Skills, Confidence and Challenges in Speaking English among Indigenous College Students

Abstract

The study tried to assess the skills, confidence, and challenges in speaking English among indigenous people college students and utilized descriptive research method. 526 indigenous college students from the public and private institutions of the second district of Oriental Mindoro were involved in the study. Results showed that the majority of respondents were female and within the 18-24 age bracket, with the largest proportion of Buhid Mangyan tribe. Most of the respondents demonstrated consistent performance across all speaking skills and often performed the statements in all the indicators in vocabulary, followed by fluency, grammar, and pronunciation. The respondents often showed a prevalent confidence in speaking English, particularly in familiar settings such as home and school, reflecting a positive attitude towards English communication within their community. The respondents often encountered frequent and equally pronounced difficulties in speaking English, spanning academic, personal, and social domains, demanding comprehensive strategies to alleviate these challenges and enhance their English communication skills effectively. It was observed that there was a significant difference in students’ skills, confidence, and challenges in speaking English when grouped according to profile and based on the test conducted, it was found out that females from the Buhid tribe studying in private and belonging to the 3rd level have better assessment than others. English speaking skills of indigenous students are closely related to their English-speaking confidence and challenges. The study revealed that the better the skills and confident in speaking English, the more challenges they experienced. Therefore, a language learning program was put forward to help indigenous college students enhance their English speaking skills to reduce the challenges they might encounter to attain confidence in speaking English.