Journal article critique - 14

Citation: Shen, Lin., and Suwanthep, Jitpanat. (2011). E-learning constructive role-plays for EFL learners in China’s tertiary education, asian efl journal, 49: 4-29.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the implementation of constructive role-play using NHEC e-learning and the effect of it on Chinese EFL learners’ speaking in college English courses. 
The data of this study collected using recording of the pretest and post-tests, questionairre, and interview. The duration of this research is 18 weeks.
On the introduction point, the research stated in Wu (1988) and Wong (1996) explained the situation of learning English in China as “dumb English” during the 1980s and 1990s. Most of the students finished their English courses as good test-taker, but they are low in communication.
To develop students speaking skill, the researchers will use computer assisted language learning (CALL), because the usage of computer and internet in learning and teaching language nowadays is develop fast.
The system which used in CALL is NHEC e-learning. This system was introduced to the Chinese college students since 2004.  Actually, the problem of NHEC is related to the behaviouristic nature of the students, especially in speaking section, such as: behaviouristic in role-play, recording and comparing, listening and retelling, which require students to repeat the same materials of speaking again and again.
The participants of this study are 300 second-year non-English major under graduate students. They were devided into three level of language proficiency, that are: high, medium, and low.
After the 18 weeks experiment on implementing e-learning constructive role-plays, the result of the study was summarized into three, that are: 1) students’ speaking performance, 2) students’ language productivity, 3) students attitude towards the e-learning constructive role-play.
In the speaking performance table, the experimental group columns show the significant different between pretest and pot-test, but it was not happen to the control group to the control group.
In the language productivity table shows 72,3 percent students of the experimental group produce new vocabullary in performing the constructive role-play, but the control group did not, because they just read the original role-play script.
At the conclusion part, the researchers stated that e-learning constructive role-play do have possitive effect to L2 in improving their speaking skills. It improves the students speaking performance of all levels. Most of the students stated tehir positive opinions about the implementation of e-learning constructive role-plays in speaking class. Also, e-learning constructive role-play can motivate students, because in this activity the students are the center point and the usage of CALL can increase the classroom information capacity.

To teach my future students I will e-learning constructive role-play, because at the future I believe that the technology in my country will be developed and of course better then the technology right now. So, teaching learning activity will be supported by the internet and technology.
But, e-learning is quite difficult to use at my previous study. Because at that time the technology is not as good as right now. Actually, in my senior high school there are computer laboratory, but the usage of which is not maximum because the teachers are not skillful in using the newest technology.

Journal article critique - 13

Liu, Feng., and Ding, Yun. (2009). Role-play in English language teaching, asian social science, 5(10): 140-143.

the purposes of this study are focus on how to apply role-play in a English class and what are the advantages of apply it in a class.  The researchers mention four factors which can help in applying role-play successfully, that are: the topic of the activity must be relevant and real, the teacher need use the appropriate language in this activity, correct the errors in a proper way, and the last the role of the teacher in this activity is as the facilitator, spectator, and participant.
On the literature review the researcher mention about some definitions of role play by some experts and one of them is Wilkins (1975), role play is an activity to imitate the real life, the students must speak properly in line with the condition of this activity and their roles in this activity.
On the next point, the researchers mention some points to make role-play applied successfully in the class, that are: the students’ interest will take big part in this activity and the choice of roles and contexts, the teacher must choice the suitable role to each student.
The lack of finding on role-play context may be due to the fact that this activity did not work successfully. In the role-play activity the teacher should be a surveyor and control the situation to make the class going on smoothly. In conducting this activity, the researchers stated that at the first class the teacher will take ten minutes to explain the role of this activity. The students have 15-20 minutes to prepare their role-play script and 5 minutes to present themselves in front of the class.
On the result of this study, the researchers stated that 70 percent of the students are got improvement in their vocabulary, the errors grammar of the students were corrected by the teacher immediately, and the students can communicate freely and fluently in English.
For my future students I will use role-play too. After I read this journal and see how much students' improvement by taught using role-play, I decided to teach my future students using this method too. I do agree with the researchers that this method is appropriate to teach speaking. The researchers stated some improvement of the students after taught using role-play. So, I want my future students to get these kind of improvements too.
But this method is difficult to use in my previous study, because the teachers at that time just taught the students using the traditional method, they were followed the materials at the book without developing the materials and motivating the students to learn that materials.

