Name : Multahada R.

Siregar
Student ID : 197052001

1. Vocabulary
 Vocabulary learning is an essential part in foreign language learning as the
meanings of new words are very often emphasized, whether in books or in
classrooms. It is also central to language teaching and is of paramount
importance to a language learner. Recent research indicate that teaching
vocabulary may be problematic because many teachers are not confident about
best practice in vocabulary teaching and at times don’t know where to begin to
form an instructional emphasis on word learning (Berne & Blachowicz, 2008 :
320)
 Cameron (2001:71) stated that building up a useful vocabulary is central to the
learning of a foreign language at primary level. It means that in English
language teaching and learning, vocabulary is very important because
vocabulary is the basic lesson for young learners before they start to study
about English language further.
 Rubin (1991:91) says, “a good vocabulary and a good reading go hand in hand,
unless you know the meaning of words, you will have difficulty in
understanding what is read.” In the other words, if the young learners do not
know the meaning of words, they will have difficulty in understanding what
they see, read and learn.
Comment:
It is concluded that vocabulary is the most important aspect which is learned by
people. Based on Cameron (2001:71) stated vocabulary is very important
because vocabulary is the basic lesson for young learners before they start to
study about English language further. Furthermore Rubin (1991:91)
emphasized in the other words, if the young learners do not know the meaning
of words, they will have difficulty in understanding what they see, read and
learn.
2. Listening
 It helps us to understand the world around us and is one of the necessary parts
in making successful communication (as cited in Pourhosein Gilakjani &
Sabouri, 2016 : 123).
 Listening is a significant skill to develop in second language learning (Rost,
2001:18)
 According to Rost and Kurita (2012:34), a major difference between more
successful and less successful learners is related to their ability to use listening
as an instrument of learning.
Comment:
Based on the quotations above, concluded that listening is a significant skill to
develop in second language. Because the succesful and less successful learners,
after learn vocabularies, is related to their ability to use listening as an
instrument of learning.

3. Pronunciation
 Understandable pronunciation is one of the basic requirements of learners’
competence and it is also one of the most important features of language
instruction. Good pronunciation leads to learning while bad pronunciation
promotes to great difficulties in language learning (Pourhosein Gilakjani,
2012 : 98).
 Morley stated (1991: 72 ) that understandable pronunciation is a main
objective of pronunciation instruction. In is a necessary component of
communicative competence.
 According to Fraser (2000: 41), teachers should be provided with courses and
materials that help them improve their pronunciation instruction.
Comment:
Based on the quotations above, concluded that if pronunciation is
understandable leads to learning while bad pronunciation promotes to great
difficulties in language learning. It means that a learner should be able to
produce good pronunciation after listen or acquire words in order to give good
understanding through other listeners.
4. Speaking
 To some extent this process appears to be biologically driven and it has even
been called an instinct yet anyone who has watched their child mimic those
around them, copying words, phrases and intonation will know that the context
in which they start speaking is very important. (James Law, 2015 : 3)
 It has also been reported that 50% of the UK prison population has literacy
difficulties, compared with 17% of the general population, and 35% of
offenders have only basic level speaking and listening skills. (James Law, 2015
: 9)
 As Rivers (1981 : 117) argues, speaking is used twice as much as reading and
writing in our communication.
Comment:
Based on the quotations above, concluded that speaking is more regularly use
than reading and writing. It means that people are able to learn a language by
speaking before they are able to reading and writing. People will produce a
word from what they hear firstly.

5. Reading
 The fact that reading in a second language is a difficult task for most second
language learners had been well established in the literature. This skill is
generally considered to be of a highly individual nature; that is, no two readers
approach or process a written text in exactly the same way. Nevertheless, there
are general factors that have an impact on reading comprehension. Much work
has been done to increase our understanding of the influences of factors such as
strategy choices and background knowledge on second language reading
comprehension. (Grabe and Stoller, 2002: 18)
 Anderson (1999: 1) contends that reading is an essential skill for English as a
second/foreign language (ESL/EFL) students; and for many, reading is the
most important skill to master. With strengthened reading skills, ESL/EFL
 readers will make greater progress and attain greater development in all
academic areas.
 According to Grabe and Stoller (2002: 19), reading comprehension abilities are
“quite complex and they vary in numerous ways depending on tasks,
motivations, goals and language abilities”.
Comment:
Based on the quotations above, concluded that reading will make greater
progress and attain greater development in learning a second language.

6. Structure
 Halliday believed that linguistics should describe actual sentences with many
functions and without a deep structure. In addition, he was concerned with the
function of the sentence, or in other words, the writer's purpose in writing the
sentence (Matthiessen & Halliday 1997: 37).
 Because of the concern of SFL ( Systematic Functional Lingistics) with the use
of language, great importance is placed on the function of language, such as
what language is used for, rather than what language structure is all about and
the manner by which it is composed (Matthiessen & Halliday, 1997: 45).
 It should be clear from what has been said so far that in providing a precise and
coherent of identifying and discussing the complex facts of language structure
and use, the potential applicability of the subject is very great. ( David Crystal,
1987 : 18)
Comment:
Based on the quotations above, concluded that language structure is complex
skill to be provided. Halliday believed (Matthiessen & Halliday 1997: 37) that
linguistics should describe actual sentences with many functions and without a
deep structure.
7. Writing
 Nunan (1991: 5) says, “Writing is an extremely complex cognitive activity in
which the writer is required to demonstrate control of variables simultaneously.
At the sentence level, these include control of contents, format, sentence
structure, vocabulary, spelling and letter formation. Beyond the sentence, the
writer must be able to structure and integrate information into cohesive and
coherent paragraph and text.”
 Strong writing skills may enhance students' chances for success (Alexander,
2008: 8).
 In discussing the significance of writing to learning, Suleiman (2000: 4) also
stresses that writing is an essential factor of language. Any reading and
language curriculum must think about the multidimensional nature of writing
in instructional practices, evaluation procedures, and language development.
Comment:
Based on the quotations above, concluded that writing is the complex cognitive
activity which means writing skill is the most difficult to be learned by
students.
 References

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