Factors that Affect Students Interpersonal Communication Skills in English Language and Literature Regular Students at Kabridahar University

This research paper investigates the factors that affect student’s interpersonal communication skills in English language and literature regular students at Kabridahar University. It focused on English Language and Literature regular students in Kabridahar University. The objective of the study was to investigate the major factors that affect student’s interpersonal communication. The researcher collected data from the students by using Questionnaire, Interview and observation in order to get an appropriate finding. The researcher used both qualitative and quantitative methods of data analysis. The study shows that, the students have interest to communicate and interact with each other. But, some of barriers like mother tongue influence and variety of language affect their interpersonal communication as well as their relationship. Also, factors like   weak relationship to others, lack of interest, inexperience, lack of practice and gender issues are the major barriers which affected student’s interpersonal communication.


Introduction
According to Ahmed U.S. (1990), Interpersonal communication is the process by which people exchange information, feelings and meanings through verbal and nonverbal messages. It is face to face commination (Purwanto, 2006). Interpersonal communication is not just about what is actually said the language will use but how it is said (Griffin K and Patton B, 1971). Nonverbal messages will send through tone of voice, facial, expressions, gestures and body language. Ellis D (1994), hence, perspectives such as symbolic interactions, social exchange theory, and relational pragmatics have been imported from other social sciences (Knapp M, 1984). however, a focus on relational processes also has been emerged and remains dominant as researchers examine how communication has been used to initiate, define, maintain, and terminate relationships. Devi to G (2014), traditionally, interpersonal communications are heavily focusing on face to face interaction, and with the growth of information technology and social networking, many interpersonal scholars will be concentrated on computermediated communication. According to Joseph E (2000), uses research and theory from Social Psychology, Sociology, and Linguistics to provide a framework for understanding how we use language, gestures and facial expressions to communicate. According to Richards (2006:96) "The need of communication skill in English Language has created demand for English language teaching around the world". This created enormous need for quality Language teaching learners want to be able to master English Language to high level of accuracy and fluency (Ambrosia J, 2012). Education is communication, which involves two components namely teachers as a communicator and learners as communicants.

Research Design
In this study, descriptive research design has been used. In data analysis, both qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques have been employed.

Population and Sampling Technique
The target population for this study is English Language and literature regular students at Kabridahar University. The researcher has been employed comprehensive sampling techniques because it is appropriate with the given amount of time and number of the population size which were taken for conducting the study. The

DOI: 10.34256/ijll2114
Indian J. Lang. Linguist., 2(1) (2021), 34-42 | 36 population of this study was defined as all 10 students the department of English language and literature from first and third students. The reason was selected for the fact that the researcher could get access and effective data collection process.

Instruments of Data Collection
In order to collect accurate data for the study, the following data collection instruments have been used to have significance input; Observation, Questionnaire, and Interview are the major instruments.

Observation
The researcher has been observed students twice a week, in the class room with check list (Yes or No questions). The researcher has been observed the practice of student's interpersonal communication and relationship in the classroom. The researcher was used none participate observation method. Which involves the direct and physical participation of the observer to look at events or behavior as they occur?

Questionnaire
Questionnaire is one way of data collection instrument. It is important to collect relevant data from a large group of subjects. The researcher has been organized the questionnaire by including both close ended and open ended questions. The questions consist two items, close ended and open ended to measure students' interpersonal communication skill.

Interview
It is difficult to interview all students therefore, the researcher has been divided the students based on their academic achievements. Therefore, 5 English language and literature department Students have been participated in the interview. The researcher was used semi structured interview.

Data Analysis Techniques
Data have been analyzed by using both quantitative and qualitative data analysis procedures. The information obtained from the questionnaire, interview and observation has analyzed as follows. The results from the close ended questions are tabulate and register with frequency that has been shown the number of respondents' response for each item. The interview and observation have been analyzed and presented in paragraphs. Finally, based on the results, conclusion has been draw and recommendations have been forwarded.

