CHAPTER 4

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

This chapter answers the research questions as mentioned in Chapter 1.

The first and second research questions are overlapping, then the presentation of
results and discussions for answering the research questions is in one sub-chapter.
To answer the third research question, it is based on the findings of the first and
second research questions.
This chapter begins with the explanation of teachers employment of
display and referential questions in teaching speaking at senior high school. It
explains the findings of how the teacher employed the display and referential
questions and the findings of the students responses upon those kinds of teachers
questions. Next, the discussion of teachers display and referential questions
employment and students responses upon the questions is presented in the next
sub chapter. The findings of the employment of the teachers display and
referential questions and students responses in maintaining communication in
teaching speaking to senior high school students are presented and discussed in
the following sub-chapter.
4.1 Teachers Employment of Display and Referential Questions and
Students Responses
This section provides how the teachers employment of display and
referential with several strategies was and how did students responded upon the

40

41

questions. The ways the teacher employed the questions which were investigated
in depth were by phrasing questions clearly, providing wait time, providing
positive feedback to students answers, and probing students answers to improve
them. The strategies were applied to employ display and referential questions as
purpose-based questions. Display and referential questions in this study were
investigated to check students comprehension of particular topic discussed, and to
seek information which the teacher did not know or had no clear explanation from
the students. Consequently, the students responses were about their
comprehension of the topic discussed and information which the students shared
to others. Based on the first and second research questions, this section provides
two subsections in which the teachers employment of display and referential
questions and one subsection for discussion.
In this study, the activities observed in the classroom required students to
be active in speaking. Thus, teachers questions would keep students speak in
English. Based on the observations, there were several types of questions which
the teacher employed during the instruction, such as, purpose-based questions,
form-based questions, and function-based questions. Those types of questions
were employed by the teacher during the speaking activities, and the purposebased questions, especially, referential questions were the most frequent questions
employed. The following are the activities conducted by the teacher and in which
the questions were employed.
From the observations of free conversation activities, it was known that
the teacher set the class activity as a free forum or for your information (FYI)

42

activity. The activity was conducted due to that the students had holidays before
while their third graders mates having exams. The teacher felt uncomfortable to
start the lesson as his schedule before. The teacher planned to have a presentation
of biography text. That was a part of speaking activity in the class. The teacher
also started to have students group presentations about well-known people
biography.
It was observed in first and second observations that the teacher offered
questions during the time when the students were sharing their stories. If there
was something interesting in students stories, the teacher would offer the
questions. The teacher did not wait till the students finished telling the stories, yet
the questions were offered like interrupting the students. In the first and second
activities, the teachers questions were potentially to seek information, ask
opinion, and check confirmation. When the questions were not responded directly
or inappropriately, the teacher employed another similar questions and provided
time for students to generate appropriate and better responses. Sometimes, the
teacher also praised to what students answered.
In this study, the questions which were to seek information and ask
opinion were frequently employed by the teacher. The students as the speaker in
front of the class telling his or her experiences triggered the teacher asked
questions indicating that the teacher had no idea about the thing the students
talked. It would be different if the teacher and the students had a particular topic
and written text about it. The teachers questions must have been more about the

43

contents of the text. It was observed that those questions which were to check
students understanding of the topics were rarely employed by the teacher.
The students responses upon the display and referential questions would
be different. In several findings, the referential questions generated longer
responses than display questions did so that the referential questions were
appropriate in speaking instruction. On the other side, the interaction happened
due to the questions was also maintained. Based on the observations, the students
responses generated indicated that they had better knowledge of the target
language even though their utterances were less syntactic. The following
subsections explain how the teacher employed the display and referential
questions and how the students responded upon the teachers display and
referential questions.
4.1.1

Teachers Employment of Display Questions and Students Responses

It was found that the teacher employed the display questions finitely. In

two kinds of speaking activities, the teacher employed the questions in the
beginning of the activities and in purpose of doing humour and ice breaking or
warmer. Based on observations, the teacher employed display questions to
stimulate students to speak up in the class and did a joke. The findings of that kind
of question are presented below.
The teacher acts observed during the observations were dynamic. The
teacher started the activity by giving an introduction or explanation of not having
the presentation for those days. Then he called a volunteer as a speaker to come

44

forward in front of the class to tell his experience of holiday. This sharing would
not just listen to what the speaker said but there were sometimes questions about
the things shared by the students. The teacher was not just sitting on his table
during the sharing but he mostly walked around, back and forth, the class. The
teacher also offered humor during the activities, by asking some students or even
joking the students. It was observed also how the teachers expression was when
he asked questions to the students. Face expression during the questions were
indicating his interests of students topic.
The display questions usually were in the beginning of the activity, and in
some occasions were used as humours. The following extracts will illustrate it.
[1

: Ok, because this is the first time after holiday, we set today
for having free talk, or forum, I want some of you to come to

[2

S2

share experience of holiday, please welcome Hisyam.

: Yes I am

]
[3

SS

: Applause

]
[4

: (holding chemical liquids) Are these to drink for me?

]
[5

SS

: (laughing)

]
[6

S3

: No. its danger

]
(see appendix 2, page 98)
In the extract above, it is illustrated that the teacher employed display

45

question at move 4 to generate humor and an ice breaking at beginning of the

activity. The activity was about sharing holiday experience or the teacher called it
as FYI activity. In this situation, the teacher and students were not in their
classroom, they were in the chemistry laboratory because their classroom was
occupied by third graders for having examination. The laboratory was full of
chemical liquids and the space was not enough to do physical movement
activities. When the teacher stood up and opened the session, there were bottles of
chemical liquids in front of him. The teacher lifted and held them then asking
whether or not they could be drunk. The students obviously understood that those
liquids could not be drunk. Therefore, the teachers question was not seeking a
new information but was just checking students understanding of something.
The teachers delivery of the question was clear and dynamic. Aimed by
holding something as what thing to ask, the teacher clearly asked the question to
the students. Thus, it would help the students understand what the teacher asked
and easily generate students response. The teachers delivery was also
enthusiastic. Because it was the early time in the class, the students needed
something fresh before the lesson. The teachers delivery of the question to
generate humor brought the atmosphere lively.
The students responses were verbal and non-verbal. They were comments
about the teacher action at move 6. The student stated that the teachers doing was
dangerous. Non-verbally, the students in the classroom were laughing. It was nonverbal act because the students knew that the teacher would not drink it. It was an
ice-breaking or warmer session before the student who was pointed to share his

46

experience began to tell his story.

