VERBA: Journal of English Language Issues, Trends and Studies

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENT’S IN ORAL PRESENTATION AT THE ENGLISH EDUCATION OF UNIVERSITAS ISLAM MAKASSAR

Sindi Rafika Sari, Muh. Fihris khalik, Sulviana Sulviana — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The purpose of this research is to find out the psychological factors in students’ in conducting oral presentations using English in Universitas Islam Makassar. The research method used is the researcher will use a descriptive research design. Descriptive research is a type of research that systematically describes the situation and facts of a particular population factually and accurately. This design will be used to find out the psychological problems faced by English Department students in making oral presentations. The research sample for this researcher is English language education student’s class 2023 at Universitas Islam Makassar consisting of 1 class with a total of 9 students consisting of 7 female students and 2 male students. Factors affecting students in speaking may vary considerably, depending on the research context. The present study therefore attempts to find out the inhibited psychological factors faced by English Language Department Students and find ways to minimize these factors so that they do not happen to students. Researchers used a qualitative descriptive approach and applies the purposive sampling technique, In this research, research chose subjects according to the needs and objectives of the research. Researcher conducted research on English education students, especially the class of 2023 at the Universitas Islam Makassar. Data collected through observation checklists and interview. The results showed that fear of mistakes, shyness, anxiety, and lack of confidence were the four physiological factors found on students. Meanwhile, other factors that may or may not affect the students well be critically examined. The ways to solve the psychological factors faced by the students in doing presentation are giving motivation the students and stimulation to practice in doing presentation.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PREZI APPLICATION IN IMPROVING WRITING SKILL OF THE ELEVEN GRADE STUDENTS OF MAS AL-AMIN

Andi Anggi Aprilia Syahputri, Rizka Indahyanti, Muhammad Chairil Imran — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Writing skills remain a critical challenge for non-native English speakers, particularly in organizing ideas, vocabulary usage, and grammar mastery. Technology integration in language education shows promising results in enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes, addressing the need for innovative teaching methods. This study investigates difficulties faced by eleventh-grade students at MAS AL-AMIN in developing English writing skills. Specific challenges include inadequate idea organization, limited vocabulary application, and insufficient grammar mastery. The research determines whether Prezi application implementation can effectively address these difficulties as an interactive visual learning tool. An experimental design involved 38 eleventh-grade students divided into experimental (Prezi-based instruction) and control (conventional methods). Data collection included pre-tests, post-tests, and questionnaires. Statistical analysis used SPSS 25 with descriptive statistics and independent sample t-tests. Findings demonstrated statistically significant improvement in the experimental group's writing performance. The experimental group achieved 9.14 points higher average gain scores than the control group (p < 0.05), showing enhanced grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension abilities. Questionnaire results revealed increased student motivation and interest using Prezi. This research contributes empirical evidence for interactive presentation tools' effectiveness in writing instruction. Prezi serves as a valuable alternative medium for English instruction, offering practical implications for educators integrating technology and theoretical contributions to understanding visual learning tools in language acquisition.

USING GUESSING GAME WITH KAHOOT APPLICATION TO IMPROVE CHILDREN VOCABULARY MASTERY

Nur Farisda, Muthmainnah Mursidin, Sitti Nurjannah — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of using a guessing game through the Kahoot application to improve vocabulary mastery among kindergarten children. The research was conducted at TK Dharma Wanita UNHAS, involving children from group B2 as participants. The study employed a pre-experimental design using a one-group pre-test and post-test model. The vocabulary materials covered in this study focused on four main themes: colors, animals, fruits, and numbers. These topics were selected based on their relevance and familiarity to early childhood learners. The pre-test results showed that most students were in the "Not Yet Developed" (30%) and "Starting to Develop" (35%) categories. In contrast, the post-test results showed that none of the students remained in the "Not Yet Developed" category. A total of 50% of students reached the "Developed Very Well" category, indicating a significant improvement after the implementation of the guessing game with the Kahoot application. The students' average scores also increased from 47.5 to 80. In conclusion, the findings suggest that the use of Kahoot-based guessing games is an effective teaching strategy for enhancing vocabulary mastery among kindergarten children. It creates a fun, interactive, and motivating learning environment, which is essential for young learners in acquiring new improving vocabulary.

THE CORRELATION BETWEEN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND LEARNING ACHIEVEMENTS OF STUDENTS IN THE ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Sahril Sahril, Badruddin Kaddas, Jusmaniar N — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract: This study aims to determine whether there is a relationship between students' Emotional Intelligence (EI) and learning Achievement of students in the English Education Department Universitas Islam Makassar. This research used correlational design. And the total sampling used as the sample of this study amounted to 40 students. The data in this study were obtained using a questionnaire and documentation, utilizing a 33-item Likert scale questionnaire to assess Emotional Intelligence (EI). The data on students’ emotional intelligence and English academic achievement were analyzed by using Pearson Product Moment correlation analysis through SPSS 30 to find out whether or not there was correlation between them. The final finding in this study shows that Pearson correlation analysis revealed no significant correlation between EI and GPA (r = .017, p > .05). This suggests that, within this specific population, cognitive factors may be more influential determinants of academic success than EI. Further research is recommended to explore other factors influencing academic achievement and to investigate potential differences in EI's impact across various student populations and educational contexts.

Keywords: Emotional Intelligence, English, Learning Achievement

IMPROVING STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL BY IMPLEMENTATION OF FOLKLORE MONOLOGUE PERFORMANCE AT THE TENTH GRADE OF SMA COKROAMINOTO MAKASSAR

Zebkiah Nur Afifi, Badruddin Kaddas, Jusmaniar N — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study aimed to improve the speaking skills of tenth-grade students at SMA Cokroaminoto Makassar by using monologue performances of South Sulawesi folklore. This research used classroom action research, in which data were obtained from speaking tests. The subject of the study consisted of 20 tenth-grade students from SMA Cokroaminoto Makassar. The results showed that students' speaking skills before and after using the monologue performances differed significantly. The average score from the students' test was 64.45, while the average score on the final test in cycle 1 increased to 70.5. However, it had not yet reached the English subject standard score (78). Then, the average score from the final test in cycle 2 was 80.1, indicating an improvement of 13.6% from cycle 1 to cycle 2. In addition, the frequency of students’ scores, specifically in speaking fluency in cycle 1 showed that 14 students (70%) received good scores, while 6 students (30%) received fair scores. In cycle 2, there was an improvement, with 14 students (70%) achieving very good scores and 6 students (30%) receiving good scores. This indicated that there was a significant improvement in students’ speaking skills after using monologue performances of South Sulawesi folklore. Based on the results of the study, it could be concluded that the implementation of South Sulawesi folklore monologue performances was effective in improving the speaking skills of tenth-grade students at SMA Cokroaminoto Makassar.