Analysis of Students’ Needs in Speaking Skill of English Department Students at UIN Datokarama Palu

This study aims to determine the types of students’ needs in speaking skills. Students in many ways experience difficulties in speaking because their needs have not been optimally met. Speaking needs are divided into two perspectives, namely the linguistic perspective and the non-linguistic perspective. Therefore, it is important to identify the difficulties they use to overcome these challenges. This study used a qualitative approach with a descriptive design. The participants were six fourth-semester students majoring in English at UIN Datokarama Palu in the 2023 academic year. Data were collected through observation, semi-structured interviews, and document review to determine the students’ highest and lowest scores in speaking. Observations were made of student activities during the argumentative speaking learning process. Interviews were conducted with six fourth-semester students of the English Language and Literature Department at UIN Datokarama Palu in the 2023 academic year. The results of the study indicate that students need a linguistic perspective more than a non-linguistic perspective in speaking. However, students still need a non-linguistic perspective to support them in speaking better and more confidently.