Another extract also shows that in the beginning of the lesson, the teacher
employed a display question as a humor. This can be seen at the following extract.
[1

S1

: I want to say...oh ya Assalamulaikum WR.WB

]
[2

SS

: Waalaikum salam WR WB

]
[3

S1

: On Yesterday, me n Pramadana from social 3 went to....

]
[4

: Your boyfriend??

]
[5

SS

: (Laughing)

]
[6

S1

: we went to Solo

]
[7

: So you spent holiday in Solo?

]
[8

S1

: and Jogja

]
(see appendix 2, page 90)
In the beginning of the lesson, the student started to tell his holiday story.
He told that he was not alone to spend the holiday. He opened his story telling by
greeting and indicated the day he spent the holiday and with whom he went. When
the student mentioned one male name, the teacher offered yes/no question at move
4. The teachers question here was quite funny for the students, and they were
laughing at it. It was because of that the students understood what the question
was intended for. The question was not to be simply answered although the

47

answers might be yes or no. And the teacher also realized that his question was
not expecting the real answer because the question was for humor.
For a second time, the students responses were non-verbal acts. The
students knew that the teacher question was for joking. They thought that the
teacher knew that Primanda was a male name and it was impossible for being a
spouse to male. Furthermore, the norms in their school do not allow them to have
special relationship with female students. Thus, the question was considered as a
joke and responded non-verbally.
In group presentation activity, the students who were in-charge of
presenting their work were potentially to be checked for their understanding of
what they had presented. However, it found that the teacher and the other students
as the audiences offered the questions which were directed to ask the presenters
opinion. The following extract was the instance of that.
[1

: There are something one quick thing that u learn from Nick,

]
[2

S1

anything u learn from his life? yeah Fauziyah?

: We may not give up, we just try n try n try. we will not

]
[3

give up until we reach it.

: We may not give up, it better we try try try n try until we

reach it Insya Allah, thank you Fauziyah, applause for her On

(see appendix )
The extract illustrates that the question offered to the students was after the

presentation. The students had a knowledge of Nick, the well-known person

biography. It was expected that the students as the audience knew a lot after the
presentation and the teachers questions might be about the knowledge of the
person, like how he was like, what he did in the picture or video, or anything else.

48

Nevertheless, the teachers question was not to check students understanding. The
question was for seeking information or knowing students opinion of the
biography presented at move 1. It tended to be a referential question.
In the observation of group presentation activity, although the students had
knowledge of the topics and it was potentially for the teacher to just check their
understandings of the topic, the teacher still employed the questions which were
to seek information from students. There were about students opinion of the topic
and information which were not presented on the slides. Thus, in those speaking
activities, the questions were mostly to seek information and ask personal opinion
about the topics.
4.1.2

Teachers Employment of Referential Questions and Students

Responses
This study investigated that the teacher mostly employed referential

questions in the discussion. This happened because the topics discussed were
varied and were determined by the students. The activities supporting the topics
were open forum or free conversation from two meetings. Another meeting was
about the presentation of well-known person which was set before by the class as
classroom task.
The topic discussed was offered by the teacher yet it covered what
students experienced in the holiday. The topics discussed could be holiday
experiences, extracurricular activities, student exchange programs, and school
achievements in competitions. The students were free to talk about or share

49

anything to others. Based on the observation of free forum activity, the students
who were volunteer to share were talking about holiday experiences, new class
experience, and students exchange experiences. In the following observation, the
students were talking about holiday experiences, school achievement in Olympiad
competition, scouting, and persons characters.
Meanwhile, in the observation of group presentation activity, the topic
discussed in the beginning of the lesson was school achievement in Olympiad
competition which was asked by the teacher. The students were asked to give their
opinion on its achievement. Then they would have group presentation about wellknown person biography. The topics for presentations were set before and the
students prepared by collecting materials about the topic. In that occasion, there
were two groups presenting well-known persons biography. They presented the
biography of Nick Vujicic and Erdogan. Nick Vujicic is an Australian difable
motivator, and Erdogan is the president of Turkiye.
The teacher delivered the referential questions by some strategies, like by
phrasing questions clearly, providing wait time, providing positive feedbacks, and
probing students answer. The strategies used due to unclear and inappropriate
students answers. Then, the responses upon teachers referential questions were
mostly generated in this study. The referential questions which were intended to
ask opinions and to seek information were employed by several strategies. Thus
the students responses were longer and meaningful. The findings of delivery of
referential questions with some strategies and students responses are presented as
follows.

50

4.1.2.1 By phrasing questions clearly

It was found that the teacher delivered and phrased the questions clearly
and in an organized way. Clear means that it was not only clear voice that the
students could hear teachers voice but also clear questions which students were
familiar with the meaning brought in that question. Delivering the questions
clearly and in an organized way is significant to aim students to answer the
questions appropriately and clearly. This strategy happened because the students
did not answer appropriately and the teacher directly wanted to get expected
answers.
The following extract illustrates how the teacher phrased questions clearly.
The type of question which the teacher employed was referential question. The
question required the student, who was pointed to come forward and introduce
himself as a new student, to give comment on his new class. The strategy was
applied because the initial question was not answered appropriately by the
student.
[1

: So Afrizal, what do say of that question?

