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and Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 1, 2020  
Available online at https://jurnal.iainponorogo.ac.id/index.php/eltall 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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SOCIO-AFFECTIVE STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY 
STUDENTS IN SPEAKING CLASS  

 
Maulid Robiansyah; Pryla Rochmahwati 

Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Ponorogo.     
 

radenmaulidrobiansyah@gmail.com 
Pryla@iainponorogo.ac.id 

 
 

Abstract 
This research is aiming at scrutinizing the socio-affective strategies used by 
students in speaking class at SMP Ma’arif 1 Ponorogo. This research 
employed qualitative approach, and the design was case study was 
conducted on the Eighth Grade B class of SMP Ma’arif 1 Ponorogo, and 
focused on the description of using socio-affective strategies in teaching 
speaking at the Eighth Grade B class of SMP Ma’arif 1 Ponorogo. The data in 
this research is collected through interview, observation, reviewing the 
documents. The data were analyzed by using data Mattew B Miles and 
Michael Hubberman’s view of data reduction, data display and drawing 
conclusion. The result of this research revealed that (1) the implementation 
of socio-affective starategies is devided into three activities namely; Pre 
activities, main activities, and the last activities. In pre activities there are 
two activities, greeting and apperception. In main activities, teacher applied 
“socio-affective stratgies. The findings that. In the last activities the teacher 
gave an evaluation and motivation. In evaluation activity a teaching and 
learning process need to be evaluated. (2) Those the role of the teacher is as 
follow in supporting the implementation of socio-affective strategies at 
Eighth Grade B Class of SMP Maarif 1 Ponorogo is very important because as 
a teacher holds an important position in the learning process. The roles 
teachers play in English Language Teaching (ELT)  field are mostly of an 
assessor, organizer, facilitator, prompter, motivator, participant, monitor, 
model, etc. 

Keywords: Socio-affective strategies and teaching speaking 
 
 

INTRODUCTION 
English has four basic language skills. They are speaking, reading, and 

writing, and listening. Speaking and writing are productive skills. Meantime, 
listening and reading are included receptive skills. The four skills are learned 
by the people to make them understand English well. It is taught to develop the 
students' language qualification. It is learned by the students to communicate. 

To communicate well with people around the world, the most important 
skill to be mastery by the students is speaking. Speaking itself is interpreted as 

mailto:radenmaulidrobiansyah@gmail.com
mailto:Pryla@iainponorogo.ac.id


ELTALL (English language teaching, applied linguistics 

and Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 1, 2020  
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ainteractive process of building meaning that involves manufacturing, receiving 
and cultivating information (Kathleen and David Nunan, 2005;2). It is an 
important skill to promote human quality in their communication and 
interaction with others. Speaking can be learned by people to conduct 
communication directly. It can be used by people to maintain a human 
relationship. They can use it to convey the purpose of information.  

Furthermore, Richards state that the acquisition of speaking skills in 
English is a priority for many second-language or foreign-language learners. 
Therefore, learners frequently evaluate their triumph in language learning as 
well as the effectiveness of their English course on the basis of how much they 
feel they improved in their language competence (Jack C Richard,2008;19). It 
means that speaking is an important skill that must be learned in English 
Foreign Language. Indeed, the students’ achievement will be measured by their 
speaking ability. In other word, they have good achievement it means 
thatstudents can speak well in English. 

Speaking skill is used to transfer information, concepts, explain things, 
conduct a discussion with other people. and certain people with our stories. So, 
some information can be taken and shared by people to another 
communicatively. It is like Willing's perception in Bailey and Nunan's book, 
communicative learners like talking to a friend in English, listening to native 
speakers and learning through conversation. Speaking is a complex skill 
requiring the simultaneous use of different abilities which often develop 
different rates. It means the mastering of speaking skills needs to be practiced 
continuously. Speaking needs more time to be mastered by several people since 
it is not a simple skill. It is needed in every teaching and learning process, to 
answer questions, to ask questions, to conduct a discussion, to do a 
presentation, etc. So, language is used continuously as a media for 
communication in mastering the target language. 

