Speaking Activities Research Articles

The Way To Overcome Students’ Hesitation In Speaking English At The 10 Th Grade of Senior High School In Bekasi

English as an international language needs to be used in daily communication so that speakers are accustomed to using it. But the facts show that many people, especially class X students at one of the high schools in Bekasi, find it difficult to speak English for fear of being wrong. So this paper aims to find out the causes of difficulties for students to speak English. The author conducted research in 2 classes with 60 students. The first step is to hold a group discussion using an English textbook in the two classes. The second stage uses the control class and the experimental class. The control class still uses English textbooks as discussion material, while the control class watches 2 films in English and each group tells the contents of the film according to their understanding. Each group member in the experimental class tells the contents of the film very actively and enthusiastically, while the control class only talk by the group leader. The observations showed that audiovisual and learning techniques with stories were very significant in the experimental class students. It can be proven by the activity of each group member speaking. It was concluded that audiovisual and simple learning techniques were very enjoyable and increased the speaking activity in one of high school students at grade X in Bekasi.
 Keywords: Habit, watching/listening, fun

Improving Students’ Speaking Skills through Task-Based Learning: An Action Research at the English Department

This study aims to improve students' speaking skills at the Department of English. Based on interviews carried out to get initial data on the students' speaking skills, it was shown that the students had problems in speaking due to inadequate knowledge of the language which in turn made the students felt unconfident to speak. The students were not familiar with various speaking activities facilitating them to speak. They read the text to convey ideas and a lack of strategies when speaking. To help the students, task-based learning was adapted through action research in one-semester courses. Fifteen students in the third semester participated in this study. The data were taken from the results of the pre-test to post-test, interview, and observation. The findings reveal that the use of task-based learning helps the students improve their speaking skills of three indicators assessed: accuracy, vocabulary, and comprehension. The students manage to complete the tasks by conducting various activities through three phases of learning: the pre-task, task-cycle, and form focus. They succeed in improving their speaking skills and gaining their confidence. The students can evaluate their learning in pairs and group works.

Supporting the speaking development of students in a Swahili-as-a-foreign-language (SFL) classroom

Till date, the development of students’ language skills in a Swahili-as-a-foreign-language (SFL) context has not been thoroughly investigated. Rather, a majority of work has focused on grammar. This paper examines the activities that are used in an elementary SFL classroom at an American University to support the speaking development of students. Observation and in-depth interviews reveal that there are four main speaking activities used to support students’ speaking development. The findings highlight the importance of purposefully selecting speaking activities to support the speaking development of students in a SFL classroom.

Language Anxiety in Focus: The Case of Filipino Undergraduate Teacher Education Learners

This study has focused on determining the level, sources, and causes of foreign language anxiety of students taking up teacher education courses in the Philippines and how language anxiety affects the English proficiency of the respondents and their language learning. A total of 242 learners from a Philippine-based learning institution answered an English proficiency exam (EPE) and a questionnaire comprising two parts: a 30-item English Language Anxiety Scale (ELAS) and a set of questions on causes of anxiety and effects on language learning. Means, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage were calculated and used to characterize language anxiety level, sources, and causes. Correlation and regression analyses of the language anxiety variables and English proficiency of the respondents were then conducted. Follow-up interviews were also done for selected respondents in order to understand the nature and mechanism of the investigated relationships. The results confirmed that the speaking activity, error correction, and communicating with English speakers are sources of high anxiety of the Filipino learners, while the writing activity, negative self-perception, and noncomprehension are sources of moderate anxiety. All of the sources of anxiety were shown to have a significant negative relationship with second language anxiety, and simple regression analysis revealed that foreign language anxiety is a significant predictor of English proficiency. However, further analysis of the specific sources of anxiety using multiple regression analysis identified speaking activities anxiety as the only significant predictor of English proficiency.

