Teaching Speaking Through Picture Series at Senior High School Students

Putri Satya Fatimbhara, Mahpul, Ramlan Ginting Suka
University of Lampung
Email: pfatimbhara@rocketmail.com

Abstract

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui apakah ada peningkatan secara signifikan pada pencapaian berbicara siswa menggunakan gambar berseri. Data diperoleh dari pre-test, post-test dan wawancara siswa. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa terdapat peningkatan signifikan secara statistik pada pencapaian bicara siswa. Data yang didaptkan dari hasil pretest dan posttest. Hasil nya menunukkan bahwa ada peningkatan secara signifikan dengan tingkat signifikasi 0.00<0.05. Disarankan bahwa picture series memfasilitasi siswa dalam meningkatkan pencapaian berbicara dalam bahasa Inggris.

This research was aimed at finding out whether there is statistically significant increase of students’ speaking achievement after the students were taught through picture series. The data were obtained from the pre-test and post-test. The result showed that there was a statistically significant increase of students’ speaking achievement with the significant level 0.005<0.05. This suggests that picture series facilitates students to improve their achievement in speaking.

Keywords: picture series, speaking, perception, teaching speaking

INTRODUCTION

English is a means of communication in science and technology, education, and other activities among nations. Richards and Rogers (1986:130) states that language is viewed as a vehicle for communicating meaning and messages. It means that we have to be able to understand other languages to communicate with each other. However, most of senior high school graduates still find difficulties when they use English for communication. Byrne (1984) states that the senior high school students often have difficulties in speaking although they have studied English for three years when they are in junior high school. Most of them are weak in oral communication or speaking.

Speaking skills are the human ability to produce sounds to get a conversation to tell some information. Smith (2005) states that speaking is thinking of what one wishes to say, choosing the right words from the vocabulary, putting the words in the right grammatical framework properly, and communicating the feeling we have. Speaking is communication process between at least two people and speaking is a way to express someone’s idea. Speaking is important for the students to practice their capability and their understanding, how to send idea, and how to pronounce the words well. The students’ motivation and interest are necessary to facilitate students to practice speaking more actively. Therefore, English teachers need to provide students’ interest with a technique of teaching that enables students to keep speaking.

There are several factors that make the students difficult in speaking. The first factor is because the lack of participation from the students in the classroom. The students are more likely to hear what the teacher has explained. As a result, the students will never be trained to speak up and they do not have a chance to practice speaking in English. Furthermore, they feel unconfident when they have to speak English on the other occasion. The second factor is the way the teacher presents the materials. Most of English teachers are depends on the text book. Their orientation in learning language is primarily suggests the grammar by answering the grammar exercise provided in the text book.

Based on the problem above, it seems important to take an action by using suitable technique which gave the students opportunity to practice in English class. An interesting technique could be a solution and motivated the students to learn English. The students could follow the learning process in the classroom easily and the teacher could make the classroom more enjoyable for the students. One of the techniques which could be used to help the teachers to teach the students is by using picture series.

The researcher chooses picture series as a technique for making the learning process more interesting. Picture series is one of the media that help the learners to recall their imagination into a realistic idea to create an oral form of information. Concerning with previous study the researcher explained the research which appropriate. The research was done by Mafdhuha (2010) with a title “The Effectiveness of Using Sequence Picture as Media of Teaching Speaking to the Student’s Achievement on the Eleventh Year Language Class at MAN Tulungagung 1 2009/2010”. This study had purpose to find whether sequence picture is effective or not for teaching speaking. Here, the researcher used purposive sampling, choosing of a group of subject based on the language ability that viewed from more skill in language. Mafdhuha (2010) took language class student which consisted of 32 students as the sample. As the result, the research found that there is significant differences in speaking achievement between the students are taught by using sequence picture as media.
Based on the statements above, the researcher interested in researching, and she entitled her script “Teaching Speaking through Picture Series at the Second Grade of SMK 2 Mei Bandar Lampung”

METHOD
This research was mixed method research. The students were asked to do pre-test before treatment, after that the researcher conducted the post-test. At the end of the meeting, the researcher conducted the interview. In this research the researcher used one class as the experimental class and the subject in this study were 37 students of XI TKR 2 Industry Class of SMK 2 MEI Bandar Lampung. The instruments used in this research were speaking test, video recording, and interview session.

RESULTS
The data of this research were taken from class XI 2 TKR Industry Class. The result of improvement of students’ speaking achievement was obtained through pre-test and posttest. From the research, it was found that the scores of students’ speaking achievement in posttest were higher than those of pretest. The table below showed about the improvement of students’ speaking achievement through picture series.

