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understand and use as many as language expressions with their function in different situation. They also should train themselves to use non-linguistic
devices along with the linguistic devices. The purpose is to make them communicative when having interaction with other without showing many
and long hesitations because of lack of understanding to appropriate expressions should be used which results on the success of delivering the
message of the communication.
D. Functional English
Since speaking is a way to convey meaning orally, the process of teaching speaking focuses on both meaning strand and language strand. This
is aimed to build communicative language. A speaker can convey meaning through speaking because the speaker has the knowledge about the topic of
speaking and is able to communicate or share the knowledge using appropriate language that suits the situation or context. The speaker is to be
said of having good communicative competence because he can deliver appropriate functional language. Richard 2006:7 proposes that
communicative competence includes some aspects of language insight: 1.
The learners know the use of language for different purposes and functions.
2. The learners know the variations of language for different contexts and
participants. 3.
The learners know the way to produce and understand text types.
4.
The learners know the way to improve communication although of facing limitations in one’s language knowledge.
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Some acts which resemble the use of functional English are introducing, inviting, welcoming, asking and accepting help, discussing,
thanking, and other uses of functional English. The main focus of functional English is on the meaning and language use rather than on its grammatical
features. However, it does not mean that grammar is not important in functional
English. Learning of using English as a functional language can bring the learner above the level of talking about grammar itself. It is because without
learning the grammar thoroughly, the learner can use it for communicating and interacting. In conclusion, functional English generates the use of the
learner’s knowledge and language including grammar, pronunciation and many other language items and features to the communicative and
meaningful language learning for the learner.
E. Speaking Skill
Learning English is not learning partial ability. Learning English should include some skills: listening skill, speaking skill, reading skill, and writing
skill. Those four skills must be mastered by students. However, this part does not discuss those all skills. This part only discusses the speaking ability.
1. The Nature of Speaking
Many definitions are proposed by some experts in language teaching. Speaking is a process of oral language production. It has two
functions: transactional functions and ludic functions Tarone, Univerisity of Minnesota. In addition, she continues that speaking includes the sounds
of language, morphology and syntax of the language, discourse markers of
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the language, and lexis Hinkel, 2005:485. Therefore, based on his opinion, speaking ability can be defined as the process of oral production
along with language feature production to achieve transactional functions and ludic functions.
Moreover, Thornbury 2005:7 proposes that speech production takes place in real time and is therefore essentially linear. Words come
after words. Phrases come after phrases. Statements come after statements and other forms of language structure. Every word, phrase, and statement
is connected one to another. That condition could lead to a spontaneous and dynamic speech.
Brown 2001: 267 argues that when someone can speak a language, it means that he can carry on a conversation reasonably competently.
Furthermore, he states that the benchmark of successful acquisition of language is almost always the demonstration of an ability to accomplish
pragmatic goals through an interactive discourse with other language speakers.
Each participant has a purpose or an intention that shehe wants to achieve in the interaction. Heshe has to be able to interpret what is said to
himher and reply with language he has at his disposal in a way that takes into account of what has just been said and which reflects his own
intentions at this point of the interaction. Brown and Yule in Nunan 1989: 26 distinguish spoken language
from written language. They point out that for most of its history, the teaching of language has not been concerned with spoken language
