1. Language processing: the ability to process language in their own heads and put it into coherent order so that it comes out in forms that are not
only comprehensible, but also convey the meanings that are intended. 2. Interacting with others. This means that speaking also involves a good
deal of listening, and understanding of how the other participants are feeling.
3. Information processing: the ability to process the information the moment we get it.
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Therefore, the English teacher should consider these elements of speaking in teaching speaking to their students, so that they will have a good
ability in speaking. Furthermore, as explained by Arthur Hughos that for assessing spoken English production, teachers have to asses students’ pronunciation,
grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.
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Although his theory does not mention explicitly about the element of speaking, however the implementation to
assess the spoken English production is dealing with the elements of speaking itself. Of course grammar and vocabulary here should be based on the curriculum
and students’ expectations.
3. The Aim of Teaching Speaking
Speaking is a crucial part of second language learning and teaching. Despite its importance, for many years, teaching speaking has been undervalued
and English language teachers have continued to teach speaking just as a repetition of drills or memorization of dialogues. However, todays world requires
that the goal of 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 appropriate in each communicative circumstance.
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12
Jeremy Harmer……, p. 270.
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Arthur Hughes, Testing for Language Teachers 2
nd
Edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003, p. 130.
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Hayriye Kayi
,
Teaching Speaking: Activities to Promote Speaking in a Second Language,
Nevada: University of Nevada, Internet TESL Journal, Vol. XII, No. 11, November
One of the characteristics of speech in everyday life is that speech is spontaneous. That is, in most situations, people do not plan ahead of time what
they are going to say. Only in more formal situations, such as when a person has been asked to give a speech, do people plan and organize their speech.
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The fact that speech is spontaneous means that it is full of false starts, repetitions,
incomplete sentences, and short phrases. Therefore, teachers may require their students to do more forward-thinking and planning than native speakers do in real
life. Another aspect of producing spoken language is the time-constraint. The students must be able to produce unplanned utterances in real time, otherwise
people will not have the patience to listen to them. Based on the facts explained above, we should consider the goal of
English teaching today, that is to develop “communicative competence” rather than a mere mastery of structures, vocabulary items, or pronunciation.
Communicative competence is the aspect of our competence that enables us to convey and interpret messages and to negotiate meanings interpersonally within
specific contexts.
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4. Classroom Speaking Activities
