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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 9, No. 12

Publication Date: December 25, 2022

DOI:10.14738/assrj.912.13588. Herlina, L., & Said, M. (2022). The Role of Native English-Speaking Teachers in Improving Students' Speaking Skills. Advances in

Social Sciences Research Journal, 9(12). 130-137.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

The Role of Native English-Speaking Teachers in Improving

Students' Speaking Skills

Lina Herlina

Faculty of Business and Humanities, Nusa Putra University, Indonesia

Mashadi Said

Faculty of Communication, Universitas Pancasila, Indonesia

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to determine whether (1) native English-speaking

teachers can increase students' learning motivation in speaking skills, (2) English- speaking teachers can improve students’ achievement in spoken English, (3) there

is a significant difference in learning achievement between students who are taught

by English-speaking teachers and those who are taught by non-native-speaking

teachers. This study used a mix of quantitative and qualitative research techniques.

Quantitative data was obtained from speaking skill tests with predetermined

criteria, while qualitative data was obtained from a questionnaire that is adopted

from [1]. A total of 80 students from class XI of a public high school in Sukabumi

Regency Indonesia participated in this study. The results show that native English- speaking teachers can increase students' learning motivation in speaking skills.

They can also improve the students’ achievement in spoken English, and there is a

significant difference in learning achievement between students who are taught by

English-speaking teachers and those who are taught by non-native-speaking

teachers. This implies that English-speaking teachers play a very important role in

improving students’ motivation and in developing students’ achivement.

Keywords: Native Speaker; English Teacher; Students’ achievement; Speaking Skills.

INTRODUCTION

In this era of globalization, the ability to speak English is no longer something luxurious and

extraordinary. However, Indonesian people's English skills are still unsatisfactory. In a recent

study on the English proficiency index conducted by Education First (EF), Indonesia was ranked

61st based on the 9th edition of the 2019 EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) research report

that measures adults’ English proficiency levels from 100 countries and regions in the world.

Indonesia was ranked 61st with a decrease in score from 51.58 in 2018 to 50.06 in 2019

(referensi?).

According to the findings of EF's survey, adults in Indonesia have relatively unsatisfactory

English language proficiency. According to Minh N. Tran, Senior Director, Research & Academic

Partnership of EF Education First, in [2], regarding the ranking, nations with sufficient English

proficiency will be able to compete in a larger world, while countries with low levels of English

proficiency demonstrate the ability to the country is still in the consumption stage and has not

been able to negotiate, mediate, or lobby, and even compete with other countries in English.

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Herlina, L., & Said, M. (2022). The Role of Native English-Speaking Teachers in Improving Students' Speaking Skills. Advances in Social Sciences

Research Journal, 9(12). 130-137.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.912.13588

Many factors cause Indonesians to have very low English skills. After conducting simple

observations and interviews with several people between the ages of 15-25 years, it is known

that the main factor causing the lack of speaking skills in English at that age is the lack of

motivation to learn, so there is no strong impulse that triggers them to hone their language

skills, especially speaking skills. In addition, teachers who are less competent in the field of

language are also a factor that causes the process of learning English to be less meaningful.

The correlation between students' motivation and success in learning foreign languages has

been the subject of several research. A considerable correlation between motivation and

success in target language acquisition was discovered by [1], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], and [8].

[9] assessed more than 400 students in grade ten from Eleven schools in Hong Kong for

different research. Eight of these institutions offer education in English, while the remaining

three offer instruction in Mandarin for all subjects other than English. The results of a step-by- step multiple regression analysis revealed that six of the eleven variables affected students'

proficiency in the English language. The six factors were found as freedom of language choice,

a desire to learn English, a lack of competency in using English, consent to use English, and

discomfort with Mandarin speakers using English and English as a form of identity in

educational contexts.

The association between learner motivation and attitude and English language proficiency was

examined in the longitudinal study conducted by [10] on Japanese college freshmen. The

study's results indicate that success and enthusiasm to "learn English" increased significantly

in high school seniors before waning when students reached college.

