A Study of Cognitive Strategies in Learning Speaking Used by The Second Semester Students of English Education Department at Alauddin State Islamic University - Repositori UIN Alauddin Makassar

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A STUDY OF COGNITIVE STRATEGIES IN LEARNING SPEAKING
USED BY THE SECOND SEMESTER STUDENTS OF ENGLISH
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AT ALAUDDIN STATE ISLAMIC
UNIVERSITY

A Thesis
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Penididikan in English Education Department of
Tarbiyah and Teaching Science Faculty of
UIN Alauddin Makassar

By :
A. NUR ALANG
Reg. Number: 20400113096

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
TARBIYAH AND TEACHING SCIENCE FACULTY
ALAUDDIN STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF MAKASSAR
2017

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alamin, all praises and gratitude to the Almighty

God Allah SWT for all blessing and mercies that the researcher has had in life.
This undergraduate thesis entitled A Study of Cognitive Strategies in Learning
Speaking Used by The Second Semester Students of English Education
Department at Alauddin State Islamic University is submitted as the final
requirement in accomplishing undergraduate degree at English Education
Department of Tarbiyah and Teaching Science Faculty, UIN Alauddin Makassar.
In arranging this thesis, a lot of people have provided motivation, advice,
and support for the researcher. In this valuable chance, the researcher intended to
express her gratitude and appreciation to all of them.
The special thanks present to her parents, A.Usman and Kartini for their
sincere prayers, love, advice, and sacrifices for her success.The researcher
presents her sincere appreciation goes to:
1. Prof. Dr. Musafir Pababbari, M.Si. as the Rector of UIN Alauddin
Makassar.
2. Dr. Muhammad Amri Lc., M. Ag. as the Dean of Tarbiyah and Teaching
Science Faculty of UIN Alauddin Makassar.
3. Dr. Kamsinah, M.Pd.I, as the Head and the Secretary of English Education
Department of Tarbiyah and Teaching Science Faculty of UIN Alauddin
Makassar and her secretary St. Nur Pahmi S.Pd.,M.Pd.

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Also this thesis would not have been possible without the help, support and
patience of my first advisor, Dra. St. Azisah, M.Ed.St.,Ph.D

for her

supervision, advice, and guidance from the very early stage of this research as
well as giving me extraordinary experiences throughout the past few years.
Then to my second advisor Andi Asmawati, S.Pd.,M.Pd who has helped
researcher patiently finishing this undergraduate thesis by giving suggestion,
guidance, and correction until the completion of this thesis.
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Special thanks to English Education Department students in second semester
who sincerely helped the researcher in this study by being subject of this

research.

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Also to the entire brothers and sisters of English Education Department group
5 and 6 who cannot be mentioned here one by one.

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Finally, the writer would like to thank everybody who was important to
the successful realization of this undergraduate thesis.
This undergraduate thesis is far from perfect, but it is expected that it will be

useful not only for the researcher, but also for the readers. For this reason,
constructive thoughtfull suggestion and critics are welcomed.
The last, may all our efforts are blessed by Allah SWT. Amiin.
Samata-Gowa, 28 Agustus 2017
The Researcher
A.Nur Alang
NIM: 20400113096

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................

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PERNYATAAN KEASLIAN SKRIPSI .......................................................

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PERSETUJUAN PEMBIMBING ................................................................

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PENGESAHAN SKRIPSI .............................................................................

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...........................................................................

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

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

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LIST OF FIGURE .........................................................................................

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LIST OF APPENDIXES ...............................................................................

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

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CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION .................................................................

1

A. Background .......................................................................

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B. Research Problem ..............................................................

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C. Research Objective ............................................................

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D. Research Significance .......................................................

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E. Research Scope ..................................................................

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F. Operational Defenition of Term.........................................

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CHAPTER II : LITERATURE REVIEW......................................................

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A. Related Research Findings ................................................

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B. Some Pertinent Ideas ........................................................

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1. Speaking ........................................................................

10

2. Cognitive Strategy .........................................................

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C. Theoretical Framework .....................................................

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CHAPTER III : RESEARCH METHOD ........................................................

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A. Research Method ...............................................................

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B. Research Subject and Location .........................................

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C. Research Instruments.........................................................

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D. Data Collection Procedure ................................................

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E. Data Analysis Technique ...................................................

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CHAPTER IV : FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ..........................................

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A. Findings ............................................................................

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1. Kinds of Students‟ Cognitive Strategy in Learning
Speaking .............................................................................

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2. The Impact of Cognitive Strategy Toward Students‟
Speaking Performance ......................................................

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B. Discussion ........................................................................

