ESL (English Second Language) Learners : A Problems of Using English for

Communication by English Study Program Students at Trunojoyo University

People live in the world of communication. According to the Oxford Dictionary of
Current English (Moore, 1997), communication is defined as, The activity or process of
expressing ideas and feelings or of giving people information. The significance of
communication can be found within the context of a human existing as a social being. As a
human being manages his or her life in the course of the interaction between other members
of the entire society, communication is inevitable. Communication occurs through the
medium of a language and it is presented in two different forms which are written and spoken
(Brown & Yule, 1983: 1-10). The importance of spoken performance of a language is
becoming more prominent over the written performance capability. It is because the ability to
speak a language reflects a persons personality, self image, knowledge of the world, ability
to reason, skill to express thoughts in real-time (Luoma, 2004: ix). However, it is not always
an easy task for English Study Program student who use English as a second language to be
able to speak for daily language at campus.
As we know that English Study Program students who famous and known by other
students at Trunojoyo University with their ability on speak English were admitted. Many
people think they are good but isnt seem like that. In fact, they not speak English everytime
because embarrassment and puzzlement. Reflecting on my personal experience, there were
many occasions that caused embarrassment and puzzlement from using English for
communication. First of all, there are unsupported environments. For example, when student
been outside campus. They commonly spoke using native language such as Java and Madura
or Indonesia language in daily activity conversation. In campus, English Study Program and
Student Association applied English day once a year along a week just for formality of
English Week event that not helped students to improve their communication on English
Language because its not applied steady and intensive. Absolutely not for learning. This
condition affected to them.
Second, misunderstanding knowledge of English grammar, vocabulary, and
pronunciation. When the student red a book of grammar, sometimes they exactly didnt
understand when they should speak as a rule of the grammar or when they spoke as like as
written says to make clear word(vocabulary) and sound(pronuncation). In purpose people
understand what they talking about but people didnt understand or got the wrong message.

Third, the origin of student study background. Not all English Study Program student at
Trunojoyo University when they graduated from senior high school decided and chose
English Study Program as their major department. Part of them which took other department
such as economic or engineering felt objection with it because eventhough they will get a
little bit of difficulty, they also should took effort to start learned English from beginning so
they felt hesitant,reluctant and unconfidence to communicate with English language at
campus.
In conclusion, English as second language of communication which has a role of
learning activity should be more effetively pressured to communicate. If English rarely
communicate with steady and intensive, then English Study Program student will not have
difference with others or English not communicated as language on learning activity. English
also should be understand in term of linguistic which as a part communication.

Name : Antok Febrian F.R.

NIM

: 120511100109

Class : Writing IV-D