the teaching techniques to increase students’ spoken interaction in EFL classroom at SMA Islam As-Syafi’iyah Sukabumi

The teaching techniques to increase students’ spoken interaction in EFL classroom at SMA Islam As-Syafi’iyah Sukabumi.
Writer : Jasmansyah

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

This paper discusses the study of teaching techniques to increase students’ spoken interaction in EFL classroom at SMA Islam As-Syafi’iyah Sukabumi.
1. Background
In this globalization era, English has an important role in the world, in term of communication and interaction. As an International language, most countries in the world use English as medium of communication in entire aspects of life. Meanwhile, In Indonesia English is considered as a foreign language (EFL). It also has been introduced to educational institutions which is learnt from Junior High School up to university as compulsory subject.
The ability to speak English has always become a very important goal for learners of this language both its natural and foreign setting. Although learning English without learning how to communicate in English is possible, today’s frequent transactions by means of the language have made the possession of the ability to speak in it become indispensable. However, more failures than successes have always marked the English teaching world when attempts are made a particularly deal with ability to communicate. Many learners know about the language, but only some of them understand how to use it in daily social use correctly, not necessarily appropriately.
The teaching of English in SMA is intended to provide students with a brief knowledge of understanding any references of English, either in written or spoken. Furthermore, one of the objectives of new curriculum (Competence Based Curriculum / CBC) is to enable them have some skills, especially to communicate using English as a target language. Therefore, English teaching at SMA also should be improved through the availability of facilities such as classroom, language laboratory, and language library. On the other hand, sufficient qualified teachers are also needed to increase the required educational development especially in EFL teaching implementation. By sending them to any EFL upgrading will improve the development of teachers qualification. There are provided and introduced many of up to date teaching techniques that may grow brightly expected teaching especially in speaking such as role play, group discussion, simulation in English activities and so on.
In transferring of language to students are needed appropriate techniques in order to give new atmosphere of class interaction. In other side, by implementing various techniques, avoid students to be bored and could stimulate them in teaching and learning process. To make the students able to communicate in target language, the English teacher should be aware of implementing classroom speaking process. Moreover, Brown states :
1) Techniques should cover the spectrum of learners needs, from language-based focus on accuracy to message-based focus on interaction, meaning and fluency, 2) technique use also encourage the use intrinsically motivating, 3) technique uses should also encourage the use of authentic language in meaningful context, 4) provide appropriate feedback and correction, 5) capitalize on the natural link between speaking and listening, 6) give the students opportunities to initiate oral communication, 7) encourage the development of speaking strategies (1994 : 266)

It can be assumed that English teacher are required to be well prepared before performing the lesson through supported activities in order to impress the students’ motivation in achieving the skill on speaking. Thus, communicative language teaching will run more effectively and efficiently.
Based on pre-observation, some students have suggested that speaking should be more priority treated than other skills such as reading, listening and writing. In fact, the process of teaching learning process at SMA Islam As-Syafi’iyah Sukabumi in teaching and learning speaking seem need serious attention and improvement. On the other hand, the proficiency of English teacher at SMA Islam As-Syafi’iyah is still low, because both of the teacher come from different background. Means that the English teachers of SMA Islam As-Syafi’iyah Sukabumi are not from English educational background. It has a big influence in transferring of English for students, because the teachers do not understand how to teach English, in term of techniques which is applied in teaching English as a target language. It automatically hinders of students’ motivation to follow and learn of English well.
Based on the previous phenomenon, I’m interested to study of the teaching techniques to increase students’ spoken interaction in EFL classroom at SMA Islam As-Syafi’iyah Sukabumi.
2. Purpose of the Study
This study was intended to observe the teaching techniques to increase students’ spoken interaction in EFL classroom at SMA Islam As-Syafi’iyah Sukabumi. Moreover, this research was conducted to know students’ perceptions, their learning experiences, their difficulties in learning English, effect of teaching techniques and find out the solution.
3. Formulation of the problem
The problem of the research were formulated as follows:
Is teaching and learning English using techniques more effective and interested than traditional one?
4. Hypothesis
To answer the problem in this study it was hypothesized that teaching and learning English by using techniques more effective and interested than traditional one.
5. Significance of this research
It is expected that the finding in this research will be useful to the teachers in increasing students’ spoken interaction. In additional, the teacher are expected to know the effectiveness of techniques in teaching and learning process in term of students’ spoken interaction in EFL classroom.










CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

A. Techniques on Teaching English as Foreign Language ( EFL )
1. Techniques
The following discussion highlight some definitions of techniques, its basic characteristics, and classification of techniques along with examples of action subsumed under each type of techniques.
In the advance Learner Dictionary of Current English (Oxford, 1987 : 887) stated that techniques are method of doing something expertly. While Brown (1994 : 48) defined that techniques are the specific activities manifested in the classroom that are consistent with a method and therefore in harmony with an approach as well.
It can be inferred that techniques are method of specific ways of doing something through the activities. Thus, techniques are really and it is needed to do everything even it is intended to acquire a good result. Furthermore, it may also help teachers to facilitate the students to get the target of language.
Some other supporting techniques that should be carried out in classroom are role play, games, story telling, simulation and discussion. More details each of these techniques will be shown below.
1.1 Role-play
Role-play is way of taking the students out the classroom for a while and showing them how English can be useful for them in certain situation (Byrne, 1987 : 39). Here, the teachers are claimed to be very careful to apply this technique, because not all students feel easy to pretend to be someone else. Thus, as English teacher should remember some points in designing the activities. Probably like keeping the situation simple and providing essential language might be dominantly to be concerned.
Recent study was done by Tompkins (1998 : 1) tell us that role play is an extremely method that can encourage thinking and creativity. Means that, students are expected to develop and practice new language and behavior skills by themselves, while the other side, teachers are merely needed to supply the materials which are completed with clear information and direction. So that the role of teachers only control the students work.
1.2 Group work
Referring to what Brookfield (1990) as citied by Heimlich (1994 : 44), this technique is designed to serve the problem which related to problem solving, issues or concept identification and exploration. Means, the existence of discussion will help students to solve their problem because there are various kinds of members’ characteristics are mixed between slow and fast students, so that they can share and transfer their knowledge each other.
Moreover, he also proves what Jacobson, Eggen, and Kauchak (1993) revealed in their findings that discussion activities are also intended to develop leadership skill, summarize group opinion, move the group to consensus, require listening skill, also permit the learners to handle controversial topics, force participants to use paraphrasing skill, develop self-directed learning skills, and enhance the ability of participant to analyze, synthesize and evaluate.
1.3 Pair work
Byrne (1987 : 31) said in the book technique of classroom interaction that pair work as apart from open pairs where the students talk to one another across the class under teachers’ control. This idea reflects to what Harmer (1987 : 207) stated in the book of The Practice of English Language Teaching that pair work is a way of increasing students participation in language use. Actually pair work is a technique that should be applied in learning the target language especially in teaching speaking, because by using this technique the students will acquire widely opportunities to practice the language being learnt, they are also expected to be familiar with any tasks given. Moreover they are also required to perform it directly.
In applying this technique the teachers are demanded do designed the activities and organize carefully in order to avoid monotonous. Perhaps the teachers can keep students are placed in strong students or they make combination of pair inter class. Harmer (1987) recommended as follows :
Divide the students into pairs in the most convenient ways possible, make sure that the students know exactly what they have to do, keep the activities simple avoid the activities go on too long, carry selective checking, control the noise level as necessarily, and provide feedback (p.208).
It can be inferred that in designing the activities for applying pair work technique should consider the level of students capability and the atmosphere of classroom, so that the students will be familiar with any materials which are relevant to the target language being learnt.
1.4 Story telling
This technique is designed to prepare the students to have capability of oral communication. It also purposes to make students accustomed to listening and speaking. Here, the students are provided and directed to conform the outline of the story that would be delivered in order to make students easily telling it. But the teachers have to precede emphasize on the characteristics of the rules. Firstly, make sure that students are forbidden to read the story, if the teacher allow them to see the text, means the teachers probably are already kill the story. Secondly, make sure that students should watch others’ faces. Here, watching to everybody’s faces is very important because every expressions produced determine whether students are interested in, bored, or in puzzled.
1.5 Simulation
This technique is related to Jones’ idea (1982) as revealed by Tompkins (1998), he states that another approach often used in language teaching simulation, where the event is not happened in reality as it what role-play applied, moreover, simulation also requires a structure built around some problems and it must be sufficiently explicit to preserve the reality of function.
Although role play and simulation are quite similar, there are two major distinctions exist between both of them. A role play includes an audience role, whereas a simulation involves all participants in the action, moreover, a role play focuses on the effective relationships, while simulation focuses on an outcome.
1.6 Games
There are some valuable language games that may foster the teachers to avoid students’ fed up to learn English. Moreover, the games may make the class enjoyable for students. There can also be effective for classroom practice especially in speaking. Those are guessing games, questionnaires, and quizzes. There are some tasks that teachers instruct the students to do the activities in guessing games as Byrne claimed (1987 : 21) :
Name the object, spell the name of object, say something about the object, say what they would do with the object if they had it, make up sentence using the object, link the object on the right to the left object.

