The effectiveness of role play in the teaching of speaking to the tenth grade students of islamic vocational High School Ciputat

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ROLE PLAY IN THE
TEACHING OF SPEAKING TO THE TENTH GRADE
STUDENTS OF ISLAMIC VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
CIPUTAT

By:
LISTIANTY RIDAYU MAKSUM
1110014000002

THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EDUCATION
THE FACULTY OF TARBIYAH AND TEACHERS’ TRAINING
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH
JAKARTA
2016

iii

ABSTRACT
Listianty Ridayu Maksum, (1110014000002), The Effectiveness of Role Play
in the Teaching of Speaking to the Tenth Grade Students of Islamic

Vocational High School Ciputat. Skripsi of Department of English Education at
Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teachers’ Training of State Islamic University Syarif
Hidayatullah Jakarta, 2016.
Key Words: Role play, Speaking Skill, Teaching Speaking.
This research was carried out to find the empirical evidence of the
effectiveness of role play in the teaching of speaking to the tenth grade students of
Islamic vocational high school Ciputat. The method used in this research was a
quantitative method and the research design was a quasi- experiment. The sample
of this research was tenth grade students of Islamic Vocational High School
Ciputat. They were X – PM 2 as the experimental class and X – PM 1 as the
control one. Each class consisted of 30 students. For sampling technique, the
researcher used stratified proportional cluster sampling. The instrument used in
this research was an oral test. In analyzing the data, the researcher used T-test
formula to analyze students’ achievement, by conducting a pre- and post-test. The
result of the study showed that most of students have gained good scores after the
treatment. The students’ pre-test mean score in experimental class was 52.26
while the post-test mean score was 69.60. In contrary, the students’ pre-test mean
score in controlled class was 54.40 and the post-test mean score was 65.26. There
is significant difference of students’ post-test mean score of the experimental class
which was treated by using role play was greater than the post-test of the

controlled class which was treated without using role play. The result of statistical
hypotheses test found that on significance level 5%, tobservation was 3.63 while ttable
with df = 58 was 2.001 or tobservation > ttable. Therefore, the H0 (Null Hypothesis)
was rejected and the Ha (Alternative hypothesis) is accepted. It proved that role
play is effective to teach speaking.

iv

ABSTRAK
Listianty Ridayu Maksum, (1110014000002), The Effectiveness of Role Play
in the Teaching of Speaking to the Tenth Grade Students of Islamic
Vocational High School Ciputat. Skripsi pada Jurusan Bahasa Inggris, Fakultas
Ilmu Tarbiyah dan Keguruan, Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah
Jakarta, 2016.
Kata Kunci: Bermain Peran, Kemampuan Berbicara, Pengajaran Berbicara.
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menemukan bukti empiris dari keefektifan
bermain peran dalam pengajaran berbicara pada siswa kelas sepuluh di SMK
Islamiyah Ciputat. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode
kuantitatif dan desain penelitian yang digunakan adalah quasi eksperimen.
Adapun sample dalam penelitian ini adalah siswa-siswi kelas 10 SMK Islamiyah

Ciputat. Mereka adalah kelas X – PM 2 sebagai kelas eksperimen dan X – PM 1
sebagai kelas kontrol. Masing-masing kelas terdiri dari 30 siswa. Untuk teknik
pengambilan sample, peneliti menggunakan teknik stratified proportional cluster
sampling. Instrumen yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah tes lisan. Untuk
menganalisa data, peneliti menggunakan perhitungan T-test untuk menganalisa
prestasi yang telah dicapai siswa, dengan melaksanakan pre- dan post-test. Hasil
penelitian ini menunjukan bahwa sebagian besar siswa mendapatkan nilai yang
baik setelah selesai treatmen. Skor rata-rata siswa dikelas ekperimen adalah 52.26
sementara skor post-test nya adalah 69.60. Berbeda dengan kelas eksperimen,
skor rata-rata pre-test di kelas kontrol yang didapat adalah 54.40 dan skor rata-rata
post-test adalah 65.26. Ada perbedaan yang signifikan dari skor rata-rata post-test
dari kelas eksperimen yang diajarkan menggunakan teknik bermain peran dari
pada skor post-test kelas kontrol yang diajarkan tanpa menggunakan teknik
bermain peran. Hasil uji hipotesis statistik menunjukan bahwa dengan taraf
signifikansi 5%, didapatkan tobservasi sebesar 3.63 sementara ttable dengan df = 58
yaitu 2.001 atau disebut tobservasi > ttable. Berdasarkan perhitungan statistik, maka
H0 ditolak dan Ha diterima. Ini membuktikan bahwa bermain peran efektif dalam
pengajaran berbicara.

