CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
G. Definition of the Key Terms
3. Students’ Speaking Skill a. Definition
Generally, speaking can be described as the ability of a person to express his/her ideas, feelings, or something in his/her mind to others by spoken language.
Speaking is the ability to report act or situation in precise words or the ability to converse or to express the sequence of ideas fluently. So, speaking skills are students will develop, apply, and refine speaking skills to communicate key ideas in a variety of situations.
Mastering speaking skill is essential to connect to the audience.
Widdowson (in Asrida, 2005:14) explains that ―speaking is the active or productive skill and makes use of the oral medium. He further says that communication through speaking commonly performed face to face and occurs as part of dialogue or other forms of verbal exchange.‖ In addition, Wilkins (1988:24) states that ―speaking is the ability to compose sentences is needed but it is not only ability needed because oral communication takes place when someone makes use of sentences to perform a variety of different social nature.‖
From the above opinions, the researcher can be concluded that speaking is conveying message orally to others and, of course, he/she has to consider the structure and spoken production. Speaking is not only the ability to pronounce sounds or words but also the ability to communicate some ideas which are set and
develop confirming with a speaker or hearer whether the speaker understands or not either the materials of the hearer: whether he is able to adjust calmly to a situation while he is communicating his ideas.
The development of oral ability is a good source or motivation for learners who normally much concerned with the ability to speak and understand a foreign language. Speaking ability can be described as the ability of a person to express his/her ideas and feeling by spoken language.
Speaking ability is the ability of the listeners to speak a language fluently.
Speaking a language is especially difficult for foreign language learners because effective oral communication requires the ability to use the language not only in verbal communication but also paralinguistic elements such as gesture and body language. Furthermore, speaking ability brings the learners to be able to speak communicatively with verbal communication, paralinguistic elements and also non linguistic elements.
It can be concluded that, someone who is speaking in front of the audience deals with two key words confidence and involving audience when she is speaking. Speaking ability is an ability that is taken for granted, learner as it is through a process of socialization through communication. Harmer (2001: 269) states ―the ability to speak fluently presuppose not only a knowledge of language features, but also the ability to process information and language on the spot.‖
While, Littlewood in Mira (2004:34) explains that ―speaking ability is combination of structural aspect in one-side focuses on the grammatical system, it describes wage in which linguistic items can be combined. The functional aspects, in another side, concentrate on the ability to use the language in certain situation.‖
In order to have ability to speak, the students have to know the characteristic of successful speaking activity. Ur (1991: 120) explains there are four characteristics of successful speaking activity, they are:
First, learners talk a lot. As much as possible of the period of time allotted to the activity is in fact occupied by learner talk. Second, participation is even. Classroom discussion is not dominated by a minority of talk active participant: all get a chance to speak, and contributions are fairly evenly distributed. Third, motivation is high. Learners are eager to speak: because they are interested in the topic and have something new to say about it, or because they want to contribute to achieving a task objective. Fourth, language is of an acceptable level. Learners express themselves in utterances that are relevant, easily comprehensible to each other, and of an acceptable level of language accuracy.
Based on the experts above, it can be synthesized that speaking ability is the ability of someone in the process of sharing with another person, or with other persons, one‘s knowledge, interests, attitudes, opinions or ideas. Delivery of ideas, opinions, or feelings is some important aspects of the process of speaking which a speaker‘s idea become real to him and his listeners.
b. Factors Affecting EFL Learners Speaking Skill
Shumin in Richard and Renandya (2002:205-2006) states that there are four factors that affect students‘ oral communication ability (speaking skill) as follows:
First, age or maturational constraints, age are one of the most commonly cited determinant factors of success or failure in foreign language learning.
Second, aural medium, the central role of listening comprehension in foreign language acquisition process in now largely accepted. It means that listening plays an extremely important role in the development of speaking abilities. Third, socio-cultural factors, many cultural characteristics of a language also affect foreign language learning. From a pragmatic perspective, language is a form of social action because linguistic communication occurs in the context of structured interpersonal exchange and meaning is thus socially regulated. Fourth, affective factors, affective factors influence the success or failure of language learning significantly.
The affective factors related to foreign language learning emotions, self- esteem, empathy, anxiety, attitude and motivation. Foreign language learning is a complex task that is susceptible to human anxiety which is associated with feeling of uneasiness, frustration, self-doubt and apprehension. Speaking a foreign language in public, especially in front of native speakers, is often anxiety provoking.
