Improving Students' Speaking Ability Using Information Gap Activities

IMPROVING STUDENTS SPEAKING ABILITY USING
INFORMATION GAP ACTIVITIES
(A Classroom Action Research at X Grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat)
A Skripsi
Presented to the Faculty of Tarbiya and Teaching Sciences in Partial of
Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Strata 1 (Bachelor of Arts) in
English Education Department
By:
RHOHMATILLAH
NIM: 106014000342
ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TARBIYA AND TEACHING SCIENCES
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH
JAKARTA
2010
APPROVAL
IMPROVING STUDENTS SPEAKING ABILITY USING

INFORMATION GAP ACTIVITIES
(A Classroom Action Research at X Grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat)
A Skripsi
Presented to the Faculty of Tarbiya and Teaching Sciences in Partial of
Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Strata 1 (Bachelor of Arts) in
English Education Department
by:
Rhohmatillah
NIM: 106014000342
Approved by
Advisor
Dr. Fahriany, M. Pd
NIP: 197006111991012001
ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TARBIYA AND TEACHING SCIENCES
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH
JAKARTA
2010
ENDORSEMENT SHEET
The Examination Committee of the Faculty of Tarbiya and Teachers Training

Certifies that the Skripsi (Scientific Paper) entitled Improving Students
Speaking Ability using Information Gap Activities (A Classroom Action Research
at X Grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat), written by Rhohmatillah, students
registration number 106014000342 was examined by the committee on August
6th, 2010, and was declared to have passed and, therefore, fulfilled one of the
requirements for the academic title S.Pd, (Bachelor of Arts) in English Language
Education at the Department of English Education
Jakarta, August 3rd, 2010
EXAMINATION COMMITTEE
CHAIRMAN : Drs. Syauki, M.Pd ( )

NIP. 1964121 199103 1 002
SECRETARY : Neneng Sunengsih, S. Pd ( )

NIP. 19730625199903v 2 001
EXAMINERS : 1. Dr. H. Atiq Susilo, MA ( )

NIP. 1949112 219780 3 100
2. Nida Husna, M. Tesol ( )

NIP. 19720705 200312 2 002
Acknowledged by:
Dean of Tarbiya and Teaching Sciences
Prof. Dr. Dede Rosyada, MA

NIP. 19571005 198703 1 003
ABSTRACT
Rhohmatillah, Improving Students Speaking Ability Using Information Gap

Activities (A Classroom Action Research at X Grade of SMA Triguna
Utama Ciputat). Skripsi, English Education Department, Faculty of
Tarbiya and Teaching Sciences, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic
University Jakarta, 2010.
This research is conducted in order to improve students speaking ability

through information gap activities at X grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat and
also to help the English teacher of X grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat in
managing classroom activities communicatively, so that it will encourage the
students to speak English.
In conducting this research, the researcher used Classroom Action
Research (CAR) as the method of research. She taught English speaking using
information gap activities at X grade of SMA Triguna Utama. This research
consisted of three cycles and each cycle consisted of four elements, they were:
planning, action, observation and reflection. Each cycle was conducted in three
meetings, so the researcher conducted this research in nine meetings for one
month and three weeks. To collect and analyze the data, the researcher used the
information from interview, observation, questioner, and the students
achievements in pre-test and post-test in order to support the data collected.
The result of this research shows that using information gap activities in
teaching speaking at X grade of SMA Triguna Utama can motivate the students to
speak English and improve their speaking ability. The students responses showed
that they were interested to learn English speaking because they thought that the
activities were interesting. Moreover, the students achievements in pre-test and
post-test which are analyzed by using the method of speaking assessment stated
by Arthur Hughos showed a significant improvement. The students average score
in pre-test was 62. 6 and the average score in post-test was 70. 9, while the
improvement of students average score in pre-test and post-test was 8. 2. From
this result, the researcher concluded that teaching speaking using information
activities at X grade of SMA Triguna Utama can improve students speaking
ability.
Key Words: Speaking Ability, Information Gap Activities
i
ABSTRAK
Rhohmatillah, Improving Students Speaking Ability Using Information Gap
Activities (A Classroom Action Research at X Grade of SMA Triguna
Utama Ciputat). Skripsi, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Fakultas
Tarbiyah dan Ilmu Keguruan, Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif
Hidayatullah Jakarta, 2010.
Penelitian ini dilaksanakan untuk meningkatkan kemampuan berbicara

siswa melalui metode information gap activities di kelas X SMA Triguna Utama
Ciputat dan juga untuk membantu guru bahasa Inggris kelas X SMA Triguna
Utama Ciputat dalam mengelola kegiatan kelas yang komunikatif agar dapat
mendorong siswa untuk berbicara bahasa Inggris.
Dalam melaksanakan penelitian ini, peneliti menggunakan Penelitian
Tindakan Kelas (PTK) sebagai metode penelitian. Peneliti dan guru bahasa
Inggris berkolaborasi dalam mengajar berbicara bahasa Inggris dengan
menggunakan metode information gap activities di kelas X SMA Triguna Utama.
Penelitian ini terdiri dari tiga siklus dan tiap siklus terdiri dari empat unsur, yaitu:
perencanaan, pelaksanaan, observasi dan refleksi. Setiap siklus terdiri dari tiga
tatap muka. Peneliti melaksanakan penelitian ini dalam sembilan tatap muka
selama satu bulan tiga minggu. Untuk mengumpulkan dan menganalisa data,
peneliti menggunakan informasi dari wawancara, observasi, angket dan untuk
mendukung data peneliti juga melaksanakan pre-test dan post-test.
Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan information gap
activities dalam mengajar berbicara bahasa Inggris di kelas X SMA Triguna
Utama dapat memotivasi siswa untuk berbicara bahasa Inggris dan meningkatkan
kemampuan mereka dalam berbicara bahasa Inggris. Respon dari siswa
menunjukkan bahwa mereka tertarik untuk belajar berbicara bahasa Inggris karena
menurut mereka kegiatan yang digunakan menarik. Di samping itu, pencapaian
siswa dalam pre-test dan post-test yang dianalisa dengan menggunakan metode
penilaian kemampuan berbicara menurut Arthur Hughes menunjukkan
peningkatan yang signifikan. Nilai rata-rata siswa pada pre-test adalah 62, 6 dan
nilai rata-rata pada post-test adalah 70, 9, sementara peningkatan nilai rata-rata
pada pre-test dan post-test adalah 8, 2. Dari hasil ini, peneliti menyimpulkan
bahwa pengajaran speaking dengan menggunakan information gap activities di
kelas X SMA Triguna Utama dapat meningkatkan kemampuan berbicara siswa.
Kata Kunci: Kemampuan Berbicara, Information Gap Activities
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In the name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful.

Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the world, who gives the writer guidance
and strength, so she could finish this scientific paper (skripsi). Peace and blessing
be upon our prophet Muhammad SAW, his family, his companions and his
followers.
This skripsi is presented to the English Education Department of Tarbiya
and Teaching Sciences Faculty of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta as a partial
fulfillment of the requirements for Strata 1 (S1). This research could not be
completed without a great deal of help of many people, especially Dr. Fahriany,
M. Pd, as her advisor who has patiently given valuable advice and guidance to
finish this research paper.
Her gratitude also goes to those who helped her in finishing her work,
among others:
1. Prof. Dr. H. Dede Rosyada, MA, as the Dean of Faculty of Tarbiya and
Teaching Sciences of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
2. Drs. Syauki, M.Pd, as the head of English Education Department of UIN
Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.
3. Mrs. Neneng Sunengsih, S.Pd, the secretary of English Education Department
of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
4. All lecturers in English Education Department who have taught and educated
the writer so she knows many things.
5. Mr. Sajiko, S. Pd as the headmaster of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat who has
allowed the writer to conduct this research in SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat,
and All teachers and administration staffs of SMA Triguna Utama who have
helped and supported the writer in finishing this research.
6. Mrs. Burdah, M. Pd, the English teacher of SMA Triguna Utama who has
given her ideas and times and also has guided, advised, and supported the
writer in the process of doing this research.
7. Her best gratitude to her beloved parents, Mr. Zulkarnain Nasution and Mrs.
Zaida, B.A, and her beloved brother Ihsan Badroni Nasution, who always
give supports, motivations and moral encouragements to finish this research
iii
paper. Thanks a lot for all your supports and prays to her. She is nothing
without you.
8. Her best friend, Ummi Kalsum, who has given her times to help the writer in
finishing this research paper.
9. H. Mukhlis Mubarrok Dalimunthe, Lc, M.SI, her fiance, thank you for your
support, your help and your patient so that the writer can finish this research
paper on time.
10. Her friends in English Education Department whose names are cannot be
mentioned one by one (thank you for being my best friends in happiness and
sadness).
11. Her friends in IKAPDH Jakarta (Ikatan Keluarga Alumni Pondok Pesantren
Darel Hikmah Pekanbaru Jakarta) and SEMARI Banten (Serumpun
Mahasiswa Riau).
The writer realizes that this paper is far from being perfect. Therefore, the
writer expects some suggestions and critics for this paper. At last, the writer hopes
that this research paper will be useful for all.
Jakarta, June 23rd, 2010
The writer
TABLE OF CONTENT
The Approval Sheet of Advisor

