3. Using Conventional Technique in Teaching Speaking
In this conventional method, the teacher’s role is more dominate than the student’s role or it is teacher-centered. The students get the facts and skills through
obtaining the material given by the teachers and media resources. The teacher has the high responsibility in controlling and managing the classroom.
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Below, there are some steps in teaching and learning activity using conventional technique:
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a. Preparation Stage 1 The first step in preparation stage is to decide what is to be achieved by the
students. 2 Determining the main point of the materials that will be taught to the students. It
is done by the teacher who has a role as the dominant actor in the classroom. 3 The teacher asks the students to open their textbook related to the topic as in
example expression of agreement and disagreement. b. Implementation Stage
1 Opening Stage In this stage, the teachers make sure to the students that they have understood
about the objective of the study that will be achieved. After the students know what they are going to learn, the teacher does the apperception which is connected the
previous material with the recent material that will be delivered. 2 Presenting Stage
In this part, what the teachers do is to deliver the materials for the students systematically therefore the students can understand about the materials. As in
example, the teacher explains about expression of agreement and disagreement. Whole students listen carefully about the teacher’s explanation. Then, the students try
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See: Louis Cohen, Lawrence Manion, and Keith Morrison, A Guide to Teaching Practice, New York: Routledge, 2006, p. 172.
29
See: Wina Sanjaya, op. cit., p. 149 —152.
to drill and to memorize the dialogue about expression of agreement and disagreement.
3 Closing Stage In this last stage, the teachers deduce or summarize about materials that have been
given before. Furthermore, the teachers make some evaluations to know the students’ competency about the recent materials.
Based on the steps in teaching using conventional method above, it is really different from using communicative activities as information gap activities. The
teacher is as a facilitator for the students in communicative activities. Therefore, the students have many opportunities to express their opinion, or it can be said students-
centered. While, in conventional method the teacher has the main role in teaching and learning activity or it is teacher-centered.
D. Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Information Gap
Activities in Teaching Speaking
1. Advantages of Using Information Gap Activities
There are many kinds of information gap activities which can be applied in the speaking classroom activities. This technique gives every student the chance to speak
in the target language. Also, the students are forced to complete the missing information through asking and giving the information. It is supported by Ur who
reports the characteristics of successful speaking activities:
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a. Learners talk a lot means the students have many chances to give a talk with their friend.
b. Participation is even means that the students have the same opportunity to share their opinions and ideas.
c. Motivation is high means learners have high desire to speak up because they are interested in the topic.
d. Language is of an acceptable level means learners express themselves in utterances using the target language which can be understood each other.
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See: Penny Ur, op. cit., p. 120.
2. Disadvantages of Using Information Gap Activities
Information gap activities are one of technique in communicative approach design with many variation activities. Even it has many activities
for enhancing students’ speaking skill, it also has the disadvantages.
Based on the writer’s observation in the classroom, below the disadvantages of using information gap activities in teaching speaking based on the w
riter’s observation:
a. It takes more time for the teacher to explain the procedure in doing the activity.
b. It needs long time to make sub-groups in whole students inside the classroom. c.
It needs teachers’ creativity in presenting information gap activities. d. Some lazy students simply copy the required information from other students.
To sum up, information gap activities are inevitable that have many variations of activities which can be used in the classroom speaking activities. The uses of
information gap activities can enhance the students to speak in the target language. They have the great opportunity to share their opinions, ideas, and also to express
themselves. Whereas, the use of conventional technique is more emphasize in repetition drill and memorization. The students requested to ask and answer the
controlled and predictable questions.
E. Previous Studies
There are some previous studies which have been conducted by some researchers about information gap activities, below are the following relevant study:
The first, it has been done by Rhohmatillah under the title “Improving Students’
Speaking Ability Using Information Gap Activities”. She has done her research at X grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat. Her research is conducted in order to improve
students ’ speaking ability through information gap activities. The researcher used
Classroom Action Researh CAR as the method of research. This research consisted of three cycles and each cycle consisted of four elements; planning, action,
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