AN ANALYSIS ON THE ENGLISH CLUB TO SUPPORT STUDENTS’

SPEAKING PERFORMANCE

Okta Virawan, Endang Susilawati, Luwandi Suhartono

English Education Study Program, Teacher Training and Education Faculty, Tanjungpura University,
Pontianak
Email: oktavirawan97@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
This research aimed to investigate the English club in supporting the students’ speaking
performances. A descriptive study which was done to English club students at SMA
Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak. To obtain the data, the writer used observation, documents
and interview. Subject of the research were the members in the English club and the
teacher and the object of the research was the English club at SMA Muhammadiyah 1
Pontianak. Data showed that speaking ability of students in the English club was good.
The researcher analyse how the Club impact speaking performances of students. It
founded that English club support members abilities by creating good atmosphere,
supportive learning environment, and appropriate activities in the English club. Based on
the findings, it showed that activities in the English Club were the most impactful elements
that supported students’ speaking performance. The club used debate, story-telling and
speech as practice activities to improve the students’ language competence such as
grammar, fluency, vocabulary, and pronunciation.
Keywords: English Club, Speaking Performance, Support.

INTRODUCTION
In English foreign language learning,
there are some important skills students must
master. One of them is speaking skill. In
order to express an idea students have to
speak. Burns and Joyce (1997) define
speaking is an interactive process of
constructing meaning that involves
producing and receiving and processing
meaning. It means that, speaking is an
activity involving two or more people in
which the participants are both the listeners
and the speakers having to act what they
listen and make their contribution.
The importance of speaking skills,
hence is enormous for the learners of any
language. Without speech, a language is
reduced to mere script. The use of language
is an activity which take place within the
confines of students’ community. In
speaking activity at school, the students are
hoped to be able to use some expression in
spoken interaction or conversation, the
students are hoped to use English and do the
conversation every day because speaking
needs more practices for the students in
order to be able in speaking English.
Speaking is the most important one. In
order to improve the speaking ability of the
students besides in classroom, the school
also provide extracurricular to help students
who have interest in English. Usually, an
extracurricular is a student-centered,
instructor-facilitated instructional strategy in
which a small group of students is
responsible for its own learning and the
learning of all group members. Students
interact with each other in the same group to
acquire and practice the elements of a
subject matter in order to solve a problem,
complete a task or achieve a goal. The

1
extracurricular could be in many ways such
are English club, drama club, debate club
and so on. By creating the extracurricular,
the school hopes that the students can
develop the English skill actually speaking
skills. The school made an English club for
students who have interest in English.
English club is an extracurricular
program that held by school to facilitate
students in practicing, increase and to build
up students‟ motivation to learn practicing
English beyond the regular class. As
Mulyasa (2007) states that an extracurricular
program is a certain program held outside
the school regular time for supporting and
improving students’ competence.
Extracurricular activities are activities that
can serve as a forum for students who have
interest in the event. Through the guidance
and training of teachers, extracurricular
activities can form a positive attitude
towards the activities pursued by the
students. Extracurricular activities are
followed and implemented by students both
in school and outside of school, aims to
enable students to develop the potential,
interests and talents. In this research, English
club at SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak
focuses on improve students’ speaking skill
especially speaking performance.
SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak
creates an English Club to improve the
students’ ability in English. English club is
one of ways of the school to improve the
students’ English mastery. However, based
on the researcher preliminary research, this
English club focuses more on improving
students’ speaking skill. It is because the
school always participates in competitions
that require the students to speak well, for
examples are speech and debate contest.
SMA Muhamadiyah 1 creates the
English Club as the media for the students to
practicing their speaking. In regular class,
students do not have much chance to practice
their speaking well. In English club, students
have more chance to practice. The students
can speak freely in the club. This club also
2
help students to develop their talents
especially speaking. It is because this club
was create to prepare the students to
participate in English competition that
usually held by the school every year also
any competition beyond the school. The
members of the English club are the students
who have interest in English. Before join the
club, the club gave such a paper of
questionnaires to students. It is used to see
the interest of the students, whether they join
out of interest or compulsion. Because the
school obliges the students to attend at least
one of the extracurricular in the school so it
does not rule out the possibility of having
them join the club by force.
