Journal of English Language Teaching Volume ... No. ... Serie ...

Journal of English Language Teaching

ISSN 2302-3198
Published by English Language Teaching Study Program of
FBS Universitas Negeri Padang
available at http://ejournal.unp.ac.id/index.php/jelt

The Factors of Low

Speaking English
Students of English
Department Art and
Language Faculty
Universitas Negeri
Padang

Wiwid Apriani1
English Department
Faculty of Languages and Arts
State University of Padang
email: penulis@fbs.unp.ac.id

Abstract

Speaking English is one of the instrument of communication

in primary institutions or higher institutions as well as the

global language of one country.The aims of this study Find out

the main Factors of low speaking English Students of English

Department FBS Universitas Negeri Padang. The design that is

used in this study is descriptive survey. The populations that were

being the object of this research is the Students from English Department Art and

Language Faculty Universitas Negeri Padang.The participants are K3 students of

1
English ELTSP of English Department of FBS Universitas Negeri Padang graduated on....

© FBS Universitas Negeri Padang

 JELT Vol ... No... Serie ... September ...

English Department 2016 year academic and from some participants that have

been selected randomly. A questionnaire would use as an instrument

for the collection of data for this study. The data was collected

through survey a sample that used a questionnaire that contains some questions

by analyzing the interaction of the students in the classroom for collecting data

and interviewed some groups of students randomly as guidelines to get factual

information. The Result of the study reveals that most students

have factors of low speaking English Student of English

Department student. From the three factors, psychological

factor is the most factor that be dominant of low speaking

English students of English Department FBS UNP is 11 students

or 39,2%.

Key words: English Language, The Factor, Low speaking English, English
Department.

A. INTRODUCTION

English language is a overall language that used by people with active

English-speakers and passive or Non English-speakers in the world for

communication, especially in the education section and technology for getting any

information, talk with foreigner and obtain knowledge. But As long as the

researcher has been studying in English Department, Art and Language Faculty

Universitas Negeri Padang, the researcher seldom sees English Department

students using English while communicating and speaking with others in their

daily life specifically in the classroom or still within the faculty itself. Students are

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speaking English only if asked by the lecturer of the subject to use English in

giving their opinions, questions, discuss with other that only takes place in the

classroom. Even they are unmotivated to speak English at the English

Department. Because of these problem the researcher wants to account what the

causes or factors of this problem occurred.

This research is very important to figure out the factors of the low

Speaking English ability Students of English Department, Art and Language

Faculty Universitas Negeri Padang and How to improve their English speaking

skill in or out the classroom among other students, lectures and others people.

According to Nunan (2003, p. 48) (cited in Mart, 2012, p. 91) Speaking will be

able to product oral skill which consists of developing structured verbal utterances to

deliver the meaning. In a short different statement, Brown (2004, p. 140) take the points

out that “speaking is an interaction between the people to convey meaning that involves

creating and acquiring then process the information it self”. Usually In speaking, students

learn how to assemble ideas, set up sentences, and present the language in spoken form

with clear pronunciation and understandable language. They have to learn about how to

deliver the meaning and message of the language each other according to the context

they are speaking to get some point of talks.

Oluwole, (2008) was of the stated that “getting difficulty in understanding fully

the contents and concepts of the diverse subjects of the lesson which had taught in

target language, showed to be one of the most tough problems that English as a primary

language students face in their regular course of study”. This might possible because of

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their weaknesses in speaking English (the medium of instruction) that may make

negative effect on the whole their performance or presenting.

Students mostly are weak and low in English language learning were

established in many area of the world, especially for the countries which English

is not spoken as their mother tongue. Hashemi (2011), recognized that students’

weakness in English language learning is because the differences of cultural

environment, social contexts, for example, in their environments where the first

and second or foreign languages learning occur such as Indonesia, Cambodia,

Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and others. Also (Thang, Thing Siew, & Nurjanah

Mohd, 2011) identified that Speaking English has always be a main role in the

Laos nation development, but the English proficiency level of Lao students is still

very low and pitiful.