The Endorsement Sheet of Examination Committee
Abstract.. i
Acknowledgement. iii
Table of Content.... v
List of Tables. viii
List of Figures ix
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of Study...... 1
B. Limitation and Formulation of Study...... 5
C. The Objective of Study.... 5
D. The Significance of Study... 5
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Teaching Speaking... 6
1. The Nature of Speaking ..... 6
2. Element of Speaking .. 7
3. The Aim of Teaching Speaking ..... 8
4. Classroom Speaking Activities... 10
B. Information Gap Activities ..... 12

1. The Nature of Information Gap Activities . 12
2. Speaking Activities Based on Information Gap Principle.......14
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A. The Aim of Study.. 17
B. Research Location... 17
C. Subject of Study..... 17
v
D. Research Instrument... 17
E. Technique of Data Collecting...... 18
F. Technique of Data Analysis..... 21
G. Action Procedure... 22
1. Cycle I......... 24
2. Cycle 2. 25
3. Cycle 3. 26
CHAPTER IV RESEARCH FINDINGS

A. Description of Data ..... 28
1. Data of Observation 28
2. Data of Interview 29
a. Data of Interview with English Teacher of X Grade of SMA
Triguna Utama Ciputat... 29
b. Data of Interviews with Students of X Grade of SMA
Triguna Utama Ciputat.. 30
3. The Implementation of Information Gap Activities in
Teaching Speaking...... 31
4. The Improvement of Students Speaking Achievements........ 47
5. Students Responses on the Implementation of Teaching
Speaking by Using Information Gap Activities ..... 54
B. Interpretation of Data .. 57
1. Data of Observation 57
2. Data of Interview.... 57
3. The Implementation of Information Gap Activities to Improve
Students Speaking Ability. 58
4. Students Achievements in the Tests... 59
5. Students Responses on the Implementation of Information
Gap Activities..... 60
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
A. Conclusion ..... 61
B. Suggestion .. 61
BIBILOGRAPHY .. 63
APPENDICES
A. Lesson Planning . 65
B. Instruments of Tests 72
C. Data of Interviews .. 74
D. Questioner .. 78
E. The Curriculum of Speaking for X Grade of SMA 84
LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.3 : The Scores of Speaking pre-test... 48

Table 4.4 : The Scores of Speaking Post-test. 50
Table 4.5 : Standard of Six by Gronlund 52
Table 4.6 : The Comparison Scores of Pre-test and Post-test. 52
viii
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 3.1 : Action Research Cycle 22

Figure 3.2 : Action Research Planning 23
ix
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of Study
The emergence of globalization era which has caused no distance

between countries in this world, force people to decide an international language
to overcome the communication problems when people from different countries
with different languages meet in some occasions. Today, the first international
language is English. Therefore, almost all people in this world try to master
English in order to be accepted in this globalization era.
The ever-growing need for good communication skills in English has
created a huge demand for English teaching around the world.1 Millions of people
today want to improve their command of English or to ensure that their children
achieve a good command of English. The opportunities to learn English are
provided in many different ways such as through formal instruction, travel, study
abroad, as well as through the media and the Internet. The worldwide demand for
English has created an enormous demand for quality language teaching and
language teaching materials and resources.
Communication is an essential need for human being. Language as a
means of communication has an important role to reveal an intention to someone
else. Since language is a means of communication, it is not enough for students to
1
Jack C. Richards, Communicative Language Teaching Today, (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2006), p.1
1
learn words, phrases and grammatical features if they want to produce language in
their daily communication or to interact with others in English. Therefore, we
should consider the goal of English teaching today, that is to develop what Hymes
in Jack C. Richards referred to as communicative competence. Communicative
competence is a definition of what a speaker needs to know in order to be
communicatively competent in a speech community.2
One of the ways in communication is through speaking. Therefore, the
most important thing that should be noticed in teaching speaking is how to
activate all of language elements, such as vocabulary, grammar, and
pronunciation, which students have possessed to communicate, since the main
function of language is a means of communication. It means that the goal for
students learning English speaking is that they are able to use language to
communicate effectively and appropriately for all lifes requirements, both social
and academic. 3 The students have to be able to express their thoughts, ideas, and
feelings orally in English without thinking for a long time before saying what they
wish to say.
Speaking in a second or foreign language has often been viewed as the
most demanding of the four skills.4 Many people today realize that their aims to
study English is to be able to communicate in English, it is suitable with the
theory of language according to communicative approach that is language as a
means of communication.
Students often think that the ability to speak a language is the product of
language learning, but speaking is also a crucial part of the language learning
process. Effective teachers teach students speaking strategies that they can use to
help themselves expand their knowledge of the language and their confidence in
using it.
2
Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers, Approaches and Methods in Language
Teaching A Description and Analysis, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p. 69.
3
Teresa Walter, Teaching English Language Learners, (New York: Pearson Education,
2004), p. 16.
4
Kathleen M. Baley and Lance Savage, New Ways in Teaching Speaking, (Bloomington:
Pantagraph, 1994), p. vii
The frequency in using the language will determine the success in
speaking ability. Therefore, teacher should create a teaching strategy that
stimulates and motivates student to talk in English. Since English in Indonesia is a
foreign language, so the most comfortable place for the students to speak English
is in the classroom. There are three main reasons for getting students to speak in
the classroom. Firstly, speaking activities provide rehearsal opportunities
chances to practice real-life speaking in the safety of the classroom. Secondly,
speaking tasks in which students try to use any or all of the language elements
they know to provide feedback for both teacher and students. Finally, this is also
the opportunities for the students to activate the various elements of language they
have stored in their brains.5 Unfortunately, this condition rarely occurs to the
students of X grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat.
In teaching speaking at X grade of SMA Triguna Utama, the teacher
teaches the students traditionally. The teacher asks the students to read a dialogue
in the textbook together. Then, the teacher asks the students to perform that
dialogue in front of the class without asking them to develop a more
communicative dialogue using their own way. So, they only memorize the
dialogue and most of the students do not know how to use some expressions
taught by their teacher in a real communication. This teaching strategy can not
help the students to use language as a means of communication.
This strategy influences the teaching of speaking which cause many
problems. First, it relates to the condition of students who are lack of vocabulary
which will make them unable to say words or sentences in a real communication.
Second, the students get used to speak Indonesian language while the most
comfortable place for the students to speak English is in the classroom, since
English in Indonesia is a foreign language. Fourth, most of the students are not
confident to use English in speaking class. For instance, when the teacher asks
them to come forward to have a conversation with their friends, they refuse it.
5
Jeremy Harmer, How to teach English, (Harlow: Pearson education limited, 2007), p. 123
They are shy to perform English conversation in front of their friends.
Consequently it makes them uninterested in learning English.
The teacher also has difficulties to teach in large class. The main problem
is the way to manage it. During the teaching hours the teacher should make the
students pay attention to the materials given to them and also to their friends
performances in front of the class. It needs hard work for getting students
attention without giving them an interesting activity for more than one hour.
Based on the problems above, the writer tries to give a solution for the
teacher to implement an English teaching strategy which can motivate and give
more opportunities for the learner to speak English in the class, that is information
gap activities. This strategy is designed to create students interests to learn with
pleasant. In an information gap activity two speakers have different bits of
information, and they can only complete the whole picture by sharing that
information-because they have different information, there is a gap between
them.6 Using information gap activities in teaching speaking will encourage the
students to speak and it will activate the various elements of language they have
stored in their brains. Another advantage of information gap activities is that
students are forced to negotiate meaning because they must make what they are
saying comprehensible to others in order to accomplish the task. These types of
activities are extremely effective in the foreign language classroom. They give
every student opportunity to speak in the target language for an extended period of
time and students naturally produce more speech than they would otherwise. In
addition, speaking with peers is less intimidating than presenting in front of the
entire class and being evaluated.
Based on the problems above, it encourages us to think how to manage a
classroom activities to be a communicative class so that the students can
participate actively in the teaching and learning process and then we can achieve
the objective of English learning as stated above, that is communicative
competence. So, in presenting this paper the writer will try to study how to
6
Jeremy Harmer, How to teach English, (Harlow: Pearson education limited, 2007), p. 129
improve students speaking ability by using information gap activities at X grade
of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat.
B. Limitation and Formulation of Problem
1. Limitation of the Problem
The writer limits the study to the implementation of information gap activities
to improve the students speaking ability at X grade students of SMA Triguna
Utama Ciputat.
2. Formulation of the Problem
The formulation of this study is: How significant is the students speaking
ability better after they are taught using information gap activities?
C. The Objective of the Study
This Classroom Action Research (CAR) is conducted in order to improve

