Blended Learning for English Speaking Skill Activities: Students’ Perspective

Department of English Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang, Karawang, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: fauzi.miftakh@unsika.ac.id

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate students’ perspectives on learning speaking skills using blended learning. This study was conducted in one of the public junior high schools in East Belitung. A narrative inquiry approach is used to collect personal accounts of the students’ perspectives during the teaching and learning process. To obtain interview data, as was recommended by the teacher, six 8^th-grade students were involved. The results showed that in blended learning, students learned both face-to-face at school and asynchronously at home. They explained how they learn to speak asynchronously at home with the help of technology. They think positively about speaking learning activities with blended learning. They felt that blended learning made them more confident, more independent, and more flexible in learning to speak. In addition, blended learning offers a more flexible study time so that students feel their speaking and public speaking skills are better than before. However, the disadvantages of blended learning, especially when it is asynchronous, are the problem of poor internet connection and the high cost of internet packages and learning devices.