USING COMMUNICATIVE ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE THE GRADE VII STUDENTS’ SPEAKING ABILITY AT SMP NEGERI 2 WONOSARI KLATEN IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF 2011/2012

USING COMMUNICATIVE ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE THE GRADE VII STUDENTS’ SPEAKING ABILITY AT SMP NEGERI 2 WONOSARI KLATEN IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF 2011/2012 By: Yuyun Sedya M. NIM. 07202241058 ABSTRACT This study is action research. The objective of the study is to improve the speaking ability of the students at grade VII in SMP Negeri 2 Wonosari, Klaten through communicative activities in the academic year of 2011/2012. This study was an action research study consisting of two cycles. The research was carried out at the second semester from March to May 2012. It involved the researcher, the English teacher, and the students. The participants of this research were 36 students of VII D class of SMP N 2 Wonosari, Klaten in the academic year of 2011/2012. The data of this study were qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative data were obtained by observing the teaching learning process during the implementation of the actions and interviewing the collaborator and the students about the implemented actions in the form of filed notes and interview transcripts. Meanwhile, the quantitative data were gained by giving a questionnaire and assessing the students’ ability through pre-test and post-test. The result of Cycle I showed that the implementation of communicative activities, i.e. information gap activity, searching and guessing games and other accompanying actions, i.e. using audio-visual media, and group work; the students’ speaking ability and their involvement increased. However, in the first time, the implementation of group work was not successful because there were not many students actively engaged in the activities. In addition, the guessing game which required students in making monologue based on the situation was less successful because there were many students who got some difficulties in vocabulary and pronunciations. Therefore, the researcher improved that action by giving different responsibility to accomplish the activity. Meanwhile, it was shown that the implementation of different communicative activities (i.e. information gap, jigsaw, and search games) and other accompanying actions (i.e. using audio-visual media, asking the students to perform in front of the class, giving feedback and rewards) were successful in improving the students’ speaking ability. The findings were supported by the means of students’ speaking scores which had improved from 6.6 in the pre-test to 7.6 in the post-test (assessed by the researcher)