| Summary, etc. |
This research is a descriptive-qualitative study which applied need analysis to present baseline information which in turn will function as a foundation on which to develop a proposed plan of action for a potential foreign language certificate program. The main respondents of this study were thirty-one (31) potential and current foreign language secondary teachers, graduate school students and faculty professors from the Bataan Peninsula State University DOAS Main Campus handling foreign language subjects and courses, this academic year 2021-2022 which are randomly selected. Specifically, this sought to answer the profile of the respondents such as personal profiles which include sex, age, civil status, school affiliation and professional profile such as employment status, teaching position, years in teaching service, years in teaching foreign language, grade level handled, foreign language taught, educational attainment, foreign language certification, related foreign language courses, trainings, seminars (completed), related foreign language courses, trainings, seminars (currently taking up) and foreign language certification program attended. Likewise, need analysis for foreign language certificate program which include proficiency in a foreign language, attitudes towards learning and teaching foreign language, challenges of teaching foreign language skills such as syntax, phonology, morphology and semantics-vocabs; and priorities such as highest emphasis on teaching foreign language skills, target foreign language, considerations of enrolment to a preferred foreign language certificate program. It is also included examining the considerations in enrolling foreign language certificate program, probability to enroll foreign language certificate program at Bataan Peninsula State University-Graduate School and willingness of the respondents for an interview. The conduct of unstructured interview for qualitative analysis was also used to illustrate teaching experiences of foreign language and to determine considerations of choosing and enrolling in a foreign language certificate program in the Graduate School at the Bataan Peninsula State University. This study also explains what curricular program for foreign language education maybe proposed. The instruments used in this study were survey-questionnaire for the profile of the respondents both personal and professional, proficiency, attitudes, challenges and priorities, the consideration of choosing and enrolling to a foreign language certificate program and preferred foreign language and learning institution. However, unstructured online interview was used to validate their responses and find out some of the noticeable experiences of the respondents teaching the foreign language. Statistical treatment used for analysis and interpretation of data were frequency counts, weighted mean and the standard deviation using SPSS version 23. In this study, after transcribing the interview results, the software used in order to obtain qualitative data was the Qualitative Data Analysis Miner Lite, wherein manual coding was employed. Transcripts were analyzed verbatim in English and in Filipino. Thematic three-phase analysis was done and significant statements for coding were identified. Furthermore, multiple coding was applied to code selected statements more than once. In the first cycle coding, forty-four open codes were generated using the open descriptive codes in English. Second cycle analysis, codes were grouped into five (5) categories such as proficiency, attitudes, challenges, priorities and considerations for the foreign language program. And then, there were suggested themes that have been found relevant to the study. Based from the findings, Ninety percent were all females with the age of 20-29 years old, married, holding permanent teaching position with Master's degree, Most of the respondents belonged to the District II as Teacher 1 and some are college instructors teaching foreign language. Respondents have 1-5 years of teaching experiences handling junior high school and other respondents have 21 years of teaching experience in the college and have five years of teaching the specific foreign language. Chinese Mandarin is the most foreign language taught by the respondents and fifty-two percent of the respondents have obtained certificate of the relevant course, trainings and seminars. Foreign language teacher-respondents revealed sufficient general ability to teach the foreign language ang having sure of their proficiency in terms of speaking, writing, reading and listening to the foreign language taught but in terms of attitudes, respondents strongly agreed that they want to improve their foreign language proficiency to teach better and with quality. However, based on the challenges syntax obtained the highest rating of experiencing difficulties in teaching followed by morphology, phonology and semantics-vocabulary. Respondents also put emphasis on teaching the speaking and listening skills as a strong foundation in building fluency. Preference of learning other language revealed that respondents want to learn Korean Language. They manifest a feasible remarks and considerations that they are willing to enroll in the program at the Bataan Peninsula State university as chosen and trusted institution in obtaining knowledge and skills in foreign language. In the qualitative findings, data revealed that generally participants have certain level of proficiency as they assessed on their personal views and standards but have some limitations in the macro skills in teaching the foreign language. With regards to the attitudes, it was generally observed that participants recognizing that they have more things to learn about teaching foreign language, analyzed that language is a dynamic endeavor that urged them to have a continuous learning beneficial to their professional career development. The foreign language-related, institutional-related and student-related were among of the challenges encountered by the participants in teaching foreign language. Hence, participants shown their interest to learn more of the foreign language driven by their personal and professional motivation to meet teaching satisfaction and be of competent in handling foreign language classes. Building a culture of quality teaching, participants noted that providing relevant lessons would uplift interest and motivation among learners by linking to future career, culture and interesting travel activities. Moreover, the most important consideration cited in taking the training program is not obtaining certificate alone but looking up to the trainer's competence as authority figure, the financial costs, proximity of the language center, the opportunity to enhance teaching, matching to the level of proficiency of the foreign language teachers and the harmonization of the foreign language class schedule to the teachers' schedule to reconcile the time availability to attend classes and requirements of the foreign language certificate courses. In light with the foregoing findings, foreign language teachers should look for an assessment like standardized language tests to determine exactly their proficiency and skills, a consistent, balance, continuing learning journey and striving to master specific foreign language are needed in preparation to combat unnoticeable difficulties. Schools and administrators should be able to assist the foreign language teachers to be more of resilient, creative and innovative in the preparation of instructional materials and connectible to the credited institutions providing and conducting seminars, trainings and workshops. As much as possible, professors who will be handling professional teachers in teaching foreign language should be a native speaker or certified foreign language facilitator, However, college instructors should pursue a master's degree or Ph. D or relevant degree in their chosen language. Higher institution which will offer a certificate program should design the training to respond to the unique preference and needs of the school learning institutions focused on the macro skills in learning the foreign language and the pedagogical aspects of teaching the foreign language. |
