Problems in English Learning Speaking

1Songsak Promdee and 2Phramaha Saranwat In-Lom

1
Faculty of Religion and Philosophy, Mahamakut Buddhist University
Faculty of Education, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University
1
Email: Weeraindia@[Link], [Link]@[Link]

Abstract
The purpose of this article is to present the problems in English learning speaking.
Speaking skills is one of the four major language skills that most language learners desire to
master in order to communicate effectively in different contexts. It is important to determine
main factors hindering learners to speak English fluently. A common problem encountered by a
large number of students is that they are quite proficient in reading and listening skills; yet, they
are unable to speak English fluently although they have learnt English since primary education.
In other words, the majority of students find it difficult to express their opinions or orally
communicate in English with other people. Particularly, when students are required to give a
talk or make an argument, most of them are speechless or spend much time thinking of what
they are going to say. Bedsides, when being asked to present a certain topic, students tend to
read material they have prepared rather than naturally present key messages to the audience.
This study, therefore, is conducted with the aim of discovering, analyzing English major
students’ problems in speaking English as well as suggesting feasible solutions to address the
situation.
Keywords: Problems; English Learning Speaking
Introduction
In Oxford Learning's Pocket dictionary the word 'problem' is thing that difficult to deal
with or understand. So, problem is situation, person, or thing that difficult to understand
something and needs attention then needs to be dealt or solved. According to Margono,
problem is a gap between the expectations of something that should be the reality. For
example, the gap between the overflowing number of high school graduates in hopes of
accommodating ability of university. It means that the cause of problem in mastering English are
some differences between English and Indonesian such as pronounce, grammar, and phrase.
It can be concluded that problem is thing that difficult to deal and understand, problem
occur because there is a gap between the expectation or something and reality. To solve the
problem we need to understand the problem and cause of the problem occur.
1. Problems in Learning
2| Problems in English Learning Speaking

There are many reasons for problem occurred in learning. It can see from students'
reaction to their teacher's behavioral, from other factors inside the classroom, or from outside
factor, according to Harmer problem in learning as follows:
a. The family: students' experiences in their families have a. profound influence on their
attitudes to learning and to authority.
b. Education: previous learning experiences of all kinds affect students' behavioral.
c. Self-esteem: self-esteem may result partly from teacher approval (especially for
children), from a student's peer (especially for adolescents).
d. Boredom; when students are engaged with a task or a topic they are unlikely to
behave disruptively but if they lose that engagement they may misbehave.
e. External factors some external factors may effect students behavior too. They are
tired they are unable to concentrate. If the classroom is too hot or too cold this may result in
students being too relaxed or too nervy. (Harmer, J. 2007:126-128)
In short, problem in learning is important to detect such as inside and outside classroom
or basically problem occur by students' family, there previous learning experiences, self-esteem
or a topic they are unlikely. Besides of the problem above there is problem in external from
their own self, it like the classroom is too hot, or any other problem.
Other expert Kumaravadivelu states that problem in learning refers to leaner internal
and leaner external factors, the factors as follow:
a. Individual factors: age and anxiety.
b. Negotiation factors: interaction and interpretation.
c. Tactical factors: learning strategies and communication strategies.
