199 ISSN: 2527-8037 Proceedings of the First Reciprocal Graduate Research Symposium between University Pendidikan Sultan Idris and Syiah Kuala University, February 26-28, 2016, Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia SPEAKING EFFORTS: STRATEGIES FROM STUDENTS WITH POOR SPEAKING PERFORMANCE Rizaldy Hanifa * , Dian Fajrina, and Sofyan A. Gani University of Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia rizaldyhanifa91@yahoo.co.id, dian_fajrina270179@yahoo.co.id, and sofyangani@yahoo.com Abstract The notion of speaking as the most apparent skill of language learning has been the concern for so many until now. The mastery of the skill is indeed highly related to the strategies employed by learners. This paper draws attention on the language learning strategies employed by students with poor speaking performance while learning speaking skill. The participants were given a set of questionnaire and interview concerning their use of language learning strategies for improving speaking ability. The results reveal that the students did not have consistency in using all kinds of learning strategies. They relied more on compensation and social strategies compared to memory, cognitive, metacognitive, and affective strategies while learning speaking skill. Apart from that, some students seemed to use strategies that were not very effective to accomplish the language tasks. Therefore, their strategies only gave a little contribution toward their learning process. For those reasons, it is important for every English teacher to assist students to employ more appropriate strategies for specific purposes or specific language tasks, and to encourage them to use the strategies as frequently as possible. Keywords: speaking skill, poor speaking performance, speaking strategies. INTRODUCTION As one of skills taught in learning English either as second or foreign language, speaking is the skill that learners should master most. Nunan (1991) claims that the success of learning a second or foreign language is measured in terms of the ability to carry out a conversation. Therefore, speaking is considered as the most