies for teaching