An Analysis of the Second Year Students’ Speaking Ability to Describe Picture at English Department of Bung Hatta University.

Abstrak

Speaking is one of important aspects in learning English, because speaking is important tool for comunication. Without speaking skill students will not know how to express their idea and be good in comunnication. Speaking skill is important  because by mastering the speaking skill someone will be able to communicate with others. They can interact with others and can deliver some information that they have. People who learn a foreign language should be able to speak that language actively and fluently. Of course, speaking is a crucial part of second language learning and as a central element of communication. The purpose of this research was to analyze students` speaking ability at English Department of Bung Hatta University. Specifically, it aimed at describing the students’ speaking ability to describe picture.

The design of this research was descriptive research. The population of this research was the second year student’ ability at English Department of Bung Hatta University. The total sample members were 30 students, they were chosen by using total sampling technique. The data were collected through speaking test. To make the test reliable, the researcher used inter-rater technique. It means that there were two scorers to check the students’ speaking recording. The correlation coefficients of two scores was 0.84. It means that the test was reliable.

The result of this research showed that the students’ speaking ability at English Department of Bung Hatta University in general was classified into very good ability. It was proved by the finding that there are 60% students had very good ability. The students’ speaking ability in categories of content in describing picture was very good. It was proved by finding that 90 % students had very good ability. The students’ speaking ability in using grammar was low. It was proved by finding that 80% students who had low ability. The students` speaking ability in choosing vocabulary in describing picture was very good. It was proved by finding that 60% students had very good ability. The students` speaking ability in pronouncing words was very good. It was proved by the finding that 80% students had very good ability. The students` speaking ability in term of fluency was very good. It was proved by finding that 80% students had very good ability.

In line with the findings of this study as discussed above, it can be concluded that speaking ability of the second year students at English Department of Bung Hatta University was very good. So, it is suggested to the lecturer to keep or improve their ability in speaking into very good ability by giving some more practice in speaking and giving more exercises in grammar because the students’ ability in grammar is low.

Key word: Speaking, describing, picture, speaking component