Students' Communication Skills in Junior High School

This study aims to obtain an objective picture and information about students' communication skills in school. The research method uses quantitative descriptive methods with library studies' support, strengthening researchers' analysis in making conclusions following the subject matter—the data collection techniques using the Likert scale model. The communication skills questionnaire consisted of 4 indicators and 36 statement items. The Cronbach alpha coefficient of the entire scale calculated was 0.788. Because the scale factor and the reliability coefficient are high, the scale can be considered reliable, and the scale items are homogeneous. Communication skills scale distributed using Google forms. The research sample was 134 grade VII students of Al Azhar 26 Yogyakarta Islamic Middle School in 2019/2010. It consisted of seven classes, namely VII A, VII B, VII C, VII D, VII E, VII F, and VII G. The result showed that students' communication competency of indicators were in the medium category (71%). Communication barriers indicators were in a low category (67%). Meanwhile, body language communication got a low score (65%), and 77% of students have a low emotional maturity score in communication indicators. Overall, students' communication skills of class VII were classified as moderate (62%). The result show there was no significant difference in communication significance between male or female. Both male and female students have communication skills that are not good enough. Students' communication skills need to be improved by the teacher's guidance and counseling or counselor using guidance and counseling methods, such as discussion and other related methods.


Research Design
The research method used is a descriptive quantitative approach supported by a literature study to follow the main problem. Descriptive analysis aims to describe the data from variables obtained from the research subjects [10]. Quantitative research methods are research methods based on the philosophy of positivism, used to examine specific populations or samples, data collection using research instruments, quantitative/statistical data analysis [11]. A literature study is a data collection technique by surveying reviewers of books, literature, records, and reports related to the problem being solved [12].

Data Collection
The data collection methods in this research used a communication skills scale instrument adapted from the Communication Skills Scale (CSS) developed by Akkuzu and Akkaya [13]. The scale has been validated used item analysis, Explanatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to obtain structural validity. On the EFA stage, there were 36 valid items with an item-total test correlation coefficient between 0,311 and 0,594. The CFA stage proposes four CSS factors, namely competence, discouragement, body language, and dignification. The first factor is "competence," which consists of 12 items related to self-confidence in affective, consciousness, and linguistics areas. The items in this factor have factor loading values between 0,507 and 0,741. The second factor labeled as "discouragement," which consistt13 items related to problems during the communication process, include students' inability to transmit their feelings and thoughts accurately to receivers. The items in discouragement factors have factor loads of value between 0,500 to 0,699. The third factor was "body language," which consists of five items with factor load values between 0,588 and 0,699-the items on this factor related to behavioral forms when students communicate with others. The fourth factor was "dignification," consisting of six items with factor load values between 0,500 and 0,722-all items related to the importance of mutual feelings and the communication process's ideas.
The CFA analysis found that t-values of all items were greater than 2,56, with a significant value of 0,01. The error variance was low, and the model fit was acceptable. Based on the results, the four factors can be used as indicators of the Communication Skills Scale. The instrument also had a reliability Cronbach's Alpha score of 0.788. The items of each factor can be seen in table 1.  I make a presentation in front of the community, I feel confident  2  When I make a speech, I trust myself   3  I believe that I can understand what people say clearly and  correctly  4 I can express my feelings and thoughts clearly in front of the community 5 I can talk easily to my teachers as well as my friends 6 When I talk, I pay attention to stress and intonation rules 7 I believe that I speak in a specific order and logic 8 When I talk to someone, I convince them 9 I think I use rich vocabulary during oral communication 10 The person to whom I talk wants to collaborate with me.

Subject of Study
The research subjects in this study were seventh-grade students of Al Azhar Islamic Junior High School 26 Yogyakarta in the academic year 2019/2020, consisting of seven classes with 134 respondents.
There are several processes in this research. They started by preparing the letters needed, preparing a research tool in the form of a scale agreed upon by the supervisor, then conducting a trial to determine whether the statement used is understood by respondents and measures what the researcher wants to measure. After the preparatory phase is completed, the researcher then continues with the research data collection using Google forms.

Results
Students communicate with others in all activities: at school, home, the community, or even in the workplace. Communication is a social process where individuals use symbols to create and interpret meanings in the environment [14]. Communication requires skills when students want to communicate with the teacher; students must not communicate carelessly but need a way to convey. Skills are mostly the way for someone to do something [15]. Communication skills are a process of delivering information where the success of communication depends on the design of the message or data and how to give it [16]. The following results of the overall analysis of communication skills scale: The results of the overall analysis, communication skills of 134 students from 83 students into the medium category (62%), two students into the very low group (1%), 48 students included in the low category (36%), one student entered into the high category (1%) and 0 entered into the very high category (0%). The results prove that students' communication skills need to be increased; of the 134 students, only one student has high communication skills. The chi-square analysis also proved that there was no difference in communication skills between male and female students. The results showed the asymp sig.2-sided value 0.683> 0.05, which means that there is no relationship between gender and students' communication skills. Both male and female students have relatively the same communication skills, which are as follows table 4.
The table shows that male and female students have communication skills in the very low category. In the low category, the difference between male and female students is seven people. In contrast, in the medium and high categories, the difference between male and female students is only one student. This study indicates that male and female students have almost the same communication skills; both female and male students have communication skills in the low and medium categories. After the overall analysis, the scale is analyzed based on four indicators of communication skills, presented as follows:

