Correlation between Students’ Vocabulary Mastery, Self-confidence and

Their Speaking Ability

Zakaria Bintang Pamungkas
Islamic University of Malang, Indonesia
E-mail address: bintangpmgkas@gmail.com

Abstract
Vocabulary and self-confidence becomes the two main factors which had been affected
speaking ability. Applying quantitative research design with multiple correlations, this
research had a purpose to find out whether there was significant correlation between
students’ vocabulary mastery, self-confidence and speaking ability at 2nd semester
students of English Education Department. IAIN Ponorogo became the location of
research. It had 3 variables which the dependent variable was students’ speaking ability
and the independent variables were students’ vocabulary mastery and self-confidence.
The population was 103 students. By using proportional random sampling, researcher
took 78 students as sample of research. Test, questionnaire and documentation were
applied systematically as instrument for data collection. The whole data were analyzed
automatically by using SPSS 19.00 for windows program. The result of the research
proved that sig value is 0,00 < 0,05. It indicated that there was significant correlation
between students’ vocabulary mastery, self-confidence and their speaking ability at 2nd
semester students of English Education Department. Moreover, the coefficient of
correlation showed 0,912. It means that the correlation between students’ vocabulary
mastery, self-confidence and students’ speaking ability categorized into high
correlation.

Keywords: vocabulary mastery, self-confidence, speaking ability, correlation.

Language becomes important tool for communication in human daily activity. It absolutely
becomes a necessity for human beings that was used in all aspects in their life. Therefore,
language learning should be learned by people since it used as tool for communication.
Language teaching and language learning relate with student interaction. The primary process
by which learning takes place is interaction. Because of that factor, students require to learn
language in order to communicate with the teacher easily and fluently.
Nowadays, the expansion of communication, information and technologies compel
people to join the globalization era. In globalization era, there are many requirements of high
qualification and skills related to the ability to comprehend international language especially
English language. English language becomes an important language that is used in
globalization era since globalization era’s components apply English language. People should
study English language to adapt and to face all possibilities in globalization era.
Four skills are involved in English language learning. Each skill of English language
should be mastered by language learner. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing as skills of
English should be mastered. Speaking as one of English language skill grouped as direct
communication. It has been known as productive kill or oral skill.
There are several important aspects which affected speaking skill. Those are accuracy
and fluency. Accuracy refers of the correct using vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation.
Fluency itself involved the students’ ability to use language quickly, confidently with few
hesitations or unnatural pauses, false starts and word searches. To master speaking skill,
vocabulary should be mastered first by students. Accuracy in speaking required vocabulary
mastery. It means speaker will speak accurately and easily if they mastered vocabulary. It is
important to stress that learning the vocabulary required to become a good speaker.
Mastering vocabulary also makes speaker is more fluent to tell something. Numerous studies
assert that effective communication is a function of adequate and appropriate vocabulary
acquisition rather than the learning of grammar rules (Coady, 1993).
Not only vocabulary, but also self-confidence factor also affected students’ speaking
ability. Self-confidence is one of some non-linguistics factor affected speaking ability.
Teaching speaking had been considered as simple process. Commercial language schools
around the world hire people with no training to teach conversation (Nunan,2005). Self-
confidence is the most essential factor that determines learners' willingness to participate in
oral activities in language classroom (Al-Hebaish,2004). In other words, if speaker had self-
confidence, so their communication will be good. Based on the previous opinion, self-
confidence is one of psychological factor which influence the successful students engage
speaking skill.
In English Education Department of IAIN Ponorogo during lecturing in the
classroom, lecturers teach students using English language. They require the students to
communicate with the lecturers or the other students using English language in order to
increase their speaking skill and accustom of them to communicate using English language.
Therefore, speaking becomes one of 4 language skills should be mastered by students of
English Education Department of IAIN Ponorogo.
Based on some previous research discovered by some researcher, Ridho Tri in 2015
had proven that there was significant correlation between grammar mastery, self-confidence
and speaking ability. It means that self-confidence correlate significantly with speaking
ability among second semester students of English Education Department. The other research
which had done by Afif Fauzi in 2007 proved that there was correlation between students’
vocabulary mastery and speaking ability. As result, vocabulary was also correlated
significantly with students’ speaking ability.
In this case, researcher wants to know the correlation between students’ vocabulary
mastery and self-confidence simultaneously with students’ speaking ability. Therefore,
researcher wants to conduct research entitled the correlation between vocabulary mastery,
self-confidence and students’ speaking ability at 2nd semester students of English education
department of IAIN Ponorogo in academic year 2017/2018.

