HOW LEARNERS THINK OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

ROXANNE R. PERMISON

+ow a learner thinks and feels towards a language is an important factor to consider in full\ understanding a giYen text instruction or eYen assessment /anguage attitude can be behaYioral cognitiYe or affectiYe 7he language used determines the attitudes of learners towards (nglish according to how these learners participate actiYel\ or passiYel\ which could proYide Yaluable insights to the teachers of (nglish

(nglish is widel\ used in man\ countries but in most $sian countries it is considered as a foreign language +oweYer in some countries like the 3hilippines it is considered a second language ,n the 3hilippine educational s\stem (nglish is not onl\ taught as a course from basic education to tertiar\ education it is also used as the medium of instruc tion /earning (nglish entails practicing the language but some learners find it difficult because of their natiYe language or other languages (Yen though (nglish is considered as a second language and is taught in schools in the 3hilippines not all )ilipinos are proficient in using it .hastgir and 1eogi pointed out that ³the importance of being educated in (nglish cannot be denied´ p 7his is true especiall\ in the 3hilippines where (nglish is used as a means of communication in the schools and in the workplace

(nglish competence is a must if one wishes to be globall\ competent hired b\ an\ compan\ since Mob interYiews are conducted in (nglish (Yen entrance examinations for schools and uniYersities are in (nglish

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7he author is 7eacher , at 3enaranda 1ational +igh 6chool