THINK-PAIR-SHARE: ENGAGING STUDENTS IN SPEAKING ACTIVITIES IN CLASSROOM

Think-Pair-Share technique is one of the cooperative learning strategies that promote student involvement in the classroom. This strategy makes students engaged in in-class activities such as discussions and provides opportunities to share their ideas with others. The purpose of this study was to describe the implementation of the Think-Pair-Share strategy in teaching speaking skill for secondary students. A qualitative method with a descriptive analysis was undertaken in this study. The sample was twenty students of eighth grade. The data was collected through interviews, observation, and document analysis. The data analysis technique used was presented in a descriptive form. The results indicated the implementation of the Think-Pair-Share technique during the learning process took place following the stages that have been stated in the learning process plan made by the teacher. Appreciation for the implementation of the Think-Pair-Share technique both from students is quite good. Students stated that they can overcome the constraints in the learning process of speaking activity through Think-Pair-Share.

Exercise types for reading comprehension in foreign language classes

The paper deals with the problem of selecting the types of reading comprehension exercises in a foreign language lesson. It identifies the role of reading as a receptive skill and one of the main competences in learning a foreign language. Distinctive differences between an exercise and a task as didactic forms of teaching and their importance in the formation of speech competences have been established. Modern approaches to the typology of exercises have been analyzed depending on the learning goals and receptive or productive types of speaking activity. The main types of exercises aimed at developing communicative language competences include receptive, reproductive, reproductive-productive, productive, closed- and open-type exercises, content- and form-oriented exercises. The scientific paper argues that textual competence is a component of language competence in modern didactics, and reading is defined not only as a receptive process, but also as an interactive and constructive process, since the information obtained from the text is related to one’s own knowledge and experience, on the basis of which new knowledge is acquired. It is also emphasized that the process of working with a text consists of three main stages: pre-text, text, and post-text stages, each providing the corresponding types of exercises or tasks. The main types of text exercises include: gap filling, substitution, error correction exercises, reproductive exercises, productive exercises, questioning, test exercises, structure exercises, exercises for overcoming language difficulties, exercises involving the native language, and non-verbal exercises. Gap-filling exercises are designed to check text comprehension. Substitution exercises are divided into formal, content, general comprehension of the text format, general comprehension of the text content, and detailed comprehension exercises. Error correction exercises make it possible to better learn semantic and grammatical material of the text. Reproductive exercises include listening to the text while reading it, as well as text reconstruction. Productive exercises provide answers to questions about the content of the text. Questioning exercises are divided into content-dependent and content-free exercises that are suitable for any text. Typical test exercises are multiple-choice questions, true/false statements and gap filling. Structure exercises include dividing the text into paragraphs, arranging the events in the correct order, etc. Exercises for overcoming language difficulties include defining the type of text, vocabulary exercises, grammatical structures exercises, and activating prior knowledge. Non-verbal exercises are based on schematic representation of the content in the form of diagrams, tables, etc.

Communities Healing And Transforming Trauma (CHATT): A Trauma-Informed Speakers’ Bureau for Survivors of Violence

ABSTRACT There is increasing recognition of the value of consumer participation in advocacy and community activism. Among trauma survivors, finding a sense of purpose and a way to make meaning from the trauma experience has been termed “survivor mission,” and may include a call to social action, involvement in social justice activities, or public speaking. The current study describes the development of a trauma-informed trauma-survivor speakers’ bureau (CHATT) and presents quantitative and qualitative outcome findings. The CHATT program encompasses (1) a speaker training component, (2) public speaking activities, and (3) speaking support groups. Trauma survivors (N = 27) who received trauma mental health (MH) services and were in the later stages of recovery completed the two-part seven-hour speaker training and subsequently presented talks at 13 venues to 192 audience members during a three-year study period. Speakers completed baseline measures prior to the training, and follow-up measures at six months and one year to assess posttraumatic growth (PTG) and self-efficacy. Audience members completed an assessment of change in beliefs about key speaker advocacy goals, as well as emotional reactions and satisfaction with talks. Results revealed PTG and speaking self-efficacy increased for speakers after one-year post-training. Audience ratings of talks averaged in the high range except for one domain. Ratings differed by audience type and number of speakers, and increased as the program matured. Key speaker advocacy successes including state policy changes, limitations, and implications for future research and development are discussed.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHING SPEAKING: VOICES OF INDONESIAN EFL LEARNERS

