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ISSN 2442-8965 & E ISSN 2442-8973  
Volume 2 Nomor 2- Agustus 2017 
http://journal.iaingorontalo.ac.id/index.php/al 

1 
 

THE DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF SELF-DIRECTED LEARNER IN 

SPEAKING ENGLISH AT NON-ENGLISH DEPARTMENT 

 IN IAIN SULTAN AMAI GORONTALO 

 
Amrain Mahmud 

mahmudrain@gmail.com 

SMP Negeri 1 Paguyaman, Gorontalo 

 

Abstract 

 

Speaking ability is to express the idea and thought by orally in class context, school, and 

surroundings. But, speaking ability will be difficult if not unstinting. Self-Directed Learning 

are increase knowledge, skill, accomplishment, or personal development that an individual 

selects and brings about by his or her own efforts using any method, in any circumstances, at 

any time. The aim this research is To describe how the ways self-directed learners in 

speaking English done by Non-English Department. The subjects of research are five 

students Non English Department 2
nd

 semester of Perbankan Syariah in IAIN Sultan Amai 

Gorontalo by using qualitative method and collected data by using interview unstructured and 

documentation. The result of research that is self-directed learning of students in speaking 

English ability is by doing the element essential of self-directed learning. 

 

Keywords: Speaking English, Self-Directed Learning 

 

Abstrak 

Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mendeskripsikan bagaimana cara Mahasiswa yang bukan jurusan 

Bahasa Inggris melakukan belajar mandiri dalam berbicara Bahasa Inggris.  Rumusan 

masalah Penelitian ini adalah bagaimana cara mahasiswa (yang bukan jurusan bahasa 

Inggris) belajarsecara mandiri untuk berbicara bahasa Inggris. Dalam Penelitian ini 

menggunakan metode kualitatif dan pengumpulan data dilakukan menggunakan wawancara 

terstruktur dan dokumentasi, Subjek dalam penelitian berjumlah lima orang Mahasiswa 

jurusan Perbankan Syariah semester 2 Fakultas Ekonomi dan Bisnis Islam di IAIN Sultan 

Amai Gorontalo. Hasil Penelitian menunjukan bahwa Mahasiswa dalam belajar mandiri 

mendapatkan hasil yang baik dengan menggunakan aspek-aspek belajar mandiri, seperti: 

Mahasiswa mengontrol pengalaman belajarnya, Perkembangan keterampilan, Mengubah diri 

pada kinerja yang paling baik, Motivasi diri dan penilaian diri, serta Manajemen diri. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mailto:mahmudrain@gmail.com


Al-Lisan. Journal Bahasa  
ISSN 2442-8965 & E ISSN 2442-8973  
Volume 2 Nomor 2- Agustus 2017 
http://journal.iaingorontalo.ac.id/index.php/al 

2 
 

A. INTRODUCTION 

 

Self-Directed Learning is any increase in knowledge, skill, accomplishment, 

or personal development that an individual selects and brings about by his or her own 

efforts using any method in any circumstances at any time. A student, for example, 

the student would be a good speaker and got inspires learn English well. The students 

go on the Internet, contact the teacher and friend, consult about the students learned 

be succeed. Long (1989), stated that Self Directed Learning is a mental process that is 

usually accompanied and supported by behavioral activities that include identification 

and information retrieval. In Self Directed Learning, students deliberately accept 

responsibility for making decisions about their goals and efforts so that they 

themselves become agents of change in learning. According to Tough (1971), 

advanced understanding of the self-directed learner by developing an interview 

protocol with which he collected descriptions of the number, duration, and scope of 

learning projects of numerous self-directed learners. Furthermore Guglielmino 

(1977), explained that a highly self-directed learner is one who exhibits initiative, 

independence, and persistence in learning; one who accepts responsibility for his or 

her own learning and views problems as challenges, not obstacles; one who is capable 

of self-discipline and has a high degree of curiosity; one who has a strong desire to 

learn or change and is self-confident; one who is able to use basic study skills, 

organize his or her time, set an appropriate pace for learning, and to develop a plan 

for completing work; one who enjoys learning and has a tendency to be goal-oriented 