]
[2

S4

: Before entering here I only relationship with some of you,

like Huda, Salman, when I took an example ehhhh.. I know

that this class is nice, because when I was in friend with
Huda, Salman n Rayhan, I like with them, I like with
them...but ehhh before entering here I'm surprised because
why when break time I never see someone go out the field, I

51

[3

was surprised.
: Well, that's your thought before coming to this class, after

]
[4

S4

joining in this class, what do you think of this class??

: Before joining this class, Im thinking that science one only

staying in the class when it is breaking time not going out to

the field. but after joining this class, I realized that they are so
religious
(see appendix 2, page 94)
The instance of the way the teacher employed referential question that

occurred at move 3 was classified as Phrase Questions Clearly. This type of

questioning strategies was delivered clearly by the teacher. The student did not ask
to repeat the question because he could here teachers voice. There would be that
the student asked to repeat the question by saying What sir?? or pardon to the
teacher if the student did not hear the teacher question. Based on the observation,
the question was initially offered to the previous student (S5) and was answered
appropriately. The same question at move 1 was offered to S4 but the answer was
not appropriate at move 2. The response from the student did not fulfil the
teachers expectation. The teacher expected that the student would answer what he
thought after moving to that class not before. At move 3 the teacher phrased the
question clearly in an acceptable voice. The teacher also gave a comment to the
students previous answer at move 3, Well, that's your thought before coming to
this class. The comment was an attempt to aim the student to answer
appropriately. It organized what the student should answer by giving a comment
upon the previous answer. It was then followed by the same question.

52

The students responses can be seen at move 2 and 4. Due to the teachers
referential questions, the student expressed what he thought in long and
meaningful responses. The student did not just respond, for instance, Im happy,
or Nothing, but he gave responses in long utterances. Despite of lesssyntactically composed sentences, the meaning brought in what the student uttered
was clear and appropriate. The responses at move 2 was clear to understand but
inappropriate. Then after the teacher phrased the question in move 3, the students
response was appropriate at move 4.
At move 2, it was known that the student utterances were less syntactic.
Instead of saying I have a relationship withor I have a girlfriend the student
said I only relationship. This might happen because the student was still
influenced the structure of his mother language. Yet, the meaning brought at this
move was clear and could be understood by the teacher and other students. It can
be at move 3 that the teacher understood what student tried to share and then
phrased the questions clearly.
Another instance of the phrasing questions clearly way is illustrated in the
following extract. The question was asked by another student who was given a
chance in question and answer session. The teacher repeated and phrased the
question to aim the student (S4) to respond it.
[1

: Zilfi, what's your question?

]
[2

S6

: Why both of you choose this class?

53

[3

: oh, why do you choose science one? Why is that? Why is

]
[4

S4

that? ohh, Afrizal...

: There are so many things that I want to move to this class,

eehhh first, ehh when I was in child I had dreamt, I want to be

Scientist, I move to this class to make my dream come true,
second my parent support me, i think that's all.
(see appendix 2, page 95)
The question which was repeated by the teacher at move 3 was phrased

twice. There were differences between the question which was asked by the
student and the questions as repeated questions from the teacher. The phrase of
this class at move 3 was changed clearly into science one, and the question
was followed in organized way by the other twice questions supporting the initial
question Why is that? Why is that?. The teacher phrased the question in order
that the student (S4) responded by not just giving one reason but more reasons as
the answers. In other words, the responses expected were longer.
At move 4, it can be seen how the students response upon the question
and after the teacher phrased the question clearly. The student answered the
question in long sentences which comprises of simple sentences and compound
sentences. The answer was not just short phrase or even yes/ no answer. The
meaning of the responses indicated the expected reasons for why the student
choose the class. The student chronologically told to the teacher and other
students his reason in choosing science one for his class and how his reason was
supported rather than just said, for instance, I like this class. Those answers

54

would happen because the teacher emphasized the question by applying why is
that?, why is that at move 3.
To compare the long response above, the students short response is
illustrated in the extract. It happened when the teacher checked who had not taken
a presentation turn. In this case the teacher employed phrased question clearly
way to make sure that the students understood of what the teacher asked.
[1

: We have some groups presenting and we have some groups

]
[2

S1

are not presenting, which groups are not presenting?

: Iqbal

]
[3

: Which group is not presenting the a biography thing? Iqbals

]
[4

group
: How many of you have presented the biography??

]
[5

SS

raising hands)

]
[6

Do you have presenting? (Pointing to a student)

]
[7

S1

Yes Im

]
(see appendix 2, page 98)
In the above extract, the teacher checked those who had done presentation.
The teachers questions in this extract were classified into referential questions as
in previous extracts. The purpose was to seek the information from the students.
However, the responses were different with the responses in the previous extracts.
In the extract above, the responses were short and even with non-verbal acts. At

55

move 2 and 7, the students responded the question in short answer or just simply
yes/no answer. It is obvious that the questions (move 1 and 6) which were
answered in short phrases or answers were delivered once, and they were not
phrased again. Meanwhile, the question which was answered non-verbally at
move 5 was delivered by phrasing clearly at move 3 and 4.
It was also found that the way of phrasing questions clearly was applied
for providing wait time. While the teacher was waiting for students responses, the
teacher phrased the question clearly and provided several seconds to give a chance
to answer the question. The extract below illustrates it.
[1

: What do you guys said about the Olympiad team, that 19 of

]
[2

your friends compete for province level? //

: What's your opinion, what do you think about that, how do u

]
[3

feel about that achievement? //

: somebody please

]
[4

: Hisyam, please,....ehhh Hisyam seems like to stay with me in

this stage (A student named Hisyam walked forward in front

[5
]

the class)
: What do you think of MAN 3 Malang send 19 representatives
for competing in province level?
(see appendix 2, page 105)

In the extract above, the teacher phrased the question clearly to ask a
question about students feeling about their school achievement in Olympiad. The
teacher expected that some students would say something about it. While waiting
for the students responses, the teacher asked several identical questions which

56

pointed to elicit students responses about Olympiad competition. It can be seen

from move 1 to 2, the teacher asked the question not only about students thought
but also about their feeling. However, the students had not responded the
questions till the teacher called out the student or asked any student to answer that
question at move 3. At move 4, a student finally tried to come forward to the class
and answer the question. Again at move 5, the teacher phrased the question to
elicit the students answer. The pauses (//) at move 1 to 3 indicated that the teacher
provided time in waiting the students responses. The explanation of the strategy
of providing wait time will be explained in the following subsection.

