CHALLENGES OF TEACHING SPEAKING AMID PANDEMIC COVID-19

One of the greatest challenges faced by English teachers nowadays dealing with
teaching speaking is how to apply a suitable method for their students in order to master
speaking competence, especially amid the pandemic COVID-19 where teaching and learning
process can only be done from home (homeschooling) as an attempt to slow down the spread
of the Covid-19 (Jakarta Globe, 2020). Since declared by World Health Organization (WHO)
as a pandemic, COVID-19 has globally influenced how students and teachers do their
learning and teaching process. Dealing with teaching speaking amid the pandemic, questions
may raise such as what COVID-19 impacts students in learning speaking, and what
challenges teachers have in teaching speaking during the home schooling.

Related to teaching speaking and the challenges of teaching English in the Indonesian
context, (Widiati and Cahyono, 2006) reviewed the teaching of EFL speaking in the
Indonesian context by outlining the recent development and highlighting the future trends,
and discussed problems in the teaching of EFL speaking, activities commonly performed,
materials usually used in EFL speaking classes, and assessment of oral English proficiency.
They also provided some recommendations on what teachers or researchers of EFL speaking
can do in order to achieve a higher quality of the teaching of EFL speaking and to improve
the speaking skill of Indonesian learners.

Widiati and Cahyono (2006) conclude that helping learners speak English fluently
and appropriately needs carefully prepared instruction (e.g., determining learning tasks,
activities and materials) and a lot of practice (i.e., either facilitated by the teachers in the
classroom or independently performed by the learners outside the classroom) due to minimal
exposure to the target language and contact with native speakers in the context. Their review
indicates that various classroom activities and teaching materials have been created, selected,
and implemented to promote Indonesian learners EFL speaking proficiency. However, no one
of the activities and materials exposed in the study is suitable anymore under COVID-19
circumstances where there is no face to face classroom activities. Instead of the activities
reported in the studies, home schooling activities require online learning platforms. It’s
challenging for Indonesian teachers because not all of them are familiar with such E-learning
technology platforms such as video conference using webex, zoom, and google meet
applications. It will also give students more challenges to make use of the platforms
implemented by their teachers. Thus, the online class benefits the students with opportunities
to practice speaking when they are involved in such online meetings. It happens depending
on how students take the chances, because some students sometimes keep their anxiety to
speak.

In line with the this, (Cahyani and Cahyono, 2012) reported their study on teachers’
attitudes and technology use in Indonesian EFL classrooms. It aimed at reporting research
findings on the types of technology that the teachers use in their classrooms, how they apply
them, and why they decide to use them. It also explored the teachers’ attitudes towards the
use of technology and the extent to which certain types of technology have affected language
learning achievement of their students. They have shown that technology, as language
teachers believe, is inseparable with the success of teaching and learning activities.
Regardless of the types of the technology, either non web-based or web-based, they facilitate
language learning.

Their study also shows that the presence of technology in language classrooms is a
prerequisite for interesting language instruction and success in language learning. These
findings lead to the need for considering some action plans for language teachers. Language
teachers should take the challenge to customize their language teaching activities by taking
into account new development in learning theories, current teaching trends, and available
types of technology in contemporary settings. Teaching language using technology poses
many challenges. For instance, it is not that simple to teach listening and speaking online
since teaching both skills asks for stable and excellent quality for clear voice and video image
during the interaction between the teacher and the learners. Moreover, teachers must be able
to solve some technical problems in the classroom, as in the reality of some schools do not
have a ready technician to help in case of connection breakdown or system problems.
Teachers should be as skilled as his/her students so that the students do not destroy the lesson
or embarrass the teacher. It is expected that this can give insights to second language teachers
regarding the use of technology for language learning practices and their effects on language
learning achievement. In relation to the finding of research conducted by (Hismanoglu,
2012), it is also suggested that prospective teachers should be equipped with practical
knowledge in using advanced ICT (Information Communication Technology) to ensure that
they will be able to teach using ICT in the future. Amid the pandemic COVID-19, this kind
of challenges have encountered all teachers and students in the world so that there is no
reason not to use the ICT as the learning media, whether they have been ready for that or not.
Otherwise, they will waste much time during this pandemic.
 That’s why, (Kawinkoonlasate, 2016) acknowledged the significance of technological
applications for teachers and language skill development in learners to discuss the process of
integration of these new technologies into the classroom, and reviewed possible problems
with the introduction of these new tools into the English classroom with regards to listening,
reading, writing, and speaking. The integration of technology to English language skill,
especially speaking, is needed by language educators in order to have students become
successful language users. It can be done by having a communication laboratory used to
increase students’ speaking skill. The program works by requiring a student to speak again
and again in order to play a game which engages them and draws them in to continue playing
until they have mastered the game. Headphones are also used in order to keep students
focused and encourage them to continue to play the game. However, there are many kinds of
multimedia technology used in the classroom such as speech recognition software, internet,
podcasting, and so on. These are very beneficial for instructors to apply in the classroom.

Regardless whether it is under the Pandemic COVID-19 atmosphere or not, here are
some suggestions proposed by studies which provide effective ways to integrate
technological appliances into classroom teaching and learning (Moeller and Reitzes, 2011),
(Clarke and Zagarell, 2012); (Bielefeldt, 2012); (Hicks, 2011); (Fullan, 2013):

1. It is important that educators have access to tools and network which give them new
ideas on how to use technology in the classroom.
2. Schools and educational institutions should constantly update their own Hardware in the
classroom in order to better use new of technology for education.
3. Learners should have access to the tools they need in order to take advantage of
technology-based learning.
4. Instructors’ attitude regarding technology must be positive.
5. Instructors always select an appropriate effective technological device to promote
student-centered method.
6. Technology technician have to assist the instructors whenever problems arise which
impede the success of using technology in the classroom, and guidelines of how to use
the software correctly.
7. Instructors need continual consistent training in order to develop their teaching materials
and technological application.
8. Technology should be taken very seriously by educational institutions or schools.
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