Essential Elements for Language Learning

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English is essential to be taught for the younger people, for this case; students from the beginner up to senior high school. In developing the students’ ability in mastering English, it cannot be separated from speaking mastery, because it can be a measurement of students, understand in English. In learning to speak, the students often made some problems. Speaking is the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, in a variety of contexts according to Chaney (1998: 13). Speaking is part of the language skills which is important for language learners to be developed. This is true because speaking skills include many complex aspects, such as (1.) fluency (smoothness of flow which sounds, syllables, words, and phrases are joined together when speaking), (2.) pronunciation (the way for students to produce clearer language when they speak), (3.) grammar (the rule of study of language inflection), (4.) vocabulary (the words used in language), (5.) comprehension (the ability of understanding the speaker’s intention and general meaning). By speaking, people can explain what they had been read and listened so that everyone can understand.

The Werewolf game requires learners to discuss each other and protect themselves as much as possible to win the game. It can be a discussion activity, communicative game, or role-playing in the werewolf game. As one of the communicative game, the werewolf games are expected to help teaching learning process in speaking class with joyful, fun and without having stress. Closer with the results of Dewi (2016: 57) the findings showed that the learners enjoy the lesson and 2 get more motivation, interest and confidence through communicative games. In teaching learning English as the foreign language most of students cannot speak English well. It is caused by several factors.

These factors can be derived by the teacher and students. Limitation of vocabulary it can be caused difficult to speak. The students feel nervous when he or she will to speak. Students are not ready to learn. There are some factors from student. While factors from teacher are the teacher teach focus on grammar. The real speaking need short time to speak. It is very difficult to remember Grammar because English Grammar is very complex. So, some students hate English. Ideal English classroom should be enjoyable and learning methods should be fun, so students fell enjoy during teaching learning process. In contrary, most of students still consider that English is difficult lesson, especially in speaking skill. In junior high school English becomes one of subject in national examination. Thus, students must study hard about speaking in an important element in English learning.

Bahasa Inggris sangat penting untuk diajarkan kepada orang-orang yang lebih muda, dalam hal ini;

siswa mulai dari tingkat pemula hingga sekolah menengah atas. Dalam mengembangkan siswa kemampuan dalam menguasai bahasa Inggris, tidak lepas dari penguasaan berbicara,

karena bisa menjadi tolak ukur siswa, paham dalam bahasa inggris. Dalam belajar untuk berbicara, para siswa sering membuat beberapa masalah.

Berbicara adalah proses membangun dan berbagi makna melalui penggunaan simbol verbal dan non-verbal, dalam berbagai konteks menurut Chaney

(1998: 13). Berbicara merupakan bagian dari keterampilan berbahasa yang penting bagi

pembelajar bahasa yang akan dikembangkan. Hal ini benar karena keterampilan berbicara meliputi banyak aspek yang kompleks, seperti (1.) fluency (kelancaran aliran yang berbunyi,

suku kata, kata, dan frase digabungkan saat berbicara), (2.)

pengucapan (cara bagi siswa untuk menghasilkan bahasa yang lebih jelas ketika mereka berbicara), (3.) tata bahasa (kaidah studi infleksi bahasa), (4.) kosa kata

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(kata-kata yang digunakan dalam bahasa), (5.) pemahaman (kemampuan memahami maksud pembicara dan makna umum). Dengan berbicara, orang bisa menjelaskan apa mereka telah dibaca dan didengarkan sehingga semua orang bisa mengerti.

Permainan Werewolf menuntut pembelajar untuk saling berdiskusi dan melindungi

diri mereka sebanyak mungkin untuk memenangkan permainan. Kegiatan ini dapat berupa diskusi, permainan komunikatif, atau permainan peran dalam permainan manusia serigala. Sebagai salah satu

permainan komunikatif, permainan werewolf diharapkan dapat membantu proses belajar mengajar proses pembelajaran berbicara dengan gembira, menyenangkan dan tanpa tekanan. Lebih dekat dengan

Hasil penelitian Dewi (2016:57) menunjukkan bahwa peserta didik menyenangi pelajaran dan 2

dapatkan lebih banyak motivasi, minat, dan kepercayaan diri melalui permainan komunikatif.

Dalam pengajaran belajar bahasa Inggris sebagai bahasa asing sebagian besar siswa

tidak bisa berbahasa Inggris dengan baik. Hal itu disebabkan oleh beberapa faktor. Faktor-faktor tersebut dapat

diturunkan oleh guru dan siswa. Keterbatasan kosa kata itu bisa jadi penyebabnya sulit untuk berbicara. Siswa merasa gugup ketika akan berbicara. Siswa

belum siap untuk belajar.