v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
All praises be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds who has given His Mercy and
Blessing upon the writer in completing this Skripsi. Peace and salutation always
be upon the prophet Muhammad shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, his family, his
companions, and his faithful followers.
In this occasion, the writer would like to express her greatest appreciation,
honour and gratitude to her beloved parents (Lilik Maksum and Siti Munjiyah),
for their valuable supports and moral encouragement in motivating the writer to
finish her study. Then, the writer thanks to her beloved brothers (Herliansyah
Agitsna Maksum and Sandi Amalatief Imani Sakti) for their love and support to
the writer in writing this Skripsi.
Furthermore, the writer also would like to express her deepest gratitude to her
advisors, Drs. Bahrul Hasibuan, M.Ed. and Drs. Syauki, M.Pd., for their valuable
time, advices, guidances, corrections, and suggestions in finishing this Skripsi.
The writer realized that without support and motivation from people around
her, she could not finish this Skripsi. Therefore, she would like to give her deep
appreciation to:

1. All lecturers in the Department of English Education who always give
their motivation and valuable knowledge and also unforgettable
experience during her study at State Islamic University ‘Syarif
Hidayatullah’ Jakarta.
2. Dr. Alek, M.Pd. ; the Head of the Department of English Education, and
Zaharil Anasy, M.Hum. ; the Secretary of the Department of English
Education.
3. Prof. Dr. Ahmad Thib Raya, MA. ; the Dean of Faculty of Tarbiyah and
Teachers` Training of State Islamic University ‘Syarif Hidayatullah’
Jakarta.

vi

4. Her academic advisor, Didin N. Hidayat, MA TESOL, for his advices,
guidance, suggestions, and support.
5. Her beloved best friends in the Department of English Education, for
sharing knowledge, care, motivation, time, support, laugh and happiness.
6. Any other person who cannot be mentioned one by one for their
contribution to the writer during finishing her Skripsi. The words are not
enough to say any appreciations for their help.

May Allah, The Almighty bless them all. Amen.

Finally the writer truly realizes that this Skripsi cannot be considered as a
perfect masterpiece. Therefore, she feels that it is really pleasure for her to receive
criticism and suggestions to make this Skripsi better. She also hopes that this
Skripsi would be beneficial, particularly for her and for those who are interested in
it.

Jakarta, Juni 2016

The Writer

vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
APPROVAL ..................................................................................................

i

ENDORSEMENT SHEET ...........................................................................

ii

SURAT PERNYATAAN KARYA SENDIRI .............................................

iii

ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................

iv

ABSTRAK .....................................................................................................

v

AKNOWLEDGEMENT...............................................................................

vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................

viii

LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................

xi

LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................

xii

LIST OF DIAGRAM ....................................................................................

xiii

LIST OF APPENDICES ..............................................................................

xiv

CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION
A. The Background of the Study ...................................................................

1

B. The Limitation of the Problem ..................................................................

5

C. The Formulation of the Problem ...............................................................

5

D. The Objective of the Study .......................................................................

5

E. The Significances of the Study .................................................................

5

CHAPTER II : THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Speaking ...................................................................................................

6

1. The Understanding of Speaking.........................................................

6

2. The Types of Speaking ......................................................................

7

3. The Elementsof Speaking ..................................................................

8

4. The Goal of Speaking ........................................................................

10

B. Teaching Speaking ....................................................................................

11

1. What is Teaching Speaking ...............................................................

11

2. The Reason for Teaching Speaking ...................................................

12

3. The Goal of Teaching Speaking ........................................................

12

4. The Principles of Teaching Speaking ................................................

14

viii

5. The Characteristic of Speaking Activities .........................................

16

6. The Types of Classroom Speaking ....................................................

17

7. The Roles of the Teacher during Speaking Activities .......................

22

8. Guidance for Teachers in the Teaching Speaking .............................

23

9. The Evaluation of Teaching Speaking ...............................................

24

C. Role Play ...................................................................................................

27

1. The Understanding of Role Play ........................................................

27

2. The Goal of Using Role Play .............................................................

28

3. The Advantages of Role Play ............................................................

29

4. The Disadvantages of Role Play ........................................................

30

5. The Types and Procedures in Using Role Play..................................

32

D. Conventional Teaching Technique ...........................................................

34

1. The Understanding of Conventional Teaching Technique .................

34

2. The Types of Conventional Teaching Technique ...............................

35

3. The Advantages of Conventional Teaching Technique ......................

38

4. The Disadvantages of Conventional Teaching Technique .................

40

5. The Differences between Conventional and Constructivist Teaching
Technique ............................................................................................

41

E. The Previous Relevance Study .................................................................

44

F. The Conceptual Framework ......................................................................

45

G. The Hypotheses of the Research ...............................................................

46

CHAPTER III : RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. The Place and Time of the Research .........................................................

47

B. The Method and Research Design ............................................................

48

C. The Population and Sample of the Research ............................................

49

D. The Instrument and Technique of the Data Collecting .............................

49

1. Pre-test ...............................................................................................

50

2. Post-test ..............................................................................................

50

E. The Technique of the Data Analyzing ......................................................

51

F. The Hypotheses of Statistic ......................................................................

53

ix

CHAPTER IV : RESEARCH FINDINGS AND INTERPRETATION
A. Research Findings .....................................................................................

