Abstract

This research project explores the perception and acquisition of the English Language by English Major Students from Anglophone backgrounds. It presents a case study of Level 300 students from the Academic year 2017/2018 at the University of Buea.

This study provides background information on the students’ attitudes, reviews relevant literature on attitudes towards English Language learning, outlines the data collection methodology, and analyzes the claim regarding the attitudes of Level 300 English Major students towards English Language learning.

The findings indicate that Level 300 English Language students exhibit diverse attitudes, such as a lack of commitment to assignments, as reported by 35% of the respondents. Additionally, some students expressed disinterest in studying English Language due to their previous rejection from other departments.

The study also discovered that 94% of the respondents preferred communicating in Pidgin English due to its ease of use and widespread understanding. This preference negatively impacts their proficiency and competence in the English Language.

CHAPTER ONE

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

1.2 INTRODUCTION

Language plays a crucial role in the development and economic growth of a nation. In the global economy, a nation’s success largely depends on individuals’ skills and knowledge in effectively competing for growth.

Consequently, governments heavily invest in the education of their citizens. Pidgin English emerged as a means of communication through the interactions of early European explorers (Portuguese, Spaniards, Germans, British, and French) with the diverse linguistic communities on the coast of Cameroon. Over time, Pidgin English evolved into a fully developed language.

Following the reunification of the English-speaking part of Cameroon with the French-speaking region in 1961, English and French became official languages, leading to the emergence of numerous linguistic varieties that expanded the scope of English in Cameroon.

English, as a global language, is crucial for individuals to effectively interact with diverse groups in the real world. Notably, many Cameroonians now exhibit a positive attitude towards their variety of English, despite official efforts to promote a traditional native English accent.

DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA

This study was conducted in Buea, the headquarters of the South West Region, specifically at the University of Buea located in Molyko.

The study population comprised Level 300 Anglophone English Major students from the Department of English, Faculty of Arts, University of Buea. The researcher randomly selected 100 respondents from the Department of English using a random sampling technique.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Over the years, research has aimed to understand how students’ attitudes affect their performance and learning of the English language. Anglophone English Major students at the University of Buea demonstrate negative attitudes towards English language learning. This raises questions among teachers about the reasons behind such negative attitudes.

According to Festinger, Schacter, Black (-1950), holding conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or cognitions creates dissonance, which leads to discomfort. Thus, this research aims to investigate the attitudes of students towards English language learning.

For example, in Level 300, during the first semester, students were assigned an online assignment for a course called Advanced Writing (ENG 227). Due to their misconceptions about the term “Anglophone,” many students were easily distracted, assuming they already possessed sufficient knowledge of the English Language. Consequently, only 85% of the students completed the assignment.

Furthermore, despite studying English Language at the University of Buea, many Anglophone English Major students still lack proficiency, posing a challenge. Some students claim they did not choose to study English Language at the university but were compelled to do so, which contributes to their negative attitudes.

AIM OR PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study aims to examine why many Anglophone English Major students at the University of Buea lack proficiency in the English Language despite studying it. It specifically focuses on Level 300 English students to investigate their attitudes towards English language use and learning.

Additionally, the study seeks to understand why English Major students display negative attitudes towards English Language learning, particularly their preference for using Pidgin English. Possible solutions will also be proposed.

Specifically, this study seeks to:

• Explore respondents’ attitudes towards learning the English Language
• Investigate the relationship between language use and proficiency in English
• Examine students’ completion of assignments
• Propose potential solutions.