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CHAPTER V : CONCLUSSION AND SUGGESTION ................................

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A. Conclussions .....................................................................

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

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BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................

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APPENDIXES .................................................................................................

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LIST OF TABLE
Table 3.1 : The Score Criteria of Speaking Accuracy ..................................

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Table 3.2 : The Score Criteria of Speaking Fluency ......................................

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Table 3.3 : The Score Criteria of Speaking Comprehensibility ....................

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Table 4.1 : Classroom Observation ...............................................................

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LIST OF FIGURE
Figure 2.1: Theoretical framework of cognitive strategies in learning
Speaking .......................................................................................

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Figure 4.2: Students speak in front of their friend and lecturer ……………………

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LIST OF APPENDIXES
Appendix I

: Interview question

Appendix II

: Interview transcription

Appendix III : Students utterances transcription
Appendix IV : Documentation

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ABSTRACT
Researcher :
Reg.Number:
Title
:
Consultant I:
Concultant I:

A. Nur Alang
20400113096
A Study of Cognitive Strategies in Learning Speaking Used
by The Second Semester Students of English Education
Department at Alauddin State Islamic University
Dra. Hj. St. Azisah, M.Ed.St.,Ph.D
Andi Asmawati, S.Pd.,M.Pd.

This study was about the cognitive strategy of the second semester students in
learning English speaking at English Education Department at Alauddin Islamic
State University of Makassar. There were two research problems that formulated
in this reseasrch they were (1) what are the kinds of cognitive strategies used in
English speaking class, and (2) what is the impact of cognitive strategies toward
students‟ speaking performance. The aim of this research are (1) to find out the
kinds of cognitive strategies used in English speaking class, (2) to find out the
impact of cognitive strategies toward students‟ speaking performance.
The study was designed in the form of descriptive qualitative method.
Interview and observation were committed by the researcher to help her in
arranging the data. Subject in this research were 90 students in the second
semester majoring English Education Department of Tarbiyah and Teaching
Science Faculty at Alauddin State Islamic University. Furthermore, there were
four students who were interviewed and those 90 students were observed while
they were in speaking class learning. The data were analyzed trough four
procedures models from Miles and Huberman (1994) that are data collection, data
reduction, data display and data verification.
Result of the research showed that (1) there are several kinds of cognitive
strategy that students used in learning speaking, they are practicing, receiving and
sending message, analyzing and reasoning, and creating structure for input and
output. In term of practicing, the students used repeating, applying the
pronunciation rules, grammatical rules was also sometimes applied. Then, in
receiving and sending message the students needed to thinking for a moment
before giving their opinion. Further, in analyzing and reasoning strategy, the
students applied analyzing the expression, translating, and analyzing contrastively
what they learnt. The last cognitive strategy was creating structure for input and
output. Students used to take notes and summarize the material. (2) the cognitive
strategy had a positive impact to the students speaking performance.

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of background explanation, research problem,
research objective, research significant, research scope and operational definition
of term that is explained as follow.
A. Background
Nowadays, English becomes an international language of United Nation.
All countries that come to be the part of United Nation use English language to
communicate in both oral and written language. It can be seen when a president or
a diplomat of a country speech, he/ she uses English language in international
meeting and conference of United Nation.
Indonesia is a member of United Nation. As the part of United Nation,
Indonesian people use English language in both international and national events
such as international conference and seminar. Not only that, English has been
used in everyday life. To operate Phone and Computer it needs English language.
Person who wants to send message has to know the meaning of some words like
message, inbox, receive, number and many more.
In addition, English language is also taken into educational curriculum.
English is learned start from kindergarten until university level. One of university
that has English major is Alauddin State Islamic University of Makassar.
Especially in English major, there are some subjects that is learned. One of the
subjects is speaking.

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Speaking is part of productive skills and it also one of skill that should be
increased by students because to know the progress of students‟ learning is by
seeing their speaking skills. Speaking is the way where students express
themselves, their ideas or information to share with others. By speaking, people
can explore what in their mind, like information or asking help, easily and
quickly. Among the four language skills speaking is viewed to be at the heart of
second language learning (Egan, 1999).
Since the successful of learners‟ language learning is measured by
observing their performance or oral ability many learners want to be good in
speaking. They try to develop their oral ability by applying some strategies.
Strategy is very helpful tool for people to do their job, especially for learners it
makes their learning process easily and quickly because they know what will they
do.
According to Oxford (1990), learning strategies, if appropriate employed,
can enhance grammatical, sociolinguistics competence, discourse competence,
and strategic competence. Grammatical competence indicates the degree of
mastery of the language form including vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation,
spelling and word formation. Sociolinguistic competence shows the ability to
understand and use the language appropriately in different social context,
including the knowledge of speech such as apologizing, describing, agreeing,
persuading, etc. Discourse competence, indicates the ability to combine and
synthesize ideas above the sentences level coherently and cohesively. Strategic

