Chapter 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND Introduct on English is considered as the universal language; for which it is understood

by almost all countries around the world. A lot of people use English as their second language. It is a way of communication in business, negotiations and especially academics. It plays an important role in the basic education, particularly to speaking and writing (Kumar, !!"#. $he use of the language takes place in all circumstances of our daily lives. It has been a tool in interacting with people to discuss and share our interests, work, life and every other concern we may have. It serves as a vehicle to convey ideas and interact with different social groups and transfer knowledge from one entity to another. English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and, because it is the preferred language for international commerce, English as a %econd &anguage (E%&# schools e'ist in most industriali(ed countries. Even though English grammar is part of the high school curriculum in many countries, many non)native speakers need e'tra training to be able to communicate effectively. *ommunication is defined as the activity of conveying information through the e'change of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, visuals, signals, writing, or behaviour. It is the meaningful e'change of information between two or more living creatures. +eing able to communicate with others is one of the best life skills a person

can develop. %omeone who can effectively communicate thoughts, ideas, and feelings is better e,uipped for success both on the -ob and in personal relationships. Effective communication is much more than being able to talk; it is also the ability to listen and understand others, to .read/ and interpret body language and to know the best ways to get our points across. $his study will determine the level of English proficiency of the 012 students of &aguna 3orthwestern *ollege and discuss about the importance of having good communication skills in the field of 0ospitality 2anagement. $his study will also identify the factors that might have an effect on a person4s proficiency and strategies that help improve it. $he result of this study will help the researchers propose suggestions or recommendations to improve the competence of students in English. Bac!"round o# the Stud$ $he %tudy will be conducted in &aguna 3orthwestern *ollege. It is located in +arangay %an Antonio %an 5edro *ity &aguna. &aguna 3orthwestern Institute was formally inaugurated on 2ay 6, 7"86. *lasses started on 9une 7:, 7"86 with 7"

students on the 7st and nd year 0igh %chool. %ucceeding years opened the :rd and ;th year 0igh %chool classes, kindergarten and grades one to four classes. +y 7"6 , &3* offered classes from 5re)school up to ;th year secondary levels. Around 7"6;, the institution started offering college courses. 7""6 was the year when 012 got introduced to the institution. $he +achelor of %cience in 0otel and 1estaurant 2anagement (+%012# is a four)year degree program in the 5hilippines that will prepare you for working in the hotel

and restaurant industry and managing your own hotel and restaurant business someday. <ith the help of this course you4ll learn not only how to manage the day to day operations of your hotel or restaurant, you4ll also learn how to devise plans and strategies that can increase your company4s profit. Effective communication comes into play as graduates of this course need to develop outstanding soft skills as they will be dealing with people in and out of their environment. $he necessity of using English as an educational language in the 5hilippine educational set)up does not decline learning but improves the comprehension of concepts and language. <hile enrolled, students learn how to hire and train staff, make purchasing decisions, manage a variety of personnel, and handle payroll and more. $hey study the sanitation and safety codes that hotels and restaurants must follow by law. 2ost bachelor=s degree programs in the hotel and restaurant management field also re,uire that degree candidates complete at least one internship or work)study e'perience at a local lodging or food service facility before graduation. In line with this, developing e'cellent understanding in English comprehension will help the students effectively communicate with people once they4ve graduated from college. It works hand in hand with their line of work. >raduates of this course will possess business management and accounting skills to be able to compute daily sales, recipe costing?cost control and inventory management. $he program also helps students to develop effective communication and

interpersonal

skills

which

are

essential

in

establishing

positive

employer?employee?customer relations. $herefore, the result of this study determines the level of English proficiency of the 012 students and may provide a basis for remediation or ways to address the situation with the goal of improving the competence of English proficiency of the students which coincides with the mission of the college to producing high ,uality professionals. State%ent o# the Pro&'e% $he study aims to assess the 0otel and 1estaurant 2anagement students of &aguna 3orthwestern *ollege %chool @ear !7;. %pecifically, the study sought answers to the following ,uestionsA 7. <hat is the Bemographic 5rofile of the respondents in terms ofA 7.7 Age 7. >ender . <hat is the status of the English proficiency and communication skills of students of &aguna 3orthwestern *ollege in terms ofA .7 Age . >ender .: Camily Income

.; Caculty .D %tudent .D 1elated &earning E'perience :. <hat suggestions came up from the response of the respondents that aim to improve the 0otel and 1estaurant 2anagement courseE H$pothe( ( $here is no significant difference relating to the status of the English proficiency and communication skills of students of 0otel and 1estaurant 2anagement course in &aguna 3orthwestern *ollege %chool @ear !7; in terms ofA Age >ender Camily Income Caculty %tudent 1elated &earning E'perience

S "n # cance o# the (tud$ $his study will benefit the followingA

La"una North)e(tern Co''e"e* $his study will help them to be more efficient when it comes to improving their ,uality of education and school facilities. Schoo' Ad% n (trator* $his will serve as tool and basis in weighing the importance of the course, as well as its curriculum being offered. Co''e"e (tudent(* $his could give idea on how to make a feasible research paper. Parent(* $he findings could serve as an eye opener for them to reali(e their significant role as parents as well as deeper understanding to the efforts given by the instructors and school in making their children become functionally literate in their field. Teacher(+Mentor( , $he result of the study will help the teachers?mentors provide encouragement to think of ideas that will give proper guidance to the students. HRM depart%ent* $his study is very helpful to the department for them to know the improvement they need. -uture Re(earcher(* $his study is useful to the researchers to provide related study in developing a department. $his study can be an informative venture for the potential researchers. Scope and ' % tat on $he study focuses on the 0otel and 1estaurant 2anagement students in &aguna 3orthwestern *ollege. $he respondents are composed of D6 officially enrolled in 0otel and 1estaurant 2anagement course. $he survey form will include the following demographic profile of the students in terms ofA age and gender. $his survey is conducted during the year !7;.

De# n t on o# Ter%( $his part defines and e'plains the terminologies used in the whole study. A"e ) is the length of time a person has lived or has e'isted. Gender ) is the classification of the person4s orientation. -a% '$ Inco%e ) is the monetary income of the family. (in this case, on a monthly basis# -acu't$ F it is defined as all the member of profession or the group of teachers at a specific educational organi(ation. Student ) their common purpose is to receive an education that ,ualifies them for a life profession through achievement of a college degree. Re'ated Learn n" E.per ence ) is an important part of students education across the curriculum and key to preparing them for their future careers, enabling them to develop the skills to make a positive contribution to our economy.