1

Chapter I

The Problem and Its Setting

As Filipino citizens, we usually use Vernacular and Filipino language for our

every conversation. However, there are still many unfamiliar Filipino words that are

rarely used in the classroom, especially those with deep meaning. Learners’

positive attitude during the instructional sessions is essential in ensuring that the

learners remain sufficient to successfully acquire the primary language Filipino. A

typical Filipino (those not living in Tagalog-using area) grows up to at least speak

three languages: (1) the vernacular for the home and wider community, (2) English

for education, science and technology, and wider communication (both intra- and

international), and (3) Filipino primarily as a symbol for national unity and linguistics

identity (Gonzalez, 1998). In fact, Filipinos are known as one of the best when it

comes to speaking English language.

In language acquisition, Schumman (1978) as mentioned by Ellis

(1986) lists “attitudes” as a social factor on a par with variables such as “size of

learning group”, and “motivation” as an effective factor alongside “culture shock”.

Gardner (1979) suggests that attitudes are related to motivation by serving as

reinforcement of the learner’s overall orientation. Savignon (1976) claims that

attitude is seen to be integral factor in the process of language acquisition. Lifrieri

(2005) emphasizes that "attitudes are important, but insufficient conditions for

linguistic attainment". Ellis (1997) emphasizes reasons that individuals who are

motivated to integrate both linguistic and non-linguistic outcomes of the learning

experiences will attain a higher degree of proficiency and more desirable attitudes.
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In every school, learning the Filipino language has an integral part of the

curriculum. The inclusion of Filipino language in the curriculum was viewed as a

positive direction towards more effective teaching and learning since, compared

with English, Filipino language would be an easier language to use as toll of

learning. In addition, Junior High School students of the University of Southern

Philippines Foundation are encouraged to read and watch Filipino literatures. Also,

students are taught on how to improve their abilities when it comes to writing

poems, songs, stories, and other forms of writings using the Filipino language.

However, as time passes by, many students no longer appreciate the language

Filipino in the extent of attitudes. As such, attitudes and motivation play an

important role in language learning as they would come into view to influence

students’ success or failure in the language procurement.

As a responsible citizen of this country, the researchers’ main concern is to

investigate the factors affecting the students’ attitude towards learning the Filipino

language that made the students to become uninterested with the medium as

instructional tool. The researchers are also concerned about how will the students

be motivated and understand fully the language and also the subject with

enjoyment.
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Review of Related Literature and Studies

Filipino Language in the Curriculum

As mandated in the 1935 Philippine Constitution, a national language was

to be adopted and developed based on one of the existing native languages. In

1937, the Institute of National Language (INL) which was created to direct the

selection, propagation and development of the national language, recommended

that Tagalog be the basis for the adoption of the national language of the country.

In the same year, then President Manuel Quezon signed Executive Order No. 134

declaring Tagalog as basis of the national language (Espiritu, 2015).

On April 12, 1940, Executive Order No. 263 was issued ordering among

others, the teaching of the national language in all public and private schools in the

country (Espiritu, 2015).

The national language, more popularly known as Tagalog, was therefore,

first introduced in the fourth year of all public and private high schools and in the

second year of all public and private teacher-training institutions (Article XIV, 1987

Philippine Constitution).

The inclusion of Tagalog in the curriculum was viewed as a positive

direction towards more effective teaching and learning since, compared with

English, Tagalog would be an easier language to use as tool of learning. This

significant move also marked the beginning of the critical process of developing

the national language and disseminating it nationwide mainly through the schools.
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Students’ Attitude towards Filipino Language

According to Frank (1993), students’ attitude toward their studies plays an

important role to develop an appreciable study habit. This was illustrated by his

study where out of 240 students taken as sample: those with positive attitude had

good study habits and also had a definite time to work on their schools.

Almond (1991) related that students with positive attitudes are normally

looking forward for a good occupation in the future. For this reason, students oblige

themselves to study hard in order to achieve their goal that they occupy good work

positions when they graduate.

According to the examinations in English, Mathematics, and Science given

selected students from Asia, the Philippines ranked to the third to the last

(Imbestigador Channel 7, 2004). It can then be said that at present, the Filipino

students are intellectually poor in language. Perhaps, one of the factors why

Filipino language is deteriorating in the Philippines is the disinterest shown by the

students.

In one of the studies of Carmona (1992), the attitude of the students was a

dominant factor that influenced their academic performance. In her study involving

300 learners taken from six sections showed 231 or 77 percent of the students

with good attitude in their studies had higher ratings in their academic subjects.

