A Pragmatic Analysis of Classroom Speech Acts in the English Teaching and Learning Processes at MAN 1 Yogyakarta

Abstract

This research was aimed to investigate the use of speech acts during English teaching and learning processes. The objectives of this research were to identify the illocutionary acts and types of functions performed by the English teachers in MAN 1 Yogyakarta. This research employed a qualitative method consisting of data reduction, data display, and drawing conclusion. The data reduction was done by keeping data which were in accordance and discarding data which were not in accordance to the research. The data of this research were displayed in the form of tables and descriptions. The conclusion was done by re-reading and re-checking the data. The verification was enhanced by doing peer-checking and consultation with the supervisor. The data were in the form of utterances which were derived from the transcripts. The instruments of the research were the researcher herself and a data sheet. The data were analyzed by categorizing them using the speech acts theory proposed by Searle. The research findings were checked by conducting triangulation. The results of this research showed that there were four types of illocutionary acts performed by the teacher. They were representatives, directives, commissives, and expressives. The most dominant illocutionary act was directives. In terms of the functions of illocutionary acts, there were 19 functions performed by the english teacher. They were informing, confirming, stating, explaining, insinuating, warning, asking, ordering, commanding, forbidding, suggesting, offering, promising, greeting, thanking, praising, apologizing, stating disappointment, and leave-taking. The most dominant function of illocutionary acts was asking and the least dominant was stating disappointment. From the findings, it can be noted that the teacher held the main role in the classroom so the classroom tent to be teacher-centered. Moreover, the fact that directives was the most dominant act can be considered as the sign of teacher’s awareness of her status which was higher than the students’. The fact that asking was the most dominant function of illocutionary acts was considered as an effort done by the teacher to check the students’ understanding and to make them active. On the other hand, stating disappointment as the least dominant function shows that the teacher tried to behave by not showing her every psychological condition.