UNGGUL KREATIVE INOVATIF RELIGIUS DAN ANDAL

UNGGUL KREATIVE INOVATIF RELIGIUS DAN ANDAL (UKIRAN)

Kamis, 19 Mei 2011

Paper 1 TACKLING EMBARRASSING ATTITUDES TO ENABLE EFL BEGINNER STUDENTS SPEAKING CONFIDENTLY IN FRONT OF THEIR PEER


TACKLING EMBARRASSING ATTITUDES
TO ENABLE EFL BEGINNER STUDENTS SPEAKING CONFIDENTLY IN FRONT OF THEIR PEER

I.       Introduction
Authorities in Indonesian are applying the new curriculum called a school based curriculum (SBC) to ensure that students’ education was relevant to real world situations. It regulates how to teach students to have the potential to stand on their own feet and compete with others both in national and international forum.
Language teaching in Indonesia, especially English language teaching, is also a significant factor to reach the policy goals. Policy reform required that English language is a tool to communicate. Communicating means understanding and expressing information, thinking, emotion and developing science, technology and culture. To communicate, someone must be able to use four skills : listening, speaking, reading and writing (Depdiknas, 2006: 277).
This paper is focused on speaking skill because it is a significant skill for students to communicate in daily life. It is an important skill and to be used widely. It is a basic skill for human beings in communication. Most people who want to learn a language require skills to use the language to communicate with others. Language is primarily spoken (Depdiknas, 2005: 39).
It is noticed that the trend of language teaching in this curriculum change from traditional to communicative purposes. Students should be motivated to practice speaking with confidence in order to further develop to higher English proficiency levels. Also the policy of teacher development in Indonesia in 2006 is to promote research in curriculum development in terms of teaching and learning techniques, area studies, textbook and material. Therefore teachers have more opportunity to take part in developing their curriculum (BSNP, 2006:15).
This might be followed with the English teacher’s ability, teaching techniques using communication strategies to help them to express ideas. The English teachers are expected to have the power to make decisions about English language learning and teaching strategy. As a result, the more the teachers are involved in practice and theory in language learning and teaching, the more they can work towards improving the English language learning and teaching strategy.
Based on my experience and observation, I have found that my 7th year Junior High School students would like to speak but they felt they lacked confidence in speaking. As a result, they think that English is very difficult for them and they become bored with learning the skills. They are also reluctant to speak English because of the fear of making mistakes and `losing face' (being embarrassed) if they mispronounce a word or use incorrect grammar.
I think it does not only happen to my 7th year Junior High School students but also most of the students in Indonesia. The research conducted by five Australian teachers concludes that most Indonesia students are passive, shy and quiet (Exley, 2005:11).
Talking about embarrassing attitude on the students, some experts has variety perspectives. Some says that it is a character brought since he/she was born. Some others says that it is the result of learning process (Tasmin, 2008). Lynne Kelly (2007), a professor of communication at the University of Hartford, said that there is evidence that shyness is an inherited trait, so some people are born with a genetic predisposition for shyness. He also said that environment comes into play. If kids have good models, such as parents, teachers, or other significant adults who model effective communication, they are less likely to develop into shy people. Furthermore, if kids are not negatively reinforced for talking, they are less likely to develop into shy people.
Without ignoring the embarrassing students are born with a genetic predisposition, the students’ environment (read teacher) is the main role in making them embarrassed. It is very important for a teacher to know theories about psychology, learning styles and language teaching. Finally the English teacher must be able to tackle embarrassing students especially in speaking.
I had to focus this paper to help tackle embarrassing attitudes to enable EFL beginner students speaking confidently in front of their peer. It discusses the importance of students’ confidence in speaking, embarrassing attitudes when speaking in front of the peer, tackling the embarrassing attitudes to enable EFL beginner students to speak confidently in front of their peer
Embarrassing attitudes including the definition and factors that influence them, the importance of students’ confidence in speaking, and tackling the embarrassing attitudes to enable EFL beginner students speaking confidently in front of their peer..
II.    Discussion
