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Debate: One of the Key Factors to Improving Students' English Language Speaking Skills

Authors:
  • The University of Cambodia
  • The University of Cambodia
  • The National University of Cheasim Kamchaymear

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Over the last decade, English debates have become very popular in Cambodia. Most students with experience debating in English tend to have good English-speaking skills. It is interesting to learn more about the effect of debating in English on these students' English language skills. Thus, this research paper aims to look into the debate's impact on the English language speaking skills of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) university students who have participated in debate competitions in Cambodia. It was a case study at The University of Cambodia (UC). The qualitative approach was used, and the total participants in the study were ten undergraduate students who participated in a debate competition in the English language in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The study results showed that the respondents positively perceived a debate. They reported that debate improved their English language speaking skills. In conclusion, the debate has positively impacted my speaking performance and other critical thinking skills. Therefore, it should be added to the university's program as an extracurricular activity.
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Journal of General Education and Humanities
Vol. 2, No. 2, May 2023, pp. 107 120, https://doi.org/10.58421/gehu.v2i2.69
ISSN 2963-7147 107
Journal homepage: https://journal-gehu.com/index.php/gehu
Debate: One of the Key Factors to Improving Students’ English
Language Speaking Skills
Bunheng Ban1, Sina Pang2, Sereyrath Em3
1School of Foreign Languages, The University of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
2Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Hiroshima University, Japan
3Faculty of Educational Sciences, Khemarak University, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Article Info
ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received 2023-02-02
Revised 2023-03-08
Accepted 2023-03-22
Over the last decade, English debates have become very popular in
Cambodia. Most students with experience debating in English tend
to have good English-speaking skills. It is interesting to learn more
about the effect of debating in English on these students’ English
language skills. Thus, this research paper aims to look into the
debate's impact on the English language speaking skills of English as
a Foreign Language (EFL) university students who have participated
in debate competitions in Cambodia. It was a case study at The
University of Cambodia (UC). The qualitative approach was used,
and the total participants in the study were ten undergraduate
students who participated in a debate competition in the English
language in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The study results showed that
the respondents positively perceived a debate. They reported that
debate improved their English language speaking skills. In
conclusion, the debate has positively impacted my speaking
performance and other critical thinking skills. Therefore, it should be
added to the university's program as an extracurricular activity.
Keywords:
Challenges
Debate
EFL
English Language
Speaking Skills
This is an open-access article under the CC BY-SA license.
Corresponding Author:
Bunheng Ban
School of Foreign Languages, The University of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Email: bunhengban@gmail.com
1. INTRODUCTION
English has become the world language. Many countries have included this language
in their school curricula so that children can learn it from an early grade [1]. Neau [2]
noted that English first appeared in Cambodian schools between 1970 and 1975 and
disappeared from the school curriculum until 1989. He also noted that when English was
reintroduced to the Cambodian school curriculum, there were no official textbooks, so
Cambodian government teachers in government schools used some popular textbooks like
English for Today, Headway, and Streamline until the Ministry of Education, Youth, and
Sport started publishing the English For Cambodia series in 1997.
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English is essential nowadays [3], and the language is usually used in debates [4]. A
debate can be formal or informal. In a formal context, the debate is highly structured. A
formal debate involves two sides: the pros and cons. It is organized according to rules
previously agreed upon. Debates may be judged to declare a winning side. That is the
decision that has to be made. An informal debate is a simple form of communication in the
form of an argument about a specific issue. Such an informal argument contains little or no
supportive evidence. The main goal of such a debate is to assert a particular issue.
In education, a debate is usually conducted for educational purposes. Schools or
universities usually organize it. For academics, a debate is an official discussion by
professionals to gain support or show off their work or intelligence. Sometimes, a debate is
organized to increase awareness of an issue or promote a particular topic.
Debating is considered one of the most effective strategies to help students develop
various skills for learning success. Various critical thinking skills, other specific skills, and
strategies were developed through active involvement in the debate. Students are asked to
prepare for the debate by analyzing and evaluating the source, comparing and contrasting
the source, identifying the argument, and distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant
information. Students should be encouraged to ask critical questions, develop solutions,
and assess solutions to problems. With such skills, students will become good strategic
learners.
Debate helps students develop effective learning strategies. Students participating in
the debate can develop linguistic competence and other academic skills because debate
relies on authentic language use and communication with an audience. According to Hu
[5], debate has become an essential means of achieving language objectives, which include
vocabulary development, writing skills, note-taking skills and strategies, reading skills,
article analysis, critical thinking development, the input of authentic materials, and public
and communication skills. Lucas and Katz [6] argued that debate reinforces all four
language skills. By actively participating in the debate, students will become good listeners
and more effective speakers through their presentations. They will develop strong reading,
writing, and note-taking skills during debate preparation. These skills are suitable for their
speaking performances. The debate has a close link to speaking skills, which are the skills
that give us the ability to produce effective oral communication.
