Some problems encountered in the teaching of college freshmen English

Abstract

Freshman English is a subject which every entering college student is required to take. The key to a student’s success in whatever profession he chooses depends upon his ability to use the medium of instruction. Education does not consist of the accumulation of knowledge alone. It also consists of assimilating that knowledge and putting it to immediate use. In order to achieve these, the student has to understand the language of instruction. As a social being, he has to exchange ideas with other people. This communication involves both the receiving and the sending of ideas. The student is aided by the teacher who helps him receive by Improving his ability to read, to listen, and to understand. The teacher helps the student to express his ideas by devoid oping in him the skills of writing and speaking. This work, however, the English teacher does not always find easy. Statement of the problem. This study attempts to investigate the nature of the problems met by teachers of college freshman English and the extent to which these problems are met. Efforts were made to determine how English can be taught most effectively under existing conditions. Purpose of the study. It is not easy to isolate the problems of the freshman English teacher. This study is an attempt to arrive at some sort of joint wisdom, to ferret out the problems that beset the teacher even before he has started. The poor command of English possessed by Filipino students is often attributed to the poor quality of teachers who are turned out yearly by teacher-training institutions. In order to stop the progressive deterioration of the quality of teachers in our country, only products of the finest grade should be turned out as teachers. If the task of educating the younger generation is intrusted to teachers of good quality, the problem of inadequately prepared pupils will be stopped at the source. How then can future teachers and professional men and women be taught most effectively under existing conditions? It is the purpose of this study to present these conditions, especially those which hamper the English teacher in his work.