54

1. The Data Description .........................................................................

54

2. The Analysis of the Data....................................................................

60

3. The Test of Hypotheses .....................................................................

67

B. The Interpretation ......................................................................................

68

CHAPTER V : CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS
A. Conclusion ................................................................................................

71

B. Suggestions ...............................................................................................

71

REFERENCES ..............................................................................................

73

APPENDICES ...............................................................................................

77

x

LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1. The Rating Score of Oral Test ........................................................

25

Table 3.1. Research Schedule ..........................................................................

47

Table 4.1. Students’ Pre-test Scores .................................................................

54

Table 4.2. Students’ Post-test Scores ...............................................................

56

Table 4.3. Gained Scores of Experimental Class and Controlled Class ..........

58

Table 4.4. The Result of Normality Test of the Experimental and the Controlled
Class’ Pre-test Score ........................................................................................

60

Table 4.5. The Result of Normality Test of the Experimental and the Controlled
Class’ Post-test Score .......................................................................................

60

Table 4.6. The Result of Homogeneity Test of the Experimental and Controlled
class’ Pre-test ...................................................................................................

62

Table 4.7. Comparison Scores of Each Student in Experimental Class and
Controlled Class ...............................................................................................

xi

63

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure A.1. Normal Histogram of the Experimental Class’ Pre-test Score .....

83

Figure A.2. Normal Histogram of the Controlled Class’ Pre-test Score.........

84

Figure B.1. Normal Histogram of the Experimental Class’ Post-test ..............

85

Figure B.2. Normal Histogram of the Controlled Class’ Post-test ..................

86

xii

LIST OF DIAGRAM
Diagram 3.1. The Diagram of Experimental ....................................................

xiii

48

LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix 1 The Calculation of Frequency Distribution of the Pre- and
Post-test ............................................................................................................

77

Appendix 2 The Result of Normality Test .......................................................

81

Appendix 3 The Normal Histogram .................................................................

83

Appendix 4 Homogeneity Test ........................................................................

87

Appendix 5 Kompetensi Inti dan Kompetensi Dasar Bahasa Inggris ..............

89

Appendix 6 Silabus Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Inggris ........................................

93

Appendix 7 Kisi-kisi Instrumen Pre- dan Post-test ..........................................

130

Appendix 8 Research Instrument Pre- and Post-test ........................................

136

Appendix 9 RPP Experimental Class...............................................................

139

Appendix 10 RPP Controlled Class .................................................................

187

xiv

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. The Background of the Study
The ability to speak English is very beneficial because English is used by
many people as a means of communication to express their needs and share their
ideas to others. English is used by many fields such as education. For example, in
Indonesia, English is taught in all levels of schooling. However, the students, even
the teachers, have a little chance to speak English, except when they are in the
classroom or in certain places where English is spoken. It cannot be denied that
speaking English is still a crucial problem for Indonesian students because many
Indonesian students are still lack of ability to speak English either actively or
passively. Whereas, students of second or foreign language are considered to be
successful in speaking if they have ability to process information and language
directly.1
Speaking is a skill which is mostly used to communicate in daily life, whether
at school or outside the school. The fact is “the average person produces tens of
thousands of words a day, although some people – like auctioneers or politicians –
may produce even more than that”.2 In learning to speak, particularly in foreign
language, students have difficulties in expressing their ideas. They are often afraid
of making mistakes while trying to speak in English, feeling ashamed, and having
less confidence in their own ability or even fear of being laughed by their friends.
In this case, Penny Ur also states some problems with speaking activities, that is,
students are often inhibited when trying to say things in a foreign language,
students also often complain that they cannot think of anything to say, and finally
students are low or uneven participation and even in the speaking activities some
students are still using their mother tongue.3 Those problems make students did
1
Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of English Language Teaching: 3rd Edition, (Harlow:
Longman, 2002), p. 269.
2
Scott Thornbury, How to Teach Speaking, (London: Longman, 2005), p. 1.
3
Penny Ur, A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory, (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2009), p.121.