Journal article critique - 12

Citation: Mevada & Gujar. (2015). Role-play: a technique to develop speaking skills of ug students, elt vibes: international e-journal for research in elt, 1(3): 89-97.

know the aim of this journal, that is to know the effect of role play technique in developing ug students speaking skills. 
    On the first part, the researchers stated that having good English is important not only for the students, but also to the other profession. The next point the researchers stated that to developing students speaking skills, the teacher should conduct a communicative activity such as role play and the teacher should make the teaching learning activity become more interesting.  If the teaching learning activity is interesting, the students will be motivated to attend the class.
   However, there are some problems faced by the students in learning speaking, that are: the students are not confident while speaking English since English is not their first language, the students do not know where they should practice and improve their speaking skills, and the last is the students are afraid of making mistakes while practicing their English.
    On the next point, the researchers mention the definitions of speaking by some experts, and at the last of this point the researchers make conclusion of the definitions of speaking, that is: speaking is the way of delivering someone mind using sounds.
    The next point, the researchers mention definitions of role play by some experts, and one of them is Harmer, role play is the activity where the students should act to be other people in a certain situation.
   Then, they mention about the benefits of using role play by some experts, one of them is by Adam and Evans (2003). Adam and Evans mention three benefits of using role-play in a learning activity, that are: the students can practice their English like in a real communication, role play can improve students imagination and creativities in making the dialogue of role play, and it motivates students in learning speaking.
    At the conclusion, the researcher stated that role play is the effective technique to develop students’ speaking skills. Actually, not only speaking skill which developed, but students’ vocabulary and pronouncing too.
    After reading this journal, I will use this activity too to my future students. Because this activity gives more benefits to the students, not only in their speaking skill, but also to their vocabulary and their pronouncing. In the future the students must have good speaking skill, includes the correct pronounciation and much vocabullary. So, applying this activity I think is quite possible to the students. Since I have red some journals and at least I have known how to conduct my students in this activity so the students can get some improvements in their speaking.
    However, this method wae used for some years ago, but at my previous study or senior high school my english teachers not used this kind of activity. They just used the traditional method, that is ask the students to read the book one by one, I think the reason why they did not apply this activity in class because at that time the ability of the students in speaking English and make their own script are very low. So, the teacher dis not apply this activity but asked the students to read the book. I think the purpose of my teacher at that time was to improve students pronounciation and accuracy in reading an English text, but it did not give the improvement in the students speaking ability.

Journal article critique - 11

Citation: Rahimy, Ramin., & Safarpour, Samaneh. (2012). The effect of using role-play on Iranian efl learners' speaking ability, Asian journal of social sciences & humanities, Vol. 3/No. 1: 50-59.

The purpose of this journal is to know the impact of using role-play in teaching speaking for intermediate students. The reason why the researchers used this method is they want to improve Iranians students' speaking ability, because almost of the students in Iran are lack of speaking skill. In this journal the researchers mention four problems faced by Iranian students.
In testing this method, the researcher devided 60 students into two groups, that are: the control group and the experimental group. At the pre-test and the post test both of the groups are given same question, but the method used by the teacher in delivering materials in class are different. In control group, the teacher using traditional method, while in the experimental group the teacher using role play method.
Based on the data analysis, the experimental group shows significant improvement in their speaking ability. The data shown on table 2 and 3.
In conclusion, the role play method is appropriate to improve Iranian learners' speaking ability. They can practice to be various characteristics of people, such as police, teacher, doctor,  and so on.
I remember when I was at vocational school, my English teacher did not use this method in teaching English. He used traditional method, such as reading a text. So, the students could not get significant improvement. Because, the students are not practice using English in the real context.
However, if I am become a teacher,  I will use this method in my speaking class. Because, based on the some journals that I have read, the data show that there is significant improvement by using this method. Also, the benefit of using this method not only improve the students' speaking ability,  but it can improve students' vocabulary too.