Debaters must have developed specific speaking skills before entering the
competition. For these reasons, debaters have to go through a lot of speaking practice and
employ many strategies that help them improve their speaking skills. According to Fauzan
[7], mastering speaking is challenging for EFL learners since it requires much effort. He
goes on to say that speaking skills do not constantly occur in real-time and that the person
we are talking to is usually waiting for us to speak correctly. Golkova and Hubackova [8]
also claimed that receptive skills are more commonly practiced than productive skills such
as writing and speaking. This might be because productive skills require relatively more
effort than receptive skills. However, Alasmari and Ahmed [9] argued that learners are
given too few opportunities to practice English in an EFL setting in real-life situations. In
this regard, teachers teach more strategies for writing and speaking activities independently
and integrate such activities into students' daily activities, for example, by establishing a
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speaking club or speaking corner where students could go to practice speaking
independently.
The concept of debate has existed in almost all forms of academic, social, and
political discourse. However, as for the Cambodian context, the concept debate in the
English language has just been promoted in the Cambodian educational context in the past
decade. Because of globalization and the emergence of English as Cambodia's most
prominent foreign language, debates over training and competition in English have drawn
significant attention. Private and public language schools, high educational institutions,
and government agencies across sectors have widely promoted the debate.
Cambodian EFL teachers always encourage students to participate in many English-
speaking activities. To promote students’ oral skills, many universities and language
schools in Cambodia encourage their teachers to use debate as one of their extracurricular
activities. Therefore, this study investigates how debate impacts the English-language
development of EFL learners in Cambodia. This study has two objectives, which are as
follows: to find out what effective methods debate students use to improve their English-
speaking skills and to investigate to what extent the debate impacts student speaking skill
development.
1.1. Perceptions of Debate on English Learning
According to Gunawardena, Lowe, and Anderson [10], a debate is a formal process
of argument that is represented and interacted with. This is done to gain the support of the
judges and the audience. With so much effort put into improving education, the debate is
regarded as the first and most important technique. As a result, academia has encouraged
integrating debate into an educational program. With the support and sponsorship of
colleges, the debate will move beyond its traditional activities [11].
All this desire will encourage all relevant parties to improve and organize a quality
and competitive debate, yielding remarkable success. Some teachers of English are
reluctant to teach debate because they think it is beyond their students’ language ability or
proficiency. However, debate can be a powerful tool. Debate improves students’ speaking
performances [11].
In a debate, two opposing teams provide statements on a particular subject, make
motions to support their claims, and refute those of the other team. In an English as a
Second Language (ESL) class, a discussion based on a recent lesson's topic can help
students improve their language, vocabulary, and critical thinking abilities. A discussion is
engaging and suitable for teens or young adults who quickly become bored when learning
a second or foreign language. The usage of debates in ESL classes combines several
advantageous elements that help students become more proficient in both the language and
the necessary abilities. Even a less experienced class is brought to life by debates, which
teach students to speak English spontaneously and directly.
1.2. The Impact of Debate on Students’ Critical Thinking
The ability to analyze and use proof to support ideas is known as critical thinking,
not just accepting facts as sufficient evidence. This thinking proceeds through self-
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direction, self-discipline, self-monitoring, and self-correction. Critical thinking and
cognitive thinking skills are found in education, research, finance, management, and other
legal professions. Critical thinking is also essential in the new knowledge economy.
Generally, information and technology are the newest drivers of the modern economy,
which requires critical thinking to act as a promoter in a fast-changing context.
Moreover, critical thinking improves language and presentation skills. Explicit and
systematic thoughts lead to the successful expression of ideas by the speakers. Creativity
can also be promoted by critical thinking, which is when trouble strikes and a new
invention or solution follows with critical ideas and creative ways of solving that trouble.
Furthermore, critical thinking should be one of the best strategies for self-reflection.
Undoubtedly, critical thinking skills contribute to the triumph of a person's life in dealing
with harsh situations. Critical thinking is broad, and its definition varies according to fields
and experts. For this reason, it is practical that critical thinking may have more than one
definition, which presents challenges to teachers and instructors in the fields.
From this perspective, debate helps students understand and communicate different
argument forms more effectively in different contexts. Debate helps develop critical
thinking, analyzing, synthesizing, and impromptu speaking skills. Debaters also can
improve communication skills because debate provides a unique educational experience
that promotes depth of study, enhances students' critical thinking through a complex
analysis of arguments, and offers excellent pre-professional career preparation [12]. In
addition to improving English skills, debaters also considered the enhancement of
communication/public speaking, critical/analytical thinking, and debating/argumentation
skills as significant benefits [13]. Participation in the debate can boost student self-
confidence, accelerate learning across the curriculum, and improve critical thinking and
communication skills [14]. The principal goal of the debate design is to motivate students
to carry out extensive practice in language and critical thinking skills.
Some students seem to be able to handle complex tasks as though they were nothing.
Developing self-esteem and confidence can be a challenge for many students.
Unfortunately, there is no prescribed course on these skills in our school curriculum;
however, many educators feel the answer to building self-esteem and confidence for
students is through debate.
More often than not, debaters cannot manage their fear and nervousness. This is
another big, challenging problem often found in non-native debaters. Debating can be
nerve-wracking because participants speak in public and present ideas that opponents will
attack. A fear of public speaking is a type of nervousness known as "speech anxiety."
Anxiety is the way our bodies prepare us for a dangerous situation.
Debate forces students to do many things they may not usually do in a regular
discussion. They will need the critical thinking ability to analyze issues and information,
often on their feet, to present an argument. They will need to articulate their thoughts in a
way that makes sense to their audience.