Based on the facts gathered from observation at SMP Ma'arif 1 Ponorogo 
there were some problems with the teaching speaking process in the Eighth-
grade B class of SMP Ma'arif 1 Ponorogo. Speaking English was difficult for 
them, but the teacher did not give much attention to it. They had boring 
activities in the English class. Many students face some problems dealing with 
Speaking English. They have difficulties in producing appropriate English 
utterances and lack self-confidence to speak English. They are embarrassed and 
not confident to speak English in front of their teacher and friends.They often 
feel afraid of making a mistake when they speak English. Furthermore 
according to one of the English teacher the students feel difficult to study in 
speaking because their self-confident and motivation in speaking is low. 

In this case, for every teacher, the most challenging task is to grab a 
student's attention and effectively convey the message. A teacher should be 
creative in creating suitable and attractiving activities to help their students 
improve their oral production since English teachers play important roles to 
support and to help their students practice English in class. Their prime motive 



ELTALL (English language teaching, applied linguistics 

and Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 1, 2020  
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is to make sure that the ideas are thoroughly explained to the students. They 
aim to impact each lesson in such a way that it creates a lasting impression on 
their minds. Another important aspect that concerns teachers are how to 
continuously hold the attention of the students throughout a classroom session. 
Making the teaching-learning process an interesting, entrancing, and beneficial 
experience is also of prime importance for the teachers. However, the most 
important point is giving motivation in teaching-learning activity. Motivation is 
an important aspect that can be lead students to learn successfully. The role of 
motivation in the learning process is really important to achieve the goals. 
Without high motivation,  learners with good notable abilities can not achieve 
their goals.  In line with this, the use of various language learning strategies to 
support the teaching and learning process of speaking is important. Language 
learning strategies vary widely and they are divided into distinct categories. 
Oxford (1990;16) described language learning strategies are mainly classified 
as memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective, and social 
strategies.  

Socio-affective strategies as a part of language learning strategies 
separately under the category of indirect language learning strategies. 
Furthermore, Rubin in Afdalmaujon A Hardan (2013, 1713) defined language 

learning strategies as behaviors, steps, or techniques that language learners apply to 

facilitate language learning. Moreover, Ghani (2013, 1715) in Afdalmaujon A 

Hardan defined language learning strategies as specific actions, behaviors, steps, or 

techniques that students frequently use to improve their progress. In a 
comprehensive definition, Kahraman defines socio-affective are the mental and 
physical activities that language learners consciously choose to regulate their 
emotions and interactions with other people during their language learning 
process (Kahraman, 2013;2). In more detail, according to O'Malley and 
Chammot (1990) in Lystiana Nurhayat Hakim and Yuan Suniar 
(2019;128)define socio-affective strategies as strategies that help learners 
regulate and control emotions, motivations, and attitudes toward learning, as 
well as help learners, learn through contact and interaction with others.  

Furthermore, to support this research, there are some previous 

research which have shown the implemented of socio-affective strategies. 

First, the journal is made by (Lystiana Nurhayat Hakim and Yuan Suniar, 2019) 

which has the title Socio-Affective Strategies in Enhancing Students' Speaking 
Motivation.  The objective of this research is to solve the students' problems 
and enhance their speaking ability. a teacher has to be able to use language-
learning strategies especially socio-affective strategies that can involve 
students in practicing speaking and give motivation. The study utilized 
qualitative research. The finding of the study indicated that the implementation 
of the socio-affective strategies was successful in improving the students' 
speaking ability since the criteria of success were achieved. They assume that 
using socio-affective strategies can improve Speaking mastery. From their 



ELTALL (English language teaching, applied linguistics 

and Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 1, 2020  
Available online at https://jurnal.iainponorogo.ac.id/index.php/eltall 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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research can be concluded that there was an influence of the use of socio-
affective strategies in teaching speaking.  