students speaking ability at the X grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat through
information gap activities.
D. The Significance of Study
The results of this research is expected to be useful for the English

teacher of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat especially in teaching speaking, so that
the teacher can manage classroom activities communicatively by using
information gap activities in order to encourage their students to speak or to state
their ideas orally in English. For students themselves, it can motivate them to try
to speak English as often as possible, so that they can improve their ability in
speaking skill.
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Speaking
1. The Nature of Speaking
Speaking is an important instrument of communication. People use it

almost constantly. As human beings, especially as social creature we have a need
to make meaning of our surroundings. We have a need to express our thoughts,
opinions, or feelings in order to be accepted in social life. Speaking does not only
make sound by the speech organs but ideas and emotions. Speaking is the active
use of language to express meaning so that other people can make sense of them,
therefore, the label of productive use of language can be applied to speaking. 7
While another expert said that speaking is the process of building and sharing
meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, in a variety of
contexts.8 To express their ideas in foreign language, the learners will use their
existing language resources, built up from previous experience of language use.
The word speaking has many different meanings or definitions on
linguistics views. Another definition of speaking is making use of words in an
ordinary voice, offering words, knowing and being able to use a language
7
Lynne Cameron, Teaching Language to Young Learners, (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2001), p. 40.
8
Hayriye Kayi , Teaching Speaking: Activities to Promote Speaking in a Second
Language. (Nevada: University of Nevada), Internet TESL Journal, Vol. XII, No. 11, November
2006, p. 1. From: http://iteslj.org/ http://iteslj.org/Articles/Kayi-Teaching Speaking.html.
6
expressing one-self in words, acquired through listening and reading.9 While the
definition of speaking ability is the ability to produce sentences, to express, to
state, or to deliver thoughts, ideas and feelings. Speaking is human behaviors
which use physics: psychological, neurological, semantic, and linguistic and in
general it can be considered as a tool of social control. 10
Referring to the definitions above, we may conclude that speaking is
giving oral expression to thoughts, opinions, or feelings in a variety of contexts by
using speech organs that is built up from previous experience of language use.
2. Elements of Speaking
In speaking, it is very important for student to acquire the ability to

express their ideas and opinions. Consequently, this competency should be
mastered by the learners of language. According to Jeremy Harmer, there are two
elements of speaking. First, language features, consists of:
1. Connected speech is the modifying in sounds production or utterances
such as assimilation, omission, addition, weakened (through contraction
and stress patterning)
2. Expressive devices are the alteration of the speed, volume, and stress of
utterances to show the feeling. The use of this device contributes the
ability to convey meaning.
3. Lexis and grammar related to the ability to use a number of common
lexical phrases, especially in the performance of certain language
functions.
4. Negotiation language is the ability to get benefits from the negotiatory
language we use to seek clarification and to show the structure of what
we are saying.11
The second element of speaking is mental or social processing, consists of:
9
Henry Guntur Taringan, Berbicara Sebagai Suatu Keterampilan Berbahasa, ( Bandung:
Angkasa, 1990) p. 3
10
Maidar G. Arsjad and Mukti U.S., Pembinaan Kemampuan Berbicara, ( Jakarta:
Erlangga, 1988), p. 23
11
Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of English Language Teaching. (London: Pearson
Education Limited, 2001), p. 269.
1. Language processing: the ability to process language in their own heads
and put it into coherent order so that it comes out in forms that are not
only comprehensible, but also convey the meanings that are intended.
2. Interacting with others. This means that speaking also involves a good
deal of listening, and understanding of how the other participants are
feeling.
3. Information processing: the ability to process the information the
moment we get it. 12
Therefore, the English teacher should consider these elements of

speaking in teaching speaking to their students, so that they will have a good
ability in speaking. Furthermore, as explained by Arthur Hughos that for assessing
spoken English production, teachers have to asses students pronunciation,
grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.13 Although his theory does not
mention explicitly about the element of speaking, however the implementation to
assess the spoken English production is dealing with the elements of speaking
itself. Of course grammar and vocabulary here should be based on the curriculum
and students expectations.
3. The Aim of Teaching Speaking
Speaking is a crucial part of second language learning and teaching.

Despite its importance, for many years, teaching speaking has been undervalued
and English language teachers have continued to teach speaking just as a
repetition of drills or memorization of dialogues. However, today's world requires
that the goal of teaching speaking should improve students' communicative skills,
because, only in that way, students can express themselves and learn how to
follow the social and cultural rules appropriate in each communicative
circumstance.14
12
Jeremy Harmer, p. 270.
13
Arthur Hughes, Testing for Language Teachers (2nd Edition), (Cambridge: Cambridge
14
Hayriye Kayi , Teaching Speaking: Activities to Promote Speaking in a Second
Language, (Nevada: University of Nevada, Internet TESL Journal, Vol. XII, No. 11, November
One of the characteristics of speech in everyday life is that speech is
spontaneous. That is, in most situations, people do not plan ahead of time what
they are going to say. Only in more formal situations, such as when a person has
been asked to give a speech, do people plan and organize their speech.15 The fact
that speech is spontaneous means that it is full of false starts, repetitions,
incomplete sentences, and short phrases. Therefore, teachers may require their
students to do more forward-thinking and planning than native speakers do in real
life. Another aspect of producing spoken language is the time-constraint. The
students must be able to produce unplanned utterances in real time, otherwise
people will not have the patience to listen to them.
Based on the facts explained above, we should consider the goal of
English teaching today, that is to develop communicative competence rather
than a mere mastery of structures, vocabulary items, or pronunciation.
Communicative competence is the aspect of our competence that enables us to
convey and interpret messages and to negotiate meanings interpersonally within
specific contexts.16
4. Classroom Speaking Activities
Most English teachers face the problem of having passive students who
show no willingness to speak in class, or students who seem interested enough to
speak but find it difficult to express themselves.
Traditional classroom speaking practice often takes the form of drills in
which one person asks a question and another gives an answer. The question and
the answer are structured and predictable, and often there is only one correct,
predetermined answer. The purpose of asking and answering the question is to
2006), p. 1. From: http://iteslj.org/ http://iteslj.org/Articles/Kayi-Teaching Speaking.html.

15
Jack C. Richards, Teaching Listening and Speaking from Theory to Practice,
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008), p. 21.
16
H. Douglas Brown, Principles in Language Learning and Teaching, (New York:
Pearson Education, 2000), p. 246.
demonstrate the ability to ask and answer the question.
In contrast, the purpose of real communication is to accomplish a task,
such as conveying a telephone message, obtaining information, or expressing an
opinion. In real communication, participants must manage uncertainty about what
the other person will say. Authentic communication involves an information gap;
each participant has information that the other does not have. In addition, to
achieve their purpose, participants may have to clarify their meaning or ask for
confirmation of their own understanding.17
To create classroom speaking activities that will develop communicative
competence, which is the aim of teaching speaking as explained above, instructors
need to incorporate a purpose and an information gap and allow for multiple
forms of expression.18 Therefore, the teacher should provide students with
communicative activities in which the student can engage actively in teaching and
learning process.
They must use the target language to share some information. For
instance, one student has the direction to a party and must give them to a
classmate. One type of speaking activity involves the so-called information gap-
where two speakers have different parts of information making up a whole.
Because they have different information, there is a gap between them.
Speaking activities which can improve students speaking competence as
suggested by Richards19 are:
1. Information-gap activities: this refers to the fact that in real communication,

people normally communicate in order to get information they do not
possess. In this activity, each student has different information and they
17
Gillian Brown and George Yule. Teaching the Spoken Language, (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1999), p. 13.
18
Developing Speaking Activities,
http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/esl/speaking.cfm
19
Jack C. Richards, Communicative Language Teaching Today, (New York: Cambridge
University Press: 2006), pp. 19-20.
need to obtain information from each other in order to finish a task. They
must use target language to accomplish it.
2. Jigsaw activities: these are also based on the information-gap principle.