d. Affective factors: attitudes and motivation.
e. Knowledge factors: language knowledge and metalanguage knowledge.
f. Environmental factors, educational and social context. (Kumaravadivelu, 2006:30)
In short, problem in learning base on Kumaravadivelu is outcome of learner factors and
outside of learner factors. Learner factors or internal factors are individual factors, and affective
factors, besides or internal factors there are external factors or outside of learner factors as
tactical factors, knowledge factors, negotiation factors, and environmental factors.
Based on several explanations about learning problem above there are similarities and
contradiction, It can be concluded that there are two board factors that influenced in learning:
Internal factors such as age, anxiety, boredom, self-esteem, attitude, motivation, and external
factors such as family, other education, strategy in learning and the classrooms.
2. Problems in Learning English
Stern states that learning English influenced by learner factors, the factors as follow:
a. The optimal age question: one of interpretation which should only be asked after the
age specific characteristics of language learning have previously been established.
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b. Language aptitude and other cognitive factors: experience that some language
learners appear to have a gift for languages which other lack. And the cognitive qualities that an
individual must bring to bear upon language learning, the identification of a few basic
characteristics of school learning, such as word knowledge, verbal intelligence, reasoning, and
school achievement.
c. Affective and personality factors: learners declare their feeling and intentions with
their feet when they opt for or turn away from, language classes. These studies focused on
learners, social attitude, values, and the motivation of learners in realtion to other learner
factors and the learning outcome. (Stern, 1991:316).
In short, to get new information in English subject someone has to conscious about the
problem which happens because of the differences age characteristic and previously language
learning, everyone shortage, learner feeling and attentions in the class, focused on social
attitudes, values, motivation, and also relationship.
Other experts that explain about problem in learning English are Praveen and Patel, the
problem follow:
a. Motivation: thought speech that child learn to organize his perception and regulate his
behavior and mental activities.
b. Reinforcement: makes any response powerful.
c. Attention: mental process of students which decides the role of students'
involvement in teaching learning process.
d. Memory human brain is store house of memory.
e. Habit formation: if we want to learn language we should take in practice. Acquiring
new habit is the result of learning. (Praveen, M. and Pate, M.E., 2008:41-45).
In short, Pravecen and Patel state that something that influences of learning English are
outcome of learner own self, the factors as learner motivation, positive response, process to
give attentions, a human brain, and new habitual action.
Based on several explanations about problems in learning English, the researcher
concluded that from the two experts above the same opinion that is something that affects
learning English is a learning factor, where the factors that occur are the factors of age, language
skills and other cognitive factors such as the human brain, responses, and also personality
factors such as attention, motivation, and habitual actions.
3. Problems in Learning Speaking
Students' problem in speaking activity usually comes from the difficulties in speaking
activity faced by students, such as the problems of them fear of making mistakes come from
the skill factor of difficulties faced by students, It is supported by Thornbury states that the
difficulties that learner speaker faces break down into two main area as follow:
a. Knowledge factors, the learners do not yet know aspects of language that enable
production. They are lack of knowledge of the language and lack of practice of interactive
4| Problems in English Learning Speaking

