Immersive Strategy with Media Youtube to Empower Students’

English Oral Skills

Asnawi Muslem

, Bustami Usman

, Arifin Syamaun

English Education Department, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Syiah Kuala University,

Banda Aceh, 23111, Indonesia

Keywords: Immersive strategy, youtube, student, English, Oral speaking skills.

Abstract: English language is one of the most dominant languages learned and used by people in this era for various

purposes. To learn and master well the language, it needs students’ willingness and seriousness who wants

to enhance their competence in English language. Many handicaps are faced by the students in Indonesia to

learn and master the language such as; lack of exposure of the language, rich environment that is not

supported and English language hold its status as a foreign language. However, there are many ways that

can be done by students who want to improve their skill in English. For instance, students can go abroad

where English is used as a media of communication for various purposes. They can also invite native

speaker to Indonesia. However, these ways are high cost. The best alternative way to learn and master well

the English language is learning through immersive strategy with media YouTube. It is friendly user and

low cost. The objectives of this paper are to present the potential strategy to master English well through

immersive strategy with media YouTube among non-native students in Indonesia. In addition, it also

discusses how this strategy helps students to master the target language easily and near-native like that has

been proved in the previous studies conducted by the author. Besides, this paper also discusses the steps or

procedures of implementing this strategy to empower students’ capacity in English competence to reach

native-like among non-native students. Analyses of the findings and previous studies have proved that the

use of media technology in learning English are quite helpful and effective. Therefore, immersive strategy

with media YouTube helps low and high achievers acquire the English language easily without mediation in

their first language. In short, by learning through this strategy students can master and communicate in

English automatically and spontaneously.

1 INTRODUCTION

English language has been introduced and taught for

many years in Indonesia starting from elementary up

to university levels. However, the ability to use and

communicate in the language is still insufficient.

According to “English Proficiency Index” (EF EPI)

as quoted from Pikiran Rakyat (2016) reported that

the level of English language of Indonesian obtained

the score 52,91, which was ranked 32 out of 72

countries surveyed globally. Indonesian rank is left

far behind Singapore, Malaysia, and Philippine in

which these countries included in the top 15 (Pikiran

Rakyat, 2016). The EF EPI is the largest survey that

measures the English proficiency of countries in the

world and is considered an international benchmark

for adult level English proficiency. It has long been

used by many countries as an important standard for

viewing English proficiency (Steve Crooks, Director

of Education & Development Research at EF

English First Global, Pikiran Rakyat, 2016). In 2017,

this institution conducted the same survey on the

level of English mastery among adults people in

Indonesia found that the level of English skill

dropped 7 points from 32 ranked last year, and now

become the 39 position of 80 countries in the world.

This fact makes all of us all so concerned and need

to find the right solution and effective way.

The reason why the mastery of English language in

Indonesia is low because English status is a a foreign

language (Lauder, 2008). The focus of teaching

English at the third year of primary school is on the

basic competence (Kurniasih, 2011). Another

reason why the mastery of English is low due to the

environment; English is used and spoken in the

classroom, but outside the classroom they return to

Muslem, A., Usman, B. and Syamaun, A.

Immersive Strategy with Media YouTube to Empower Students’ English Oral Skills.

DOI: 10.5220/0009897600002480

In Proceedings of the International Conference on Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (ICNRSD 2018), pages 65-70

ISBN: 978-989-758-543-2

their native language or lack of exposure of the

target language (Liando, Moni, Baldauf & Richard,

2005; Muslem and Abbas, 2017). Large classes,

lack of teaching facilities, poor attitude toward

English, teacher qualification and experience, and

inadequate assessment process prevent the

appropriate teaching of English (Nurkamto, 2003;

Djufri et al., 2011). Since, the English language

plays an important role in this globalization era for

many kinds of purposes. This language should be

learned and taught not only for the purpose subject

matter but also for various purposes. This language

should be able to use for media of communication in

in various aspects human affairs (Pennycook, 1994).

To achieve the level of standardized English, the use

of appropriate method in the learning process is

important.