The importance of self-directed learning to learn to speak is not enough to be 

studied in the classroom, but outside the classroom. In the class is not effective 

because of insufficient time and many students in the classroom, this learning process 

if in the form of groups, chances are enough time but not effective for others, because 

among groups who can speak only one or two people who can speak. This time to 

learn to speak is not maximal and does not get more attention to students. Therefore, 

everyone should learn independently to learn English speaking to be able to adjust to 



Al-Lisan. Journal Bahasa  
ISSN 2442-8965 & E ISSN 2442-8973  
Volume 2 Nomor 2- Agustus 2017 
http://journal.iaingorontalo.ac.id/index.php/al 

3 
 

friends who can speak. Speaking has formed an indicator of English language and 

always practice by using the language, in order that could be the good speaker in 

English. Speaking is a kind of either productive or active skill. Though the four skills 

are equally important, speaking becomes the most important tool to communicate that 

needs to be accomplished. In other words, the goal of language is communication and 

the aim of speaking in a language context is to promote communicative efficiency. 

There are several ways of improving speaking skill, like Speak with own-self by used 

English language, speak with friends, listening to the native speaker, gather with the 

English club, consistent in practice. Furthermore, gather with English club or self-

study is one of concept Self-directed learning. 

Riniwidiastuti (2007), stated that speaking basically is the ability to pull out 

of ideas or thoughts to others thoughts is medium of spoken language. Speaking is an 

evolving in language skill in a child’s life, which only preceded by listening skill and 

that moment ability to speak was studied. The four skills in English language divided 

into two main skills in active language and passive language. Speaking included in 

active language, and many say it also includes the ability of speaking a bit difficult 

between the other skills. Speaking is one of the important and essential skills that 

must be practiced to communicate orally. By speaking people are able to know what 

kind of situation the world. People who have ability in speaking will be better in 

sending and receiving information or message to another. Speaking is the process of 

building contexts. Similarly, Rober Lado (2004), argue that speaking ability is 

described as the ability to express oneself in life situations, or the ability to report acts 

or situation in precise words, or the ability to converse, or to express a sequence of 

ideas fluently. Furthermore, June Revell (2008), said that the speakers say words to 

the listener not only to express what in her mind but also to express what he needs 

whether information service. Most people might spend of their everyday life in 

communicating with other. Revell defines communication as follow: 

“Communication, of ideas, of opinion, of feeling. 

  



Al-Lisan. Journal Bahasa  
ISSN 2442-8965 & E ISSN 2442-8973  
Volume 2 Nomor 2- Agustus 2017 
http://journal.iaingorontalo.ac.id/index.php/al 

4 
 

B. METHOD 

  

This research was conducted using descriptive qualitative research is the 

research try to serve with systematic and accurate the actual facts and specific 

population and using no the calculation (Lexy J. Moleong, 2000). In rather specific, this 

qualitative research have the system in case study or the research that result the data of 

descriptive like written words or oral from persons and the behavior that capable of control 

the directed to individual or organization in variable and hypothesis, but then look on as a 

part of some totality. The kind of research target is research how is student Speaking ability 

in English by self-directed learner. 

Technique of the data collecting is the important strategy in the research. 

Because of the main purpose from this research for getting the data the methods will 

be used to get the data in this research as follows; 1. Interview, in broad outline there 

are two kinds of interview are: a) Interview unstructured is the interview manual that 

only loading broad outline would ask, b) Interview structured is the interview manual 

that structured in details like check list. Furthermore, Interviewer only punctuated √ 

(check) in suitably of number (Suharsimi, 2013). 2. Documentation is the past event 

note. Usually document written note, picture, or monumental creation from someone 

(Sugiyono, 2014). In this research, would use the documentation like Recording 

Voice.  Talking about the document, Bogdan argued in most tradition of qualitative 

research, the phrase personal document is used broadly to refer to any first person 

narrative produced by an individual who describes his or her own actions, experience 

and belief. 