Journal article critique - 10

Citation: R, Arham. Hakim Yassi, Abdul. Arafah, Burhanudin. (2016). The use of role-play to improve teaching speaking, International journal of scientific and research publications, Vol. 6/No. 3: 239-241.

     The purposes of this journal are to develop nursing students' speaking skill using role play and  to know how far the students' ability in speaking English after learning using role-play.
In this journal the authors mention the benefit by using role-play in nursing students' English class. While learning English using role-play, the students not only improve their speaking skill, but also their nurse skill too.
      The students act as the real nurse, they are practicing to communicate with doctors, patient and patient's family in medical context.
In this activity, the students become more active and they have more chance to improve and practice their English.
     When I was in vocational school, one of my English teacher used role-play activity. She asked the students to practice the dialogue in front of the class, but the dialogue did not match with our subject in vocational school. We were took multimedia and the dialogue was about being an receptionist. However, that activity only improve the speaking skill of students in my class, but it could not improve our subject we took in vocational school. If the teacher gave the dialogue which suitable with our subject, it would give more benefits for the students of my class.
     For my future class, if I teach in vocational school, I will use this activity too. But I will give the dialogue which suitable with the students' subject. I do agree with the authors of this journal that using role-play not only give improvement in English, but also it will give improvement in their subject too.

Journal article critique - 9

Liu, Xiu. (2010). Arousing the college students' motivation in speaking English through role-play, International education studies, 3(1): 136-144.

This journal article is discuss about the effectiveness of role play method in arousing college students' motivation in speaking English. In this journal the researcher shows his research result that role-play method can increase students' motivation in speaking English and it makes them become more interested in speaking English.  Also, the researcher stated some aspects that affecting the college students' motivation in speaking English. Actually, the causes are not only come from the students, but also come from the teacher and the classroom activities design.
In this journal the researcher mention some traditional method in teaching speaking which make the students getting bored with the speaking lesson, for example is oral English test for each week. Actually, in my class the students are separated into two small class, that are A class and B class. In the B class, the students said that the speaking class is bored because they just doing same activity in every week. At the beginning of the semester they are interested with the class, but at the end they are getting bored and they think they just doing same activity again and again. Of course, that activity cannot improve students' motivation in speaking English class.
At the point 6th, the researcher provides the research procedure. It starts from the week 1 until week 4. The researcher explains every single activity that she gave to the target class related to the role-play activity. And on the next point, the researcher gives brief explanation about students' improvement.  Actually, at the first week the target and the control groups are at the same level of speaking ability and motivation. The target group cannot do the role-play activity well at the first time, but in every week the target group shows good improvement in ability and motivation, they are become interested in speaking English. 
Since my thesis will use same method with this journal, but my target is different.  I got an illustration about my future thesis, how I should implement this method in my future class. Actually, I do agree with this journal that role-play method can improve students' motivation in speaking English, because the more the students try to speak up the more they want to be better. In addition, the activity is not monotonous. So the students will not get bored with the class.

Journal article critique - 8

Citation: Al Hosni, Samira. Speaking difficulties encountered by young EFL learners, International journal on studies in English language and literature, 2(6): 22-30.

This journal article is discuss about the speaking difficulties faced by 5th grade elementary students in Oman. After I read this journal I can find some similarities faced by Oman students and Indonesia students about those speaking difficulties.
The researcher stated some factors caused 5th grade elementary students' difficulties in speaking. The first is inhibition, while speaking English the EFL learners are afraid if they are making mistakes. The second factor is the students are lack of motivation to express their feeling or ideas in English. The third is not all of the students got same chance to speak English in a class. The fourth is mother-tangue use, while in a teaching learning process of in a discussion the students rarely using English, they are using their own mother tongue to speak up; however, it is English lesson.
Actually, the caused not only come from the students, but it also comes from the teacher, the teaching strategies, and the curriculum. The teachers they have known that speaking is one of the important skills which should teach to the students, but the teacher just skip this part because the time to deliver the materials is not enough.
On the sixth point of this journal article, the researcher stated some advices to face the factors of the speaking difficulties, for example the teacher should give a training to combine the speaking skills and other skills, the teacher should insert the speaking task in his teaching learning process, not only reading and writing, because speaking is the most important skill in English.
This journal article gives me an illustration how to teach my future students. Before, I start to give them the material, I should know the difficulties faced by my future students, so I can prepare what kinds of method I should give to them and also I should include the speaking task in my class.

