Scripta : English Department Journal

Improving Students’ Speaking Skills Through Contextual Teaching and Learning Model of Students' 21st Century

2025-10-27T16:18:21+07:00

This classroom action research aimed to improve the speaking ability of first-year students at SMP Negeri 1 Kebumen through the Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) model, targeting the enhancement of student’s 21^stcentury skills. The study was conducted in class VII A, involving 30 students as the sample. The research was implemented in two cycles, each consisting of planning, action, observation, and reflection stages. Data were collected using both qualitative and quantitative methods, including speaking tests, observation sheets, and student interviews. The instruments employed for data collection were validated for reliability and consistency. The implementation of the Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) model can significantly improve students’ speaking skill as well as foster their 21^stcentury skills, such as engagement, critical thinking, and communication. The results indicated a significant improvement in the students' speaking skill, as evidenced by the increased mean scores from the pre-test to the post-test in both cycles. Additionally, the students demonstrated enhanced engagement, critical thinking, and communication skills. Findings confirm that the CTL model is effective in improving student’s speaking skill and simultaneously strengthening their 21^stcentury skills. Therefore, the CTL model can be recommended as a valuable strategy for enhancing both linguistic proficiency and essential competencies in junior high school students.

Role Play as Pedagogical Tool to Enhance Speaking Skills: Students’ and Lecturer’s Perception

2025-10-27T16:52:37+07:00

The research aims to explore the students’ perception and to know the lecturer’s perception of role play as a pedagogical tool to enhance English speaking skills. Then, it explores the perceptions of the third-semester students and a Public Speaking course lecturer as its respondents. The use of role-play as a pedagogical tool to enhance English speaking skills in the Public Speaking course at Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo is the main topic of this research. Employing a qualitative descriptive design, data were collected through questionnaires and in-depth interviews involving 50 students and one lecturer. The results revealed that both students and the lecturer viewed role play positively, highlighting its effectiveness in improving speaking fluency, boosting confidence, and increasing engagement. Role play provided realistic and interactive contexts for students to apply language skills while reducing anxiety and promoting active participation. However, challenges such as nervousness and lack of preparation were noted, indicating the need for supportive learning environments. These findings suggest that role play should be integrated more frequently into speaking classes to foster communicative competence and real-life speaking readiness.

English Teachers’s Readiness in Implementing Deep Learning Approach at the Elementary School Level

2025-10-29T14:22:09+07:00

English education in elementary schools is crucial for equiping students with early communication skills in the global era. The Indonesian education curriculum continues to develop, including the implementation of a deep learning approach that is believed to improve students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. This study analyzes the readiness of elementary school English teachers on the southern coast of Central Java and Yogyakarta to implement deep learning in learning activities. The instrument in this study was an interview containing eighteen questions that had to be answered by fourteen elementary school English teachers. The results show that teachers have a positive understanding of this approach and implement it through methods that are relevant to student conditions, interesting media, and the use of technology. However, increasing the English teachers’ readiness is still needed through training and workshops, especially for teachers without an English education background.

Tutors‘ Perspectives on Camera-Off Behavior in Online English Classroom

2025-10-30T14:45:06+07:00

This research explores the camera-off behavior affects teacher-student interaction (TSI) in online English classroom. While previous research has mainly focused on studnets‘ perspective in formal institutions, this study investigates how English tutors perceive and manage challenges caused by limited visual engagement. This study addresses two research questions: (1) How does camera-off behavior affect TSI in online English classroom, and (2) What strategies do tutors employ to manage this behavior. Drawing on Transactional Distance Theory, data were collected from 18 tutors via questionnairies, interviews and classroom observations. Findings revealed that camera-off practices hinder reciprocal communication, weaken classroom atmosphere, and contribute to emotional fatigue and demotivation among tutors. Tutors reported difficulties in maintaining instructional flow, detecting dishonesty, and fostering engagement. Despite institutional limitations, tutors implemented flexible approaches such as personal check-ins, name-calling, and relaxed camera rules. The novelty of this study lies in its focus on freelance tutors in a non-formal online classroom, where institutional authority is limited, yet the pressure to retain students remains high. The findings offer important pedagogical implications for online language instruction, emphasizing the need for flexible engagement strategies, institutional support, and ethical digital practices to address the challenges of camera-off behavior in non-formal contexts.