Second,  previous research from a journal made by (Afrina, 2015) which 
has a title Socio Affective Strategies Used in Speaking III by The English 
Department Students of STAIN Batusungkar. The Objectives of the study are to 
find out whether there is an improvement in students' speaking skills by using 
socio-affective strategies. In conducting the research, the writer applied 
qualitative research design as the research methodology. From her research 
can be concluded that there was an influence of the use of socio-affective 
strategies in teaching speaking. It is can be seen They thought that socio-
affective strategies helped them to enhance their motivation and confidence in 
speaking.  

Third, the previous research from a journal is made by (Siamak Zeynali, 

Simin Zeynali, Seyyed Fariborz Pishdadi Motlagh, 2015) which has a title  The 

Effects of Socio Affective Strategy in the Enhancement of Reading Comprehension 

among Iranian EFL Learners. This study adopted quasi-experimental design with 

proficiency test to find the homogeneity of groups. The objective of this research is 

to investigate the effects of socio-affective strategies in the enhancement of reading 

comprehension in Iranian EFL learners and also the present study aimed to 

determine the relationship between socio/affective strategy and reading 

comprehension in Iranian intermediate EFL learners. From their research, the 

researcher concludes that there are outcomes that show that using socio-affective 

strategies was a more helpful factor for learners to answer reading comprehension 

questions. Departing from the problems above, the researcher intends to know 
the implementation of  socio-affective strategies used in their class, under the 
title “Socio-Affective Strategies Used by Students in Speaking Class at SMP 

Ma’arif 1 Ponorogo. This research interest on (1) how students employed 

socio-affective strategies?, (2) How is the role of the teacher in supporting the 

Socio-Affective Strategies used by students in speaking class at SMP Ma'arif 1 

Ponorogo?. 
 

 
METHODS 
 

In this research, qualitative study was used as the first model as the 
approach. Additionally, Kothari (2004;3) states that the qualitative research is 

concerned with qualitative phenomena relating to or enclosing quality or kind. 

Besides that, Mackey and Gass (2005;162) explain in brief the definition that 

qualitative research can be taken to refer to research that is based on descriptive data 

that does not make (regular) use of statistical procedures. Qualitative research is 

conducted through intense or prolonged contact with a field or life situation. These 

situations are typically banal or normal ones, reflective of the everyday life of 

individuals, groups, societies, and organizations. Mattew B Miller and Michael 

Hubertman (1994;6) state that the researcher attempts to capture on the perceptions 

of local actors from the inside, through a process of deep attentiveness, of 



ELTALL (English language teaching, applied linguistics 

and Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 1, 2020  
Available online at https://jurnal.iainponorogo.ac.id/index.php/eltall 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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empathetic understanding and of suspending or bracketing preconceptions about the 

topic under discussion. The data of this research were conducted through 

observation, interview, and documentation. The research procedure of this research 

is formulated as follows : Planning, aplication, and reporting. 

The additional case study as the research design. Yin (2003;13) defines a 

case study as "A case study is an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary 

phenomenon (the 'case') within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries 

between phenomenon and context may not clearly evident". The researcher 

employed the case study research to describe the teaching speaking using socio-

affective strategies at SMP Ma’arif 1 Ponorogo. 

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 
1. The Socio-Affective Strategies Employed by Students 

 Teaching is a process of transferring knowledge between 
teachers and students in the teaching environment (school). A teacher 
needs a method or strategy to create effective teaching speaking. To make 
the students understand the material easily, the teacher must have an 
appropriate method or strategies. The English teacher in SMP Ma'arif 1 
Ponorogo used socio-affective strategies in teaching students' speaking 
skills.  

The socio-affective strategies encourage students' belief with their 
own/develop their self-confidence when they should speak in front of the 
class.  Furthermore, Habte-Gabr (2006) in Lystiana Nurhayat Hakim and 
Yuan Yuniar (2019;128), proposed that socio-affective strategies are 
strategies that using feelings in the teaching-learning process include 
empathy between the learners and the instructors to build a positive effect 
because the relationship between of them is important. They also state that 
socio-affective strategies are the most stated effective strategies to 
increase student's learning. 