1

2

not make any improvement in their speaking ability and finally, students also
cannot reach the goals of the target language.
In teaching and learning speaking, it is not only the students who get the
difficulties but also the teacher. The teacher should organize the students in a very
limited amount of time in order to be able to speak in the target language. The
teacher also has to teach certain aspects of language which are necessary for
students’ speaking ability. The words in English are rather difficult to be
pronounced than students’ native language. Indeed, teaching spoken language is
not as simple as many people think. It is supported by Brown and Yule who
clearly argue that teaching spoken language, especially in the foreign language, is
often considered to be the most difficult problem for the teacher rather than the
other skills like listening, reading, and writing.4
The status of English as a foreign language in Indonesia makes the people not
accustomed to using English as medium of communication in their spoken
language. Consequently, students rarely use English as their spoken language,
they cannot express their ideas and also they are often making mistakes in word
choices. Moreover, students inaccurately use tenses when they speak English.
This situation makes Indonesian students commonly have not attained a good
level of speaking English proficiency. On this issues, Utami Widiwati and
Bambang Yudi Cahyono show that “the students have a great number of errors
when speaking including pronunciation (e.g., word stress and intonation),
grammatical accuracy (e.g., tenses, preposition, and sentence construction),
vocabulary (e.g., incorrect word choice), fluency (e.g., frequent repair), and
interactive communication (i.e., difficulties in getting the meaning across or
keeping the conversation going)”.5 Jeremy Harmer also adds some mistakes that
non-native speakers usually do. If non-native speakers like Indonesian are trying
4

Gillian Brown and George Yule, Teaching the Spoken Language, (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1999), p. 25.
5
Utami Widiati, Bambang Yudi Cahyono, The Teaching of EFL Speaking in the
Indonesian Context: The State of the Art, p. 10. From http://sastra.um.ac.id/wpcontent/uploads/2009/10/The-Teaching-of-EFL-Speaking-in-the-Indonesian-Context-The-Stateof-the-Art-Utami-Widiati-Bambang-Yudi-Cahyono.pdf Retrieved on January 18th 2014.

3

to speak like a native English speaker, they will miss things out and put things in
which they should not do. For example, non-native speakers are not using the
third person present simple tense –s (She look very sad), interchangeable the use
of the relative pronouns who and which (a book who, a person which),
pluralisation of nouns which are considered uncountable in native-speaker English
(informations, staffs, advices), using of that clauses instead of infinitive
constructions (I want that we discuss about my dissertation), omission of definite
and indefinite articles where the articles are obligatory in native-speaker English,
and insertion where they do not occur in native English.6
Many factors can cause the problem to the students’ speaking skill. One of
them is the teacher’s preference to use students’ worksheet than using any other
resources and techniques. Based on the writer’s experience in her Integrated
Teaching Profession Practice - Praktek Profesi Keguruan Terpadu (PPKT ) - in
Islamic Vocational High School Ciputat, the teacher taught English by using
students worksheet or Lembar Kerja Siswa (LKS). LKS contains many tasks on
speaking but unfortunately in reality the teachers never do the speaking activity in
the class. The school also does not provide the students with the English
environment. As the result, students do not improve their speaking skill.
Furthermore, the problem mentioned above is caused by the students who did
not achieve the Standar Kompetensi Lulusan (SKL). Whereas, Standar
Kompetensi Lulusan (SKL) are criteria that regarding to the qualifications of
graduates capabilities which include knowledge, and skills.7 Students are required
not only to know the knowledge of English but also they have to be able to speak.
In reality, most of students only have the knowledge of English but they cannot
speak in English fluently. In this case, the writer realize that there is a problem in
the technique of the teaching speaking skill, so the teaching and learning process
of speaking skill did not run well. Therefore, to make the teaching and learning
6
Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of English Language Teaching: 4th Edition, (Essex:
Pearson Education Limited, 2007), p. 20.
7
Materi Pelatihan Guru: Implementasi Kurikulum 2013 SMA/SMK Bahasa Inggris,
(Jakarta: Badan Pengembangan Sumber Daya Manusia Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan dan
Penjaminan Mutu Pendidikan, Kementrian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 2014), p. 16.

4

speaking run well, the writer would like to propose an alternative method. It is the
use of role play. According to Penny Ur, role play is important in teaching
speaking because it gives students an opportunity to practice communicating in
different social contexts and in different social role.8 In addition, role play
seemingly encourage students to be actively participating in the teaching learning
process. In role play students have to act the ‘role’ by using their own language,
thus the students can be creative by using their own language. Additionally, role
play can familiarize students with speaking in front of their friends, and it can
decrease their shyness because role play is usually done in a group.
Ladousse states that there are several reasons for using role play. The first is
role play can bring a variety of experiences into the classroom and encourage
students to speak in any situation. The second reason is role play puts students in
situations in which they are required to use and develop those phatic forms of
language. The other reason is that role play is a helpful rehearsal for real life. For
example, role play trains students who are going to work or travel in an
international context. The next is role play helps many shy students by providing
them with a mask. The last is perhaps the most important reason for using role
play is that it is fun.9 In short, role play is a technique that may develop students’
fluency in target language, promotes students to speak or interact with others in
the classroom, increases motivation and makes the teaching learning process more
enjoyable.
Grounding to those matters and the theories, the writer would like to use role
play technique to teach speaking skill to the tenth grade students of the Islamic
Vocational High School, Ciputat. Thus, the writer would like to do the research on
the effectiveness of role play technique in the teaching of speaking skills which
may be improving or not improving students’ speaking skill.