Gardner (1985: 10) sees attitudes as components of motivation in language

learning. According to him, ‘motivation ... refers to the combination of effort plus

desire to achieve the goal of learning the language plus favorable attitudes toward
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learning the language’. He believes the motivation to learn a foreign language is

determined by basic predispositions and personality characteristics such as the

learner’s attitudes towards foreign people in general, and the target group and

language in particular, motives for learning, and generalized attitudes (Gardner

1985). Wenden (1991) sees attitudes as including three components: First,

attitudes tend to have a cognitive component. This could involve beliefs or

perceptions about the objects or situations related to the attitude. Second, attitudes

have an evaluative component. This means that the objects or situations related

to the attitude may generate like or dislike. Third, attitudes have a behavioral

component, i.e. certain attitudes tend to prompt learners to adopt particular

learning behaviors.

Attitudes and motivation According to Gardner (1985, 10) attitudes are a

component of motivation, which "refers to the combination of effort plus desire to

achieve the goal of learning plus favorable attitudes towards learning the language.

According to Brown (2000, 181), is "that second language learners benefit

from positive attitudes and that negative attitudes may lead to decreased

motivation and, in all likelihood, because of decreased input and interaction, to

unsuccessful attainment of proficiency."

As with the research that finds a correlation between positive attitudes and

successful language learning, studies like (Yashima, 2002) find that motivated

students have greater self-confidence in their second language, resulting in a

greater willingness to communicate;

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Different aspects of language attitudes have also been studied such as the

relation between attitudes and motivation (Donitsa-Schmidt et al. 2004, Bernaus

et al. 2004, Williams et al. 2002), the relationship between attitudes and learning

strategies (Gan 2004), the relationship between attitudes and level of achievement

(Graham 2004), beliefs and attitudes about target language use, first language use

and anxiety (Levine 2003), attitudes to language and language learning at

secondary and tertiary levels (Yang and Lau 2003), the relationship between

negative attitudes towards non-native speakers and poor comprehension of those

speakers (Lindemann 2002), attitudes towards debatable usages between

teachers and their students (Lee 2001a), attitudes of native speaker teachers and

non-native speaker teachers towards disputable usages (Lee 2001b), the

relationship between attitudes towards ideology, culture, people, language and

factors affecting attitude (Flaitz 1988).

According to Skehan (1989) and Gardner and MacIntyre (1993), attitudes

are one of the several components of affective variables of language learning.

Nevertheless, Ellis (1985) concludes that this concept is an abstract one. This

means that it is not an easy task to reach a unanimous decision about what this

affective variable means. Then, someone.s definition of language attitudes will

have to be adopted or give a new one.

Little research has been carried out on attitudes towards language learning

when three languages are somehow involved (Lasagabaster, 2001). Most studies

focus on two languages, that is why this research study gives current literature on

the topic, in my humble opinion, a potential status other studies may lack.
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Language attitudes and previous language attitude studies

According to Starks and Paltridge (1996), learning a language is closely

related to the attitudes toward the languages. Attitude refers to “a hypothetical

construct used to explain the direction and persistence of human behavior” (Baker,

1992, p.10). In other words, it can represent internal thoughts, feelings and

tendencies in behavior across a variety of contexts. Although an attitude is

individual, it has origins in collective behavior. Moreover, some characteristics of

attitude are: it is learnt, it is not inherited, it is also likely to be relatively stable, and

it has a tendency to persist. Attitudes also play a vital role in language growth or

decay, restoration or destruction. In other words, the status and importance of a

language in society and within an individual can be adopted and learnt (Baker,

1988, p. 112- 115). Crystal (1992) states that, language attitudes are the feelings

people have about their own language or the languages of others. Moreover, there

are five implications of language attitudes, including: 1. it usually entails attitude to

the speakers of the particular language or dialect. 2. it influences sound change,

3. it may influence how teachers deal with pupils, 4. it may affect second language

learning, 5. it may affect whether or not varieties are mutually intelligible”

(“language attitudes”, 2007). Fasold (1984) argues that attitudes toward a

language are often the reflection of attitudes toward members of various ethnic

groups and people’s reactions to language varieties reveal much of their

perception of the speakers of these varieties (Edwards, 1982). “Speakers of

standard varieties are often valued while speakers of non-standard varieties are

often disparaged because of their speech” (Renoud, 2007). Language attitudes

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are rarely static and it may change due to personal introspection experience to or

exposure to social influence to benefit humanity (Giles and Powesland, 1975; Ryan

and Giles, 1982)

Studies have shown that when studying language attitudes, the concept of

motives is important. In the language learning context, motivation (to learn the

language) refers to the combination of effort plus the desire to achieve the goal of

learning the language plus favorable attitudes toward learning the language

(Gardner, 1985).