2.1 The Importance of  Students’ Confidence in Speaking
In language learning, especially speaking, students’ confidence is one of the factors to improve their learning (Kelly and Watson, as cited in Songsiri, 2007:27). Dornyei (as cited in Songsiri, 2007:28) suggested the ways to promote students’ confidence were through providing experience of success, encouraging the learners and reducing anxiety. 
Sjoberg (as cited in Songsiri, 2007:28) saw that less confident learners, or shy members may initially be gently encouraged to participate by the facilitator and introduced to a few of the other more confident members. Students’ confidence in language learning, especially speaking, is one of the main factors to drive or to inspire students to reach their goals
Based on the above opinions, it can be concluded that students’ confidence in language learning, especially speaking, is one of the main factors to drive or to inspire students to reach their goals. If teachers are always aware and reflect on their teaching and try to promote students to achieve their task, students’ language learning repertoires and confidence will be gradually increased. However, some students still have negative attitudes towards participating in the activities such as embarrassment, fear of making mistakes and confusion while participating in the activities, due to less practice.
2.1                          Embarrassing Attitudes When Speaking In Front Of The Peer 
An attitude can be defined as ‘a feeling… towards a fact or someone’s opinions and feelings’ (Webster, 2008). According to Gagne’s taxonomy of learning outcomes, attitudes relate to choosing personal action based on internal states of understanding and feeling (as cited in Songsiri, 2007:28). Learners’ performance depends on their understanding and feelings.
There are three types of attitudes that can influence communication: attitudes towards yourself, attitudes towards others, and attitudes towards communication (Kelly & Watson, as cited Songsiri, 2007:29). Here I focus to study promoting students’ confidence in speaking English. Confidence in this paper is about feeling sure of the ability to do things and be successful in language learning, especially speaking. The attitudes are one of the main factors that made students successful or not. They influenced students’ language learning (Depdiknas, 2005:62). Further, it is emphasized that ”learners who have positive attitudes learn more, but also learners who learn well acquire positive attitudes. If students have positive attitudes towards language learning, they will probably want to learn the language.
The term embarrassing means making somebody feel self-conscious: causing painful self-consciousness, uncomfortable, shame, or humiliation (Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2005. © 1993-2004 Microsoft Corporation).
Mackay (1993) uses the term embarrassment to refer to the complication experienced by the teacher (and by the more proficient students) when the smooth unfolding of the lesson is hindered or obstructed by an ability on the part of one or more students to perform assigned tasks. He points out that the kind of student behavior which produce embarrassment include silence in response to a teachers’ question, responding in an articulate manner, or even in such a way as not to be understood at all. Children who have embarrassing attitudes may not respond when spoken to by a teacher or classmate. They may say little, speak very softly, and avoid eye contact. When speaking in front of peers, they are not confident.
The factors that influence the students’ embarrassing attitudes gaining confidence in speaking English are as follow (Songsiri, 2007:168-169): a) Students had negative attitudes towards language learning, especially speaking. It was caused by bitter prior experience of language learning that made them underestimate themselves. They thought that it was impossible to develop their speaking ability because they thought that they could not read or pronounce English correctly. b) Students lacked opportunity to practice. In my own situation, English language did not focus on speaking so Students still lacked the opportunity to practice speaking. c) Cultural barriers which mean some students were still fixed into their culture. The study indicates that Javanese cultural identity determines, in part, the learner characteristics of Indonesian EFL students. The teachers all reasoned that the students’ hesitancy is more to do with losing face, being embarrassed in front of groups, and in front of the new teacher. (Exley, 2007:7)
2.2      Tackling the Embarrassing Attitudes to Enable EFL Beginner Students Speaking Confidently In Front of Their Peer.
Based on the factors that influence the students’ embarrassing attitudes gaining confidence in speaking English mentioned above, there are 3 steps of a possible model for tackling the embarrassing attitudes to enable EFL beginner students speaking confidently in front of their peer. (Songsiri, 2007:176-179)

