ESL learners’ perceptions of the relationship between reading and speaking skill development

Abstract

Reading and speaking are close skills of language learning, although they are usually not explicitly related to each other in language classes. This research aimed to investigate ESL learners' perception of the relationship between reading and speaking skill development, reading activities that contribute to speaking, and aspects of speaking that learners consider to be developed because of reading activities. Quantitative survey method was used with 44 English language learners recruited through convenient sampling. In this study there were 11 freshmen, 11 sophomores, 11 juniors, and 11 seniors. The data were gathered through 20-item questionnaire consisting of three parts: relationship between reading and speaking, reading activities that help to speak, and speaking aspects that learners consider to be developed through reading activities. The answers were provided using five-point Likert scale and analyzed using frequencies, percentages, mean, and standard deviation through SPSS Version 25. Positive perception was found in general in this research. The first part had mean 3.98, the second 3.93, the third 4.05, and overall mean was 3.97. On the item level learners perceived very positively reading as source of vocabulary for speaking, support of idea development and appropriate expression, and support of speaking fluency. The research showed that reading can be linked productively with oral activities, such as discussion, summary, debate, role play, and reading aloud to provide learners with additional opportunities for oral practice.