Journal Article Critique - 7

Citation: Bhattacharjee, Suchismita. (2014). The Effectiveness of Role-Playing as a Pedagogical Approach in Constructing Education, The Associoated School of Construction.

The main purpose of this journal is to determine the Effectiveness of role-playing as a Pedagogical approach for the students in achieving the learning materials.
Role-playing approach teaches the critical thinking process, instigates emotion and moral value, and informing about the factual data. Role-Playing can be used in many social science disciplines, such as:  theater, history, sport education, etc.
To Prove that this approach is effective to the students, the researcher used an experimental study. He used 2 class as the sample, the first class teach by using role-playing approach (experimental class), and the other class is teach using the traditional approach (control class).
Also, to make sure that role-playing approach is effective, the researcher gives some benefits of role-playing approach from some experts. For example, role-playing approach can help the students thinking realistically and solving a challenging problem.
Based on the data which served by the researcher, on the table 1 the experimental class and the control class outcomes almost same, but on the table 2 the experimental class is better than the control class.
In the conclusion, the researcher stated that role-playing approach is more effective than the traditional approach. While the teacher teaching a material using role-playing approach the reality and the theory become balance. Also, the students learning outcome getting better after using role-playing approach.

Journal Article critique - 6

Citation: Boonkit, Komonpan. (2010). Enhancing the development of speaking skills for non-native speakers of English, Prkcedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 2: 1035-1039.

     This journal article talks about how to improve speaking skills in EFL/ESL learners. The researcher stated that there are 3 key aspects to improve students' speaking skills, that are: the students' confidence,  the creatifity of tropics, and students' speaking competence. I do agree that three key aspects are important to improve the EFL/ESL sfudents' speaking skills.
     Actually, it is important for the students to speak english fluently and confidently, especially for the real communication with the native speaker. The biggest reason why they are unable to speak english confidently is they might be a lack of confidence in term about making mistakes or errors.
    To help the EFL/ESL learners improve their speaking skills, the researcher using a task-based approach.
    A task-based approach was conducted by David Nunan (2006). The researcher finding two research questions related to improve the students' speaking skill by using task-based approach l, that are: what factors help the EFL/ESL learners improve their speaking skills, and what ate the EFL/ESL learners' strengths and weaknesses in speaking english.
    However, there are a number of factors related to the students' speaking skills to be the effective english speaker, that are:  pronounciation, vocabullary, and collocation. I do agrer with the researcher that those factors could develop students speaking skills. If the students have correct pronounciation, vocabullary, and collocation, they can communicate effectively and also those factors can build the students' fluency in English. The creativity of topics can be the strength of the students in speaking english and the weaknesses are the errors or mistakes in pronounciation and grammar. Because, the pronounciation of words in English and the students' mother tongue are different it makes them get some difficulties in pronouncing the english words correctly, and also with the grammar. 
     To help the EFL /ESL learners being effective english speakers, the teacher should give them more practice related to the three main factors first. After they got the knowledge related to English the could practice their english over and over. So, they can decrease their errors or mistakea in speaking english.

Journal Article Critique - 5

Citation: Liao, Guoqiang. (2009). Improvement of Speaking Ability Through Interlated Skills, English Language Teaching, Vol. 02/ No. 03: 11-14.