Step 1: Motivation
Motivation must be considered in terms of intrinsic, extrinsic   motivation. The teacher should know well when and why to apply intrinsic, extrinsic or a motivation in her/ his own situation because the main purpose of the paper is how to help students to reach their goal. In doing so, students’ confidence in speaking English will be increased as well. Reward students for attempts at communicating. Don't pick them apart for being wrong or unclear, but reinforce their good behaviors.
Motivation factors to encourage learners to learn English language, especially speaking, are as follows:
Teacher : First of all the teacher must have a positive attitude towards language learning and teaching, be open-minded to accept flexible language learning and teaching and to change rapidly. Accepting this, it was easier for me to be a motivator in a variety of situations. I could change my role such as teacher, helper, knower, encourager and facilitator to motivate students to learn and finally to achieve their learning goals, especially speaking goals.
Teaching Theories : A variety of language learning and teaching theories in terms of interactive, participatory, learner–centered paradigm,  adapting innovative language teaching can be used to plan the activities and the lessons. Learning styles theories were used in my project to observe each student while they were participating in the activities. Language learning strategies were used to help students’ reflection to reach their speaking goal at their own pace.
Teaching Techniques: Teaching technique is one of the factors to enable students to reach speaking goals. Several new teaching techniques have to be tried. The successes or failures in using them depended on the teacher’s reflection. I found that no teaching technique was perfect for all students. Teaching techniques enable students to learn most when they understood their own learning styles. The more he kept practicing speaking, the more his linguistic competence is increased. Some students asked their friends to solve their problems. It depended on students’ reflections to help them to reach their goals.
•  Culture: The teacher must be aware of different cultural issues in terms  of being shy.
Positive Atmosphere: The teacher must try to create a positive atmosphere in terms of caring and sharing. A positive atmosphere involved positive feedback, teacher’s smiling, encouraging and praising motivated students to participate in the activities and increasing cooperative learning as well.
•  Activities: Pair work, group work and non-threatening activities can be  used to motivate students to speak. The level of challenge of the activity should be considered. The aspects of Activity are gradually developed from a little challenge to a bigger challenge.
Materials: Interesting materials must be found from various sources such as the internet, magazines, English newspapers, leaflets and texts. Authentic materials are applied in language teaching to motivate students to desire to speak.
Step 2: Enjoying Language Learning
After students were motivated in various ways, they enjoyed their language learning. Students are to develop their language learning and to reflect on how they could learn and reach their goals, particularly speaking.
Step 3: Positive Attitudes Towards Language Learning
Teachers need to develop the students’ positive attitudes towards language learning. They needs to encourage them to ask and negotiate while participating in the class. That was a good sign for language learners. They gradually became brave enough to take risks to find more opportunities to practice speaking. They speak without being afraid of making mistakes, observed how to speak, reflected on why and how to fail or reach speaking goals and revised to further develop positive attitudes towards speaking.
Lynne Kelly (2007:1) gives 5 tips to tackle the embarrassing attitudes to enable EFL beginner students speak confidently when speaking in front of their peers. She says as follows:
“* Provide models of effective communication behavior through demonstrations or videotape. Point out to students when good communication behaviors have occurred and why they are good behaviors. This should be done for all students. Do not single out shy students or label anyone as shy.
* Teach effective communication skills. If you want students to stand up and give speeches, you need to explain how to do that. Don't assume students know what to do.
* Provide structure for communication assignments, rather than leaving them wide open. If you assign an oral report on a topic, give students a format to follow so some of the ambiguity (hence threat) is removed.
* Reward students for attempts at communicating. Don't pick them apart for being wrong or unclear, but reinforce their good behaviors.
* When asking difficult questions or questions that have no right answers, ask the question and give everyone a few minutes to write an answer. Students are more apt to offer their answers if they have time to think about them first.”
III.  Conclusion
 The factors that influence the students’ embarrassing attitudes  gaining  confidence in speaking English are a) Students had negative attitudes towards language learning, especially speaking. b) students lacked  opportunity to practice. c) cultural barriers. To promote students’ confidence   in speaking English, the teachers needs three steps to tackle it such as motivation, enjoying language learning and positive attitudes towards language learning. Students need to be aware of their language learning styles and try to find what strategies can help them to speak and then further develop to increase their confidence in speaking English. Both students and teacher help them develop their language learning and teaching and promoting confidence in speaking English, especially tackling the embarrassing attitudes when speaking.
Attitudes towards confidence can empower students and also the teacher to reach any goal in language learning and teaching in or outside the class. Therefore, the more teachers or people around students try to encourage and help them with any technique to reach their goals at their own pace, the more students develop their confidence and develop to be autonomous and life-long learners.























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Songsiri, Montha. 2007. An Action Research Study of Promoting Students’ Confidence in Speaking English. Tonburi, Thailand: King Mongkut’ University of  Technology.                                           
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