Confronting Cultural Barriers in Public Speaking through Multiple Learning Strategies: A Case of Indonesian EFL Learners

https://doi.org/10.22146/jh.53380

Concilianus Laos Mbato(1*)

(1) English Education Study Program/Master's Program in English Education, Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


Cultural barriers, anxiety and lack of English competence may lead to EFL students’ failures in public peaking. Conducive learning environments, right coaching and learning strategies are likely to increase the possibility of students’ success. This research aimed to investigate whether the implementation of multiple learning strategies empowered Indonesian EFL students’ public speaking skills. 56 students enrolled in three public speaking classes of Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta in the academic year 2017-2018 participated in the research. One overriding research question was postulated, i.e., to what extent does the implementation of multiple learning strategies empower students’ public speaking skills? To answer the question, classroom mixed-methods research was employed where students filled out four different questionnaires and submitted focus group discussion (FGD) results at the end of the semester. Quantitative and qualitative data analyses indicated that students had very high perceptions about the use of and the combinations of reflections, peer-, teacher-, and self-assessments, independent learning plans and activities. They believed that multiple learning strategies implemented in the Public Speaking Class enabled them to be independent, responsible, and better learners. They also acknowledged becoming more confident and better public speakers. This study contributes to the body of knowledge in public speaking in two important ways. First, learning to speak in public for non-native speakers of English should begin with raising their awareness about cultural barriers that might inhibit the development of the necessary skills in public speaking. Second, teaching public speaking to EFL students requires the adoption of multiple learning strategies including strategies to confront imminent cultural barriers. This research, therefore, urges public speaking trainers and teachers in EFL settings to include intercultural understanding and multiple learning strategies in their public speaking classes in order to empower students’ public speaking skills


Keywords


public speaking; learning strategies; reflection; assessment; independent learning; Indonesian social and cultural values; confidence; intercultural understanding

Full Text:

PDF


References

Abdolrezapour, P., Tavakoli, M., & Ketabi, S. (2017). Enhancing learners’ emotions in an L2 context through emotionalized dynamic assessment. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 3(2), 213-243. http://www.ssllt.amu.edu.pl

Abdullah W. (2016). Etnolinguistic Study of local wisdom in ex-residency of Surakarta. Humaniora, 28, 279-289.

Anandari, C.L. (2015). Indonesian EFL students’ anxiety in speech production: possible causes and remedy. TEFLIN Journal, 26(1), 1-16.

Andriani, M., Udasmoro, W., & Suhandano. (2019). Ideological struggles and identity construction within the politics of French linguistics in Indonesia. Humaniora, 31(1), 73-80. https://doi.org/10.22146/jh.v31i1.34626

Andries, F.F. (2018). The integration of religion and culture to construct social identity through the Pukul Sapu Ritual in Mamala Village, Moluccas. Humaniora, 30, 92-101.

Apriyanti, D., Syofiani, Ramadhan, S., & Mukhaiyar. (2018). Improving students’ public speaking skill through Instagram. A paper presented at International Conference on Language, Literature, and Education (ICLLE 2018). Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 263.

Banegas, D. L. (2011). Teachers as ‘reform-doers’: developing a participatory curriculum to teach English as a foreign language. Educational Action Research, 19(4), 417-432. doi: 0.1080/09650792.2011.625654

Bippus, A.M., & Daly, J.A. (1999) What do people think causes stage fright?: naïve attributions about the reasons for public speaking anxiety. Communication Education, 48(1), 63-72, doi:10.1080/03634529909379153

Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2018): Classroom assessment and pedagogy. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 1-26. doi: 10.1080/0969594X.2018.1441807. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2018.1441807

Boromisza-Habashi, D., Hughes, J.M.F., & Malkowski, J.A. (2016). Public speaking as cultural ideal: internationalizing the public speaking curriculum. Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, 9(1), 20-34. doi: 10.1080/17513057.2016.1120847.

Burns, A. (2010). Doing Action Research in English Language Teaching: A Guide for Practitioners. New York: Routledge.

