It is important that teachers should provide materials and activities that are appropriate with the children’s capabilities. Teachers can apply this principle to
make sure that they do not understimate the children. Children do not come to class empty-handed, with some experiences. The activities should be enjoyable
and interesting for the students. The enjoyable situation will invite the students to take part in learning activities.
2. Teaching Speaking to Children a.
The Nature of Speaking 1. The Definition of Speaking skill
Speaking is one of the important skills to be mastered. Mastery of speaking is needed for communication efficiency. According to Brown 1994:
253, speaking is an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves producing and receiving and processing information.
Bygate 1997: 7 tells that speaking is a “popular” form of expression which uses the unprestigious “colloquial” register: Literary skills are on the whole more
prized. According to Nunan 1989: 26 speaking is a process consisting of short, often fragmentary words in pronunciation.
There are three definitions stated by widowson 1996: 58-59 as follows: a. First, speaking is active, or productive, and makes use of the aural medium.
b. Second, speaking is commonly performed in face to face interaction and occurs as part of a dialogue or other form of verbal exchange.
c. Third, speaking as an instance of use, therefore, is a part of reciprocal exchange in which both reception and production play a part. In this sense, the skill of
speaking involves both receptive and productive participation. It means that speaking is an activity that uses aural medium and it
commonly occurs in a face to face interaction that involves both receptive and productive participation.
Lewis and Hill 1993: 54 argue that speaking is process that covers many things in addition to be pronunciation of individual sounds. While, Tarigan 1990:
3 defines speaking as a language skill that is developed in child life, which is preceded by listening skill, and at that period the speaking skill is learned. It
means that speaking is the basic of language. The process of speaking happens or is preceded by listening skill.
Levelt 1995: 1 reveals that speaking is one of man’s most complex skills. It is a skill which is unique to our species. Briendly 1995: 19 makes
specification about oral skill. He believes that oral is to: a Express oneself intelligibly
b Convey intended meaning accurately with sufficient command of vocabulary. c Use language appropriate to context.
d Interact with other speakers fluently. He also separates oral skill into four areas that are interactive
communication for fluency or effect on listeners, intelligibly for pronunciation or
prosodic features, appropriation for pragmatic competence or register, and accuracy for structure and vocabulary resources.
From the definition above, it can be concluded that speaking is a process fragmentary word in pronunciation, vocabulary, and fluency that uses aural
medium and it commonly occurs in face to face interaction that involves both receptive and productive participation.
2. Speaking Accuracy and Speaking Fluency