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competence indicates the ability to us e techniques or strategies in order to
overcome limitations in the language or to get the message across.
The use of appropriate strategies will help students in solving and clearing
their problems and difficulties in learning speaking. Not only that, students will
also be more creative and attractive in comprehending of some materials and
upgrading their speaking skills.
One of learning strategies that students‟ use is cognitive strategy.
According to some research, cognitive strategies have some particular strategies
that are effective on different kinds of tasks. It examines strategies that have
proven to be effective in comprehending, writing, solving problem, reasoning, and
discussing several affective domain-general strategies for general self-regulation.
However, the use of cognitive strategies in learning speaking has not yet
been properly analyzed in State Islamic University of Alauddin Makassar in EFL
(English as Foreign Language) classroom. Hence, the researcher considers that
analyzing the use of cognitive strategies in learning speaking done. For that, based
on the explanation above, researcher initiates to undertake research title “A Study
of Cognitive Strategies in Learning Speaking Used by the Second Semester
Students of English Education Department at Alauddin State Islamic University.”

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B. Research Problems
In terms of cognitive strategies in learning speaking, the research problems
of the research are:
1. What are the kinds of cognitive strategies used in English speaking class?
2. What is the impact of cognitive strategies toward students‟ speaking
performance?
C. Research Objectives
Related to the research problems above, the objectives of the research are:
1. To find out the kinds of cognitive strategies used in English speaking class.
2. To find out the impact of cognitive strategies toward students‟ speaking
performance.

D. Research Significance
The results of this study are expected to have positive contribution for the
development of second or foreign language teaching and learning.
1. Theoretical Significance
This study is expected to be useful information for teacher, students and
government. This study will improve their knowledge about language learning
strategy which has a big value to improve the education system particularly in
teaching and learning speaking. Especially for teacher and students this can help
them to understand well what cognitive strategies are and its contribution in
upgrading speaking competence.
2. Practical Significance

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a. For teacher
From this study, researcher hopes it can give the value contribution
especially for English teachers to interact with their students while they teach in
the classroom especially in teaching speaking skill.
b. For students
By knowing these strategies, researcher expects students will be more
attractive in learning speaking, they can apply cognitive strategies to enhance their
speaking learning process.
c. For teaching and learning process
From this study, the researcher assumes that it can give contribution for
the English Language Teaching mainly in speaking. Hopely, it brings the positive
effect in speaking teaching and learning process, so it will be running well.
d. For government
For the government, it is expected to be useful information as well that they
will realize the importance of the language learning strategies particularly
cognitive strategies in increasing students‟ speaking ability to be well understood
by the teachers and students, therefore, they will support and provide a chance for
activities that can help the teachers and students to more comprehend about
cognitive strategies as one of kinds in language learning strategies.
e. For other researchers
From this study, researcher hopes that it can be one of research references
for another researcher since he/she gets new information of a research especially
about cognitive strategies in learning speaking.

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E. Research Scope
From all the language learning strategies (LLSs) in EFL classroom and
skills which are in English language teaching, the area of this study focused on the
cognitive strategies they are practicing, receiving and sending messages,
analyzing and reasoning, creating structure for input and output in speaking skill.
This study discuss about those kinds of cognitive strategies used in English
speaking class since researcher analyzed the cognitive strategies provided by
Rebecca L. Oxford.

F. Operational Definition of Terms
This part explains more about the speaking skill and cognitive strategies.
1. Speaking
Speaking, according to the researcher, is the ability to perform the linguistic
knowledge in the actual communication by using sound and symbol produced by
the speaker to communicate with the listener to share the meaning. Speaking
ability is indicated by the use of speaker utterances found in the conversational
exchanges which is restricted in the components of speaking accuracy that covers
acceptable pronunciation, appropriate vocabulary, and correct grammar, speaking
fluency that covers an effort with a fairly wide range of expression, and speaking
comprehensibility that covers easy for listener to understand the speakers‟
intention and general meaning. It is relate to Oxford Advance Learner's Dictionary
(1995) speaking is making use of words in an ordinary voice; uttering words;
knowing and being able to use a language; expressing oneself in words; making a
speech. Further, Channey (1998) stated that speaking is the process of building

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and sharing meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols in variety
of contexts.
From the description above, it can be concluded that speaking skill is the
way of someone delivering information to others which aims to interact with
them.
2. Cognitive Strategies
Cognitive strategies are useful tools in assisting students with learning
problems. The term "cognitive strategies" in its simplest form is the use of the
mind (cognition) to solve a problem or complete a task. This is in line with
O‟Malley and Chamot (1987), cognitive strategies, in which the learners interact
with the material to be learned by manipulating in mentally (as making mental
images, or elaborating on previous acquired concepts or skill) or physically (as in
grouping items to be learned in meaning categories, or taking note on important
information to be remembered). Further more, “cognitive strategies are more
limited to specific learning tasks and they involve more direct manipulation of the
learning material itself” (Brown, 2007).

