Abstract: This experimental method focused on the effectiveness of Duolingo as a gamification application strategy to improve students’ speaking skills and interest, and to confirm the correlation between them. The participants were the tenth graders of SMAN 1 Mande selected randomly to be the experimental and control classes. The instruments were the pre-post speaking skill test and the pre-post speaking interest questionnaire. The analysis revealed that the significant score (2-tailed) or (P) of the post-speaking skill test obtained by both experimental and control classes was 0.00. Thus, the significant difference was confirmed. The quality of the experimental class on speaking skills was higher than that of the control class. It was decided that Duolingo, as a gamification application strategy, had an effective impact on improving speaking skills. Moreover, all significant scores (2-tailed) or (P) of the post-speaking interest questionnaire obtained by both experimental and control classes were 0.00. Thus, the significant difference was confirmed. The quality of the experimental class on speaking interest was higher than the control class. It exposed that Duolingo, as a gamification application strategy, had an effective impact on improving speaking interest. The experimental class achieved a mean score of 88.47, whereas the control class obtained a mean score of 79.17. The experimental class achieved a mean post-speaking interest score of 123.75, whereas the control class scored 99.69. Whereas, correlation coefficient was 0.007. Moreover, the significance score between speaking interest and speaking skill in the experimental class was 0.963, which was more than 0.05. Therefore, it implied that students’ speaking skills did not correlate significantly with their speaking interest. It could be concluded that Duolingo, as gamification, was quite effective in improving students’ speaking skills and speaking interest, but there was no correlation between speaking skills and speaking interest Keywords: Duolingo; gamification; speaking skill; speaking interest.

This study investigates the relationship between independent reading frequency and vocabulary growth among EFL students at Universitas Muhammadiyah Gresik. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 50 undergraduate students majoring in English through a close-ended questionnaire. The results of this study underscore the critical role that regular independent reading plays in enhancing vocabulary acquisition and overall language proficiency among EFL students. Specifically, the strong positive correlation between reading frequency and vocabulary growth (r = 0.62, p < 0.01) indicates that students who engage in independent reading activities more frequently tend to experience greater improvements in their vocabulary. This finding is further supported by the subgroup analysis, which revealed that reading books and academic articles had the strongest correlation with vocabulary growth (r = 0.65, p < 0.01 for books; r = 0.58, p < 0.01 for academic articles). These materials often provide rich and varied contexts for encountering new words, which facilitates deeper understanding and retention. The findings highlight the need for educational strategies that encourage all students to read more frequently and diversely. Future research could explore additional factors that influence reading habits and vocabulary growth among EFL students. For instance, studies could investigate the impact of motivation, reading interest, and the availability of reading materials on students' reading frequency and vocabulary acquisition. Additionally, research could examine the role of socio-cultural factors, such as family background and peer influence, in shaping reading habits. Furthermore, longitudinal studies could track changes in reading frequency and vocabulary growth over time to provide insights into the long-term effects of independent reading.

This study was conducted by contrasting or analyzing the similarities and differences in phoneme changes in Japanese-Sundanese Reduplication. This research aims to determine the similarities and differences in Vowel and consonant phoneme changes from the reduplication process of both languages. This research is a qualitative study with a descriptive contrastive analysis. The objects of this research are vowel and consonant phonemes that run into changes in the Japanese-Sundanese reduplication process. The results of this study indicate that vowel changes in the reduplication process do not have similarities, while the differences are generally that not all nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in Japanese can be reduplicated, whereas, in Sundanese, they can. In the reduplication process, vowel phonemes in Japanese do not run into phoneme changes, whereas in Sundanese, changes occur in the first and second vowels of the base word. For the comparison of consonant changes, Japanese-Sundanese has similarities, namely, the consonants /r/, /n/, and /m/ in Japanese-Sundanese do not run into phoneme changes, while the differences are that in Japanese, consonant phoneme changes occur at the initial phoneme, whereas in Sundanese, consonant phonemes do not run into changes.