Butler, N.D. (2017). Learning to speak in the digital age: an examination of instructional conditions for teaching public speaking online. Voice and Speech Review, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/23268263.2017.1370805

Chaffee, K.E., Noels, K.A., McEown, M.S. (2014). Learning from authoritarian teachers: Controlling the situation or controlling yourself can sustain motivation. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 4(2), 355-387. doi: 10.14746/ssllt.2014.4.2.9

Chamot, A. U. (2008). Strategy instruction and good language learners. In C. Griffiths (Ed.), Lessons from good language learners (pp. 266-281). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Chamot, A. U. (2009a). The CALLA Handbook: Implementing the Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (2nd. ed.). White Plains, NY: Pearson Education.

Chamot, A. U. (2009b). Using student choice in foreign language teaching to make connections to other disciplines. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 6(2), 150-160.

Chou, M. (2018). Speaking anxiety and strategy use for learning English as a foreign language in full and partial English-medium instruction contexts. TESOL QUARTERLY, 52(3).

Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational Research: Planning, Conducting and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education.

Daniela, P. (2015). The relationship between self-regulation, motivation and performance at secondary school students. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 191, 2549–2553. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.410

Dornyei, Z. (2005). The Psychology of the Language Learner: Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Dörnyei, Z., & Ushioda, E. (2013). Teaching and Researching Motivation(2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.

Durlik, C., Brown, G., & Tsakiris, M. (2014) Enhanced interoceptive awareness during anticipation of public speaking is associated with fear of negative evaluation. Cognition and Emotion, 28(3), 530-540. doi: 10.1080/02699931.2013.832654

Finlay, L. (2008). Reflecting on reflective practice. PBPL CETL, Open University, [Online]. Retrieved from
http://www.open.ac.uk/opencetl/resources/pbplresources/finlay-l-2008-reflectingreflectivepracticepbpl-paper-52

Gallego, M. (2014). Second language learners’ reflections on the effectiveness of dictogloss: A multi-sectional, multi-level analysis. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching 4(1), 33-50. doi: 10.14746/ssllt.2014.4.1.3. http://www.ssllt.amu.edu.pl

Hermawan, M.S., & Loo, M.K. (2019). The construction of Kekeluargaan as an Indonesia’s organizational culture. Humaniora,31(1), 1-13.

Humaedi, A. (2013). Budaya Hibrida Masyarakat Cirebon. Humaniora, 25, 281-295.

Hutchings, P. (2018). Helping students develop habits of reflection: What we can learn from the NILOA Assignment Library. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois and Indiana University, National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA). http://www.learningoutcomeassessment.org/documents/
Habits_Of_Reflection_FINAL.pdf

Jing, H. (2005). Metacognition training in the Chinese university classroom: An action research study. Educational Action Research. 13(3), 413-434. doi: 10.1080/09650790500200309

Jin, Y. (2015). The anxiety-proficiency relationship and the stability of anxiety: the case of Chinese university learners of English and Japanese. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 5(1), 41-63. DOI: 10.14746/ssllt.2015.5.1.3

Khonbi, Z.A. & and Sadeghi, K. (2013). Self-, peer-, and teacher-assessment: An investigation into Iranian EFL students’ attitudes. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 3(1). 87-107. doi: https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2013.3.1.5

Kusciati K. P., Susilorini, & Febriary, I. (2013). Trendy veils: young Javanese women between Islam and modernity. Humaniora, 23, 308-323.

Krajka, J. (2017). Assessment in the language classroom: Teachers supporting student learning [Review of the book, by Cheng, L & Fox, J]. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching 7(4), 715-720. doi: 10.14746/ssllt.2017.7.4.8

LeFebvre, L., LeFebvre, L.E., & Allen, M. (2018) Training the butterflies to fly in formation: cataloging student fears about public speaking. Communication Education, 67(3), 348-362, DOI:
10.1080/03634523.2018.1468915

Lockley, T. (2013). Exploring self-perceived communication competence in foreign language learning. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 3(2), 187-212.

Mabuan, R. A. (2017). Developing ESL/EFL learners’ public speaking skills through Pecha Kucha presentations. English Review: Journal of English Education, 6 (1), 1-10. doi: 10.25134/erjee.v6i1.76

Mbato, C.L. (2019). Indonesian EFL learners’ critical thinking in reading: Bridging the gap between declarative, procedural and conditional knowledge. Humaniora, 31(1), 92-101.

