Developing Speaking Skills Using Virtual Speaking Buddy

Authors

  • Radzuwan Ab. Rashid Faculty of Languages and Communication, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Gong Badak Campus, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu
  • Saiful Bahri Mohamed Department of Manufacturing Technology, Faculty of Innovative Design and Technology, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Gong Badak Campus, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu
  • Mohd Fazry A. Rahman Kolej Komuniti Shah Alam, Bangunan UMNO Shah Alam, Aras 10, Menara UBSA,, Pusat Dagangan UMNO Shah Alam, Seksyen 11, 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Syadiah Nor Wan Shamsuddin Faculty of Informatics & Computing, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Tembila Campus.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v12i05.6955

Keywords:

Less proficient students, primary schools, second language learning, speaking skills, virtual speaking buddy.

Abstract


This interdisciplinary study integrates ICT in education through the innovation of an interactive audio-based application as a tool to enhance English language speaking skills among less proficient students. Drawing on the sociocultural perspective of learning, the application named ‘V-Buddy’ has been developed and tested with a group of participants which consists of five primary school students and an English language teacher. The teacher was briefed of her role as a facilitator before the students were exposed to V-Buddy for eight weeks. Adopting one group pre-test and post-test experimental design as its methodology, the teacher was asked to evaluate the students' level of confidence to speak prior to and after their engagement with the V-Buddy. The teacher was also interviewed to obtain her feedback on V-Buddy whilst the students were asked to complete the Personal Report of Confidence (PRC). The analysis reveals that all the students developed higher confidence level after their engagement with V-Buddy and the teacher perceived it positively which suggests its potential to be used as a tool in developing speaking skills among less proficient students.

Author Biographies

Radzuwan Ab. Rashid, Faculty of Languages and Communication, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Gong Badak Campus, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu

Deputy Dean of Research and Development in Faculty of Languages and Communication, UniSZA. Managing Editor of Journal of Nusantara Studies

Saiful Bahri Mohamed, Department of Manufacturing Technology, Faculty of Innovative Design and Technology, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Gong Badak Campus, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu

Director of Research Management, Innovation and Commercialization (RMIC), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Gong Badak Campus, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu

Mohd Fazry A. Rahman, Kolej Komuniti Shah Alam, Bangunan UMNO Shah Alam, Aras 10, Menara UBSA,, Pusat Dagangan UMNO Shah Alam, Seksyen 11, 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Lecturer

Syadiah Nor Wan Shamsuddin, Faculty of Informatics & Computing, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Tembila Campus.

Dean, Faculty of Informatics & Computing, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Tembila Campus.

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Published

2017-05-31

How to Cite

Ab. Rashid, R., Mohamed, S. B., A. Rahman, M. F., & Wan Shamsuddin, S. N. (2017). Developing Speaking Skills Using Virtual Speaking Buddy. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 12(05), pp. 195–201. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v12i05.6955

Issue

Section

Short Papers