Factors That Influence The Success of Learning English as Second Language

We cannot say easy or difficult by using one side only about learning a second language, in this case, English. Learning language has become a never-end topic since it was influenced by political issues in the past. Thus, by the agreement of internationality about the usage of English as an international language, some countries which do not apply English as their mother tongue or first language have a demand to learn it massively, in order to get involved in a global world.

As one English teacher who does not come from a country that applies English as a first language, I have experienced a lot starting from learning it until changing my position and teaching it to others. When I was a student, I got some difficulties learning and memorizing English at school. The difficulties I found were impacted by some factors. These are motivation, environment, anxiety, access, and facility. Let us discuss them deeper one by one.

Motivation plays a significant role in the success of learning L2 or a foreign language. A learner needs a reasonable reason why does s/he need to learn L2. What are the benefits they gain after doing some efforts to learn English; what is the importance of learning English in nowadays era; and why do they have to take the struggle in order to master English. Those questions must be answered well by the learners. By answering them properly, the learners have some goals to reach. They have something to achieve. This, after knowing the reasons why they need English in their lives, we can say it as their motivation, thus, it can ease the learners to face some obstacles and problems found when they are still in the progress of learning English. It is in line with a proverb that says that a person who has a clear goal will get the goal although they have a difficult way to reach it. Yet, a person who does not have any goals will never reach something although they have an easy way to pass. However, on the other hand, if the learners do not know the function of learning English instead of just passing the exam and as a requirement to graduate from school, the students in this category cannot have a high effort to learn English because they think that English does not bring any benefits in their lives.

The second point which influences the learners' succession in learning L2 is the environment. If a student has a supportive environment to speak English well, asks and requires the student to speak and use English all along, will get a better English capability rather than a student who does not have any supportive environment. Let us take a look at students who come from a boarding school that requires their students to speak English, and compared them with some students who come from a non-supportive English environment. Their vocabularies, skills, and ability must be different, because of their drilling difference. A boarding school English force must force their students some targets on vocabulary, have some extra class to learn English and its structure, and also asks the students to practice English often. English, as a second language will be easy to learn when a student has practiced it frequently, regularly. Besides, when the students are taught by professionals, it will also influence the students' capability, motivation, and also environment. Because professionals will teach their students by using some professional methods, teaching techniques, correct grammar, and pronunciation.

The third factor that influences the learners' succession is anxiety. This one can be built by their character building and the way how their environment treats them. Students who have high anxiety in learning English, usually influenced by their confidence. As a teacher, it is needed to construct the students' confidence while speaking English, by saying, for example, it is okay to make any error as long as the students have a will to try speaking, rather than never have a will to take the chance in speaking. Then, after saying like that, the teacher gives a same chance for every student. A small class will be much easier to handle than a big one. Thus, the process of teaching and learning is influenced by a lot of linked things.

Accessability and facility take place on the next factors. How can it be? A student who has a high motivation, supportive environment, high confidence and easy to get some access and facility to listen or watch native speakers while speaking will make them more fluent to learn and master English. Their figure here is directly the native speaker, thus, the way how to pronounce, some idioms or greetings which are common implemented by native speakers they can figure it out. Without any doubt for non-native speaker teachers, because I am one of non-native speaker teachers, usually what has been taught from non-native speaker have distance with what are commonly used by native speakers, e.g., the way how to greet someone, that is 'how are you'. Native speakers have some various way to greet, such as 'how is your day?', 'how is your life?', 'what's up?', 'how is everything?' or 'how is it going?' To respond them, there are also some variation, i.e., 'I am great, thanks,' 'I am OK,' It's alright, thanks, and many others. Accessibility and facility for nowadays era, I think we have passed this digital era which means it is very easy to find out some related videos or channel which concern in learning English from native speakers. Thus, after having this facility, the succession of learning depends on the learners' will, the teachers' force and their motivation to learn deeper about English.

After discussing about some factors that influence the learners' succession in learning English, we have to be aware that those factors cannot be separated individually. Meanwhile, they are related from one each others. The main point here, which needs to be highlighted is how a person has a strong will, strong motivation, strong character building. We, as teachers cannot generalize our students by one side, however it is needed to be aware that they have their own way to learn English, as foreign language. Because, we have known that each student is different, they have their own color which differenciates with others. That is why, at this case, I cannot say that become a teacher is an easy task. It is completely difficult, needs extra work, needs to be up to date and always tries to upgrade our knowledge time to time. Because the learners' condition time to time is quite different. We have different era, we also have different challenge in teaching the students.

Blitar, 25th February 2021