TEACHING SPEAKING

Arranged to fulfill assignment on Research MethodYear 2010

Presented by

MINDA MORAReg. No 809115015

A (Regular)ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS

POST GRADUATE SCHOOLSTATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN

2010

TEACHING SPEAKING

A. Background of the Study

Speaking is the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of verbal and

non-verbal symbols. Speaking is a crucial part of second language learning and teaching.

However, today’s world requires that the goal of teaching speaking should improve students’

communicative skills because students can express themselves and learn how to use a language.

Nowadays, many teacher agree that students should learn to speak the second language

by interacting to others. For this case, students should master several speaking components’,

such as: comprehension, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and fluency. In brief, English

teacher should be creative in developing their teaching learning process to create good

atmosphere, improve the students speaking skill, give attention to the speaking components’, and

make the English lesson more exiting.

For this reason, the English teacher should apply appropriate method and technique of

teaching speaking. The method used by the teacher is Communicative approach. In

communicative approach, language is primarily a tool of communication. Thus, learning a

language means learning to perform communicative speech acts with it (Brickerton. 1996: 1).

In general, speech acts are acts of communication. To communicate is to express a certain

attitude, and the type of speech act being performed corresponds to the type of attitude being

expressed. For example, a statement expresses a belief, a request expresses a desire, and an

apology expresses a regret. As an act of communication, a speech act succeeds if the audience

identifies, in accordance with the speaker's intention, the attitude being expressed which realized

in the language.

B. The Notion of Speaking

. Studying English without practice speaking is useless. Through speaking, one can

express their minds, ideas and thought freely and spontaneously. To most people, mastering the

art of speaking is the single most important aspect of learning a second or foreign language, and

success is measured in terms of the ability to carry out a conversation in the language.

In psycholinguistic, speaking is a productive language skill. It is a mental process

(O’Grady, 2000:310). Mental process also called as “a process of thinking”. We use word,

phrases, and sentences to convey a message to a listener. A word is the smallest free form (an

item that may be uttered in isolation with semantic or pragmatic content) in a language, while a

phrase is a syntactic structure that consists of more than one word but lacks the subject-predicate

organization of a clause. When we combine these words into one group, then it become a

sentence.

Many students regard speaking ability as the measure of knowing a language. These

students define fluency as the ability to converse with others, much more than the ability to read,

write, or comprehend oral language. They regard speaking as the most important skill they can

acquire, and they assess their progress in terms of their accomplishments in spoken

communication (Burnkart: 1998).

Generally, students need to recognize that speaking involves three areas of knowledge

(Burnkart: 1998):

Mechanics (pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary): Using the right words in the right

order with the correct pronunciation

Functions (transaction and interaction): Knowing when clarity of message is essential

(transaction/information exchange) and when precise understanding is not required

(interaction/relationship building)

Social and cultural rules and norms (turn-taking, rate of speech, length of pauses between

speakers, relative roles of participants): Understanding how to take into account who is

speaking to whom, in what circumstances, about what, and for what reason.

C. The Components of Speaking Skill

Speaking is making use words in an ordinary voice, uttering words, knowing and being

able to use language; expressing oneself in words; making speech. While skill is the ability to do

something well. Therefore, we can infer that speaking is the ability to make use of words or a

language to express oneself in an ordinary voice. In short, the speaking skill is the ability to

perform the linguistics knowledge in actual communication. The ability functions to express our

ideas, feeling, thoughts, and need orally (Hornby. 1995: 826).

Speaking is also one of the language arts that is most frequently used by people all over

the world. The art of speaking is very complex. It requires the simultaneous use of the number of

abilities which often develop at different rates.

According to Syakur there are at least five components of speaking skill concerned with

comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and fluency (Syakur, 1987: 3):

a. Comprehension

For oral communication certainly requires a subject to respond to speech as well as to initiate

it.

b. Grammar

It is needed for students to arrange a correct sentence in conversation. It is in line with

explanation suggested by Heaton (1978: 5) that student’s ability to manipulate structure and to

distinguish appropriate grammatical form in appropriate ones. The utility of grammar is also

to learn the correct way to gain expertise in a language in oral and written form.

c. Vocabulary

One cannot communicative effectively or express their ideas both oral and written form if they

do not have sufficient vocabulary. Without grammar very little can be conveyed, without

vocabulary nothing can be conveyed. (Willid, 1990). So, vocabulary means the appropriate

diction which is used in communication.

d. Pronunciation

Pronunciation is the way for students’ to produce clearer language when they speak. It deals

with the phonological process that refers to the component of a grammar made up of the

elements and principles that determine how sounds vary and pattern in a language. There are

two features of pronunciation; phonemes and suprasegmental features. A speaker who

constantly mispronounces a range of phonemes can be extremely difficult for a speaker from

another language community to understand (Gerard, 2000:11)

e. Fluency

Fluency can be defined as the ability to speak fluently and accurately. Fluency in speaking is

the aim of many language learners. Signs of fluency include a reasonably fast speed of

speaking and only a small number of pauses and “ums” or “ers”. These signs indicate that the

speaker does not have spend a lot of time searching for the language items needed to express

the message (Brown. 1997: 4).

