Communication skills of Alternative Learning System (ALS) learners in Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) test [manuscript] : basis for proposed performance enhancement program / Donna Tamayao Santos.

Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the communication skills of Alternative Learning System (ALS) learners' in Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) test: Basis for Proposed Performance Enhancement Program in Mariveles District. It aimed to establish the profile of the participants in terms of age, sex, and civil status. Further, this study explored ALS learner's communication skills performance in Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E). The study applied cross-sectional research design is frequently used to determine the prevailing characteristics in a population at a certain point in time. For example, a crosssectional study might be used to determine if exposure to specific risk factors might correlate with particular outcomes. There were seventy-one (71) ALS learners who were conveniently selected to be part of the research population. This was composed of only twelve (12) male and twenty-four (18) female respondents for the entire population. The data revealed the following profiles of the respondents; 16 being the youngest and 39 the oldest. On sex, forty-one (41) were male and thirty-nine (39) were female. With regard to civil status, sixty-five (65) were single and five (5) were married. All the participants have finished the Alternative Learning System. Through the validated and field tested locally adopted questionnaire, the data collected were tallied and tabulated in accordance with the variables stated in the problems. The responses were tallied, tabulated and treated with the following statistical treatment: Percentage was used in the percentile grouping of the profile of the respondents namely, age, sex and civil status. The Pearson Product - Moment correlation Coefficient vi was used to determine the significant relationship between the ALS Learners' profile and their A & E Tests in the communication skill learning strands. The null hypothesis that there is no significant difference between Alternative Learning System learner's characteristics and their performance in Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test focused on communication skill learning strand was accepted. The study raised the following recommendations: The regular practice of reading to make it a habit should be encouraged to the ALS learners to help them increase their interest in English subject; Regularity of students' attendance should also be considered for the learners to have continuous training of their communication skills; Reading Corner is already practiced by some learning centers, should apply to all institutions even in informal program of education. Additionally, the administration and faculty of the Alternative Learning System should update curricular offerings in this regard to be more attractive and relevant to the demands of time and should take the challenge of maintaining a very high degree of graduate satisfaction while keeping pace with changing professional requirements. Specially in communication skill or also known as "soft skills" which most companies nowadays are now taking consideration during hirings / interviews. Furthermore, a similar study focusing on the other parts of communication skill such as speaking and listening should also be conducted.