THE USE OF MICRO SKILL COMPONENTS IN LISTENING TO ENGLISH NATIVE SPEAKERS

Asep Dudi Kurnia (asdud@gmail.com)

Rina Herlina (rherlina85@yahoo.co.id)

Purwati (purwati_1@yahoo.com)

ABSTRACT

L2 listeners usually find more difficulties in listening to English native speakers than to non-English native speakers and it causes misunderstanding in listening to speech through false identification of words, which is the same source of confusion in comprehending English spoken by English native speaker. This paper will particularly emphasize the role of micro skill components consisting of linking and weak sounds as a phonological processing in listening to English native speaker. According to McDonough and Shaw (2003), micro skill components are different components of sound processing mechanisms. They also added that micro skill components are the analysis of language sound consisting of linking and weak sounds. This paper will also elaborate that the mastery of micro skill components is important to construct L2 listeners’ listening skill in order to avoid misunderstanding in listening comprehension.

Keyword: Micro skill components, Linking sounds, Weak sounds.

 

INTRODUCTION

One of the basic language skills is listening comprehension that is included into receptive skill. As stated by Rost (2002), listening is getting something or catching what the speaker says. So, listening comprehension to English means getting something or catching what the English native speaker says. The first goal in listening is comprehension. That is also, what the listeners want to achieve. Gou and Wills (2005) argue that according to second language acquisition theory, an input skill is very much essential for students’ language development, particularly in understanding the linguistic information they hear (see Krashen, 1985)

Krashen (1982) as cited in Larsen-Freeman and Long (1991) insisted that ‘comprehension is necessary in order for input to become ‘intake’-language data that is assimilated and used to promote further development’. It can be language acquisition such as new vocabulary, grammatical construction, and pronunciation mechanism processing. Listening comprehension is widely applied to all listening aspects such as interpreting activity, communication with native speakers either formal or non-formal. In particular, Ur (1998) indicates that listening involves hearing the sounds, recognizing words, understanding varieties of accents, understanding intonation, coping with noise (external interference and indistinct pronunciation), recognizing sentences, predicting the meaning and understanding whole course.

In Richard’s view (2008), ‘to understand the nature of listening processes, we need to consider some of the characteristics of spoken discourse and the special problems they pose for listeners’. He also underlined that spoken discourse usually happens immediately and causes the listener to try hard to process it ‘online’. To put it another way, listening to spoken English provokes some difficulties because L2 listeners, in this case Indonesian learners especially the beginners, have limited knowledge of English word recognition and English sound processing mechanism. In listening classes, teachers usually ask the students to do listening practices, but they are not really taught how to comprehend English spoken by native speakers. In other words, they are not taught the key of listening comprehension, because practice are enought.

This paper highlighted linking and weak sound, because L2 listeners have more restricted experiences in identifying both than others. L2 learners introduced to micro skill components before listening comprehension exercises begin. As we know, English native speakers never get rid of linking and weak sounds, either in formal or non-formal talk. That sounds unfamiliar to L2 learners because they just understand English spoken mostly by non-English native speakers, such as English teachers at schools. Another reason is lack of practices concerning the theories of micro skill components in listening comprehension. Frequently, L2 listeners listen to English native speakers in teaching learning activities, but the teachers seldom explain the theories of micro skill components to the students. So, their listening proficiency is what they have mapped in their brains from non-English native speakers. In fact, word recognition takes important roles in understanding spoken English from English speakers, but without micro skill components mastery, misunderstanding comes up. L2 learners with good knowledge of word recognition, in this case vocabulary mastery, but lack of theories of micro skill components, they will surely have the accent shock when firstly contact with English native speakers, because their English knowledge is obtained mostly from reading and listening spoken by non native English speakers which is absolutely different from what they listen from native speakers. At last, accent fatigue will drive them give up, because they understand nothing. Accent fatigue is the point that L2 learners get upset and tired of listening. That is why L2 learners always blame the speed of native speakers’ speech, whereas it is the normal speed for native speakers. Linking and weak sounds are always beyond the focus in listening class compared to other points. Hence, this paper will elaborate more about linking and weak sounds, and it does not mean that other aspects of micro skill components.

Micro Skill Components

Micro skill components in listening comprehension to English native speaker takes important roles to achieve better comprehension of the English native speaker’s speech. It is better to be introduced firstly before giving listening practices. As cited in Omaggio (1986), Richards (1983) divided micro skill components as follows:

-         Retain chunks of language in short-term memory

-         Discriminate among the distinctive sound in the new language

-         Recognize stress and rhythm patterns, tone patterns, intonation contours.

-         Recognize reduced forms of words

-         Distinguish word boundaries

-         Recognize typical word-order patterns

-         Recognize vocabulary

-         Detect key words, such as those indentifying topics and ideas

-         Guess meaning from context

-         Recognize grammatical word classes

-         Recognize basic syntactic patterns

-         Recognize cohesive devices

-         Detect sentence constituents, such as subject, verb, object, preposition, and the like.