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1.3. Debate and Other Skills Development
The ability to understand and engage in a discipline's discourses and rhetorical
situations by delivering formal oral presentations or performances and expressing and
interpreting ideas in clear oral presentations or performances are examples of oral skills.
The following is a discussion on the relationship between debate and oral skills.
Debating can be used brilliantly to boost students' speaking in English [9]. The
application of debate in EFL classrooms will drive out students' fear of the English
language and improve their fluency, pronunciation, and vocabulary [15].
Debate may be used to teach speaking in English classrooms [16]. It can be a tool to
make students practice a few macro-skills of the English language in real life [9]. Because
it stimulates students in several cognitive and linguistic ways, the debate is also a fantastic
exercise for language development [17]. It offers beneficial speaking, writing, and listening
practice. The development of argumentation abilities for persuasive speaking and writing
may be significantly aided by debate.
Speaking is a communication process that involves the creation, acquisition, and
processing of information, with a focus on meaning production. Speaking ability is the
capacity for verbal communication utilizing the target language in a practical, functional,
and accurate manner. Speaking is crucial and effective communication for ESL and EFL
students and teachers. Even though in recent years, oral skills or communicative
competence have been given a special place in the educational curriculum for English
teaching in colleges and universities, the amount of time and effort dedicated to tasks and
activities in which learners make use of speaking skills to interact with each other using the
second or foreign language remains small in the curriculum. It is generally agreed that
speaking skills are the skills that students will need most in real-life situations [18].
Speaking is very important for everyday communication, and most often, an individual's
first impression and evaluation are based on their ability to speak fluently and
understandably [18]. Furthermore, it is stated that speaking is the first means children
acquire a language. Speaking is also the only means for changing a language, and it
includes a large portion of the everyday involvement of almost all people with language
activities.
As people hold the assumption that learning English is something related to oral
abilities, the primary goal of ESL learners in developing their speaking skills [18]. When
an individual states that some language learners are good at English, people will
automatically assume he or she must be able to speak the English language well. In
addition, oral skills can be beneficial in developing and improving other skills.
Suitable forms of a debate involve a high level of interaction among students where
they present and support arguments, question or rebut arguments, and finally, make an
appeal or summary [9]. These are challenges concerning speaking competency, such as
fluency, accuracy in vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and critical thinking. Speaking
incompetently leads to a problem in the delivery of the argument. This might be the cause
of the lack of vocabulary knowledge. Many students lack the vocabulary needed to
communicate their ideas clearly and the desire to speak English, while others lack the
requisite strategic and communication skills, which may cause their inability to maintain
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engagement [19]. For most English language learners, the most challenging skill to master
is the inability to communicate verbally in English, also known as speaking.
2. METHOD
2.1. Research Design
The qualitative method starts with presumptions, a worldview, the potential
application of a theoretical lens, and the analysis of research questions that explore the
meaning people or groups attribute to a social or human situation [15]. Collecting data
sensitive to the context of the people and locations under investigation, inductive data
analysis, and new qualitative approaches to the inquiry were all employed by qualitative
researchers to explore this issue. The final report was presented featuring participant
voices, the researcher's reflexivity, a complex description and analysis of the issue, and it
added to the body of knowledge or issued a call to action.
2.2. Research Tool and Sample Size
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 out of 150 students at The
University of Cambodia (UC). Each interview took approximately 30 minutes and was
conducted in English to determine their English proficiency. The researcher tried to reduce
the disruption and establish a warm rapport with them to get the maximum amount of
information. The researcher notified each interviewee that the conversation was being
recorded and ensured he or she felt comfortable. The researcher wanted to be transparent
and ethical with my interviews; thus, each interview was transcribed as soon as the
interview was completed.
Table 1. Participants’ Information
Participant Code
Gender
Major
Year of Study
Level of Debate
P1
M
EL
4
University
P2
F
IR
4
University
P3
M
IR
4
University
P4
F
IR
4
University
P5
F
IR
4
University
P6
F
IR
4
Regional
P7
M
IR
4
University
P8
M
IR
4
National
P9
M
IR
4
University
P10
F
IR
3
International
Note: EL = English Language, IR = International Relation
Those debaters, as noted before, were UC undergraduate students and balanced in
gender; they also had different majors that provided diverse perspectives. While the sample
size was tiny, the researcher wanted to ensure that each debater had enough relevant
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experience and did not repeat each other; the researcher also had to limit the scope to
ensure the researcher could complete the research project on time. Fifty percent of female
participants were included in the interview. In this study, the researcher used snowball
sampling or chain referral inspection, a technique that has been widely utilized in
subjective sociological research [20]. Using this technique, the researcher selected one
debater and asked him to refer me to others, as the subject was particular, and it was not
obvious to find many other interviewees. This research required information on insiders or
a select group to find the individuals to interview.
The study's target participants were undergraduate students at The University of
Cambodia. All the participants are students in the International Track. They all have
attended an Intensive English Program, a bridging course that prepares students for an
academic program in the English language. The eligible participants were those who had
experience in debate competitions or training. The kinds of competitions or training they
had can be at university, national, regional, or international levels. Fifty percent of them
were female. Nine participants were in year four, and one was in year three. Almost all of
them majored in IR, and one had an English major. Seven of them had experience debating
at the university level. The rest have both university-level and national, regional, and
international levels. It is noted that all these debaters have good English language
backgrounds. All of them received intensive English training before they continued their
undergraduate studies.