Data analysis and Interpretation
In this section the researcher analyzed the data gathered from the students through questionnaire, interview and classroom observation.

Analysis of Factors Affecting Interpersonal Communication
As indicated in Table 1, the majority of the respondents (40%) rated that, inexperience and (40%) lack of practice have affected their interpersonal communication respectively. Moreover, 20% of respondents rated that language interference has an affected on their interpersonal communication. From above data the researcher understood that most of students rated that inexperience and lack of practice highly affected their interpersonal communication. According to data obtained lack of practice and inexperience created great difficulties on their affected in their interpersonal communication.

DOI: 10.34256/ijll2114
Indian J. Lang. Linguist., 2(1) (2021), 34-42 | 37 Make mutual relationship 3 30% Total 10 100% As shown in the above table 2, Majority of the respondents 40% responded that, they get benefit during their interpersonal communication by improve communication skill. In addition to that 30%of respondents responded that they make mutual relationship their communication skills during their interpersonal communication. They also 10% respondents get benefit through understand others very well and 20% respondents responded developed speaking skill in English when they make interpersonal communication. According to table 3. The highest numbers of respondents 40% responded that they use interpersonal communication, by overlooking listening actively in classroom. Moreover 30% students responded that, they use interpersonal communication by magnifying listener attention in classroom and 30% students responded that by focusing on the message, respectively. Her is no respondent in by other ways. From the above table, the researcher analyzed the instruments that students use to interpersonal communication in classroom.

DOI: 10.34256/ijll2114
Indian J. Lang. Linguist., 2(1) (2021), 34-42 | 38 As indicated in table 4. 0% of the students responded that, interpersonal communication is high in the classroom. 80% of the students listed that; interpersonal communication levels in medium in the classroom. The remaining others responded that interpersonal communication level 20% in low in the classroom. Therefore, the researcher observed from the above table, There are different communication levels among the students because, most of the students responded their communication levels is medium. Almost never 0 0% Total 10 100% As we can see from the above table 5, (30%) of the students responded that, they had practiced sometimes their interpersonal communication skill in the classroom. (40%) of students responded that, they always practice their interpersonal communication skill in the classroom. (30%) of students responded that, they practice their interpersonal communication rarely in the classroom and (0%) of the students responded that, they never practiced their interpersonal communication skill in the classroom. The researcher understood that some of the students pay less attention to practice their interpersonal communication. The majority of respondents said that gender issue has not affected their the interpersonal communication because there is no relation between gender issue and language specially inter Personal communication and the remaining respondents said gender issue was affected to inter personal communication because most of the time female students have been feared at the audience during time of interpersonal communication. From the above points, the researcher understood that gender issue could affect Here open-ended answer would be listed by respondents: "Yes" because "culture influence, language difference, frustration, lack of interest, lack of confidence, back ground experience, gender issue, lack of material, fear, lack of practice affected their interpersonal communication. From the above table. the researcher understood, all of the students believe that, there are factors that affect on their interpersonal communication. Table 8 The student's response on using English language rather than mother tongue affects their interpersonal communication. As indicated in the above table 8, 60% of the students said that English language rather than mother tongue affect interpersonal communication and other respondent answered because English language not their mother tongue language so we cannot speak as English language and their second language they acquisition by learning so it is difficult to speak fluently. 40% of the students answered that because interpersonal communication that can use a language to develop the speaking skill without superior or inferior of any language and if you have a good experience on inter personal communication you would become a good communicator at English language their interpersonal communication. From the above table the researcher understood, most of the students responded that English language rather than mother tongue affected on interpersonal communication. As indicated in the above table 9, 80% of the students said that, they make practice during doing assignment or group discussion. Because they make presentation by English language in the classroom Therefore, they practice more and more in order to improve their interpersonal communication and when they do their assignment and making discussion. 20% of the students answered that, they do not practice when they are doing assignment or group discussion. From the above table the researcher observed that, majority of the students make practice during doing assignment or group discussion because most of students understand by their mother tongue. The students responded"Yes" because after doing their assignment have prepare for presentation therefore, they are communicate in English. Some students answered "No" Because it takes a lot time to express their feeling as they wants, so that they cannot communicate in English when they are doing assignment. From this table the researcher understood that, most of the students haven't interest to communicate in English Language. As Indicated in the above table, 20% of the students responded that, they have interest to communicate and meet with each to speak English Language. And 80% of the respondents said that, they do not have interest to communicate and meet with each other to communicate English Language.
Form the above table 10, it is clearly shown that, the researcher understood that depend on their answers, most of the students do not have interest to communicate English Language. Because they do not express their feelings as they want. Therefore, all teachers should try to encourage their students to speak English Language elsewhere. Since students had lack of experience to speak English Language.