The Influence of Motivation and Self-Confidence on Students’ Speaking Skills at Vocational Schools

2025-10-30T15:26:23+07:00

This study explores the perceptions of eleventh-grade students at SMK N 1 Purworejo, SMK PN 2 Purworejo, and SMK TKM Teknik Purworejo regarding the influence of motivation and self-confidence on their English-speaking skills. Employing a qualitative case study approach, the research involved 30 student participants through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. The findings reveal that students with high levels of motivation and self-confidence generally demonstrate stronger English-speaking abilities. However, a number of these students continued to experience anxiety and apprehension during speaking tasks. Conversely, students with low motivation and self-confidence face significant challenges, such as self-doubt, public-speaking anxiety, limited vocabulary, and fear of mispronunciation. Despite these barriers, many of them express a strong desire to improve through consistent practice. These results highlight the importance of fostering both motivation and self-confidence to support students in developing their English-speaking skills.

Students’ Writing Ability on Descriptive Text: An Analysis of Generic Structure-Based

2025-10-31T15:11:17+07:00

The study aims to describe students writing ability in descriptive text based on a generic structure for seventh-grade students. Finding out how well understudies can write descriptive content and whether they are currently well-organized are the two main objectives of this study. This study employed a qualitative research method. The participants were the seventh-grade students of SMP Muhammadiyah Purworejo. There are twenty-five students in all, eleven are female and fourteen are male. This study uses students’ writing descriptive text work as its instrument to find students' level of understanding of its generic structure. Furthermore, it also aims to find the category of students writing ability in descriptive text. The result of the study was that 12 students (48%) have a low level of understanding of writing descriptive text based on its generic structure. Then, the students' descriptive text writing skills categorized as good is 10 students (40%) and fair is 15 students (60%). From the mean score that is 65, it can be concluded that the students have a poor grasp of the generic structure of descriptive text, and they have fair category in writing descriptive text.

Perceptions of EFL Students Regarding English Broadcasting Learning for Their Communication Competence

2025-10-31T15:57:28+07:00

This study explores the perceptions of EFL students at Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo regarding English Broadcasting learning and its impact on their communication competence. A mixed-method sequential explanatory design was employed, starting with a structured survey involving English Education students who participated in broadcasting courses, followed by in-depth interviews and video content analysis using a standardized rubric. The findings showed that students perceived English Broadcasting as engaging and motivating, but improvements in speaking confidence and communication structure were still moderate. While many developed good communication skills, only a few reached excellence, revealing a gap between perceptions and actual performance. Overall, English Broadcasting enhanced students’ motivation, language competence, and professional readiness, but highlighted the need for more practical experience.

Skimming and Scanning Techniques in Teaching Students’ Reading Comprehension

2025-11-04T12:33:08+07:00

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of using skimming and scanning techniques in teaching students’ reading comprehension of descriptive texts. The study employed a quantitative method through a pre-experimental design involving a one-group pre-test and post-test. A total of 31 students from the eleventh grade of the Teknik Sepeda Motor department at SMK Ma’arif NU 1 Bener. This data collection was carried out using a reading comprehension test. The results from the pre-test revealed a mean score of 50.32, while the post-test showed a mean score of 69.03. The data analysis involved descriptive statistics, a normality test, and hypothesis testing using SPSS version 25. The analytical findings demonstrated the effectiveness of skimming and scanning strategies in teaching students to comprehend what they read. Following these techniques, there were significant variations between the pre-test and post-test scores, as indicated by the paired sample t-test’s significance value of 0.000 (<0.05). Therefore, the alternative hypothesis (Ha) was accepted, and the null hypothesis (Ho) was rejected.

Obsession and Death Drive in Edgar Allan Poe’s Short Story the Oval Portrait: A Psychoanalysis Study

2025-10-31T17:47:24+07:00

The research emphasizes the short story "The Oval Portrait" by Edgar Allan Poe through the lens of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory. Specifically, the study investigates (1) how the artist's obsession with immortalizing beauty reflects Freud's notion of the death drive, (2) how the narrator's attitude mirrors this obsession, and (3) how the obsession ultimately leads to the wife's self-destruction and death. Using a descriptive-qualitative method, the study identifies aggression and repetition compulsion as key manifestations of the artist's obsession and death drive. The findings suggest that the artist's repressed subconscious desires, dominated by the id, drive his obsessive-compulsive behavior and death drive, which in turn influence the wife's self-sacrifice and her death.