Nevertheless, Many reasons the factors that Laos students poor and low

performance while learning foreign language such as; anxiety of the students

while talking each other, the weakness of curriculum design, lack of English

teachers, and unmotivated students’ learning English. According to John & Ehow

(2011), said that the problematic of learning English language gain from some

different factors in different environments such as school resources, quality of

teacher, class size, and the school attendance of learners.

From so many this observation have been researched by researchers or

educators, many students thinks English is only a school subject of study that they

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do not pay attention significantly for their future employment to work with

International or national companies where English is needed.

Many of people are difficult being able to make themselves be confident,

and directing the self-confidence. May be we have to speak in English is one of a

hard effort. Make be able to have this confidence, individuals or peoples

especially students need to make sure that they are proficient to use the language.

Lack of proficiency while speaking English is seen as a common contributor

towards the student lecture’s oral contribution in the classroom during English

teaching and learning process. In this situation, many factors have been identified

as the cause of such issue take place among the student lectures. Thus, these

contributing factors will be further investigated in this research in order to come

up with means for effective change. One of the sample group that have been

identified is problem of the results during classroom interaction and instruction

while teaching and learning process between students and educators. Because of

that fact, the student’s level of English proficiency, compared to their senior and

other students or friends, are commonly different each other. The sample group

has provided the differences result among them in terms of English proficiency. It

means that the students level competency, specifically in oral English, is differs

from one another. Therefore, with this problem, they become more afraid of

making mistakes if they speak each other, thus result to being silent and avoid any

oral communication in the classroom with the Friends, other students, senior or

lecturers.

There is Limitation Of the Problem:

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1. Find out the main factors of low speaking English Students of English Department, Art

and Language Faculty Universitas Negeri Padang.

This study attempted to provide answers to the following question:

1. What is important speaking English?

2. What are the main Factors of low speaking English of English Department, Art and

Language Faculty Universitas Negeri Padang.

The main purposes of this study are to:

i. Find out the main Factors of low speaking English Students of English Department FBS

Universitas Negeri Padang.

This study had been found out the function of knowing why college

students are less interested in speaking English especially students of English

Department, Art and Language Faculty Universitas Negeri Padang. As an English

language learner, the researcher figured out that most students are studying in

higher education institutions like English Department students FBS UNP lack the

interest or unmotivated to speak English, even outside the classroom.

As English is an important language nowadays, it is also necessary for

college student like us to master the language. One the most best way of

mastering the English language is by using it in our daily conversations and daily

life. By speaking English in our daily communication, students are able to

improve and develop the speaking skills during their practicum and also during

lecture hours while teaching and learning process in the classroom. Consequently

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this study can be used to help the students in their speaking of English and also to

help them to be more confident to use the Foreign language.

here are some definitions of the word “speaking” that have been indicated by

the researchers while searching the language learning. Speaking is way to say words

orally, to communicate as by talking with other people, to give opinions, to make

requests, and to make a speech. (Nunan, 1995). While according to Chaney (1998), one

the process of creating and sharing meaning by using verbal and non-verbal symbols in

different contexts is speaking. Added by Brown (1994) dkk, also defined speaking as a

process of interactive which making meaning includes creating/ producing, receiving,

and then processing information to the brain. In other that speaking can define as a

two–way process are oral and listening skills including express of opinions, emotions, or

information. (Eckard and Kearny (1981), Florez(1999), Howarth (2001), and Abd El Fattah

Torky ,2006).

From these overall definitions can conclude that Speaking is a process interactive

which produce and receive meaning for communicating orally with other people in the

world to get information, to talk each other, express the emotions, give opinions.

The important of speaking is represented with the synthesis of the other

language skills. Speaking be able helps learners to develop and to require their

vocabulary and grammar skills and then can improve their writing skill. Students

possible to express their ideas, emotions, talk, discuss, tell stories, request, and

show the various purpose of the language. Also Speaking is of importance

essential outside the classroom. However, English speakers have large

opportunities to find jobs in many different institutions or companies. Baker and

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Westrup (2003) also have been supported these statement which said that learners

who speak English very well can have greater chance for better education, finding

good jobs, and getting promotion.

According to Mazouzi (2013), fluency and accuracy achievement is very

needed for learners’ activities to design equivalent speaking. Because of both

fluency and accuracy are important elements of communicative approach.