<p>Among the four English skills, oral communication becomes crucial for undergraduate students to be more competitive in the work-places. In a foreign language teaching, designing appropriate classroom activities is a prerequisite for the success of a language learning. Therefore, this study sheds some light on 92 EFL learners’ perceptions and insights of classroom activities for teaching speaking. Drawing on the data obtained from questionnaire and focus group discussion (FGD), the findings illustrated that the students held moderately positive perceptions toward the speaking activities in their classroom. In addition, the results of FGD revealed some insights from the students with regard to the ideal classroom activities for teaching speaking. The findings of this study provide insights for EFL teachers in designing appropriate classroom activities to achieve the success of teaching speaking.</p><p><strong>Keywords: </strong>teaching speaking, classroom activities, students’ perception</p>

Washback of TOEFL Preparation Courses on Students’ Attitudes and Score Improvement

Despite the prevalence of the TOEFL test preparation courses, research on the impact of TOEFL test preparation courses on language learning and teaching is quite limited (Green, 2013; Huang, 2018). The current study investigated the washback effects of TOEFL preparation courses on students’ attitudes and TOEFL scores improvement. The study implemented a partially mixed equal status design (Leech & Onwuegbuzie, 2017). Forty-one students and four teachers in a tertiary-level Intensive English Program (IEP) participated in the study. Quantitative data consisted of students’ responses to Likert-scale items and students' TOEFL scores. They were analyzed by independent sample t-tests, one-way repeated measure ANOVA, and post hoc tests. Qualitative data, which included open-ended survey items, student interviews, and teacher interviews, were analyzed using the inductive approach (Miles & Huberman, 1994) and Saldaña’s (2015) coding techniques. Survey results demonstrated that students had generally positive attitudes toward the class. Additionally, a statistically significant score improvement was found for some students. However, student and teacher interviews also revealed several issues that prevented student learning. For example, students studied TOEFL only to improve test scores; teachers rushed to cover all textbook materials and gave little homework; and there were limited classroom speaking activities. Implications regarding the teaching and administering of TOEFL classes at IEP were discussed.

Mobile or hostile? Using smartphones in learning English as a foreign language1

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the views of freshmen on using their smartphones in learning English as a foreign language. The study was designed based on a quantitative associational model. The data were collected from the 428 freshmen attending the English preparation programs run at İnönü and Fırat Universities, Turkey, using “Smartphone Use in Learning Foreign Language Scale”. The results showed that participants use their smartphones more frequently to engage in English listening and speaking activities than reading and writing activities. The participants also believe that smartphones scarcely have adverse effects on learning English. However, it was also found that the more time students spend online, the more they suffer from the adverse effects of smartphones in terms of language learning. Results about gender revealed that female students use their smartphones more frequently than their male peers to engage in formal language learning activities. Significant differences related to frequency of smartphone use for both formal and informal language learning purposes were detected, with the Business Administration and Molecular Biology and Genetics department students showing higher frequency. No statistically significant difference was found between students’ views about using smartphones for language learning according to the types of Internet connection (Wi-Fi, mobile data, or both).

Active Debate to Enhanced Students’ Speaking Activity

Debate is supposed to be an excelent model of an analytical and communicative process that students learned. In this activity , students have much more opportunities to explore their speaking ability and to share argument critilly and cooperatively. The aim of the research was to describe the application of English debate to enhanced student’s speaking ability. The research design was classroom action research conducted in two cycles with two meeeting each. Each cycles consisted of planning , implementation, observation, and reflection. While for data collection, the research used some intruments i.e observation both in preliminary study and in the action , journal , questionnaire and handy cam. The finding showed that after cycle II was implemented, there were 25 from 34 students who actively participated in the speaking activity , and the average score of the students speaking ability could reach 9 the students questionnaires about the english debate showed that the students felt more confident to speak after the implementation of english debate, and even debate could be very satisfying and entertaining.

