Research Procedures RESEARCH METHODS

H. Research Procedures

The researcher followed a model of Action Research procedure suggested by Madya 2006:67. The steps were conducted as follows: 1. Reconnaisance The researcher conducted a preliminary observation in the classroom and some interviews with the English teacher and the students. In addition, she also conducted pre- test to see the students’ performances. Those were to find the problems related to the teaching and learning process of speaking. 2. Plan After identifying some problems, the researcher and the English teacher discussed the implementation of pictures as media to solve the problems and agreed to focus the materials on recount text. Therefore, the researcher developed a plan of actions in order to bring about the improvements: 1 using pictures in the teaching and learning process of speaking, 2 implementing picture- based activities to improve students’ speaking skills, 3 giving feedback on students’ performances, 4 accustoming students to accessing dictionaries, 5 giving handouts as daily materials. To succed the process of the actions in Cycle 1, she made the course grid and the lesson plan of Cycle 1 designed to be implemented in four meetings. Besides, she also prepared the media needed, such as a slot board and pictures, based on the picture-based activities designed in the lesson plan. 3. Action In this phase, the researcher implemented pictures in the teaching and learning process of speaking and the accompanying actions. The meetings of Cycle 1 were conducted in four meetings. 4. Observation During the action, the research team collected the data through the act of observing and documenting the speaking teaching and learning process and the obstacles which might appear. Observation checklist was used to put marks on the aspects and activities done. The gained data from observations were then written into field notes. 5. Reflection Finally, the researcher reflected on, evaluated and described the effects of the actions in order to make sense of what had happened and to understand the issues she had explored more clearly. In this phase, she interviewed the English teacher and the collaborator to know whether there were some improvements and obstacles during Cycle 1. To get the response from the students, the researcher did both interviews and distributing questionnaires. Based on the result of Cycle 1, the next cycle was considered to be conducted to make the significant improvements. 6. Revised Plan Considering the result of Cycle 1, the researcher refined the actions and revised some mistakes and weaknesses of the previous actions. She planned the next cycle by making the course grid, lesson plan, handouts, and preparing some media needed for two meetings. The actions were: 1 using pictures in the teaching and learning process of speaking, 2 implementing picture- based activities to improve students’ speaking skills, 3 giving feedback on students’ performances, 4 accustoming students to accessing dictionaries, 5 giving handouts as daily materials, 6 giving rewards for the active students. In this cycle, she focused more on proposing some pictured-based activities which provoked the students’ active participations in group works and created fun competitive atmosphere in the classroom. At the end, she planned to give rewards for the students who actively participated in the learning process. 7. Action In this phase, the researcher implemented pictures in the teaching and learning process of speaking and the accompanying actions. She did the implementation in two meetings. 8. Observation During the action, the research team collected the data through the act of observing and documenting the speaking teaching and learning process and the obstacles which might appear. Observation checklist was used to put marks on the aspects and activities done. The gained data from observations were then written into field notes. 9. Reflection The reflection in this cycle was to evaluate the result of the implementation of the actions. It was conducted by interviewing the research team and the students about their responses towards the actions. Besides being interviewed, the students were also asked to fill some questionnaires. As the result showed betterments and significant improvements, the research study was considered to be successful to solve the problem s and to improve the students’ speaking skills. In this way, the researcher needed to end her research study. The research procedure can be seen in a figure below: Plan Cycle 1 Planning the actions: using pictures together with accompanying actions. Preparing the course grid, lesson plan, the media, and other instruments. Reconnaisance The students’ speaking skills of grade VIII of SMP N 2 Godean needs improvements. There were some problems found in the teaching and learning process of speaking and the students’ speaking skills were low. Revised Plan Cycle 2 Planning the actions: using pictures together with accompanying actions. Preparing the course grid, lesson plan, the media, and the other instruments. Action Cycle 1 Implementing pictures together with the accompanying actions. Action Cycle 2 Implementing pictures together with the accompanying actions. Observation Cycle 2 Observing and recording the speaking teaching and learning process using pictures and the obstacles which might appear, and then writing them into field notes. Reflection Cycle 2 Evaluating the result of the implementation of the actions whether there are some improvements. Observation Cycle 1 Observing and recording the speaking teaching and learning process using pictures and the obstacles which might appear, and then writing them into field notes. Reflection Cycle 1 Evaluating the result of the implementation of the actions whether there are some improvements and obstacles or not, and then deciding the next cycle. Figure 7: The Action Research Procedures adapted from Madya 2006:67 52 53

CHAPTER IV RESEARCH FINDINGS