In the Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics (1992:199) ‘language

attitudes’ are defined as follows: The attitude which speakers of different

languages or language varieties have towards each other’s languages or to their

own language. Expressions of positive or negative feelings towards a language

may reflect impressions of linguistic difficulty or simplicity, ease or difficulty of

learning, degree of importance, elegance, social status, etc. Attitudes towards a

language may also show what people feel about the speakers of that language.

Conceptual Framework

Many teenagers on our generation used to forget about the importance of

our language. The researchers intend to awaken young adolescents on how

important our language is. The importance of this study is to provide knowledge

for everyone on how to gain back our patriotism in our country. The project will

help us to be aware on the happenings, good or bad sides or the effect of this

problem encountered. The project needs the help of the Junior High School
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teachers and University Administrators of the University of Southern Philippines

Foundation to guide these young adolescents on appreciating the Filipino

language.

Dependent Variable Independent Variable

Attitude of the Junior

High School Students in
FILIPINO LANGUAGE
Learning the Filipino
Language

FIGURE 1

Conceptual Framework

Research Problem

The Junior High School department of the University of Southern

Philippines Foundation has observed that the students had a hard time using

Filipino as a medium of instruction in their Araling Panlipunan, Edukasyon sa

Pagpapakatao and Filipino subjects, instead they code-switch. Code-switching is

the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language

in conversation (Merriam-Webster 1828).

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The variables that affects the students’ attitude towards learning the Filipino

language is attitude and motivation. Motivation has been defined as a theoretical

construct to explain the initiation, direction, intensity, and persistence of behavior,

especially goal-directed behavior. In the classroom context, the concept of student

motivation is used to explain the degree to which students invest attention and

effort in various activities, which might or might not be the ones desired by

teachers. Hence, motivation is considered as students’ subjective experiences,

especially in their willingness to engage in lessons, learning activities, and their

reasons for doings so (Mangubhai, 2006).

Hypothesis

1. The unimportant aspect of students’ attitude towards learning the Filipino

language

2. The lack of motivational behavior and self-confidence in acquiring the

Filipino language of the students of the Junior High School department

3. The difficulties that the students encounter while learning the language

Significance of the Study

The researchers believe that learning the National language is still one of

the main problems of the student today. More students do not want to come into

their Filipino classes. They are afraid to communicate using the Filipino language.

They are afraid to commit a mistake while speaking, that is why they cannot

improve their fluency in speaking National language.

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This prompt the researchers to conduct a study entitled Factors Affecting

Students’ Attitude towards Learning the Filipino Language. The study is an attempt

to know the attitude of the Junior High School students of the University of

Southern Philippines Foundation towards the primary language and what kind of

difficulties they encounter in their Filipino-language subjects.

In the end utilizing the results of this study will open favorable approaches

where to pick up ways and means of strengthening the positive attitude of the

students’ and strengthening the negative attitude towards Filipino Language.

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Chapter II

Research Methodology

Research Design

This study was conducted in order to verify the factors affecting Junior High

School students’ attitude towards learning the Filipino language. To be able to

gather necessary data, the researchers utilized the descriptive research design.

Descriptive research design is a scientific method which involves observing and

describing the behavior of a subject without influencing it in any way. A descriptive

survey was selected to find the accurate reason that affirms the factors the

researchers gave. The information was collected through the adopted

researchers-made questionnaires anchored on the Action Research on Students’

attitude in learning the Filipino language in School. It is distributed personally to

the subjects by the researchers.

Distribution Pace
Collection of the
Questionnaires

Interpretation of the
gathered data

Analyzation

Conclusion
FIGURE 2

Processes Applied
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Research Environment

This study is administered at the University of Southern Philippines

Foundation – Lahug Campus, Salinas Drive, Lahug Cebu City, Philippines. The

study was conducted at the Junior High School Department of Beatriz Jereza Hall.

The University of Southern Philippines Foundation promotes education that

provides holistic and quality educational programs which produces students that

can meet the needs and demands of the society globally. USPF projects a

sovereign university that is committed to develop professionals and community

leaders that will maintain and create sustainability in the community. The Junior

High School Department has a 21st Century education responsive to the needs of

the community that builds students’ who are globally competent individuals.