2.4. Analysis
Each recorded interview was transcribed in Microsoft Word soon after completion.
The researchers used two types of analysis in this project: the first was content analysis, a
method that determined similar themes among the interviewees. The researchers noted the
similarities, categorized similar ideas, and discussed them in detail. Researchers chose
discourse analysis, which looked at the words, phrases, and sentence structures to
determine if there was a deeper meaning [21]. The researcher remained objective
throughout this analysis.
3. RESULT
3.1. The Challenges of Debating in the English language
From the respondents’ perspective, their everyday challenges in debating in English
are limited English language skills, the ability to identify the relevant and quality source,
self-confidence, teamwork, time management, and presentation skills. Among these
challenges, English skills seem to be the most challenging issue. Nine participants out of
ten reported that the language barrier was the most challenging to debate in English. These
language barriers include limited vocabulary knowledge of the topic, difficulty
understanding the content, and the ability to convey their message to the audience.
I face a lot of new vocabularies that I need to understand the context between the
general context and that topic context[P1].
…another thing is about the explanations, the challenge is about explanation here
meaning that, if we are poor in explanation, then this is the weakness…. [P2].
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The second main challenge faced by participants was time management, which
resulted from poor teamwork and short notice. The issue of short notice for debating
competitions usually happens with debating in classes or at the school level. Most of them
report that they had a problem working as a team. Although issues happened throughout
the debating process, the most significant ones occurred during the debating competition.
The respondents also reported being given short notice for most classroom-level
(university-level) debates. Without sufficient time, they could not be well prepared. These
students have also attended and completed assignments from other courses.
…yes! indeed, being common a debate team, teamwork…is very challenging,
because most of us are students, and it is hard for us to manage our time very well,
what to do these parts and what to do next parts, and contrasting ideas between one
member and another member make the topic become quite hard [P10].
…is about time management and it is really important …and teamwork also
important as well [P4].
..yes, of course, because during the class, there is not only one assignment, there are
many assignments, and we don’t have much time. Thus, I think it is more challenging
because we have to spend time debating and also need another time to do the
assignment [P2].
Following limited English language skills, time, and teamwork issues, the skills to
search and identify relevant information for the topic are also challenging for them.
…I face that I need more time to research to find more information to provide a
valid source [P1].
This finding shows that although most reported that English language skill was their
primary challenge, it does not necessarily mean they have poor English skills. The reason
may be that the topic's content is new to them.
3.2. Vocabulary Development through Debate in English
Most respondents are majoring in International Relations (9 participants), but they
have participated in debates in different areas and on different topics, such as law,
economics, environment, community, and culture.
I learned many vocabularies by debating. These include technical words or new
words by researching from the internet and dictionaries as well. It depends on my
debate, or when I could not find it, I ask for advice from my lecturer or discuss it
with the team[P4].
During the debate, the participants reported that they learned a lot of English
vocabulary, such as new words, technical words, and keywords for their topic. The
standard techniques or strategies to help them with vocabulary issues were asking their
lecturers, mentors, and team members; checking a dictionary; going to the library; and
researching the internet. In some cases, they had to confirm the meaning of some terms at
relevant ministries, institutions, and organizations. Through effort and a comprehensive
source, the participants have been exposed to rich English contextual language, especially
a wide variety of vocabulary.
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3.3. Speaking Skill and Strategy Development Through Debating
The respondents reported that to prepare for the debate, they had used different
learning strategies and techniques, including outlines, bullet points, reciting what they have
written down, trying to understand what they are going to say, repeated rehearsing,
speaking alone in front of the mirror, voice recording, watching English movies, listening
to English songs, speaking English to foreigners, talking to friends and the lecturer in
English, and doing group discussions in classes in the English language.
Among these strategies, speaking in front of the mirror was reported as the most
popular strategy used by all participants to prepare for their oral debate competition. They
believed this technique would help them with their speaking speed, pronunciation, and
vocabulary. Then, after building up some confidence, they rehearse what they plan in front
of their friend. This is the second common technique they use before the competition. One
of the participants reported that:
…normally, our class is conducted in English, and when I go back home, I always
practice with my sister, my nephew, and my niece. At the workplace, I also practice
with my colleagues, my manager, and others. I also practice in front of the mirror
when I need to practice debating, public speaking, or making a presentation to my
friends. I feel excited when I speak English with my friends because I do not care
about others looking at us, we want to say or speak something that we like to talk
about, and most of my friends like to speak English[P5].
Although these students use many strategies to prepare for their debate competition,
speaking in front of mirrors and rehearsing with friends are the most common.
3.4. Perception of Debate on English Speaking Skills
All respondents reported that the debate had improved their English-speaking skills.
They all have positive perceptions of debates. They could use new vocabulary and
technical words in their speaking. They could present their points more precisely using
academic and official words. Their ability to memorize the scripts, pronunciation, and
grammar had increased, and more importantly, their English proficiency had improved. In
addition to their English-speaking skills, they believed that debate helped them improve
others, such as public speaking, communication, and critical speaking skills. They reported
that they had increased self-confidence. They felt more comfortable with public speaking.
They had improved their critical thinking skills. Using new vocabulary and technical
words with the current context they are speaking in, how to convey the message to the
public, using more academic and official words, memorizing the scripts, pronunciation,
grammar, English proficiency, and so on. It is noted that all debaters have a positive
perception of debating in the English language.
