ELT Comparison: Increasing Students Speaking Ability in

Indonesia, South Korea, Russia, and Poland

Tresna Nur Andini1), Lee Ye Eun2), Alina Khramova3), Alicja Żok4)
1) Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta, South Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia

2) Kwangwoon University, Seoul, South Korea

3)Kazan National Research Technology University, Kazan, Russia

4)Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
1)tresnanur5@gmail.com, 2)dpdms7571@naver.com,

3)hramova-alinka-94@yandex.ru, 4)faplesslovess@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

English as a global language facilitates the people to communicate with each other
despite different lingua-cultures or accent. Communication will be something important
to build the socio condition of civilians in every single country. This background of
research leads to get to know about English Language Teaching (ELT) to the people
whose first language is not English. Each country in Asia or Europe whose English is not
their first language has its differences in teaching and learning about English. The four
basic things of English, such as reading, writing, and speaking will be the challenges that
they need to be faced. According to the basics of four skills, speaking is the hardest one
for most non-native speakers. Therefore, the teachers need to have particular ways to
teach about speaking to increase students’ skill ability in EFL countries. This research is
aimed to show the differences and comparisons among Indonesian and South Korea as
the representatives of Asia, also Russia and Poland as the representatives of Europe
whose first language is not English. This purpose means that people can distinguish
among different types in each country for teaching and learning English, moreover for
speaking skills.

Keywords: English Language Teaching, Speaking Skill, English Educational Students

Citation APA Style: Andini, T. N., Eun, L. Y., Khramova, A., & Żok, A. (2020). ELT
Comparison: Increasing Students Speaking Ability in Indonesia, South Korea,
Russia, and Poland. English Language in Focus (ELIF), 2(2), 131–140.

INTRODUCTION purposes is really important and English

E
nglish has become an international is the ability that must be mastered by
language for all countries in the students (Hadi & Izzah, 2019). The ability
world. English is not just a of language for communication in the
language, but more like a bridge for international world is what requires the
communication and cross-culture among students to master English, not only in
all cultures in the world. Therefore, the writing but also in speaking. There are
function of English for educational four basic skills in English, those are

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writing, listening, reading, and speaking. (2008, p. 19), the mastery of speaking
The learning of speaking cannot be skills in English is a priority for many
separated from the language so that second languages or foreign language
speaking should make the students learners. Consequently, learners often
master this aspect (Rizqiningsih & Hadi, evaluate their success in language
2019). But, the most important is learning as well as the effectiveness of
speaking because of how fluent people their English course based on how much
speak in English, then how easy to they feel they have improved in their
deliver the message through oral and spoken language proficiency.
how easy to communicate with people Supporting the statements above,
from all around the world. Speaking of Harmer (2015, p. 269) classified two
oral practice often finds many struggles elements that are necessary for spoken
to be taught and learned. The problem of language. The first is a language feature
practicing oral in English is something that had been identified as follows. a)
common that is usually found in EFL connected speech. Is the modification in
countries. Mostly the reason why do sound production or utterances, such as
people assume it as the difficulty to be assimilation, omission, addition and
learned is that English is seen as a weakened? b) expressive devices. Native
foreign and difficult language. It is also English speaker changes the pitch and
influenced by the effect of teaching and stress of particular parts of utterances,
learning English in oral practice that we vary volume and speed, and show by
usually know as speaking skills. other physical and nonverbal means to
Chaney in Kayi (2006, p. 1) stated show how they are feeling. c) lexis and
that speaking is the process of building grammar. It is related to the ability to use
and sharing meaning through the use of some of the common lexical phrases,
verbal and non-verbal symbols in a such as agreeing and disagreeing,
variety of contexts. Speaking is a crucial expressing surprise, shock or approval.
part of language learning. It needs the e) negotiation language. It is the ability to
speakers to produce the target language earn the benefits of the negotiator
in the spoken form. Besides, Qureshi language we use to seek clarification and
(2012) said that speaking skill has some show the structure of what we are
roles and importance, for examples like saying.
language is a tool for communication, for Many students take an additional
a smooth running of any system, to lesson to develop their speaking ability
express one’s thoughts, opinions, and since they have the mindset that their
feelings, in the form of words put goals will be reached easily in a better
together in a meaningful way, and to gain way just if they can master English in
the attention of the audience. speaking or oral practical. But, the result
Based on those functions, we can of learning to speak in English is not
conclude that language is an important determined by how hard is the effort
tool of communication that can be a from the students, but also how great the
bridge for crossing culture among the methods that are used in teaching
countries. Besides, based on Richards activity. Therefore, teaching English