8

Ur, op. cit., p. 131.
Gillian Porter Ladousse, Role Play: Resource Books for Teacher Series, (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2003), pp. 6 – 7.
9

5

B. The Limitation of the Problem
It is important to set the limitation of the problem to avoid misunderstanding
and to clarify the problem. The writer limits the study only on the effectiveness of
role play in the teaching of speaking to the tenth grade students of Islamic
Vocational High School Ciputat.

C. The Formulation of the Problem
In accordance with the limitation of the problem above, the writer formulates
the problem of the study as follows: “Is role play effective in the teaching of
speaking to the tenth grade students of Islamic Vocational High School Ciputat?”

D. The Objective of the Study
In line with the formulation of the problem, the objective of this study is to
find the empirical evidence of the effectiveness of role play in the teaching of
speaking to the tenth grade students of Islamic Vocational High School Ciputat.

E. The Significances of the Study
The result of this study in particular is expected to give advantages for the
writer herself as a student of English Education Department in Faculty of
Tarbiyah and Teachers’ Training Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University
Jakarta as her knowledge and experience. Further, this study is expected to give
knowledge for the reader especially in the teaching of English speaking skill.

CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Speaking
1. The Understanding of Speaking
Speaking is one of the basic use of the language skills which has important
role than any other skills due to its frequency use for communication. Donough
and Shaw state that speaking is purpose-driven as somebody communicates to
achieve a particular end, expressing a wish or desire to do something; negotiating
or solving a particular problem; or maintaining social relationships and
friendships.1 In other words, the ability to speak and interact in a multiplicity of
situations through the language is also a crucial part of an individual’s living
processes and experiences such as foreign travel, business or other professional
reasons. Without speaking ability, people must remain in almost total isolation
from any kind of society since the ability to speak is the most basic means of
communication. Therefore, students should be able to be proficient in speaking to
express their ideas directly because speaking is the main medium of verbal
communication.
Further, Harmer added that while speaking with others, the speakers
purposively want to express something, get a feedback and have a respond from
others. When the speakers say the words, they not only put a tone and stressing,
but also show a gesture and a facial expression which help them to show which
part of what they are saying is most important.2 Hence, speakers are required to be
able to express what they want to say effectively in order to convey the message.
Meanwhile, according to Bygate, “Speaking is a skill which deserves
attention every bit as much as literary skills, in both first and second languages. It
1
Jo McDonough and Christoper Shaw, Materials and Methods in ELT, (Oxford:
Blackwell Publisher, 1993), p. 152.
2
Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of English Language Teaching: New Edition, (Harlow:
Longman Publishing, 1991), p. 53.

6

7

is the skill which the students are frequently judged. It is also the vehicle par
excellent of social solidarity, of social ranking, of professional advancement and
of business.”3 As one of the language skills, teachers and learners have to pay
more attention in developing speaking skill because it plays important role in our
social life.
Based on the previous definitions drawn, the writer summarize that speaking
ability becomes an important part of human’s life, because it is the process of
sharing or giving information, ideas, knowledge, and opinion with others orally.
Moreover, speaking cannot be separated from listening aspect, because speaking
involves listener.

2. The Types of Speaking
Speaking, particularly conversations, is essentially ‘transactional or
‘interactional’. Gebhard argues that transactional is speaking which primarily
focus on the meaning of the message. For example, when somebody explains how
to find a home address to a new friend or describes aches and pains to a doctor.4
On the other side, when the speaking delivers interactional purpose, it is to
establish and maintain social roles.5 For example, greeting, complimenting, and
chatting with friends. Thus, speaking may include both transactional and
interactional purposes which not only deliver the meaning of the message but also
maintaining social relations.
According to Penny Ur, the main types of spoken interaction are:
a. Interactional talk
This is to some extent a matter of learning conventional formulae of
courtesy: how to greet, take leave, start and conversations, apologize, thank
and so on.

3

Martin Bygate, Speaking, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), p. vii.
Jerry G. Gebhard, Teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language, (Ann Arbor: The
University of Michigan Press, 2006), p. 169.
5
Ibid.
4

8

b. Long turns
The ability to speak at length is one which adult, more advanced or
academic students will perhaps need and therefore needs cultivating; for other
types of classes it perhaps less important.
c. Varied situations, feelings, relationships.
It is certainly arguable that learners will need function in a wide variety of
such contexts, and it makes sense to give them opportunities to try using the
target language in simulations of at least a selection of them.6
Further, Jo McDonough and Christoper Shawn cited about Brown and Yule
who examined the various forms of language which are most frequently used by
speakers of the language, which are as follow:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

f.
g.
h.
i.
j.