4. DISCUSSION
The present study's finding shows that understanding the texts in English, managing
time, having good knowledge of keywords, having reasoning skills, and having confidence
were the main challenges faced by most participants. Most participants have similar
challenges, which are relevant to English language skills. As English is the official
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language for their debate, they may have problems with vocabulary, reading
comprehension, the structure of arguments, and their confidence in using the language.
The findings imply that in the Cambodian context, where English is a foreign
language, even if the students learn it since primary school, challenges of using the
language for communication, especially in debates, are still prominent and significant
problems. For example, many students have ideas concerning what to say. However, they
cannot push their mouths open. Houn and Em [22] noted that this is because they are not
accustomed to using English daily, and most of the time, the students do not hear English
in their living context or surroundings.
Issues of concepts surrounding debate topics usually challenge non-native speakers.
Students who learn English as a foreign language usually find reading and speaking in the
target language more challenging because of their diverse linguistic abilities, cultural
knowledge, attitudes, and motivation [23]. He argued that these students are not only slow
readers due to a lack of automaticity but also inefficient and unskilled in comprehension.
As a debater, it is essential to have updated information about current issues and
understand concepts in different fields [9]. This means they need both language skills and
the ability to research various issues to present their logic and argument to convince judges
and audiences. The primary issues with oral communication were poor pronunciation, a
small vocabulary, little exposure to the target language, and interference from the first
language [24]. His research also shows that the pupils lacked confidence and could not
arrange their thoughts and meanings.
The respondents have different strategies on how to practice to improve their
speaking skills, such as making outlines, writing down bullet points, reciting what they
have written down, trying to understand what they are going to say, practicing again and
again, speaking alone in front of the mirror, recording their voices, watching English
movies, listening to English songs, speaking English to foreigners, talking to friends and a
lecturer in English, doing group discussions in English classes, and also doing a rehearsal
before a debate competition or presentation. The debate can be used brilliantly to boost
students' speaking in English [9]. The use of debate in EFL classes will drive out students'
fear of the English language and improve their fluency, pronunciation, and vocabulary.
Debate may be used to teach speaking in English classes. It can be used to make
students practice a few macro-skills of the English language in real life [9]. Because it
stimulates students in several cognitive and linguistic ways, the debate is also a fantastic
exercise for language development [17]. It offers beneficial speaking, writing, and listening
practice. The development of argumentation abilities for persuasive speaking and writing
may be significantly aided by debate.
A compelling debate involves plenty of interaction between students who present and
support ideas, challenge or refute arguments, and then conclude with an appeal or
summary [9]. These are challenges concerning speaking competency, such as fluency,
accuracy in vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and critical thinking. Speaking
incompetently leads to a problem in the delivery of the argument. The problem might be
the limited knowledge of vocabulary. Many students lack the enthusiasm to speak English,
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and the vocabulary needed to convey their ideas, while others lack the essential strategic
and communication skills, which may be why they cannot maintain engagement.
The researchers have learned from the ten respondents that the Cambodian responses
agree with Alasmari and Ahmed's [9] findings. As discussed, they feel more confident and
believe they have strengthened their English language skills and other soft skills like public
speaking and critical thinking.
5. CONCLUSION
At the classroom or university level, the debate has been prevalent among the
lecturers and students at The University of Cambodia. However, this form of debate is not
very formal or highly structured since it is mainly used in classroom assessment. As UC
has introduced English as the medium of instruction, most of these debates are in English.
As English is essential throughout all the debating processes, most of these debaters find
preparing for and competing in debate challenges enjoyable. However, with experience
and good training in debate, students become confident in debating and real-world
communication. Although it takes the required skills, a strong commitment, and hard work,
it does pay off. Most students undergoing strenuous training on the debate can improve
their English language, leadership, and thinking skills. Lexical skill is one of the skills they
gained through debating. Debaters generally improved their knowledge of technical terms
they learned while preparing for the debate in different fields and sectors both inside and
outside the UC community. In addition to this vocabulary knowledge, debaters also
claimed to improve their oral skills. This skill is beyond their average language
communication skills. This means these debaters have gained a good knowledge of critical
communicators who can professionally present themselves in their native and English
languages.
The debate positively impacts students’ English language skill development and
other skills, such as communication and critical thinking skills. Therefore, the debate
should be further promoted and integrated into the curriculum.
This research study was conducted to determine how debate impacts the English
language speaking skills of EFL students currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree at The
University of Cambodia. The study is a qualitative study that was conducted on a few
numbers of participants at only a private university in Phnom Penh. Therefore, the findings
cannot be generalized more significantly than other universities in other provinces in
Cambodia. It attempted to discover undergraduates' specific challenges concerning English
language skill development. Many limitations need to be expanded on.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank the blind reviewers and editors of the Journal of
General Education and Humanities and all the related authors for their valuable work
concerning the current study. Finally, the authors would like to wish all of them a stroke of
luck, triumph, cheerfulness, and prosperity.
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... En effet, Ban et al. (2023) soulignent que l'argumentation contribue à l'acquisition de compétences linguistiques et communicatives. Elle permet aux étudiants de s'exprimer clairement et de développer leur pensée critique, autonome et réfléchie. ...
