Improving the Students Speaking Skill through Learn to Speak English Software

IMPROVING THE STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL THROUGH LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH SOFTWARE  (AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY AT MUHAMMADIYAH UNIVERSITY OF MAKASSAR)

Yuditra Farmana

Graduate Program State University of Makassar

E-mail: yuditra.farmana@gmail.com

Abstract         :           The objectives of this research were: (1) to find out whether or not the use of Learn to Speak English software improves the students’ speaking skill and (2) to find out whether or not the students are interested in joining the speaking class through Learn to Speak English software. This research employed Quasi Experimental design. The sample consisted of 68 students of third semester of English and Literature Department Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, in academic year 2013/2014. The data were collected through two kinds of instruments: speaking test for the students’ speaking skill and questionnaire for students’ interest.  Data on the students’ speaking skill were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and data on the students’ interest were analyzed using Likert scale. The results of the research were: (1) the use of Learn to Speak English software in teaching speaking improved the students speaking skill; (2) the use of Learn to Speak English software increased the students’ interest in joining the speaking class.  It can be concluded that the use of Learn to Speak English software is effective to be implemented in improving the students’ speaking skills in terms of fluency and lexical resource and the students have high interest and active toward teaching speaking through Learn to Speak English software.

Key words: Speaking Skill, Learn to Speak English software, Interest.

Abstrak          :           Tujuan penelitian ini adalah: (1) untuk mengetahui apakah penggunaan software Learn to Speak English meningkatkan kemampuan berbicara, dan (2) untuk mengetahui ketertarikan siswa dalam mengikuti kelas speaking dengan menggunakan software Learn to Speak English. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian Quasi Eksperimental Design. Sample penelitian terdiri dari 68 siswa semester dua, Program Studi Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar tahun pelajaran 2013/2014. Data penelitian telah dikumpulkan dengan menggunakan dua jenis instrument: tes speaking untuk data kemampuan berbicara siswa dan angket untuk data ketertarikan siswa. Data kemampuan berbicara siswa dianalisa dengan menggunakan statistik deskriptif dan inferensial dan data ketertarikan siswa dianalisis dengan menggunakan skala Likert. Hasil penelitian adalah: (1) Penggunaan software Learn to Speak English meningkatkan kemampuan siswa dalam berbicara, dan (2) Siswa memiliki ketertarikan dan keaktifan yang sangat tinggi terhadap penggunaan software Learn to Speak English software. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa penggunaan software Learn to Speak English dianggap efektif untuk meningkatkan kemampuan berbicara siswa dalam kefasihan dan pengusaan kosa kata, serta siswa sangat tertarik dan aktif terhadap pengajaran speaking melalui software Learn to Speak English.

Kata Kunci: Kemampuan berbicara, Software Learn to Speak English, Minat.