SPEAKING FLUENCY OF PROFICIENT GROUP PRIMARY PUPILS IN SJKC ESL

CLASSROOM AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

AIK YONG QI
Jabatan Pengkhususan Bahasa Inggeris
aikqi98@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
InMalaysia, English is the second language and Malaysian students learn English from Year
1 in primary school up to Form five in secondary school. However, the fluency of Malaysian
students who learn English from primary schools is sadly, too many still cannot speak the
language upon leaving secondary school (TheStar, 2017) as speaking fluency remain a less
attended-to area in second language teaching (Rossiter et al., 2010). The research aims to
explore the speaking fluency of the proficient group primary pupils in SJKC ESL classroom
and the contributing factors. The speaking fluency of the selected pupils were assessed
based on the speaking fluency rubric and the contributing factors were identified through
interview. The findings revealed that the proficient group primary pupils are not fluent in
speaking. Five factors contributing to their speaking fluency were identified which are home
environment, peer influence, classroom practices, teacher’s belief and affective factors.

Keywords: proficient group, primary pupils, speaking fluency, ESL classroom, contributing
factors

INTRODUCTION

“English is increasingly being used as a tool for interaction among non-native speakers”
(Brown & Lee, 2015, p. 163).. Among the four language skills in English, speaking seems to
play more important role in communication (Zaremba, 2006). Chastain (1988) viewed
speaking as “an important element in developing each language skill and conveying culture
knowledge” (p. 271). Concerning speaking, more attention is drawn to fluency in speaking in
achieving communicative purposes. Richards (2005) pointed out that fluency is the use of
naturally occurring language when a speaker engages and maintains in meaningful
communication. In Malaysia, English is the second language and Malaysian students learn
English from Year 1 in primary school up to Form five in secondary school. However, the
fluency of Malaysian students who learn English from primary schools is sadly, too many still
cannot speak the language upon leaving secondary school (TheStar, 2017).

PROBLEM STATEMENT
Fluency in speaking is the key to achieve communicative purposes. It makes speech
comprehensible, becoming one of the conditions which ensures successful
communication.Fluency is regarded as a performance descriptor for oral assessment of
foreign language learners and as an indicator of progress in language learning (Chambers,
1997).

Study conducted by Lestari (2018) revealed that mastering English knowledge and
vocabulary can help to enhance speaking fluency. However, during the researcher’s School-
based Experience at a suburban Chinese primary school, it was found that there were a
significant amount of pupils who were unable to speak English fluently, although some of
them were proficient pupils who were able to write with a good range of vocabulary.
Therefore, the researcher was interested to explore as to how fluent are the proficient group
of primary pupils in the SJKC ESL classroom in speaking and the factors contributing to their
speaking fluency.

OBJECTIVES AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The objective of this study is to explore the speaking fluency of the proficient group
primary pupils in SJKC ESL classroom and the contributing factors.

The study aims to answer the following research questions:

i. How fluent in speaking in English are the proficient group of primary pupils?

ii. What are the factors contributing to the speaking fluency of the proficient group of

primary pupils?

METHODOLOGY

Generic qualitative research design was employed in this study as this research design is
especially useful in understanding the particular context within which the participats act and
the influence this context has on their actions (Maxwell & Miller, 2008). Thus, able to provide
the data needed on the speaking fluency and contributing factors of the proficient group
primary pupils. Purposeful sampling was used for this study. Four proficient group primary
pupils who got at least a level 5 in their overall English test results were selected as the
participants.

Speech-recording was implemented in order to collect data on the pupils’ speaking fluency.
The researcher had audio-recorded each of the participant’s speech on “My Family” for 2
minutes. Then, the researcher transcribed the recorded speech and identified the the
speaking fluency components (long pauses, filled pause, repetition, rephrasing, self-
correction and false starts) as stated by Skehan (2009). The researcher analyzed the pupils’
speech by counting the frequency of the speaking fluency components in each pupil’s
transcription. The pupils’ speaking fluency was then assessed by referring to the speaking
rubric adapted from Jong & Hulstijn (2009) Fluency Scale Ordinate Corporation and
comparing the frequency of each component among the pupils. Furthermore, interview was
implemented to collect data on the contributing factors to the proficient group primary pupils’
speaking fluency. Besides interviewing the four pupils selected, an English teacher was
interviewed in order the support the data collected.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

The findings revealed the proficient group of primary pupils were not fluent in speaking. The
pupils’ speaking fluency levels and their frequency of speaking fluency components in their
transcription are as follows:

Table 1

Proficient Group of ESL Primary Pupils’ Speaking Fluency

Participants Pupil A Pupil B Pupil C Pupil D

Speaking Level 2- Level 1- Level 2- Level 2-

Fluency Intermediate Limited fluency Intermediate Intermediate
fluency fluency fluency

