While another expert, Theodore Huebner said, ―Language is essentially speech, and speech is basically communication by sounds‖.
From the above definition, it can be inferred that speaking is communication, expressing ideas, opinions, or feelings to others by using words
or sounds of articulation in order to inform, to persuade, and to entertain that can be learnt by using some teaching - learning methodologies.
However, Speaking in Hea ton’s words has five elements
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: 1.
Pronunciation. Harmer, in this case, states that if students want to be able to speak English fluently, they need to be able to pronounce phonemes
correctly, use appropriate stress and intonation pattern and and speak in connected speech.
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2. Grammar. According to Bygate, to be able speak foreign language, it is
necessary to know a certain amount of grammar and vocabulary.
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3. Vocabulary. Folse defines vocabulary as single words, set phrases, verbs,
and idioms.
15
4. Fluency. In the words of Riddel, fluency is the ability to talk freely
without too much stopping or hasitating.
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5. Comprehension. Heaton defines comprehension as the ability to
understand something of what a situation is really like. Last but not least, Chaney also states that speaking is a skill used by
someone in daily life communication whether at school or outside. The skill is acquired by much repetition; it is primarily a neuromuscular and not an
intellectual process. It consists of competence in sending and receiving messages.
17
12
J.B.. Heaton, Classroom Testing: Longman Keys to Language Testing, New York: Longman, 1990, pp. 70--71
13
Jeremy Harmer. The Practice of English Language Teaching: Fourth Edition, Harlow: Pearson Education Limited, 2007, p. 343.
14
Baygate Martin. Language Teaching: A Scheme for Teacher Education: Speaking, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997, p. 3.
15
Folse, S. Keith. Vocabulary Keiths: Applying Second Language Research to Classroom Teaching, Michigan: University Press, 2004, p. 4.
16
David Riddel.Teach English as a Second Language, Chicago: McGraw – Hill Companies,
2001, p. 118.
17
Theodore Huebner, Audio Visual Technique in Teaching Foreign Language, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1960, p. 5.
B. Speaking Skill
This is the productive skill a learner must possess so that he can express his ideas in a spoken mode. Harmer says,
―
While listening and reading involve the ability to correctly receive messages and are therefore referred to as receptive
skills, speaking and writing, on the other hand, involve language production and are referred to as productive skills.‖
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This skilll has often meant a difficulty and an obstacle for English learners. There might arise a question why. The answer is obvious. In the natural spoken
language students are required to be aware of characteristics of fluent speech, such as reduced forms, fixed phrases, collocations and most importantly the pace of
speech and use of slang or idiom. All of these have to be taken into consideration while practising conversation in class. Without these, our spoken language would
sound bookish and unnatural. To avoid this, it is essential to introduce and practise ―real‖ communication with our students within the learning process. If it
is neglected, it may be a reason why students are often shocked and disappointed
when using a foreign language for the first time whilst interacting in foreign environment. They have not been prepared for spontaneous communication and
could not cope with all of its simultaneous demands. Accordingly, the mastery of this skill is a priority for many second-language
or foreign-language learners.
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Consequently, learners often evaluate their success in language learning on how much they feel they have improved in their speaking
skill. Van Duzer states that students’ speaking skill and their speech habit have
an impact on the success of any exchange. Students, as the speaker, have to be able to anticipate and then produce the expected patterns ofspecific discourse
situations. They must also manage other elements such as rephrasing, providing feed back, turn-taking, or redirecting. The speaker must know the usual pattern
that such interaction follows and accesses the knowledge as the exchange progresses. They must also choose the correct vocabulary to describe things on
that topic, rephrase or emphasize words to clarify the description, and use
18
, Jeremy Harmer. The Practice of English Language Teaching, Essex:Longman, 1991 p. 16.
19
Jack C. Richards, Teaching Listening and Speaking: from theory to practice, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2008 p. 19.
appropriate facial expressions. Other things which are included into indicators of good speaking skill:
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a. Producing sounds, stress patterns, rhythmic structures, and intonations
of the language. b.
Using grammar and structure accurately. c.
Selecting vocabulary which is understandable and appropriate for the audience, the topic being discussed, and the setting in which the
speechact occurs. d.
Applying strategies to enhance comprehensibility, such as emphasizingkeywords and rephrasing.
e. Using gestures or body language.
f. Paying attention to the success of the interaction and adjusting
components of speech such as vocabulary, rate of speech, and complexity of grammar and structure to maximize listener comprehension and
involvement. The above indicators might also be simplified into four competences as
indicated by Canale : a.
Grammatical competence includes language rules such as
vocabulary,formation of words or sentences, and pronunciation. b.
Sociolinguistic competence addresses the appropriateness in terms of
both the meaning and form, which can vary with the status of participants, objectives of the communication and norms of the
communication. c.
Discourse Competence includes an understanding of how spoken texts
are organized and is related to the cohesion and coherence of utterances. d.
Strategic Competence is compensatory in nature, drawn on when the
developing language system of the secondforeign language learner is
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Mary Ann CunninghamFlorez, Improving Adult English Language Learner’s
SpeakingSkills, National Center for ESL: Literacy Education, 1999, p.1.
