INFLUENCE OF MOTHER TONGUE ON FRESHMAN STUDENTS’ PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH

Abstract

The study aimed to determine the influence of Mother Tongue on the freshman students’ proficiency in English.  Utilizing the descriptive survey, the study also employed interview and observation techniques.  Data were obtained from ten (10) Language instructors who were asked to determine the influence of Mother Tongue on freshman students’ English proficiency and two hundred twenty-nine (229) freshman students who answered the English Proficiency test.  Data were analyzed using the frequency and percentage, arithmetic mean, F-test, and correlation coefficient r-test. 

In view of the findings of the research, it can be concluded that majority of freshman students enrolled in the BS in Electrical Engineering, BS in Information Technology, and BS in Architecture programs; Most of them are females with ages ranging from 16 to 20 years old; used Iloco Mother Tongue as first language at home; and are residents from the town proper.  Majority obtained their secondary education in the public high schools; with parents finished low education; and earned an annual income ranging from 41,000-50,000.00 per annum.  The freshman students are proficient or competent in English proficiency along Morphology, Phonology, Syntax, and Semantics.  Those young, Iloco speaking freshman students who reside from the town proper, and were with parents’ obtaining low education tended to be more proficient in English than their counterpart. The stronger is the influence of the Mother Tongue on the freshman students, the more that they become proficient in English.