4.1.2.2 By providing wait time

In this study, the strategy of providing wait time happened mostly when
the teacher was asking students opinion about certain topic at the beginning of
discussion. It found that at the beginning of the activity, the students were not
ready and less enthusiastic. Thus the teacher realized that situation and provided
time for students.
The time which was provided by the teacher was medium. In extract 7, the
teacher would not just keep silent waiting for the students responses, but the
repeated questions in other phrases were provided. This reflects that the teacher
was dynamic in providing wait time. Through waiting time, the teacher was also
stimulating the students to respond the questions by multiple questions.
Consequently, the students responses were obvious and appropriate. The students

57

were also involved in better social interaction. They felt directed and respected
upon their answers.
Another instance of this strategy is illustrated in the following extract.
There was one-way interaction or a conversation between the teacher and a
student. The teacher was interested to ask the students opinion about his class.
[1

: oh this interesting, what is the good thing and what the bad

S8

thing?
: the good thing, because all of my classmate are boys is easy

]
[3

SS

to connect with them.

: (laughing and applause)

]
[4

: and the bad thing is //

]
[5

S8

: eehhh....

]
[6

: what?//

]
[7

S8

: I cannot see beautiful faces

]
[2

]
(see appendix 2, page 94)
In extract above, the question was actually responded by the student
directly, but the teacher wanted more in the students answer at move 2. At move
4, the teacher emphasized the part of the question which was not answered yet and
provided wait time indicated by (//). At move 6, the teacher also gave the time to
the student to answer with stressing question what?.

58

It can be seen that at move 5 the student was thinking about what should
say. However, the time was not provided longer by the teacher. At move 6, the
teacher stimulated the student by emphasizing the question. Finally, the response
was fully produced at move 7. The student could produce complete utterance
according to what the teacher ask.
Another instance of providing wait time way is illustrated in the following
extract. In this extract, the students were having presentation of well-known
person biography. After a group of students had presented their work, the teacher
asked the question about the person biography presented to students.
[1

: Give me one sentences what you have learned from Nick

]
[2

: What do you guys learn?

]
[3

: One sentence or one best thing you have learned from his

]
[4

life // ya // please do. (A bell rings)

: I'm waiting

]
[5

: There are something, one quick thing that you learn from

]
[6

Nick
: Anything u learn from his life

]
[7

: Yeah Fauziyah

In above extract, moves 1-7 were the teachers acts while waiting for the
students responses. The teacher was not just doing nothing or even saying no

59

words while waiting for students answering the question. The teacher phrased the
question in not only different words but also giving a statement of the topic in the
question. The vacuum event was only happened at move 3 which is signed by (//).
It indicated the interval time the teacher waited the student to respond.
There were teachers utterances aiming at stimulating students to respond
his question. In the extract above, the students were given information about the
well-known person by presenters so that they were assumed that they had
background knowledge about the topic. However, the teachers question in move
1 was not asking about the knowledge or information about the topic which
students learnt. It was about students opinion to the well-known person presented.
Based on the extracts above, the responses were elicited after the teacher
acted by giving phrased questions and stimulating behaviours. This aims to limit
the time of waiting or avoid the vacuum event. Then the responses expected were
obvious and appropriate. It found that the responses were clear about the topic
discussed and appropriate to what the teacher asked. The students answer were
about their opinion of Nick Vujivic. They gave what they learned from the
presentation of Nick Vujivic.
4.1.2.3 By providing positive feedback to students answers
In this study, it was found that the teacher rarely acknowledged the
students answers or the teacher employed simple acknowledge words to praise
students answers. The teacher usually gave feedback ok upon students

60

responses and seemed to be checking or confirming students responses. It can be

seen in the following extracts.
[1

: what is going on in Jogja n Solo?

]
[2

S1

: eee...we turn around in the solocity, visit a grandma in SOlo,

on Monday we went to Jogjakarta, we go round in Jogja, first

we went to train......it was, n then we went to train museum,
there are many kinds of train, the old train for the king and

[3

then we go to istana.
: is there in Jogja or Solo?

]
[4

S1

: in Jogja

]
[5

: Ok

]
(see appendix 2, page 90)
In extract above, it is illustrated that the teacher gave ok at move 5 to
students response upon teacher question to check students story about his
vacation. The word ok here was also acknowledge to confirm the students
answer. Despite of short acknowledgement, this could make the interaction
between the student and the teacher maintained. It functioned to build a good
rapport because the student feel directed and respected on the story told. The
student could be more enthusiastic if the teacher gave compliment upon their
answers. The extract below is the example of the teacher gave positive feedback
to students answer.

61

[1

: Thats right

]
[2

: Iqbal, d u know about biggy?

]
[3

: he is so wise

]
[4

: he is so wise, that's what I want to hear

]
[5

: and then?

]
[6

: and then he is calm

]
[7

: thank u like me yaa

]
[8

: he is very responsible

]
[9

: yes, you are right.

]
(see appendix 2, page 107)

In extract above, the teacher and the students were discussing about Bigy,
a chief of scout movement in their school. This was still correlated to the topic of
school achievement. After asking several students about it, the teacher did not get
the expected answers, until the student named Iqbal answered that question. The
answer was the appropriate answer so that the teacher provided positive feedback
to students answer at move 4.