When examining the links between attitudes toward English and the development of English

competence while adjusting for demographic factors, [11] discovered that attitudes were

substantially associated with English proficiency. Their study focused on 528 freshmen from

thirteen academic departments at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand.

[12] investigated if attitudes among students and their competency in the English language in

a Malaysian setting were possibly related. The results show that attitudes and competence are

not significantly correlated with educational attainment.

And last, several studies have revealed a strong connection between student performance and

perspectives about learning a foreign language ([13], [14], [15], [16]).

We may infer from the studies mentioned above that one of the factors influencing success in

learning a foreign language is motivation. Numerous schools in Indonesia use native English

speakers to teach English, but there hasn't been much research on how this affects students'

motivation and success in learning the language, particularly in speaking. Therefore, it is

important to understand how native speakers affect students' motivation and academic

success, particularly in speaking abilities.

The specific purpose of this research is to improve the quality and speaking skills of students,

so that they are quite ready to continue their education to a higher level, and are able to

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compete and adapt to the new environment in education, where speaking skills, especially

English, are one of the most important aspects of education.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Native Speaker

According to [17] and [18], native speakers are:

1. people who learn a language at a young age and continue to speak it,

2. those who are fluent in a language intuitively,

3. people who are capable of speaking clearly and spontaneously,

4. individuals who are adept at communicating in a variety of social settings are said to be

communicatively competent,

5. people who belong to or identify with the linguistic community, and

6. those who do not speak with a foreign accent.

According to [17], native speakers are capable of writing creatively in the language they speak.

The accuracy of this feature is not perfect. If we suppose that all native speakers are extremely

skilled and creative writers in their language for many years in formal education and that most

of them are talented in expressing themselves in written language, then we may consider this

quality to be factual.

The most indisputably crucial characteristic of native speakers among the six characteristics

outlined above is that they were exposed to the language as a kid and actively participated in

its usage. [19] asserts that until someone learns a language as a kid, they are not native speakers

of that language. Furthermore, someone who does not learn the language in childhood is likely

to continue to speak with a distinguishable foreign accent. Due to the difficulties with

competence and individual performance, there are other significant elements in addition to

those that have already been highlighted (that is, how well the individual uses his language).

The knowledge of native speakers, according to [18], has been organized based on the

discoveries and research of academics in the domains of Applied Linguistics, Second Language

Acquisition, and English Language Teaching. The information that has been assimilated by

native speakers is about:

1. use of appropriate idioms,

2. the accuracy of language usage,

3. authentic pronunciation,

4. cultural background includes swearing, interjections, and "the sobbing reaction",

5. larger-than-average vocabulary, collocations, and other expressive elements,

6. metaphor,

7. frozen syntax; sucverbalnomial or bi-verbal, and

8. nonverbal cultural characteristics.

[20] state that the pragmatic and strategic competency of a language is also possessed by native

speakers. Depending on various sociocultural situations, they might participate in pragmatic

language conventions, fulfilling the objective of communication while concurrently focusing on

interpersonal interactions with other interlocutors. They have the internalized strategic

competency to fill up conversational gaps using a variety of verbal and nonverbal

communication. According to [17], native speakers resist falling to production or

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Herlina, L., & Said, M. (2022). The Role of Native English-Speaking Teachers in Improving Students' Speaking Skills. Advances in Social Sciences

Research Journal, 9(12). 130-137.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.912.13588

understanding, or avoidance. However, [17] states that avoidance is a typical communication

tactic used by non-native speakers. Native speakers might understand and accomplish:

1. a flowing and natural conversation,

2. governing,

3. doubt,

4. anticipating what the other person will say, and

5. clarifying messages by repeating them in different ways.

SPEAKING SKILLS

Speaking is a method of verbally expressing, communicating, or demonstrating ideas, according

to [21], and it also conveys information about what the speaker wants. Therefore, speaking can

be defined as a person's capacity for interpersonal communication.