Meanwhile, questionnaires are also designed to make the students practice real class condition.
2. Students’ interaction
Based on the views explored widely above, all of the instructional approaches aim to increase and develop students competence in the language, oral or written. To realize the aims, syllabus design must be arranged closely with the students’ need in the real life situation. Hence, increasing and developing teacher-students and students-students interaction is focus of teacher technique/strategy in teaching and learning process.
In order to realize the international competence, the instructional theory widely explored above can be adapted in teaching-learning process. The interaction between the teacher and students is aimed to increase students’ proficiency in English.

CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY OF THE RESEARCH

1. Research design
The research was carried out to describe students opinions, perceptions toward the teaching English by using techniques. Moreover, the researcher wanted to know the effectiveness of the techniques in increasing students interaction in EFL classroom.
2. Setting of the research
This research was conducted by asking students opinion and perception based on their experience in learning English. The question was given by the researcher to the students in written. They answered some questions on a piece of paper provided.
3. Subject of the study
The subjects of this study were students of SMA Islam As-Syafi’iyah Sukabumi at the third class. There are consists of 2 classes, social and science classes. Social Class has 26 students and science class has 25 students. The subject are taken randomly. Researcher was taken 15 students in each class. Number of sample in this research was 30 students. All of the students have been learning English since the first class and have been thought by the different teacher.
4. Technique of data collection
The data were collected by giving the students a questionnaire to find out the students’ opinions and perceptions based on their experiences in learning English.
5. Technique of data analysis
In the process of data analysis, the data were presented in a list of students’ opinions and perceptions in learning English. Then their opinion and perception were tallied on the kind of learning English, by using techniques. If mostly students say / state that teacher who thought using techniques are better and more interested than not, means that the employing of techniques in teaching and learning process of English were effective. Finally, their opinions and perceptions were compared, to find out the effectiveness of teaching technique in learning English.