 

C. RESULT AND DISCUSSION 

 

Self-directed learner did each different way but almost similar. In this 

research took 5 students as the subject of research, and they did different way to study 

speaking English by their selves. For instance, Student 01: She did skill development 

by doing watching Youtube, movie, buy the English book, sharing with grandfather, 

and searching on google. She control over learning by watching English movie 



Al-Lisan. Journal Bahasa  
ISSN 2442-8965 & E ISSN 2442-8973  
Volume 2 Nomor 2- Agustus 2017 
http://journal.iaingorontalo.ac.id/index.php/al 

5 
 

Indonesian subtitle, and doing task good performance and high motivation to be the 

best. She challenges self by doing challenges increasingly provide self to know better 

than yesterday and everything will definitely want a good performance.  She has self-

motivation and assessment by doing circumnavigate the world and often self-evaluate 

by repeating the vocabulary, especially on how to pronounce it. She did self-

management by doing alone day must learn English and write vocabulary and then 

put on the wall so as not to forget.  

Student 02:She did skill development by reading, because reading can find a 

scientific vocabulary, learning pronunciation and interacts with others in English and 

doing task with good performance and high motivation to be the best. She control 

over learning by doing more active learning because it is not always under constant 

and not always also above and interacting with people who know more and ask more 

questions. She challenge self by keeping challenges must be resisted, so that we 

always struggle to know something we do not know yet with that challenge there 

must be a good achievement. She has self-motivation and assessment by learning 

English is to cultivate a desire that does not feel the most unaware, so try be better 

and can compete with other friends, gain inspiration from friends and interacting, so 

that our knowledge increases. She did self-management by doing erratic to manage 

the way of learning but in that day although only one, two important words have 

learned English.  

Student 03: He did skill development by doing implement in daily life a 

common vocabulary in English and did the task was given. He control over learning 

by mastering English language cause is the window of the world by doing reading, 

and talking to friends. He challenges self by doing learning English used to interact 

with friend. He has self-motivation and assessment by mastering English speaking 

because want to be a teacher. He did self-management by doing searching vocabulary 

and implementing, have self-confidence.  

Student 04: She did skill development by interacting with friends who speak 

is already pretty good and listening to English songs and find out the meaning of the 



Al-Lisan. Journal Bahasa  
ISSN 2442-8965 & E ISSN 2442-8973  
Volume 2 Nomor 2- Agustus 2017 
http://journal.iaingorontalo.ac.id/index.php/al 

6 
 

song. She control over learning by doing listening English songs and presented task 

in English to be the best. She challenges self by encouraged to learn and pass the 

challenge well and must be better than ever especially in learning pronunciation. She 

has self-motivation and assessment by getting motivate from teacher and own-self-

listening to English songs and interacting with classmates to be able to know the error 

in pronunciation. She did self-management by not interfere with other activities learn 

English and enjoy it. 

Student 05: She did skill development by making the course class as a 

learning container and with English can be successful and apply to hear English 

songs and watch more. She control over learning by continuing to train speaking in 

public being confident. She challenges self by not too burdensome, just try the best 

learning English, because the English is unique. She has self-motivation and 

assessment by want to visiting places abroad and must learning by memorizing 

vocabulary and make notes. She did self-management by evaluating self-knowledge 

and memorizing vocabularies that are up to 30 vocabularies and put into practice. 

Based on the investigation, there are several things that can be done by the 

self-directed learner in the way of learning that is with aspects that exist in self-

directed learning according to Gibbons theory: 

Skill development indicators, Student 01: Immediately implement. Student 

02: Interacting with friends using English. Student 03: Train yourself, implement in 

daily life. Student 04: Interact with friends, listen to English songs and find out the 

meaning of the song. Student 05: apply by listening to English songs and watching 

many English movies. 

Student control over indicators, student 01: Have a decision to learn, define, 

train yourself, and do the task. Student 02: Have a principle to learn, ask a lot. 

Student 03: Have principles, read and talk with friends. Student 04: Having a 

principle, listening to many English songs, doing assignments. Student 05: Having a 

principle, learning more vocabulary, confidence. 



Al-Lisan. Journal Bahasa  
ISSN 2442-8965 & E ISSN 2442-8973  
Volume 2 Nomor 2- Agustus 2017 
http://journal.iaingorontalo.ac.id/index.php/al 

7 
 

Students challenge themselves indicators, Student 01: Likes to challenge self. Student 

02: Likes to challenge self. Student 03: Not too challenging. Student 04: likes to 

challenge self. Student 05: like, but not too burdensome. 

Self-Motivation and Assessment indicators, student 01: Have own 

motivation, self-evaluate. Student 02: Motivated by friends, interacting with friends. 

