Why is English feared by second language speakers?

Filipinos, professionals and non-professionals alike, do fear English, I strongly agree. Agitation arises and much stuttering are heard when faculty meetings are held because all need to speak in English before our principal, who herself speak truly excellent English. With this, I can say English language is feared by professionals. Panic among students is observed whenever graded recitation transpires in our English class. Those who lack confidence to speak in English choose to remain quiet rather than speak their mind during class discussions. Hence, I can further prove that English is the language feared by most students. People, regardless of their social status, do exhibit pressure and tend to do code switching when they are given the idea that they talk to a person who speaks or teaches English. They demonstrate speaking behaviors which sound awkward and ridiculous rather than pleasing. I myself have been experiencing these instances.

“Correct grammar and pronunciation are necessary in speaking English”, is a statement which poses anxiety to every individual who desires to speak the language and this has been instilled in our minds since Filipinos started speaking the language.  Conformity to such a requirement sets difficulties to those who have no mastery of grammar rules and those who have regional accents.  The listener’s tendency to make an outright correction of the speaker’s error or mistake, which more often than not, embarrasses the person rather than help him in learning the language is another hindrance. Those who do not and cannot speak fluently in English are ridiculed whereas those who can are glorified and instantly, they gain attention and acceptance. All of these prove that we distinctively view English as “superior” over our very own language and it is this bias of the language that poses fear upon our fellows, not their inadequacies in any aspect of the English language. And so long as this view prevails in us FEAR of English will never be survived.

The implementation of English zones in school has been a very effective means of making students attain fluency and eloquence in English. In Ateneo de Manila University there is this certain area of the institution wherein a student would be tasked to stand in the middle of an audience and extemporaneously delivers his piece without being interrupted by corrections whatsoever for a certain period of time. Kris Aquino and Boy Abunda testified to have experienced this. And according to them, this could have been the reason why they became excellent speakers of the language. In our school, students are not allowed to speak in vernacular unless they are in Filipino class. There is no punishment provided for those who dare to speak in Tagalog but speaking in English while in the school premises is one of the  policies which has been established since the founding of the institution. Thus, students, regardless of their opposition, abide by it. This policy has been beneficial for the school because it keeps on producing fluent and confident English-speaking Filipino students.The training has been posing challenges for those who dare to speak English well. Nevertheless, for those who do not have the knack for the language or simply not interested in learning the language this poses them inferiority. I witnessed of how transferees complain to the Guidance Counselor whenever they are bullied and ridiculed by resident students of the institution. Others even resort to isolating themselves from the rest of the group, but then, the bottom line is they learn to speak the language because to remain ignorant of the English language and be laughed at most of the time are unbearable for them while they are in the campus. Hence, setting of English zones in schools is beneficial because it enables institutions to realize their objective of producing Filipinos who do not just excellently speak but write as well in a global language – English.

            For us to lessen the affective filter of the Filipinos when it comes to English, an orientation about respect must be provided first among people. Those who have knowledge and can speak and write in English well must realize that others, no matter how they perform using the English language, deserve respect and must not be ridiculed whenever they commit mistakes as they use the language. The perception that “English is superior over other language” must be untaught so that overvaluing of the language will be lessened. Should this be done, I think this would lessen the feeling of inferiority among second speakers of the English language and also lessen the pride of those who speak English well. Thus, embarrassment will not take place. Last, I suggest the adaptation of the Ateneo’s style, letting every student speak his mind freely before an audience. This will help in letting students gain their confidence in speaking as they practice the skills they learned in their English class.