Method
Research design applied in this research was quantitative research design. The quantitative
data deals primarily with numbers. It also applied multiple co-relational methods as method
to know the correlation between students’ vocabulary mastery, self-confidence and speaking
ability. There were three variables in this research, namely variable X1, variable X2and Y.
Variable X1 was students’ vocabulary mastery, variable X2 was students’ self-confidence and
variable Y was students’ speaking ability. Predictor variable involved students’ vocabulary
mastery and self-confidence whereas criterion variable involved students’ speaking ability.
The data had been calculated by SPSS. 19 For windows.
103 students were required in this research as population and researcher took 78
students as sample. The guidelines of getting sample had been proposed by Kretjie and
Morgan table. The way to get sample which was utilized by researcher was probability
sampling technique. Probability sampling technique was sampling technique that gives same
opportunity for each member of population that is used as sample. There are some types of
probability sampling and researcher applied proportional random sampling. Proportional
random sampling is way to get sample according the proportion. Proportional random
sampling was applied because the whole students of each class were different. The concept
proportional random sampling in this research was researcher determines the proportions of
each class and then the researcher get sample randomly according the numbers of proportion.
In this thesis, researcher applied a vocabulary test, questioner and documentation as
instruments for data collection. Vocabulary test had been utilized to obtain data about
students’ vocabulary mastery. Then, questionnaire was instrument to collect data about self-
confidence and documentation was applied to collect data about students’ speaking ability.
Before get the real data, vocabulary test and questionnaire were try out to the different object
of research. Using Correlate Bivariate Pearson, the instruments were validated. Besides, the
instruments were also computed by using Cronchbach Alpha to know the reliability of each
instrument. The vocabulary test and questionnaire were also validated by two different
experts. The each expert of instrument validated vocabulary instrument and questionnaire in
terms of its content and its face.
To know the validity instruments of vocabulary test, the researcher conducted validity
test firstly. A test was used to collect data about students’ vocabulary mastery. The whole
items were 25 test items. Based on the calculation, 20 items were valid and 5 items were
invalid. In conclusion, 20 test items of vocabulary test can be used to the real sample of
research. Second, researcher conducted validity test to know the validity instrument of
questionnaire. Questionnaire was instrument to collect data about students’ self-confidence.
The whole items were 36 questionnaire items. Based on the calculation, 25 items were valid
and 11 items were invalid. In conclusion, 25 items can be used to the real sample of research.
Vocabulary test and questionnaire that was applied in this research had good
reliability coefficient. The table below shows the reliability of each instrument

Table 1.The reliability of instrument for students’ vocabulary mastery

Reliability Statistics

Cronbach's
Alpha N of Items

.891 20

Table 2.The reliability of instrument for self-confidence questionnaire

Reliability Statistics

Cronbach's
Alpha N of Items

.921 27

To obtain data on students’ condition and students’ speaking achievement of the 2nd
semester students of English Education Department of IAIN Ponorogo in academic year
2017-2018, researcher used documentation technique. Some steps had been done by
researcher. Those were involved researcher prepared for collecting data about students’
speaking achievement based on the result of final-test of 2nd semester students in English
education department of IAIN Ponorogo in academic year 2017-2018. Based on data, the
lecturer who taught speaking class was Mr. Dedi Hasnawan. He taught all speaking classes of
second semester students in English education department. He used analytical scoring rubric
as the guidelines for assessing speaking.
The data analysis that the researcher used to determine the correlation between
students’ vocabulary mastery, self-confidence and their speaking ability was regression
analysis by using SPSS.19 for windows. The data that have been collected by using research
instrument will be analyzed. Before using statistical formula, researcher needs to know the
assumption that is used in the use of the formula. By knowing the basic assumption in using
the formula, it would be more prudent in employing formula and making calculation. This
requirement test is occurred to use of the parametric formula which the data are normal
assumed. The data have to fulfill the requirement test that is normality test.

