TEACHERS’ DIRECTIVE SPEECH ACTS IN EFL CLASSROOM INTERACTIONS

This study aims to observe the implementation of directive speech acts by English
teachers in teaching and learning activities in MAN 2 Model Medan. The objectives
of this study are to analyze the types of directive speech acts and the way directive
speech acts are used by teachers, then to investigate the reasons teachers perform
directive speech acts in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classroom
interactions. The research methodology was descriptive qualitative. The data were
collected by observation and interview. The data in this study are sentences spoken
by the teacher that contain directive speech acts. The data sources are two teachers
who teach English subjects in X IPA 4 and XI IPA 5 classes. The researcher found
three results from this study, they are 1) Teachers use three types of directive speech
acts: command (48 utterances), request (7 utterances), and suggestion (10
utterances). Command is the most frequent of all the types of directive speech acts
performed by teachers in EFL classroom interactions since teachers always use this
type to attract students’ attention and convey their instructions during the teachinglearning
process; 2) In performing directive speech acts, teachers use two ways:
direct (51 times) and indirect (14 times). Direct directive speech acts are the most
frequent of all the ways of directive speech acts used by teachers in EFL classroom
interactions since teacher often used utterances that had no implicit meaning and
immediately understood and responded to by students; 3) The reasons teachers
perform directive speech acts in EFL classroom interactions are because there are
many functions in using directive speech acts. Commands were to attract students’
attention (Attention-getter), to test students’ knowledge or understanding
(Elicitation), and to ask students to do something (Instruction). Requests were to
attract students’ attention (Attention-getter), to test students’ knowledge
(Elicitation), and to make students do what the teacher instructs (Instruction).
Then, Suggestions were to suggest and advise students on what should do
(Suggestion/Advice).