Ada beberapa faktor dari siswa. Sedangkan faktor dari guru adalah

guru mengajar fokus pada tata bahasa. Pembicaraan yang sebenarnya membutuhkan waktu yang singkat untuk berbicara. Dia

sangat sulit untuk mengingat Grammar karena English Grammar sangat kompleks.

Jadi, beberapa siswa membenci bahasa Inggris. Kelas bahasa Inggris yang ideal harus menyenangkan dan

Metode pembelajaran harus menyenangkan, sehingga siswa merasa enjoy selama pembelajaran berlangsung

proses. Sebaliknya, sebagian besar siswa masih menganggap bahasa Inggris itu sulit

pembelajaran, khususnya keterampilan berbicara. Di SMP bahasa Inggris menjadi salah satu

mata pelajaran dalam ujian nasional. Dengan demikian, siswa harus belajar keras tentang berbicara di

salah satu unsur penting dalam pembelajaran bahasa Inggris.

1. Engagement: Online games are engaging for students,

motivating them through fun, challenge, and instant visual

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feedback within an interactive virtual playing

environment [4]. This sustained interest in the game can enhance academic performance and interpersonal

relations [4].

2. Identification: Adolescents tend to spend a considerable amount of time playing digital games and tend to identify with their characters [1]. This identification can be leveraged in educational games to enhance learning experiences [1].

3. Preferences: Students tend to prefer action and role-playing games, such as MMOGs or MMORPGs [1]. By incorporating these preferences into educational games, developers can create engaging experiences that align with students' interests [1].

4. Potential for skill development: Games have the potential to support cognitive processing and the development of

strategic skills [4]. They can also enhance computer self- efficacy, leading to greater computer literacy skills [4].

5. Social experience: Multiplayer online games can create communities of learners who learn through a social experience [2]. This collaborative aspect can enhance learning outcomes and create a sense of belonging among students [2].

The impact of online games can be both negative and positive [1]. On the negative side, online games can lead to antisocial behavior, as users may become so engrossed in the game that they neglect their real-life relationships and responsibilities [1]. Additionally, online games can contribute to academic procrastination, as addicted users may spend excessive amounts of time playing games instead of focusing on their studies [3]. Online games can also lead to addiction and poor time management skills [5].

However, there are also positive impacts of online games. Online games can improve language skills, as users are exposed to different languages and dialects while playing [4].

They can also enhance thinking and analytical abilities, as users are often required to strategize and solve problems in the game [4]. Online games can provide a sense of enjoyment, stress relief, and social interaction, as users can connect with other players and form social networks [6].

To mitigate the negative effects of online games, self-management is important. Users should

manage their daily activities and find other beneficial activities to replace excessive gaming

[1]. Finding new hobbies and limiting gadget use can also help reduce the negative impact of

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online games [5]. It is important for users, especially students, to wisely use their gadgets and limit their time spent playing online games [5].

Overall, online games have both positive and negative impacts, and it is important for users to be aware of these effects and take steps to mitigate any negative consequences [5].

Speaking is the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of verbal or nonverbal symbols in various contexts [1]. It involves producing, receiving, and processing information [1]. Speaking is an interactive process that involves the production of systematic verbal utterances to convey meaning [1]. It is a productive skill that requires the speaker and listener to be involved in understanding and conveying messages [1].

There are two main aspects of speaking: talk as transaction and talk as performance [2]. Talk as transaction focuses on clear and accurate communication, with the central focus being on the message and making it understood [2]. Talk as performance refers to public speaking situations, such as presentations and speeches, where the focus is on monologue rather than dialogue [2].

In the classroom, there are various speaking activities that can be used to teach speaking skills. These include acting from a script, communication games, discussions, prepared talks, questionnaires, simulations, and role play [2].

Teaching speaking is important as it is a means of communication that allows individuals to express their ideas, messages, and meanings orally [3]. It serves various functions, including talk as interaction, which focuses on conversation and social interaction [3].

Creating a positive classroom atmosphere and using appropriate teaching methods are essential for encouraging students to speak [4]. The 2013 English Curriculum emphasizes the development of speaking skills through activities that involve real texts and the use of the language in interpersonal, transactional, and functional communication [5].

Games can be used as an effective technique in language teaching to make learning enjoyable

and to improve speaking skills [8]. Discussion activities, in particular, provide learners with

the opportunity to speak more freely and express themselves [8]. Games, such as the

Werewolf game, can be used to engage learners in discussing and arguing their opinions,

improving their speaking skills in the process [8].

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