... L'apprenant comprend qu'il doit expliquer son point de vue et évaluer les arguments de son adversaire. Il s'agit d'analyser et de juger la validité des arguments et des informations présentés, c'està-dire de déterminer si un argument est solide ou non (Ban et al. ,2023 ;Iman, 2017 ;Zare & Othman ,2013). ...
... This activity allows the students to perform their speaking English optimally since debate is a studentcentered method that offers sufficient opportunities for the students to participate (Rao, 2019). Indeed, debate is usually conducted for educational purposes because it is considered one of the effective strategies to assist students in developing various skills for learning success, such as speaking and critical thinking (Ban et al., 2023). ...
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... Furthermore, Sembiring and Ginting (2019) employed storytelling techniques to enhance the speaking skills of eighth-grade students, resulting in a significant increase in their oral proficiency. Ban et al. (2023) also emphasized the importance of debate in cultivating students' speaking skills. In a comparative study, Neupane (2019) found that students exposed to role-playing activities outperformed those taught through conventional methods in terms of speaking skills acquisition. ...
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... Scaffolding strategies have been widely recommended employing in English language education due to the numerous benefits they provide to this field. For instance, implementing scaffolding as a teaching approach within the context of English language training can significantly improve both collaborative learning and collaborative collaboration (Ban et al., 2023;. However, in order to facilitate more effective collaboration among students, teachers provide pupils with methodical direction, ultimately leading to improvements in students' language and cooperation skills (Puntambekar & Hübscher, 2005). ...
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... Additionally, this study discovered that prolonged exposure to English does not entitle or ensure students to be proficient language users. Since the students are from communities where English is not the first language, the environment is one of the reasons leading to their lack of proficiency (Ban et al., 2023). ...
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... Additionally, this study discovered that prolonged exposure to English does not entitle or ensure students to be proficient language users. Since the students are from communities where English is not the first language, the environment is one of the reasons leading to their lack of proficiency (Ban et al., 2023). ...
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Young language learners encounter, comprehend, use, and learn new languages primarily through speaking, which is the active use of language to convey meaning. The spoken form serves as the primary means of language acquisition in the classroom for young learners, rather than being just one part of language acquisition. Speaking issues, however, can pose significant obstacles to effective foreign language learning and communication. No matter how much they know about the English language, students learning English as a foreign language still struggle with speaking. Numerous studies have largely disregarded oral language use in the classroom, with teachers typically using it more frequently than students. However, even when used by teachers, oral language rarely serves as a platform for students to learn new information and explore concepts. Therefore, this article aims to first understand the true nature of these problems and the contexts in which they arise, in order to develop the necessary information to address oral communication issues in an English as a foreign language setting.
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Preface of the Third Edition Welcome to the Third Edition! “English is the official language of England. This language has been spread throughout the world because of the British Revolution. Once, the United States of America (USA) was also under the control of Britain. That was also the main reason why the USA has used English as its official language so far. English then spread to other parts of the world, where many countries have accepted this language as a foreign language. Some countries have accepted this language as a second language, while some other countries, like Australia, Singapore, or New Zealand, have accepted this language as their official language. Finally, English has become the world’s language or world Englishes” (Em & Mao, 2022, p. V). Officially integrated in 2015, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Myanmar (or Burma), Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, and Cambodia, has accepted English as their official language and used it particularly during their annual summit meeting (Phann et al., 2023). As Cambodia is one of the ASEAN members, English has been a popular foreign language for students, teachers, researchers, authors, and foreign visitors coming to Cambodia (Em & Mao, 2022). Originally, English was introduced to Cambodia during the Khmer Republic or Lon Nol period between 1970 and 1975 (Neau, 2003). However, this language was kicked away during the Khmer Rouge (KR) or Pol Pot regime between 1975 and 1979. The regime ended in 1979. However, due to the influence of communism, English was not allowed to teach and learn until 1989. During this period, teachers and students who taught and learned English were arrested as criminals (Clayton, 2008). These days, English has been included in the school curriculum from Grade 1, and it will be included in the curriculum from preschool levels shortly. Grade 12 students also need to sit for their high school exams in English as one of the other subjects. English is not a compulsory subject for Cambodian high school students at present; that means its scores are only surplus, but this language is very crucial for them because it will pave the way for their further studies (Em & Mao, 2022). The Khmer Republic, also known as the Lon Nol period, introduced English to Cambodia between 1970 and 1975 (Neau, 2003). However, this language was kicked out during the Khmer Rouge (KR) or Pol Pot regime between 1975 and 1979. The regime ended in 1979. However, due to the influence of communism, English was not allowed to be taught and learned until 1989. During this period, teachers and students who taught and learned English were arrested as criminals (Clayton, 2008). These days, English has been included in the school curriculum since Grade 1, and it will be included in the curriculum at preschool levels shortly. Grade 12 students also need to sit for their high school exams in English as one of the other subjects. English is not a compulsory subject for Cambodian high school students at present; that means its scores are only surplus, but this language is very crucial for them because it will pave the way for their further studies (Em & Mao, 2022). “Prior to writing this book, we collected as many previous exam papers as possible to use as materials for our learning and teaching. At the end of the course, we decided to write a book called "ENGLISH FOR CAMBODIAN HIGH SHOOL EXAMS" by hoping that this book would be very useful for students and teachers, especially those learning and teaching English in Grade 12. In writing this book, we know that there might be some unintentional mistakes; thus, we would appreciate all the constructive feedback from readers, students, teachers, authors, and the public so that we can produce a better second edition in the future” (Em & Mao, 2022, p. V). This third edition, which also includes additional writing assignments and essays, has changed and expanded upon the previous textbook. We are still delighted with the