In order to solve and improve the level of English

mastery among Indonesian, the government of

Republic of Indonesia, the educational institutions,

teachers, policy maker, and other respective parties

should take the right steps and policy. One of the

best alternative strategies that can be used to resolve

the problem of low level of English mastery among

Indonesian people is through learning by immersive

strategy (Tallinn, 2015; Gibbons, 2002). However,

in this paper, the author uses Immersive Strategy

with Media YouTube to Empower Students’ English

Oral Skills among Non-Native Speaker in Indonesia.

And this is the best alternative strategy to be used to

realize or achieve students’ English oral skills. So,

the objectives of this paper are to investigate

whether the use of immersive strategy with Media

YouTube can improve students’ oral English skill, to

discuss how this strategy can be applied in the

teaching and learning process in or outside the

classroom to help students, and also discusses the

procedure of doing the strategy in the teaching and

learning process.

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Second Language Learning

Methods

Various methods have been used by English

language teachers in the teaching and learning

process in the classroom. However, the students’

ability to use the language is still low. In this case,

is there something wrong with the process of

teaching and learning process? To answer this

question, it is important to look at the perspective of

first and second languages learning theory.

According to Krashen (1982) points that for normal

children acquired and learned their first native

language is relatively subconsciously. In this case,

their home and wider environment are the place

where they acquire and learn their native language

(L1) subconsciously (Skutgabb-Kangas, 1976;

Fromkin et al., 2011). There are some of first

language approaches that describe how first

language is learned and acquired. For instance is

Universal grammar (Chomsky, 1987). Language is

acquired through an innate blueprint. Universal

Grammar (UG) has a set of specifications for

acceptable structures in any language. Children do

not disrupt UG instructions. Chomsky also points

that every child can acquire any language even

though the child has low IQ though with complex

system. A normal child acquires his first language

through utterances around his environment

subconsciously (Chomsky, 1987). He further

elucidates that a child learn the structure of language

from a disorderly and small amount of data around

him. The child acquires his first language without

very much influenced by the process of imitation.

The children can acquire the first language naturally.

So in order to acquire the second language

effectively, it is important adopt the theory of first

language acquisition to teach the second language to

reach native like quality, so that the students can use

and communicate English language automatically

and spontaneously.

2.2 The Critical Period in SLA/EFL

The critical time for everyone to acquire the L2

automatically and spontaneously is at a very young

before adolescence (Snow & Hoefnagel-Hoihle,

1978; Gleitman and Newport (1995). Those children

who learn the L2 at the early age will give good

impact on the quality of the language acquired by

them. However, if the children learn second

language (L2) after puberty, the quality of their L2

acquisition will be gentler and less successful than

normal L1 learning (Krashen 1998). According to

Mayberry (2007) pointed that age factor was vital

that empower students to acquire second language

near native like. In contrast, although age factor

plays a dominant role in acquiring the language so

that students can speak the language naturally but

this is not the only factor. The use of proper

intervention approach, method, technique, students’

attitude, aptitude, motivation also plays vital role in

SLA (Ilter, 2009; Zengin, 2007; Kobayashi, 2002;

Ilin, 2013). Besides, the appropriate media speech

inputs also play an important role to enable students’

ICNRSD 2018 - International Conference on Natural Resources and Sustainable Development

second language acquisition (De Bot, 1997; Tozcu

& Coady, 2004; Baleghizadeh, 2010; Bahman, 2011;

Ilin, 2013). Adults learners can also acquire the

second language if they are put in the linguistically

rich environment like studying abroad (Ullakonoja

(2009). In this case, they can deal with the exposure

of the target language due to every time they listen

and interact with the native speakers of the language.

Learning English through immersive strategy with

technology also enable learners to acquire the

second language automatically and spontaneously

without mediation of their first language (Muslem

and Abbas, 2017). So, as long as the appropriate

strategy and also linguistically rich environment

involve in the process of second language

acquisition, the learners will acquire the second

language automatically and naturally no matter how

old the learners. Brown (2000) also points that

learners can learn and acquire an L2 after a critical

period by employing appropriate strategies during

the process of teaching and learning happen. People

beyond the age of puberty do not acquire a native-

like accent as has been shown by many studies but

the exceptions do there of course (as long as the

process of learning and acquiring appear as in the

process of acquiring first language).