Speaking, according to [22], appears to be the most crucial aspect. To be able to communicate

in the target language is the goal of learning a foreign or second language.

Many people prioritize mastering their English-speaking abilities, especially those learning a

second language or a foreign language ([23]). As a result, students frequently gauge their

progress in language acquisition by how much they believe their speaking abilities are growing.

[23] claims that he employs the three-part speaking function to create materials that are

appropriate for kids, drawing on the Brown and Yule framework. Speaking might take the shape

of an exchange, a transaction, or a performance. Each of these activities has a unique shape and

purpose, necessitating a unique method of instruction.

1. Using speech to interact

The dialogue we are accustomed to is referred to as talking in an interaction. It speaks about a

conversation that primarily has social purposes. The speaker is the center of attention, and they

are free to show themselves whatever they like.

2. Speaking in transactional terms

When the emphasis is on the message, what is said, or what is done, it is considered to be

speaking as a transaction. The emphasis is on communicating in a way that is clear and truthful,

as well as on how one interacts with others socially.

3. Speaking for effect

The third sort of conversation is speech as a performance, which is defined as informational

public speaking. Speeches, announcements made in public, and class presentations are a few

examples of this sort of speaking.

According to the purposes and goals of the learning process, the teacher must teach speaking

to students in a way that is appropriate for the speaking function. After then, indicators are

required to gauge the kids' growth.

METHODS

This study was conducted to determine whether native English speakers could increase

students' learning motivation in speaking skills, whether they could improve student learning

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achievement in spoken English, and whether there were significant differences in learning

outcomes between students who learned to speak English with native speakers and students

who learned to speak English with teachers who were not native speakers.

The method for collecting data from this study is a mixed quantitative and qualitative method.

Quantitative data were obtained from speaking skills tests with predetermined criteria, while

qualitative data were obtained from a questionnaire adopted from [1].

A total of 80 class XI students of State Senior High School in Sukabumi Regency Indonesia

participated in this study. The students who have been prepared are divided into two groups,

namely the experimental class and the control class. The experimental class got English

speaking skills lessons with a native-speaking teacher, while the control class get the same

lessons from a non-native speaker teacher, as many as 24 meetings over three months, which

is two meetings per week.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The number of students involved in the study was 80 people, consisting of 36 male students

and 44 female students who were randomly selected. All students come from the same level,

namely class XI, and from the same school, which is one of the public high schools in Sukabumi

regency, Indonesia. All students at the school have never had any English learning from a native

speaker. As it was mentioned above, this study was conducted to determine whether native

English speakers were able to increase students' learning motivation in speaking skills,

whether they could improve student learning achievement in spoken English, and whether

there were significant differences in learning outcomes between students who learned to speak

English with native speakers and students who learned to speak English with teachers who

were not native speakers.

Student Learning Motivation

Data from filling out questionnaires by students show that 100% of students felt enthusiastic

about learning with a native speaker. 95% of students agreed that learning with a native

speaker is a lot of fun. In terms of convenience, 95% of students felt comfortable studying with

a native speaker. 88% of students agreed that time seems to go faster than usual when they

were studying with a native speaker. This indicates that students really enjoy learning activities

with a native speaker. 90% of students agreed that learning to speak with a native speaker

teacher feels easier and 95% of students agreed that when learning to speak with a native

speaker, they rarely opened a dictionary because what was taught was easy to understand. 85%

of students agreed that they still remember most of the expressions taught by the native

speaker, and 95% of students felt more confident in communicating using spoken English. 90%

of students felt that they are now more communicative in the classroom at the time learning

English, and 85% of students felt that they always wanted to practice frequently using phrases

taught by native-speaking teachers outside the classroom.

The aforementioned information leads to the conclusion that native English speakers can boost

students' enthusiasm to develop speaking skills. Furthermore, it is a notable accomplishment

that they were able to retain part of the vocabulary that was given to them by native speakers.

This supports the findings of studies by [1], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], and [8] that found a significant

correlation between motivation and success in learning a target language.