Factors that Affect the English Speaking Skills of Bacongnon-Speaking Students

This study determined the factors that affect the English-speaking skills of Bacongnon-speaking students at Gatbo National High School, School Year 2022-2023. The participants were grade 12 senior high school students. A speaking test, a survey questionnaire, and an interview schedule are the main instruments in gathering the data needed for the study. The data were analyzed and interpreted using the Forester transcription, Likert scale, frequency count, weighted mean, and basic transcription. The findings revealed that the result of the speaking test in terms of accuracy showed that there was only a few grade 12 Bacongnong-speaking students who were able to use correct grammatical structures. At the same time, the majority failed to observe the correct use of the basic subject-verb agreement. It was also found that there were limited students who can use appropriate adjectives in terms of providing details. Moreover, the findings revealed that some students were able to provide more detailed information about the given topic, while the majority had difficulty in using the appropriate adjectives, and conjunctions. It also showed that in terms of fluency, there were only a few students who can pronounce the English words correctly. While the majority of them had difficulty differentiating the sounds of voiced /th/, unvoiced /th/, the /d/ sound, short /e/, long /e/, short /o/, and long /o/sounds. In terms of intonation, there were three students who were able to use the appropriate intonation during the speaking test while the majority had difficulties in using the appropriate intonation when delivering declarative sentences. Based on the findings of the study, the first three in rank among the psychological factors are intrinsic motivation, academic pressure, and fear of criticism. Along linguistic factors is vocabulary in English, the spontaneity of speech, and appropriate translation. Along with instructional factors is a lack of motivation, feedback, and interest in the given topic. Along with environmental factors are: lack of interaction, culture and tradition, and social norms. The findings also presented that the computed overall mean on the extent of effects of the factors on the English speaking skills of the students along psychological, linguistic, instructional, and environmental are: 3.17, 3.25, 3.54, and 2.83. These are described as sometimes, sometimes, sometimes, and seldom. Likewise, a podcast-based lesson can be proposed to address the identified factors that affect the English-speaking skills of Bacongnon-speaking students. On the basis of the findings, some recommendations have been proposed to address the factors that affect the English-speaking skills of the students. Students should be exposed more to activities and tasks that focus on vocabulary building, and teaching of correct grammatical structures. Appropriate speaking tasks should be given to the students. These tasks may include tongue twisters, role-play, dramatization, symposium, and other speaking tasks that will develop the student’s pronunciation and intonation in English. In order to eradicate the factors that hinder the students to develop their speaking skills in English, appropriate learning tasks, sufficient learning resources, and motivation should be provided by the teachers to the students in order to address the factors that affect the English-speaking skills of the students. A collaborative effort should also be exerted by school administrators, teachers, parents, and learners Communication skills should be incorporated, and integrated across the curricula, rather than in just one subject. Moreover, the podcast-based lesson may be adopted and implemented. Researchers may also conduct a study in other places parallel to the present study while using other forms of variables.