The Implementation of Role Play to Improve Speaking Skill for Grade X Nursing Class of SMK Muhammadiyah 3 Klaten Tengah in the 2015/2016 Academic Year

Abstract

The research was aimed to improve the speaking skill of Nursing Programme students Grade X in SMK Muhammadiyah 3 Klaten Tengah, in the 2015/2016 academic year through the use of role play. Based on the observation and interview that had been conducted, it was revealed that there were three problems to solve. They were the students’ pronunciation, the students’ vocabulary, and  the activities in English teaching and learning process. Regarding to those problems, the researcher decided to use role play as the innovative way to improve speaking skill for Grade X Nursing Class in SMK Muhammadiyah 3 Klaten Tengah. The type of the study was an action research. It was conducted in two cycles. The participants of the study were 22 students of Class X Nursing programme and the English teacher. The data obtained during the research were qualitative data and quantitative data. The qualitative data were obtained from observations and interviews while the quantitative data were gained from tests. The qualitative data were analyzed by reducing the data, displaying the data, drawing conclusion and verification. The mean scores of the tests were gained as the result of the quantitative data analysis. The validity of the research data was democratic, outcome, process, catalytic, and dialogic validity. The reliability of the research data used was time triangulation, investigator triangulation, theoretical triangulation, and inter-rater reliability. The results of the research showed that the use of role play successfully improved the students’ speaking skill. In the pre-test, the mean score of the grammar in the students’ performance was only 1.8. The vocabulary mean score was 2.1, the comprehension mean score was 2.2, the fluency mean score was 1.8, and the pronunciation mean score was only 2. Meanwhile, the mean score of the grammar in the students’ performance in the post-test was 3.8. Then, the vocabularies mean score was 3.4, the comprehension mean score was 3.9, the fluency mean score was 2.9, and the pronunciations mean score was 3.1. Therefore, it was very clear that there were significant improvements on the students’ speaking skill through the use of role play.