Monday, February 11, 2008

Applying Information Gap Activities

Introduction

The experience of the writer in MTs Mathlabul Falah Labuan showed that most of the students
have low ability in speaking. In contrast, good speaking skill is needed since it is the prime
aspect used as a measurement of English learning success. Language learners, who are able to
express their ideas and emotions in the target language, are usually regarded as success learners.
However, in most opportunities, they talk in hurry, at the short time. It occurs because they are
not able to explore and present their ideas orally. The problem then directly reduces their talking
time in the classroom.

Students’ talking time during classes positively contributes in improving their speaking ability.
Ur (1996, as citied by Violet Raptou) states that one of four characteristics from a successful
speaking activity is learners talk a lot in the extended period of time. This means that students
should practice as much as possible in order to learn English successfully. Good language
learners are they who have self confidence to experiment actively with the language and taking
risks.

In line with the importance of increasing students’ talking time, teachers as responsible persons
to achieve the learning purposes, should find a strategy to lengthen the students’ talking time in
the classroom. More talking time is had, more practice is done. West (1968, as citied by Murcia)
suggests that teacher should be concerned to increase what he mentioned as IPTT (Individual
pupil talking time). It is brief enough that increasing students’ communication requires
continuous concern for content and methods or strategies from the teachers.

Information gap activities are the possible strategy to increase students’ talking time. According
to Gareth Rees (2007), teachers can try to increase the amount of speaking which serves a
purpose, to close a gap. Gareth believes that the process of solving a problem can increase
students’ talking time. Students are various people with different characteristics. Some are born
communicative, some are shy, some are quick, etc. As a facilitator in the communicative
classroom, teacher should be able to set the class and create the content of the language so every
of the students can simultaneously follow the process.

In this paper, the writer tries to solve the problem of low students’ speaking ability because of
lack of practice. It is intended that the study gives good contribution in applying a possible
strategy to lengthen students’ talking time so that their speaking ability will be more improved.

Information Gap

Rees (2007) classifies communication gap into the information gap, experience gap, opinion gap,
and knowledge gap. Since the focus of the writer is information gap in dealing with increasing
students’ talking time, this paper consist of what information gap is, illustration that in somehow
information gap activities increase students’ talking time, how to apply it, and the example of
practical teaching technique based on the information gap principle.

Information gap activities are the activities where some information had by some students and
some by other students. The students should transfer the information so that they get the
complete information. The activities create plenty communication among students. One English
learning session usually takes about 60-90 minutes. Consider sixty-minute English class, thirty
students in a class and without reducing teachers themselves’ talking time; if teacher plans whole
students’ activities mean that each student has four minute-talking time, if the teacher plans ten
minute-activities with the group of five, each student has two-minute talking time. The amount
of time will be less for the larger classes. It is not easy to maximize the students to talk during
the time. Information gap activities allow each student to use the time effectively such as thirty
minutes for the activities conducted in a pair. They do not need to sit on their chairs and wait
one-to-one or group-to-group presentation is finished.

The followings are the other supporting reasons why the activities are possible to increase the
students’ talking time:

1. Since .the teacher creates the content and students are sufficiently prepared for the activity by
discussing essential vocabularies before sharing the information, they tend to speak more
smoothly.
2. Because the classroom activities are fairly distributed, every student has chance to speak.
Classroom will be not dominated by talkative student.

3. The activities are more joyful for the students because they are less intimidating. Most of the
students are usually uncomfortable if they are having question-answer session with the
teacher or presenting idea in front of the class and being evaluated.

4. The content of information gap can be various chosen based on the students’ level and
curiosity.

Good technique should be supported with good procedures of applying. These are some steps to
apply the information gap:

1. The teacher gives explanation about the activity which is going to conducted

2. The teacher reviews vocabularies will be used based on the context

3. The teacher may gives a model of what should the students say during activity

4. The teacher gives the activity card consist of incomplete information that has been prepared
for the students. It can be in the form of games, dialogues, pictures, etc.

5. The students in a pair or group complete the task. They should communicate with other
students to get the complete information.

6. Evaluate the activities.

Since the activity consists of content of idea, the students will know what to say. They imitate
the structure, and of course their talking time are increased. They do more practice than before. It
is beneficial to develop their speaking skill. The context of information can be adopted based on
the students’ need. The context should be comprehensible for the students. Even if the teacher
want to give the new context which tend to be unfamiliar for the students, teacher can give the
key words or vocabularies.
The game below is an instance activity made based on the principle of information gap between
students:

Type of Activity

Pair

Information Gap

Function and Essential Vocabularies

Asking and replying where places are

The…………..is next to/opposite/behind/in front of/between/on the right of/on the left
of/the………..

Post office, Restaurant, Library, Mosque, Hospital, Market, Bank, etc.

Post Office

Mosque

Hospital

V
 I

SUDIRMAN STREET

Card A
 Bank Card B

Mosque

Restaurant

SUDIRMAN STREET

T
The game conducted in a pair in which student A gets card A and student B gets card B. Before
starting the activities, the teacher can discuss the essential vocabularies possible used in the
context of talking about asking and replying where a place is. Tell the students how to say
“Where is……….?” and “The………is next to………….”, etc. The students then experiment
with the languages. Making mistakes are learning process. Teacher can only monitor and make
sure that the students’ activities run well.

After the whole illustration and instance, the writer takes a conclusion that information gap are
useful activities which is possible used in the purpose of increasing students’ talking time or
students’ speaking practice in the classroom so that their speaking ability will be more improved.

REFERENCES

Brewster, Jean; Gail Ellis and Denis Girard. 1992. The Primary English Teacher’s Guide.
London: Penguin English.

Liao, Xiao Oing. Information Gap in Classroom. An Article in Retrieved on August 17, 2007
from: http://exchanges.state.gov/forum/vols/vol39/no4/p38.htm. Bureau of Educational
and Cultural Affairs of USA: Office of English Language Programs

Lubis, Yusnaini. 1988. Developing communicative Proficiency in the English as a Foreign

Language (EFL) Class. Jakarta: Depdikbud Direktorat Jenderal Pendidikan Tinggi.

Murcia, Marianne Celce and Lois McIntosh. 1979. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign
Language. Massachusetts: Newbury House Publishers.

Raptou, Violet. Using Information Gap Activities in the Second Language Classroom. Retrieved
on August 17 2007 from: http://www.caslt.org/research/gap.htm. CASLT.

Rees, Gareth. Increasing Speaking in Class. Retrieved on August 17, 2007 from:
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/speak/find_gap.shtml. British Council.