Typically, the class is divided into groups and each group has part of the
information needed to complete an activity. The class must fit the pieces
together to complete the whole. In so doing, they must use their language
resources to communicate meaningfully and so take part in meaningful
communication practice.
3. Task-completion activities: puzzles, games, map-reading, and other kinds of

classroom tasks in which the focus is on using ones language resources to
complete a task.
4. Information-gathering activities: student-conducted surveys, interviews, and
searches in which students are required to use their linguistic resources to
collect information.
5. Opinion-sharing activities: activities in which students compare values,

opinions, or beliefs, such as a ranking task in which students list six
qualities in order of importance that they might consider in choosing a date
or spouse.
6. Information-transfer activities: These require learners to take information

that is presented in one form, and represent it in a different form. For
example, they may read instructions on how to get from A to B, and then
draw a map showing the sequence, or they may read information about a
subject and then represent it as a graph.
7. Reasoning-gap activities: These involve deriving some new information
from given information through the process of inference, practical
reasoning, etc.
8. Role plays: activities in which students are assigned roles and improvise a
scene or exchange based on given information or clues.
B. Information Gap Activities
1. The Nature of Information Gap Activities
Information gap activity is an activity which is based on information-gap

principle that in real communication people normally communicate in order to get
information they do not possess. 20 Real communication is likely to occur in the
classroom if students practice language forms on their own way and use their
linguistic and communicative resources in order to express their ideas. In so
doing, they will get available vocabulary, grammar, and communication strategies
to complete a task.
Another definition of information gap activity is an activity where two
speakers have different bits of information, and they can only complete the whole
picture by sharing that information-because they have different information, there
is a gap between them.21 In an information gap activity one person has
information that the other lacks. They must use the target language to share that
information. For instance, one student has the directions to a party and must give
them to a classmate.
Information gap exists when one person in an exchange knows something
to other person does not.22 Therefore, if we create an activity based on this
statement, the activity is in the form that the students work in pair or in group and
each student has different information and they have to share each others
information in order to complete a task.
Referring to the definition above, we can conclude that the principles of
information gap activities are that each student has different information and they
need to obtain information from each other in order to finish a task. They must use
target language to accomplish it.
20
Jack C. Richards, .., p. 19
21
Jeremy Harmer, How to teach English, (Harlow: Pearson education limited, 2007), p.
129.
22
Diane Larsen Freeman, Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, (New Yor:
Oxford University Press, 2000), p. 129.
For information gap activities to work, it is vitally important that students
understand the details of the task (for example, that they should not show each
other pictures).23 It is often a good idea for teachers to demonstrate how an
activity works by asking a student to come to front of the class and performing the
activity with the teacher, so that everyone can see exactly how to do the activity.
Many English learners cannot say what they wish to say in English, even
though they had years of English learning. Therefore, we need to actively engage
students in speaking activities that are enjoyable and that are based on a more
communicative competence as the goal of teaching speaking. One of the
challenges faced by many second language-teachers is motivating their students to
speak in the target language, confident students always participate and students
who are less confident are reluctant to speak. Even when students speak in the
target language, they are usually answering a question and this approach greatly
limits students output. Oral presentations provide opportunities for students to
speak in the target language for an extended period of time and these activities are
useful, but they should not be the only opportunities, students have to speak at
length. Because students prepare for this presentation by writing a script and then
rehearsing it, they have difficulty to speak in the target language spontaneously
because they only have a little opportunity to do so. When students choose to
learn a language, they are interested in learning to speak that language as fluently
as possible. One solution is by using information gap activities.
These types of activities are extremely effective in the L2 classroom. They
give every student the opportunity to speak in the target language for an extended
period of time and students naturally produce more speech than they would
otherwise. In addition, They can help to reduce such fears by maintaining a friendly
atmosphere in the class and providing opportunities for students to practice alone or
with another student and then increasingly with a larger group of students.24 Thus,
23
Keith S. Folse, The Art of Teaching Speaking, (Michigan: The University of
Michigan Press, 2006), p. 95.
24
Rudy Wallace, etal, Teaching speaking, listening and writing, (Geneva: International
Bureau of Education, 2004), p. 12. From: http://www.ibe.unesco.org.
students can practice speaking in front of their peers who face the same situation.
Speaking with peers is less intimidating than presenting in front of the entire class
and being evaluated. Another advantage of information gap activities is that
students are forced to negotiate meaning because they must make what they are
saying comprehensible to others in order to accomplish the task.
2. Speaking Activities Based on Information Gap Activities
The teacher should design the speaking activity so as to provide an

opportunity for learners to produce language that they had recently learnt (e.g.
through open or cued dialogues) in order to prepare the learner for later
communicative activity by providing them with the necessary linguistic forms and
the necessary links between forms and meanings.
The principle underlying communicative activities is that the teacher
structures the situation so that learners have to overcome an information gap or
solve a problem. Speaking activities based on information gap principle can be
divided in to some categories,25 those are:
1. Identifying pictures: learner A has a set of four, five or six pictures which are
very similar in content, but contain a number of distinguishing features.
Learner B has a copy of these pictures. Learner A must find out which of the
pictures learner B is holding, by asking him questions about it.
2. Discovering Identical pairs: in this activity the students work in group, for
instance one group consists of five students. Four pictures are given among
four students and the fifth learner in the group holds a duplicate of one of
these pictures. He must ask the others to discover which learner has the
picture identical to his own.
3. Discovering sequences or locations: learner A has a set of six patterns. These

are arranged into a sequence from one to six. Learner B has the same set of
25
William Littlewood, Communicative Language Teaching, (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2006), pp. 40-43.
patterns, but these are not in sequence. Learner B must discover the sequence
of As pictures and arrange his pictures in the same way.
4. Discovering missing information or features: learner A has information

represented in tabular or picture form. However, some items of information
have been deleted from the table or picture. Learner B has an identical table
or picture, but different items of information have been deleted. Each learner
can complete his own table or picture by asking his partner for the
information that he lacks.
5. Communicating patterns and pictures: learner A has an assortment of shapes

which he arranges into a pattern. Learner B has the same shapes. They must
communicate each other so that B can reproduce as exactly as possible the
same pattern as A.
6. Discovering differences: learner A and B each have a picture (or map,

patter, etc). The pictures are identical except for a number of details. The
learner must discuss the pictures in order to discover what the differences are.
7. Following directions: learner A and B have identical maps. Only A knows

the exact location of some building or other features. He must direct B to the
correct spot.
8. Pooling information to solve a problem: learners have to pool information in

order to solve a problem. For instance, learner A has a town plan showing the
location of interesting places. Learner B has a list of a bus timetable. Together
they must devise an itinerary which would enable them to visit, say, five
places during one ay, spending at least half an hour at each.
9. Reconstructing story-sequences: a picture-script story (without dialogue) is

cut up into its separate pictures. One picture is handed to each member of a
group. Without seeing each others pictures, the learners in the group must
decide on the original sequence and reconstruct the story.
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. The Aim of Study
The aim of this research is to know how to improve students speaking

ability by using information-gap activities at X grade of SMA Triguna Utama
Ciputat. The writer hopes it will give a pleasant activity for students, so it will
motivate them to speak English.
B. Place and Time of Study
This research took place at SMA Triguna Utama that is located in Jl. Ir. H.
Juanda, KM. 2, Ciputat, South Tangerang, Banten. The writer conducted this
research for one month and three weeks. It began from March 31st, 2010 until May
20th, 2010.
C. Subject of Study
The subject of this research is X grade students of SMA Triguna Utama