This journal discusses about hot to improve students' speaking ability. The researcher write this journal because he found most of his students could not communicate freely and express their ideas clearly in English. The researcher explains there are some reasons that make the students' could not improve their speaking ability. First, the teacher said that most of teacher at the previous year was using teacher-centered method to teach his students and that method just focus on the reading and writing skill, while the speaking skill was not teach seiously. Second, most of the teachers use traditional modes of teaching activies, such as reading dialog, reciting text, doing translation,  and the material which used in teaching learning activity is non-authentic material. By giving these kinds of activities make the students getting bored with the class. The next reason is speaking never be included into the examination, only writing and reading skill which tested in examination. The last reason comes from the students' side. The students never practice their speaking properly in the class, so they never know how far their capabilities in speak english. Then, when the students are in a situation that makes them should speak English they will be afraid of making some mistakes and almost of the students think that only writing and reading are skills which needed to apply in a college or university, but the fact said that the speaking is the most important skill needed.
Based on the some reasons above, the writer of this journal article recomended some activities to improve the students' speaking abilities. The writer writes some activies which can be done in paris of groups, that are:
a. Communication activities
     The kind of this activity is make a pairs of students, give them a topic about something and aks them to discuss it. After they are disscus about the topic, they should share their ideas to other member of the group.
     By using this activity the researcher believes that the students' speaaing abilities can be improved.
b. Quistionaire
    The students can work in pair to make their own quistionare, then they should interview other group using that quistionare. The researcher believes this activity provides an additional source of talk, so the students speaking ability will get better.
c. Quiz
    It is almost same with the quistionare. The students work in pair and make their own quiz questions. Each pairs should ask another pair of students to answer their questions orally. This activity involves some speaking, writing, and listening. When the quiz is done, the pair of students who have answered the questions will get reading and speaking integreted.

    After reading this journal article, I am strongly agree with the writer's sugestion how to improve the students' speaking skill. The first thing that should be fixed is the teacher method or the way the teacher delivers the materials. The teacher should choose the appropriate method to his students, so the teaching learning activity will be more interesting. Then, the materials chosen for the students should be up to date and authentic, the teacher should choose the interesting material for his students for example he can choose material from what's going on in our environment. It can develop students' interest to the teching learning activity. The last that the teacher should change is the activities during teaching learning activity. If at the lrevious year the teacher give a reading dialog activity, the can change it into role play, so, the students not only reading the text but they shoukd now the main information of the text and then practice it in front of the class. Also, the teacher can include speaking into the exam so the students have more chance to practice their speaking ability.

Journal article critique - 4

Citation: Bani Abdelrahman, Hamad; Bsharah Muwafaq, Saleem. (2014). The Effect of Soeed Reading Strategies on Developing Readinh Comprehension Among the 2nd Secondary Students in English Language, English Language Teachinh, Vol. 7/No. 6: 168-175.

The purpose of this journal article is to find the effect of speed reading strategies on developing reading comprehension between 2nd secondary students in English Language.
The researchers did this research because they found the main purpose of reading comprehension is not achieved. It means that the students still got some difficulties in study reading comprehension. The researchers explain that the difficulties come from the way the teacher delivers the material and the reading comprehension text itself.
To find the appropriate method to teach speed reading on reading comprehension, the researchers explain about some experts' research. For example, the appropriate strategies to teach speed reading on reading comprehension are skimming and scanning. It is delivered by Machleon (2013).
At the result of this research the researchers showing that there was a significant difference on reading comprehension due to speed reading strategies and it indicates that scanning and skimming strategies are effective to improve students' speed reading on reading comprehension.
By reading this journal article, I am agree with the researchers that skimming and scanning strategies are appropriate to teach speed reading on reading comprehension. I think these kind of strategies will be appropriate to my future classroom, but before I apply it into my classroom I should prepare about the materials and choose the level of the text to my students. Also, I should preapare the exercise which suitable with students' capability. Hopefully, by using this strategis my students' speed reading will be increased and they can achieve the material easily.

Journal Article Critique - 3

Citation: Attaprechakul, Damrong. (2013). Inference Strategies to Improve Reading Comprehension of Challenging Texts, English Language Teaching, Vol. 6/No. 03: 82-92.