Result and Discussion

The data analysis that the researcher applied to determine the correlation between students’
vocabulary mastery, self-confidence and their speaking ability was regression analysis by
using SPSS.19 for windows. The data that have been collected by using research instruments
will be analyzed. Before using statistical formula, researcher required to know the assumption
that is used in the use of the formula. Assumption test analysis conducted as the prerequisite
for testing hypothesis. By knowing the basic assumption in using the formula, it would be
more prudent in employing formula and making calculation. This requirement test was
occurred to use of the parametric formula which the data are normal assumed. The data have
to fulfill the requirement test that is normality test. In deciding whether the data are in normal
distribution or not, the highest value of significant correction is consulted to Kolmogorov-
Smirnov table. If the highest value of statistic is lower than the value of Kolmogorov-
Smirnov table for 5 % level of significance, it can be concluded that the data is in normal
distribution. On the other hand, if the highest value of statistic is higher than the
Kolmogorov-Smirnov table for 5 % level of significance it can be concluded that the data are
not in normal distribution. The value of Kolmogrov-Smirnov table for N = 78 at 5 % level of
significance is 0,145. The result of normality testing is presented in the following:

Table 3.The result of normality test for students’ vocabulary mastery

One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test

vocabulary_mas
tery

N 78

Normal Parametersa Mean 74.29

Std. Deviation 15.515

Most Extreme Differences Absolute .139

Positive .104

Negative -.139

Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z 1.406

Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) .078

 a. Test distribution is Normal.

In the normality test calculation about students’ vocabulary mastery by using

kolmogorov-smirnov test, the result of the highest value of statistic showed 0,139. Allowing
the result of the data is normally distributed because 0,139 is lower than 0,145. Then, the
calculation of normality test for self-confidence is appeared the table below:

Table 4. The result of normality test for students’ self-confidence

One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test

self_confidence

N 78

Normal Parametersa Mean 75.15

Std. Deviation 9.286

Most Extreme Differences Absolute .113

Positive .071

Negative -.113

Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z 1.000

Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) .270

a. Test distribution is Normal.

Referring to the table above, the result of the highest value of statistic showed 0,113. It
can be concluded that the data is also normally distributed because 0,113 is lower than 0,145.
So, the data about students’ self-confidence is normally distributed. Next, the calculation of
normality test for students speaking achievement of 2nd semester students of English
Education Department of IAIN Ponorogo.
 Table 5.The result of normality test for students’ speaking ability

One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test

speaking_ability

N 78

Normal Parametersa Mean 60.83

Std. Deviation 11.567

Most Extreme Differences Absolute .142

Positive .183

Negative -.142

Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z 1.612

Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) .061

a. Test distribution is Normal.

According to the table above, the result of the highest value of statistic indicated
0,142. The conclusion is the data is normally distributed because 0,142 is lower than 0,145.
So, the researcher concluded that the data about students’ speaking achievement is normally
distributed.
When, the computation result of normality the data is in normal distribution, it can be
continued to the next step, testing hypotheses which have been proposed in the previous
chapter. In this study, there is hypothesis that should be tested. To decide Ho is rejected or
accepted, it is necessary to compute the data, therefore the conclusion for the hypotheses can
be drawn as result of the computation. The Ho will be rejected and the Ha will be accepted if
the value of rxy is higher than rt. Meanwhile, Ho will be accepted and Ha will be rejected if
the value of rxy is lower than rt. In this study to calculate the hypothesis, researcher is using
SPSS 19 for windows.
To test the hypotheses, the researcher is analyzed by using the statistical formulations
as follows:
H0 = sig f change > 0,05. It means that there is no correlation between students’
vocabulary mastery (X1), students’ self-confidence (X2) and students’ speaking ability(Y).
Ha = sig f change < 0,05. It means that there is correlation between students’
vocabulary mastery (X1), students’ self-confidence (X2) and students’ speaking ability (Y).
The result of multiple correlation which calculate the correlation between vocabulary
mastery, self-confidence, and speaking skill by using SPSS 19 for windows as follows:
 Table 6.The Result of Correlation between Students’ vocabulary mastery, Self-Confidence,