Students’ Speaking Problem at the Fourth Semester of English Study Program in Sembilanbelas November Kolaka

ABSTRACTThe objectives of this research were to find out the students’ speaking problemsat the fourth semester of English Study Program in Sembilanbelas November University and factors affecting them. This research employed case study with qualitative approach. There were 26 participants at class A of the fourth semester in English Study Program. Those participants were selected through purposive sampling technique. To gain the data interview, observation sheet, and students’ transcript report were used. The result showed that there were four problems that were experienced by students at the class A fourth semester first was inhibition, when speaking the students tend to be worried about making mistake, getting criticism from others, and shyness. The second was lack of ideas; the students tend to be silent participants in speaking due to lack of vocabulary and grammar. The third was low or uneven participation in speaking. Here, only few students participate the speaking activities while other remaining silent. And the last was students got difficulty to speak because of the influencing of mother-tongue use. There were two factors affecting the students’ speaking ability such as internal and external factors. The internal factors here the students have low motivation in speaking while the external factors were the students’ condition in the classroom

A Study on the Korean Speaking Activity Utilizing Mobile Learning

A Study on the Korean Speaking Activity Utilizing Mobile Learning

CLIL Audio Materials: A Speaking Model for Library Science Department Students

To respond to the need of suitable materials for students of Library Science Department of Universitas Negeri Malang, this R&D project was designed to produce audio speaking materials using CLIL approach for blended learning. The method of development covered three main stages: exploring (identification and exploration of needs), developing (pedagogical realization of the product), and validating using peer review, practitioners’ validation, media expert validation, and try out. Three innovations were produced in this study: (1) Competence- CLIL-Based Speaking Syllabus completed with a speaking assessment instrument covering a speaking prompt and a scoring rubric, (2) audio materials accessible through Edmodo, (3) and a module for Speaking activities. The results show that the materials are suitable for the students’ communicative needs, interesting and meaningful for them. They also make learners motivated to learn

NURSING STUDENTS NEED OF LEARNING MEDIA FOR LEARNING ENGLISH

English language is frequently taught in Indonesian vocational college such as in Nursing Department. It is such a challenge for the students and the lecturer as well due to the tight schedule. The students need more exposures in English language, but the English course so far is only taught conventionally in the classroom once in a week for 2 semesters. The students need to fulfill certain competence in English in effective ways, one of the competence is English speaking skill. Learning speaking needs more effective methods. The methods could be in the form of the media used in teaching learning process. Besides, English speaking skill was so urgent for the students both in academic affair and professionalism. This study, therefore, observes the students’ need of learning media for learning English speaking. This was a qualitative research by conducting a syllabus investigation, interview, and questionnaire to collect the qualitative research data. The quantitative data was also conducted through delivering questionnaires to add the meaning of the qualitative data. This study revealed the kinds of learning media that the students need in learning English speaking skills that would also help them easily get the English courses exposures. The appropriate learning media for learning English speaking was a mobile learning media which has portability and high connectivity. It was a kind digital learning media that can be accessed at anytime and anywhere, installed in their smartphones which consisted of some speaking activities and their supporting activities.

2015 개정 교육과정에 따른 초등학교 6학년 영어 교과서 말하기 활동 분석

The purpose of this paper is to investigate speaking activities in the sixth grade English textbooks of the 2015 revised national curriculum and examine if they are designed to foster communicative competence which is the educational objective of English subject. To answer this, the study first explored how much these speaking activities reflect the speaking achievement standard presented in the 2015 revised national curriculum. The findings confirmed that speaking activities deal with proper topics for students such as asking and answering about familiar topics throughout the whole chapters of textbooks in order for them to practice basic communication. In addition, the study analyzed the speaking activities of textbooks in terms of the types of activities; as a result, fluency-focused speaking activities for real communication were represented about twice as many as accuracy-focused ones for language practice. Lastly, the study examined the frequency and percentage of themes incorporated in speaking activities in terms of themes presented in the national curriculum. The findings revealed that ‘good use of leisure, health, and exercise,’ ‘school life and peer relationship’ and ‘personal life’ were the themes most frequently dealt with. Based on the findings of the study, it concludes with providing valuable insights into what to consider for better speaking instruction and textbook production.

Understanding English Speaking Practice in Public Schools in Kazakhstan: A Case Study in Almaty