D. Teaching Speaking

According to Hornby (1995: 37) teaching means giving the instruction to (a person): give

a person (knowledge skill, etc). While speaking means to make use of words in an ordinary

voice. So, teaching speaking is giving instruction to a person in order to communicate. Tarigan

(1990: 3-4) defines that speaking is a language skill that is developed in child life, which is

preceded by listening skill, and at that period speaking skill is learned. It means that speaking is

the basic language. The process of speaking skill has happened or preceded by listening skill.

Increasing listening skill is very beneficial for speaking ability.

The goal of teaching speaking skills is to communicate efficiency. Learners should be

able to make themselves understood, using their current proficiency to the fullest. They should

try to avoid confusion in the message due to faulty pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary, and

to observe the social and cultural rules that apply in each communication situation (Burnkart.

1998:2).

Teaching speaking, in my opinion, is the way for students to express their emotions,

communicative needs, interact to other person in any situation, and influence the others. For this

reason, in teaching speaking skill it is necessary to have clear understanding involved in speech.

a. The Activities to Promote Speaking Skills

There are some activities to promote speaking (Kayi, 2006: 2) as follows:

1) Discussion

The students may aim to arrive at a conclusion, share ideas about an event, or find solutions in

their discussion groups. Here the teacher can form groups of students and each group works

on their topic for a given time period, and present their opinions to the class. Fauziati (2002:

134) states that the main aim of group discussion is to improve fluency, grammar in probably

best allowed to function as a naturally communicative context.

2) Role Play and Simulation

Role play has appeal for students because it allows the students to be creative and to put

themselves in another person’s place for a while (Richard, 2003: 222). While simulation is

very similar to role-play but here students can bring items to the class to create a realistic

environment. For instance, if a student is acting as a singer, he or she can bring a microphone

to sing and so on.

3) Interviews

Conducting interviews with people gives students a chance to practice their speaking ability

not only in class but also outside and helps them becoming socialized. After interviews, each

student can present the result to the class.

4) Reporting

In class, the students are asked to report what they find as the most interesting news. Students

can also talk about whether they have experienced anything worth telling their friends in their

daily lives before class.

5) Prepared Talks

A popular kind of activity is the prepared talk where a student makes a presentation on a topic.

Such talks are not designed for informal spontaneous conversation; because they are prepared,

they are more ‘writing-like’ than spoken orally. However, if possible, students should speak

from notes rather than from a script (Harmer, 2001: 274)

6) Dialogue

Dialogue is one of the media in teaching speaking. It helps the students practice in speech,

pronunciation, intonation, stress. Dialogue also increase students’ vocabulary. The primary

objective of using dialogue is developing student’s competence (pronunciation, intonation,

stress) in teaching speaking like native speaker. Therefore, in teaching learning uses dialogue

(short and long), the students are motivated by the teachers question to reason rather than to

recollect. Dialogues is two sides communication, it means we just not have to express

something but we should have to understand what another peoples said (Podo and Sulaiman,

1995: 25).

b. Characteristics of Successful Speaking Activities

Again, sometimes spoken language is easy to perform, but in some cases it is difficult

(Brown, 2001: 270). In order that they can carry out the successful speaking, they have to fulfill

some characteristics of successful speaking activity such as:

1). Learners talk a lot. As much as possible of the period of time allocated to the activity is in

fact occupied by learners talk. This may be obvious, but often most time is taken up with teacher

talk or pauses.

2). Participant is even. Classroom discussion is not dominated by a minority of talk active

participants. All get a chance to speak and contributions are fairly evenly distributed.

3). Motivation is high. Learners are eager to speak because they are interested in the topic and

have something new to say about it, or they want to contribute to achieve a task objective.

4). Language is of an acceptable level. Learners express themselves in utterances that are

relevant, easy comprehensible to teach other and of acceptable level of language accuracy.

E. Method and Technique of Teaching Speaking

a. Method of Teaching Speaking

A researcher needs to know the definition of method and technique in teaching English.