62

After being acknowledged by the teacher at move 4, the follow-up answers

were more appropriate than the responses from previous students. The students
seemed to get a model of how that kind of questions should be responded. The
response was repeated by the teacher he is so wise and given praise thats what
I want to hear. It affected to how the student responded upon that kind of
question. Thus appropriate answers to the teacher question were characterized by
similar meaning brought in at move 6 and 8. They were personal behaviours
owned by the person discussed.
4.1.2.4 By probing students answers
Based on the observations, it was found that the teacher probed students
answers and in a certain occasion the teacher called another student to respond.
This strategy was also associated with the teacher strategy of phrasing questions
clearly because some students responses were generated after the teacher phrased
the questions. As in Extracts below, the teacher did probing students answers to
enhance what students uttered.
[1

: what about you rizal?

]
[2

S4

: because I am staying in the dormitory in the boarding

]
[3

SS

school,in Nurul Jadid, so it is not easy to have girlfriend.

: (laughing)

]
[4

: why it is not easy?

]
[5

S4

: in my school, all the students are boys so I difficult

63

]
[6

connection with her

: so in the previous school in mahad, it is not easy to get
connected to the girl because it is separated, but deep in
your heart do you feeling in a girl? in malang, u meet girls

[7

S4

everyday, what do you think about?

: I think its better here

]
(see appendix 2, page 94 )
The extract above was a part of free-talk classroom activity. The teacher
asked the new student in that class about his impression of the class. Further, the
teacher asked him a personal thing which was asked previously by other student.
It was about whether or not the student had a girlfriend. The question was
improved by the teacher using different strategies. It can be seen at move 4 and 6
the teacher tried to interrogate the student and intended to make student speak or
respond longer.
In extract above the teachers delivery of that strategy was clear and
accurate. When the teacher asked the question at move 4, the students response
upon the question was not to ask to repeat the question but directly answer that
question. It can be inferred that the teacher delivery was clear to the student.
Moreover the student gave an accurate information. The teacher also asked the
question in an organized way by repeating or highlighting the students answer
before giving another correlating question. The question given was not leading to
divergent information. Thus the students responses were defined.

64

It can be seen at move 4 and 6 that the teacher improved the students
answers by verifying and narrowing it. At move 4, the teacher asked the question
why is not easy to provide evidence for the information which the student gave.
The students answer about not having a girlfriend due to difficult thing was not
enough for the teacher so that it needed further explanation. Then at move 4, the
teacher tried to elicit other reason by asking it and the student answered at move
5. Here the student put elaborated answer so that his answer seemed to be better.
Furthermore, at move 6 the teacher narrowed the previous question to get more
subjective information from the student.
At move 6, the teacher restated the students answer at move 2. The
teacher expanded the students answers from move 2 and 5. It aimed to provide
the student clue or guidance, and a model of answering to that question. It then
followed by identical question to keep the interaction and to get elaborated
answers.
The students responses at move 5 and 7 upon the teachers questions were
definite and reasonable. Although the structures of the utterances were not wellsyntactical, the meaning given was rational to what the question expected. At
move 5, the student gave the reason why it was not easy to him to get connected
to the girls. Obviously, the students responses were in long sentences and even
complex. The answer at move 7 was no longer than before but it was reasonable.

65

The following extract is an instance of that the teachers strategy in

probing students answer in certain event did not elicit long and elaborated
responses but they were meaningful and directed.
[1

: which do you like better, here or next door class?

]
[2

S8

: eeee here

]
[3

S8

: I think its the same

]
[4

: just the same?

]
[5

: its not the same, there is no girl here there is girl there

]
[6

: so u prefer staying here in the class?//

]
[7

: are your friend nice to u?

]
[8

S8

: Yes

]
[9

: thank you Anas

]
(see appendix 2, page 95)
The above extract illustrates the situation in which the teacher had done
probing students answer but the responses were not satisfying. Therefore, the
teacher ended up the interaction with the student. The question was about the
same topic of discussing what the students think of their class. However, the
students responses upon the question were not as being expected by the teacher.

66

The teachers delivery was like as teachers delivery in the previous

extract. At move 1, the teachers question was the identical topic question. Upon
different responses from the student, the teacher asked or verified the question at
move 4. It expected that the question elicited long and meaningful responses. At
move 4, the question was based on the students response at move 3. However, the
student did not respond until the teacher followed up the question with other
questions at move 4 and 5. Thus, the teacher did not narrow the question but
giving yes/no question. It seemed that the teacher wanted to end up the interaction
with the student by offering that kind of question at move 7. Looking at move 1 to
7 in which the teacher question employed, the teachers delivery was clear and
organized, but at move 7 was not consistent to elicit longer students response due
to students unsatisfying responses.
It was found that even though the teacher employed referential questions
at move 1 and 4, the students response was not longer. It can be seen that after
move 1, the students responses were short at move 2 and 3. Although the teacher
tried to pursuit the responses from the student by probing students answers, the
responses were not satisfying at move 8. The student only provided yes answer
and not tried to give more elaborated answer. Then the teacher ended up the
interaction at move 9.
The teachers strategy of probing students answers is assumed to work
better with another strategy. By applying double strategies of questioning, the
teachers question can elicit better and longer response. The following extracts
illustrate it.

67

[1

: who's your favorite in this class?

]
[2

: who's the most favorite in this class?

]
[3

S4

: ehhh...I think he is (pointing someone)

]
[4

: Zidan is the most favorite person?

]
[5

: why is Zidan?

]
[6

S4

: because he is nice

]
(see appendix 2, page 94)
The extract above illustrates the double strategies employed by the teacher.
At move 1, and 2 were that the teacher phrased questions clearly in anticipating
inappropriate students response. At move 3, it can be seen that the students
response was appropriate to the question and clear. To elicit or improve students
response at move 3, the teacher verified the question at move 5 to elicit or provide
evidence for his answer. Consequently, the answer was more comprehensive at
move 6.
In that extract, at move 3 the students response was appropriate to the
question and clear after the teacher phrased the question clearly. At move 6, the
response was comprehensive and better after the teacher probed students answer
at move 4 and 5.