Table 2

Frequency of Speaking Fluency Components in Pupil A’s Transcription 

Long Filled Repetitio Self- False- Total

Pause Pause n correction start Frequency

7 0 3 2 1 13
Table 3

Frequency of Speaking Fluency components in Pupil B’s Transcription 

Long Filled Repetitio Self- False- Total

Pause Pause n correction start Frequency

9 0 8 1 1 19

Table 4

Frequency of Speaking Fluency Components in Pupil C’s Transcription 

Long Filled Repetition Self- False- Total

Pause Pause correction start Frequen
cy

8 3 2 1 1 15

Table 5

Frequency of Speaking Fluency Components in Pupil D’s Transcription 

Long Filled Repetitio Self- False- Total

Pause Pause n correction start Frequency

4 3 1 1 1 10

Based on the tables, Pupil A, C and D were having intermediate fluency as their speeches
consisted several hesitations, repetitions or false starts and long pauses, but not unlimited.
While Pupil B was having limited fluency as her speech consisted multiple hesitations, many
repetitions or false starts that render the spoken performance and her long utterances has
several long pauses. This indicates the proficient group primary pupils are not fluent in
speaking as they do not achieve a  good  fluency  ability  defined by Lenon  in  Cucchiarini, 
Strik,  and Boves (2002) who claimed fluency is the speaker’s ability to produce speech at
the same tempo  with  the  native  speakers  without  the  problems  of long pauses, 
hesitations, filled pauses, self-corrections, repetitions, and false starts.

Besides, the findings also revealed five factors which contribute to the pupils’ speaking
fluency. One of the factors identified was home environment.
 Excerpt 2 (Pupil B)

Pupil B: 我的父母很少讲英文(My parents rarely speak English)

Excerpt 6 (Pupil B)
(Interview 2, line 161)
Pupil B: 我没有看什么英文书，但是我有听英文歌(I don’t t read English books, but I
listen to some English songs.)

(Interview 2, line 168-

169)

From the excerpts above, parents of Pupils B rarely spoke English. She listen to English
songs but she did not read English books while at home. According to Woods and Griffin
(2006), parents can contribute to second language learning of their children through
practically taking part in their children’ s second language learning by practicing the target
language with their children and providing relevant books and materials for the target
language to their children. However, due to the lack of practice and exposure of English
language at home, the pupil was unable to have good speaking fluency.

Peer influence as the second factor contributes to speaking fluency. The four pupils
responded that they did not speak English to their friends. One of the reasons of not
speaking English to their friends as shown in Excerpt 13.

Excerpt 13 (Pupil D)

Pupil D: Em, my friends only talk Chinese...

(Interview 4, line 447)

Due
to the their friends’ spoken language in Chinese only, the pupils were unable to practice their
speaking fluency in English. As claimed by Kinginger (2009), learners of English can
enhance their second language acquisition and oral proficiency by exposure to everyday
socialisation contexts. These everyday socialisation contexts include interactions within
student peer groups.

The third factor is classroom practices. Excerpt 15 illustrated first language, or other
languages were allowed in the pupils’ ESL classroom while Excerpt 26 showed that the
speaking activities carried out during English lesson were very less.

Excerpt 15 (Pupil B)

Interviewer: So, do you speak English to your friends during English lesson? Or
Do you speak Mandarin.....speak Chinese to your friends in English lesson?
 Excerpt 26 (Pupil A)

Pupil A:..Sometimes

…very less...

(Interview 1, line 100-102)

Based on the two excerpts, there was a lack of rich target language environment in the ESL
classroom due the use of other languages and lack of speaking activities. This caused the
proficient group primary pupils unable to develop their speaking fluency. This is built on the
existing evidence, in a qualitative study conducted by Shahini and Shahamirchaoian (2017),
the participants claimed their speaking fluency were not enhanced because they did not have
enough opportunity to speak English in English classrooms.

Excerpt 30 (Teacher)

Teacher:...focus on build up their vocab so that they have enough vocab to

express themselves...

(Interview 5, line 677-678)

Teacher’s belief and classroom practices show a connection as teachers teach based on
their theoretical beliefs (Johnson, 1992). Excerpt 29 illustrated teacher focused on build up
their vocabulary as he believed that by having a better command of vocabulary, pupils would
be able to have enough vocabulary to express themselves. Due to this belief of the teacher,
he focused more on teaching vocabulary in his lesson, and thus reducing pupils’ exposure to
speaking skills and speaking activities.

Excerpt 32 (Pupil C)

Pupil C: ...Feel nervous...

...I...afraid....less time ...Because of not enough time...

(Interview 3, line 371-381)

Excerpt 33 (Pupil A)

Pupil A: ...I think I cannot speak well

(Interview 1, line 62)

In the
excerpts above, the pupils were having anxiety and low self-esteem in speaking English.
This affective factors of anxiety and low self-esteem caused them unable to speak fluently.
This is also supported by Thornbury (2005), stated that affective factor as the emotional side
of human behaviour can influence speaking fluency.

CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATION AND IMPLICATIONS

Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the proficient group primary pupils in SJKC
ESL classroom were not fluent in speaking. Home environment, peer influence, classroom
practices, teacher’s belief and affective factors as the factors contributing to their speaking
fluency. It is recommended that further studies can be carried out on proficient group primary
pupils from other areas to see whether there are any similarities in the findings. Besides, it
should include a larger number of proficient group primary pupils to determine to what extent
each factor contributes to their speaking fluency. Furthermore, measuring of speech rate to
be included when exploring about pupils’ speaking fluency so as to get a more accurate
measure on speaking fluency. The results of the study imply that teachers should focus more
on enhancing the speaking fluency of ESL primary pupils. They need to be enlightened on
the different teaching strategies that may reduce their use of first language in ESL
classroom.

(1631 words)
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