speaking itself for we know that English is-a complex language. The knowledge about English
that should be mastered by learners in order to understand about English itself wholly, such as
the knowledge of grammar, pronunciation, or vocabulary, exactly will support the students'
learning, so the students will not face great difficulties in learning. In addition, after having
knowledge about language, it is better for the students to practice more, for it is important
factor to improve speaking proficiency. If the students never practice, it is rather impossible for
them to master English easily in learning.
b. Skill factors: the students' knowledge is not sufficiently automated to ensure fluency.
As result may also be affective factors such as lack of confidence which might inhibit fluency.
(Scott, T., 2005:74) Although we have enough knowledge and often practice by ourselves, but
we do not have confidence to perform in front of many people, we will still have difficulty
exactly in learning speaking. Hence, to be a good speaker, we should have enough confidence.
Finally, we will have good skill of speaking and become a good speaker.
There are three aspects of language enable production, they are: pronunciation,
grammar, and vocabulary. That three aspects should mastered by the students to improve their
skill in learning speaking. Besides, teacher also should-be able to encourage the students to
explore themselves to develop speaking skills. It can be practiced by trying to interact with
others in the class. So, they can be challenged to expose their ability in speaking support from
their teacher. In this case the teacher may also give the opportunity to explore the student by
giving a theme and students will be practiced using picture as a media, and also students can
communicate in the target language. (Harmer, J., 2007:269) There are some factors that
included in psychological factors that related with second language learning among them are as
follows:
a. Lack of Motivation
Motivation is the power of some who will achieve something.
b. Anxiety
Anxiety, simply speaking is a kind of troubled feeling in the mind.
c. Self-confidence
Self-confidence is the most significant in language learning. It provides learners with the
motivation and energy to become positive about their own learning.
d. Shyness
Shyness is one of the difficulties that every student faces while learning a new language
and factor that cause reluctant to speak in English class.
e. Students' fear of ridicule or laughter. (Juhana, 2012: 12)
Based on the statements above, many factors and reasons that make students have
difficulties in learning speaking. Therefore, a teacher must be able to make the atmosphere in
the classroom as interesting and comfortable as possible so that students' difficulties in learning
English can be easily overcome. The ways to overcome are such as teaching the students in
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order to have a high confidence, giving them motivation in learning English, and latter giving
them great support. Therefore, the learning process in class can take place comfortably so that
students have a little difficulty in learning to speak.
4. Causes of Problem in Learning Speaking
There are many factors that cause of problem in speaking, and they are as follows:
a. Inhibition. Students are worried about making mistakes, fearful of criticism, or simply
shy.
b. Nothing to say. Students have no motive to express themselves.
c. Low or uneven participation. Only one participant can talk at a time because of large
classes and the tendency of some students to dominate, while others speak very little or not at
all.
d. Mother-tongue use. Learners who share the same mother tongue tend to use it
because it is easier and because learners feel less exposed if they are speaking their mother
tongue. (Penny, M. 2006:120)
In addition, Brown states that points out that clustering, reduced forms, performance
variables, and colloquial language are the cause of factors that make speaking difficult. These
difficulties related to linguistic problems will be explained in this below:
(1) Clustering
Fluent speech is phrasal not word by word. Learners can organize their output both
cognitively and physically (in breath groups) through such clustering.
(2) Reduced forms
Contractions, elisions, reduced vowels, etc. all form special problems in teaching spoken
English. Students who do not learn colloquial contractions can sometimes develop a stilted,
bookish quality of speaking that in tum stigmatizes them.
(3) Performance variables
One of the advantages of spoken language is that the process of thinking as you speak
allows you to manifest a certain number of performance hesitations, pauses, backtracking, and
corrections. Learners can actually be taught how to pause and hesitate. For example, in English
our "thinking time" is not silent, we insert certain "fillers" such as uh, um, well, you know, I
mean, like, etc. One of the most salient differences between native and nonnative speakers of a
language is in their hesitation phenomena.
(4) Colloquial language
Students should be reasonably well acquainted with the words, idioms, and phrases of
colloquial language and get practice in producing these forms. (Brown.H.D., 2001) Based on the
explanation above the researcher concluded that there are four cause of problems in learning
speaking such as inhibition, nothing to say, lows participation and mother tongue use. Those
four things are most of difficulties that students often encounter in learning speaking skill.
6| Problems in English Learning Speaking