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should be suitable for its function. There difficulty. All those things should be
are many ways or lectures to teach considered from what methods and ways
speaking in English. Ur (1996, p. 103) which are used by the teacher in teaching
also delivers her idea about it, in teaching and learning activity. The difficulties that
speaking skill, the emphasis will usually are mostly found can be caused by
be firmly on fluency. What we are students’ adaptation in learning English,
interested in here and what is moreover to speak English, and other
emphasized is the development of ones like the methods are not
learners' facility in receiving and appropriate to be used in the class. Many
conveying messages, with a factors can be seen and identified,
corresponding lowering of emphasis on therefore we should distinguish and get
accuracy. Furthermore, to asses speaking to know the differences of teaching
accuracy well as what the function of speaking in each EFL country. Therefore,
itself, Brown (2004, p. 140) points out the writer decided to take samples of
that speaking is a kind of productive skill four EFL countries to compare their
that can be directly and empirically differences in teaching English for
observed. However, assessing speaking is speaking only. Those are Indonesia,
challenging because there are so many South Korea, Russia, and Poland.
factors that influence teachers’ Indonesia is an EFL country which
impressions on how well someone can is located in South-East Asia. As a
speak a language. multicultural country, Indonesia
To make sure that teaching becomes a country that has many
English in the function of speaking or languages, races, and cultures. All those
oral can be reached well, then the things became the reasons why many
teachers should consider the effect of Indonesians assumed that English is a
teaching and learning to students’ difficult language to be learned. These
psychology. As Harmer (2015, pp. 101– problems are also influenced by
102) every said that additionally educational development that has not
proposes that assessing speaking been average in all Indonesia’s area,
performance should be represented moreover in the border area. There are
through praise or comment. Therefore, many considerations and factors to be
the teacher should find an appropriate identified to develop, increase, and
way to appreciate the students’ effort, improve the students’ speaking ability
not just to give the motivation, but to also through English language teaching. It is
make the learning and teaching activity not just about what is the method or the
becomes fun and easier. The teacher quality of the teacher, but also about how
should find media and methods to the average is English in all Indonesia’s
increase creativity to build students’ self- area and how the government can be
esteem, students’ courage and also sure to facilitate the teaching and
students’ creativity. These ways will be learning activity.
more efficient and effective. South Korea is an EFL country
The teaching of speaking in each which is located in East Asia and
EFL country has the same problem and becomes one of the superpower

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countries in culture, economy, writer used the compilation of journals

entertainment, and technology. South which showed the comparison of how
Korea has been known as the country four countries concerned about ELT in
that often finds the difficulty while speaking for students’ ability.
learning English, especially for speaking.
Koreans have a strong accent while RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

T
talking and the differences of using word he method that is used in this
by word are also caused why do Koreans research is a systematic review in
have difficulty learning to speak in the qualitative method according
English. As what like the difficulties that to the previous researches within ELT in
are often found by Indonesian, most educational journals. Therefore, the
Koreans are not that confident to speak writers will only make a comparison
English due to focus on grammar and which is already concluded based on the
pronunciation. data of speaking ELT in Indonesia, South
Russia is one of the EFL countries Korea, Russia, and Poland.
in Europe which is located in East Europe In the data collection, most of
and North Asia. English may be a popular information and data that the writers got
language to be communicated and are about how ELT goes in each country
learned all over the world, but probably and what are the differences, difficulties,
it does not happen in Russia. Living in and solution to make ELT in speaking
Russia without can speak English is not a ability can be a problem solving for all
big deal because almost all of the things, EFL countries in the world, not only
starting from movies, books, etc are limited to four countries above. But, we
already translated into the Russian tried to highlight those four countries as
language. The importance of English is the representative of each continent
considered to be learned only when among Asia and Europe. In collecting the
Russian goes to abroad. data, the writers used the compilation of
Poland is a country which is educational journals contains how ELT of
located in central Europe and becomes a speaking goes, moreover in four
unique country that has many histories. countries, such as Indonesia, South
English starts to become a common Korea, Russia, and Poland.
language for young learners in Poland.
But, sadly that does not happen to elder FINDING AND DISCUSSION

I
people who even cannot speak English. ndonesia
Polish has a strong accent as well like all As one of the EFL countries in the
non-native speakers as usual. Therefore, world, we realize that there are not
sometimes the factors of difficulties in many people who communicate by using
speaking English should be identified English in day-to-day. Even though more
more. Indonesians use English in their daily life,
Based on the considerations many consider that English instruction is
above, the writer dedicated to make the a failure in this country. One of the
comparison of ELT from each country to reasons for the failure is that there has
increase students’ speaking ability. The been no unified national system of

