Page 1 of 8
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.
Page 2 of 8
131
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
Page 3 of 8
132
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 9, Issue 12, December-2022
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
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
Page 4 of 8
133
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
Page 5 of 8
134
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 9, Issue 12, December-2022
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
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.
Page 6 of 8
135
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
Improvement of Students' Speaking Skills
To find out whether there was a significant increase in student learning achievement in
speaking English or not, researchers provided two types of speaking tests, namely pre-test, and
post-test. Pre-tests were conducted to compare students' ability to speak English before
proceeding with treatment. The pre-test results are depicted in table 1.
Table 1. Pre-test Results
!� �# !�� $!�%
� �� ��
EXPERIMENTAL
CLASS
242.5 6.06 1500.75 58806.25
-0.130 1.665 CONTROL
CLASS
243.5 6.09 1531.25 59292.25
The results of the pre-test showed that t0 is smaller than ttable. This means that there is no
significant difference in ability between the experimental class and the control class. So, the
researcher could continue the implementation of the research to the next stage.
After receiving treatment, students carried out a post-test to measure whether there is a
significant difference between the achievement of student learning outcomes in the
experimental class and the control class. The post-test results are depicted in table 2.
Table 2. Post-test Results
!� �# !�� $!�%
� �� ��
EXPERIMENTAL
CLASS
355.5 8.89 3175.15 126380.5
16.94 1.304 CONTROL
CLASS
233.8 5.84 1400.42 54662.44
The post-test results show that t0 is greater than ttabel. From these results, it can be concluded
that there is a significant difference in student learning achievement between students who
learn with native-speaker teachers and students who learn with teachers who are not native
speakers. The difference in t0 and ttable grades also proves that there is a significant
improvement in the English-speaking ability of students who study with native-speaking
teachers. This is consistent with studies by [1], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], and [8] which discovered a
significant relationship between motivation and success in learning a target language.
CONCLUSION
This study was conducted to determine whether native English speakers could 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.
The results of this study show that native English speakers could increase students' learning
motivation in speaking skills, and they also could improve student learning achievement in
Page 7 of 8
136
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 9, Issue 12, December-2022
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
spoken English. In addition, there are 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.
SUGGESTION
This study was carried out by taking a few students from the same school as the participants,
and the treatment was given for a short period of time. It is hoped that future studies will be
carried out by considering a wider range of participants with more treatment duration, not only
on speaking skills but on other language skills.
References
1. Gardner, R. C., & Lambert, W. E. (1972). Attitudes and motivation in second language learning. Rowley,
Mass: Newbury House.USA.
2. Dahuri, Deri. (2019). Indeks Kemampuan Bahasa Inggris Orang Indonesia Nomor 61. Taken from
https://mediaindonesia.com/humaniora/277217/indeks-kemampuan-bahasa-inggris-orang-indonesia- nomor 61tahun%202019
3. Anisfield, M., & Lambert, W. E. (1961). Social and psychological variables in learning Hebrew". Journal of
Abnormal and Social Psychology 63. 524-29.
4. Lukmani, Y. M. (1972). Motivation to learn and language proficiency. Language Learning Journal of Applied
linguistics 22. 261-273.
5. Feenstra, H. J., & Santos, E. H. (1970). Aptitude, attitude, and motivation in second language acquisition: A
look at two cultures. Occasional Paper 5. Manila: Philippine Normal College, Language Study Center.
6. Oller, J. W., Hudson, A., & Liu, P.F. (1977). Attitudes and attained proficiency in ESL: A sociolinguistic study
of native speakers of Chinese. Language Learning Journal of Applied linguistics 27. 1-27.
7. Oller, J. W., & Chihara, T. (1978). Attitudes and attained proficiency in EFL: A sociolinguistic study of adult
Japanese speakers. Language Learning Journal of Applied Linguistics 28. 55- 68.
8. Oller, J. W., & Asakawa, (1977). Attitudes and attained proficiency in ESL. in Gardner, R.C. (1985). The role of
attitudes and motivation: Social psychology and second language learning (eds). Baltimore: Edward Arnold
Ltd. Maryland, USA.
9. Pierson, H. D., Fu, G. S., & Lee, S. Y. (1980). An analysis of the relationship between language attitudes and
English attainment of secondary students in Hong Kong. Language Learning Journal of Applied Linguistics.
30 (2).
10. Berwick, R., & Ross, S. (1989). Motivation after matriculation: Are Japanese learners still alive after
examination hell? JALT Journal 11. 193-210.
11. Prapphal, K., & Oller, J., W. (1982). Some Factors in Learning English in Thailand. RELC Journal 13 (2). 78-
86.
12. Salasiah, C., L. (1999). Language attitudes towards English and Language proficiency in English among
Malaysian Students: A Sociolinguistic Study of Penang Island. The paper was presented at the 4th
International Conference of CULI. Thailand.
13. Samimy, K. K., & Tabuse, M. (1992). Affective Variables and a less commonly taught language: A study in
beginning Japanese classes. _Language Learning 42 (3), 377-398.
14. Aida, Y. (1994). Examination of Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope’s construct of foreign language anxiety: The case
of students of Japanese. Modern Language Journal 58. 24-32.
15. Ganschow, L., Sparks, R., Anderson, M., Javorshky, O., Skinner, D., and Patton, H. (1994). Differences in
language performance among high, average, and low anxious college foreign language learners. Modern
Language Journal 78 (1). 41-55.
Page 8 of 8
137
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
16. Horwitz, E.K., Horwitz, M. B. and Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. Modern Language
Journal 70. 125-132.
17. Davies, A. (1996). Proficiency or the native speaker: what are we trying to achieve in ELT? In G. Cook & B.
Seidlhofer (Eds.), Principle and practice in applied linguistics (pp. 145-157). Oxford: OUP
18. Coulmas, F. (1981). Spies and native speakers. In F. Coulmas (Ed.), A festschrift for native speaker (pp. 355-
367). The Hague: Mouton.
19. Cook, V. J. (1999). Going beyond the Native Speaker in Language Teaching. TESOL Quarterly, 33, 2, 185-209.
20. Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching
and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1, 1-47.
21. Brown, H. D. (2001). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy. Second Edition.
White Plains, NY: Pearson Education.
22. Ur, P. (1996). A course in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
23. Jack C. Richards. (2008). Teaching listening and speaking: from theory to practice. Cambridge University
Press.