21 the language appropriately in social interactions Richards Renandya, 2002, p.
204. According to Bailey 1994 as cited by Nunan 2003, p. 48, there are two reasons why speaking is more difficult than reading, listening, and writing. First is
because unlike reading or writing, speaking happens in real time: usually the person you are talking to is waiting for you to speak right then. Second, when
people speak, they cannot edit or revise what they wish to say, as they can if they are writing.
In language teaching, the four skills are described in terms of their direction. Bailey 1994 states speaking and writing are referred to as productive.
Moreover, listening and reading are referred to as receptive. Another important idea is the channel, which refers to the medium of the message auraloral or
written. Thus, speaking is the productive oral skill. It consists of producing systematic verbal utterances to convey meaning.
b. The Principles of Teaching Speaking
According to Bailey 1994 as cited by Nunan 2003, p. 54, there are five principles of teaching speaking. We can see as follows:
1 Be aware of the differences between second language and foreign language
learning contexts
In learning languages, there are two broad contexts. They are foreign language context and second language context.
2 Give students practice with both fluency and accuracy
In language lessons, learners must be given opportunities to develop both their fluency and accuracy. Accuracy is the extent to which students’ speech
22 matches what people actually say. Moreover, fluency is the extent to which
speakers use the language quickly and confidently. The learner cannot develop their fluency if the teacher always interrupts them to correct their oral errors.
3 Provide opportunities for students to talk by using group work or pair
work, and limiting teacher talk
In class, teacher should be aware of how much they are talking in class, so they do not take the students’ opportunity for speaking in class. Pair work and
group work activities intend to make the students increase the students’ opportunity to speak in the target language during the lesson.
4 Plan speaking tasks that involve negotiation for meaning
In communicating with others, the learners are hoped to make progress by communicating in the target language because interaction necessarily involves
trying to understand and make yourself understood. This process involves clarification, repetition, or explanations during conversations.
5 Design classroom activities that involve guidance and practice in both
transactional and interactional speaking
Transactional speech involves communicating to get something done, including the exchange of goods andor services. Interactional speech is
communicating with someone for social purposes. Since the learners will have to speak the target language in both transactional and interactional condition, the
teacher should arrange the speaking activities that embody both transactional and interactional purposes.