Ciputat in 2009/2010 Academic Year. There are 40 students in X grade.
D. Research Instrument
The research instruments used in order to complete the data needed

include observation, documents of teaching-learning process, interview and
questioner. In order to support the data of teaching and learning process, pre- test
and post-test were conducted in order to know how the students scores better
after they are taught using information gap activities.
17
E. Technique of Data Collecting
There are three techniques of data collecting applied in this study, they are
observation, interview, questioner and test in order to support the data of teaching
and learning process.
1. Observation
The writer did the observation directly toward English teaching and
learning-process in X grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat 2009/2010 Academic
Year. In speaking lesson, the writer observed students speaking skills, such as;
pronunciation, vocabulary,grammar and their braveries in speaking lesson.
2. Interview
One of the ways to get deep and more information in the classroom is by
using interview. The writer interviewed the English teacher and the students of X
grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat. The interview was conducted structurally
by using interview guide and it was conducted once in a week after the teaching
and learning process has finished. The interview was about problem in speaking
lesson before and after using information gap activities in speaking lesson.
3. Questioner
The questioner was given to the students of X grade of SMA Triguna
Utama Ciputat in order to know their responds toward the process of teaching and
learning speaking by using information gap activities and also about their
motivations and problems in learning English speaking before and after they were
taught using information gap activities.
4. Test
The test is used to compare students speaking achievements before
conducting the research and after conducting the research. The form of the test
can be grouped into three forms, namely: oral, written, and behavior form. In this
research, the writer conducted an oral test. The test used is based on the activity
based on information gap principle as explained in chapter 2.
Giving score of the speaking test is the most challenging of all language
exams. That is why many people do not even try to measure the speaking skill.
According to Arthur Hughes, there are five components to analyze of the speech
process such as pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and
comprehension.26
In order to give score to the students ability in the five aspects mentioned
above, the writer used the Proficiency Descriptions stated by Arthur Hughes in
his book.27 The proficiency descriptions are:
Pronunciation
1. Pronunciation frequently unintelligible.
2. Frequent gross errors and a very heavy accent make understanding
difficult, require frequent repetition.
3. Foreign accent requires concentrated listening, and mispronunciation
lead to occasional misunderstanding and apparent errors in grammar or
vocabulary.
4. Marked foreign accent and occasional mispronunciations which do not
interfere with understanding.
5. No conspicuous mispronunciations, but would not be taken for a native
speaker.
6. Native pronunciation, with no trace of foreign accent.
Grammar
1. Grammar almost entirely inaccurate except in stock phrases.
2. Constant errors showing control of very few major patterns and
frequently preventing communication.
3. Frequent errors showing some major patterns uncontrolled and causing
occasional irritation and misunderstanding.
4. Occasional errors showing imperfect control of some patterns but no
weakness that causes misunderstanding
5. Few errors, with no patterns of failure.
6. No more than two errors during the interview.
26
Arthur Hughes, Testing for Language Teachers (2nd Edition), (Cambridge: Cambridge
27
. Arthur Hughes , p. 131.
Vocabulary
1. Vocabulary inadequate for even the simplest conversation.
2. Vocabulary limited to basic personal and survival areas.
3. Choice of words sometimes inaccurate, limitations of vocabulary prevent
discussion of some common professional and social topic.
4. Professional vocabulary adequate to discuss special interests; general
vocabulary permits discussion of any non-technical subject with some
circumlocutions.
5. Professional vocabulary broad and precise; general vocabulary adequate
to cope with complex practical problems and varied social situations.
6. Vocabulary apparently as accurate and extensive as that of an educated
native speaker.
Fluency
1. Speech is so halting and fragmentary that conversation is virtually
impossible.
2. Speech is very slow and uneven except for short or routine sentences.
3. Speech is frequently hesitant; sentences may be left uncompleted.
4. Speech is occasionally hesitant, with some unevenness caused by
rephrasing and grouping of words.
5. Speech is effortless and smooth, but perceptively non-native in speed and
evenness.
6. Speech on all professional and general topics as effortless and smooth as
a native speakers.
Comprehension
1. Understands too little for the simplest type of conversation.
2. Understand only slow, very simple speech on common social and
touristic topics; requires constant repetition and rephrasing.
3. Understands careful, somewhat simplified speech when engaged in a
dialogue, but may require occasional repetition and rephrasing.
4. Understands quite well normal educated speech when engaged in a
dialogue, but requires occasional repetition and rephrasing.
5. Understands everything in normal educated conversation except for very
colloquial or low-frequency items, or exceptionally rapid or slurred
speech.
6. Understands everything in both formal and colloquial speech to be
expected of an educated native speaker.
F. Technique of Data Analysis
The writer conducted this classroom action research collaboratively with

the English teacher of X grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat. The data collected
were analyzed in some ways as shown below28:
a. Reducing the data

This is the first component in analyzing the data that contains selecting
processing, focusing, and summarizing the data from field notes. In this step, the
writer selected, limited, and summarized the data from the implementation of
teaching speaking using information gap technique.
b. Displaying the data

The second step of analyzing the data is describing the data in narrative
which the research conclusion will be possible to be done. In this step, the writer
described the result of the research which is described in systematic and logic
sentence, therefore the result is understandable. The form of displaying is not
always in the sentences, but it can also be displayed in table form which supports
the narrative data.
c. Drawing Conclusion
The last step is the writer made conclusion of the research. Then the
writer also verified the conclusion. The technique is by discussing the research
conclusion with the collaborator of the research. This step is very important to be
done in order to get a good research conclusion.
28
Miles and Huberman, Research in Education, ( New Delhi: Prentice Hall, 1984), p.
170
G. Action Procedures
In this Classroom Action Research (CAR), the writer used the CAR
principle to collect the data. This research consisted of three cycles and each cycle
consisted of four elements. The writer described the cycles through the scheme of
action research designed by Kemmis and Mc Taggart as follows:
Figure 3.1
Action Research Cycle
(Adapted from Suharsimi Arikunto, 2006)29
29
Suharsimi Arikunto, Prosedur Penelitian Suatu Pendekatan Praktik, (Jakarta: Rineka
Cipta, 2006), p.93.
A plan for action was being established, as detailed in figure below:
Figure 3.2
Action Research Planning
- Evaluate teaching and learning

process - Make lesson planning
- Analyze students achievement - Choose suitable topic and teaching aids
- Revise the action planning for the - Develop evaluation form for students.
next cycle
- Ask students responses - Give expressions and vocabularies

- Observe the class while students needed
are practicing - Explain the instruction for practicing
- Practice (sharing information with
restricted cooperation
- Students Perform in front of class
- Identify the problem in cycle 1

- Analyze students achievement
- Revise the lesson plan
- Discuss with the English teacher
Plan - Reselect the topic and teaching aid
- Evaluate action 2
which will motivate students
- Observe students participation. - Give an example of related conversation

- Observe students achievement - Practice an information gap activity
(sharing information with unrestricted
cooperation)
- Perform in front of the class
- Analyze students progress in - Strengthen students motivation to speak

speaking English based on their Plan English
score in the test. - Develop the activities toward
spontaneous speak.
- Observe students achievement in - Group work ( sharing and processing

group work information)
- Discuss and evaluate a group decision to
the whole class
Cycle I
a. Planning
In this phase, the writer makes the lesson plan and then chooses the
topics and teaching aids to imply the information gap activities. In this phase, the
writer uses dialogues, short paragraphs, list of related expressions and vocabulary
items, draw material and other things used in information gap activities. The
writer also makes the evaluation form to know about students achievements at
the end of this cycle.
b. Action
The writer gives an example of conversation and also some related

vocabulary items needed when students are engaged in an information gap
activity, that is sharing information with restricted cooperation. Then, the writer
asks the students to work in pairs with their partners. For instance, learner A has a
set of four, five or six pictures which are all very similar in content, but contain a
number of distinguishing features. Learner B has a duplicate copy just one of
these pictures. Learner A must find out which of the pictures learner B is holding,
by asking him questions about it. If student A has found the picture held by
student B, now it is student Bs turn to act like student A to find out which picture
is held by student A. At the end of the meeting, the writer calls the students two
by two to perform as what they have practiced in front of the class.
c. Observation
In this phase, the writer observes the students responses, participations,