Incomplete sentences.
Very little subordination (subordinate clauses, etc).
Very few passives.
Not many explicit logical connectors (moreover, however).
Topic comment structure (as in ‘the sun – oh look it’s going down’). The
syntax of the written language would probably have a subject-verbpredicate structure.
Replacing/refining expressions (e.g. ‘this fellow/this chap she was
supposed to meet’).
Frequent reference to things outside the ‘text’, such as the weather for
example. This kind of referencing is called ‘exophoric’.
The use generalized vocabulary (thing, nice stuff, place, a lot of).
Repetition of the same syntactic form.
The use of pauses and ‘fillers’ (‘erm’, ‘well’, ‘uhuh’, ‘if you see what i
mean’, and so on).7

The various forms of language outlined above are most frequently used by
non-native English speakers. It may caused by lack of language proficiency,
vocabulary, and confidence.

3. The Elements of Speaking
Speaking is a complex skill requiring the simultaneous use of a number of
different abilities which often develop at the different rates. There are five
6
Penny Ur, A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory, (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2009), p. 129.
7
McDonough and Shaw, op. cit., 1993, pp. 155-156.

9

components which generally recognized in examining the speech processes. They
are pronunciation, grammar, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. 8 More
specifically the components are explained as follows:
a. Pronunciation (including the segmental features – vowels and
consonants and the stress and intonation patterns).
As stated by Harmer, when students want to be able to speak
fluently in English, they need to be able to use appropriate rhythm and
stress correctly if they want to be understood.9 The speaker must be able to
articulate the words, and create the physical sounds that carry meaning. At
the level of word pronunciation, the learners often have problems relate to
whether their sound looks like a native speaker of the language or not.
b. Grammar
Understanding grammar and vocabulary are needed in speaking
foreign language.10 Grammar is the sounds and the sound patterns, the
basic units of meaning, such as words, and the rules to combine them to
form new sentences.11 Therefore, grammar is very important in speaking
because if the speaker cannot be able to use grammar structure correctly,
he cannot speak English well.
c. Vocabulary
Vocabulary is single words like phrases, variable phrases, phrasal
verbs, and idioms.12 In this term, Ur defines vocabulary as the “words” in
foreign language. Words are a single unit of language which has meaning
and can be spoken or written. However, a new item of vocabulary may be
more than a single word. For example, post office and mother-in-law,
8

David P. Harris, Testing English as a Second Language, (New Delhi: McGraw-Hill Inc.,
1977), p. 81.
9
Harmer, op. cit.,1991, pp. 21 – 22.
10
Bygate, op. cit., 1997, p. 3.
11
Victoria Fromkin and Robert Rodman, An Introduction to Language: 7th Edition,
(Boston: Wadsworth, 2003), p. 14.
12
Keith S. Folse, Vocabulary Myths: Applying Second Language Research to Classroom
Teaching, (Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, 2004), p. 2.

10

which are, made up two or three words but express a single idea. They are
also multi-word idioms such as call it a day, where the meaning of the
phrase cannot be deduced from an analysis of the word components.13
Some students have some difficulties to express their idea because of lack
of vocabulary. They know what they want to say, but they cannot say the
words. In other words, they should have sufficient vocabulary in speaking
ability.
d. Fluency
Fluency is the ability to talk freely without too much stopping or
hesitating.14 Meanwhile, according to Koponen, fluency in speaking can
be thought of as ‘the ability to keep going when speaking spontaneously’ 15
when speaking fluently, students should be able to get the message from
many resources, regardless of grammatical and other mistakes.
e. Comprehension
The last speaking element is comprehension. Comprehension is
discussed by both speakers because comprehension can make people get
the information they want. Comprehension is defined as the ability to
understand something by reasonable comprehension of the subject or as
the knowledge of what a situation is really like.
Based on the theories above the writer would like to examine students’
speaking ability by using those categories.

4. The Goal of Speaking
Speaking is used for many different purposes and each purpose involves
different skills. The purposes involve making social contact with people,
expressing opinions, or to clarifying information. In some situation we use

13
14

88.

Ur, op. cit., 2009, p. 60.
Sari Louma, Assessing Speaking, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), p.

15

Ibid.

11

speaking to give instruction or to get things done.16 Whatever the students talk to
the others, even in a single word comes out from their mouth must contain some
goals. People talk to communicate, that is to express their ideas, to influence
people, to convey meaning and message and to enjoy the company of others.
The goal of speaking is that the students have to be able to ‘express
themselves in the target language, to cope with the basic interactive skills like
exchanging greetings, thanks and apologies.17 Kayi also states that “teaching
speaking should improve students’ communicative skills because only in that way
students can express themselves and learn how to follow the social and cultural
rules which are appropriate in each communication circumstances.”18 From the
explanation above, the writer sum up that the main goal of teaching speaking is
for communicating in different purposes.

