Speaking

Basically, there are four skills required in English teaching learning program. They are reading, speaking, listening and writing. Base on those skill, speaking is one of the most important skill in language learning. Also, among the four skills, speaking is often considered as the most difficult skill to be learned by the students. Brown and Yule (1983) state that learning to talk in the foreign language is often considered being one of the most difficult aspects of language learning for the teacher to help the students with. Helping the students develop the speaking skill not merely so that they can pass examination but also for more general use when they want to use the English in whatever situation. By speaking, we can convey information and ideas, and maintain social relationship by communicating with others. In addition, a large percentage of the worlds language learners study English in order to be able to communicate fluently. It is stated by British Councils report (1998) that more than two billion people use English to communicate (British council report in Shakier 2006). Some people often think that the ability to speak a language is the product of language learning. They assumed that speaking is a crucial part of language learning process. Many language learners regard speaking ability as the measure of knowing a language. That is why the main purpose of language learning is to develop proficiency in speaking and communicative efficiency. They regard speaking as the most important skill they can acquire and asses their progress in terms of their accomplishments in spoken communication. Speaking ability also becomes the main objective of language learning especially in senior high school in Indonesia. Students of senior high school are required to master speaking after graduating from their school in order to be able to communicate in English. According to KTSP (School Based Curriculum) of English for SMA, speaking must be taught to the students because it is one of language skill besides reading, listening and writing. Moreover students are expected to be able to communicate English well ( Depdiknas 2006: 305) On the contrary, according to the writers experience when he was in senior high school, speaking is the most difficult part for the students when they learn English language. The writer finds out many students of senior high school still have difficulty in speaking English although they are supposed to master it after graduating from their schools in order to be able to communicate. Although students have learned English for years, many of them are still incapable

to use English orally. These may be caused by the limitation of opportunity to practice, lack of vocabulary, psychological factors which more concern to the fear of making mistakes when speaking English and also inappropriate method for the characteristic of the students. In order to be able to speak English well, students have to feel comfortable and confident in practicing their English. By feeling comfortable and confident, students will not fear of making mistakes when speaking English. But on the other hand, many students always feel uncomfortable, unconfident, and fear of making mistakes when speaking English. This fear and uncomfortable feeling can be caused by the inappropriate method that used by the teacher. In fact, there are many teacher use inappropriate method in teaching speaking skill. They use teaching method that makes their students fell unsecure, under pressure, and fear of making mistakes. Therefore, English teacher should be able to encourage and motivate the students to learn the target language by using the appropriate method. They should use an appropriate method that makes their students fell comfortable, independent, autonomous, and responsible. The use of appropriate method can influence the students achievement in learning language, especially speaking skill in English. Anthony said that method is an overall plan for the orderly presentation of language material, no part of which contradict, and all of which is based upon, the selected approach. An approach is axiomatic, a method is procedural (Anthony, 1963). It can be said that method is implementation of approach. Method is the level at which theory is put into practice and at which choices are made about the particular skill to be taught, the content to be taught, and the order in which the content will be presented. Method can be one reason for the failure of teaching-learning process. Mackey (1975:14) stated that method equip the student with the knowledge and skill required for effective communication in foreign language. There are many methods that can be applied in language teaching. Such as Grammar Translation Method (GTM), Direct Method, Community Language Learning Method (CLL), Audio Lingual Method, Silent Way Method, Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL), Total Physical Response, and Natural Approach. In this problem, the writer is interested to use silent way method in teaching speaking skill at the second year students of SMAN 4 Kediri. He choose that method because he assumes that silent way method is a method that can encourage, and motivate students to use their English without fell of fear in making mistake.

In Silent Way method, teaching learning is facilitated if the students learn based on the self-correction. Therefore, this will make students independent, autonomous, and responsible. In this method, teachers have to make the students rely on themselves. It means that the teacher is silent he is just active setting up situation through non verbal gestures and his tool. The students can produce any sound and the teacher will never ask anybody else to do it for them. It means that error are considered natural and error are used as indicator where language unclear. So, the students are hoped to be responsible for the words or utterances they are saying. Furthermore, in Silent Way the teacher functions as a guide, an organizer, a resource and as an evaluator (Stead 2006: 76) Base on the explanation above, the writer would like to find out whether the silent way method in teaching speaking skill at the second year students of SMAN 4 Kediri can develop their speaking ability. Based on the backgrounds discussed above, the writer underlines the problem as follow: Is there the effect of Silent Way method significantly developing the students speaking ability at the second year students of SMA N 4 Kediri, when it is implemented?