and Their Speaking Ability

Model Summary

Change Statistics

Adjusted R Std. Error of R Square

Model R R Square Square the Estimate Change F Change df1 df2 Sig. F Change

1 .919a .844 .840 4.632 .844 202.645 2 75 .000

a. Predictors: (Constant), self_confidence, vocabulary_mastery

Furthermore, the computation of multiple correlation tests is showed that the value of
a symbol of coefficient correlation (R) is 0,919. The value of significance F change is 0,000.
Then, the value of Sig. F change (0,000) compared with 0,05. Because the result shows that
the value of Sig. F change (0,000) is lower than 0,05 it means that there is correlation
between students’ vocabulary mastery (X1), students’ self-confidence (X2) and students’
speaking ability(Y).
The value of a symbol coefficient correlation (R) is 0,919. Based on index of
correlation, it proved the degree of correlation between students’ vocabulary mastery, self-
confidence and their speaking ability categorize into high correlation. Further information can
be seen to this table below:
Table 7. Indexes of Correlation

No Scale Interpretation

1 0.800-1.000 High Correlation

2 0.600-0.800 Sufficient Correlation

3 0.400-0.600 Fair Correlation

4 0.200-0.400 Low Correlation

5 0.000-0.200 Very low Correlation

Based on the data analysis in the previous explanation, it can be found that the
research findings were the calculation showed there was correlation between students’
vocabulary mastery (X1), self-confidence (X2) simultaneously and students’ speaking ability
(Y). The value of coefficient of multiple correlations (R) is 0,919. Furthermore, the value of
significance F change is 0,000. Because of sig F change (0,000) < 0,005, it means that there
is correlation between students’ vocabulary mastery (X1), self-confidence (X2)
simultaneously and students’ speaking ability (Y) of second semester students in English
Education Department.
 . There are several aspects which affect students’ speaking skill. Theoretically, both
vocabulary and students self-confidence have been included of those aspects. Mastering
vocabulary is one of the methods to be better in speaking in order to avoid misunderstanding
issue (Rahmi, 2014). Furthermore, students should be able to speak confidently in order to
make their speaking performance better. Self-confidence can help the students to develop
their speaking skill. In other words, it can be said that when students have self-confidence,
they will have good communication (Al- Hebaish, 2012). Based on an analysis above,
researcher concluded that there is correlation between students’ vocabulary mastery, self-
confidence simultaneously and students’ speaking ability of second semester students in
English Education Department.

Conclusion and Suggestion

Conclusion
After doing the research, in accordance with the correlation between students’ vocabulary
mastery, self-confidence and their speaking ability at 2nd semester students of English
Education Department, the researcher concluded that there was significant correlation
between students’ vocabulary mastery, self-confidence and students’ speaking ability at 2nd
semester students of English Education Department. The hypothesis testing stated that there
was significant correlation between those variables. It had been proved from the computation
which sig value> 0,05. Based on this result, it meant that between students’ vocabulary
mastery and self-confidence correlate significantly with students’ speaking ability.

Suggestion
In accordance with the result of research, the researcher has suggestions for the teachers and
the students. For the teacher, they should give chance for students to practice their speaking
English in public and convincing the student unnecessary to worry when they spoke English.
Besides that, the teacher should always give appreciate to students' oral performance in order
to increase students’ self-confidence. Students should consider about vocabulary mastery and
self-confidence as important in speaking ability.
The researcher would like to suggest for future research to develop the other research
in the future. This research is still far from being perfect, but it can use for reference the other
researchers to conduct the research with another aspect that influence the students’ speaking
ability.

References
Al-Hebaish, Safaa Mohammad. (2012). The Correlation between General Self-Confidence
and Academic Achievement in the Oral Presentation Course. Theory and Practice in
Language Studies. Madinah: Faculty of Education, Taibah University Press.
Nunan, David. (2005). Practical English Language Teaching Grammar. New York: The
McGraw-Hill Companies.
Grabe, William. (2002). Teaching and Researching Reading. Pearson Education.
Wright, Judy H. (2009). Building Self-confidence with Encouraging Word. USA: Artichoke
Press.
Rahmi, Fhona. (2014). The Correlation between Mastering Vocabulary and Speaking Ability
(Case Study at 10 Fajar Harapan Banda Aceh). Aceh: Unpublished paper