B. Research Novelty
2. Speaking Ability
a. Definition of Speaking
Speaking is one of the most important skills that students need to master in order to learn English. Through speaking, students can get many benefits, especially for communication, such as being able to gain knowledge, have good relationships with others, and share ideas, opinions, and expressions. Speaking can be used as a means of daily communication orally.30 It is not just about saying a series of words correctly. A person is called a good speaker as long as they can convey what is on their mind well and make the listener understand it.
Furthermore, Andriyani states that speaking skills are the ability to communicate with the target language which consists of the target speaking, there are accuracy, fluency, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and understanding.31 It means that a good speaker is produced when people can speak well to communicate until the listeners can understand the meaning and use language correctly according to the language target.
The conclusion from definition described above, speaking is related to communication to express our ideas, opinions, and expressions with others orally. Good speakers can be determined by those who convey messages to their listeners well according to language aspects and do not cause misunderstandings.
30Desiana, “Hubungan,” 54.
31 Tuti, Leni, “Using Brainstorming Technique in Speaking Activity for Senior High School Students,”Journal of English Language Teaching, no.1 (2019): 23.
Meanwhile, speaking ability in this research is an ability possessed by students so that they can communicate and describe things well according to the topic that will be given by the researcher. Their speaking ability will be measured according to the speaking aspects, there are, fluency, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. That way the researcher can see how far the students have mastered their speaking abilities.
b. The Aspects of Speaking
In speaking, some elements support students' ability to speak English. According to Harris, there are five aspects of speaking. There are pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.32 1) Pronunciation
Pronunciation is about how to articulate a word correctly.
Thus, pronunciation plays an important role in speaking and can make the communication process easy to understand.
2) Grammar
This point is an aspect of manipulating structures and distinguishing grammatical forms that are appropriate in conformity.
Grammar is also used to learn the correct way of speaking, both in spoken and written form.
32Azlina Kurniati,“A Study on the Speaking Ability of the Second Year Students of SMK Telkom Pekanbaru,” (October 2015): 5.
3) Vocabulary
Vocabulary is diction used in communication appropriately. A person cannot communicate effectively if they do not have sufficient vocabulary. Vocabulary limitations are also a barrier for learners in learning the language.
4) Fluency
Fluency is flow and efficiency in expressing ideas, especially in speaking. In other words, speakers can convey in a way that is easy to understand and shows comfort in speaking when communicating.
5) Comprehension
It is the ability to receive and respond in communication. Of course, comprehension becomes important and indispensable in speaking.
c. The Characteristics of Good Speaking Ability in Students
According to the assessment of speaking ability by J.B. Heaton who shows that the highest value from a speaker is the one who has the following speaking character.33
1) Good Accuracy
The mother tongue affects little of the pronunciation, with at least two or three minor grammatical and lexical errors.
33Heaton, Writing, 100.
2) Speaking Fluently
Speaks casually without too much effort and doesn't search for words too often with only one or two unnatural pauses.
3) Good Comprehensibility.
Listeners easily understand what the speaker is saying, with few interruptions or clarifications.
d. Assessing Speaking
Evaluating speaking skills is the most important aspect of language testing. However, assessing speaking ability is not like the assessment of other language skills, because this ability can only be assessed orally. Likewise, the speaking assessment in this study will be examined in an oral test
In this oral production test, many criteria must be evaluated in students' speaking such as pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. In addition, speaking tests are quite difficult to carry out and will be ineffective if testing the ability of a large number of students with limited time.
According to Heaton, the types of oral production test instruments include reading aloud, conversational exchanges, a picture for assessment, interviews, and other oral examinations.34
1) Reading aloud. This oral test includes a reading-aloud test in which students are allowed to look at a text and then read it aloud.
34Heaton, Writing, 88.
2) Conversational exchanges are suitable for observing language skills and can be used to assess certain aspects of spoken language. The test is given a series of situations and asked to arrange sentences on a certain pattern line or group of patterns. Then the student can make the appropriate response shown.
3) Picture for assessing oral production. A single picture can be used to test the production of significant phoneme contrast, while pictures of a scene or event can be used to check total oral skills. This section will concentrate on using images to describe or narrate. Students are given a picture to study for a few minutes. Then they are asked to describe the picture at a certain time.
4) An Interview is one of the other oral production tests. The oral interview score is highly subjective. Usually, the interviewer will ask about a discussion topic that is familiar to the students so that they can feel relaxed and calm about the answers they will convey.
While this research data will be obtained through a picture for assessment. By giving students several picture cards to choose one of them then they have to answer the picture, to find out the extent of their speaking ability.