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IMPROVING SPEAKING SKILLS BY THE HELP OF RETELLING STORIES
Omonboyeva Mohidil
FSU Foreign Language Faculty
Email: omonboyevamohidil755@gmail.com
Shodiya Ismoilova
Research supervisor: Lecturer in the English Department
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15576685
Annotation:
Speaking is an effective language talent in verbal exchange that is
incorporated collectively with the opposite language competencies consisting of
listening,writing, and analyzing despite of the grammar,pronunciation and vocabulary.
especially in language . This article explores how the act of retelling stories can develop various
aspects of oral communication, including fluency, vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and
confidence. Drawing from pedagogical theory and classroom practice, it presents the benefits,
strategies, and practical activities that educators can employ to help learners become more
proficient and confident speakers.
Key words:
language acquisation, retelling stories, English speaking, fluency,
pronunciation.
Introduction
Speaking is one of the most essential components of language learning, yet it is often one
of the most challenging skills for learners to develop. Effective communication in a second
language requires not only a strong grasp of vocabulary and grammar, but also the ability to
express ideas clearly, confidently, and fluently. One engaging and effective method to enhance
speaking abilities is through the technique of story retelling. This approach encourages learners
to actively use language in a meaningful context, helping them to build confidence, improve
fluency, and reinforce language structures. In this article, we explore how retelling stories can
serve as a powerful tool to improve speaking skills, especially in language classrooms where
interactive and student-centered learning is emphasized.
Retelling stories aids to language learners in several key ways.Firstly enhancing fluency
by retelling is a way that learners retel the story,they practice speaking without the pressure of
creating new content.This repitation helps increase fluency as learners become more
comfortable expressing ideas in sequence.Also,stories introduce context-rich vocabulary.
Learners naturally acquire and reuse these words during retelling, reinforcing their
understanding and retention.Story structure—beginning, middle, and end—encourages the
use of correct grammatical forms such as past tense verbs, conjunctions, and narrative
connectors.As learners read, listen to, and repeat stories, they mimic native pronunciation
patterns and intonation, which sharpens their phonological awareness.Retelling a familiar
story reduces anxiety, providing a safe environment where learners can focus on how they
speak, rather than what they say.
Retelling aligns with several well-established theories in language education.These
theories can be clear in order to ease the conducting lessons by the retelling of stories.Teacher
Training Practice (PPL) in SMA Muhammadiyah Limbung for two months, it seemed that the
students could not express their ideas in English orally since they used English in learning
process. There are some factors why that problem occurred. Firstly, students had difficulty in
speak English words. Mostly, the students were not fluent in speaking since they usually had
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problem in grammar and pronunciation. Secondly, the students were lack of vocabulary
knowledge thus they had difficulty in arranging a sentence in speaking. As a result the students
felt use unable when to speak in English because they could not speak well. Unfortunately,
during the observer’s observation in SMA N 7 Bandar Lampung, the observer has found that
there were many students show up in the classroom without having developed a confident to
speak in English. In fact, some Senior High School students found also some difficulties to speak
in English. To be more concrete, Nugraha’s research (2010) also found that some students were
not able to communicate orally well because they were lack of Vocabulary, Grammar,
Pronunciation, Fluency and Comprehension not sufficient while speaking in English, and also
they needed more practice. Relating to the problems faced by the students above, teachers have
to teach to speak English to overcome those
Problems.
1
_Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD): Learners stretch their capabilities by
practicing stories slightly above their current level, especially with teacher or peer support.
2
_Krashen’s Input Hypothesis: Storytelling provides comprehensible input, and retelling
allows learners to produce meaningful output.
3
Story retelling is a communicative task that emphasizes the use of language for real
purposes. There are several effective strategies for Using Story Retelling. Present learners with
a story through reading or audio-visual means. Ensure comprehension through discussion,
vocabulary checks, and sequencing activities. Using Visual Aids such as , pictures, storyboards,
or flashcards help learners recall and retell the story logically.
Teachers should model how to retell a story using clear language, expressions, and
gestures. This sets expectations and demonstrates structure. Encourage learners to retell
stories to peers. Repetition through varied audiences builds fluency. Allow learners to change
parts of the story (setting, characters, ending). This encourages creative thinking and
ownership of the language. Learners can record their retellings and listen back to assess their
pronunciation, grammar, and pacing.Feedback focused on encouraging natural speech, proper
sequencing, and expressive storytelling.