Student 03: Have self-motivation and self-evaluate. Student 04: Motivated from a 

teacher, interacting with friends. Student 05: Have self-motivation, memorize 

vocabulary and repeat back and then coupled into a sentence.  

Self-Management indicators, student 01: the minimum in a day must learn 

English; use the time to learn English. Student 02: Uncertainly to manage time, but in 

a day one or two vocabularies are learned. Student 03: Uncertain how many times a 

day to learn English. Student 04: Can still use the time, because learning English does 

not take time to learn it. Student 05: Can self-manage, a day memorized 30 

vocabularies and practiced. 

Finally, these essentials element could help the students in easier, faster, and 

more enjoyable ways to master speaking and really support the students’ speaking 

improvement. In this research, the students at Non English Department 2nd semester 

Perbankan Syariah Students in IAIN Sultan Amai Gorontalo implemented that 

importance, they were implemented the importance of speaking English.  

The findings of this study could vividly answer the research question in 

chapter I, that the students Non-English Department do self-directed learner in 

speaking English and to identify the way students Non-English Department does self-

directed learner to speaking English could improve the students’ speaking skill 

significantly. It also indicated that the stated in chapter I, the speaking English at Non 

English Department can be improved through self-directed learner was finally 

accepted. 

 

 

 



Al-Lisan. Journal Bahasa  
ISSN 2442-8965 & E ISSN 2442-8973  
Volume 2 Nomor 2- Agustus 2017 
http://journal.iaingorontalo.ac.id/index.php/al 

8 
 

D. CONCLUSIONS 

This research investigated the uses of at Non English Department by 

students. The students are learning by using self-directed learning could identify the 

place to improve their English language in speaking English. The self-directed 

learners appeared to engage in language learning in the class through the use of 

browsing and recreational speaking. But although self-directed language learning is 

evident in this research, the presence of language learner autonomy is intermediate. The 

students have essential elements of themselves.  

The students learning English speaking used the essential elements of self-

directed learning toward speaking such as: Skill development are such as 

implementing and interacting with friends to speaking English, listening to English 

songs. Student control over learning are watching English movie and doing task with 

good performance and high motivation to be the best, ask a lot and learning more 

vocabulary. Students’ learning to challenge themselves is such as the best possible 

performance. Self-motivation and Assessment are such as to circumnavigate the 

world, repeating the vocabulary, have own motivation and evaluation by interacting 

with friends. Student self-management is such as one day must learn English and 

practice, memorize, 30 vocabularies.  

The weakness in this research is the absence of an observations, it could 

cause bias in the research, because after all the results of the research if only given the 

interview, let alone to the subject directly, it can cause bias. Bias is not the data given 

by the respondent, because of direct interviews on the subject of this research, so the 

researcher should require a more objective observation and have observation sheet to 

cross-check whether it is true what was delivered at that time as he did. Therefore, the 

future researchers hope that for further research is expected to improve research 

methods. 

 

 

 

 



Al-Lisan. Journal Bahasa  
ISSN 2442-8965 & E ISSN 2442-8973  
Volume 2 Nomor 2- Agustus 2017 
http://journal.iaingorontalo.ac.id/index.php/al 

9 
 

REFERENCES 

 

June Revell. (2008). Teaching technique for communicative English. London 

Macmillan: Pres Ltd. 

 

Lexy J. Moleong. (2000). Metodologi Penelitian Kualitatif, (Bandung: 

RemajaRosdakarya). 

 

Guglielmino, L M. (1977).Development of the self-directed learning readiness scale 

(Doctoral dissertation, University of Georgia).  

 

Long, H B. (1989). Self-directed learning: Emerging theory and practice 

 

Riniwidiastuti. (2007). Teaching speaking through dialogue to the eleventh year 

student: A case study at SMK Muhammadiyah 1 Jatinom, skripsi. Surakarta: 

University Muhammadiyah. 

 

Rober lado. (2004). Essential speaking skill. London: NewYork press. 

 

Suharsimi Arikunto. (2013). Prosedur Penelitian SuatuPendekatanStatistik. Jakarta: 

Rineke Cipta. 

 

Sugiyono.(2014). Memahami Peneletian Kualitatif. Bandung: Alfabeta. 

 

Tough, A. (1971).The adult’s learning project. Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies 

in Education. 

 