Beside that, clustering, reduced forms, performance variables, and colloquial language are the
cause of factors that make speaking difficult. These difficulties related to linguistic problem.
5. Concept of Speaking
5.1 Definition of Speaking
Speaking is a very important skill to communicate, from talking to being able to
express opinions, ideas, feeling to others. Speaking is a productive skill that can be directly and
empirically observed; those observations are invariably colored by the accuracy and fluency.
Speaking is the activity to express thought and feeling orally. (Brown, H.D., 2008) Speaking is the
way in which the talkers allow one another to have their say by the series of signal, given by
tone of voice, and hand gesture or a facial expression. The speaker who has taken the active
position to take the role makes a corresponding series of verbal responses. In addition, speaking
is showed that not only by voice but facial expression to make talkers more correspond and
make conversation became clear. Based on the above, speaking not only produces sound with
the speech organ, but also controls and participates in it. Continuing to talk will share
information with, knowledge, ideas, and opinions. In addition, speaking cannot be discussed
from the listening aspect, because it is Help listen to the listener.
6. The Function of Speaking
The function of speaking is to deliver some messages or ideas from the speaker to the
listener. According to Richard, Brown and Yule made a useful distinction between the
interactional functions of speaking, in which it serves to maintain and establish social relations,
and the transactional functions, which focus on the exchange of the information, There are
three functions of speaking. They are talk as interaction, talk as transaction, and talk as
performance. (Jack, C. R., 2008)
a. Talk as Interaction
This usually refers to what we normally mean by a conversation and describes
interaction which serves a primarily social function. When people meet, they would exchange
greetings, engage in small talk and chit chat, recount recent experiences and so on because
they wish to be friendly and to establish a comfortable zone of interaction with others. The
focus is on the speakers and the way how they wish to present themselves to each others than
on the message.
b. Talk as Transaction
This type of talk refers to the situations where the focus is one what is said or done. The
message is the main focus here and making someone understood accurately and clearly, rather
than the participants and the way how they interact socially with each other. In transactions,
Jones in Richards states that talk is associated with other activities. For examples, students may
be engaged in hand on activities. (e.g. in a science subject) to explore concepts associated with
sinking and floating. In this type of spoken language teachers and students usually focus on
meaning or on talking their way to understanding.
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c. Talk as Performance
The third type of talk which can usefully be distinguished has been called talk as a
performance. This usually refers to public talk. That is, talk which transmits information before
pan audience such as public announcements, morning talks and speeches. From the resolution
explained above, it can be discussed above, speaking above, speaking above, speaking above,
speaking in conversation in public conversation. All speak to be able to help and guide people
in speaking activities.
7. Types of Classroom Speaking Performance
Based on the book of Brown also provides another types of classroom speaking
performance, they are six similar categories that apply to the kinds of oral production that
students are expected to carry out in the classroom: (Brown, H.D., 2008:271)
a. Imitative
A very limited portion of classroom speaking time may legitimately be spent generating
"human tape recorder" speech, where, for example, students practice an intonation contour or
try to point certain vowel sound, Imitation of this kind is carried out not for the purpose of
meaningful interaction, but for focusing on some particular element of language form.
b. Intensive
Intensive speaking goes one beyond imitative to include any speaking performance that
is designed to practice some phonological or grammatical aspect of Language. Intensive
speaking can be self-initiated or it can even form part of some pair work activities, where
learners are "going over" certain forms of language.
c. Responsive
A good deal of students' speech in the classroom in responsive; short replies to teacher
and student and student-initiated comments or questions. These replies are usually sufficient
and do not extend into dialogue.
d. Transactional (dialogue)
Transactional language, carried out for the purpose of conveying or exchanging specific
information, is an extended from responsive of language.
e. Interpersonal (dialogue)
Interpersonal dialogue was mention in the previous chapter and other form in
conversation, carried out more for the purpose maintaining social relationships than for the
transmission of information and facts.
f. Extensive (monologue)
Finally, students at intermediate to advanced levels are called on to give extended
monologues in the forms of oral summaries, reports, or perhaps short speeches. Here the
register is more deliberative and formal these monologues can be planned or impromptu.
8| Problems in English Learning Speaking