B. Teaching Speaking
1. What is Teaching Speaking?
According to Kayi in Activities to Promote Speaking in a Second Language,
teaching English speaking is teaching English language learners to:
a. Produce the English speech sounds and sound patterns.
b. Use word and sentence stress, intonation patterns and the rhythm of the
second language.
c. Select appropriate words and sentences according to the proper social
setting, audience, situation and subject matter.
d. Organize their thoughts in a meaningful and logical sequence.
e. Use language as a means of expressing values and judgments.
f. Use the language quickly and confidently with few unnatural pauses,
which is called as fluency.19

16

Jack C. Richards and Willy A. Renandya, Methodology in Language Teaching: An
Anthology of Current Practice, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002), p. 201.
17
Gillian Brown and George Yule, Teaching the Spoken Language, (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1999), p. 27.
18
Hayriye Kayi, Teaching Speaking: Activities to Promote Speaking in a Second
Language, The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. XII, No. 11, 2014, p. 1,
(http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Kayi-TeachingSpeaking.html).
19
Ibid.

12

In conclusion, the teacher must pay attention to some important aspects
including producing sentences, intonation, rhythm and stress. Those productions
must be meaningful because they must be produced logically from ideas.

2. The Reasons for Teaching Speaking
There are many reasons why speaking is important to be learnt. Harmer states
that there are three main reasons to getting students to speak in the classroom:
a. Speaking activities provide rehearsal opportunities changes to practice real
life speaking in the safety of the classroom.
b. Speaking tasks in which students try to use any or all of language they
know provide feedback for both teacher and students. Everyone can see
how well they are doing and what language problems they are
experiencing.
c. In speaking, students have opportunities to activate the various elements of
language they have saved in their brains; the more automatic they use of
these elements the more they become strong. As a result, students will be
able to use words and phrases fluently without very much conscious
thought.20
To sum up, it can be concluded that speaking activities provide tasks,
opportunities for both teacher and students feedback and motivate students
because of their engaging qualities. Thus, they help students to be able to produce
language automatically in their conversation.

3. The Goal of Teaching Speaking
Like many other skills (reading, writing, and listening) which have their own
goals, speaking also aimed for several purposes, like what is argued by Byrne:
The main goal in teaching the productive skill of speaking will be oral
fluency: the ability to express oneself intelligibly, reasonably, accurately
and without undue hesitation (otherwise communication may break down
20

87 – 88.

Jeremy Harmer, How to teach English, (Harlow: Pearson Education Limited, 2001), pp.

13

because the listener loses interest or gets impatient). To attain this goal, the
students will have to be brought from the stage where they merely imitate
a model or respond to cues to the point where they can use the language to
express their own ideas (processes that must to a large extent be in
simultaneous operation).21
It is in similar lines with,
The main goal of teaching speaking skill is communicative efficiency. It
means that learners should be able to make themselves understood, using
their current proficiency to the fullest. They should try to avoid confusion
in the message due to faulty pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary, and to
observe the social and cultural rules that apply in each communication
situation.22
Students often value speaking more than the other skills like reading, writing
and listening, but what often happen is students feel more anxious for their oral
production. One of the primary benefits of increased communicative speaking
competency is getting a job, education and travel opportunities; it is always an
asset to be able to communicate with other people.
Furthermore, Nunan suggests that the communicative goals of language are
used for:
a. Establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships and, through this,
the exchange of information, ideas, opinions, attitudes and feelings, and to
get things done.
b. Acquiring information from more or less ‘public’ sources in the target
language (e.g. books, magazines, newspapers, brochures, documents,
signs, notices, films, television, slides, tapes, radio, public announcements,
lectures or written reports, etc.) and using this information in some way.
c. Listening to, reading, enjoying and responding to creative and imaginative
uses of the target language (e.g. stories, poems, songs, rhymes, drama)
and, for certain learners, creating them themselves.23

21

Donn Byrne, Teaching Oral English, (London: Longman Group Ltd, 1982), p. 9.
The National Capital Language Resources Center, Teaching Speaking: Goals and
Techniques
for
Teaching
Speaking,
2014,
p.
1.
(http://www.nclrc.org/essentials/speaking/goalsspeak.htm)
23
David Nunan, Task-Based Language Teaching, (New York: Cambridge University
Press, 2004), p. 42.
22

14

Whatever we talk to others, even a single word comes out from our mouth,
must contain some purpose. Even in the idlest conversation, you are trying to tell
somebody about something he doesn’t know or you are trying to convince him
that this singer is better than another singer or you are telling him a joke to amuse
him; whatever you are doing it has some purposes.
The writer is also in line with the statements above that she asserts the main
goal of teaching speaking in the classroom is for communication whether in or
outside the classroom.