Research Respondents

The respondents of the study are the Junior High School students of the

Basic Education Department of University of Southern Philippines Foundation,

Lahug Campus.

Research Instruments

The study will utilize a researchers-made questionnaire adopted

from the Action Research on Students’ Attitude Towards Learning the Filipino

Language in School (Malcolm, Wilson, Davidson and Kirk; 2003). It was used to

gather information on the most common causes of absenteeism among Junior

High School students. Items on the survey included physical factors, health,
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personal attitude, teacher-related reasons, classroom atmosphere, and home-

related factors.

The choice of the adopted researchers-made questionnaire aimed to certify

the top factors of students’ attitude towards learning the Filipino language among

the items.

Research Procedures

The researchers will ask permission from the head of the department to

have the approval in conducting this study. All of the Junior High School students

will be able to answer the research instruments. The gathering procedure will be

conducted during students’ free time to avoid disruption of classes. Afterwards the

researchers will have an orientation per section; per grade level to understand how

to answer the questionnaire and what is the study all about by the respondents.

Sample Size Calculator will be used as a formula to have a minimal and valid total

number of respondents.

The data were gathered during free time to prevent disruption of classes.

Whenever all the data were collected, these were tallied and collated then

subjected to different statistical formula.

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References

Jung, Carl, 1985. Functional Approach to Attitudes MacMillan Book Co., Inc., New

York.

Almond, Daniel F. 1991. Social Integration (New York MacMillan Book Co.,).

Al-Khatany, A.H. ‘Dialectal ethnographic ‘cleansing’: ESL students’ attitudes

towards three varieties of English’, Language & Communication, Vol.15,

No.2, (1995), pp. 165-180.

Baker, C. Attitudes and Language (Great Britain: Multilingual Matters Ltd, 1992).

Baker, C. (1988). Key Issues in Bilingualism and Bilingual Education. Clevedon:

Multilingual Matters.

Baker, C. (1992). Attitudes and Language. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Brown, H. D. (1994). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. Englewood

Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Regents.

Cooper, R. and FISHMAN, J. ‘A study of language attitudes’, The Spread of

English, J.Fishman, R. Cooper & A.Conrad (eds.), (Rowley, Ma.: Newburry

House, 1977), pp. 239-276.

Gardner, R.C. Social Psychology and Second language Learning: The Role of

Atttitude and Motivation. (London: Edward Arnold, 1985).

Gardner, R. & P. MacIntyre (1993). A student’s contribution to second language

learning. Part II: Affective variables. Language Teaching 26: 1-11.

 16

González, J. (2001). Engineering students and ESP in the Basque Country: SLA

versus TLA., in Cenoz et al. (eds.) (2001), 75-95.

Giles, H. & Powesland, P. F. (1975). Speech Style and Social Evaluation. London:

Academic Press.

Internet

Clemencia Espiritu, PhD (2015). Filipino Language in the Curriculum. Retrieved

April 29, 2015. http://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-3/subcommissions/subcommission-

on-cultural-disseminationscd/language-and-translation/filipino-language-in-the-

curriculum/
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APPENDIX

The Questionnaire given to the selected high school students:

Name: Level:

Age: Favorite Subject:

Gender:

Dear Respondent,

The researchers are concerned about the factors that affects the learning

of Filipino language in Junior High School Department of the University of

Southern Philippines Foundation. The title of this research is “Factors Affecting

the Students’ Attitude towards Learning the Filipino Language”.

As a part of the research, the researcher must conduct a survey that will

lead as a basis to know how the student behave appropriately in their Filipino-

language subjects.

We hope that you would answer properly and honestly. As you answer,

you must put check on the box provided.

YES or NO:

1. Do you enjoy studying Filipino-language subjects?

2. Do you have difficulty dealing to this?

3. Do you find it easy to understand your lessons in your Filipino-

language subjects?
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4. Do you ever get bored during Filipino-language subjects time?

5. Do you often try to speak Filipino in your Filipino-language subject?

MULTIPLE CHOICES:

6. What is your mood when your Filipino-language subjects starts?

Happy Grateful Moody

Sad Angry Other: ____________

7. What language do you prefer most to use inside the school?

English Tagalog Other: _________________

8. In which way do you want a lesson to be delivered?

Dictation Copying the writings on the board Both

9. In studying the part of speech, which do you find easy to understand?

Tagalog English Just the same

10. In your Filipino-language subject, which subject do you excel most?

Araling Panlipunan Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao Filipino