4
Methodology
This study employed a qualitative and action research approach to investigate the
effectiveness of story retelling in improving students’ speaking skills. The research was
conducted over a four-week period with a group of intermediate-level English learners aged 13
to 15 at a secondary school.The participants were 25 students selected from an 8th-grade
English class. The students had varying degrees of speaking proficiency but shared a common
curriculum. Consent was obtained from students and school administrators.Short fictional
stories, folktales, and adapted literary texts were selected as retelling materials. Stories were
1
Jurnal Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan (JKIP)
FKIP Unismuh Makassar, Volume 8 No. 2
December 2021
ISSN: 2356-0347 E-ISSN: 2615-7209
142
2
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press
.
3
Krashen,S.(1982).Principles and practise in the second language Acquisition.Pergamon.
4
Haryanto Haryanto1, Sindi Melinda2 1,2Universitas Islam Nahdlatul Ulama Jepara, Indonesia Email:
1haryanto@unisnu.ac.id; 2sindimelinda307@gmail.com.
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chosen based on their language level, cultural relevance, and potential to stimulate discussion
and creativity. Each story was approximately 300–500 words in length.
Procedure
The experiment was carried out in four stages:
The first step is Pre-Test: A speaking pre-test was administered to assess students'
fluency, vocabulary usage, pronunciation, and coherence.
Next one is Story Retelling Sessions:
Over the next three weeks, students participated in by-weekly sessions where they:
Listened to or read a story.Discussed key vocabulary and plot elements.Practiced retelling
the story in pairs or small groups.Presented their version to the class.
Data Collection and Analysis
Data were collected through pre- and post-test recordings, teacher observations, and
student self-reports. The tests were evaluated using a rubric assessing fluency, grammar,
vocabulary, pronunciation, and coherence. Qualitative data from observations and student
feedback were thematically analyzed to identify patterns in engagement, confidence, and
language use.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The Concept of Speaking Skill Speaking is using language in everyday voice, uttering
words, understanding and being capable of using a language, expressing oneself in words, and
making a speech. Based on the definitions above, we can finish that talking is a crucial talent
that is achieved through generating a voice of words. It is used for speaking with others. the
potential to talk English presupposes the factors important for spoken manufacturing as
follows: 1) Connected speech: The powerful audio system of English wants to have the ability
now no longer simplest to supply man or woman phonemes of English, however additionally to
apply fluent related speech, 2) Expressive gadgets: local English extrude the pitch and pressure
of unique components of utterances, range quantity, and speed, and display through different
bodily and nonverbal manner how they're feeling. The use of those gadgets contributes to the
talent to deliver meaning, and 3) Lexis and grammar: spontaneous speech is marked through
using the quantity of not unusual place lexical phrases, particularly of their overall
performance of sure language function, 4) Negotiation language: powerful talking advantages
of the negotiatory language we use to are seeking explanation and exposing the shape of what
we're saying.
5
Conclusion
Retelling stories is a practical and effective technique for improving speaking skills. It
combines language input with meaningful output, offering learners a structured yet flexible
way to practice speaking. When implemented thoughtfully, story retelling can foster
confidence, fluency, and a deeper engagement with language. For educators, it is a valuable
addition to any communicative language teaching repertoire.
5
Haryanto Haryanto1, Sindi Melinda2 1,2Universitas Islam Nahdlatul Ulama Jepara, Indonesia Email:
1haryanto@unisnu.ac.id; 2sindimelinda307@gmail.com.
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References:
Используемая литература:
Foydalanilgan adabiyotlar:
1.
Jurnal Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan (JKIP) FKIP Unismuh Makassar, Volume 8 No. 2
December 2021 ISSN: 2356-0347 E-ISSN: 2615-7209 142
2.
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes.
Harvard University Press.
3.
Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Pergamon.
4.
Nation, I. S. P. & Newton, J. (2009). Teaching ESL/EFL Listening and Speaking. Routledge.
5.
Haryanto Haryanto1, Sindi Melinda2 1,2Universitas Islam Nahdlatul Ulama Jepara,
Indonesia Email: 1haryanto@unisnu.ac.id; 2sindimelinda307@gmail.com.
6.
Cameron, L. (2001). Teaching Languages to Young Learners. Cambridge University Press.