68

It was found that by employing two strategies of questioning in extract

above the teacher kept the interaction with the student. It could be that the teacher
stopped asking the question after the response at move 3 in which the student
applied non-verbal response, but the teacher seemed to explore more and keep the
interaction with the student. To compare with, the longer turn-taking interaction
can be seen at the following extracts.
[1]

: Is there somebody that you are so worried about before

you move to this class? Some body that you so worried

[2]
[3]
[4]

S4
T
T

about him, who is that?

: No worries
: Ya before you move to this class
: Somebody that you feel like not ok, well this guy is not

[5]
[6]

S4
T

nice to me, or things like that, who is that?

: ooo, I think its just //when someone move
: oh I mean before you move here, you know some people
in this class, right? Maybe you found somebody, this guy,

[7]
[8]
[9]
[10

S4
SS
T
S4

]
[11] T

:
:
:
:

is not cool, or things like that, who is that?

ehhh...may be Zydan
(laughing)
May be Anas, no, who is that?
I only know some members of this class so litlle but I dont

know the others so I didnt worry about my friends.

: What's make you surprised in this class? You know that
you have English in your previous class, and in this class,

[12

S4

what's the difference? The big differences?

: ehhh, when they are given task from you as the teacher, they

]
[13

do it very good
: They who? They there?

69

[14
]

S4

: no here. They do it perfectly or excellently, such when you

give them task to cook, they prepare it very good
(see appendix 2, page 95)

In the extract above, it can be seen that the teachers delivery of

questioning strategies was vivid and organized. The topics were not only one but
two to be discussed between the teacher and the student. Initially it was about
students impression of his class and the teacher seemed developing his question
into several questions. At move 1, 4, and 6 the questions were developed into
intense questions. After being responded, the question at move 1 was developed
into other questions at move 4 and 6. At move 11, the topic was changed because
the teacher seemed to be satisfied on students longer response.
At move 1, the teacher asked question about whether the student was
worried of someone in the class before the student moved to that class. In this
case, the teacher emphasized the question by repeating the question in order that
the student responded appropriately. The response upon the questions at move 1
was not satisfying enough so the teacher explained the question at move 4.
At move 4 it can be seen that the teacher clarified the question because the
students response at move 2 could be developed and elicited longer. At move 3
the teacher stated the question or the essence of the question to trigger the student
to respond more than his response at move 2. The teacher explained the intention
of the question at move 1 and gave more explanation about what to ask before
specifying the question. However, the response seemed to be not nourishing for
the teacher, then at move 6 he asked again the question at move 6.

70

The teacher varied the things what to ask about before asking or
emphasizing the question at move 1. It is known that the teacher wanted to get
longer response from the student. Finally, at move 10 it can be seen that the
student responded based on what to ask at move 6. Things what to ask at move 6
were more particularized than the question at move 4. In fact, at move 7 the
student gave appropriate answer, and at move 10 the student did more.
The turn taking in that extract was not just ended up after at move 10 when
the student elicited longer response. It continued as seen at move 11 when the
teacher asked another question to the student. At that move, the teacher asked
another thing but correlated to the previous question. The way the teacher asked
another question was similar to how the teacher employed the previous question.
Consequently the responses at move 12 and 14 were defined and elaborated.
While at move 13 the question could be answered in short answer, the student
could respond longer after giving short answer.
From the extract, it is known that at move 2 the student responded the
question in a short phrase. However, at the following moves after the teacher
probed the questions, the student response was longer and better.
Although the responses which were elicited in previous extracts were
longer and the teacher did improving the answers through probing strategies, there
was a moment which the teacher failed to elicit longer response due to student
low proficiency and motivation. It can be seen at the following extract.
[1

: what do you say about that? zamzami or zack

71

]
[2

: what do you about that? What is your personal opinion about

]
[3

19 people from man 3 malang?

: Ehhhh//

]
[4

: you feel nothing? or what?

]
[5

: Nothing

]
[6

: you feel nothing as man 3 malang team achieved it

]
(see appendix 2, page 106)
It can be seen the teacher phrased the question at move 1 in move 2 but the
response was not like to be expected. At move 4, the teacher gave alternative
answers as questions, and it was expected that the student would respond longer
and meaningful. However, based on move 3 and 5, the student did not give the
complex answer as what others did. Thus the teacher seemed to conclude what the
student responded at move 6.
4.1.3

Discussion of Teacher Employment of Display and Referential

Questions and Students Responses
Following Long and Sato (1983), the study investigated the display

questions which were employed by the teacher to check students understanding

about particular topic of discussion, check confirmation, and clarify requests.
Because the topic the teacher and students discussed was about the holiday
experiences of individual person, then the teacher would not know it before or the
story shared was something new for the teacher. Consequently, the teacher display

72

questions were limited. The ways the teacher employed, as stated by Wilen
(1987), was not found significantly due to limited use of display questions.
The questions mostly employed by the teacher in this study are classified
as Referential Questions. According to Long and Sato (1983), referential
questions as purpose based questions are to seek information. In this case, the
teacher intended to know students opinion or thought about particular topics, like
holidays, their class, school achievement, and presentation topics about biography.
In line with the previous study (Hasan, 2013), the referential questions in
this study required long answers containing giving opinions and subjective
information in spite of its less syntactical responses. It also proved Yang (2010)s
study about referential question in which the teacher employed the strategy of
phrasing questions clearly was able to aim the question in making students
produce longer responses. As stated by Willen (1987), when the teacher phrased
the referential questions clearly, it would help students answer the questions in
longer and meaningful utterances.
Based on questioning strategies by Willen (1987), another strategy
employed by the teacher is by providing wait time. By providing wait time is
teachers giving interval time either between teachers question and students
response or to the interval between students response and subsequent teachers
question. The effect of this strategy was greatly on students social control pattern.
The students may feel that they are parts of the interaction between the teacher
and the students. Accordingly, it will encourage them in participating.

