40 students in this class had difficulties in speaking English. They did not know what
they had to say in a daily conversation.
D. Instruments and Data Gathering Technique
In this research, the researcher used a number of instruments to gather the data. The instruments would be divided into two types. They were the research
instruments used before the implementation and the research instruments used during the implementation.
1. The Research Instruments Used before the Implementation
There were some instruments which were used before the implementation of cue cards in the teaching and learning activities in the classroom. The instruments
used before the implementation consisted of field notes, semi-structured focus group interview and speaking test. Each instrument used before the
implementation of cue cards is described as follows.
a. Field Notes
According to Kemmis and McTaggart 1982 , field notes are “the methods
of reporting observations of and reflections about classroom problems and the teacher’s own reaction to them” p. 197. Before the implementation of cue cards,
the researcher observed the speaking ability of the students in X Kimia Industri SMK Negeri 2 Depok by using field notes. Field notes helped the researcher to
make self-reflection on the problems found in the classroom.
b. Semi-structured Focus Group Interview
Before the implementation of cue cards, the researcher conducted focus group interview. Focus group interview was used to confirm a clear illustration of
41 the students’ real problem in speaking. Mills 2011 explains focus group is “a
particularly useful technique when the interaction among individuals will lead to a shared understanding of the questions being posed by the researcher” p. 79.
There were two focus groups in which there were 5-6 students in one focus group. The researcher used semi structured questions to conduct focus group interview.
During the interview, the students shared their understanding of the questions one by one. The researcher made the atmosphere as warm as possible in order to make
the students feel comfortable to share their understanding.
c. Speaking Test
Speaking test is used to measure the students’ speaking ability. Brown 2004, p. 114 defines performance test, in which in this research goes under the
name of speaking test, measures an individual’s performance on a particular task.
Before the implementation of cue cards, the speaking score were taken when the students performed a role play for the first topic in the first semester academic
year 20142015. To define the speaking score, the researcher used a rubric. According to
Best and Khan 1981, p. 89, a rubric is used to evaluate certain performance based on the criteria an observer has already kept in mind. Based on the theory of
assessing speaking which is proposed by Brown 2004, p. 114, Hughes 1989, p. 116 and theory of assessing in the 2013 Curriculum, the aspects measured in the
situation before implementing the cue cards were understanding the task, pronunciation, grammar, fluency, and politeness. Politeness was measured
because it was related to the attitude on introducing somebody.
42
2. The Research Instruments Used during the Implementation
There were five research instruments which during the implementation of cue cards. Those instruments were observation checklist, field notes,
questionnaire, focus group interview and speaking test.
a. Observation Checklist
Observation was very important in the classroom action research. By doing observation, the researcher had an illustration of the real situation in the class
which was being observed. During the observation in the implementation of cue cards, the observer checked the list that has been prepared. According to Best
1981, p. 162, checklist consists of a prepared list of items which is used to indicate that
an individual has completed the tasks. Best 1981 adds “the presence
or absence of the items may be indicated by checking yes or no…” p. 162.
In this research, observation checklist was used to check whether all points that should be done during the teaching and learning process had occurred or not.
There were three main points that should be observed. The first one was the learning process. The second point was about teaching skills and strategies. The
third point was about the learners. The presence or absence of the item was indicated by checking “yes” or “no”. The observation checklist was filled by the
observer during the teaching and learning process in the class.
b. Field Notes
Field notes were used to report the results of observation. Hopkins 1993, p. 116 states that the advantages of field notes are field notes can focus on a
43 particular issue or teaching behavior over a period of time and reflect on general
impression of the classroom. By having field notes in this research, the researcher could examine what had gone well and what things needed to be improved in
details. Field notes were written down by the observer who was present in the classroom in which the implementation of cue cards was conducted.
c. Questionnaires
Elliot 1991 says that questionnaires are “ways of eliciting other people’s observation and interpretations of situations and events, as well as their attitudes
towards them” pp. 81-82. According to Hopkins 1993, p. 134, the advantages of questionnaires are the ways of obtaining information are simple and quick.
Hopkins p. 134 also mentions that questionnaires dig up more information from the students. In this research, the questionnaires were distributed to the students to
find out how the students responded to the implementation of cue cards. Questionnaires were distributed in the end of every cycle. The researcher needed
to know how the students perceived the implementation of cue cards as well as whether or not they felt that they benefited from the carried out research.
Questionnaires used in this research helped the researcher find out the problem which was faced by the students individually. The questionnaires
consisted of two parts. The first part consisted of ten closed-ended questions while the second part consisted of five open-ended questions. In the first part of the
questionnaires, question one up to six dug up the students’ personal reflection
toward their improvement in speaking skill. Question seven up to ten dug up the students’ perception about the use of cue cards during the teaching and learning
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