Why Speaking English has been Undervalued? (Part 2)

In the part 1 of this chapter we’ve discussed about the main problem of speaking English; 1) Lack of vocabulary, 2) Lack of self-confident. Here I would love to share a little information about it.

Lack of Vocabulary

We’ve noticed that one of the problems in speaking is lack of vocabulary. Although learners interested to speak, they will be difficult to begin conversation or even only answer the question if they do not have the words. “Vocabulary is central to language and of critical importance to the typical language learner” (Zimmerman 1997: 5). Lack of vocabulary knowledge will result in lack of meaningful communication. Indonesian people also couldn’t speak Indonesian well if he doesn’t have Indonesian language enough. As Wilkins (1972) noted that without grammar, very little can be conveyed. Without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed.

The best way to improve speaking skills is, of course, to speak in English as often as possible. It is, however, important for teachers to make effective use of speaking practice opportunities. Most of english language teachers agree that learners ability in speaking can be improve by interacting and communicating. In this case, the teachers, of course, should make an activities to provoke learners to speak in English language. When the learners have to speak, they certainly have to rich theirselves with many vocabularies. Thus, using speaking activity will take the learners into vocabulary enrichment. Nation (2001:222) believes that a large amount of vocabulary can be acquired with the help of vocabulary learning strategies and that the strategies prove useful for students of different language levels.

In addition to provoke learners to be active in speaking English, communicative language teaching is one of teaching approach which can be used by teacher. The primary goals of the course is to teach communication competence-that’s ability to communicate in English according to the situation, purposes, and roles of the participants. Henry wildowson (1978) be written in his book entitled, Teaching Language as Communication, which focuses the relationship between language system and their communicative value. It’s ability to use the language for different purposes.

Some of the advantages of using communicative language teaching approach are 1) Learners are expected to interact with other people; 2) They has opportunities to use their english to communicate purposes; 3) The activity in communicative language teaching certainly encourage them for having many vocabularies. Thus, this approach is very helpful for the learners to improve their speaking in English language. Another activities that can be used by the teachers here, e.g. little conversation, discussion, ask their opinion about something happened, or share their experience by using strory telling method in front of their clas, either individually or group.

Lack of Self-Confident

As we know, speaking is not just an element of teaching and learning language achievement, it’s an important skill in human interaction. Any person who has good ability in speaking, he can build relationship easly. In social community, speaking ability also means that someone has good personality. But, speaking in English language with confident is not easy.

Most of learners may be have vocabularies and good grammatical enough, and also expected to speak in English language, yet only few of them succed to communicate with another by using English language. Some of them feel nervous when the teacher asked them to say something in front of the class. However, the English language is different with their native language (mother tongue) which used in their daily conversation. The differences in articulation, intonations, and systematic writing and also meaning make speaking English is to be a frightening specter for some learners.

In this case, the teachers, of course, must creat comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere for learners in their class when learning activities will begin. It means do not forced the learners to do something out of his dept and take them into their self-confident by interesting activities. During it’s course, the communicative language teaching approach as we explain above particularly could help the teachers to rise self-confident of the learners. Using the communicative language teaching approach is not also provoke learners to speak, it’s also can eliminate the psychologycal barriers such as fear, inconfident, etc.

In this approach, the teacher could give a simple topic to be discussed in other to encourage learners to speak and be confident to share what in their mind is in their words; furthermore, give they time to search sources before they present it and do not correct every words that they say directly. Let them to share their ideas freely.