and achievements which are found during the teaching and learning process.
Sometimes, the writer also asks some students opinions about the process of
teaching and learning using information gap activities.
d. Reflection
After collecting the data, the writer analyzes the data of teaching-
learning process. Then, the writer reflects herself by seeing the result of the
observation, whether the teaching learning process of speaking using information
gap activity is good to imply in teaching learning process at X grade students of
SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat or not. If the first plan is unsuccessful, proven by
students achievements, the writer will make the next plan (replanning) to solve
students problems and also to get a better result.
Cycle 2
a. Planning
After identifying the problems found in cycle 1, the writer will revise the
lesson plan and reselect the topics and teaching aids to motivate students, so that
they will get a better achievement in speaking.
b. Action
The writer gives an example of conversation to prepare students for

practicing information gap activities (sharing information with unrestricted
cooperation). For instance, the writer asks students to work in pairs with their
partners. Student A has a set of 7 pictures. These are arranged into a sequence
from one to seven by himself. Learner B has the same set of pictures, but these are
not in sequence. Learner B must discover the sequence of As pictures and
arrange his own in the same way as As. The writer tells them that they may not
see each others pictures, the only way they can do is describing their pictures to
each other and speculating on how they are arranged. If student B has found the
way student A arranged the picture, now it is student As turn to act like student B
to find out how student B arrange his pictures.
At the end of the meeting, the writer calls the students names three by
three, for instance namely student A, student B, and student C. Then, the writer
gives them a set of 6 patterns. Student A arranges the patterns in his way, and
student B and C have to describe and ask student A in order to arrange their
pictures as As.
c. Observation
In this phase, the writer observes the students responses, participations,

and achievements which are found during the teaching and learning process. The
writer uses photography and also video for several times to collect the data.
d. Reflection
In this phase, the writer evaluates students progresses in their speaking

ability after taught using information gap activities. The writer will also ask the
English teachers opinion about students improvements in speaking. Further
more, data reduction will be used to decide a better plan for the next cycle.
Cycle 3 (If needed)

a. Planning
In this phase, the writer strengthens students motivations to speak

English by creating a lesson plan which will develop students speaking ability in
spontaneous situation.
b. Action
The writer uses sharing and processing information activities to engage

students to a more spontaneous speaking activities, so that they will be able to
speak fluently and correctly without thinking for a long time. In this phase,
students will work in group of four or five. At the end of the class, each group will
perform their ideas or decisions of a problem to the whole class and other students
will give their arguments.
c. Observation
The writer observes students achievements based on their participations

in group work and also their performances in front of the class.
d. Reflection
The writer analyzes the data collected, especially students progresses in

speaking English based on their scores in the test
During the process of the action research in the X grade of SMA Triguna
Utama Ciputat, the writer uses the diary and document as the instrument for
gathering the data. Diaries contain personal accounts of the observation on
feelings, reactions, interpretations, reflections, explanations and documents of
teaching and learning process which are used to provide information related to the
problem under investigation. The documents used by the writer are lesson plan
and the sample of students activities.
CHAPTER IV
RESEARCH FINDING
In this research finding, the writer presents the data that have been
collected. The data description consists of the description of data from
observation, data from interview, data from questioner, the implementation of
teaching speaking using information gap activities and the improvement result of
the implementation of Information gap activities in teaching speaking at X grade
of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat.
A. Description of Data
1. Data of Observation
Based on the observation conducted by the writer in March 31st it is known

that in teaching speaking at X grade of SMA Triguna Utama the teacher teaches
speaking by giving a dialogue on the whiteboard to the students and then she
reads it and followed by students together. Then, the teacher asks the student to
memorize and perform that dialogue in front of the class without giving them a
more communicative activity to practice the material that has been given to the
students or asking them to develop a more communicative dialogue using their
own way. So, they only memorize the dialogue and most of the students do not
know how to use the expressions taught by their teacher in real communication,
even they do not know the meaning of dialogue that they memorize. This teaching
strategy can not help students to use language as a means of communication.
28
This strategy influences the teaching of speaking which cause many
problems. First, it relates to the condition of students who are lack of vocabulary
which will make them unable to say words or sentences in a real communication.
Second, the students get used to speak Indonesian language in the classroom. For
instance, when the teacher asks them to come forward to have a conversation with
their friends, they refuse it. They are shy to perform English conversation in front
of their friends. Consequently it makes them uninterested in learning English.
The teacher also has difficulties to teach in large class. The main problem
is the way to manage it. During the teaching hours the teacher should make the
students pay attention to the materials given to them and also to their friends
performances in front of the class. It needs hard work to get students attentions
without giving them an interesting activity for more than one hour.
2. Data of Interview
a. The Description of Data from Interview with English Teacher of X

Grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat
Based on the interview with the English teacher of X grade of SMA

Triguna Utama conducted by the writer in March 31st, it is known that she found
some problems in getting students attentions and participations in the classroom,
furthermore, the students of X grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat are very
active and noisy, it is very difficult to get their attention and to keep them silent.
The English teacher thought that the cause may be because not all students
motivated in learning English. Besides, it is very difficult to motivate the students
to speak English or to perform in front of the class.
The English teacher of X grade of SMA Triguna Utama teaches speaking
by introducing new dialogue to the students, then she asks them to practice it with
their friends, and then she asks them to memorize it and perform the dialogue that
they have memorized in front of the class with their partners. Sometimes, she also
asks the students to make a story in their homes, and the next meeting she asks
them to tell that story in front of the class.
From this interview, it is also known that the English teacher is very rare
facilitates the students of X grade of SMA Triguna Utama in communicative
activities or even in real communication inside or outside the classroom. The
reason is that the time of teaching and learning process inside the classroom is
very limited, so it is very difficult to find a suitable activity in this situation.
Sometimes, she also invites the students to speak English when she meets them
outside the class, however she usually has to mix it with Indonesian language, or
even translate it into Indonesian language because the students look confuse and
cannot respond correctly to her speaking.
According to the English teacher of X grade of SMA Triguna Utama, the
students ability in speaking English are still low, however they have shown some
improvements compared to their ability before they learn in SMA Triguna Utama.
At first, they look fear to speak, but now they are braver to speak English.
b. The Description of Data from Interviews with Students of X Grade of

SMA Triguna Utama
Based on the interviews conducted by the writer to the ten students of X

grade of SMA Triguna Utama, it is known that most students like English,
however some students are not motivated to learn English because they thought
that learning English is very difficult and boring.
The students of grade X of SMA Triguna Utama have some problems in
learning English that they can not understand English well and they do not brave
to speak English because they are rarely involved in speaking activity and also
because of the lack of vocabulary items. Most students are motivated in learning
to speak English, however, sometimes they are bored because they are always
asked to memorize.
The students said that their English teacher teaches them by introducing a
dialogue and the she asks them to memorize and perform it in front of the class.
Sometimes, they also tell a story in front of the class, but it is very rare. The
students also said that their English teacher sometimes uses English in the
classroom, however because the students do not understand her, she changes it
into Indonesian language. The students admitted that their braves in speaking is
improved, however they still have some difficulties in expressing their ideas or
thoughts orally.
3. The Implementation of Information Gap Activities in Teaching

