A STUDY OF CURRENT STATES, PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS IN ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS INSTRUCTION FOR PRE - SERVICE TEACHERS

Abstract

This research article aims to investigate the current conditions and problems regarding the management of English communication instruction for pre - service teachers in higher education institutions in the lower southern region. The sample used in this study consisted of 123 second - year student teachers majoring in English, who were selected through stratified random sampling proportional to the size of each institution. The research instruments for data collection included questionnaires, in - depth interviews, and focus group discussions. The statistics used for data analysis were percentages, means, standard deviation, and content analysis. The research findings revealed that, overall, the students' opinions on the problems regarding English communication were at a moderate level ( = 3.25, S.D. = 0.86). The most significant issues were anxiety over grammatical accuracy, which consequently deterred them from communicating fluently ( = 3.61, S.D. = 0.94), and the difficulty in selecting vocabulary appropriate for the context of the teaching profession ( = 3.61, S.D. = 0.97). Regarding the current conditions and phonetic problems, the students indicated that the influence of their native dialect's phonological structure directly affected their English pronunciation and stress patterns ( = 3.10, S.D. = 0.88). In terms of the needs for instructional management, overall needs were at a high level ( = 4.19, S.D. = 0.85), with the highest level of need expressed for instructors to help create a learning atmosphere that reduces anxiety ( = 4.70, S.D. = 0.67), provide support and guidance during activities ( = 4.50, S.D. = 0.71), and act as facilitators in organizing highly effective active learning activities rather than relying solely on conventional lectures.