Using role play in teaching English: focus on the students' speaking practice

English as international language has become the language most used around the world. Today,its existence is really not only considered in academic field, public relation but also used as a means of developing science, technological knowledge, art, and communication. Today English has been taught in all level of formal education for many years. But most of the students still have the problems with English, especially for speaking. Based on the reason above, the researcher chose one of speaking activities that is role play, as means for teaching and learning English process, especially for speaking. Role play is one of communicative technique that involved two or more participants in the interaction. The objective of this study are about how the implementation of role play in teaching English, especially for speaking, how the students' response and active involvement during the class, and what the students' difficulties in conducted role play. The subject of this study is the students of MAN Lamongan, especially the students of XIBAHASA 1 (language class program), 2008-2009 academic years. The research design of this study was classroom action research which consists of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. The finding of this study showed that the students got some difficulties in speaking by using role play. Firstly, they were not confident to speak or to share their idea with other friends. Secondly, their difficulties were related with the language itself. Most of the students' mistakes were about grammar and pronunciation. But, all of the students' condition and difficulties could be solved well. Finally, it is expected that the finding of this study will be useful for all person or readers, especially for the writer and commonly for the teachers and students