Analysis of Interview results
The major challenges that students faced in their interpersonal communication. According to the interviews most of the students have interested to learn English Language and Literature in communication skill and develop their communication activities, especially their interpersonal communication. As the respondents responded that, interpersonal communication is more important and attractive. It is one way of making relationship with others. How Ever, they said that, "there are some factors which hindered their interpersonal communication as well as their relationships. For instance, like noise, back ground, lack of material, lack of practice, weak relationship, language difference, cultural influence, power, technology, gender issue and so on." And also another like lack of confidence, frustration, feels fear etc.
❖ Regarding the strategies that students apply during their interpersonal communication in the classroom, the students responded that, the students apply their strategies in the classroom during their interpersonal communication in order to improve their interpersonal communication skill. They magnify the speaker's message in order to become effective communicator. The students said that, we should have practice DOI: 10.34256/ijll2114 Indian J. Lang. Linguist., 2(1) (2021), 34-42 | 41 more and more in order to develop our communication skill and to create mutual relationship with others. From the respondent's response, the researcher observed that, most of the students affected by lack of experience, lack of background knowledge, lack of frustration or fear another personal; thus, all are student's interpersonal communication. Therefore, students should have make practice in the classroom in English language. This make them related to perfect.
❖ regarding the problem that the students faced due to language in interpersonal communication, the students said, the languages have factor affect our interpersonal communication skill. Because of this we faced so many problems, such as miss understanding about information and they cannot understand others very well. From this response that researcher understood that, Language surely affect their interpersonal communication skill. Therefore, most of students cannot share enough information among themselves. Because of this, their interpersonal communication became to fail. Does English language play role in student's interpersonal communication rather than mother tongue?

Observation
x The researcher has observed each student twice a week for 20 minutes. According item number one in the above table, major students have interest to improve their communication ability. The researcher observed from students activities; most of the students have interest to make mutual relationship. But there are many factors that affect their interpersonal communication. For example, inexperience, lack of practice and languages difference and son. Most of the students cannot express as they want because of language are affect their interpersonal communication skill. As clearly shown on the above table item number three, some of students shown that lack of confidence, lack of interest and lack of practice affect their interpersonal communication. According to item number four noises surely affect student's interpersonal communication. Because when the teacher is teaching in the classroom, some of the students cannot pay attention. During that time miscommunication can be hindered among students. According to item number five students cannot be effective in their interpersonal communication, because most of the students haven't confidence to express their feelings in the classroom. According item number six the major numbers of students have interest to improve their interpersonal communication. But there were uncomfortable situation faced to them in their interpersonal communication and so on.

Conclusions
The researcher has investigated the factors that affect student's interpersonal communication ability of Adigrat University second year English Language and Literature department students. There are only important and major finding are presented by considering what has been discussed in chapter four. As it was discussed in chapter four analysis section the student's interpersonal communication skill is medium. The students are motivated to develop their interpersonal communication abilities through English Language, but there are some factors affect their interpersonal communication. The students interpersonal communication activities is also medium; Also the students have interest to practice individual and in a group in order to improve their interpersonal communication. However, here are many obstacles to influence student's interpersonal