Improving Speaking Skill

Implementation of Model Cooperative Learning on English Speaking Skill

 

     In nowadays, using English becomes a common thing. Sometimes students underestimate English because it is not their mother language but on another side,  they think that mastering English is a necessary thing to do. In English, it has four basic skill, one of them is speaking skill. Speaking is an act of making vocal sounds or how someone expressing their thought or idea in spoken language (verbally). Some student cannot express their idea because they do not know how to speak well and it makes them feel down and ended up do not want to speak up anymore. To improve speaking skill, students need to implement Model Cooperative Learning this method can be used in Senior High School and university level. According to Johnson, Johnson & Smith (1998) Cooperative Learning (CL) is a teaching technique where students can make group discussion to help their process and achieve the goal.
          CL method in teaching-learning English skill as a foreign language is the strategy that emphasizes toward student's attitude in learning English, this method is also called as ‘learning together'. In this method, students will form small groups for example that group consist of two to five students in each group. They can share their thoughts, knowledge, ideas or arguments in learning the speaking skill. Students that using this method will understand easily because they can speak up with their friends (their member group) without any doubt when teacher give them a topic for speaking class and then they should discuss and help one another. Students can share their knowledge with their member group when one of them does not understand the topic, discuss the appropriate vocabularies or grammar.

 
      Using Cooperative Learning method, the teachers also have their role involves modeling, facilitating and coaching their students become active both of group work or individually. This method has many advantages in helping students' learning progress 1) It can encourage students be more critical to improve their speaking skills  for example when teacher asks them to give argument in debate among group discussion, 2) CL method makes students feel free to express their ideas when with their friend or when they speak to their teacher because this technique build their confidence up, 3) They can share their opinion to increase their fluency in speaking skill, 4) The students will be more active in search speaking materials or information about some case, 5) The atmosphere of class will be great and it can make the students  focus on their learning basic speaking skill.
       Thus, application of Cooperative Learning method is really beneficial both for the students and the teachers. CL method helps students to improve speaking skill through form group discussion because they feel free and becomes open-minded when they talk or discuss the topic of speaking with their friends meanwhile in using this method the teachers have their own role as the facilitator during the learning process.