Classroom practice be able to help learners developing their communicative

competence in English speaking. So Students have to know how the language

system works appropriately.

Fluency is one the first characteristic of speaking performance. It is the

main goal of teachers while teaching speaking skill. Based on to Hughes (2002),

The learners’ ability to speak in understandable way in order not to wreck down

communication because listeners may lose their interest is identified as Fluency.

Added by Hedge (2000) expressed that fluency is the ability to respond coherently

by connecting well the words and phrases, clearly pronunciation the sounds, and

using good intonation and stress.

Accuracy is the second characteristic of speaking English performance.

Students should be able to fluent oral skill in learning a foreign language.

Therefore, teachers have to point out accuracy in the teaching process. Learners

have to pay attention to the fidelity and the completeness of language form while

speaking like focusing on vocabulary, grammatical structures, and pronunciation

(Mazouzi, 2013).

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Thornbury (2005), state student’ correct in using of grammatical

structures encounter the length and complication of the meaning and the well-

structured clauses. To gain accuracy in terms of vocabulary means to select

suitable words in the suitable contexts. Learners sometimes apply similar words or

expressions in various contexts which do not mean similar things. Because of

learners have to use words, sentences and expressions correctly.

Pronunciation is the short pay attention in speaking English (Thornbury

2005). Be able to make speaking English more accurately, learners have to master

phonological rules and as possible be aware on pronunciations. Students should

also able to distinguish the intonation, stress, spelling, and pitch. Overall of this

elements can help learners to speak in English language more better, easily and

effectively.

B. RESEARCH METHOD

A. Research Design

The design that is used in this study is descriptive survey. It is used because might

possible the researcher wants to study small sample from the problem that have it and

then later generalized the findings to the whole population. According to Osuala, (2001)

was viewed that in survey research, the researcher doing small sample is used to study

the findings then generalized to the population. Also added by Creswell (2012: 376)

survey research design is a procedure in quantitative research in which the researcher

manage a survey to a sample or whole of the population to give describing of the

opinions,behaviour, attitudes, or characteristics of the population of it. This Design be

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able the researcher to describes the factors of low speaking English Students of

English Department Art and Language Faculty Universitas Negeri Padang from

the survey research that have been observed out in this study.

B. Population and Sample

The populations that were being the object of this research is the Students

from English Department Art and Language Faculty Universitas Negeri Padang,

2016 year Academic. They would be chosen to participate because they have been

learning in English speaking environment for about Three years. Added, they

have learned public speaking since the First Semester so researcher thought their

public speaking in English was have advanced. Although, they still need more of

knowledge and experience that must to be explored. The participants are K3

students of English Department 2016 year academic from a class and from some

participants that have been selected randomly.

C. Instruments

A questionnaire would use as an instrument for the collection of data for this

study. The questionnaire comprises of twenty items on the variables of the study. The

response format of “SS, S, N, TS, and STS” or “YES and NO” questions was used in the

instrument. Also the researcher would used interviewing to get comprehensive and

obvious data and information from resource person it self. The instrument was validated

by experts who have more than two decades of teaching research methods in College of

Education, FBS UNP. The reliability of the instrument was determined by using

respondent questionnaire method and interview method. The instrument was taken on

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randomly members or from a class of populations from the Students of English

Department FBS UNP.

D. Technique of Data Collection

The data was collected through survey a sample that used a questionnaire

that contains some questions by analyzing the interaction of the students in the

classroom for collecting data and interviewed some groups of students randomly

as guidelines to get factual information. As Dornyei (2003) stated that in

quantitative research, surveys are especially well suited for asking factual

questions, behavior questions, and attitudinal questions. Gay dkk (2011:18) says

that survey research involves collecting data to test hypothesis or to answer

research questions about people’s opinion on some topic or issues.

Firstly, the researcher came to the classroom interaction after teaching and

learning process or when the students was free time. Then the researcher gave a

questionnaire to the students one by one and asked their participation to fulfill the

questionnaire based on the answer choices and time that have been provided into

it. Secondly, after filled out the questionnaire, the researcher asked some of group

the students randomly to interview in order get some information factually and

accurately about what are the factors of low speaking English students of English

Department FBS UNP. While was doing interview some students randomly, the

research recorded the information from what the speakers have said about the

topic was given.