This Classroom Action Research aims at assessing the effectiveness of applying the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) Approach to enhance the English speaking skills of 7th-grade students at MTsN 2 Kuningan, West Java. The research is conducted in iterative cycles involving planning, action, development, and reflection by Mertler. The study involves 32 students in 12 sessions within one semester 17 July to 13 November 2023. The primary focus is on integrating learning materials with English teaching to elevate students' speaking proficiency. Throughout the research, student progress is meticulously monitored and assessed in each cycle, utilizing speaking ability tests, classroom observations, and reflections from both teachers and students. Qualitative data is obtained from interviews and observations which are then analyzed using descriptive qualitative. Meanwhile, quantitative data were obtained from the results of the pre-cycle test, cycle one test, cycle two test and cycle three test which were then analyzed using simple statistics. The outcomes reveal a noteworthy improvement in the English speaking abilities of grade 7 students following the implementation of CLIL. The results showed an increase from cycle one to three. In cycle one student speaking skills reached 16 students or 50% of them got complete scores. In cycle two as many as 26 students (75%) achieved complete scores, and in cycle three as many as 31 (96%) students completed it succesfully. This approach not only enhances language proficiency but also fosters heightened engagement and increased enthusiasm for learning English. These positive findings substantiate the efficacy of the CLIL Approach in advancing the English speaking skills of 7th-grade students at MTsN 2 Kuningan, West Java. Additionally, these results serve as a foundation for the development of more effective learning strategies in the future.

This study examines the translation equivalence and techniques used in translating idiomatic expressions in the subtitling and dubbing of the movie Raya and the Last Dragon. Using a qualitative case study approach, 72 idiomatic expressions were analyzed based on Nida Taber’s theory of translation equivalence and Molina and Albir’s translation techniques. Results showed that 51% of subtitling and 52% of dubbing translations were equivalently translated into idiomatic expressions, while the remaining were rendered as non-idiomatic expressions due to the lack of equivalent idioms in the target language. Single translation techniques dominated, accounting for 98% in subtitling and 99% in dubbing, with established equivalence being the most frequently used technique. This highlights the translator's ability to maintain idiomatic meaning and cultural relevance. The study recommends exploring idiomatic translation strategies in diverse audiovisual media and cultural contexts to further enhance the understanding of effective translation techniques.Keywords: Translation techniques; idiomatic expressions; subtitling; dubbing; equivalence; established equivalence; audiovisual translation.

This study investigates the implementation of Lesson Study in microteaching classes within the English Education program, focusing on its impact and perceived challenges among students. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, data was collected through observations and surveys from 10 participants enrolled in the microteaching course. Findings reveal that Lesson Study effectively enhances teaching skills through collaborative planning and reflective sessions, fostering deeper insights into effective teaching strategies. However, challenges such as time constraints, logistical complexities in scheduling, and the integration of technology were identified as significant hurdles. Addressing these challenges is crucial for optimizing the benefits of Lesson Study in enhancing teaching practices and facilitating professional growth among future educators.

This study explores the politeness strategies employed by Tenggo Wicaksono in his Ome TV interactions on YouTube, focusing on their adaptation to informal, cross-cultural digital communication. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, 127 instances of politeness strategies were identified and analyzed based on Brown and Levinson’s framework, revealing a preference for positive politeness strategies (48%), followed by negative politeness (25%), bald on record (22%), and off-record (5%). Positive politeness strategies were prominently used to reduce social distance and build rapport, while negative politeness mitigated impositions in interactions involving greater social distance. The findings emphasize the importance of context and sociological variables, such as power dynamics and rank of imposition, in shaping linguistic choices. This research highlights the adaptability of politeness strategies in digital spaces and recommends further studies on their application across platforms and cultural contexts, providing valuable insights for digital content creators and educators navigating multicultural interactions. Keywords: Politeness strategies; Ome TV; digital communication; cross-cultural interaction; qualitative analysis; pragmatics.

This research investigates the effectiveness of the Engage, Study, Activate (ESA) method in enhancing the speaking skills of tenth-grade students at SMA Negeri 1 Ciawigebang during the 2023/2024 academic year. Employing a pre-experimental design with one group pre-test and post-test, the study involved 30 purposively selected students from a total population of 124. Speaking tests served as instruments for data collection, conducted before and after the treatment. The findings indicate a significant improvement in students’ speaking abilities post-treatment, as evidenced by the increase in mean scores from 68.1 in the pre-test to 73.3 in the post-test. Statistical analysis confirmed that the ESA method positively impacts students’ speaking skills, particularly in terms of accuracy and fluency, as shown by a significant value (p = 0.000 0.05). These results suggest that the ESA method is an effective pedagogical tool for fostering speaking competence in high school learners.Keywords: ESA method; teaching speaking; speaking skills; accuracy; fluency; high school students