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This part consists of some related research findings, some pertinent ideas,
and theoretical framework.
A. Related Research Findings
Some recently researchers have shown that cognitive strategies are very
helpful tool to improve students learning process. In this part, researcher gives
some research findings to support this study.
The first is from Strakova (2013), studied at Presov University of
Slovakia, undertaken a research untitled Developing Cognitive Strategies in
Foreign Language Education with research object 22 students at the fourth year
in one of Elementary school in Slovakia. The research finding was training of
cognitive learning strategies can help students to approach reading in a foreign
language.
The second one is a research run by Ghaith and Rihan (2012) with
participant 86 university students who are majoring in medicine (10), science (10),
computer (17), business (40), 4 major-less, and 5 with missing data regarding the
major field of study. Furthermore, there were 51 male students and 35 females.
The research title was An Investigation of the Relationship of Learning and
Communication Strategies, Gender, and Reading Proficiency in English as a
Foreign Language. The results showed that reading proficiency is positively
related to cognitive strategies and negatively related to social strategies.

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Third, Khezrlou (2012), students of Tehran University, in his research with
title The Relationship between Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies, Age, and
Level of Education stated that that there was a moderate, positive, and significant
relationship between cognitive strategies and students‟ reading performances of
the adult learners in the TOFL test and also for the young learners.
The last is the presented research by Phakiti (2006) who has done a study
with title Modeling Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies and Their
Relationship to EFL Reading Test Performance with research participants the
students of Thai University consisted of 358 students. The researcher found that
the degree of relationship between strategies varied depending on the function of
cognitive processing. The nature of cognitive and metacognitive strategies and
their relation to a given foreign language reading test performance could,
however, be far more complex than has been detected in this study due to the
number of interactions among the constructs, other unmeasured constructs (e.g.,
automaticity) and the context in which strategy and language use occurred.
To sum up, this study totally differs from those kinds of research in the
form of cognitive strategies. Theirs are talking about cognitive strategies in
reading while this focused on cognitive strategies in speaking. For that reason,
this study was held.
B. Some Pertinent Ideas
1. Speaking
a. Speaking accuracy

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The term of speaking accuracy in this research is same with Brown (2001)
argues that accuracy is achieved to some extent by allowing learners to focus on
the element of phonology, grammar, and discourse in their spoken output. By
having these three elements of speaking accuracy students will be easier in
utterance what in their minds are. Furthermore, in teaching English speaking, the
teacher has to explain to the learners to speak accurately (clear, articulate,
grammatically, and phonologically correct) language and fluent (flowing and
natural) language.
1. Pronunciation
Talking about oral language, which is used in conversational exchanges,
pronunciation influences all words used within it. Good pronunciation will guide
everyone to communicate well therefore “good language learners do not neglect
pronunciation” (Griffiths, 2008). Pronunciation involves far more than individual
sounds. Pronunciation involves too many complexities for learners to strive for a
complete elimination of accent, but improving pronunciation will boost selfesteem, facilitate communication, and possibly lead to a better job or a least most
respect in the workplace. Effective communication is the greatest importance, so
choose first to work on problems that significantly hinder communication.
According to Yapping in Rosmiaty (2012) there are three kinds of
pronunciation namely native pronunciation, native like pronunciation and nonnative like pronunciation.

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a) Native pronunciation. Native pronunciation is the way in expressing words by
native speaker. The style of his pronunciation is a typical one that is difficult
to non-native to do the same thing.
b) Native like pronunciation. Native like pronunciation is the way expressing
words by non-native but sounds like a native one, the style of his
pronunciation usually found in the countries where English is taught and
learned as a second language.
c) Non-native like pronunciation. Non-native like pronunciation is all English
learners in countries where English is used as a foreign language. The
learners of the language find that it is very difficult to use a non-native like
pronunciation. They use the non-native pronunciation means they use their
own ability to pronounce the words as it are. It also happens in some
countries in Asia.
It is commonly understood that competent users of language know how to
use the language (who include native and non-native speaker). They also know
how to recognize and produce a range of pronunciation (sounds), know where to
place the stress in word and phrase and know what different intonation tunes mean
and how in order that the learners can imitate their teacher in any teaching and
learning process. However, teacher cannot expect the learners to sound exactly
like an American or Britain and the teachers introduce the activities will be done
in order to give them opportunities to make a lot of repetitions. In addition, the
teachers look at the need to teach learners how to produce and recognize the
pronunciation, stress, and intonation of the language. It may argue that for many