CHAPTER IV
RESEACH RESULT AND DISCUSSION


A. RESEARCH FINDING
The data of this research was students’ opinion in implementing of teaching technique to increase their spoken interaction in EFL classroom. From 30 respondents that was taken as sample in this research, can be described the result as follows:
1. From 30 respondents, 20 or 67 % respondents reveal that the teacher usually open the lesson by greeting and warming up first. So, students are guided their brain to come to the English material indirectly.
2. Asking about the language medium that teacher used in instructing the subject, 15 / 50 % respondents stated that the English teacher used English as language instruction. Meanwhile, when they were asked whether they understood or not, 5 respondents/17 % answered yes, 18 respondents / 60 % were doubt by choosing sometimes and 7 respondents / 23,3 % didn’t understand.
3. The researcher also asked them whether they were sleepy and bored when the teaching and learning process taken place. 5 respondents / 17 % answered yes, 20 respondents revealed sometimes and 5 respondents stated no. But when they were asked why they were sleepy and bored when the process of teaching and learning in the classroom, 19 students/63,3 % stated that they were sleepy and bored fastly because of uninterested / traditional/monotones techniques which was used by the teacher, 8 respondents / 27 % were doubt, and 3 students / 10 % stated no. It indicated that various techniques implemented by the teacher could reduce students’ saturated in teaching and learning process.
4. Based on the effect of various techniques implemented by the teacher in stimulating students participations, 20 respondents / 67% revealed that various techniques made them interested and stimulated to follow the lesson, 7 students / 23,3% were doubt by choosing sometimes and 3 students / 3,3% stated no. Means that Mostly students were interested and stimulated to participate in the classroom.
5. Various techniques also made them understand faster rather than monotonous / traditional one. The research result indicated that 24 students / 80 % revealed yes or 5 17% were doubt (sometimes) and 1 student / 3,3 % didn’t.
6. The researcher also gave them a question about stimulus that was given by the teacher in practicing English everyday. 15 / 50% of the students stated that stimulus that was given by teacher could increase their motivation and also fully attention in learning English yes, 9 students / 30 % were doubt (sometimes) and 6 students / 20% didn’t.
7. To find out their purpose in learning English, the students were asked about their motivation and purposes in learning English. Most of them stated that they learnt in order to be bale to speak in English, some of them revealed in order to be able to answer of the English test (UAS/UAN) and so on.
8. The researcher also asked them whether stimulus from the teacher could increase their motivation and participation particularly in speaking, 22 respondents / 73% agreed with it, 6 respondents/16,6% were doubt and 2 persons/6,7% weren’t.
Moreover, Researcher also gave students some essay questions based on their opinion and perception in learning English using different techniques. Mostly are interested and motivated in following process of learning English. They argued that teaching and learning process with various models/technique wanted that in teaching and learning process, the teacher should prepare a suitable techniques in term of teaching speaking English. Furthermore, they wish in teaching and learning process should focus on students-oriented / students centered. Means that Students are guided to do something themselves under control of teacher as facilitator in the classroom.
2. DISCUSSION
The topic discuss about the result of the study, that is in what extent the techniques in teaching and learning process can increase students’ interaction in EFL class. As explained previous that mostly students considered that techniques which is applied by teacher in teaching and learning process could increase and improve students ability to comprehend the English material, especially in term of students’ interaction in the classroom. From the data described above could be concluded that from 30 students as respondents in this research, 20 students or 67 % revealed that the teacher should give pre activities first by greeting, warming students up, so the brain of the learners became fresh.
Meanwhile, based on the medium which was used by teacher in guiding the lesson, they agreed if the teacher uses English as language guiding, even though some of them didn’t understand et all entirely what teacher said. But, most of students argued that by using English in guiding students’ learning, at least, they could practice and train their ear to listen again and again. Moreover, it can motivate students to imitate what teacher expressed in English.
The main issues has been asked to students, whether techniques in teaching and learning process might be increase their motivation, activeness, attention and also their comprehension to the materials. 20 students or around 67 % revealed that various methods made them interested to follow the subject actively. Furthermore, they were also able to comprehend what teacher explained. Even though, 24 students / 80 % stated that techniques/methods that’s applied by teacher could be understood/comprehended faster rather than monotonous/traditional techniques.

CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION


A. CONCLUSION
1. Students were interested to learn English as foreign language in order to be able to communicate in English, answer of test (UAS, UAN, SMPB) etc.
2. Students had problems in terms of teaching learning process. They wish the instructor/guide should prepare themselves by mastering English materials, and also various kinds of teaching techniques, especially in teaching speaking.
3. They had different motivation and comprehension in learning English. One of the main factors to enhance their motivation and understanding were the implementing of various kinds of techniques in process of learning English
4. Techniques in teaching and learning process must be mastered and owned by teacher.
5. The effect of using technique / method in teaching and learning process were perceived by students as a good activity, because it could increase their motivation and comprehension in following the learning process.
B. SUGGESTION
1. To improve students’ motivation in teaching and learning process, the English teachers should prepare themselves by adequate materials and apply various kinds of techniques / methods.
2. Government could be a facilitator in term of teachers’ training, in order to increase teachers’ ability in teaching English particularly.
3. The researcher realizes that this research is not really perfect yet, because of limitations. Further researcher with various population are recommended to make finding more accurate.


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