2.3 Immersive Strategies in SLA with

Media Youtube

Immersion is a form of experiential learning where

the learning processes involve deep commitment and

engagement with the target language through all the

senses. According to Tallin, (2005) and Cummins,

(2000) reported that United State, Canada, Spain,

New Zealand, etc. have implemented the Immersion

programs to enable students improve their second

language acquisition and learning. This program is a

relatively new development within bilingual

education, nevertheless, it is an option (and a term)

that is being implemented more and more widely.

Johnson & Swain (1997) pointed that Immersion

programs is aimed at offering the quantity and

quality of participation in the use of target language

that confirm the expansion of a high level of

proficiency.

It attempts to duplicate the SLA/SLL process. It has

been flourished mainly when associated with SLA

topic teaching. Language immersion is a method of

EFL/SLA teaching whereby the target language is

used as both curriculum content and media of

instruction (Pacific Policy Research Center, 2010).

Media YouTube can be as one of the most effective

media to be used as the authentic inputs of the target

language. Immersion program needs to be as one of

the media of improving the quality of language

learning and competence due to result of students’

achievements are not significantly satisfied. Students

have long been learning English language since

primary school up to university level, but, but their

ability to use the target language still far from the

expectation (Muslem and Abbas, 2017). Although,

the focus of teaching English language nowadays

has been to four skills; listening, speaking, reading,

and writing not on grammar and vocabulary

separately. However, the process of teaching and

learning is all in one (integratedly) (Johnson &

Swain, 1997). Language immersion with Media

YouTube is the program of language learning that

focus on the use of English language as the language

instruction. Students involve themselves to listen

and watch the learning materials from YouTube

repeatedly until they can produce the output of the

target language as the total immersion (Cummins,

1998; Tallinn, 2005; Lenker & Rhodes, 2007). The

role of teacher in the classroom is limited through

this media. Teacher can be as a facilitator, an

organizer, and counselor in the classroom. Students

are more active either in the class or outside the

classroom. The students’ strongest commitment is

very important in the learning process through

immersive with media YouTube. Media YouTube

plays an important role in improving students’

English competence (Yang, Chen, & Chang Jeng,

2010). This kind of media also improve students’

interest and motivation in learning significantly (Liu

& Chu, 2010; Yang, Chen, & Chang Jeng, 2010).

According to Sharrina Md Nordin (2010) the use of

media like YouTube influenced the way learners

learn and will increase their performance and affects

the learning environments.

It can be concluded that the presence of media

YouTube as one the media for improving language

skill is a paramount. This media reduces the

teacher’s burden in the teaching and learning process

in the classroom. Teachers only provide the lesson

from YouTube that relevant to the students’ needs

and levels. Using this media, teachers and students

need to have facility of internet, computer or other

medium to learn the lesson from YouTube. The

advantage of using media YouTube is to enable

students and students learn the learning material

from the native speaker. Besides, They can listen

and watch the video repeatedly until students feel

that they are able to do as shown or spoken in the

clips by native speakers. As a result, students can

Immersive Strategy with Media YouTube to Empower Students’ English Oral Skills

use the language for communication easily and

precisely like native speaker.

3 METHODS

Improving students’ English oral skill is the

objective of the government of republic of

Indonesia, educational institution, and other

respective parties in order to enable students to

compete with other countries in the world. Various

efforts and activities have been done by the

government to improve human resource in term of

English language mastery. This study employed

experimental study that involved 80 Syiah Kuala

University students as the sample of the study. The

learning setting of this study was Aceh, Indonesia.

Students trained to use the learning materials

properly before they work to immerse at home or

outside the classroom. The duration and structure of

the immersion strategies with media YouTube was

modeled after the Canadian immersive program to

teach French. The Canadian program employed 250

hours contact hours per year but this study employed

140 hours for contact in the classroom and practice

at home for the duration of two months. In all 20

hours were for interaction in the classroom and 120

hours were used at home or outside classroom.