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people the goal of native speaker pronunciation was not important but to
communicative efficiency. It emphasizes the importance of listening as way to
acquiring pronunciation.
Pronunciation is one of the existent elements in English class that should
be paid attention by the teacher. During the late 1960‟s and the 1970‟s questions
were asked about the role of pronunciation in the EFL curriculum whether the
focus of the program and the instructional methods were effective or not.
Pronunciation programs until then were viewed as a meaningless no
communicative drill-and-exercise gambits.
Regarding with the explanations above, it can be said that pronunciation
refers to the way of person pronounces all the words in speaking.
2. Vocabulary
One of the important things that should be mastered in learning language is
vocabulary. Because it brings the learners to be able to communicate with others
toward their ideas, thoughts, feelings or imagination whether it is in a spoken or in
a written way. Vocabulary is word that can be seen, heard, have meaning but
someone cannot use a single word to communicate with others, it have to put
together with some words to make useful meaning.
Brown (2001) confirms that vocabulary consists of the words that are used
when speak or write and the words that understood when listen or read. Further, in
Oxford dictionary vocabulary is defined as 1) all the words that a person knows or
uses, 2) all the words in a language, 3) list of words with their meanings,
especially in a book for learning a foreign language.

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Regarding with the statement above, it can be concluded that vocabulary is
all the words in the broadest senses used in the language skills (listening, reading,
writing, and speaking). It has meaning based on the contest and it is as the stock
of words used by the language users.
3. Grammar
Grammar is one of the major language components. Furthermore, Ur
(1996) confirmed that grammar is the way words are put together to make correct
sentences. It pertains to sentence and word. It figures the categories such as noun
subject, imperative clause, and so on. Grammar is a field of linguistic that
involves all the various things that make up the rules of language.
Many people often presuppose that speaking communicatively does not
require grammar, one only needs to have much vocabulary. However, it
sometimes do not realize that by ignoring grammar speakers/listeners can
misunderstand which may not be bad in a relax conversation, but it can really
have serious effects on a formal conversation.
In addition, in Oxford dictionary, grammar is rules for forming words and
making sentences. The word, sentences and even phrases put together by these
rules are grammatical in the language concerned. In a slightly wider sense, the
grammars of language include the system of connection between grammatical
expressions and their meaning and uses.
From the description above, the researcher conclude that grammar is
arranging word per word into sentence by using correct from and having a

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complete meaning that makes easier an understanding not only in written
language but also in spoken language.
b. Speaking fluency
In term of fluency, Longman dictionary defines fluency as “mode
expressing thought in a language, whether oral or written, especially such use of a
language in the expression of thought as exhibits the spirit and faculty of an artist,
choice or arrangement of words in discourse, rhetorical expression”.
In addition, Oxford and Burry-Stock (1995) said that fluency is the quality
or condition of being fluent. Besides, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, the
other things that someone uses in processing information are an idea, the
conventional relation between idea and words, the connecting moving way of
articulation and words and the functional articulation. The four factors above have
to exist, if they are not, the strangers of language will happen.
Further, fluency as a part of speaking indicates how well or how smooth a
speaker expresses ideas in terms of sentences. Fluency in speaking is the quality
of being fluent and it needs the intensity or practices, talent, habit and proper
speech.
Perfect fluency will be identified by limited pause of utterance. Speaker
with imperfect fluency will stop and start to talk in uttering the sentences. Refers
to the typical speaking, the more pauses subject performs a speech the more
indicates that he has poor fluency in uttering sentences in terms of explaining the
information within. In this regard, when students performs speech, he might think

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for a while to find the other words to continue the whole explanation to get the
information clear.
In short, fluency shows how good the students speaking while they express
their idea that can be known by seeing their expression and how often they stop.
c. Speaking Comprehensibility
Comprehensibility is the power of understanding an exercised aimed at
improving or testing ones understanding of a language in written or spoken
(Hornby, 1984). Moreover, it defines as the ability to understand completely and
be aware of understanding whatever said by speaker or toward the topics that are
discussed during having conversation.
Comprehension is one of many components that should be paid attention to
increase learners‟ speaking ability in order to speak better. There are
pronunciation, structure, vocabulary and fluency. Yet, speaking means making up
a language in ordinary way that involving those components.
Basically, there is a number of different ways of getting learners to speak,
ranging from asking learners a set of questions to request them to give a detailed
presentation. This way aims to get the learners to speak in order to improve his or
her comprehension.
In conclusion, comprehension shows students‟ understanding about
language and what other people say.
2. Cognitive Strategies
For over two decades, many researchers have given definition about
cognitive strategies. Cognitive strategies, according to Wenden (1991), are mental