helpful criticism we have received from the public to improve the upcoming editions. Authors’ Expression of the Third Edition Thank you for your feedback regarding our book. We appreciate your suggestions to improve and expand upon its content. In response to your feedback, we have made several updates to the book to improve its academic value and added additional passages to further engage readers. One significant improvement we've made is the inclusion of paper tests throughout the book. These tests serve multiple purposes, including reinforcing the concepts discussed in each section, encouraging active learning, and facilitating self-assessment for readers. By including these tests, we aim to provide readers with an opportunity to apply their knowledge and reinforce their understanding of the material. Furthermore, we have taken your suggestions to heart and strived to maximize the academic quality of the book. To achieve this, we have conducted thorough research on the topics covered, ensuring accuracy, reliability, and depth of information. We have incorporated reputable sources and scholarly references wherever appropriate, providing readers with a comprehensive and well-rounded educational experience. In addition to improving the academic standard of the book, we have also expanded its length. By adding more content, we have effectively addressed the desire for a more extensive and in-depth exploration of the subject matter. Our objective in doing so is to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the topic, covering a wide range of relevant aspects. While we are confident in the changes we have made, we recognize the importance of ongoing improvement. We eagerly await further constructive feedback from readers, professionals, and experts in the field. Your feedback will help guide our editorial decisions, allowing us to continue refining and enhancing the book in future editions. By actively seeking feedback, we aim to create a dynamic and evolving resource that meets the needs of our readers. We genuinely value your input and encourage you to continue sharing your thoughts and suggestions. Thank you once again for your feedback and support in improving our book. We remain committed to delivering the highest quality educational content and appreciate your contribution to helping us achieve that goal. Editorial Board References Em, S., & Mao, Y. (2022). English for Cambodian high school exams (1st ed.). Sereyrath Em. https://sereyrathlearning.wordpress.com/2022/08/15/english-for-cambodian-high-school-exams/ Clayton, S. (2008). The problem of ‘choice’ and the construction of the demand for English in Cambodia. Language policy, 7(2008), 143-164. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10993-008-9084-9 Neau, V. (2003). The teaching of foreign languages in Cambodia: A historical perspective. Language Culture and Curriculum, 16(3), 253-268. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908310308666673 Phann, S., Em, S., & Tep, S. (2023). Cambodian Buddhist monks' motivation in learning English: Grade level analysis. PROJECT (Professional Journal of English Education), 6(1), 164-175. https://doi.org/10.22460/project.v6i1.p164-175 Acknowledgments “First of all, we would like to express our most thanks to our parents, who have done us a lot of favors and have brought us up to be full men. They have always offered everything as physical strength, spiritual strength, and other such things to us; they have tried to do everything without thinking about their tiredness or difficulties. Without them, there would have been no us in this beautiful world. Thus, we hereby declare that we will try our best to pay our thankfulness back to them as much as we can for the rest of our lives” (Em & Mao, 2022, p. VI). “Second, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to all our teachers who have taught and have been teaching us since our childhoods until now. Without the involvement of any of them, our knowledge, skills, habits, attitudes, code of ethics, and code of conduct would not have existed as we have today. Therefore, we are willing to pay our thankfulness to all of our teachers one day or when we are able, and finally, we wish all our teachers a long life, good health, a good complexion, and a pearl of wise wisdom” (Em & Mao, 2022, p. VI). “Third, we would like to express our thanks to Mr. Piseth Nom for providing us with most of the test papers in this book. Without his kindness, this book would not have been born. We would like to wish him a stroke of good luck and health” (Em & Mao, 2022, p. VI). “Additionally, we would like to extend our gratitude to all the additional support from all sides that have supported us to edit this edition. We also would like to thank all of those who handed us some more paper tests in this book” (Em & Mao, 2023, p. vii). Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincerest gratitude and appreciation to all the individuals who have played a significant role in making the third edition of this event a resounding success. From the dedicated organizers and event coordinators who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, to the passionate speakers and presenters who shared their knowledge and insights, and to the enthusiastic participants whose engagement and enthusiasm made this event truly memorable – we are immensely grateful for your contributions. Your commitment, hard work, and expertise have been instrumental in creating a dynamic and rewarding experience for all involved. We would also like to express our heartfelt thanks to the sponsors, partners, and supporters who generously lent their resources, time, and expertise to make this event possible. Your invaluable contributions have helped elevate the event to new heights and ensured its success. As we bring this third edition to a close, we extend our warmest wishes to all the individuals involved. May you continue to achieve great success in your endeavors, and may the experiences gained from this event serve as a stepping stone to even greater accomplishments in the future. Thank you once again, and best of luck in all your future endeavors. Editorial Board References Em, S., & Mao, Y. (2022). English for Cambodian high school exams (1st ed.). Sereyrath Em. https://sereyrathlearning.wordpress.com/2022/08/15/english-for-cambodian-high-school-exams/ Em, S., & Mao, Y. (2023). The second edition of English for Cambodian high school exams (2nd ed.). English Academic Essay (EAE). https://englishacademicessay.org/2023/08/23/the-second-edition-of-english-for-cambodian-high-school-exams/
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The current study aimed to investigate the common factors affecting speaking fluency of grade 12 English-language students studying in the upper secondary school. The participants were composed of 100 students studying in grade 12 and 10 government teachers of English, teaching in grade 12. In collecting the data, two different groups of participants were asked to fill in two different questionnaires with close-ended questions. The obtained data were quantitatively analysed with SPSS, and descriptive statistics were used to determine the number and percentage of the respondents. As a result, the study discovered that instructional methods and the fear of speaking caused by inhibition and anxiety strongly affected the students' English-speaking fluency the most, as well as many other subsequent factors. Thus, this study can be useful for teachers of English to reconsider their weaknesses and strengths, to identify their weakness and strength in teaching speaking and ascertain the students' deficiency and potency in learning to improve their English learning, specifically, speaking skills. The study could also be used to help the teachers better understand their students' speaking difficulties, and find appropriate ways to teach them efficiently.
