Enhancing Students' Speaking Through the Process of Performing Drama

An action research has always been interesting thing for teacher because the root of it is taken from their own problems. This study is a self reflection of a problem that is faced by the researcher. It focuses on a certain activity in a certain class and at a certain period of time. Questionnaires, interview sheet, observation sheet, students' worksheets, and teacher's lesson plans serve as data resources. The result shows a significant increase in the students score. However, there is variation on the general result.


Introduction
Speaking activity is practically abandoned in junior high school level. Teachers are concerned with national examination. That is the reason the research is taken the interest for choosing this topic also lies in the development of teaching and OHDUQLQJ LQ WKH UHVHDUFKHU ¶V environment, such as tKH VFKRROV ¶ DWPRVSKHUH VWXGHQWV ¶ LQWHUHVWs and

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The researcher prefers to choose this topic because she finds that a classroom consists of a number of students at least 25 percent of it is still having trouble speaking in English. Their reason is mostly shy but some of them admitted to have very little understanding about English lesson.
The speaking activity chosen for this research is drama because it can promote interaction. Richard and Lockhart (2000: 138) point out that a common theme underlying different methods of language teaching is that second language learning is a highly interactive process. The Interaction Hypothesis argues that it is in the interaction process that acquisition occurs, that learning is acquired through talking with others (Johnson, 2002: 95). Furthermore, Ellis (1986: 127) states classroom teaching should be treated as interaction. It can be assumed that the language used in the classroom affects the nature of the interaction, which in turn affects the opportunities available for learning. Therefore, the study of interaction is critical to the study of language classroom learning.

Drama
The use of drama DV D PHWKRG WR LPSURYH VWXGHQWV ¶ VSHDNLQJ UHODWHV with the genre used for the VIII grade as it is stated in the curriculum that is narrative, and it concerns with the need of the problem. Zalta (2006) Liu (2002: 6) believes that in second or foreign-language classrooms, there are generally two options in teaching. One option is Focus on Forms, and the other is Focus on Meaning. Liu also states Process Drama requires language to be used in meaningful, authentic situations, where the focus is on posing questions and seeking answers to those questions. In drama, learners study with other learners through asking and answering and then if they really can understand the meaning of it, expressing them in their own way. It is stated that when a lesson focuses on meaning, they are often interesting, because it is relevant to their social life.
According to Lewis and Rainer (2005: 10) in order to be practitioner in drama, here are several things their students should have, they are: 1. Personal and social abilities 2. Performance skills 3. Knowledge and understanding of theatrical ideas and concepts They also emphasize that every element is so important for a drama to succeed. Lewis and Rainer (2005:13) summarize the concept of drama into seven broad categories. They are role, form, structure, stage, text, audience, and content. Those categories are not the main concern here but the actual performance and how the students conduct it using narrative stories. The writer would like to LQYHVWLJDWH WKH VWXGHQWV ¶ DELOLW\ to relate the language into their performance. The use of narrative as the story represents part of the curriculum that is used today. The drama will be performed in a group, so the researcher will also use a collaborative method.

Natural-Conversation Speech
Conversation according to Zaida (2008) can be defined as the informal interchange of thoughts and information. A natural± conversation flows on itself. If we look closer, we can infer that it covers (1) question ±and answer± play, a major role in general conversation dynamics; (2) the building of one comment on another.; (3)  Creating a natural-conversation based on narrative story is autonomy. To make it as natural as possible, we need to include the above elements into the script of the drama.
The preceding activity before drama for students can be, for example,miming activity. Children use gesture or actions to indicate a thing or situation. Here teacher can establish the activity by doing other variation. Watching video can be a language learning also. There are many variations to use the video. Here are a few: (1)  Writing the story line or script and rehearsing was part of the activity.
With large classes, the activity can be done in groups. Furthermore, each group can create their own interpretation to the story. Gunawan (2003: 198)  Number of students in a class is also an important factor. As Long (2000: 76) states that each child is an individual with a unique ability and chaUDFWHULVWLF VW\OH &KLOGUHQ ¶V SHUVRQDOLW\ FDQ DOVR DIIHFW WKH OHDUQLQJ process since this shapes the way in which they relate with others. Based on this assumption, the writer will take some consideration throughout the research.

Action research
In investigating the effectiveness of a teaching and learning process, using an Action Research is the most appropriate methods to work with. As stated by Glanz (1982: xii) that action research is devoted to specific strategies and techniques.
Teaching English in junior high school should integrate four skills of competence, speaking, listening, reading and writing. In simple way, English teacher says written cycle and spoken cycle. The focus of this research will be on the spoken cycle.
Furthermore, +DUPHU ¶V VD\V WKDW VWXGHQWV DUH WKH SHRSOH who need the practice, in other words not the teacher. In general terms, therefore, a good teacher maximizes STT (Student Talking Time) and minimizes TTT (Teacher Talking Time). Thornbury (1998: iv) states that speaking is interactive and requires the ability to co-operate with others.
Therefore it is necessary to have speaking class conducted for students. Not only it will give them the opportunity to practice how much English knowledge they have but also learn from other. It is also quite important for English teacher to speak English in the class.

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experiences in language used in a speaking classes, teachers should also provide feedback. It is best given when the activity has ended. Thornbury (1998: 89) also states that drama is one of speaking class activities. Therefore in this research, drama is the main activity being investigated. In the third cycle, the researcher is getting more confident. The drama is great. Finally, it can be inferred that drama is good for speaking class.

Research Method
Here is the scheme of the research; it showed how the action research ran. There were 3 cycles involved. The data analysis was based on questionnaires, interview sheet,

Result
Based on observation, in spoken cycle students of Junior high school faced such problems: The conclusions that can be taken from the research are: (1) In order to absorb the lesson in a classroom students need to build up their motivation. The role of a teacher is very important in creating such motivation.
(2) Learning second language needs a supportive environment. A teacher needs to be able to create a good atmosphere in a classroom.
(3) With an appropriate activity students can explore their competence actively.
Based on the result of the research, the following are some suggestions for readers, including students and teachers: (1) Students Speaking class is done in order to provide students with English setting; all students should not feel terrified because of it. A lot of practice would make perfect. Students of junior high school are capable of having conversation in English in daily life. That is why they should not feel shy.
(2) Teachers 7HDFKHUV VKRXOG XQGHUVWDQG WKHLU VWXGHQWV ¶ QHHG DQG SUREOHPV VR they can give the best treatment to overcome the problem.
Teachers should be able to motivate their students in various ways.
(3) Schools The English teaching and learning process in SMP PIUS Pekalongan get better quality and to motivate other teachers to do their analysis on their teaching and learning process.