IMPROVING THE SPEAKING SKILLS OF GRADE VIII STUDENTS OF SMP N 1 SEMANU IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF 2012/2013 THROUGH GUESSING GAMES

This action research is aimed at improving speaking skills of Grade VIII students of SMP N 1 Semanu in the academic year of 2012/2013 through guessing games. It attempts to improve students’ involvements in speaking activities and making them accustomed to practicing English orally. To achieve the objectivity, the researcher worked collaboratively with the English teacher and the students as the members of the research. The main subjects of this research were 32 Grade VIII students of SMP N 1 Semanu in the academic year of 2012/2013 on the second semester. This research lasted for eight meetings which consisted of two cycles by implementing various data collection techniques. The data were in the form of qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative data were collected through observation, interview and open-ended questionnaires. They were analyzed by assembling the data, coding the data, comparing the data, building interpretations and reporting the outcomes. Meanwhile, the quantitative data were in the form of students’ speaking scores. The speaking tests were administered before the research, at the end of Cycle 1 and at the end of Cycle 2. The mean of the scores proved the speaking skills’ improvements of the students. The presented data were also valid and reliable, since the researcher met both of the validity and reliability of the qualitative and quantitative data. Based on the research conducted, the use of guessing games successfully improved the students’ speaking skills. In Cycle 1, the guessing games were played in a group of eight. Most the students were eager to be volunteers and tried to speak English actively. However, there were some students were less active in the speaking activity. It was because the speaking opportunity did not spread well throughout the students, since the more active students always grabbed it faster. In Cycle 2, the guessing games were played in the smaller group. It encouraged the less active students to speak more. The speaking opportunity spread well throughout the students. The results of the students’ speaking scores proved that the students’ speaking skills improved. The mean of the students’ speaking scores improved from 17.78 in the Pre-Test to 20.69 in the Post-Test 1 and to 25.03 in the Post-Test 2. Besides, implementation of the guessing games and interesting media and lesson topics also improved the students’ motivation and involvement in speaking