Strategies in Online Speaking Classroom in the Time of Covid-19: A Descriptive Study at Tertiary Level

Recently, the Covid-19 pandemic has transformed teaching and learning into a virtual model, which demands teachers to find their best strategy. This study aims to analyze the strategies applied by teachers at the tertiary level in the time of Covid-19. The researchers employed a descriptive research design conducted in one of the Islamic universities at Bengkulu. The subjects were two English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching staff who taught speaking skills at the beginner level. The data was obtained through a semi-structured interview. The observation was also done during one semester, where the researchers took part in the online classrooms. After the data was collected, the researchers analyzed the data by following some steps: (1) data reduction, (2) data display, and (2) conclusion drawing/verification. The findings revealed that the English teachers used several teaching-speaking skills integrated with social media and mobile phone applications to be accessed easily. The strategies are lecturing, role-play, online group discussion, simulation, and drilling. They are blended with WhatsApp Group, Google Classroom, Zoom, and Instagram. Even though the learning process can be managed in this pandemic, face-to-face learning is still favorable.

The Study of Strategies in Learning English and English Academic Achievement

English language learning is not a new thing in Indonesia, many people want to learn English for various purposes. However, not all students can easily achieve their goals and follow the learning process. One of the factors is language learning strategy. This research aimed to investigate the students’ English language learning strategies and its correlation with the English academic achievement. Descriptive and correlational design, quantitative and qualitative methods were applied in this research. The students’ English scores on their study report (KHS) and SILL were used as the instrument. The samples of this research were fifty third year students majoring in English at IAIN Samarinda. Moreover, three students were chosen to participate in the semi structured interview. The data of the research were analyzed using descriptive and Pearson Product Moment correlation. The result showed that the most preferred strategy used by the students was social strategy There was a significant correlation between students’ English language learning strategies and English academic achievement (r=.436, p=.001<.05).

An Analysis of Code Mixing in the MOVIE “From London to Bali”

examined is the types and level code-mixing. In types and level code-mixing, researchers used the Suwito theory. As for the types of code-mixing, including inner code-mixing and outer code-mixing, while in code-mixing level consists of six words: word-level code-mixing, phrase-level code-mixing, clause level code, baster level code-mixing, repetition level code-mixing, and code-mixing level idioms. This research design used is qualitative research. Qualitative research, among others, is descriptive. The data is collected more in the form of words or pictures rather than numbers. The qualitative descriptive method is a method that researchers can use to analyze by doing fact-finding with the right interpretation. Qualitative research is closely associated with the context. Based on the results of the analysis from London to Bali, the data was obtained for types of code-mixing consisting of inner code-mixing 115 data, outer code-mixing 46 data, and level code-mixing consisting of word-level code-mixing 145 data, phrase level code-mixing 10 data, code-mixing clause level 4 Data, baster level code-mixing 1 data, repetition level code-mixing 3 data, idiom level code-mixing 0 data.

How EFL Learners Maintain Motivational Factors and Positive Attitudes during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

The present study aims to analyze how a group of EFL learners in Indonesia maintained their motivation and positive attitudes toward English learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. The present study applied a qualitative study by conducting semi-structured interviews with ten respondents. The results suggest that the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the respondents significantly. At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, most respondents were demotivated but they were able to motivate themselves again by reminding themselves of the reasons they learned English in the first place. Those reasons are mostly dominated by extrinsic factors such as their need to get jobs, studying overseas and the benefits of mastering English for their future also motivated the respondents. However, some are still motivated to learn English because they are intrinsically motivated. The results suggest that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are needed to maintain learners' motivation and positive attitudes toward language learning. In addition, maintaining personal communication with students during tough times such as the Covid-19 pandemic seems important to be conducted by teachers. By keeping personal communication, teachers can help maintain students' motivation. Besides that, the findings of the present study indicate that the respondents used various methods to maintain their motivation such as using social media to learn English and constantly reminding themselves of their language learning goals. In regards to this, teachers should help students by integrating social media into the lessons and providing affirmations that remind students of the benefits of English language mastery.

Investigating Gender Differences on the Students’ Attitudes and Motivation toward English Learning

Some researchers have researched to explore the effects of gender differences on learning outcomes. However, the interrelatedness of gender differences to attitudes and motivation needs to explore and investigate more. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the students' attitudes toward the English language and their motivation toward English language teaching based on gender differences in a state junior high school in Banyumas Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. There were 38 male and 32 female students who participated in this research. This research used a survey adapted from the Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) and interviews in collecting the data. The researchers employed descriptive statistics and MANOVA for quantitative data and the Miles and Huberman model for qualitative data analysis. The findings showed a significant difference and effect of gender differences on the students' attitudes and motivation. Both male and female students revealed moderately high attitudes and motivation. However, female students showed a higher average score of the survey result. Less practice in real-life communication and limited exposure was the reason why the male students' have lower results in their attitudes and motivation toward English learning. Thus, providing authentic materials and exposure became some of the key points to improve meaningful learning experiences.

