PSZ 19:16 (1/97)
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA BORANG PENGESAHAN STATUS TESIS♦ THE FEASIBILITY OF ‘TELL ME MORE’ ORAL ACTIVITIES
JUDUL:
IN DEVELOPING UTM STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL. SESI PENGAJIAN: 2007/2008
ISNI MIMIYANA BT MOHAMAD BORHAN
Saya
(HURUF BESAR) mengaku membenarkan tesis (PSM/Sarjana/Doktor Falsafah)* ini disimpan di Perpustakaan Universiti Teknologi Malaysia dengan syarat-syarat kegunaan seperti berikut: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Tesis adalah hakmilik Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Perpustakaan Universiti Teknologi Malaysia dibenarkan membuat salinan untuk tujuan pengajian sahaja. Perpustakaan dibenarkan membuat salinan tesis ini sebagai bahan pertukaran antara institusi pengajian tinggi **Sila tandakan ( )
SULIT
(Mengandungi maklumat yang berdarjah keselamatan atau kepentingan Malaysia seperti yang termaktub didalam AKTA RAHSIA RASMI 1972 )
TERHAD
(Mengandungi maklumat TERHAD yang telah ditentukan oleh organisasi/badan dimana penyelidikan dijalankan)
TIDAK TERHAD Disahkan oleh,
(TANDATANGAN PENULIS) Alamat Tetap:
Nama Penyelia
NO.40, JLN TEMBAGA MERAH 18, TMN SRI SKUDAI, 81300 JOHOR BAHRU, JOHOR, Tarikh: 30 APRIL 2008
CATATAN:
(TANDATANGAN PENYELIA)
* ** #
DR. MASDINAH ALAUYAH BT.MD YUSOF
Tarikh: 30 APRIL 2008
Potong yang tidak berkenaan Jika tesis ini SULIT atau TERHAD, sila lampirkan surat daripada pihak berkuasa/organisasi berkenaan dengan menyatakan sekali sebab dan tempoh tesis ini perlu dikelaskan sebagai SULIT dan TERHAD. Tesis dimaksudkan sebagai tesis bagi Ijazah Doktor Falsafah dan Sarjana secara penyelidikan atau disertai bagi pengajian secara kursus dan penyelidikan atau Laporan Projek Sarjana Muda (PSM)
THE FEASIBILITY OF ‘TELL ME MORE’ ORAL ACTIVITIES IN DEVELOPING UTM STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL
ISNI MIMIYANA BT MOHAMAD BORHAN
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Science and Education (TESL)
Faculty of Education Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
APRIL 2008
iii
To my beloved Father, mother, And family members For their concerns, supports and love To my small and happy family, Abang, Pearl and Emerald, Your loves keep me going on
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Thank to God Almighty, with His power and blessing, I am able to complete this thesis although there are always obstacles and hurdles to overcome. First of all, I would like to show my gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Masdinah Alauyah bt. Md. Yusof for her guidance, criticism and valuable advices. Without her efforts and encouragement, this thesis could never be completed as it is now. As for my beloved father and mother, who keep giving supports in term of materials and inspirations, your daughter always wish that she could do more to repay you. As for my sisters and brother; Kak Ayu, Kak Ati, Kak Ani, Ain and Azrai, thanks for your encouragement and ideas whenever you saw me down and unmotivated. And for my precious; Pearl and Emerald, mama will always love you…. A special thanks also goes to my beloved hubby, Faizal Riza b Rahmat for your understanding during this hard time. To my friends, especially my classmate; Nabilah, Hajar and Hani, your friendships are beyond comparison in this world. Last but not least, to all that were involved in completing this thesis, my greatest gratitude for your cooperation and supports. Thank You.
