A Study on Communication

Strategies Used by the First Year

Students of English Language
Education Program in Faculty of
Cultural Studies at Universitas
Brawijaya
Dzulfikar Davito & Moh Alim Musonnafa
Universitas Brawijaya
  Oral communication using English often bounds with
problems. Often assumed that this caused by the lack
of Communicative Competence.
 Yule (2010) defined communicative competence as
“the general ability to use language accurately,
appropriately, and flexibly”
Background of  Communicative competence includes grammatical
the Study competence, which related to vocabulary and
language structure mastery, socio-linguistic
competence, related to on the awareness of learner to
use FL appropriately, and strategic competence,
which related to the ability of learner to compensate
communication problem by using a systematical
strategies or known as communication strategies.
  Communication strategy used to enable communication in FL
through difficulties. The communication strategy is used to
compensate the lack of interlocutor competence in FL
communication
Background of  Dörnyei (1995) noted that communication strategies will
the Study eventually enhance the effectiveness of communication.
 four communication strategies classification proposed by
Dörnyei & Scott (1997), Nakatani (2006), Mariani (2010) in Zhao
& Intaraprasert (2013), and Somsai and Intaraprasert (2011)
 Communication Strategies
Classification
1. Message abandonment
2. Message reduction
Communication
Strategies
3. Message replacement
Classification by
Dörnyei & Scott
4. Circumlocution
(1997)
5. Approximation
6. Use of all-purpose words
Description
Leaving a message unfinished
because of language difficulty
Reducing the message by avoiding
certain language structures or topic
considered for a lack of linguistic
resources
Substituting the original message
with a new one because of not feeling
capable of executing it
Exemplifying or describing the
properties of the target object
Using a single alternative lexical item,
which shares semantic features with
the target word or structure
Tending a general, “empty” lexical
item to contexts where specific words
are lacking
 Communication Strategies Classification
Categories Communication strategies
1. Social Affective
2. Fluency-Oriented
3. Negotiation for Meaning
while Speaking
4. Accuracy-Oriented
Strategies for Coping with Speaking 5. Message Reduction and Alteration
Communication Problems 6. Nonverbal Strategies while
Speaking
Strategies 7. Message Abandonment
Classification by 8. Attempt to think in L2
9. Negotiation for Meaning
Nakatani (2006) while
Listening
10. Fluency-Maintaining
Strategies for Coping with Listening 11. Scanning
Problems 12. Getting the Gist
13. Nonverbal Strategies while
Listening
14. Less Active Listener
15. Word-Oriented
  As the first year students of English Education
Program will be using English as the medium of
communication extensively, it will be crucial for them
to be aware of communication strategies.
Background of  The first year students of English Education Program
the Study will be benefited enormously by knowing the
communication strategies on the early stages of their
study, in which they will have the time to improve their
English proficiency.
  1. What are thecommunication strategies used in FL
“A STUDY ON
communication by the first year student of English Education
COMMUNICATION
Language program in Faculty of Culture Studies at Universitas
STRATEGIES USED BY
Brawijaya?
THE FIRST YEAR
STUDENTS  2. How is the frequency of communication strategies used in
OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE FL communication by the first year student of English Language
EDUCATION PROGRAM Education program in Faculty of Culture Studies at Universitas
IN FACULTY OF Brawijaya?
CULTURE STUDIES AT  3. What is the dominant strategy used in FL communication by
UNIVERSITAS the first year student of English Language education program in
BRAWIJAYA” Faculty of Culture Studies at Universitas Brawijaya?
  This is a quantitative research with survey design that involves
120 first year students of English Language Education
Program in Faculty of Cultural Studies at Universitas Brawijaya
Research using Communication Strategy Questionnaire (CSQ) adopted
Method from Zhao (2013) as the main instrument. Then, the data was
calculated to find the mean by using Microsoft Excel 2007 and
analyzed and identified in accordance to the research
questions.
  The researcher adopts Communication Strategy Questionnaire
(CSQ) by Zhao (2013). The questionnaire is used based on the
suitability with the study, which is concerning about the strategic
behaviors of the subject.
Communication  This questionnaire made up of 35 items. These items is
Strategy categorized into three categories, they are strategies for Coping
with Communication Problems (CCP), strategies for
Questionnaire Understanding Interlocutor’s Message (UIM), and strategies for
Carrying on the Conversations as Intended (CCI).
  It is found that the students employed all the CSs
items at moderate level.
 Seven items were dominantly used, they are: 1)using
familiar words, phrases or sentences; 2)using simple
expressions; 3)thinking in Indonesian before speaking;
4)referring to mobile phone dictionary or another type
Findings of documents; 5)trying to catch the interlocutor’s main
point; 6)guessing the meaning of what the interlocutor
has said; 7)and trying to enjoy the conversation.
 These CSs are identified as reduction or avoidance
strategy, indicating these students have low
Grammatical Competence (Wei, 2011).
  Based on the findings it is suggested that students and
lecturers should aware of their own and their students
CS respectively to improve the learning activities or
Sugesstions communication using Foreign Language.
 For future researcher it is suggested to do a study on
the same topic by adding several variables influencing
the use of CS.