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step or operation that learners use to process both linguistic and sociolinguistic
content, for example retaining what someone had understood, practicing what
someone had learned and practicing someone‟s language skills.
In addition, Stern (1992) gave definition about cognitive strategies that it
refers to procedures and activities which learners apply to improve their ability to
learn or remember the materials, and solve the problems, especially those actions
which learners use with specific classroom tasks.
Furthermore, Williams and Burden (1997) stated that cognitive strategies
are seen as mental processes directly concerned with the processing of
information in order to learn, that is for obtaining, storage, retrieval or use of
information.
Moreover, Brown (2007) stated that cognitive strategies are more limited
to specific learning tasks and they involve more direct manipulation of the
learning material itself. Repetition, resourcing, translation, grouping, note taking,
deduction,

recombination,

imagery,

auditory

representation,

key

word,

contextualization, elaboration, transfer, and inferencing are among the most
important cognitive strategies.
Then, the last definition of cognitive strategy is presented by Van Dijk and
Kintsch (1983), they provide an excellent description of cognitive strategies that
thinking and problem solving are well-known examples: We have an explicit goal
to be reached, the solution of a problem, and there may be specific operations,
mental steps, to be performed to reach that goal. These steps are under our

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conscious control and we may be at least partly able to verbalize them, so that we
can analyze the strategies followed in solving the problem.
In conclusion, cognitive strategies, are mental routines or procedures for
accomplishing cognitive goals like solving a problem, studying for a test, or
understanding what is being read.
Cognitive strategies are essential in learning a new language. Such
strategies are a varied lot, ranging from repeating to analyzing expressions to
summarizing (Oxford, 1990). With all their variety, cognitive strategies are
unified by a common function: manipulation or transformation of the target
language by the learner. Cognitive strategies are typically found to be the most
popular strategies with language learners because cognitive strategies were
significantly related to the second language proficiency in studies (Ehrman &
Oxford, 1995) and Park (1994), among others.
Oxford (1990) said that four sets of cognitive strategies were practicing,
strategies for receiving and sending messages, analyzing and reasoning strategies,
and creating structure for input and output. First, practicing is the most significant
strategy in context of cognitive but many learners sometimes do not recognize the
essential of this. Some ways in doing practicing are repeating, formally practicing
with sounds and writing systems, recognizing and using formulas and patterns,
recombining, and practicing naturalistically.
Second, strategies for receiving and sending messages are necessary tools.
One example is getting the idea quickly, helps the learners to find the main idea

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using skimming or scanning technique. Learners may also using resources for
receiving and sending messages to make their learning more attractive.
Third, analyzing and reasoning strategies are commonly used by language
learners. Many learners, especially adults tend to “reason out” the new language,
they construct a formal model in their minds based on analysis and comparison,
create general rules, and revise those rules when new information is available
(Oxford, 1990). Some strategies included are reasoning deductively, analyzing
expression, analyzing contrastively (across language), translating, and transferring
the idea.
The last is creating structure for input and output. To have good
understanding, learners need to structure all input that they get, like taking note,
summarizing, and highlighting.

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C. Theoretical Framework

Cognitive strategies

Practicing

Receiving and
sending
messages

Analyzing and
reasoning

Creating structure
for input and output

Speaking ability

Figure 2.1: Theoretical framework of cognitive strategies in learning speaking

Based on the theoretical framework above, this study focused on cognitive
strategies. There four kinds of cognitive strategies they are practicing, receiving
and sending messages, analyzing and reasoning, and creating structure for input
and output. The researcher analyzed more about those kinds of cognitive
strategies to know which kinds that the students use in speaking class and to know
the effect of those strategies to the speaking ability of the students of English
Education Department at Islamic State University of Alauddin Makassar.

CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHOD

This chapter consist research method, research subject, research instrument,
data collection procedure, and data analysis technique. The following are those
descriptions.
A. Research Method
In this study, researcher used descriptive qualitative research method to
describe what kinds of cognitive strategies used by the students in the speaking
class and what the impact of those strategies since these strategies would be clear
and applicable to be explained in descriptively rather than numerically.