Communication Competence of Students
When communicating, students need competence. Competence is an attribute to attach superior quality human resources; attribute refers to specific characteristics required to effectively carry out work [17]. Competence needs to be owned by students when communicating. Communication competence consists of matters relating to students' feelings of confidence in expressing ideas, completing assignments virtually, providing information well, explaining correctly, and using language structure that is good and right. Following is the result of the analysis of students' communication competence: From the table above, it can be concluded that the communication competence of students from 134 students is 71 students in the moderate category (53%), four students in the deficient category (3%), 43 students in the low category (32%), 16 students high category (12%) and 0 students in the very high category (0%). Nearly half of the students are in the medium category in communication competence. The chi-square analysis also proved that there was no difference in communication skills between male and female students. The results showed that the asymp sig.2-sided value was 0.644> 0.05, which meant no relationship between gender and communication competence. Both male and female students have equal communication competencies as follows: The table shows that male and female students have competence in the very low category, namely two students. In the low and medium categories, the difference between male and female students is five people. Meanwhile, in the high category, men have a more significant proportion than women, namely ten people. This study indicates that the difference between male and female students in the competence indicator is not too much and tends to have almost the same abilities. Both male and female students still need to improve communication competency.

Communication Barriers
Communication barriers mean something that prevents students when communicating. Communication barriers result in students unable to unleash their potential and prevent them from effectively giving or receiving messages. According to [18], communication barriers refer to everything that can distort the news or receiving messages. Following the results of the analysis of students' communication barriers.
From the table 8, communication barriers 134 students 67 students in the low category (50%), eight students in the very low category (6%), 51 students in the moderate category (38%), eight students in the high category (6%) and no learners in the very high category (0%). The result of the chi-square analysis showed that there was no relationship between gender and students' communication skills.
The results showed that the asymp sig.2-sided value was 0.644> 0.05, which meant no relationship between gender and communication competence. Gender does not make male students have more barriers than female students or vice versa. Both male students and female students have the same tendency to communicate. Women and men can experience communication barriers in carrying out communication in everyday life.

Body Language Communicates
Body language is a way for students to express faces, eyes, and body posture in communication or nonverbal communication. Eye contact has two functions in communication. First, the regulatory role tells others whether they will communicate with that person or avoid it. Both expressive purposes, namely to say to others how they feel about them while the body posture is often symbolic, tend to over-appreciate tall and balanced people. Even the way of sitting, standing, and lying down can communicate a limited but exciting set of meanings [19]. Next is the analysis of communicating body language used by students.
From the table 10, it can be concluded that 87 students have body language when communicating in the low category (65%), 18 students in the very low category (13%), 28 students in the moderate category (21%), one student included in the high category (1%). The third indicator shows no students involved in the very high category (0%). Nearly half of the students fall into the low category in using nonverbal communication or body language. There is a result of chi-square analysis of gender and body language indicators. The results showed that the asymp sig.2-sided value was 0.094> 0.05, which meant no relationship between gender and body language indicator. Gender does not cause a man or woman to have better body language skills than others.
The cross-tabulation between gender and body language is as follows: The table 12 shows that even though male and female students have almost the same body language skills, there are relatively large differences in several categories. Male students had a more significant proportion of female students in the low and very low categories. In contrast, female students had a higher proportion in the medium category, with a difference of up to 12 students. In fact, in the high category, there is only one student, namely a female student. Although the chi-square analysis results show no relationship between gender and body language, the proportion of female students who have moderate and high body language skills is higher than that of boys.

Emotional Maturity in Communication
Emotional maturity is individuals' ability to be tolerant, feel comfortable, have self-control, be willing to accept themselves and others, and express their emotions constructively and creatively [20]. A person who reaches emotional maturity can control his emotions well, think well, and objectively [21]. The following analysis of emotional maturity in communicating students. From the table above, it can be concluded that 103 students have emotional maturity in communication in the low category (77%), five students included in the very low category (4%), 26 students in the moderate category (19%), 0 participants students in the high category (0%) and 0 students in the very high category (0%). The chi-square analysis also proof that there was no difference in communication skills between male and female students. The results showed that the asymp sig.2-sided value was 0.816> 0.05, which means no relationship between gender and students' emotional maturity. Male students do not have better emotional maturity than female students and vice versa. Both male and female students have equal emotional maturity. Many students do not have the emotional maturity to communicate well-the teacher needs to improve students' communication skills. communication process.
The fourth indicator is emotional maturity. Building excellent communication starts with mutual respect, trust, and tolerance. Emotional Maturity 134 students 103 students in the low category (77%). The low emotional maturity of communication will make students throw inappropriate words, such as insulting friends when discussing and saying dirty words with friends. Students also give inadequate responses, such as passive listening to the teacher when explaining the subject matter and ignoring friends when talking, blaming friends if there are problems in class, and cornering friends if they make mistakes [24]. Both male and female students have low emotional maturity. Emotional maturity can be defined as a person's ability to control his feelings and behavior in undesirable situations, adapt to peers, and respond according to what is expected by the surrounding environment. Emotional maturity can be influenced by parenting styles, culture, and the individual's environment [43].
The results show that students' communication skills need to be improved. Communication skills are indispensable in the 21st century because of many works and the human need to communicate at work and live daily life in society. If students do not have good communication skills, they will experience difficulties carrying out work and interacting with other people. Guidance and Counseling Teachers can develop various services to improve communication skills through classical guidance services. According to [38], the environment and