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English education and, therefore, do. Another way like dialogue, small
improvements of English communicative group discussion can be also popular
ability are painstakingly made. methods that are usually done by the
This reason gave a challenge for teacher in the class.
the country to maintain and develop When we try to bring the EFL
educational quality to increase the level approach in ELT in Indonesia, interested
of human skill. Bambang & Cahyono readers can consult the exhaustive
(2006) stated that the need for English discussions (Jenkins, 2006; McKay, 2003;
ability in the fifties and sixties was Seidlhofer, 2004).In the ELF view,
limited to academic purposes at the speakers of ELF are not expected to
university level. Today, individuals need produce utterances as similar as possible
English to communicate with others at to the native speakers’, but rather
international forums. Accordingly, efforts utterances that do not deviate too far
need to be continuously made from the utterances of the native
concerning quality improvements of speakers (Kirkpatrick, 2007).
English instruction in Indonesia. In the As one of the important things to
last quarter of the century, the teaching be focused on communication, speaking
of EFL speaking in Indonesia has been has to be a special thing to be learned to
closely connected to the concept of reach the goals of learning English since
communicative competence which is it is a tool for communication. Since we
emphasized within the Communicative know that, there has been no unified
Language Teaching (CLT) approach. national system concerning the
(Bambang & Cahyono, 2006). development of oral proficiency
Mukminatien (1999) found that moreover in the English instruction,
students of English departments have a future programs and research should be
great number of errors when speaking. directed toward providing guidance to
Those errors include of pronunciation develop the speakers competent of
(e.g., word stress and intonation), English, involving considerations of
grammatical accuracy (e.g., tenses, components.
preposition, and sentence construction),
vocabulary (e.g., incorrect word choice), South Korea
fluency (e.g., frequent repair), and English as an international language has
interactive communication (i.e., been seen as an uncommon language in
difficulties in getting the meaning across South Korea since it is seldom to be
or keeping the conversation going). The talked there. Despite how difficult is
focus on EFL speaking can be centered on English in South Korea, but the existence
speaking accurately, for example like of English still appears and implements
grammatical structure and when at the university entrance. Many
pronunciation. Therefore, those things students wish to be a student in top
can help to encourage students’ speaking university in South Korea, but they must
ability in better ways. Many ways and acquire a good command of English so
methods can be applied, but mostly role- that they can follow the soaring
play is one of the most popular ways to proportion of English mediated lectures

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at their respectively chosen top-notch those who use a greater variety of

universities. strategies and also use them in ways
If we take an example of South appropriate to the language-learning
Korean university entrance task. And, less effective learners not only
requirements, either based on students’ have fewer strategy types but also
(Collegiate Scholastic Ability Test) CSAT frequently use strategies that are
scores or based on a set of criteria inappropriate to the task.Rogers in Alemi
determined uniquely by each university. & Daftarifard (2010) has named
According to Jambor(2011), in South 'strategopedia'. He defines this term as
Korea, the elite SKY universities (Seoul "teaching learners the strategies they
National, Korea and Yonsei Universities) need so that they can learn on their own"
offer a significant number of their (p. 3) has referred to it as one of ten
undergraduate courses in English (Korea scenarios that shape the teaching of
at 34%; SNU at 15; Yonsei at 28.5% with second languages in the third
a plan to increase to 35%). Pohang millennium.ELT in Korea has been going,
University of Science and Technology and not as inconsistencies and signs of
(POSTEDH – the highest-ranked Korean major problems.
university according to Times Higher Shin in Taie (2015)found that not
Education - Reuters 2010 World only teachers but also students did not
Ranking) and the Korea Institute of consider being NS as the best teacher
Science and Technology are currently qualification. She referred to a mismatch
offering 80% and 85% of their between ELT beliefs held by different
undergraduate courses in English groups especially between teachers and
respectively, with both universities students' and those of government as
planning to increase the ratios of all part of the reform's ideological problems.
undergraduate courses taught in English Shin in Taie (2015) tried to solve the
to 100% across the board, in the controversies of ELT in Korea. According
upcoming years. to Heredia & Altarriba (2001), there is a
Consequently, for any Korean constant relationship between
student dreaming of studying at one of globalization and localization, i.e.,
the SKY universities, POSTECH or KAIST, "globalization … increasingly involves the
the basic requirement is his/her creation and the incorporation of locality,
unfaltering dedication in pursuing a processes which themselves largely
better than general competence in shape, in turn, the compression of the
Academic English. Fundamentally, a world as a whole" (p. 40).
significant number of the students.
Therefore, based on the data that we can Russia
see if mostly Korean students focus only The existence of English in Russia is kind
on grammatical structure and theoretical. of similar to South Korea. Formal
When we talk about ELT in Korea, there education like university still needs
are approaches and strategies used by English as a requirement to get entrance.
the learners. O’Malley & Chamot (1990) Even though in daily life, English is not
argued that more effective learners are something common in Russia, like

