A STUDY OF THE EIGHTH YEAR STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN DESCRIBING SINGLE PICTURES AT SMP NEGERI 1 CANDIPURO IN THE 2011/2012 ACADEMIC YEAR

Abstract

This research was intended to describe the eighth year students’ ability in describing single pictures at SMP Negeri 1 Candipuro in the 2011/2012 Academic year. Describing single pictures in this research refers to the students’ ability in doing a speaking test through describing single pictures orally which covers fluency, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and content. Based on the interview and observation, the eighth year English teacher of SMPN 1 Candipuro has used single pictures as media in teaching speaking of a descriptive text. Single pictures are chosen as media to teach speaking because they are useful for the students to reduce their difficulty when expressing ideas in English. Moreover, through describing single pictures, the students could practice on spoken English easily and fluently. Furthermore, the problem of this research was “How is the eighth year students’ ability in describing single pictures at SMPN 1 Candipuro in the 2011/2012 academic year”. The research area was at SMPN 1 Candipuro. This school was chosen based on purposive method. Then, the research respondents were determined based on proportional random sampling. The research data were obtained by speaking test, interview, documentation, and observation. Further, the speaking test was intended to obtain the primary data. Then, it was analyzed by using percentage formula. Meanwhile, the interview, documentation, and observation results were described to complete and support the primary data. Dealing with the research findings, these could be concluded as follows; 70.61% of the students’ ability in describing single pictures at SMP Negeri 1 Candipuro was on good category. It happened because the teacher often used single pictures when having material of a descriptive text in teaching speaking. Specifically, 73.59% of the students’ fluency ability was good in describing single pictures. Then, 60.25% of the students’ pronunciation ability was fair in describing single pictures which belonged to fair category. 60% of the students’ grammar ability was fair in describing single pictures. 72.56% of the students’ vocabulary ability was good in describing single pictures, and 86.41% of the students’ content ability was excellent in describing single pictures. Besides, in the teaching learning process it showed that the teacher has used single pictures in teaching speaking of a descriptive text. She brought single pictures to the students and asked them to describe the pictures in English orally. Comparing with the Wright et. al. procedures as the indicators in teaching speaking by using single pictures, the English teacher did most the steps efficiently and appropriate with the procedures. Moreover, most the students were enthusiastic in the teaching learning process. The research findings above were expected to give some feedback to the English teacher. She should keep continuing the use of single pictures in teaching speaking of a descriptive text. On the other hand, there were some aspects of the students’ ability, such as pronunciation and grammar which were on “fair” category. For these aspects, the teacher should motivate and pay more attention to the students, so that they can describe single pictures in English by using correct pronunciation and grammar. In addition, it can also be used as an evaluation for the students dealing with their ability in describing single pictures.