English club is a kind of extracurricular
that held by a school. Extracurricular is
activities that can serve as a forum for
students who have interest in the event.
Extracurricular activities are followed and
implemented by students both in school and
outside of school, aims to enable students to
develop the potential, interests and talents.
The purpose of students of joined an
extracurricular such as English club must be
to take the benefits of the extracurricular.
Based on Galanes and Adams (2013) the
students could get advantages of joining an
English club. The advantages as bellow:
a. The English club members more enjoy
fellowship and companionship;
b. The students receive moral and emotional
support for theirs views;
c. Get passion to not reticence (challenged
reticence);
d. English Club will most likely have access
to much more information
e. Get same turn to speak;
f. More pleasant and suitable than regular
class (English course);
g. Get new vocabulary, knowledge and
information when interlocutor speaking.
In SMA Muhamadiyah 1
Pontianak,English Club is a medium to
improve students’ speaking ability and their
willingness with a high self-confidence in
practicing speaking. Students who lack
interaction, motivation in the classroom,
either because they are introvert, shy or they
have a low language level, the English club
might be a good solution to involve the
students with their friends in doing the club
activities and make passive student active.
The good thing about creating an English
club giving chance to students to study
English with fun and it is also a place for
students to improve their English. So it is
important for school to have such an
extracurricular like English club to help
student in improving their speaking ability.
Speaking is a skill that needs a lot of
practices. In classroom, sometimes the
students are shy and afraid to talk. They are
afraid of making mistakes, consequently
their English cannot be better. Through
English club, they can explore English more
deeply because commonly all English club
member have the similar goal which is to
improve their English skill actually speaking
skill. It is proved when the researcher did
teaching training in SMA Muhammadiyah 1
Pontianak. The researcher found that there
are significant different skill of English
between the students who joined English
club and who do not. The students of the club
also have a high self-confident, it is prove
when the researcher teach them in the class.
Most of students were not use English when
communicate with the teacher, but those
students from the English Club were bravely
use English to speak to the researcher. Those
students were very enthusiastic in English
subject. Outside the class, the students still
have interest to learn and practice English.
They asked a lot about English, as example
they ask about the English competition. It is
because they usually participate in an
English competition in the school and
outside the school such as story-telling,
debate and speech. Because of the reason,
the researcher conduct this research. The
researcher want to know how the English
club impact the students a lot and what
elements from the English club that take an
3
important role to improve the students
speaking skills.
Previously, there were already some
research about English Club, one of them is
The Effect of English Club on Students’
Speaking Ability at SMPN 2 Lembah
Gumanti, conducted by Anggraini (2015) at
STKIP PGRI SUMBAR. A descriptive
quantitative research to find out the effect of
English Club and the difference between the
students who joined English Club and those
who didn’t. It was found out that the English
club had an effect on students and there was
clear difference between those who joined
and those who didn’t.
This research is different from the
previous research. While in the previous
one, the researcher want to find out the
differences between students that join the
English club and who did not join the
English club, the present research want to
find out what aspect from the English club
that support students’ speaking
performances and the participants are the
members in the English club at SMA
Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak. In this
research, the purpose was to investigate how
the speaking performance of students in the
English club and what the club done to
support the students speaking performance.
The researcher hopes this research can give
benefits to motivated students to participate
in English club in order to improve their
speaking skills performance. The teachers
can use this research to improve the quality
of material, learning environment, program
management, or the activity in an English
club. The researcher also hopes this research
can give the ideas of empirical evidence
about how English Club support students’
speaking performance.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
In conducting a research, it is absolutely
fundamental for the researcher to use the
most suitable research design that can help
the researcher in solving the proposed
problem. The research employs a qualitative
descriptive method as the research design.
The researcher just collect the data, make
description and finally make conclusion.
Lans and Voordt (2014) affirm that a
descriptive research is about providing a
clear and real description about how reality
is. It means that this kind of research is
focusing on describing a phenomenon in a
clear way. According to Kothari (2004), a
descriptive study is a kind of research design
which focuses on describing the
characteristics of a particular object. The
main characteristic of this research is that the
researcher will only report and describe all
the answers from the students about the
English Club. The researcher chooses to use
the descriptive method to explain the factors
from the English club that supports students’
speaking performance.