We can divide Richards’ classification into three categories. They are grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation aspects. All points are coherent. In fact, all are taught separately in all school levels started from elementary school to the university such as grammar, vocabulary, and basic pronunciation. They are constructed in school curriculum implicitly and explicitly. Only linking and weak sounds, which are parts of pronunciation, are always beyond teaching treatment. Whereas, weak and linking sounds have significant prominence, because those are the most difficult aspect for L2 learners especially Indonesian learners to make meaning figured out. As we know that native speaker use linking and weak sounds in every single talk, they make. It is their habit and style. We, however, cannot find it in written language because it always presents the formal form of a language with good grammar. Based on our experiences in a three-year teaching experience, students show significant progress as we gave them the theory of linking and weak sounds before going into practices. Great surprise appeared in their faces when they knew how words they used to pronounce actually have different ways to pronounce.

Linking sounds

Linking sound occurs when the last consonant of a word is assimilated with the vowel of the beginning of the following word. Linking sound, however, can occur when the last vowel of a word is assimilated with the vowel of the following word. Notice the following examples:

Get   out   of    here

 

You     and      I                

 

Here       we     are

They       are     in          an interview

No     idea

Wait     a      minute

Linking sounds in English are hard to figure out for L2 learners because in Indonesian language linking sounds are not applied. If we do not see the sentence context we will be get stuck with ambiguity.

It          is          over                             sound like it’s sofa

This      art        is          easy                 sound like this artist easy

I        mean         it’s        great               sound like Amin is great

Weak sound

All words that are unstressed or becoming weak to be pronounced are called weak sounds. They consist of function and grammar words, prepositions, conjunctions, and articles and so on. Therefore, it is hard as well for L2 learners to work with it because of the absence of weak sounds in Indonesian language. The vowel and consonant sounds are prominent and difficult to catch. The use of weak sounds is more complicated than linking sounds. They sound very lightly or even they are not heard at all. Notice the following example:

I want to be with u                                          I wanna be with you

She has got to talk to him                               she’s gotta talk t(o) (h)im

We couldn’t listen to him                                we ku(d)n lis(t)n t(o) (h)im

We couldn’t listen to him                                we ku(d)n lis(t) t(o) (h)im

I have some invitations                                   I hv s(ə)m invətation

That mountain is so blue from a distance       That mount(ə)n is so blue frəm a distance

Construction and connective speech are parts of weak sound, because they do not have stress, such as, couldn’t, wouldn’t, haven’t, do you (dju), would you (wouldju), etc. They sound unclear and the only way to be able to catch their meanings is looking at the next and analyzing them.

Some misunderstanding in comprehending English from native speakers will disturb the communication especially those who work with native speakers. The impact will definitely deals with the feeling of insecurity, the decrease of work quality because of some misunderstandings coming up during the work. Linking and weak sounds usually turn out during the normal speed of daily talk and either formal or informal speech. Native speaker, however, will adjust it for the sake of L2 learners’ comprehension. It depends on the level of study. Beginners will get the speed adjustment, but for intermediate and advance, the adjustment will gradually normal. The advantages of micro skill components taught in listening comprehension are:

For learners

1.      Quickly understand spoken English from native speaker

2.      Motivate learners to learn more about English

3.      Build leaners’ self confidence

4.      Get accustomed to linking and weak sound

5.      Influence learners’ speaking skill in English with native like accent

Below are the strategies we can do to get better comprehension in listening:

1.      Take one audio script of a native speaker talk

2.      Listen how words are pronounced

3.      Put some marks of linking and weak sounds in each sentences of the script

4.      Practice it from a song is not a good idea since it does not have normal speed. It means the rhythm follow the music beat.

5.      For the better result, it would be better for you to apply them in your conversation practice

6.      Do it repetatedly until you get accustomed to it

CONCLUSION

Listening comprehension to English spoken by native speakers for L2 learners especially Indonesian learners is hard. It needs a prior treatment, which clarifies and elaborates the clues of native speakers’ style and accent in speaking. They use linking and weak sounds most in their talk and speech. Linking and weak sounds, which are parts of micro skill components of listening comprehension, can be given as a prior treatment in listening comprehension. Not all aspects are implemented in micro skill components should be given because others like grammar and vocabulary aspects must have been taught in different subjects. Linking and weak sounds are unfamiliar for those who never practices listening to English from native speakers. So, if micro skill components are applied as a prior treatment, it will definitely contribute to construct L2 learners’ skill in comprehending English from native speakers.

REFFERENCES

Jack C.R. (2008). Teaching listening and speaking: From theory to practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Krashen, S. (1985). The  input hypothesis: Issue and Implications. Harlow: Longman

Larsen-Freeman and Long. (1991). an introduction to second language acquisitiion research. New York: Longman.

McDonough, J.&Shaw, C. (2003). Materials and methods in ELT: A teacher’s guide. USA: Wiley-Blackwell.

Guo, N.&Wills, R. (2005). An investigation of factors influencing English listening comprehension and possible measures for improvment. A paper presented at AARE Conference. Retrived from: www.aare.edu.au/05pap/guo05088.pdf (March 28, 2011).

Omaggio, A.C. 1986. Teaching language in context: Proficiency-oriented instruction. Boston: Heinle and Heinle.

Rost, M. (2002).  Teaching and researching listening. England: Pearson Education.

Ur, P. (1998). Teaching listening comprehension. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.