Podcast as an English Authentic Material to develop Students’ Speaking Fluency: students and teacher perception

In the digital age, especially among millennial students who are highly engaged with technology, podcasts have emerged as a popular and accessible medium for learning. As traditional learning media often fall short in engaging students effectively, podcasts offer a flexible, authentic, and interactive way to enhance language skills, particularly speaking fluency. Despite their growing use, there is still limited understanding of how students perceive podcasts as learning tools, especially in formal education settings. Understanding these perceptions is essential to ensure that podcasts are effectively integrated into speaking instruction and aligned with students' needs and expectations. This study employed a qualitative descriptive research design to explore the perceptions of Grade IX A students and their English teacher at SMP Muhammadiyah 3 Waru regarding the use of podcasts to enhance speaking fluency. Data were collected through questionnaires distributed to 40 purposively selected students and semi-structured interviews conducted with the English teacher. The questionnaire consisted of closed-ended items using a Likert scale, while interviews provided deeper insights into teacher perspectives. The collected data were analyzed descriptively to understand how podcasts support students’ speaking skills in English. The findings indicate that both students and teachers perceive podcasts as effective and engaging tools for enhancing English speaking skills. Students reported improved fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation, and self-confidence after regularly using podcasts, appreciating their authentic content and real-life language use. Teachers also recognized the value of podcasts in providing diverse linguistic exposure, increasing student motivation, and supporting independent learning. Overall, the integration of podcasts into English learning was found to foster a more dynamic, authentic, and student-centered learning environment.