SCHOOL OF DISTANCE EDUCATION

PROGRAM PENSISWAZAHAN PENDIDIKAN GURU ( PPG )

AMBILAN ARIL /2011

UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA

FIK 3042

ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION 2

LECTURER : DR MOHAMAD JEFREE B ZAINOL ABIDIN

ASSIGNMENT :
Read 2 articles in the internet on
“How To Improve Learners English Proficiency’

BY : NOR FADHILAH BT HJ MOHAMAD SANUSI

781121-14-5316

PPG/20341/11
First Article - Ways to Improve English Proficiency

Gregory Hamel has been a freelance writer for various websites since September 2008 and
has also authored two young-adult science-fantasy novels. He has a Bachelor of Arts in
economics from St. Olaf College. Hamel maintains a blog focused on running and fitness.
By Gregory Hamel, eHow Contributor

1. English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Gaining English
proficiency can be an important aspect of education in many fields from business to
aviation to science. Even native English speakers can benefit from increasing
knowledge and improving writing skills. There are many accessible ways to improve
English proficiency effectively without taking formal classes.

2. Speak Regularly
o One of the most important aspects of gaining proficiency in any language is
speaking it regularly. Self-study can improve reading and comprehension
skills, but interacting with other English speakers is essential for boosting real-
world comprehension and practical use of the English language. If you live in
a bilingual home, designate a certain amount of time each day for speaking
only in English. Making English-speaking friends, perhaps those interested in
learning a different language that you speak, can help increase proficiency.
Living in an English-speaking country will help immerse you in the language
and increase all aspects of your English knowledge.
3. Media
o Watching or listening to media in English is a way to improve English
comprehension without feeling like you are studying. Watch popular English
movies and listen to English music. Avoid watching dubbed films in favor of
those with English voice and subtitles.
4. Online Learning
o The Internet is full of resources that can help you improve your English
proficiency. Reading news articles at English news websites is a way to work
on reading comprehension. The Internet is one of the best places to go to
 improve vocabulary since definitions can be looked up easily with a simple
web search. It can also be helpful to bookmark an English dictionary website.
Some dictionary sites, such as The Free Online Dictionary, have vocabulary
games and other learning tools available right on the front page. Free Rice is
another vocabulary-building website that allows users to answer multiple-
choice vocabulary questions and the site will donate 10 grains of rice to fight
world hunger for each correct answer. Participating in an English-speaking
message board or forum community is a way to work on your writing ability
while discussing topics of interest. The Internet can allow you to use English
in some way every day.
5. Classes
o While it is possible to increase proficiency in English through other means,
taking formal classes or joining a club dedicated to learning English can
accelerate learning. Classes can help increase motivation and keep you on a
normal schedule of study, which is important for learning any language.

Sources : http://www.ehow.com/list_6374218_ways-improve-english-proficiency.html
Second Article : Improving English Proficiency

On its initiative to further improve English instruction among public schools, DepEd’s press
release reads:

Recognizing the importance of English proficiency as an important building block in

learning, the Department of Education has placed it as one of its priority programs for 2008
focusing on schools with low mastery level in the 2007 National Achievement Test (NAT). 1

Erosion of English skills among Filipinos has drawn attention among the government policy
makers and even stakeholders of industries that are directly affected by it like the Information
Technology (IT) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industries. In Congress, Rep.
Eduardo R. Gullas filed House Bill 305 (Proposed Act to Strengthen and Enhance the Use of
English as the Medium of Instruction in Philippine Schools) that revives English as the
mandatory language for teaching in all school levels.

It seems that I do not need to see research data to affirm that English skills among students
deteriorate. I can partially conclude that based on experience. In writing classes for example,
it pained me to check the students’ output. Since they were college students, they were
expected to write correct sentences but I contrary to my expectation level, there was still a
need to go back to basics.

The worst was in speech classes. It was common to hear student saying “raid” as he read
“red”. Most of the students say “mum” instead of “ma’am”. Many teachers corrected
mispronunciation but many teachers also mispronounced words. What a mess!

This problem is deeply rooted in our education system. It boils down to classroom shortage,
inadequate instructional materials, and undesirable class size. Teachers’ proficiency must also
be assessed. No teachers are inefficient nor not proficient to teach the language but it must be
stressed that teachers also need to refresh and enhance skills.

There are numerous seminars that aim to upgrade teacher’s skills but are not gaining
momentum yet. One of the best way to upgrade one’s skill is graduate studies. However,
CHED need to carefully evaluate schools that offer graduate studies in English as some of
those schools just simply add the problem instead of helping.

I believe the government is taking good actions in improving the quality of education. DepEd
is conducting the Test of English Proficiency for Teachers (TEPT) which will “specifically
measure teachers’ aptitude on the structure of the English language, reading comprehension,
written expression and grammar.” The result of the test will guide our policy makers to
execute viable programs.

It is also important that we look at our infrastructure to improve the quality of English
instruction. How many public elementary and high school have audio-visual room and speech
laboratories? How many of them have libraries? How many of them have teachers who are
specialist in reading or literature?

Improving English proficiency cannot be done overnight nor just by a political leader. It calls
participation among all sectors in the society. Everyone must do his part.

Sources : http://gervacio.wordpress.com/2008/02/12/improving-english-proficiency.html