In using socio-affective strategies, the students have several 
strategies. This research involves six strategies for the students. Based on 
the data analysis on the previous part, there were several findings that 
were found in relation to students’ socio-affective strategies. The first 
strategy for the students in socio-affective strategies was asking question. 
In the class, the students were demanded to ask each other and their 
teachers for clarification and correction to increase their speaking. Based 
on the data analysis of the observation and interview, it was supported that 
they did strategies of asking questions because they asked clarification and 
correction. Furthermore, when they speak in the front of the class when on 
the group work, they did consider the vocabulary that they were going to 
speak. If they did not know the pronunciation of the vocabulary, they asked 
clarification and correction from their friends. Based on the data analysis, it 
can be concluded that the students used asking questions about 
clarification and correction with the teachers and their friends. 
Furthermore, Oxford (1990;145) said that asking questions helps students 
get closer to the intended meaning and thus aids their understanding. 



ELTALL (English language teaching, applied linguistics 

and Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 1, 2020  
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The second strategy for the students in socio-affective strategies was 
cooperating with others. Based on the data analysis, it was found that the 
students used strategy of cooperating with others. In cooperating with 
others, the students were demanded to cooperate with their friends. From 
the data analysis, the students did cooperate with others, but they did not 
cooperate with proficient users. Based on the data observation and 
interview, it was supported that the students applied cooperating with 
others especially with their friends or peers and did not applied cooperate 
with proficient users. The strategy of cooperating with others is a good 
opportunity for the students to develop their English proficiency if they can 
train themselves to practice English language. Furthermore, Oxford 
(1990;146) said that cooperative learning consistently shows the following 
significant effects: increase confidence and enjoyment, greater and more 
rapid achievement, more respect for the teacher, stronger language 
learning motivation, and more language practice opportunities. 

The third strategy for the students in socio-affective strategies was 
empathizing with others. In empathizing with others, the students was 
apply this strategy. Based on the observation and interview, it was 
supported that the students applied empathizing with others successfully. 
For examples, in the main activity, when their friends can notunderstood, 
their friends who more understood gave the explanation in the simple 
ways. However, social strategies, can help all students increase their 
abilityto empathize by developing cultural understanding and becoming 
aware of others’ thoughts and feelings (Oxford, 1990;146). 

The fourth strategy for the student in socio affective strategies was 
encouraging yourself. In the class, The teachers used encouraging yourself 
strategy such as making positive statement and rewarding yourself. For the 
examples, the teachers gave some motivation and always appreciate the 
efforts of their students by giving awards like applause, etc. This strategy 
that the teacher applied was suitable with the effective ways in teaching 
speaking class. This strategy traying to give a description of being a teacher 
is not just limited to providing knowledge but to be a figure who provides 
motivation to their students. 

From four strategy of socio-affective strategies that the teacher 
applied ,these strategies were employed in the speaking class. This 
strategies very effective used at speaking class. Furthermore, Oxford 
(1990;135) said that that affective strategies help to regulate emotions, 
motivation, and attitudes. Meanwhile, social strategies help students learn 
through interaction with others. Besides, O’Malley and Chamot (1990) in 
LystianaNurhayat Hakim and Yuan Suniar (2019;128) proposed that socio-
affective strategies helps the learners regulate and control emotions, 
motivations, and attitudes toward learning, as well as learners learn 
through contact and interaction with others. In addition,  researcher fined 



ELTALL (English language teaching, applied linguistics 

and Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 1, 2020  
Available online at https://jurnal.iainponorogo.ac.id/index.php/eltall 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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that these all the characteristic of socio-affective strategies. Those 
characters are as follow: 
a. Focused on cause to emerge cultural understanding and becoming 

aware of others’ thoughts and feelings. 
b. Permitstudents to become more self-directed. 
c. Are flexible. 
d. Assist to the main goal, communicative competence. 
e.  It requires group cooperation and interaction. 
f. Concentration to the lesson. 

Those all are how socio-affective strategies method implemented in 
building students' speaking skills at 8th Grade B Class students of SMP 
Ma’arif 1 Ponorogo. 

