SELECTED BSMT STUDENTS’ PERCEIVED LEVEL OF MARITIME ENGLISH SPEAKING PROFICIENCY IN THE COLLEGE OF MARITIME EDUCATION – MANUEL S. ENVERGA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION

This study was conducted primarily to determine the BSMT students’ perceived level of Maritime English speaking proficiency in the College of Maritime Education - Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation. This utilized the descriptive research aided by a self-devised questionnaire. It also aimed to determine the factors commonly affecting the students’ proficiency in speaking Maritime English. This will provide information for the students to improve their proficiency and for the faculties, instructors, and the institution to assess the needs o the students with appropriateness. A total of 50 students respondents were surveyed in the actual study. The number of respondents in the study represented 43 male and 7 female marine transportation students. Also, age, civil status, religion, nationality, and language used to exercise by the respondents were identified. The respondents are asked to evaluate their own proficiency by weighing up what factors affects them in speaking Maritime English. To help them identify, the researchers set the internal and external factors as the factors that can affect their proficiency in Maritime English speaking. The gathered data are treated, analyzed and interpreted and arrived to a conclusion that Marine Transportation students perceived that they are not proficient enough in speaking Maritime English for they think that they still lack vocabulary and proper grammar to use for it. Even if it is clear that they are aware of the purpose of Maritime English in seafaring profession, still they are unconfident when it comes to the other aspects that made them non-proficient. A number of recommendations were given as follows: the maritime students especially those third year students who are about to go on board for their on-the-job training for a year, must take time and wield effort to brawl the impact of internal and external factors in their proficiency in speaking Maritime English; the MSEUF College of Maritime Education academic heads and administrators must start disseminating useful manuals/books/programs to maritime students which contains matters all about Maritime English, designate English speaking zones inside their department, conduct programs and activities using English as a medium language and create some drills that uses Maritime English; the MSEUF College of Maritime Education academic heads and administrators must start disseminating useful manuals/books/programs to maritime students which contains matters all about Maritime English. The College of Maritime Education should conceptualize a program/seminar for the maritime students that could be a way to stimulate them to always be positive in clashing with the factors affecting them in speaking Maritime English and eradicate pessimistic outlooks in mind.