v
ABSTRACT
English speaking skill is becoming more important among university students. Through the Faculty of Management and Human Resource Development (FPPSM) UTM, the SelfAccess Learning is introduced into the English proficiency courses. Tell Me More is one of the software that provides the activities for the students to improve their English speaking skill. The use of this software inspired the researcher to find out its feasibility in developing UTM students’ speaking skill. A total of 70 students who were involved in the research were asked to fill up the questionnaire. As a whole, students agreed with the use of Tell Me More in helping them to enhance their English speaking skill. The feedbacks received provide useful information about i) students’ perception of the Tell Me More oral activities, and ii) the problems that students faced while using the software. Apart from that, the researcher has given a few recommendations that can be used for the future research which related to the topic of this study.
vi
ABSTRAK
Kemahiran bertutur dalam Bahasa Inggeris menjadi semakin penting di kalangan pelajarpelajar universiti. Melalui Fakulti Pengurusan dan Pembangunan Sumber Manusia (FPPSM) UTM, pembelajaran kendiri diperkenalkan di dalam kursus kemahiran Bahasa Inggeris. Di antara perisian yang memberi latihan untuk pelajar memperbaiki kemahiran bertutur Bahasa Inggeris ialah Tell Me More. Penggunaan perisian ini memberikan inspirasi kepada penyelidik untuk mengkaji sejauh mana kesesuaian perisian ini dalam meningkatkan kemahiran bertutur pelajar-pelajar di UTM. Seramai 70 orang pelajar telah terlibat di dalam kajian ini. Secara keseluruhannya, pelajar-pelajar bersetuju dengan penggunaan Tell Me More dalam membantu mereka meningkatkan kemahiran bertutur Bahasa Inggeris. Maklumbalas yang diterima juga dapat memberikan maklumat yang berguna mengenai i) pendapat pelajar tentang aktiviti-aktiviti lisan di dalam Tell Me More, dan ii) masalah-masalah yang dihadapi pelajar ketika mengunakan perisian ini. Selain dari itu, penyelidik juga telah memberikan beberapa cadangan yang boleh digunakan untuk kajian pada masa akan datang yang berkaitan dengan topik kajian ini.
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
TITLE
PAGE
Thesis Status Declaration Supervisor’s Declaration
1
Researcher Declaration
ii
Dedication
iii
Acknowledgement
iv
Abstract
v
Abstrak
vi
Table of Contents
vii
List of Tables
xi
List of Figures
xii
List of Appendixes
xiii
INTRODUCTION 1.0
Introduction
1
1.1
Background of Problem
2
1.2
Statement of Problem
3
1.3
Objectives of the Study
4
1.4
Research Questions
4
viii 1.5
Scope of the Study
5
1.6
Significance of the Research
5
1.7
Limitation of the Study
1.8
2
3
1.7.1
Students
6
1.7.2
Time constraint
6
Terms Used 1.8.1
Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL)
6
1.8.2
Tell Me More oral activities (TMMOA)
7
1.8.3
Self-Access Learning (SAL)
7
LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0
Introduction
8
2.1
The History of CALL
8
2.2
The development of CALL; from the perspective of teachers and students’ roles
9
2.3
CALL and Speaking skills
10
2.4
Definition Self-Access Learning (SAL)
11
2.5
CALL and self-access
12
2.6
The TELL ME MORE Education software program
13
2.7
Conclusion
16
METHODOLOGY 3.0
Introduction
17
3.1
Research Design
17
3.2
Sample
18
3.3
Research Instruments 3.3.1
Questionnaire
18
ix 3.4
Research Procedures 3.4.1
Pilot Study
3.4.2
Actual Study 3.4.2.1 Questionnaire
3.5
4
Data Analysis
20 22 22
ANALYSIS, FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 4.0
Introduction
23
4.1
Students’ views on English Speaking skill
23
4.2
How important and useful is the ‘Tell Me More’ oral activities in developing UTM students’ speaking skill? 4.2.1
24 Do the students find the TMMOA interesting than in the classroom teaching?
4.2.2
25
Which oral activities in TMMOA are most favoured by the students and which activities
5
are least favoured by them.
27
4.2.3
Are the TMMOA easy to use (user friendly)?
29
4.2.4
Do the TMMOA meet students’ needs?