73

Waiting for the responses, especially from the student who is appointed to
answer, will make the student feel directed and respected. When the teacher does
not provide enough wait time or just simply offer the question to others because
the student does not answer, it will demotivate the student because the student
may feel that they are not parts of the interaction. Therefore, while phrasing
question clearly and providing enough wait time, the teacher should provide
positive feedback upon the students responses.
Based on Wilen (1987), the way of providing positive feedback is applied
to acknowledge and build upon students ideas. The teachers response upon the
students answer usually is just simply by repeating students answer or even
without praising words like good, ok, and etc. In order to encourage the
students in answering teachers questions, the teacher should provide more
responses or feedbacks to students answer.
Probing Students Answers is a strategy to assist the student in
strengthening his or her initial response rather than providing negative feedback
or ignoring the inaccurate answer and calling on another student to respond
(Willen, 1987). Based on the extracts above, the teacher probed students answers
and did not provide negative feedback. The teacher seemed to encourage students
by pursuing or giving other correlating questions to get better answers from the
students. The teacher did not comment negatively over the students answer and
never criticized grammatical mistakes which the student made.

74

The responses which students utter depend on what types of the questions
the teacher employs. It also depends on the way of the questioning strategies the
teacher employs and the target language ability which students acquire. In this
study, the focus is on the purpose-based questions, display and referential
questions by Long and Sato (1983) and the strategies which the teacher employs
are questioning strategies by Willen (1987). The students responses are based on
those theories.
The students responses based on display questions and referential
questions are different in teaching speaking. Students responses upon display
questions in teaching speaking are short or even just in non-verbal actions. The
display questions in teaching speaking are for warming up part in the activities.
There are no written materials as input for students so that the students have no
knowledge. Consequently, the display questions which are to check students
understanding over something discussed are not exposing significant.
Based on Long and Sato (1983), the referential questions were exposing
more than display questions in this study. Consequently, the responses were long
and meaningful. The responses from the students were new things for the teacher.
Thus, there should be another question about the things students told. Whereas the
responses upon the questions were long and meaningful. However, in some
extracts the referential questions did not elicit long and meaningful responses.
There were factors which determined the referential questions could not elicit long
and meaningful responses, for instance, low proficiency and motivation. As stated
by Shomossi (2004), it happened because the student was a low proficiency

75

learner and affected on interaction. A low proficiency in a target language is a

factor which can fail the interaction so that when asking the question the teacher
needs to employ several strategies to elicit the response.
The questioning strategies as stated by Willen (1988) help the students
respond better and appropriate. The employment of phrasing questions clearly,
providing wait time, providing positive feedbacks, and probing students answer
showed that they aimed students in responding the questions. However, several
strategies needed to be accompanied by other strategies in order that the students
were able to respond well.
In conclusion, referential questions were frequently asked by the teacher to
seek information about the students story or opinion. The teacher employed the
strategies of questioning by Wilen (1987) to get better and appropriate responses.
The teacher employed referential questions through phrasing questions clearly,
providing wait time, providing positive feedback, and probing students answers.
In doing those strategies, the teacher employed clearly, in dynamic and organized
way.
4.2 The employment of Teachers Display and Referential Questions and
Students Responses to Maintain Communication
Communication in the classroom happened because the teacher and the
students were negotiating the meaning and exchanging the messages they have. In
this study, it found that through referential questions the communication happened
better than through display questions. The students responses upon the questions

76

were longer and meaningful, and it generated other questions. Thus the turntaking by the teacher and students ran smoothly. The following extracts were the
example of long turn taking happened through referential questions.
[1

: what is going on in Jogja n Solo?

]
[2

S1

: eee...we turn around in the solocity, visit a grandma in SOlo,

on Monday we went to Jogjakarta, we go round in Jogja, first

we went to train......it was, n then we went to train museum,
there are many kinds of train, the old train for the king and

[3

then we go to istana.
: is there in Jogja or Solo?

]
[4

S1

: in Jogja

]
[5

: Ok

]
In this extract, for instance, the student chosen to share his holiday
experience brought the information about what he exposed in holiday. The
information takes role as students knowledge which becomes the materials to
share to. While the students use of language, in this case English, can be seen
from the structure of students utterances. On the other hand, the teacher had no
information before about students holiday. Here, the teachers question,
especially referential question, took a great role in aiming the communication
maintained. By asking to the student about what happened in Solo, the teacher got

77

the information about it from the student. Furthermore, due to his background
knowledge, the student could explain in long and complex response. Then the
teacher could ask more about the following information. Thus, the communication
did not stop after initial question.
It can be seen that the way the student responded the teachers question
was through their native language. In the extract above, at move 2, the students
answer indicated the characteristics of how far the student acquired the second
language. The structure of students response was comprised of simple sentences
but not yet fully complex. At move 1, the teachers question was on past form
interrogative sentence, and it was expected that the question would be answered in
the same type of sentence. However, the student answered in present form
declarative sentence. It can be inferred that the students knowledge and use of
language was still largely influenced with his native language. To develop
students knowledge and use of the language, the teacher plays important roles on
this.
[1]

: Is there somebody that you are so worried about before you

move to this class? Some body that you so worried about

[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]

S4
T
T

him, who is that?

: No worries
: Ya before you move to this class
: Somebody that you feel like not ok, well this guy is not nice

S4
T

to me, or things like that, who is that?

: ooo, I think its just //when someone move
: oh I mean before you move here, you know some people in
this class, right? Maybe you found somebody, this guy, is

78

[7]
[8]
[9]
[10

S4
SS
T
S4

]
[11] T

:
:
:
:

not cool, or things like that, who is that?

ehhh...may be Zydan
(laughing)
May be Anas, no, who is that?
I only know some members of this class so litlle but I dont

know the others so I didnt worry about my friends.

: What's make you surprised in this class? You know that you
have English in your previous class, and in this class, what's

[12

S4

the difference? The big differences?

: ehhh, when they are given task from you as the teacher, they

]
[13

do it very good
: They who? They there?

