The Nature of Speaking Skills

Skills (skills) are skills, dexterity or the ability to do things well and
carefully. Speaking skills are one of four language skills that must be
mastered by someone who is learning language skills in addition to writing,
reading and listening.

I. Definition
According to Tarigan (1981: 15), speaking is a form of human behavior that
utilizes physical, psychological, neurological, semantic and linguistic
factors that are very intensive. Furthermore Tarigan (1986: 3) suggests that
speaking is the ability of a person to pronounce sounds of articulation or
words that aim to express, express and convey the thoughts, ideas and
feelings of that person.

While Brown and Yule in Nunan (1989: 26) argue that speaking is using spoken
language consisting of short, incomplete or separate speech in the scope of
pronunciation. The pronunciation is very closely related to the reciprocal
relationships that are carried out between the speaker and the listener.

While according to Djago Tarigan (1995: 149) speaking is the skill of

conveying messages through spoken language. The link between message and
spoken language as a medium of delivery is very heavy. The message received
by the listener is not in its original form, but in another form, namely the
sound of language. The listener then tries to divert the message in the form
of the language's sound into its original form.

II. Conversation
Conversation (conversation) is one form of realization of speaking skills.
The definition of this conversation has many variations. Here only shows
three definitions from different dictionaries.

- If you have a conversation with someone, you talk to him, and usually in an
informal situation (Collins' COBUILD English Dictionary).
- Unofficial talks where people exchange news, feelings and thoughts (Longman
Dictionary of Contemporary English).
- An informal conversation involves a small group of people or only two
people; the conversation activity was the same way. (Oxford Advanced
Learner's Dictionary)
According to Thornbury and Slade (2006: 25), conversations are generally in
an informal form, an interactive conversation between two or more people that
occurs in real and spontaneous times, has extensive interpersonal functions
and those involved share symmetrical rights.
Thornbury and Slade (2006: 8) further mention conversation characteristics
and their implications, including:
1. Say,
2. Spontaneous in real time,
3. There is a sharing context,
4. interactive, constructive and reciprocal
5. Functioning interpersonally,
6. In informal form, and
7. Expressing desires, feelings, attitudes and judgments.

III. The purpose of speaking skills

The general purpose of speaking according to Djago Tarigan (1995: 149) there
are five groups namely
1. Entertaining Talking
The speaker attracts the attention of listeners in various ways, such as
humor, spontaneity, excitement, humorous stories, adventures, and so on to
create a happy atmosphere for the listener.

2. Inform
Report and carry out if someone wants:
a. explain a process;
b. decipher, interpret, or interpret something;
c. giving, spreading, or infusing knowledge;
d. explain the connection.

3. Stimulating Speaking
Talking must be smart to seduce, influence, or convince the listener. This
can be achieved if the speaker really knows:
a. will,
b. interest,
c. inspiration,
d. needs, and
e. the ideals of the listeners.

4. Move in speaking
To mobilize needed authoritative speakers, role models or community idol
figures. Through his intelligence in speaking, skills utilize the situation,
plus his mastery of mass psychology, the speaker can move his audience.

Whereas, according to Tarigan (1981: 16), speaking has three general

purposes, namely:
1. notify, report (to inform);
2. entertain, entertain (to entertain); and
3. persuading, inviting, urgent, convincing (to persuade).

IV. Various forms of speaking

Broadly speaking the form of speaking is divided into several forms, namely
1. Public speaking
According to Tarigan (1981: 22-23) several speaking activities fall into this category.
a. Speaking in situations that are informational or reporting, informative (informative speaking).
b. Speak in situations that are persuasive, inviting or persuasive speaking.
c. Speaking in situations that are negotiating calmly and deliberately speaking.
2. Speak at the conference
a. Formal (formal) group,
b. Unofficial group (informal)
3. Parliamentary procedures
4. Arguing
a. Parliamentary debates or assemblies,
b. Repeat examination debate,
c. Formal, conventional or educational debate

Activities in speaking skills by Richards and Renandya (2002: 209-210), divided into four activities:
1. Oral (aural: oral activities),
2. Images (visual: oral activities),
3. Material-aided: oral activities, and
4. Cultural awareness (oral awareness).

V. Speaking Function
According to Richards (2008: 21) speaking functions include:
1. As an interaction (talk as interaction),
The main elements include:
a. social functioning,
b. Reflect on relationships,
c. Reflect on the identity of the speaker,
d. It can be formal or casual,
e. use conversation terms,
f. Reflect on the level of politeness,
g. Using generic words,
h. Using registered / official conversations,
i. Constructed together.

2. As a talk as transaction
The main elements include:
a. Focus on information,
b. Focusing on psan and not on participants,
c. Use communication strategies to be understood,
d. There are questions, repetitions and understandings,
e. There are negotiations,
f. Linguistic accuracy is not very important.

3. as a performance / public (talk as performance)

The main elements include:
a. focus on messages and audiences,
b. compilation and sequential words,
c. minimize accuracy and form,
d. Cen contemplate discussing the writing,
e. Often in monological form.

VI. Factors Affecting Speaking Effectiveness

According to Arsjad and Mukti (1993: 17-20) suggesting that to be a good speaker, a speaker must
master the problem being discussed, and must speak clearly and precisely. Some of the factors that
must be considered by the speaker for speaking effectiveness are
1. Language factor
Language factors that support speaking effectiveness include:
a. Accuracy of speech, pronunciation of voices must be appropriate, as well as the placement of
pressure, duration, and the appropriate tone.
b. Selection of words or diction, must be clear, precise and varied so that it can provoke understanding
from listeners.
c. The accuracy of the speaker target, the use of sentences or the effectiveness of sentences makes it
easy for listeners to capture the contents of the conversation.
Assessment of linguistic factors includes:
a. Sayings,
b. grammar,
c. vocabulary,

2. Non-linguistic factors,
a. Not rigid attitude
b. Willingness to respect opinions,
c. View to listeners,
d. Right gestures or gestures,
e. Sound loudness,
f. Eloquence,
g. Mastery of topics.
Assessment of non-linguistic factors includes:
a. calmness,
b. volume,
c. Smoothness,
d. understanding.
Reference
Arsjad, Maidar G and Mukti U.S. 1988. Coaching the ability to speak Indonesian. Jakarta: Erlangga.

Nunan, David. 1989. Designing Task for the Communicative Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.

______. (2003). Practical English Language Teaching. New York: Mc. Craw-Hill Companies.

Richards-Amato, P. 2003. Making it Happen: From Interactive to Participatory Language Teaching. New
York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Richards, Jack C. 2008. Teaching Listening and Speaking From Theory to Practice. London: Cambridge
University Press

Richards, J. C. and Renandya, W. A. 2002. Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current

Practices. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Tarigan, Henry Guntur. 1981. Speaking As A Language Skill. Containing: Space.

Tarigan, Djago. 1995. Main Material of Indonesian Language Education. Jakarta: Ministry of Education
and Culture.

Thornbury, Scott and Diana Slade. 2006. Conversation: From Description to Pedagogy. Cambridge
University Press.