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everyone must speak Russian as well. As of teacher talk to student talk was
what Rasskazova, Guzikova, & Green very high;
(2017) stated that to evaluate the 2. Students were seated apart from each
average English language proficiency other in rows facing the teacher,
level among bachelor degree students in limiting opportunities for peer-to-
UrFU, the administration decided to peer interaction;
attract an external authoritative body in 3. Teachers tended to focus on the more
the sphere of English language active learners, overlooking the more
proficiency testing, Cambridge English reticent members of the class;
Language Assessment, who conducted an 4. Some teachers were more
in-depth study: testing about 1000 conscientious than others in setting
bachelor degree students, 100 English self-study tasks while in some cases,
language teachers, doing classroom learners had not completed the self-
observation, talking to University study tasks set;
decision-makers. 5. In almost all lessons, teachers used
The data also showed that the overt on-the-spot oral correction
students only learned English for the first techniques exclusively.
two years of their four years program.
This meant that they study English in Poland
class for a maximum of 216 h, spread As one of the EFL countries that speak
over two years of study. Additionally, the English better than other countries,
innovations for Russian universities Poland must have a specific strategy and
make new demands on teachers, also approach to develop students’ abilities in
changing what is expected of them in the English, moreover speaking focus. Poland
classroom. Teacher training is seen to be becomes an increasingly popular place
essential and important for the success of for English teachers in Europe. Poland is
the new curriculum and there has been a great country for English teachers to
an investment in professional make their home: It is affordable, it is
development. This is intended to foster a safe, and it offers an excellent work-life
move away from grammar-translation balance. According to Henderson &
pedagogy in teacher-centered classrooms Jarosz (2014), a communicative
towards communicative language approach is usually the dominant
teaching in a learner-centered paradigm in foreign language textbooks
environment. To develop the students' and teaching materials in European
communicative skills, it was suggested education systems. Despite it showed
that there would need to be some how important is the textbook for the
fundamental changes moreover in the students in around Europe, but it is also
teachers' classroom practices. Specific meaning that speaking approach or
issues that are stated by Rasskazova, communication by using English should
Guzikova, & Green (2017) are : get focus as much as other English skills
1. In class, students were mainly like reading, listening, and writing.
listening to the teacher and not Learning about speaking in
interacting with each other; The ratio secondary schools in Europe mostly use

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textbooks as the popular media. It also textbooks. This data is aimed at how
teaches about how to speak, as one could English pronunciation was treated in a
also reasonably expect pronunciation to sample of secondary school textbooks in
be a primary focus of textbooks in school, France and Poland, with the hope of
teaching materials and all of the finding a variety of exercises leading
classroom activities. Unfortunately, for a toward communicative language practice
variety of reasons pronunciation (Henderson & Jarosz, 2014).
teaching. Textbooks could help solve the
problem, as they have the potential to CONCLUSION

B
guide teachers in effective pronunciation ased on the finding and discussion
teaching: “Because many ESL instructors above, we could conclude that
have limited training and confidence in every single country has its
teaching pronunciation, it falls to different aim to learn English. Mostly,
general-skills textbooks to ensure that learning English is not aimed at usual
pronunciation is addressed in L2 communication in EFL countries since
classrooms” (Derwing, Diepenbroek, & they have their mother language.
Foote, 2012). Learning English is mostly aimed for
Henderson & Jarosz (2014) stated educational purposes only, like as one of
European school textbooks may or may the requirements for entrance top
not be designed for the local context by universities or also to get a better job in a
publishers but they tend to be all- good way. The technique of teaching in
inclusive general course books in which each country also has differences. All
publishers take into account the national those things are influenced by the
curriculum; for example, in Poland problems and difficulties that can found
British publishers regularly invite Polish in that area of the country. Therefore, we
authors to contribute their expertise to can see that the strategy and approach
textbook series. The questions were that are used by the teachers or
coming up based on the statement that government in the curriculum system
showed if textbooks could help European will be determined the quality of English
students, moreover Polish and French ability, moreover for speaking skills.
students to increase their speaking There is no perfect method to be taught
ability. But, Henderson & Jarosz (2014) in ELT of speaking. All those methods
hypothesized that textbooks are not have their strength and weakness.
providing structured, communicative Therefore, after we tried to make the
materials concerning pronunciation and compilation of ELT of speaking from all
that what pronunciation work there over countries, hoping that people can
tends to focus on segmental features. take advantage and create an innovation
Results are discussed concerning to make it becomes easier for people to
contrastive analysis, common claims learn and teach English.
about learners’ potential difficulties, the
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