]
[14

S4

: no here. They do it perfectly or excellently, such when you

give them task to cook, they prepare it very good

In the extract above, for instance, it can be seen that the teachers control
for the pattern of communication was important. The teacher was to offer the
questions about what the student shared in the classroom. The teachers questions
were accompanied with teachers questioning strategies to anticipate or overcome
when the student could not respond appropriately or when the students answers
were not like as being expected by the teacher. The questioning strategies were
applied well by the teacher to generate students responses so that the
communication would not just happen in single turn taking event. The
communication continued with questions and answers between the teacher and the
student. It can be seen that the teacher controlled it through his questions,
especially referential questions.

79

The activity of group presentation aimed to train the students to be able to

express their idea about the biography and understand how to express the feelings
upon the topic discussed. Lesson Plan and Syllabus (see appendixes 4 and 5)
shows the goal of the activity which emphasizes on communicative purposes.
From the documenters, it can be seen that the activity is directed to reach
communicative learning. In the syllabus, classroom activities involved students to
communicate what they have learned in the biography and discuss it with others.
The teachers role is obviously guiding the students through teachers speech,
including teachers questions. Meanwhile the basic competency is not overlapped
by indicators to guide the teacher in determine the activities. It is due to that the
curriculum applied is the 2013 curriculum. The curriculum differs from the KTSP
curriculum which the syllabus is completed by indicators as the guides of learning
activities. To make it understandable, the teacher provided the indicators in the
lesson plan.
It is obvious that the indicators were characteristics of having
communication process. There were acts of how to understand others feeling
upon the biography presentation. To understand that, the teacher and students
were not just enough by listening to the presentation, there should be question and
answer session about the biography. The session happened after the presentation.
The questions were from the students, and the teacher guided the presenters to
answer the questions by applying questioning strategies.
4.3 Discussion of The Employment of Teachers Display and Referential
Questions and Students Responses to Maintain Communication

80

Based on the results and discussions above, the teacher behavior in

employing display and referential questions and students responses upon the
questions are summarized at the table below. The table shows how are the
qualities of teachers employment of display and referential questions and the
qualities of students responses. Then it describes the communication happened
due to teachers display and referential questions and students responses.
Table 4.1 TEACHERS EMPLOYMENTS OF DISPLAY AND
REFERENTIAL QUESTIONS
Teachers Questioning
Questionings Impacts

Question

Employment

No
Types
1.

Students
Strategies

Quality

Communication

Display

By phrasing

N/A

Responses
N/A

Questions

clearly
By providing

N/A

N/A

N/A

wait time
By providing

N/A

N/A

N/A

feedback
By probing

Clear

Short

Maintained

students

Dynamic

Clear

Verbal and Non-

answers
By phrasing

Clear:

Non-verbal acts
Appropriate

verbal
Maintained

clearly

- Clear Voice

Long

Effective

- Clear

Meaningful

Questions

Clear

- Good

Short

N/A

positive

2.

Referentia
l Questions

language

Restricted

81

Organized
By providing

Adequate

Obvious

Maintained

wait time

Dynamic

Appropriate

Effective

Stimulating

Directed /
Respected

By providing

Accurate:

positive

Clear

feedback

Subjective
Non-verbal acts

Maintained
Effective

feedback
Essential

By probing

feedback
Accurate

Better

Maintained

students

Consistent

Reasonable

Effective

answers

Clear

Meaningful

Organized

Long

Vivid

Defined
Elaborated
Complex

From the activities conducted by the teacher and students, it can be

inferred that the communication happened was like genuine communication. It is
line with Nunan (1987) about genuine communication, and Seedhouse (1996)
about free conversation. The classroom activity conducted by the teacher and
students was free conversation. The topic discussed was not dominated by the
teacher but coming from the students so that the information sources were mainly
from the students. Then the teacher would have more questions to seek
information rather than checking students understanding of the topic. They talked

82

about and shared holiday experiences which could be various among the students.
Consequently, the questions employed would be extended and the communication
happened would not just easily stop after one teachers question.
However, from the activity in which the topic was determined before, it
was assumed that the questions employed was limited to the topic and rather be
display questions. Yet, the questions contents were almost asking opinion, and
seeking information about the topic. Thus, the questions tended to be referential
questions so that the communication happened mostly due to referential questions.
Communication patterns happened in verbal and non-verbal acts. Through
teachers questions and students response, the communication happened in verbal
acts. While the communication happened in non-verbal acts if the teacher applied
gestures, mimic, and body movements in employing the questions and if the
students responded the teachers questions. In line with Miller (1988), there are
more feelings and intentions in turn taking interaction so the communication
happens smoothly. It is because that the atmosphere in the classroom is built well.
Then the students are well confident in expressing their idea through students
responses. Based on Miller (1988), the effective communication happened
through teachers questions and students responses. The teachers behavior in
responding students responses determines effective communication. The teacher
plays roles by listening to verbal and non-verbal messages expressed by the
students, knowing when a student desires to be heard, and understanding the
situation in the classroom.

83

In the communication happened in the classroom, the interaction between

the teacher and students can be seen. In this case the interaction is exposed
through teachers display and referential questions and students responses. The
questions and students responses make free conversation as suggested by
Seedhouse (1996) which fulfill features of genuineness in conversation. The
activities conducted provide the setting of conversation was not based on the
textbook, yet it based on what students experienced before so that the topic would
be flourished. The topic was also negotiated and the teacher facilitated it.
According to Nunan (1987), it is in depth that the referential questions
play significant role in classroom interaction which exposes genuine
communication. Due to its purposes, the referential questions possibly seem to
interrogate students in seeking information thus the interaction does not stop after
the teacher offers one question. It is also in line with what Hassan (2013) found
that the overuses of WH questions, which consider as referential questions, affect
positively students language ability and then lead to more communicative
interaction. Furthermore, based on Shomoossi (2004), the factors which provide
classroom interaction in supporting communication are interesting topics which
were provided by the students, teachers intention through questions during the
students telling their experiences, and humour which was generated by the teacher
in the beginning of the activities. In conclusion, the referential questions provide
significantly classroom interaction and maintained and effective communication.
It is also in line with Brock (1986), Yang (2010) about referential questions
effects.