     The main purpose of this journal article is to explore the appropriate Strategies to read journal article successfully. However, the background of this research is caused of the most graduated students find some difficulties in reading a set of Texts on education and economic growth. They are Challenging in many ways to read that kinds of text.
     When, that graduate students read a text and they find some unfamiliar word, they look at the dictionary and sometimes they ask to their friend, but sometimes when they are reading an article and find some difficulties and lack of background knowledge they just read some parts of that text which they make sense, so, they could not find the whole information of that article.
     However, the author of this article, Damrong Attaprechakul, explains some factors that may contribute to the graduate students' difficulties, such as their low background knowledge.
     The researcher stated that reading is one of difficult tools to get a new knowledge, so, the students should learn the appropriate strategies to cope with the reading needs. Students may get difficulties difficult to find the whole information of that text. That's why the must choose the suitable strategies and methods to imorove their reading Comprehension of challenging texts.
     After reading this journal article, I imagine if I become a teacher and how to improve my students' reading comprehenshion of challenging texts. First of all, I should find their interest and know more about their reading level. Then, I can decide what kinds of text that I can give to them. I can give them an academic article which related with their interest and appropriate with their reading level. If we give our students a text which makes them interested, I think it can motivate them to read that text. No matter if they got some difficulties, such as unfamiliar word. They will reaf that text till the end, because they've motivated and interested with the topic and genre. By got some unfamiliar words, it can imorove their vocabulary mastery. If they do not know the meaning of that words, they will try to find that meaning.  After that they know the meaning of that words and improve their vocabulary. If they read the text till the end, I think it can give them new knowledge.
     By choosing the appropriate topics and suitable level of a text or journal, it can give some benefits to the students and also it can improve their reading comprehension ability of challenging text.

Journal Article Critique - 2

Citation: Alyousef, Hesham. (2005). Teaching Reading Comprehension to ESL/EFL Learners,The Reading Matrix, Vol. 5/ No. 2: 143-155.

1. The Title

     The title of this journal article is brief, informative, and clear. The title shows the readers the usage of this article. However, this article dealings with various activities in teaching reading comprehension used by the english teacher to ESL / EFL Learners. On the other hand, the title avoids ambigous and vogue.

2. Statement of the Problem

     According to the reasearchers, reading is a complex process, and they proposed six general component skills and knowledge areas, that are:
a. Automatic regocnition skill
b. Vocabulary and structural knowledge
c. Formal discourse structure knowledge
d. Context / world background knowledge
e. Synthesis and evaluation skill
f. Metacognitive knowledge and skill mentoring.

On the second point, the author gives two types of reading, that are: extensive and intensive reading. Also,  The author states the key to reading Comprehension. He said that reading is an activity which will do based on the readers' motivation and characteristics. The teachers should give the appropriate materials to motivate their students  in reading a material.

3. Related to Literature

     In this study provides two related literatures, that are: teaching reading Comprehension activities and the students' background knowledge and motivation. The author states the key point to increase students' ability in reading, the teacher can use some activities. For example, the teacher can use word play and puzzle to expand the students' vocabulary. Also, by doing some reading activities the teacher believes the fluency and the skill in reading of the students will be increased.

4. Conclusion

     According to the article, the ESL / EFL students' reading ability cab be increased by doing some reading activities, such as: puzzle, word play, etc. On the other hand, the teachers should give the appropriate materials while teaching reading comprehension, so, the students can be motivated while reading a text.

Critical reading - 1

Aliponga, Jonathan. (2013). Reading Journal: Its Benefits for Extensive Reading. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, Vol. 3(12), 73-80.

    This article is discuss about the benefits of reading a journal in Extensive Reading. On the first part of the first part of this article explains about the explanation of  Extensive reading by some experts. Also, the author gives 5 characteristics of the text in Extensive reading which can read by the students. The second part of this article tells about six parts of a journal, that are: 1. The title of the article, 2. Prediction of the content, 3. An intriguing sentence, 4. Critical questions, 5. Opinion about the journal. Still in this part, the author explains the brief explanation of the reading curriculum about the importance of Extensive reading in TOEFL ITP test. The author said that Extensive reading ability could help the students passed the TOEFL test.
    On the next part the author gives the result of the quistionnaire about the benefits of reading a journal. The author suggests his students to make reading a journal as their ability, because it can improve their reading abilities. Based on the result of the quistionnaire the author tells about some benefits that got by his students, that are: reading a journal encourages the students to read, reading journal provided the students' motivation to read, reading a journal enabled the students to think critically, reading journal could help the students prepare for their TOEFL tesr, etc.