30
4.3
Students’ problems while using the TMMOA
32
4.4
Conclusion
33
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 5.0
Introduction
35
5.1
Overview of The Research
35
5.2
Review of findings
36
5.3
Implications research finding
37
5.4
Recommendations for Future Research
38
x
REFERENCES
39
APPENDIXES
41
xi
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE NO.
TITLE
PAGE
4.1
Students’ views on English speaking skill
24
4.2
Percentage of responses in item 2.3 and item 2.11
30
4.3
Percentage of students’ responses
31
4.4
Percentage of students’ responses
32
xii
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE 4.1
TITLE
PAGE
‘I prefer learning speaking using TMMOA than in the classroom’
26
4.2
Activities most favoured by the students
27
4.3
Activity less favoured by the students
28
xiii
LIST OF APPENDIXES
APPENDIX
TITLE
PAGE
1
Pilot Study Questionnaire
43
2
Questionnaire
51
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.0
Introduction
Speaking plays a crucial role in the language learning process. It is a productive skill; that is, some ‘product’ is expected. Compared to the Listening and reading, which are both receptive skills; students are passively receiving and processing information. Speaking involves vocabulary, pronunciation as well as the structure and rules of grammar. Levelt (1989) has put together a framework that characterizes speaking as a multilevel process, moving from intention to articulation. It involves acoustic, linguistic, social, pragmatic, and functional characteristics. Due to that, it is clear that speaking is an essential combination of variety units that individual needs during their communication.
Previously, CALL was designed to enable students to listen, read and fill in the blanks, but not to produce oral language. Speaking was also absent from testing because of the difficulty in evaluating it objectively and the time it takes to conduct speaking tests (Clifford, 1987). Finally, speaking has been neglected in CALL technology.
2 The current situation is different. Presently, many programmers have introduced language learning software that is speech-enabled to foster learners’ involvement in interactive speaking activities. But the following questions remain, how feasible CALL can be used to develop speaking skills? Various researches have been conducted to gain the concurrence and reliable explanations for the questions above. No matter what it is, the environment of learning speaking using CALL as students’ self-access learning has inspired the researcher to carry out this study.
1.1
Background of Problem
Students have different learning styles and preferences when learn speaking. They could be dependent or independent students. In case of students who are dependent, they tend to rely on their teacher in their learning. It means the existence of teacher is very important in order to guide them and decide the materials that suit them. With teachers around, they feel more comfortable and state that their learning process becomes easier. In contrast, independent students preferred learning using their own style. It is also known as self-access learning (SAL). SAL enhances students’ autonomous language learning skills. CALL is one of the ways where students will have the opportunity to practice their speaking skills outside the classroom based on their abilities, interest and needs.
Apart from that, Egan (1996) claimed, “Adult learners have a hard time distinguishing the sounds of the language, are often inhibited in speaking in front of others, and usually do not get undivided attention from their instructors.” In this case, students who are introverted may use CALL as their self-access learning to learn and practice their speaking skills. They will feel more sheltered and confident because the CALL set up consisted of one student working individually with one computer; which is not interrupted or monitored by their friends or teacher.
3 In Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, the Department of Modern Languages offers a variety of English courses. These courses are aimed to enhance students’ proficiency level in English such as for speaking. The research is focused on English for Academic Communication (UHB 1412) because this course has introduced self-access learning programme whereby the students are able to carry out speaking activities provided in the self-access learning laboratory at their own preference.
1.2
Statement of Problem
Even though various research have been done regarding the self-access learning programme for students speaking development, this phenomenon is still new in UTM There are a few softwares can be used by the students as their self-access learning for course UHB 1412. Tell Me More is one of the software that provides the oral activities. The oral activities enable learners to listen, record and playback for accuracy and to practice pronunciation. Besides that, it also provides real situations that encourage students to practice using the language.