 
2. The Role of the Teacher in Supporting Socio-Affective Strategies Used 

by Students  
As one of the educational activities, teaching speaking holds an 

important role that must be conducted truly, therefore the role of the 
teacher is very important. English Foreign Language (EFL) teachers play 
the greatest role in developing students'speaking skills. Jeremy Harmer 
(2007;107) said that a teacher is like a gardener because he/she plants the 
seeds and watches them grow. Students are the field and the seed is seen 
as the knowledge planted by educators. As gardeners take very good care 
of the flowers of the rose, water them when necessary, the teacher also 
plays different roles in the lives of the students not only by planting 
knowledge in them but also acting as a model in the classroom and outside 
it with their personal lives. 

Furthermore, Vilar in Salcuk Koran (2015;407) proposed that teachers 
have two primary functions in education: the managerial and the 
instructional functions. The latter refers to the conditions that teachers 
create for learning to take place and the other is the knowledge that the 
teachers impart in the classrooms. Teachers should undertake these 
functions synchronously for streamlined language instruction because they 
can not be separated. 

In English Language Teaching classes teachers are expected to teach 
effectively, to guide students and to keep order in the classroom. 
Furthermore, Leu (2005) in Salcuk Koran (2015;407) state that the most 
crucial role teachers are expected to play in providing and maintaining a 
good quality of education. To achieve this quality, teachers should be 
promoted to use their energy, knowledge along with motivation. Thus, 
teachers should play various roles according to the skills and needs of the 
learners. The roles teachers play in English Language Teaching (ELT)  field 
are mostly of an assessor, organizer, facilitator, prompter, motivator, 
participant, monitor, model, etc. Furthermore, according to Jeremy Harmer 
(2001;275-276), There are three important roles that teachers can play if 



ELTALL (English language teaching, applied linguistics 

and Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 1, 2020  
Available online at https://jurnal.iainponorogo.ac.id/index.php/eltall 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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they want to get their learners to speak fluently. There are prompter, 
participant, and feedback provider. 

On the other hand, based on the observation and interview with the 
teachers and students at Eighth Grade B Class of SMP Ma'arif 1 Ponorogo, 
the researcher found that in the Eight Grade B class, the teacher always 
played the role as a teacher. For the examples during the speaking tasks, 
the teachers always gave some motivation to their students in the pre-
activity and the last activity. Then, the teacher always takes as a model, 
monitor, facilitator, assessor when the main activity goes on. Then, the 
teacher gives feedback after the oral activity. One more role is that of the 
participant. In this activity, when the teacher participates in discussions 
not as teachers but as peers of language learning. The teacher usually 
assigns students to perform a speaking activity and from time to time 
intervenes to give feedback or corrects mistakes only when necessary. 
Based on the explanation above, it was known that the role of a teacher in 
supporting the implementation of socio-affective strategies at Eighth Grade 
B Class of SMP Ma'arif 1 Ponorogo is very important because as a teacher 
holds an important position in the learning process.  

 
CONCLUSION  

 The researcher conclude that the implementation of using socio-
affective strategies, the teacher applied 6 strategies such as askig question, 
cooperating with other, empathizing with other, reducing students’ anxiety, 
encouraging them to speak, and controlling their emotional.The students also 
have positive mindset or perception toward used socio-affective strategies in 
teaching speaking at Eighth Grade B Class at SMP Ma’arif 1 Ponorogo. And, 
Those the role of the teacher is as follow in supporting the implementation of 
socio-affective strategies at Eighth Grade B Class of SMP Maarif 1 Ponorogo is 
very important because as a teacher holds an important position in the 
learning process. The roles teachers play in English Language Teaching (ELT)  
field are mostly of an assessor, organizer, facilitator, prompter, motivator, 
participant, monitor, model, etc 

 
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and Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 1, 2020  
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http://www.thesis.bilkent.edu.tr/0006387.pdf
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https://www.academia.edu/31665578/International_Journal_of_Language_and_Linguistics_The_Effects_of_Socio_Strategy_in_the_Enhancement_of_Reading_Comprehension_among_Iranian_EFL_Learners
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