Implementing Self-Assessment to Improve Speaking Skill

Abstract

A common learning problem in second language learning is the fact that it takes longer to better speaking skills. Seeing students reach a progressive communication interaction where both parties, speaker and listener, are able to understand and negotiate meaning within each other is one of the most rewarding scenarios a teacher can contemplate. The problem encountered in the English academy language institution in level A2 is on Speaking. The little speaking interaction in class affects students’ ability to develop and hold English communication in class. Consequently, this sparks several inconveniences, especially the ones focused on the spoken interaction. Introducing activities based on every day student context to enhance and sustain a constant speaking practice would eventually increment students’ confidence to build speaking skills inside and outside the classroom. The advantage of human interaction to gain speaking practice is that it is a natural state and helps develop techniques or tools to reach levels of speaking skills. In research from Verenikina (2003), “Vygotsky emphasized the social and cultural nature of development. He claimed that psychological development happens within social interactions, not through the unfolding of innate structures. Development cannot be separated from its social and cultural context.” (p, 2). Connection to others is merely directly associated with learning and educators understand that peer involvement is key. Rubrics, checklists, among other tools, can help develop speaking practice in the classroom because certain activities involve more than two participants. It is the interaction that can activate a long-term memory in the use of new vocabulary. Creating or adapting activities based on every day context enhances better results. According to Kareva and Echevarria (2013), “it’s necessary to activate students’ prior knowledge in order to learn what students already know, to identify misinformation, or discover when it’s necessary to fill in gaps” (p. 241). Apart from the unit’s design, one important adaptation can be added for a closer communicative approach. For example, setting temporary scenarios in classroom, such as a fashion and clothing conversation or a bus terminal interaction with the bus driver is necessary to train students when they might deal with real-life situations. Teachers’ important role in today’s teaching environment is building speaking skills inside and outside the classroom, and this is by making the student the protagonist of the class and his or her learning. According to Krashen (2013), “we acquire language when we understand what people tell us or when we understand what we read” (p. 3). Students today grasp the idea that the teacher’s objective is to promotes interaction in class, and they serve as monitors and guides. Hence teachers should be more prepared and ready to start a class. Several methods and tools have been developed not only to improve the skill but also to boost their willingness to improve for themselves. Witnessing students progressively better their speaking skills is indeed rewarding and fruitful. Advantages and drawbacks are inevitably necessary to understand a particular scenario in a class or a virtual one. Developing proper and unique techniques and methods to better students’ speaking skills is important.