The students used their own computer or notebook

to engage in learning. The speech inputs were from

various recorded multimedia clips involving native

speakers. The YouTube inputs were given to the

students and they bring home to immerse by

listening and watching through computer or mobile

phone by the students following the schedules that

were provided for practice lessons individually or

their peers. At the school, the teachers allotted the

facilities needed to run the activities either in the

classroom or outside the classroom. The author was

responsible to afford the learning materials and

ensured that all learning materials could be used

properly by the students. The author downloaded

the learning material from internet that related to the

students’ need and level. The materials given to the

students to immerse at home or elsewhere covered

greeting, introducing oneself, introducing other

people, asking like and dislikes, telling hobbies,

asking and giving opinion, asking for help, and

asking and giving direction. All recorded clips

employed conversational English. The procedures of

learning in the immersive strategy with media

YouTube were as follows: (1) teaching materials

were given to the students one week before the class,

(2) students learnt and watched (immersed) the

YouTube at home as had been assigned, (3) students

could watch and listen to the YouTube repeatedly as

they like, (4) in the class, students practiced the

teaching materials that had been learnt a week ago,

(5) the author facilitated the students to practice in

the class with their classmates, (the author recorded

the students’ practicing the language to ease the

author to assess their achievement objectively. These

same activities with different teaching materials

were continued until the experiment finished. The

data collected were analysed using anova.

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The current study found the use of immersive

strategy with media YouTube significantly improved

students’ oral production skills that cover pausing,

stress, phrasing, rate, intonation, and integration.

This finding is in line with BavaHarji (2014) who

found that the implementation of multimedia

learning gave constructive effects on fluency of EFL

among a group of Iranian university students. He

also found that the media could bring the intricacies

of the language and the skill of the learners to

advantage from the use of rehearsal and monitoring

strategies in appealing with the instructions. The use

of media YouTube provides the benefits and

opportunities for the students to rehearsal frequently

and accepts remedial until accepted stages of

effortlessness were accomplished (Gu, 2002;

AbuSeileek 2007; Sykes, 2008). Another previous

study was shown by Genesee et al., (2006) who

found that immersion learners in courses with native

second language speaking colleagues reach higher

level of oral French proficiency associated to

learners in courses without native speaker.

Immersive environment enable learners to have an

ample opportunity to deal with the native speakers

nuance of SLA with fearless rehearsal provided

through communication. The use of multimedia also

improves students speaking (King, 2002). She also

reported that the use of this media enables students

to provide prosperity of contextualized linguistic,

terms, paralinguistic, authentic cross-cultural

information, expressions, classroom listening, and

effortlessness practice. By watching and listening to

media YouTube learners could simply model the

language patterns used by the speakers and applied

them to communicate with their groups in or outside

the class.

ICNRSD 2018 - International Conference on Natural Resources and Sustainable Development

The same finding that supported the current finding

also reported by Shih (2010) in which the use of

multimedia with peer supported feedback improved

students’ oral skills production in terms of fluency

of pronunciation. It also found that pupils could

progress weaknesses and learn from others’ gifts by

watching videos constantly. Another study also

supported the study in which the use of multimedia

improve students’ speaking skill (Kaltenboeck,

2001; Ali, 2004; Ilter, 2009; Ullakonoja, 2009;

Kessler, 2010; Wu, 2013; Diyyab, 2013). The same

reports also provided by Bahrani (2011) and Murat

(2012) in which the efficiency of acquaintance to

video in developing speaking articulacy to EFL

pupils endorsed their speaking fluency skills.

5 CONCLUSION

The findings showed that the immersive strategy

with media YouTube reported significantly better

performance in all measures of oral production

skills. This strategy also gives an ample opportunity

for students to deal with the authentic materials so

that the students feel comfortable and enjoyable in

the learning process. This program needs teachers’

creativities to upgrade students’ competence in

English so that they can compete and socialize with

the native speaker of the language. Immersive

strategy can be used as one of the best alternative

strategies to enhance students’ oral English skill

easily, automatically, and naturally without need

thinking into their native language.

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