Rhetorical Strategies in President Prabowo’s Speech at the 11th D-8 Summit

2025-11-04T12:31:46+07:00

This study examines President Prabowo Subianto's speech at the 11th Developing Eight (D-8) Summit held in Cairo, Egypt, on December 19, 2024. The main objective of this research is to analyze the rhetorical strategies and socio-political dimensions of his address, focusing on themes related to youth empowerment, economic development, and multilateral cooperation. Using a qualitative descriptive method, the research analyzes the official transcript of the speech, employing a qualitative realist approach to identify recurring themes and patterns. The data analysis follows the four-step process of category identification, context-mechanism-outcome configuration, demi-regularities identification, and generative mechanism refinement. Study reveals that President Prabowo's discourse emphasizes unity, empowerment, and economic collaboration, with a strong focus on the potential of the D-8 nations as a powerful economic bloc. He uses diplomatic and inclusive language to foster solidarity, while presenting the blue economy as a strategic growth opportunity. Moreover, the speech positions the D-8 as a transformative force in global affairs, advocating for a fairer international order. The findings underscore how strategic rhetoric serves to mobilize cooperation and reinforce Indonesia’s leadership role in promoting sustainable development and regional stability. This analysis contributes to understanding the intersection of political discourse and diplomatic practices in multilateral settings.

Analysis of Effectiveness Project Based Learning (PjBL) toward Cross Culture Understanding (CCU) Course on Students‘ Character Building

2025-11-04T12:34:50+07:00

Project Based Learning (PjBL) model can be implemented to Cross Cultural Understanding (CCU) course. Through this, the research study will be able to explore the effectiveness of PjBL applied in learning not only in transferring knowledge but also transferring values/character. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of implementing the PjBL in the Cross Cultural Understanding course in order to support the formation of student character. This study uses a qualitative method with a literature review approach. Data were collected through a review of scientific journals, books, and research reports relevant to the topics of PjBL, character education, and CCU learning. The analysis was carried out using thematic synthesis techniques to identify patterns, effectiveness, and implications of PjBL implementation in the context of CCU learning. Studies have shown that the application of PjBL in CCU learning can increase student engagement, critical thinking skills, and cultural awareness and transformation in attitudes to be more open and tolerant, and show improvements in social responsibility and empathy. PjBL not only enriches theoretical understanding of culture, but also strengthens character values needed in a multicultural society. Thus, the integration of PjBL in cross-cultural learning is worthy of being developed more widely in higher education.

The Implementation of TED Talks-Based Learning on Public Speaking Course

2025-11-04T12:35:57+07:00

This study was conducted to find out how the implementation of TED talks-based learning strategy on students' English speaking skills, and how students respond to learning English speaking using the strategy. This research was conducted using a mixed method. The subjects of this study were second semester students. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. The data collected was classified so that it can provide new information and can be a reference for the theory of public speaking learning in the future. Based on the data obtained through this study, the implementation of TED talks-based learning videos to students from several meetings showed that students seemed to enjoy the ease of practicing public speaking through TED talks-based learning, students' performances became more organized according to the stages and were very concerned about the aspects of how to speak well. In addition, students also became more active and confident as evidenced by their participation in conveying ideas during discussions and giving suggestions on their friends' performances. This learning also makes it easier for students to access digital learning resources that suit their needs and hone their critical thinking skills so that they can produce innovations based on student creativity.