Table 1. The Increase of Students’ Ability in Speaking on each Aspect at XI 2
Aspect of Speaking	Mean Score of Pre-test	Mean Score of Post-test	Gain	
Pronunciation	8,97	12,10	3,13	
Grammar	9,62	11,56	1,94	
Vocabulary	9,83	12,10	2,27	
Fluency	8,97	11,45	2,48	
Comprehensibility	8,97	12,32	3,35	
	
Based on table above, we can see that there is an increase in each aspect of speaking after being taught through Picture Series. In pronunciation the mean score of the pre-test increase from 8,97 to 12,10. The increase of this aspect is 3,13. Then, comparing the mean score of the pre-test and post-test of grammar on the table above, the result shows that the mean score increases from 9,62 to 11,56. The increase of this aspect is 1,94. In vocabulary, the mean score of pre-test and post-test increases from 9,83 to 12,10. The increase of this aspect is 2,27. In fluency, the mean score of pre-test and post-test increases from 8,97 to 11,45 and the increase of this aspect is 2,48. Lastly, in comprehensibility the mean score increases from 8,97 to 12,32 and the increase of this aspect is 3,35. It can be concluded that comprehensibility became the aspect which was significantly improved.

Table 2. Students’ Speaking Achievement of Picture Series in Pretest and Posttest
No.	Students’ score	Pretest	Students’ score	Posttest	
		Freq.	Percentage		Freq.	Percentage	
1.	0-50	24	64.86%	0-60	23	62.16%	
2.	51-55	3	8.10%	61-65	1	3.22%	
3.	56-60	7	18.91%	66-70	5	13.51%	
4.	61-65	3	8.10%	71-75	2	5.40%	
5.	66-70	0	0%	76-80	6	16.21%	
	Total	37	100%	Total	37	100%	

The table showed that the students’ score in the pretest and the posttest before and after being taught through Picture Series. In the pretest, there were 24 students who reached 0-50 in speaking test. Then, there were 3 students who score 51-55. Then there were 7 students who reached 56-60 score in the pretest. After that, there were 3 students who reached 61-65 score in pretest. Then there was no students who reached 66-70 in speaking test. In the posttest, there were 24 students who reached 0-60 in speaking test. This means that, there was an increase by 16 students from 7 students in the pretest to be 24 students in the posttest. Then, there was 1student who got score 61-65. In this level, there was a decrease of students from 3 to 1 student. After that, there were 5 students who get score 66-70. Then, after the students got the treatment, there were 2 students who reached 71-75, if we compare in the pretest there was not students who got score 71-75. After that, there were 6 students who reached 76-80 in speaking test. This means that, the students’ speaking achievement was increased after they got the treatment. In short, this can be concluded that teaching speaking through Picture Series improved the students’ speaking achievement.

The pre-test and post-test were compared in order to know whether the hypothesis proposed in this research was accepted or not. The researcher used Repeated Measures T-test toward the average score of pre-test and post-test since the aim of repeated measures T-test was to compare two kinds of data or mean from the same sample. However, the result of t-test was used to know the significance difference on students’ speaking ability before and after being taught through Picture Series. The researcher uses the level of significance 0.05 in which the hypothesis was approved if α < 0.05. It means that the probability of error in the hypothesis was only 5%.

Table 3. Repeated Measure T-Test
Descriptives	
	Statistic	Std. Error	
pretest	Mean	43.7838	1.64907	
	95% Confidence Interval for Mean	Lower Bound	40.4393		
		Upper Bound	47.1282		
	5% Trimmed Mean	43.8709		
	Median	44.0000		
	Variance	100.619		
	Std. Deviation	1.00309E1		
	Minimum	26.00		
	Maximum	60.00		
	Range	34.00		
	Interquartile Range	19.00		
	Skewness	-.092	.388	
	Kurtosis	-1.063	.759	
posttest	Mean	57.4595	1.87868	
	95% Confidence Interval for Mean	Lower Bound	53.6493		
		Upper Bound	61.2696		
	5% Trimmed Mean	57.2793		
	Median	56.0000		
	Variance	130.589		
	Std. Deviation	1.14275E1		
	Minimum	40.00		
	Maximum	80.00		
	Range	40.00		
	Interquartile Range	20.00		
	Skewness	.135	.388	
	Kurtosis	-.959	.759	

Table 4. Paired Sample Test
Paired Samples Test	
		Paired Differences	t	df	Sig. (2-tailed)	
		Mean	Std. Deviation	Std. Error Mean	95% Confidence Interval of the Difference				
					Lower	Upper				
Pair 1	posttest - pretest	1.36757E1	9.06168	1.48973	10.65436	16.69699	9.180	36	.000	

Seeing the result of pretest and posttest score, it is obvious that the students’ score significantly different (p<0.05, p=0.000). The data analysis shows that t-count is 9.180 and t-table is 2.042 with level of significant 5% and degree of freedom is 37. It means that t-count is higher than t-table (9.180>2.042). So, the hypothesis H1 proposed in this research was accepted and H0 was rejected. It can be stated that there was significant increase from pretest and posttest of students’ speaking achievement at the second grade of SMK 2 Mei Bandar Lampung after being taught through picture series.