This research conducted at SMA
Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak where the
researcher did teaching training. It is located
at located on JL. Parit Haji Husein 2,
Kelurahan Bansir Darat , Kec. Pontianak
Tenggara, Kota Pontianak.
At SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak,
It is an obligation for students to join one of
some extracurricular that provided by the
school. Like a wise with the English Club,
but there are only few students who have
interest to join the English Club. But,
because of that so the teacher that
responsible can be more focus in improve
the club. The club, usually participate in
English competition especially speaking
competition. Every year, the school held a
competition in the school. One of the
competition is English competition.
The competitions are very good for
students to show up their skill. The
competitions such as story-telling and
speech. It will be a good chance for students
to improving the English skill especially
speaking performance. Besides the
competition in the school, the students from
English Club usually participate in another
English Competition outside the school.
The explanation above show that the
English Club students are very enthusiastic
4
to English and the students have good ability
so they participate in some events or English
Competition. Because of that, the researcher
want to find out how the English Club
support the students speaking ability
especially speaking performance.
The subjects of this research were
English club supervisor and students of
SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak who
joined as members of English club
extracurricular and object of this research
was English club extracurricular at SMA
Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak.
The participants of this research were
English club supervisor and students joined
in English club. The selection of participants
used purposive sampling, whereas the
participants selected are who have
competencies match with the data needs.
According to Patton, as cited in
Creswell (2012), to understand the major
phenomenon, the researcher chooses the
informants intentionally. Therefore,
individuals that fill up parameters are needed
so that data can be obtained. The parameters
are:
1) Knowing the policy of English club
activities.
2) Direct involvement as coordinator /
person in charge of English club activities.
3) Knowing the course of English club
activities
4) Taken part in coordination in English club
activities
From the parameters above, the
research subjects who are considered
fulfilling the characteristics were:
1) English club supervising teacher
English club supervising teacher was a
companion and supervisor for English club
activities so it was considered capable to
provide a lot of information needed by
researcher to explore the English club
activities.
2) Students
Students become research subject
because they were active participants in
English club activities. Students were also
taken from the result of the questionnaire
that have been given to the students in the
English Club. Students that related to the
case and have the highest score in the
questionnaire are chosen as the participant in
the research.
The instruments of collecting the data is
the tools that used in collecting the valid
data. In collecting the data, the researcher
uses observation checklist, documents and
interview. And to analyze the data, the
researcher done some steps as mention
bellow;
1. Data Collection
Data collection means collecting data
from many sources. The researcher collected
data from observation, questionnaire,
interview and documents. The researcher
interviews with the subjects of the research
and doing observation of the teaching
learning process of English club program at
SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak.
2. Reducing the Data
Data reduction means summarizing the
data, choosing main issues, focusing on the
important issues, and finding the patterns
and dropping the unimportant issues.
Therefore, the reduced data will give clear
draws, ease the researcher to collect next
data, and look for it when needed (Sugiyono,
2013:92). In this step, the data from
observation, interview and documentation
were analyzed by data reduction first.
3. Presenting the Data
Presenting the data means arranging the
information, description and narration to
draw a conclusion systematically and
logically. By so doing, everything which
happens in teaching learning process can be
understood easily. So that the researcher
considers what should he do toward the
5
analysis and may take the other action based
on her understanding (Sutopo, 2002: 92-93).
In this step, the selected data was written in
the form narration in order that data about
teaching learning process could be described
well.