Many researchers try to reveal the effectiveness of using the CALL as students self access learning although the findings are not consistence to assess effectiveness. Jones (2001) recognized that students can only learn from computers with the instruction and supervision of teachers, which means CALL, will not be effective without this essential interaction of teachers and students. Therefore, there is a need to know the suitability of the oral activities in the Tell Me More software in developing UTM students’ speaking skill. Thus, instead of the feasibility, this research plans to reveal students’ perception about the oral activities in the Tell Me More software including their problems while using it. It is hoped that the findings of the study could help to improve the use of Tell Me More in developing UTM students’ speaking skill.
4 1.3
Objectives of the Study
1.
To find out the feasibility of the ‘Tell Me More’ oral activities in developing UTM students’ speaking skill.
2.
To find out students’ perception of the ‘Tell Me More’ oral activities programme.
3.
To investigate students’ problems while using the ‘Tell Me More’ oral activities.
1.4
Research Questions
1.
How important and useful is the ‘Tell Me More’ oral activities in developing UTM students’ speaking skill?
2.
a) Do the students find the ‘Tell Me More’ oral activities interesting than in the classroom teaching? b) Which oral activities in Tell Me More programme are most favoured by the students and which activities are least favoured by them? c) Are the oral activities in ‘Tell Me More’ programme easy to use(user friendly)? d) Do the oral activities in ‘Tell Me More’ programme meet the students’ needs?
5 3.
What are the problems that students faced while using the ‘Tell Me More’ oral activities?
1.5
Scope of the Study
This study focuses on first year UTM students taking English for Academic Communication (UHB 1412) course who are using the Tell Me More software. The software provides the students with a few of language skills such as writing, speaking, vocabulary and grammar. However, this study purposely aims on the speaking (oral) activities.
1.6
Significance of the Research
The study will be conducted to find out the possibility of using the Tell Me More oral activities (TMMOA). The results gained from the study will be valuable sources of information for the learning development. It could provide information to lecturers, especially language lecturers as well as instructional multimedia designers on students’ perceptions of the Tell Me More oral activities. The study is also to distinguish the speaking learning software as self-access learning compared in the classroom teaching that develops students’ speaking skill.
6 1.7
Limitation of the Study
These are some of the limitations for the study:
1.7.1 Students This study is conducted only for first year UTM students who are taking English for Academic Communication (UHB 1412). The findings will be more interesting if the respondents can be selected from every faculty in UTM.
1.7.2
Time constraint The researcher has planned to distribute the questionnaire in a week. However, some students who came to the lab were using other software than TMMOA. Therefore, it makes the process of collecting data become slowly. Moreover, some of the students did not have time to complete the questionnaire on time because they have to attend another class.
1.8
Terms Used
These terms are used in this report:
1.8.1
Computer assisted in language learning (CALL)
Refer to Wikipedia, Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is an approach to language teaching and learning in which computer technology is used as an aid to the presentation, reinforcement and assessment of material to be learned, usually including a
7 substantial interactive element. Typical CALL programs present a stimulus to which the learner must respond. The stimulus may be presented in any combination of text, still images, sound, and motion video. The learner responds by typing at the keyboard, pointing and clicking with the mouse, or speaking into a microphone. The computer offers feedback, indicating whether the learner’s response is right or wrong and, in the more sophisticated CALLS programs, attempting to analyze the learner’s response and to pinpoint errors.
1.8.2
Tell Me More oral activities (TMM Oral Activities)
Tell Me More is a self-access learning software that help the students in language learning. It comprises a few language skills such as writing, vocabulary and speaking. The oral activities in the software facilitate students’ speaking skill.
1.8.3
Self-Access Learning (SAL)
Students are able to learn independently outside the classroom and have the authority to choose their own learning without teachers’ guidance. It is closely related to a learner-centered approach, learner autonomy and self-directed learning as all focus on student responsibility and active participation for his/her own learning. Sheerin (1991) defines the concept of self-access as follows: ‘ Self-access’ is a way of describing learning materials that are designed and organized in such a way that students can select and work on tasks on their own….and obtain feedback on their own performance.