These four factors play an important role in determining the success and the failure of student in learning speaking. Learning to speak a foreign language requires more that knowing its grammatical and semantic rules. Factors affecting adult EFL learners‘ oral communication are the things that need to be considered by EFL teacher in order to provide guidance in developing competent speaker of English. Once the EFL teachers are aware of these things, he will teach in more appropriate way and it will help them to develop student speaking skill.
c. Types of Speaking at English Department of STAIN Batusangkar At STAIN Batusangkar, there are several subjects offered, including religion based subjects, education based subjects, linguistic related subjects, four language skills subject (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), language component subjects and several others. Among the subjects offered, speaking as a productive skill is offered in several subjects, starting from speaking I up to speaking V.
Speaking I up to speaking V are offered to the students. Hughes (2003:115) explains that the types of speaking activities are presentation (monologue), discussion, conversation, service encounter, and interview. At STAIN Batusangkar, types of speaking activities in speaking I up to speaking V are conversations, discussions, role plays, debates, presentations (speeches), and any others. Based on the syllabus of speaking V of English Department of STAIN
Batusangkar (Zulhermindra, 2011:1-3) states that the purposes of speaking V (speech) subject are to make the students able to explain, and apply principles of many kinds of speech as follows:
The purposes of speaking V are to: 1) explain the principles related to ―Speech Preparation‖; 2) explain the principles related ―Speech Delivery‖; 3) apply the principles related to ―Speech to Inform in Personal Experience Speech‖; 4) apply the principles related to ―Speech to Inform in a Brief or a Friday Islamic Speech‖; 5) apply the principles related to
―Speech to Inform in a Speech Description‖; 6) apply the principles related to ―Speech to Inform in Explaining a Process‖; 7) apply the principles related to ―Speech to Persuade in a Speech to Convince‖; 8) apply the principles related to ―Speech to Persuade in a Speech to Stimulate‖; 9) apply the principles related to ―Speech to Persuade in a Speech to Get Action‖; 10) apply the principles related to ―Speech to Entertain in a Humorous Speech‖; 11) apply the principles related to ―Speech in Business and Professional Settings‖; 12) apply the principles related to
―Report‖; 13) apply the principles related to ―Special Occasion in a Farewell Speech‖; and 14) apply the principles related to ―Special Occasion Speeches in Introducing a Speaker Speech‖.
Based on the explanation above, it can be stated that English is taught not only as a subject matter but also as a field of study at the university level. As a subject matter, English is taught as a general compulsory subject needed to be learned by every university students. As a field of study, English is taught to prepare the students to be English teachers at schools. One of the subject matters or courses that the students should master in speaking skills learned through speaking subject.
d. Indicators of Speaking Skill
To be a good English speaker is not easy because there are many factors or components that support speaking skill. Shumin in Zainil (2006) the factors or components that support speaking skills as following:
First, language component consists of five components which are vocabulary, fluency, grammar, pronunciation, comprehension. Second, non linguistic component includes body language, intelligent, talent, motivation and self confidence.
Then, Brown (2009:213-214) and Hughes (2003:131-132) states that ―the indicators of oral proficiency consists of five components which are vocabulary, fluency, grammar, pronunciation, comprehension‖. It is expected that by having those skills and components, the students can perform communication well and in turn the goals of teaching can be obtained Furthermore, Brown and Abeywickrama (2009:219) mention that ―the criteria or indicator of speaking skill (oral presentation) involve content (introduction, body, and conclusion) and delivery (gestures, body language, eye contact, voice quality and others)‖. Thus, based on the experts above, it can be concluded that the indicators of speaking skill relate to pronunciation, grammar, comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, delivery (gestures and body language), content (introduction and conclusion).
By learning English, students are expected to be familiar in the foreign language and they are able to communicate in English especially speaking. Harris (1974:111-113) explains ―speaking is complex skill requiring the simultaneous use of different rates ….He points out five components generally in analysis of the speech process; they are pronunciation, structure, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension‖.
Based on the explanation above, there are ten components or indicators in speech process; they are pronunciation, structure, vocabulary, fluency, introduction, content, voice quality, non verbal, eye contact, and conclusion that have to be mastered by the students in speaking. Dealing with the components in
which should be considered in testing students speaking performance, the indicator of pronunciation refers to how well the students pronoun English word.
The indicator of structure refers to the form of English sentences that used by students when they have spoken English. The indicator of vocabulary refers to whether the students can use the suitable vocabulary or diction in speaking. The indicator of fluency refers to how fluent the students speak. And the indicator of content refers to how far the students can explain the content or information of their speech in detail. The indicator of introduction refers to how the students to develop and consider the speaking situation. The indicator of voice quality refers to how the students to control their voice. The indicator of non verbal communication (gestures and eye contact) refers to how the students can control and manage their non verbal communication effectively. Finally, the indicator of conclusion refers to how the students make the conclusion in order to the audience understanding about their talking about.
e. Testing Speaking