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English is the official language of England. This language has been spread throughout the world because of the British revolution. Once, the United States of America (USA) was also under the control of Britain. That was also the main reason why the USA has used English as its official language so far. English then spread to other parts of the world, where many countries have accepted this language as a foreign language. Some countries have accepted this language as a second language, while some other countries, like Australia, Singapore, or New Zealand, have accepted this language as their official language. Finally, English has become the world’s language, or world Englishes. Officially integrated in 2015, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Myanmar (or Burma), Lao, Vietnam, Singapore, and Cambodia, has accepted English as their official language, and used particularly during their annual meeting. As Cambodia is one of the ASEAN members, English has been a popular foreign language for students, teachers, researchers, authors, and foreign visitors coming to Cambodia. Originally, English was introduced into Cambodia during the Khmer Republic, or Lon Nol period between 1970 and 1975. However, this language was kicked away during the Khmer Rouge (KR) or Pol Pot regime between 1975 and 1979. The regime ended in 1979. However, due to the influence of communism, English was not allowed to teach and learn until 1989. During this period, teachers and students who taught and learned English were arrested as criminals. These days, English has been included in school curriculum from Grade 4, and it will be included in the curriculum from pre-school levels in the near future. Grade 12 students also need to sit for their high school exams in English as one among the other subjects. English is not a compulsory subject for Cambodian high school students at present, but this language is very crucial for them because it will pave the ways for their further studies. Prior to writing this book, we collected as many previous exam papers as possible to use as the materials for our learning and teaching. At the end of the course, we decided to write a book called “ENGLISH FOR CAMBODIAN HIGH SHOOL EXAMS” by hoping that this book would be very useful for students and teachers, especially those learning and teaching English at Grade 12. In writing this book, we know that there might be some unintentional mistakes; thus, we would really appreciate all the constructive feedbacks from readers, students, teachers, authors, and the public so that we can produce a better second edition in the future.
Article
Full-text available
This study is based on the important of speaking skill. Speaking was important to be learnt because speaking is the way to communicate with other people in order to deliver opinion and express idea, but in fact, the students’ ability in speaking English is low. It is caused by several factors such as the elements of speaking like vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and fluency that must be mastered by students in order to be good English speaker. In this research, the researcher used debate technique to improve students’ speaking skill. The main objective of this study is to describe the implementation of debate technique in teaching speaking and to identify how much students’ speaking skill improvement after being taught by using debate technique. This study is classroom action research that was done in two cycles. The data collection was done using test and observation. The data from the test and observation that had been taken from every cycle were analyzed quantitatively. The implementation of debate technique in teaching speaking at the second year of SMA Negeri 1 Lasusua was conducted in two cycles including cycle one and cycle two. The participants of this study were 29 students in class XI/IPA 2. The result of this study showed that using debate technique can improve students’ speaking skill. This is proven by students’ test score that improved in every cycle. In the first cycle, the students’ average score was 64 and in the second cycle students got 78,4. Debate is an appropriate technique used to improve students’ speaking skill for the students at class XI/IPA 2. The result of this study is helpful information especially for the English teacher who is teaching at that class and all English teachers generally.
Article
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The objective of the study was to implement the debate technique and peer assessment to improve the third semester student’s speaking ability. This study employed classroom action research and it was done in two cycles. There were four meetings in each cycle; three meetings was for the implementation of debate in the teaching of speaking and one meeting was for conducting speaking test. The instruments used to collect the data were: (1) observation checklist, (2) field-note, (3) score sheet, and (4) questionnaire. The result of the research showed that the criteria of success had been reached in cycle 2. There were two aspects determined as the success criteria; score improvement and classroom atmosphere. The result of speaking test showed that the students had made some progress, the average scores raised from 60 in pre-test, 69 in cycle 1 and 75 in cycle 2. These scores indicated that there is an increasing ability from being ‘fair’ to being ‘good’. The classroom atmospheres were also increasing positively. The result shows that the students gradually could express their thought and opinions in debate practice. This activity encouraged the students’ creativity to explore the language, since they were asked to develop their arguments from certain motions. The motions were made familiar to them so that they found it easy to speak on the topics. By practicing speaking in the debate practice, they improved their fluency as well as their confidence.
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