Influence of Physical and Environmental Factors on Students‘ Learning Environment Quality in EFL Classroom

2025-11-07T01:48:10+07:00

This study investigates how classroom physical conditions and environmental arrangements influence the quality of learning, particularly in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. Conducted at SMA Negeri 1 Tirawuta, a semi-urban public high school in Indonesia, the Research focuses on how factors such as seating layout, lighting, ventilation, and acoustics affect student engagement and learning outcomes. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation involving teachers from various disciplines and the school principal. The findings indicate that while teachers implement interactive and student-centred instructional strategies, their effectiveness is often limited by inadequate facilities and inflexible classroom layouts. Poor ventilation, insufficient lighting, and overcrowded seating arrangements were found to reduce students' comfort, concentration, and participation. The study highlights the importance of integrating pedagogical improvement with infrastructural development to create a more conducive learning environment. Effective English teaching requires not only innovative teaching strategies but also supportive physical spaces that facilitate meaningful classroom interaction.

A Enhancing Descriptive Writing through Semantic Mapping and STAD: A Quasi-Experimental Study in Indonesian EFL

2025-11-04T12:38:38+07:00

Writing remains a foundational component of English language learning, particularly in academic contexts where students are expected to produce organized and coherent texts. Among various challenges faced by EFL learners, descriptive writing often proves difficult due to limited vocabulary, weak idea development, and a lack of structure. This study explores the use of Semantic Mapping in combination with Students Team Achievement Division (STAD) to improve students’ descriptive writing abilities. Conducted at SMAN 1 Sumberejo, Lampung, the study involved 60 eleventh-grade students divided into an experimental group (treated with the integrated method) and a control group (taught conventionally). A quasi-experimental design was employed, incorporating pre- and post-tests to measure improvement. Statistical analysis revealed that the experimental group made significant gains (p < .001), while the control group’s progress was minimal and not statistically meaningful (p = .172). Survey data further indicated that students responded positively to the treatment, citing better organization of ideas, increased vocabulary use, and a greater sense of collaboration. The findings highlight that blending visual learning with cooperative strategies can offer substantial benefits in writing classrooms. As such, the Semantic Mapping–STAD model may serve as a practical approach for teachers seeking to enhance student writing outcomes.

Teachers’ Competence in Lesson Planning: Deep Learning within Danielson’s Framework

2025-11-04T12:41:38+07:00

This study explores teachers’ competence and professional performance in lesson planning under the Indonesian National Curriculum, focusing on Domain 1 (Planning and Preparation) of Danielson’s Framework and the integration of deep learning. Conducted as a qualitative case study at a rural senior high school in Southeast Sulawesi, data were collected through lesson plan analysis, classroom observation, and semi-structured interviews with seven teachers, including two English teachers. Findings indicate that teachers possess strong content knowledge and pedagogical skills but face challenges in addressing learner diversity, designing differentiated instruction, integrating higher-order thinking, and developing authentic assessments. Classroom observations revealed uneven student participation and low engagement, while lesson plans showed partial alignment with Danielson’s Domain 1 but lacked coherence and measurable objectives. These results suggest that teachers need stronger institutional support, access to diverse resources, and ongoing professional development to implement deep learning effectively. The study contributes to bridging the gap between curriculum expectations and classroom realities, offering practical implications for teacher training and curriculum implementation in rural Indonesian schools.

Teaching Deixis by Digital Short Story: The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway

2025-11-04T17:52:39+07:00

The purpose of this study is to examine three varieties of deixis and determine the most preval_____ent type of deixis in Ernest Hemingway's short tale, The Old Man and The Sea, as well as its use for teaching reading. The researcher chooses a short tale from Ernest Hemingway's "Старик и море" as the focus of the study because it is written in English. It is a well-known short narrative in which deictic words have reference meanings. Because the data in this study is in the form of words or utterances, the researcher employs a qualitative approach to assess the deixis in the short narrative. The researcher then uses a descriptive explanation to describe the data. Following data collection, the researcher eval_____uates the data, which includes three types of deixis. According to the data analysis, there are 188 diacriticals. The researcher discovered 164 utterances (87%) for person deixis, including 76 words of first-person deixis, 51 words of second-person deixis, 37 words of third-person deixis, 12 words of place deixis (6.5%), and 12 words of time deixis (6.5%). The teacher can use short stories written by Ernest Hemingway to show an example of some expression to make the lesson interesting and enjoyable. Finally, the researcher applied the result of this study for teaching reading.