B. Research Subject and Location
This study conducted in State Islamic University of Alauddin Makassar. This
university was located in Samata, Gowa Regency. The subjects of this study were
the second semester students of English Education Department, they were divided
into four groups namely group 1, group 2, group 3, and group 4. For students, the
researcher took two groups that are group 1 and 2. Each group consisted of around
20-25 participants. The researcher took them because those groups were very
potential to find the students' preference towards the use of cognitive strategies in
EFL classroom.

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C. Research Instrument
It had been known that the main instrument of qualitative research is the
researcher herself. But, to finish this study, researcher needed a helpful tool in
acquiring information and data effectively. Hence, the secondary instruments used
were interview text and observation. In this study the researcher used structured
interview. Structured interviewed had a specified a set of questions that elicit
specific information from participants. It allows the qualitative researcher to ask
all of the participants the same series of questions (Gay, Mills & Airasian, 2006).
Interview was used to gather information about cognitive strategies that learners
use and observation is used to help researcher to find out information more valid.
In term of observation, the researcher took nonparticipant observation
(external observation) where the observer is not directly involved in the situation
being observed. The researcher only observed and recorded behaviors but did not
interact or participate in the life of the setting being studied (Gay, Mills &
Airasian, 2006). Further, video recorder or audio recorder needed to record the
students while interview held and running the observation.

D. Data Collection Procedure
The data of this research was collected by observation and interview. The
first step of this research was observing the students classroom activities. Whilst
researcher observed the students‟ activity, she also made a note. The observation
took place in the class of PBI group 1 and group 2 and it started at 08.00 until
09.40 o‟clock in the morning on 22nd March, 2017. Observation was conducted to
see students‟ speaking performance whilst they were speaking in front of the

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class. The researcher was also observing the use of cognitive strategy in their
learning process.
Subsequently, the interview was held directly after the observation
process. The researcher chose four students to be interviewed. The researcher
interviewed the students one by one on 23rd to 24th March, 2017. The interview
took two places that were at students‟ boarding house and at university area with
duration about 10 minutes each student. There were eleven number of question
that asked to the students. Kind of the interview was structured interview and it
was also functioned as speaking test for students. It was done to know the impact
of cognitive strategy toward their speaking. The questions in interview text asked
to the students deal with the cognitive strategies used in EFL classroom. While the
observation and interview were held, the researcher also recorded all the process
to be transcribed and analyzed.

E. Data Analysis Technique
In analyzing collected data, the researcher used descriptive method. As
using this technique, the researcher collected data, arranged data and presented
data. The descriptive qualitative method was kind of research without using any
calculation or statistic procedure. To analyze the cognitive strategies in learning
speaking in EFL classroom at Alauddin State Islamic University of Makassar, the
researcher used four procedures models from Miles and Huberman (1994) that are
data collection, data reduction, data display and data verification. Those four types
of data analysis could be explained as follows:

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1. Data Collection
As mention in the sentence previously, the activity of data collection is a
cyclical and interactive process. Thus, during the data collection the researcher
circulated among these four steps continually in order to grasp all of the
information needed in the next steps of data analysis. Accordingly, in this step, the
researcher tried to find out the unripe data that would be reduced, displayed, and
concluded in the next step.
2. Data Reduction
According to Milles and Huberman (1994), “data reduction refers to the
process of selecting, focusing, simplifying, abstracting, and transforming the data
that appear in written-up field notes or transcriptions”. They further point out the
data reduction or data condensation process was varied in several ways, such as
through selection, summary or paraphrase and being subsume in larger pattern.
Simply in this step, in analyzing students‟ cognitive strategies, researcher
classified and organized data after transcription process.
3. Data Display
The next step of data analysis is data display. After collecting and reducing
the data, the researcher presented the data. The presentation of data could be done
in the form of brief description, charts, relationship between categories, and so on.
The most frequent form of data display for qualitative research data in the past
had been narrative text. By data display, then the data is organized, arranged in a
pattern of relationships that would be easily understood.

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4. Conclusion drawing and Verification
After the data displayed in a form of narrative text, then the researcher
gave interpretation so that the conclusions and verifications of the students‟
cognitive strategies in speaking could be drawn.

CHAPTER IV
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presented the findings of research and its discussion. The
findings and discussion presented the kinds of cognitive strategy and the impact of
cognitive strategy toward students‟ performance.
A. Findings
1. Kinds of Students’ Cognitive Strategy in Learning Speaking
As stated earlier, the subject of this research was the second semester
students of English major at State Islamic University of Makassar. To know the
kinds of cognitive strategies in learning speaking, researcher conducted an
observation in the classroom and chose four students to be interviewed. Based on
the observation and interview the researcher collected the data which referred to
the answer of research problem of this research that was about cognitive learning
strategies in speaking which deals with Oxford that were practicing, receiving and
sending messages, analyzing and reasoning, creating structure for input and
output.
Research question was based on the researcher‟s desire to know the
phenomena of how the successful English students of Alauddin State Islamic
University of Makassar employed their learning speaking strategies in EFL. The
researcher employed direct observation during the subject learns in the classroom.
The researcher observed and noticed the students learning activities and also
researcher interviewed to know their learning speaking strategies.