Mbato, C.L. (2013). Facilitating EFL learners’ self-regulation in reading: Implementing a metacognitive approach in a higher education context. Dissertation, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia.

Moffatt, A. (2012). Indonesian cultural profile. Diversicare: West End, Queensland. Retrieved, August 18, 2019 from http://www.diversicare.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Profile_Indonesian.pdf

Murtisari, S.T. (2013). Some traditional Javanese values in NSM: from God to social interaction. International Journal of Indonesian Studies, 1, 110-125

Nadar, F.X. (1999). Transfer of Javanese culture in the production of English utterances and its impact on inter-cultural interaction. Humaniora, 11, 1-6.

Nash, G., Crimmins, G., & Oprescu, F. (2016). If first-year students are afraid of public speaking assessments what can teachers do to alleviate such anxiety? Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 41(4), 586–600. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2015.1032212

O’Malley, J. M., & Chamot, A. U. (1990). Learning Strategies in Second Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Omar, Y.G., & Altaieb, S. (2015). Culture awareness and learning English as a Second Language (ESL). Journal of Modern Education Review, 5(8), 739–757. doi: 10.15341/jmer(2155-7993)/08.05.2015/003

Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know. Boston: Heinle & Heinle.

Oxford, R. (1994). Language learning strategies: An update. ERIC Digest, ED376707(October), 1-6. Retrieved from http://www.ericfacility.net/databases/ERICDigests/ed376707.htm

Oxford, R. L. (2011). Teaching and Researching Language Learning Strategies. Harlow: Pearson Education.

Oxford, R. L. (2017). Teaching and Researching Language Learning Strategies. Selfregulation in Context. New York and London: Routledge.

Pawlak, M. (2018). Investigating the use of speaking strategies in the performance of two communicative tasks: the importance of communicative goal. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching 8(2), 269-291. doi: 10.14746/ssllt.2018.8.2.5. http://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/ssllt.

Rainey, I. (2000). Action research and the English as a foreign language practitioner: Time to take stock. Educational Action Research, 8(1), 65-91. doi:0.1080/09650790000200112

Retnowati, Y. (2015). Challenges in cross cultural advertising. Humaniora, 27, 340-349.

Scanlan, J. M., & Chernomas, W. M. (1997). Developing the reflective teacher. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 25, 1138–1143. SPSS Inc. Released 2008. SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 17.0. Chicago: SPSS Inc.

Stewart, C.O., McConnell III, J.R., Stallings, L.A., & Roscoe, R.D. (2017). An initial exploration of students’ mindsets, attitudes, and beliefs about public speaking. Communication Research Reports, 00(00), 1–6.

Tolo, E.Y.S. (2013). Dari ortokrasi ke demokrasi: Menyibak sejarah dan survivalitas “demokrasi ala Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta." Humariora, 25, 270-280.

Yee, K.M., Abidin, M.J.Z. (2014). The use of public speaking in motivating ESL learners to overcome speech anxiety. International Journal on Studies in English Language and Literature (IJSELL, 2(11), 127-135.

Watkins, C.I. (2014). Strategies for ESL Students in Community Colleges to Develop Their Public
Speaking Skills. Master’s Projects and Capstones, 87. ttps://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/87.

Zimmerman, B. (2000). Attaining self-regulation: A social cognitive perspective. In M. Boekaerts, P. R. Pintrich & M. Zeidner (Eds.), Handhook of Self-regulation (pp. 13-39). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Zimmerman, B. J. (2008). Investigating self-regulation and motivation: Historical background, methodological developments, and future prospects. American Educational Research Journal, 45(1), 166–183. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831207312909

Zuniga, M., and Simard, D., ( 2016). Observing the interactive qualities of L2 instructional practices in ESL and FSL classrooms. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 6(1). 2016. 135-158. doi: 10.14746/ssllt.2016.6.1.7



DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/jh.53380

Article Metrics

Abstract views : 3995 | views : 3149

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.




Copyright (c) 2020 Jurnal Humaniora

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.