Speaking
Based on the information from the data collected, the students were not
interested in learning English. They were difficult to learn English, especially
speaking. Their scores of the English test were poor. They felt the way to teach
English was monotonous or not interesting. They needed a method to make them
pay attention to the English lesson.
They had limited vocabulary items, they like to use their native languages
more than English to express their opinions, and they had less motivation in
speaking class. The teacher had a problem when she teaches in the class. The
problem was that the teacher had a difficulty in handing the passive students and
the hyper active ones who always make a lot of noises in the class during the
teaching learning process. To overcome the problem in that class, the writer used
information gap activities to support the teaching-learning process. The writer
teaches the students using information gap activity as the technique of teaching
the students. The topics used in this research were giving the direction,
unforgettable experience, shapes, daily activities, job vacancy, travelling and the
beauty of Indonesia.
In this research implementation, the writer arranged pre-test and post-test
orally. The test is aimed to measure the students achievements in speaking. In the
pre-test, the writer used a kind of information gap activity, that is identifying
pictures. In this pre-test, learner A has a set of six pictures which are all very
similar in content, but contain a number of distinguishing features. Learner B has
a duplicate copy just one of these pictures which s/he has been given by the
teacher. Learner A must find out which of the pictures learner B is holding, by
asking him questions about it.
After knowing that the students speaking ability is low, that can be seen
in the result of pre-test score, the writer prepared three cycles. Each cycle consists
of four steps, they were planning, action, observation, and reflection. After each
cycle was done, the writer conducted post-test to know the improvement of
students speaking ability. The description of each cycle can be explained as
follows.
st
This research was held in SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat from March 31
th
until Mei 20 in three cycles. Every cycle was conducted in three meetings.
a. Cycle One
1. Planning
To find the students speaking ability, the writer did pre-test in cycle one.
The writer planned a lesson plan and selected the appropriate material. There are
three lesson plans in cycle one, the topics are my lovely home, giving direction
and unforgettable experience. This lesson discussed a map direction and
childhood experience. The writer also prepared pictures, maps, vocabulary items
and expressions that can be used in conversation.
2. Action
In this phase, the writer did action by teaching X grade students of SMA
Triguna Utama Ciputat using information gap activities. The writer explained
about how to give direction and also performed a conversation about it. In order to
know the students speaking master, the teacher sat down in the back row and
sometimes in front of the class in order to observe and monitor all of the activities
during the action, and also not to disturb the teaching learning process.
In this phase, the writer used four steps in each cycle, namely; Building
Knowledge of the Field (BKOF), Modelling of Text (MOT), Join Construction of
Text (JCOT), and Independent Construction of Text (ICOT). In BKOF, the
students enriched their knowledge based on their fields and she focused on
vocabulary and grammar competences. In the step of Modelling of Text (MOT),
the writer modified the activity in order that the students can understand how to
do the activity. In JCOT, the students begin to do something, get understand and
do exercise with their group. In ICOT, the students create and show their
performances individually or in pair.
First meeting
Day/Date : Monday, April 12th, 2010
Topic : My Lovely Home
(1) Building Knowledge of the Field (BKOF)

The writer started the lesson by giving warming up to the students about
the vocabulary items and expressions related with the material.
After that, the writer showed students a picture and asked them to say
anything about the picture. This is to stimulate students ability to describe and
ask something.
(2) Modelling of Text (MOT)

The writer asked a student to be a volunteer to come forward to perform
the activity with the writer. The writer gave a picture to that student, while the
writer had 6 pictures of living rooms. The writer asked and described about the
pictures in order to find out which one is student As living room. This activity is
aimed at getting students to be able to understand how to do this activity.
(3) Joint Construction of Text (JCOT)

The writer asked students to work in pair with their partner and a partner
was given six pictures, while the other was given a picture. The students had to do
the activity which had been performed before.
(4) Independent Construction of Text (ICOT)
The teacher instructed the students to come forward with their partner. The
teacher gave six pictures to a partner and a picture to the other. They had to
perform what they had practiced, but a picture held by a partner was selected by
the teacher.
In order to stimulate and to make them active, the writer promised that for
those who practice in front of the class, they would get additional score. At that
time, there are some students who performed in front of class.
Second Meeting
Day/Date : Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
Topic : Giving Direction
(1) Building Knowledge of the Field (BKOF)

The writer started the lesson by giving warming up to the students about
the vocabulary items and expressions related with the material. The writer also
performed a dialogue between two people about giving direction.
After that, the writer red two dialogues about giving direction to
someone. The first dialogue was between the taxi driver and an old woman, while
the second dialogue was between Jessica and her old friend, Andrew.
(2) Modelling of Text (MOT)

The writer asked the students to repeat the dialogue after the writer red it
for them. After that, the writer invited two students to perform the dialogue in
front of the class. It is aimed to give the example of dialogue that can be used for
the next activity. However, the writer did not write the dialogues on the
whiteboard in order that the students do not copy the dialogue. The writer asked
them to use their imagination and their ability to create the dialogue on their own
way.
The writer also gave some expressions to give direction to someone, such
as: go down Pine Street to Broadway, turn left on Maple Street, etc. The
expressions given are based on the map that has been given to them.

Each student is given a map, but some of buildings are missing in the map.
The writer asked students to work in pair. The missing buildings are different in
each partners, student A has different missing buildings with Student B.
Therefore, student A had to direct student B to the building s/he has asked to
student A. They have to do this by using conversation that they have made.

After 20 minutes practicing with their partner, the writer asked 10 partners
(20 students) to perform the dialogue in front of the class, and the missing
building is given by the teacher. They may not use their map, the map is given by
the writer.
Most of students tried to be active. There are only few students kept silent.
They looked unconfident to speak up. The aim of this activity is to increase
students speaking ability, so that they can make correct sentence based on the
correct grammar.
Third Meeting
Topic : Unforgettable Experience
(1) Building Knowledge of the Field (BKOF) and Modeling of Text (MOT)
At this time, the writer gave warming up to the students related with the
material. She asked the students about the last material and then she asked the
students about their unforgettable experiences in their life. Almost all students
said that they have unforgettable experience, it might be about love, travelling,
friendship, etc. The writer asked students what tenses we should use when we tell
about something happened at the past time. It only to refresh their memory about
how to use tenses correctly. Most students said past tense and there is a student
said that past continues tense could also be used. The writer praised them so that it
will encourage them to be more active. The writer also gave short explanation
about past tense and past continues tense in order to help students to refresh their
memory about it.
Then, the writer asked them to tell their unforgettable experience to their
partner, they may not write it. They only had to tell it to their partner and their
partners have to listen and remember what his/her friend told him/her. The writer
told the students that later they had to retell their partners experience to the whole
class, and the others had to listen and give some responds to that story. The writer
told students that she will give a bonus score to the student who responded to their
friends story.

In this phase, the students worked with their partner, a student had to tell
his/her unforgettable experience to his/her partner and his/her partner had to listen
and remember what s/he told him/her. They did it in turn, after student A told
his/her experience to student B, now it is student Bs turn to tell student A about
his/her unforgettable experience. If they had finished telling their experiences to
their partner, they may try to paraphrase or retell their partners experience in pair,
so that his/her partner will correct him/her if s/he had some misunderstanding
about his/her partners story.

After 30 minutes practicing with their partners, the writer asked students to
stop for telling their experiences to their partners. Then, she asked if there was a
student who wants to try to tell the class about his/her friends unforgettable
experience. The writer told them that she will give a bonus score for the first two
students who tell their partners experience to the whole class and she also
reminded them that they will get score if they respond to their friends story.
Most of students retold their partners experience for only one minute,
they said that they didnt know what to say any more. It was difficult for them to
retell a story without write it first and then memorize what they have written.
3. Observation
The writer carried out the observation. The writer observed the teaching
learning process by monitoring the students activities in this cycle. The writer
saw that most of the meetings were not running well. The students looked
confused, ashamed and afraid when they were asked to speak. The students still
felt difficult to express their ideas orally or event write it first and then memorize
what they had written. They have used to memorize the conversation given to
them, so that it is difficult for them to express their ideas or thoughts.
4. Reflection
After analyzing the data by observing and evaluating the result of
observation of teaching learning process and students pre-test scores in cycle one,
the writer concluded that it is very important for her to give more activities that
will encourage the students to express their ideas orally. Most students have
difficulties in implementing grammar rules in speaking, although they have a
good comprehension of grammar rules. Therefore, it is very important to help
them to use correct grammar while they are speaking. The students have to
practice frequently to speak English without writing it first, they have to try to
speak fluently and correctly without memorizing. The writer should give more
attention and motivation to the students in order to make them braver and more
confident to speak English. She should be able to recognize some students who
get difficulty to understand and to speak English.
b. Cycle two
1. Planning
After finding the fact that the students speaking mastery was low, which
was proven by their pre-test scores, the writer planned the strategies of the
research by designing one of information gap activities that is sharing information
with unrestricted cooperation and selecting the appropriate material. The topics
are travelling, shapes, and job vacancy.
The writer prepared some pictures related to the topic and the activity that
will be conducted. The second cycle was carried out to solve the problem found in
cycle 1, which were students still low in speaking ability, especially to speak
spontaneously. The writer used different activities in each meeting to avoid
students boredom
2. Action
In the implementation phase, the writer conducted the teaching learning
process in the second cycle to get better result that was significant in improving
speaking mastery by using information gap activities in order to improve students
speaking mastery. The writer explained the new method briefly. As stated in
planning phase, there were three meetings. They are:
1) First Meeting
Day/Date : Monday, April 26st, 2010
Topic : Travelling
(1) Building Knowledge of Text (BKOF)

The writer started the lesson by giving warming up to the students to focus
them to the topic. The writer asked some questions to motivate students to speak,
and the questions given are related to the topic.
(2) Modeling of Text (MOT) and Joint Construction of Text (JCOT)

The writer gave the pictures to the students. Each student got 5 pictures.
The writer asked them to work with their partner. For instance, student A had to
arrange the pictures in his/her way, and student B had to reproduce the same
sequence as student A, but he/she may not see student As picture. Student A had
to instruct and direct student B by describing, asking question, etc, so that student
B can reproduce the same sequence of pictures as student As. If they have
finished, its student B turn to do as student A did before.
In order to make the students more understand about the instruction, the
writer asked a student to come forward and perform how to do the task with the
writer.

