CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
3.1.6. Factors affecting students’ self-confidence in learning speaking skills
3.1.6.1. Comparison of teachers’ and students’ judgment of the students’ factors affecting students’ self-confidence in speaking English
75%
83.33% 83.33%
25%
58.33% 58.33%
66.67%
92% 86% 89.33%
27%
74% 72.67%
52.67%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Teachers Students
Figure 3: Comparison of teachers’ and students’ judgment of the students’
factors affecting students’ self-confidence in speaking English
As can be seen from figure 3, the majority of the students acknowledge that their low language level of proficiency is the main reason affecting their self-confidence in speaking English namely incorrect pronunciation (92%), limitation of structure (89.33%) and limitation of vocabulary (86%). Surprisingly, many teachers also share the same idea with those students. They believe that limitation of structure (83.33%), limitation of vocabulary (83.33%) and improper pronunciation (75%) are the obstacles for students to gain self-confident in speaking English.
The next reason raised by students is their fear of making mistakes in speaking English. More than half of the students consider that fear of classmates’ laughter
(74%) and teachers’ criticism (72.67%) prevent their self-confidence in speaking English.
Beside the fear of mistakes, 52.67% of the students find that their shy feeling stops them from being self-confident in speaking English. In contrast to the students’
idea, teachers confirm that students’ self-confidence in speaking English is impacted by their shyness (66.67%) and fear of mistakes (58.33%). Notwithstanding, 25% of the teachers and 27% of the students agree that feeling inability to speak English well is not the direct cause affecting students’ self-confidence in speaking English.
In summary, it is necessary for students to improve their language level of proficiency and limit their shy feeling in front of the class. Furthermore, teachers should also review and apply proper methods of correcting students’ mistakes to create a safe learning environment in class that reduces students’ fear of making mistakes in speaking English.
3.1.6.2. Teachers’ and students’ judgment of the teachers’ factors affecting students’
self-confidence in speaking English
8.33%
16.67%
83.33%
91.67%
25%
66.67%
50%
25% 25%
16.67%
22.67% 26%
23.33%
84.67%
92.67%
14%
78.67%
31.33%
12.67%
18.67%
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
90.00%
100.00%
A B C D E F G H I J
Teachers Students
A. Design little speaking activities for students to participate
B. Design speaking activities that are not suitable to the students’ level
D. Correct students’ mistakes while they are speaking E. Criticize students for their mistakes
F. Do not provide students with enough necessary vocabularies, pronunciation and structures
G. Do not encourage students to speak
H. Rarely go round class and help students with the low level of proficiency I. Be not friendly and enthusiastic to students
J. Do not make a pleasant classroom atmosphere
Figure 4: Teachers’ and students’ judgment of the teachers’ factors affecting students’ self-confidence in speaking English
According to figure 4 above, both teachers (91.67%) and students (84.67%) agree that teachers’ correction during the students’ speaking affects the students’ self- confidence in speaking English. However, the majority of the students suppose their low self-confidence in speaking English is resulted from the teachers’ criticism to their mistakes (92.67%) and teachers’ little encouragement (78.67%) while the teachers think their much talk (83.33%), providing lack of necessary vocabularies, pronunciation and structures (66.67%) and lack of encouragement to students (50%) makes students not self-confident in speaking English. Additionally, many students add that a crowded classroom causes their teachers not to be able to help all the students in every class despite teachers’ enthusiasm.
Beside the problems mentioned above, teachers and students also refer to others which lead to students’ low degree of self-confidence in speaking English such as designing little speaking activities for students, designing speaking activities not suitable to the students’ level, rarely going around class and helping students with the low level of proficiency, etc. However, the percentage of teachers and students choosing these is not high, fluctuating from 10% to 32%.
From the facts above, it can be concluded that teachers and students do not have the same thought about the teacher factor’s effect to students’ self-confidence in speaking English. Thus, it is essential for teachers to communicate more with the
students to comprehend their thought, their needs and find out appropriate methods to stimulate an increase in their self-confidence in speaking English.
3.1.6.3. Comparison of teachers’ and students’ opinion of the objective factors affecting students’ self-confidence in speaking English
Table 4: Comparison of teachers’ and students’ opinion of the objective factors affecting students’ self-confidence in speaking English
Options N of Ts % N of Ss %
Lack of materials 0 0 0 0
Lack of facilities 1 8.33 5 3.33
Uninteresting speaking topics 0 0 13 8.67
As can be seen from table 4, both teachers and students share the same opinion that the lack of materials, facilities and uninteresting speaking topics are not the main reasons affecting students’ self-confidence in speaking English. As for the materials, none of the teachers and students suggests that the lack of materials makes students unconfident in speaking English. Similarly, only one teacher (8.33%) and five students (3.33%) think that lack of facilities influences students’ self-confidence in speaking English. Finally, uninteresting speaking topics is also not the obstacle to students’ self-confidence in speaking English. It can be easily seen from the table only a small number of students (8.67%) suggest uninteresting speaking topics decrease their self-confidence in speaking English.
The question raised is why the majority of the students deny that uninteresting topics influence their self-confidence in speaking English. In order to clarify the issue more, the author interviews fifty students and realizes that more than 80% of the interviewed students feel speaking topics interesting and they like speaking topics very much. Therefore, it is evident that speaking topics draw students’ attention and students’ low degree of self-confidence in speaking English is not due to them. From the data above, it is obvious that the objective factors are not the primary reason impacting on students’ self-confidence in speaking English.
3.1.7. Students’ comments on teachers’ applied methods to increase students’ self-