Fauziati (2002: 5) has pointed out that method is treated at the level of design in which the roles

of teachers, learners, and instructional materials are specified.

There are ten methods of teaching foreign language, such as:

Grammar Translation Method (GTM)

The method requires students to translate whole texts word for word and memorize numerous

grammatical rules and exceptions as well as enormous vocabulary lists. The goal of this method is to

be able to read and translate literary masterpieces and classics.

Direct Method (DM)

The direct method of teaching was developed as a response to the Grammar-Translation method. It

sought to immerse the learner in the same way as when a first language is learnt. All teaching is done

in the target language, grammar is taught inductively, there is a focus on speaking and listening, and

only useful ‘everyday' language is taught.

Audiolingual Method (ALM)

Like the direct method, the audio-lingual method advised that students be taught a language directly,

without using the students' native language to explain new words or grammar in the target language.

However, unlike the direct method, the audio-lingual method didn’t focus on teaching vocabulary.

Rather, the teacher drilled students in the use of grammar.

Situational Language Teaching (SLT)

The theory of learning underlying Situation Language Teaching is behaviorism, addressing

more the processes, than the conditions of learning.

Community Language Learning (CLL)

It is an approach in which students work together to develop what aspects of a language they

would like to learn. The teacher acts as a counsellor and a paraphraser, while the learner acts

as a collaborator, although sometimes this role can be changed.

Total Physical Response (TPR)

The method relies on the assumption that when learning a second or additional language,

language is internalized through a process of codebreaking similar to first language

development and that the process allows for a long period of listening and developing

comprehension prior to production. Students respond to commands that require physical

movement

Natural Approach (NA)

The Natural Approach (NA) is a method of foreign language teaching which aims to apply

the principles of natural language acquisition into classroom context. Meaning is considered

as the essence of language and vocabulary (not grammar) is the heart of language.

Silent Way (SW)

The Silent Way is an approach to language teaching designed to enable students to become

independent, autonomous and responsible learners. he main objective of a teacher using the

Silent Way is to optimize the way students exchange their time for experience.

Suggestopedia

Suggestopedia is a teaching method which is based on a modern understanding of how the

human brain works and how we learn most effectively.

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT).

Communicative language teaching (CLT) is an approach to the teaching of second and

foreign languages that emphasizes interaction as both the means and the ultimate goal of

learning a language. It is also referred to as “communicative approach to the teaching of

foreign languages” or simply the “communicative approach”.

From all the above methods, the writer prefer to Communicative Language Teaching

(CLT). Brumfit (1979) in his theory define that CLT attempts to communicative activities may

be encouraged from the very beginning. Thus language learning is learning to communicate.

Language is created by the individual often through trial and error, and fluency and acceptable

language is the primary goal: accuracy is judged not in the abstract but in context. Through this

method the students are expected to interact with others.

Harmer (2001: 86) explains that the aim of Communicative Language Teaching as

follows:

The communicative approach or CLT have now become generalized terms to describe learning sequences which aim to improve the student’s ability to communicate, in stark contrast to teaching which is aimed more at learning bits of language just because they exist and without focusing on their use in communication.

Related to the expert contribution, the writer concludes that the goal of CLT method is to

create and improve the student’s ability in communication.

b. Technique of Teaching Speaking

Fauziati (2002: 6) describes that technique is classroom practice done by the teacher

when presenting a language program. This is the way the classroom activities are integrated into

lessons and used as the basis for teaching learning.

Previously, there are six ways to promote activities of speaking skills, one of them is

dialogue. The writer are interested in dialogue as the technique of teaching skills because

dialogue is the interaction between people with different points of view, intent on learning from

one another.

Another reason practicing dialogue because it is an effective way of providing conditions

for the appropriation of newly encountered language features. A balance needs to be found,

however, between security and challenge. Making the task too easy, as when students are given

unlimited time to simply read a dialogue aloud, is unlikely to motivate the students to make the

kind of adjustments in the current state of their knowledge that are needed in order to integrate

new knowledge. On the other hand, placing too much performance pressure on learners too soon

may have the risk taking that is necessary if their competence is to be extended, one way to ease

pressure on learners is to give them sufficient time to rehearse before asking them to perform in

front of the class (Thornbury, 2005: 73).

Finally, the writer concludes that dialogue is one of teacher’s technique in teaching

speaking. Dialogue is the conversation between two or more people to share ideas or view

points. Today dialogue is used in educational program. Fact, dialogue used in such school to

improve the students’ speaking ability by treat them to represent their conversation in pairs to the

class.

REFERENCES

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