Unlocking Potential: How Self-Efficacy Shapes Writing Skills In University Students

2025-11-06T15:22:58+07:00

This study aims to analyze the relationship between self-efficacy and college students’ writing skills. Self-efficacy plays an important role in developing students’ confidence in writing, encompassing creativity, technical competence, and strategic approaches. A descriptive qualitative method was employed, using a Likert-scale questionnaire and in-depth interviews with 25 English Education students selected through purposive sampling. The questionnaire revealed that 44% of students felt able to apply creativity in writing scientific papers, while 24% experienced difficulties. Regarding technical skills, 64% were confident in spelling words correctly, but only 28% felt comfortable expressing concepts and grammar academically. Furthermore, 56% were able to utilize feedback to enhance their writing, although 16% still encountered challenges. Interview results supported these findings, showing that high self-efficacy students employed strategies such as outlining, consulting with lecturers, and using AI tools in structuring their work. Conversely, students with lower self-efficacy struggled with grammar and organization. Overall, self-efficacy contributes significantly to students’ writing skills, though challenges persist in technical and argumentative aspects. Therefore, targeted interventions, including academic writing workshops, digital tool integration, and comprehensive guidance, are needed to enhance writing quality. These efforts may strengthen both students’ confidence and technical proficiency, contributing to improved academic performance.

Mastery Learning Approaches in Enhancing EFL Students’ Academic Achievement: A Literature Review

2025-11-06T14:51:05+07:00

This study is a systematic literature review that aims to eval_uate the effectiveness of the Mastery Learning approach in improving the academic achievement of students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Mastery Learning is a pedagogical model that emphasizes comprehensive mastery of learning objectives before students move on to the next material, supported by corrective feedback and individually tailored learning pace. This study analyzes 21 relevant studies published between 2015 and 2025, focusing on the implementation of Mastery Learning strategies across various educational levels. The findings indicate that this approach significantly improves EFL students' abilities, including vocabulary mastery, speaking fluency, writing coherence, and standardized test scores such as the TOEFL. Additionally, Mastery Learning promotes student engagement, structured self-directed learning, and motivation through structured learning cycles and a supportive classroom environment. This study highlights the importance of continuous professional development, adaptive curriculum design, and the integration of formative assessment to support the successful implementation of Mastery Learning in the context of EFL learning.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbot in EFL Writing: Exploring Students’ Perspectives

2025-11-11T02:04:47+07:00

This study aims to investigate students‘ perceptions of the usefulness of AI Chatbot (ChatGPT) in improving writing skills and identifying perceived weaknesses in writing classes. The study employed a qualitative case study method at Muhammadiyah University of Purworejo, using questionnaires and interviews with fourth-semester English education students in the 2024/2025 academic year. The results revealed that students generally had positive perceptions of AI Chatbots in enhancing their writing skills, especially in idea generation, structure organization, and confidence building. Questionnaire data showed high agreement percentages and mean scores, particularly on statements about the value of AI in expressing ideas and improving writing skills. However, interviews uncovered challenges such as generic and shallow responses, inaccurate or fabricated references, over-reliance that reduces critical thinking, informal language styles, and misinterpretation of prompts. These findings highlight both the benefits and limitations of AI Chatbots in academic writing and underline the need for critical AI literacy and human guidance in educational contexts.

Effectiveness Duolingo in Improving Student Motivation in Speaking Skills

2025-11-06T17:38:48+07:00

This study aims to eval__uate the effectiveness of the treatment in improving participants' learning outcomes. The research design used pretest and posttest, involving 20 participants as samples. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, correlation tests, and paired t-tests. The study showed a significant increase in posttest scores, from an average of 290.75 to 502.75, indicating that the treatment effectively improved learning outcomes. However, the high standard deviation in both conditions (pretest and posttest) indicates a significant variation in results among participants. The correlation between pretest and posttest scores showed a very weak relationship, with a correlation value of 0.050 and a significance level of 0.834, indicating that participants' initial results before treatment were not significantly related to the results after treatment. The t-test showed a significant difference between the pretest and posttest, with a t-value of -2.102 and a 95% confidence interval that did not include zero, confirming the positive impact of the treatment on learning outcomes. Nonetheless, the variation in results among participants indicates the need for further research to identify other factors influencing the effectiveness of the treatment, as well as to explore the elements that contributed most to the improvement in learning outcomes.