DISCUSSION
The Findings of the Improvement of the Students’ Speaking Achievement through Picture Series
The research result showed that there is a significant difference of the students taught by using Picture Series. Based on the result presented before, it proves that there are increases of students’ speaking ability in term of pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehensibility. Furthermore, the aspect that increases the most is comprehension and pronunciation. On the other hand, the aspect of speaking which get the lowest increase is grammar.
Furthermore, a previous study conducted by Nugroho (2015) in SMAN 1 Pagelaran, showed that picture series is effective in teaching speaking. There are three aspects of speaking skill that the students will achieve; pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. This study also showed students’ motivation in joining the teaching learning during the treatments. The atmosphere in the class became more encouraging and the students were more active to participate in class activities. Also the previous study conducted by Litasari (2010) in SMA Negeri 2 Banjarbaru, her thesis state that the appearance of picture series as a technique in teaching writing narrative text has improved the students’ writing ability in writing narrative text. Using picture series in teaching writing has improved the students’ writing ability in writing narrative text, since the students’ achievement increase after they were taught by using picture series, it increase students’ attention while they were asked to write a narrative text, the students were focused to participate the writing lesson while teaching learning activity was happening.

The other previous study was done by Mafdhuha (2010) with a title “The Effectiveness of Using Sequence Picture as Media of Teaching Speaking to the Student’s Achievement on the Eleventh Year Language Class at MAN Tulungagung 1 2009/2010”. This study had purpose to find whether sequence picture is effective or not for teaching speaking. Here, the researcher used purposive sampling, choosing of a group of subject based on the language ability that viewed from more skill in language. Mafdhuha (2010) took language class student which consisted of 32 students as the sample. As the result, the research found that there was different significant in speaking achievement between the students were taught by using sequence picture as media.

In conclusion, based on the explanation above, there is a significant difference of students’ speaking ability taught by using Picture Series. So, Picture Series gives positive effect for students’ speaking ability.

CONCLUSIONS
From the data analysis and discussion, the researcher found that there was significant difference in students’ speaking achievement after they were being taught through Picture Series. Besides, from the students’ perceptions towards the implementation of Picture Series in teaching speaking, it can be concluded that Picture Series could make them easier to learn English, encouraged and facilitated the students speaking ability. Lastly, comprehensibility became the aspect which was significantly improved the most with the score from pretest to posttest 8.97 to 12.32.

SUGGESTIONS
There are some suggestions referred to the conclusions above. First, for the English teachers, they were suggested to use Picture Series in teaching speaking because it can make the students develop their own story based on their imagination. The teachers should give attention more to the students to help them how to construct words or to tell how to pronounce and choose the right word. Teachers should make the class as interesting as possible by giving the students interesting activity.

The second suggestions are for further researchers, they can apply Picture Series with other kinds of texts, i.e. exposition, spoof, recount, descriptive or report text as the material to see students’ significant difference in speaking achievement. Further research can conduct their research on different level of students at senior high school.

REFERENCES

Byrne, D. 1984. Teaching oral language. New Jersey: Longman.

Litasari, L. 2010. An experimental study on the use of picture series in teaching writing narrative text at the tenth grade students of SMA Negeri 2 Banjarbaru. Banjarbaru. English Education Department of Teacher Training and Education Faculty of Lambang Mangkurat University.

Mafdhuha. 2010. The effectiveness of using sequence picture as media of teaching speaking to the students’ achievement on the eleventh year language class at MAN Tulungagung 1 2009/2010. Tulungagung. State Islamic University of Tulungagung.

Nugroho, L. 2015. The use of picture series in improving students’ speaking recount text skill at the first grade of SMAN 1 Pagelaran. Bandar Lampung. University of Lampung.

Richards, J. C., & Theodore S. R. 1986.Approaches and methods in language teaching: A description and analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University press.

Smith, E. D. 2005. The art of communication. New York: Boston Press.