SECOND LANGUAGE FACILITY OF STUDENT TEACHERS IN THE PHILIPPINES: AN OPPORTUNITY OR A CHALLENGE?

In the 21st century, effective communication is considered the bedrock towards globalization. In the Philippines, English communication is made the medium of instruction. Some state universities and colleges in the country like Cebu Normal University Integrated Laboratory School, students in the elementary and high school department are taught in English by the student teachers. Observations noted that the latter still lack the proficiency of the language. It is therefore the aim of this study to assess the Bachelor of Secondary Education and Bachelor of Elementary Education-student teachers’ English communication skills in oral and written discourses and their teaching performance. Using the Pearson –r correlation, finding revealed that both groups are comparatively better in oral than in written communication. As regards teaching performance, both groups show satisfactory results. There is however a low relationship between the English communication skills and the student teachers’ teaching performance. If a student teacher is equipped to teach, he/she can still perform well with the consciousness that facility of the language still needs to be continually enhanced. Based on the mentors’ comments and students’ observations, the student teachers’ second language facility serves as an opportunity for the latter towards wider exposure in various oral communication setting as well as a challenge to realize the need for more comprehensible communication of ideas. With the belief that facility of the language helps usher meaning learning, then appropriate and relevant training is a potent avenue to ensure consistency of purpose