4. The Principles of Teaching Speaking
Principles of teaching speaking are rules that have to be followed when a
learning process is constructed. The principles of such a learning process are
understood by its users as the essential characteristics of the process, or reflecting
processes designed purpose, and the effective operation or use of which would be
impossible if any one of the principles was to be ignored. Every principles show
the guidance of teacher how to teach speaking effectively.
In teaching speaking, there are some principles according to Brown24, they
are:
a. Focus on both fluency and accuracy
“Accuracy is the extent to which students’ speech matches what
people actually say when they use the target language. Fluency is the
extent to which speakers use the language quickly and confidently, with
few hesitations or unnatural pauses, false starts, word searches, etc.”25 In
language lessons, especially at the beginning and intermediate levels,
learners must be given opportunities to develop both their fluency and
their accuracy. They cannot develop fluency if teacher is constantly
24
H. Douglas Brown, Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language
Pedagogy: 2nd Edition, (New York: Addison-Wesley, 2001), p. 275.
25
David Nunan, Practical English Language Teaching, (Boston: McGraw Hill, 2005), p.
55.

15

interrupting them to correct their oral errors. Teachers must provide
students with fluency building practice and realize that making mistakes is
a natural part of learning a new language. On one hand, they need to allow
time for grammar and vocabulary learning so that students have sufficient
linguistic competence. One the other hand, they need to provide sufficient
opportunities for students to develop fluency and accuracy.
b. Provide intrinsically motivating techniques
Try at all time to remind the students what the ultimate goals and
interest to their need for knowledge, for status, and for achieving
competence and autonomy, and for being all that they can be. Help them
to see how the activity will benefit them.
c. Encourage the use of authentic language
Energy and creativity to devise authentic contexts and meaningful
interaction should be learnt by the teacher, but with the help of a
storehouse of teacher resource.
d. Provide appropriate feedback and correction
In EFL situation, students are totally dependent on the teachers’
feedback. Feedback and correction are really appropriate to improve
students’ speaking skill. They will know their mistakes after they perform.
The teachers also help them to solve the problems in learning speaking.
e. Give students opportunities to initiate oral communication
Pair work and group work activities can be used to increase the
amount of time that learners get to speak in the target language during
lessons. One further interesting point is that when the teacher is removed
from the conversation, the learners take on diverse speaking roles that are
normally filled by the teacher (such as posing questions or offering
clarification).

16

f. Encourage the development of speaking strategies
In this case the student should be more pay attention or aware of.
To make the student become aware of and have change to practice, such
strategies as, asking for clarification (what), asking someone to repeat
something (excuse me), using filter (uh, I mean, well) in order to gain time
to process, using conversation maintenance cues, and getting someone
attention (hey, say, so) etc.26
In conclusion, the writer assumes that the principles mentioned are essentially
necessary in teaching speaking in the classroom. Teacher needs to be able to
deliver the principles and drawing it on a lesson planning, so that students will get
good encouragement in learning and applying speaking skills in the daily life
converse naturally, effectively, and without being fear of embarrassment.

5. The Characteristics of Speaking Activities
Ur explains some characteristics of successful speaking activities which
include:
a. Learners talk a lot.
As much as possible of the period of time allotted to the activity is in fact
occupied by learner talk. This may seem obvious.
b. Participation is even.
Classroom discussion is not dominated by a minority of talkative
participants: all get a chance to speak, and contributions are fairly evenly
distributed.
c. Motivation is high.
Learners are eager to speak: because they are interested in the topic and
have something new to say about it, or because they want to contribute to
achieving a task objective.

26

Brown, op. cit., 2001, pp. 275 – 276.

17

d. Language is of an acceptable level.
Learners express themselves in utterances that are relevant, easily
comprehensible to each other, and of an acceptable level of language
accuracy.27

6. The Types of Classroom Speaking Activities
Nowadays, teachers need to be creative and innovative in creating materials
and choosing the right technique that will be used in the classroom. Here, Brown
offers six categories which apply to the kinds of oral production that students are
expected to carry out in the classroom, they are:
a. Imitative
A very limited portion of classroom speaking time may
legitimately be spent generating “human tape recorder” speech, where, for
example, learners practice an intonation contour or try to pinpoint a certain
vowel sound. Imitation of this kind is carried out not for the purpose of
meaningful interaction, but for focusing on some particular element of
language form.
b. Intensive
Intensive speaking goes on one step beyond imitative to include
any speaking performance that is designed to practice some phonological
or grammatical aspect of language. Intensive speaking can be self-initiated
or it can even form part of some pair work activity, where learners are
“going over” certain forms of language.
c. Responsive
A good deal of student speech in the classroom is responsive: short
replies to teacher- or student-initiated questions or comments.
d. Transactional (dialogue)
Transactional language, carried out for the purpose of conveying or
exchanging specific information, is an extended form of responsive
language.

27

Ur, op. cit., 2009, p. 120.

18

e. Interpersonal (dialogue)
Interpersonal dialogue carried out more for the purpose of
maintaining social relationships than for the transmission of facts and
information.
f. Extensive (monologue)
Finally, students at intermediate to advance levels are called on to
give extended monologues in the form of oral reports, summaries, or
perhaps short speeches. Here the register is more formal and deliberative.
These monologues can be planned or impromptu.28