Based on the quote above, all types have strengths and weaknesses in each process of
learning speaking skills. The teacher must be creative and innovative. Of course, teachers need
more interesting media and techniques to support them in achieving their goals.
8. Micro Skills of Speaking
There are many definitions of speaking that have been proposed by some experts in
language learning. Brown states that when someone can speak a language it means that he can
carry on a conversation reasonably competently. In addition, he states that the benchmark of
successful acquisition of language is almost always the demonstration of an ability to
accomplish pragmatic goals through an interactive discourse with other language speakers.
(Brown, H.D., 2001: 267) Moreover, nonlinguistic elements such as gestures, body language, and
expressions are needed in conveying messages directly without any accompanying speech.
Brown states that social contact in interactive language functions is a key importance and in
which it is not what you say that counts but how you say it what you convey with body
language, gestures, eye contact, physical distance and other nonverbal messages. (Brown, H.D.
2001:237)
The teaching of language has not been concerned with spoken language teaching. This
language comprises short, often fragmentary utterances, in pronunciation range. On the
contrary, written language is characterized by well-formed sentences which are integrated into
highly structured paragraphs.
Learners begin with the smallest units of language, individual sounds, and move through
the mastery of words and sentences to discourse. The top-down view, on the other hand,
proposes that the learners start with the larger chunks of language, which are embedded in
meaningful contexts, and use their knowledge of the contexts to comprehend and use the
smaller language elements correctly.
Brown adds in teaching oral communication, micro skills are very important. One
implication is the importance of focusing on both the forms of language and the functions of
the language. He also mentions that the pieces of language should be given attention for more
that make up to the whole. Furthermore, he mentions micro skills of oral communication:
a. Produce differences among English phonemes and allophonic variants.
b. Produce chunks of language of different lengths.
c. Produce English stress patterns, words in stressed and unstressed positions rhythmic
structure, and into national contours.
d. Produce reduced forms if words and phrases.
e. Use an adequate number of lexical units (words) in order to accomplish pragmatic
purposes.
f. Produce fluent speech at different rates of delivery.
g. Monitor one`s own oral production and use various strategic devices –pauses, fillers,
self-corrections, backtracking- to enhance the clarity of the message.
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h. Use grammatical word classes (nouns, verbs, etc.), systems (e.g, tense, agreement, and
pluralization), word order, patterns, rules and elliptical forms.
i. Produce speech in natural constituents: in appropriate phrases, pause groups, breath
groups, and sentence constituents.
j. Express a particular meaning in different grammatical forms.
k. Use cohesive devices in spoken discourse. (Brown, H.D., 2008:142)
From some definitions above it can be concluded that speaking skill is always related to
communication. Speaking skill itself can be stated as the skill to use the language accurately to
express meanings in order to transfer or to get knowledge and information from other people in
the whole life situation.
9. Previous Studies
There are previous studies discuss the problems and causes of students who use English
speaking skills.
First, In this study, the researcher found that some of the abilities of students could not
speak using English, even in simple sentences. There are only a few students who have good
English speaking skills. This study also found students who lack vocabulary, limited grammar
knowledge in pronunciation, shame, nervousness, fear of making mistakes, lack of confidence,
limited practice, dominant mother tongue, and low student motivation in learning. Meanwhile,
the teacher can solve the problem namely with more practice, increase vocabulary mastery,
increase motivation and use interesting strategies. (Devy, N.S., 2014:142)
Second, Through research that has been done, which is found that teachers face
problems in teaching speaking English in class, namely the problem of teachers not being able
to control classroom management, students lacking in vocabulary, students who lack
confidence. But the teacher can solve problems through methods: active speaking, giving
assignments, questions, and responding, while the techniques used by the teacher are,
storytelling, reporting, answering and asking questions, exchanging ideas, presentations,
discussions, losing lyrics, finding a new vocabulary, debate, challenge, and listen to music.
(Nanang, 2017:152)
Third, through research that has been done, namely from observations and interviews
conducted by researchers, he revealed that all students experience various difficulties in English
language skills. A common problem faced by students is a lack of vocabulary, while also being
afraid of making mistakes which is the main cause of the problem, to prevent them from
speaking. Although students have tried to overcome their problems in learning to speak, their
efforts have not been sufficient and successful.
From the previous studies, there is a difference with that research. The researcher tries
to analyze the problems of students speaking English during teaching and learning activities
because it must be known what causes the problems faced by students in speaking English, and
10 | Problems in English Learning Speaking

the teacher can find out strategies in overcoming speaking problems. The researcher will take
samples from teachers and students.

Knowledge from the Study

Undeniably English is an important language to learn. Speaking English fluently will
benefit you in unimaginable ways. If you are still unaware of the advantages of gaining fluency
in English, here we have listed some:

Conclusion
One of English language skills that must be mastered by any foreign language learner is
the ability to speak. The common question that arises from anybody who wants to know one’s
ability in foreign language is whether he/she can speak English or not. The most people,
mastering speaking skill is the single most important aspect of learning a second or foreign
language, and success is measured in terms of the ability to carry out a conversation in the
language.
Speaking is required by people to interact among them. In speaking activity, many things
that should be paid attention, not only relate to what is being spoken, what the language is
used, but also who is our interlocutor. In addition, a good speaker should pay attention what
the topic is being spoken by him, what the language that he/she uses in order to be understood
easily by his listener, and to whom he/she speaks. Hence, speaking is a tool to communicate
ideas that are arranged and developed accordance with listener’s need. It means that the
speaker must strive communicate his/her ideas clearly so that those ideas can be accepted well
accordance with what is wanted by the listeners.
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