14 had the computers, the room loudspeakers, and LCD projectors. In fact the
individual loudspeakers heap phones were needed when the teacher wants to conduct listening activity. Because the
laboratory’s facilities almost resembled the classroom facilities, the teacher preferred to use the classroom. It could save time
because they did not need to move and the movement took their time . The students themselves bring their laptops to the classroom. They also have their
smartphones with them. Besides, the school provides the wi-fi for the students; although the signal was sometimes poor so that the students could not use it to
access the English materials through the internet. For the solution, they bring their own modem. They usually also tethered network from their smartphones.
In solving the existing problems, the chain effect was expected. It could be gained by selecting the most basic and urgent problems that when they were
solved, they would give positive effect in solving the other problems.
C. Limitation of the Problem
In the problem identification, a wide range of problems was found. Therefore, to keep the research focused and measured, the Engish teacher and I agreed to
limit the problems to improving the speaking skills of the students of Class X IS II. The rationale was that first, it was the most urgent skill of the students to be
improved amongst the four macro skills of English. In other words , the students’
biggest lack was in the productive skill of speaking. Secondly, the students themselves realized the urge to improve their speaking skills. In the other word
this was wanted by the students. By selecting the area in which the students both
15 needed and wanted, it was expected that
the students’ motivation and interest in learning English would be maintained and developed.
To realize it, the teacher and I decided to deploy the pre-communicative and communicative activities under the communicative language teaching method and
consider the students’ personality factors. These activities might give ample opportunities to practise the speaking skills; fairly to all of the students. The
activity that was created would give the students the task and responsibility to perform. With this, they are expected to neglect their inferiority.
The main goal was the communicative activity. However, to be able to perform it, the students would go through several pre-communicative activities. In
these two kinds of activities, the students’ interaction between one another will
improve and they can expand their interactive ability. Communicative activities will involve at least two students. The form of the activities would be working in
pairs or working in a small group. These kinds of grouping wold give impact to the students in giving support and help to each other to progress together.
The activities were conducted under the basic principle of communicative language teaching. They were the information gap, choice, and feedback. If the
students have the gap, they will do some effort to fill it up. The only way to fill it up is by seeking for the information through speaking. Therefore, it is expected
that the activities would be meaningful to the students, so that it can improve their speaking ability. It followed the time on task principle. The more time students
did something, the better they would be good at the thing.
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D. Formulation of the Problem