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After the researcher conducted observation and interview, the researcher
transcribed the data for categorizing the cognitive strategies in speaking used by
the second semester students of State Islamic University of Makassar.
Cognitive strategies were more limited to specific learning tasks and they
involve more direct manipulation of the learning material itself. Cognitive strategy
was one of learning strategy that applied by the second semester students of
English major at State Islamic University to gain their objective in learning that
was increasing their speaking ability. It was proven with their answers when
interview process, cognitive strategy is learning strategy about using our mind in
increasing English specially speaking (Sakura, interviewed on 24th March, 2017).
Based on observation and interview result, the strategies worked by all of
the actions or activities done by students. Strategies described the learning action
employed by the students in order to comprehend the information or material by
engaging friends, teacher, or whenever could help her.
As stated earlier that there were four kinds of cognitive strategy including
practicing, receiving and sending message, analyzing and reasoning, and creating
structure for input and output. Those strategies were not only employed in the
classroom, but also when they returned to the home and whenever they needed it
to find and to comprehend knowledge. After the researcher analyzed all the
phenomena that she found during the research in previous part, it was found that
there were several kinds of cognitive strategy performance by students. Those
strategies were explained as follows:
1) Practicing

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The first strategy in cognitive was practicing. There were some ways to train
students‟ speaking skill that were repeating (the students repeat the sentences/
expression), formally practicing with sound and writing system (the students more
focus on pronunciation), recognizing (the students talks by applying the
grammatical structure), recombining (the students use the combination into
different focus on meaning), and practicing naturalistically (the students have
become accustomed with the utterances). In practicing students tried to have good
utterances by repeating the material that they learnt or heard. As a foreigner
language learner, practice the previous knowledge was very crucial.
Based on the interview and observation result, researcher found that not all
of the strategy in practicing was used by the students. They only applied some of
them like repeating. The four students tried to imitate the utterances of the native
speaker when they hear or watch movie, I learn speaking by listening and
watching the native speaker

in the movie and imitating them (Sakura,

interviewed on 24th March, 2017). Imitating occurred when the students repeated
what the speaker said, I repeat the actor voice (Jasmine, interviewed on 24th
March, 2017). For that, in this case imitating speaker was same with repeating the
speaker utterances. Repeating helped students to improve speed in acquire and
understanding something new. This not only occurred just in formal class but also
in non formal class.
Further, there also students practiced their speaking by applying the
pronunciation rules, I use it by repeating and formally practicing with sound and
writing system (Rose, interviewed on 23rd March, 2017). Addition, grammatical

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rules was also sometimes applied by the students, sometimes I use repeating,
recognizing (Orchid, interviewed on 23rd March, 2017).
From four students that had been interviewed, the data showed that all of the
students used repeating. Then, two of them sometimes combined both of
repeating, formally practicing with sound and writing system, and recognizing to
have good performance in speaking.
2) Receiving and sending message
The second strategy in learning speaking that applied by the students were
receiving and sending message. This strategies divided into two branches that
were getting the idea quickly means after talking, the students response it quickly
and gives their idea about what is asked, and using resources for receiving and
sending message means that the students had to think for a while before answering
the question.
From the research findings, it could be showed that there some students that
had good understanding about a topic or utterances of the speaker and there also
students that needed a moment to analyze and understand what other said.
Students with good understanding could get the idea quickly so that they also
gave a respond swiftly. Further, the medium students had to think for a while to
understand what they hear. The data showed that all of the interviewed students
had the same condition that was they needed a moment to recognize what they
hear and they would be giving the respond I use cognitive strategy to give my
idea in speaking I am used to thinking before giving my idea (Orchid, interviewed
on 23rd March, 2017).

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All of the respondent showed that cognitive strategy particularly receiving
and sending message also had contribution in helping them to learn speaking.
3) Analyzing and reasoning
The third strategy in term of cognitive was analyzing and reasoning. This
strategy was divided into five branches they were reasoning deductively means
the students explained or declared the reason from the common one to the specific
one. Analyzing expression means the students try to make other people
understand what they are really explaining, analyzing contrastively means the
students use two or more languages, they give additional explanation to ma