E. Technique of Data Analysis

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The data collected have analyzed by using frequency and simple percentage

Correction from the respondents that have gave it to several Students of English

Department Art and Language Faculty Universitas Negeri Padang. Data would analyzed

by checking the respondents of questionnaire that have done by students whether

it was correct based on form “YES or NO” and “SS, S, N, TS, STS). From the data

that would got it, the researcher used percentage with formula as the following :

F
  x100
n
Note :

P : The symbol of percentage

F : The accuracy of occurence of factors of low speaking in English language among the
students of English Department

N : The total number of student

C. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

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1. Research Finding

a. Data about The Factors of Low Speaking English Students English Department FBS UNP

The data found by the researcher about the factors of low speaking English

Student English Department could be described as below :

1.) Psychological Factor

As we know that there are four categories regarding the psychological factor of low

speaking English English Department FBS UNP as below :

 Anxiety

 Lack of Motivation

 Shyness

 Fear of Mistake

2.) Linguistic Factor

 Lack of Vocabulary

3.) Sociocultural Factor

 Attitudes toward Lecturer

The percentages of 28 students from K3 class explains the factors of low

speaking English Students of English Department FBS UNP in academic year 2016 are as

the the following :

Factors Number of %

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student

Psychological Factor 11 39,2

Linguistic factor 7 25

Sociocultural factor 10 35,7

Total 28 99,9%

a.) Psychological factor is :

F
  x100
n
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11
 x100
28
= 39, 2%

b.) Linguistic factor is :

F
  x100
n 15
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7
 x100
28
= 25%

c.) Sociocultural factor is :

F
  x100
n
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 Four to five words of the title – Author1 , Author2, Author3

10
 x100
28
= 35,7%

2. Discussion

Regarding with those data, the researcher gets the point that there are

many factors affecting the students reluctance to speak English in classroom

interaction. The factors are : psychological factor, linguistic factor, and

sociocltural factor. The study reveals that most students have factors of low

speaking English, English Department student. From the three factors, the

dominant factor is psychological factor that causes of low speaking English,

student of English Department FBS UNP. There are 11 students or 39,2%, while

linguistic factor has 25% or 7 students, followed by sociocultural factor has 35,7%

or 10 students.

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D. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS

1. Conclusion

After analyzing all the data gotten from questionnnaire and interview, the

researcher concludes that :

1.) Psychological factor, linguistic factor, and sociocultural are the factor of low speaking

English students of English Department FBS UNP. Psychological factor has four

categories, they are : anxiety, lack of motivation, shyness, and fear of mistake. While,

linguistic factor has lack of vocabulary. Then, sociocultural factor consists of attitudes

toward lecturer. Regarding to this issue, all of the students have their own obstacles in

speaking caused by those factors so that they are low to speak English in the classroom

or out the classroom.

2.) From the three factors, the dominant Data about the Factor of Low Speaking English

students of English Department FBS UNP, Psychological factor is the most factor that

causes of low speaking English, students English Deapartment academic year 2016.

There are 11 students or 39,2% from 28 students of K3-16 class.

2. Suggestion

Based on the conclusion, the researcher would like to give some suggestions as

consideration, they are : The lecturers should have variety strategies to create an

interesting learning atmosphere that can motivate the students to be more active and

more interested in speaking English in the classroom interaction.They must convince the

students that as the language learners, speaking English in and out classroom is one way

to enhance their speaking ability. Also lecturer have to encourage students to be more

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active in the classroom by using English speaking. In addition, the lecturer should give

warm feedback (comments or corrections) to the students after speaking so that the

students learn the mistakes they do in previous speaking to be much better in the next

time.

As the language learners, the students should keep their great motivation to

improve their speaking ability more and more. They should have more speaking practice

to improve their speaking ability and to minimize their hindrance in speaking. They have

to be sure that being active in the classroom helps them to enhance their speaking

proficiency and interest. They also must believe that having mistakes in speaking is not a

great matter since they are still in the process of learning.

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