IMPROVING STUDENTS’ SPEAKING ABILITY THROUGH PAIR WORK TECHNIQUE AT THE EIGHT GRADE OF SMPN 2 GONDANG TULUNGAGUNG

ABSTRACT Hidayati, Ani. Registered Number Student 3213113043. 2015.“Improving Students’ Speaking Ability through Pair Work Technique at the Eight Grade of SMPN 2 Gondang Tulungagung”.Thesis. English Education Program. State Islamic Institute (IAIN) of Tulungagung. Advisor: Nursamsu, M.Pd Keywords: improving, the students’ speaking ability, pair work technique. The present research was categorized into Classroom Action Research (CAR) applying Pair Work technique. It was applied to solve the students’ problem in learning especially in speaking class. This research was intended to answer the single question “How can “Pair work” technique improve students’ speaking ability at eight grade of SMPN 2 GondangTulungagung?” The subject of the study was the VIII G students of SMP N 2 Gondang Tulungagung in the period 2014/2015, which involves 28 students. This study applied collaborative classroom action research between the researcher and English teacher. In this study, the researcher conducted two cycles that covered planning, implementation, observation and reflection. Each cycles of this study consisted of two meetings. The instruments of this research were questionnaire, interview guide, observation sheet and field note. The data of this study were the students’ score and the students’ performance during the process of teaching and learning process, which were analyzed descriptively. The criteria of success in this research were if the mean score of students’ ability on language function which consist of four aspects pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary, grammar are greater than or equal to 75, and the students’ participant and activeness in speaking activity and group working. Based on the observation sheet from the analysis of the teaching and learning process in speaking by using pair work technique in cycle 1, it was found that most of the students still have low in speaking. Although some of them could get improvement in their score, but the criteria of success have not achieved yet. In conclusion, the implementation of the strategy in cycle 1 is still needed to be revised. Based on the observation sheet from the analysis of the teaching and learning process in speaking by using pair work pair work technique in cycle 2, it was found that most of the students got improvement in speaking. The students were more active and enthusiastic during teaching and learning process. There were four pair works or 8 students who could not achieve the criteria of success. They can not speak the pronunciation well and less of grammar so it makes them could not achieve SKM (Standard of minimum score) so, 20 of the students were success and the criteria of success could be achieved. The researcher expected the English teacher to use pair work technique as one of many alternatives technique in teaching speaking and the future researcher were expected to be able to conduct the similar research related with pair work technique as an alternative technique in teaching speaking in another setting involving under respondents or the experimental research as a comparison with the present study