Teaching and learning of English as a spoken language in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) still remains a major concern in Asian context as evident from recent studies. The situation is similar in Central Asian classrooms where it received little attention. Specifically, this study investigates a classroom in a local public school in Kazakhstan through the lens of a teacher and the students during speaking activities. A case study qualitative approach was employed using interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis as data collection methods. In total, 21 individual interviews and 30 hours of classroom observations were conducted and recorded. Analyses and interpretations of data show that firstly the speaking activities lack in negotiation of meaning as they are predominantly aimed at predetermined monological performance-based speech. Secondly, out-of-school learning was prevalent among the majority of students at private learning centres. Also, self-learning at home was practiced by male students via interacting with foreign players in online video games and by female students via watching English movies. Thirdly, classroom interactions were accountable in facilitating and inhibiting the practice of speaking. Finally, there was a mismatch between the perceptions of the teacher and the students on the challenges of the speaking practice. The teacher indicated insufficient teaching hours and students’ limited background knowledge, while the students emphasised the teacher’s unwillingness to use English as a language of instruction and to practice impromptu speech in class. In summary, the findings highlight some of the apprehensions faced by the teacher and the students which reveals the current English speaking practice in Kazakhstani classroom. Keywords: Speaking; spoken language; speaking activities; speaking practice; classroom learning

Error feedback in second language speaking: Investigating the impact of modalities of error feedback on intermediate EFL students’ speaking ability

Over the past few decades, error feedback has received substantial attention in language pedagogy. Despite this, few studies have been carried out on the effect and benefits of various modalities of error feedback on the oral proficiency of the intermediate EFL learners. To this end, an experimental design was adopted and implemented with 80 female high school students who were divided into four groups, namely, the intra-error feedback group (Intra-EF group), the inter-error feedback group (Inter-EF group), the teacher error feedback group (TEF group), and the control group. Treatment sessions for the experimental groups included three sessions for completing the speaking tasks and three sessions for feedback conferences. The participants in all groups completed the same speaking activities under the same process of discussion, but received different modalities of error feedback in feedback sessions. Results of T-test, one-way ANOVA and Scheffe Post Hoc test revealed that different stages of peer error feedback (i.e., intra- and inter-error feedback), as well as teacher error feedback influenced the learners’ speaking ability. Additionally, peer error feedback and teacher error feedback exerted different effects on their speaking ability.

STYLISTICALLY MARKED VERBS FROM THE DOMAIN OF HUMAN SPEAKING ACTIVITY IN CONTEMPORARY RUSSIAN AND SERBIAN

the paper we present negatively marked verbs denoting speech based on material from Russian and Serbian languages. The verbs were excerpted from various descriptive and specialized dictionaries and illustrative examples of their use in context were taken mostly from Russian and Serbian electronic corpora. A general characteristic of the verbs discussed is the denotation of the speaking activity of human beings. However, speaking activity does not need to be their primary meaning because verbs have the ability to transpose their semantics into the analyzed domain. It is thereason why we divided the excerpted material into four groups, according to its dominant distinctive semantic features: (1) verbs that have (primarily) negative meaning of speaking activity, (2) verbs that primarily denote animal and/or onomatopoetic sounds, (3) verbs that denote physical change of the objects and (4) the others (with unclear etymology). Theconducted analysis has shown that the list of the verbs observed grows constantly and that it is impossible to give strict numbers of its components. Their main pragmatic characteristics, however, are the usage in the second or the third person of the singular or plural, because the speaker in most cases has the tendency to assess negatively the speech of other people but not his/her own.

The Views of Instructors on Teaching Speaking Skills to the Syrian Students Learning Turkish as a Foreign Language

Having a significant role in communication, speaking skill is an inborn and improvable abilty. Since their existence, human beings have consistently improved this ability in order to communicate with others. Besides, one of the most fundamantal keystones of making a healthy contact and living in harmony with different societies are no doubt being a proficient speaker of this language. Therefore, the need for speaking Turkish of Syrian refugees forced to migrate to Turkey, because some political reasons have also increased and Turkish instruction has started to be given accordingly. In this study, the evaluation of Turkish speaking skills of Syrian students through the views of instructors giving Turkish lessons is aimed within this study. The research data were obtained through the interviews with the instructors who teach Turkish to Syrian Students in Adana Turkish Education Centre. In these interviews, eleven instructors were asked to answer eight open-ended questions. The data collected from the interviews were analysed by content analysis method. According to the findings obtained, it was found out that instructors have some difficulties in improving speaking skills of Syrian students; facing some problems like mispronunciations of Syrian students during speaking activities, abstaining from speaking Turkish, regarding speaking Turkish as a difficult ability, and thus the instructors fail to asses and evaluate the speaking skill despite conducting various activities so as to overcome the problems.