The Implementation of Higher Order Thinking Skill (HOTS) in Junior High School: Teaching Practice and Problems

This study is aims to find out teaching practice and problems in impelementing HOTS. This research is descriptive qualitative. Subject of this study were four English Teacher in SMPN 1 Rejang Lebong. Questionnaire and interview were used to find out data of this research. Data analyzed by using qualitative analysis. The result of this study is (1) the implementation of HOTS in SMPN 1 Rejang Lebong is well done based on Anderson Taxonomy: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating. Second, teaching problems in HOTS implementation, and (2) lack of facilities, lack of time, lack of training, lack of knowledge, lack of connection, and lack of motivation were teaching problems of HOTS implementation. This finding is hoped can be used to know about teaching and learning process by using HOTS in junior high school.Keywords: HOTS, Junior High School, Teaching Practice, Teaching Problems

The Impact of Audio-Visual Aids on Learning English among MSU Third-Year Students

This study investigates the efficacy of audio-visual technologies in assisting MSU third-year students in learning English vocabulary. The interplay of audio-visual aids in educational conversations has been researched from a variety of perspectives (Tuovinen, 2000). Multimedia is a multimodal experience in which information is communicated through text, graphics, pictures, audio, and video. It has been demonstrated that a combination of words and images always carries a substantial quantity of information (Mayer, 2018: 55). The use of multimedia in teaching and learning. The goal of this research is to determine the efficiency of audiovisual aids in the learning of English vocabulary among MSU third-year students. The use of multimedia in instruction and learning threatens the foundations of higher education. The current study investigates how third-year students at Malaysia's Management and Science University use multimedia in their English studies (MSU). To fulfill the study's aims, the researchers used both a qualitative and quantitative approach. An online poll of 200 students enrolled in the Bachelor of English as a second language program was used to construct the study corpus (BTESL). In addition, 150 MSU students from the same program were polled. The study's findings indicate that multimedia inspires BTESL students to learn English creatively and engagingly. It also aroused students' attention and compelled them to learn new terms. Multimedia, according to the study, is an excellent tool for third-year English students. It also helps students enhance their understanding of correct terminology and language.

The Importance of Linguistics for Teachers in English Language Teaching

This writing aims to determine the function of Linguistics in English Language Teaching. It will discuss how important linguistics in English language teaching is. It uses the literature review method or called library research. In collecting the data, it uses the descriptive method and comparison method. From the finding, it can be concluded that linguistics pays attention to its function in teaching. Linguistics and language teaching are closely related to each other. This is because language teaching goes hand in hand with language growth. How is it possible that a language teacher can practice language skills if he does not master linguistics itself, how can he train writing skills if he does not master spelling, morphology, syntax, semantics, and lexicology? In addition, as a language teacher, he not only has to practice language skills but also has to explain the rules of the language correctly.

The Application of Collaborative Writing Strategy in Teaching Composition in a Public Junior High School

The qualitative descriptive method was used by the researcher in this study. The term "qualitative descriptive research" refers to a survey study that determined and described the use of a collaborative writing strategy in teaching composition. The study's objectives are to learn how the teacher uses the collaborative writing strategy in teaching composition in a public junior high school, as well as the students' reactions to the strategies used by the teacher in teaching writing in a public junior high school. The teachers and students of UPT SMP Negeri 6 Makassar's ninth grade were the study's subjects. As a result, the researcher chose one of the two teachers at this school who could use Microsoft 365 and two classes, BI.2 and 9. A, as the subjects of the study. According to the findings, the English teacher at UPT SMP Negeri 6 Makassar frequently employs three of five strategies, including horizontal division parallel writing, stratified division parallel writing, and reactive writing strategy. Furthermore, the researcher discovered that students' responses to the strategies that the teacher implemented in teaching writing of collaborative writing gave a positive response toward the collaborative writing strategy that the teacher used, and students' responses to the strategies that the teacher implemented in teaching writing tend to prefer groups in the form of group discussions rather than writing alone because they cannot exchange information and understanding. Because the students' background knowledge is still insufficient, the researcher discovered that group single author writing and sequential single writing are rarely used by the teacher during the research process.

The Impact of a Three-Step Interview on Students’ Speaking Ability

The goal of this study was to determine the impact of employing a Three-Step Interview on students' speaking abilities. This study's population consisted of all 80 students in their first year at MAN Talang Leak Kabupaten Lebong. The sample consisted of 56 individuals drawn from two courses. The students were separated into two groups: the experimental group got therapy utilizing the Three-Step-Interview method, while the control group was taught using traditional methods. The data will be collected using several methods in the exam. The pre-test will be given once before the therapy begins, and the post-test will be given once the study is completed. This research includes seven treatment meetings. It is based on MAN Talang Leak's academic timetable and semester program. The post-test would be given to the students after they had received seven treatments for each topic. The results from this study will be statistically analyzed using the t-test for the pre-and post-tests. The post-test will be used to collect data on the influence of using the Three-Step-Interview method on students' speaking performance. The disparity between the two classes was substantial. According to the data analysis, the outcome demonstrates that the Three-Step-Interview approach may increase students' speaking abilities. It is possible to conclude that the usage of the Three-Step-Interview had a beneficial influence on students' speaking skills. Based on the findings, teachers are advised to utilize the Three-Step-Interview approach when training senior high school pupils to talk.