4. Drawing Conclusion
In drawing the conclusion, the
researcher makes formulation or
accumulation of her interpretation and
analysis throughout the teaching learning. In
this case, the researcher writes not only what
has the researcher seen each day during
observation, but also interpretation of the
observation (Sutopo, 2002:93) In this step,
the researcher made an initial conclusion
about the English club to support students
speaking performances. The initial
conclusion was able to achieve the research
question based on qualitative data which is
taken from observation, interview and
documentation. From the explanation above,
the researcher applies this technique for
describing and analyzing the data from the
result of research about the English club at
SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak in
supporting students’ speaking performances
systematically, so this research would be
credible.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
Findings
English club in SMA Muhammadiyah 1
Pontianak is an extracurricular that created
by the club to fill the need of the students
who have interest in English. English club at
SMA Muhammadiyah created to facilitate
students in practicing, increase and to build
up students’ motivation to learn practicing
English beyond the regular class. There are
also some specific purpose of creating the
club. The specific purpose is to improve
students’ speaking performance. The reason
why the club put speaking above other
English Skills because the club want to
prepare the student to participate in any
English competitions in the school and
outside the school.
 To see the speaking performances of
the students in the English club, the
researcher ask the teacher the data about
speaking performances of students in the
club. The data showed the students’ fluency,
pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary,
communication and interaction. The data
showed that the students’ speaking
performance abilities were categorized as
good.
The researcher found there are some
factor from the club that support students’
speaking performance. The findings showed
that English Club become the right place for
students to learn and practice English.
Students agree that the club give advantages
and help them to improve their speaking
performance. The Club supports students by
created a good atmosphere, supportive
learning environment, and supportive
practice activities.
The research shows that students feel
relax, nice, respectful, more confidence and
motivated when learned in the club. Students
could feel the atmosphere because the
members in the club respect each other and
the club gave the same chance for students
to participate in the club. The good
atmosphere created by the club affects the
students to get more knowledge in the club
especially speaking performance.
A supportive leaning environment also
become the factor that supports speaking
performance of students. Base on the
interview, the students agree that learning
environment was important for effective
leaning and practice. The findings showed
that the club provide a pleasant place and
time for students to practice. School also
provide the facilities needed by the club and
full support for students who would
participate in an English competition. The
school also held an English competitions
once in a year in purpose to attract and
distribute students’ interest.
English club at SMA Muhammadiyah 1
Pontianak used debate, speech and story-
telling as media for students to practice and
6
improve their speaking performance. The
findings showed that students very
enthusiastic to practice in the club.
Discussion
An English club is a place for the
members to practice English. Mouleka
(2013) said that an English club is a place
where the learning of English is more
practical. The researcher found that an
English Club is not only a place to practice,
in SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak, the
English Club is a place for students to get
new knowledge, found new friends and of
course to practice English. Based on the
interview session, students stated that the
atmosphere in the club make them enjoy
their time in the club. They agree that the
club is a proper place for them to practice
and improve their English actually their
speaking performance skills. Students feel
confidence, motivated, and relax while learn
in the club. By creating a good atmosphere
in the club, it stimulate students to learn and
practice more in the club.
Besides creating a good atmosphere in
the English club, a supportive learning
environment also become the factor that
support students’ speaking performance.
Based on the finding, the factor such as the
place of the meeting, facilities provided by
school, and meeting schedule.
Based on the findings, it shows that the
students feel satisfied with the learning
environment provided by the club. Based on
the interview session, the students said that
club can provide a comfortable meeting
place and schedule for the students so the
students can attend the meeting with no
concerned. The club also supported by the
school. The school provide the place or room
for meeting, projector and support the club
to participate in any English competitions.
Accordingly, a supportive learning
environment affect the students’ interest to
participate and learning more in the club. It
makes the students can understand and
practice the materials and knowledge that
discussed in the meeting, in this research is
speaking performances.
The study from Mayasari (2013) shows
that an extracurricular activity of the English
speaking club has positive effects to the
students’ speaking skill. There are some
components that can make this program
success. The most suitable useful media,
techniques, and method must be selected
carefully in order to enable them to practice
their English ability. But according to the
observation and interview session, not only
three components needed in conducting the
activities in the club. The effective ways to
help students to improve language
competence of the students. Based on the
interview, the club have their own ways to
help the students to improve their skills such
as fluency, intonation, vocabulary,
pronunciation, and grammar.
The activities in the club is the main
factor in effecting the students ability. The
activities should base on the goals of the
English club that is to improve students’
speaking performance. The club chooses
debate, speech and storytelling as the
activities or media for students to improve
their speaking performance skills. That
media help the students a lot, because the
activities usually become the English
competition usually participated by the club.
From the findings, the researcher
concluded that the elements of the English
Club are the important things when creating
an English Club. SMA Muhammadiyah 1
Pontianak can create an English Club that
support the students’ speaking performance
by creating and providing a good
atmosphere, supportive leaning environment
and supportive activities. A good English
club can understand and provide what the
students need. By the supported elements, no
wonder that speaking performance of
students in the English club were good.
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
Conclusions
7
This study attempted to investigate the
English club in supporting the students to
improve the students’ speaking performance
ability. In the light of the analysis and
discussions presented in chapter IV, it can be
concluded that there are several things in the
English club that support the students’
speaking performance.
First is the way of the club affecting
psychology of the students by creating a
good atmosphere in the Club. The club also
help the students to solve their problem such
as anxiety, lack confidence, lack of
motivation, and fear of making mistakes by
creating that atmosphere. The findings show
that students feel relax, nice, motivated,
confidence and respectful in the club. It
show that a good atmosphere affect the
students feeling and motivated them to learn
more in the club.
Second is the learning environment.
The researcher concludes that the club has a
good learning environment. The school
support the club by accommodates the club
need such as room for meeting, learning
media, and support the club members to
participate in English competitions. The club
also manage the proper schedule for students
so they can always attend the meeting. A
supportive learning environment help the
students to learn effectively in the club.
The last is the activities in the club. The
club help the students to improve their
language competence that are fluency,
intonation, vocabulary, pronunciation, and
grammar. The club become the place for
students to practice English and the club
support the students to improve their skills.
The club also simulate a debate, speech and
story-telling contest so the students can feel
the atmosphere of an English competition.
Those factors are the important
things should be provided by an English
Club. Those things would be the main thing
that support the students speaking
performance. Creating a good atmosphere, a
supportive learning environment and
appropriate activities are the factor that
support the students in improving their
speaking performance. English club at SMA
Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak support the
students’ speaking performances by that
three factors, no wonder the speaking
performance ability of the members in the
club are good.
Suggestions
After all, the researcher would like to
give several suggestions in order to build up
the better English club for students. The
suggestions are given to the lecturers,
students, and also for the future researchers
who are interested in conducting the similar
research.
For the school, the study found that the
students satisfied enough with the facilities
given by the school but the school might
provide native speaker to present some
material and give more experience to the
members.
For the activities in the club, it found
that the club have good activities in order to
improve students’ speaking performance by
using debate, speech and story-telling as the
main activities. But more attractive activities
such as held an English competition may be
needed to attract students to avoid boredom
and attract another students to join the club.
The last suggestion is for the future
researchers. The researcher hopes that this
research can be one of their references when
conducting a similar research topic. It is also
suggested to them that they should develop
more about the analysis on the English club
to support students’ speaking performances.
They might revise any items if they thing it
is not suitable with their research.
REFERENCES
Burns, A., & Joyce, H. (1997). Focus on
Speaking. Sydney: National Center for
English Language Teaching and research.
Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational
Research: Planning, Conducting and
Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative
Research. USA: Pearson.
Galanes, G. & Adams. K. (2013). Effective
Group Discussion: Theory and Practice.
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Kothari, C.R. (2004). Research
Methodology: Methods and Techniques.
Second Revised Edition. New Delhi: New
Age International
Lans, W., & Voordt, T.V. D. (2014). Ways
to study – Descriptive research. Descriptive
research, 53-60.
Mayasari, H. (2013) An Analysis on the
Speaking Club Activities in Improving the
Speaking Ability of the Seventh Grade
Students at SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Mlati
Sleman.
Mouleka, F.B. (2013). English Club Guide
Book. A Contribution to Bilingualism in
Gabon. Unites States of America: Trafford
publishing.
Mulyasa. (2007). Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan
Pendidikan: Sebuah Panduan Praktis.
Bandung: Remaja Rosdakarya.
Sugiyono. (2011). Metode Penelitian
Kuantitatif dan Kualitatif. R&D. Alfabeta.
Sutopo, H.B (2002). Methology Penelitian
Kualitatif.: Dasar Teori dan Penerapannya
dalam Penelitian. Surakarta. UNS Press.