In this phase, the writer called two students to come forward and then she
gave the students some pictures, the pictures are different with the pictures given
to them before. She asked the students to do as what they had practiced, however
the pictures are arranged by the writer. It was conducted in order to encourage
students to speak and express their thoughts orally.
Because the time was limited, there are only 18 students (9 partners) who
had performed in this meeting, therefore, the rest of them will perform in the next
meeting.
2) Second Meeting
Topic : Shapes
(1) Building Knowledge of Field (BKOF)
Before the writer gave the material, the writer gave warming up to the
students about the material. The writer reviewed the difficult words and also the
activity conducted in the last meeting.
After that, the writer gave some pictures of a collection of shapes to each
student. As their last activity, the students had to work in pair and a student
arranged the pictures in his/her own way, and another student had to arrange in the
same way as his/her friend done without seeing each others pictures.
(2) Modeling of Text (MOT) and Joint Construction of Text (JCOT)
In this phase, the writer gave some vocabulary items related to shapes and
also some expressions that may be used by the students during this activity.
Because the students have known how to do this activity, so the writer did not
give explanation about how to do this activity.
While the students were practicing with their partner, the writer observed
students participation and she also helped them if they found some difficulties.

In this phase, the writer called students who had not performed yet in
the last meeting. The writer called two students at a time to come forward and
then she gave the students some pictures of shapes collection, the pictures are
different with the pictures given to them before. She asked the students to do as
what they had practiced, however the pictures are arranged by the writer.
After all students had performed, its still 10 minutes before the bell rang,
therefore, the writer gave a game for students. This game is also based on
information gap principle. The game was: 20 questions. In this game, the writer
told the students that she was keeping a word in her mind, and he asked students
to ask 20 questions about what she was thinking, and when they have asked 20
questions, they have to guess what was it.
3) Third Meeting
Day/Date : Monday, May 3rd, 2010
Topic : Naming Noun Categories

In this time, the writer gave warming up to the students related with the
material. She asked the students about the last materials and she said that the day
was test.
(2) Join Construction of Text (JCOT)
In this phase, the writer asked the students to work in a group of five. In
order to save the time, the writer asked them to work with their partners who sat
behind them. The writer used naming noun categories ( a kind of information gap
activities). The writer gave different noun to each student. Each student had to
make a description of the noun given to them, and then later they described it to
their friends in his/her group, and s/he let their friends to guess the noun s/he
meant. The writer gave 20 minutes for them to do it.
The writer not only evaluated the group but individual too. In this phase,
she can measure the students speaking mastery.

In this phase, the writer called students name one by one. The student
whose his/her name was called has to explain the description s/he had made to the
class, while the other students had to guess. The writer told the class that she will
give bonus score for the student who can guess his/her friends description. The
aim of this activity is to improve students brave to speak in front of their friends.
3. Observation
The writer carried out the observation. She observed the teaching learning
process by monitoring the students activities in this cycle. This observation was
done to get the data from the students progresses during their activity when
teaching learning process occurred.
Students responses in cycle 1 were not good. Most of meetings were not
running well. Some students still looked confused, and afraid to speak in front of
the class. Some students still had difficulties to express their ideas and they did
not know what to say. However, in cycle 2, the writer found that the students
progress in speaking was better than in cycle 1. Most of students were able to use
grammar and structure that they have stored in their brain correctly for speaking.
Although there are some students still have difficulties in using correct grammar
and structure in speaking, but they had understand how to use it, they only need
more activities to make them accustomed to apply the rules of grammar and
structure.
4. Reflection
After analyzing the data and evaluating the result of observation of
teaching learning process in cycle 2, the writer should give more attentions and
motivations to the students in order to make them braver and more confident to
speak English. She should be able to recognize the students who get difficulty to
understand and often produced incorrect speaking. The writer has to give special
treatment for those students by inviting them to speak with the writer so that the
writer can correct the errors that they had made during conversation. The other
treatment is by putting those students who get difficulties in speaking to work in
pairs or groups with the students who have a good ability in speaking English, so
that they can learn with peer. Error correction by peer seems to be less
intimidating than error correction made by teacher to the students.
Based on the result of cycle 2, the writer concluded that by using
information gap activities in teaching speaking can improve students ability to
speak English fluently and correctly. Now, most students are able to respond
teachers question or statement in English correctly.
c. Cycle Three
1. Planning
After analyzing the result of cycle 2, the writer concluded that using
information gap activities in teaching speaking could improve students speaking
mastery. It can be said that information gap activities were effective in improving
students speaking ability. Cycle 2 didnt give a satisfactory result because there
were some students who get difficulties to use grammatical rules and structures
correctly. It was necessary to continue the next cycle to improve students
speaking ability. The third cycle was carried out to solve the problem in cycle 2,
where a few students still have difficulties in using correct grammar in speaking
although they have a good comprehension of grammar rules.
The writer used the next kind of information gap activities that is sharing
and processing information. In this activity, a picture-script story (without
dialogue) is cut up into its separate pictures. One picture is handed to each
member of a group. Without seeing each others pictures, the learners in the group
must decide on the original sequence and reconstruct the story.
There are two levels of language in this activity. The first is the language
needed for description and narration. The teacher can exercise some controls at
this level, through the content of the pictures she selected. The second level is the
language needed for discussion. Besides that, the writer prepared the pictures and
arranged the students seats into five groups.
b. Action
In this phase, the writer conducted the teaching learning process in the
third cycle to get a better result that was significant in improving students
speaking ability by using information gap activities. There were three meetings in
this cycle, including post test. They are:
1) First Meeting
Day/Date : Wednesday, May 5th, 2010
Topic : Fairy Tales
(1) Building Knowledge of Text (BKOF) and Modeling of Text (MOT)

Before the writer gave the material, she gave warming up to the students
about the material. Then, the writer asked the students to work in group of five. In
order to save the time, the writer managed them to make a group with the partner
who sat behind or beside them. There were ten groups in the class and each group
consists of four students. Then, the writer gave a picture to each student in the
group.
In this phase, the students worked in group. They reconstructed the

pictures into a correct sequence. After that, they discussed about the pictures and
created a story without writing it. The writer gave 10 minutes to reconstruct the
script and then she gave 20 minutes to create a story based on the pictures that
they have reconstructed. The writer helped students if they found some difficulties
during this activity.

After 20 minutes discussing in their groups to create a story based on the
pictures, the writer asked them to stop discussing and called two members of each
group to perform their story in front of the class. The writer choose the students to
perform randomly.
2) Second Meeting
Topic : Making a Tour
(1) Modeling of Text (MOT) and Join Construction of Text (JCOT)
The writer told the class that she had two kinds of paper. The first paper is
the list of some interesting places where people usually go for vacation. The other
paper is the list of things. Then, she asked the students to work in pair and she
gave a paper consists of the name of interesting places to student in each partner
and the other is given the paper with the list of things. The writer reminded the
students that they may not see the others paper.
Then, the writer told them that they have to work with their partner to
decide some places to go for vacation and also decided what they should bring
when they go to that place. In order to help the students to understand how to do
this activity, the writer asked a student who have a good ability in English to come
forward and perform this activity with the writer in front of the class. The writer
gave 25 minutes to do this activity.

After 25 minutes practicing with their partner, the writer gave chance for
10 partners to perform in front of the class. The students were very enthusiastic.
All of them wanted to perform, however, because of limited time, there were only
20 students (10 partners) performed.
3) Third Meeting
Day/Date : Monday, May 17th, 2010
Topic : The Beauty of Indonesia

In this time, the writer gave warming up to the students and she asked the
students about the last activity. She told them that the test will be the same as the
last activity but the topic is different.
Then, the writer asked students to find their partner and she gave a student
in each partner a paper consisting of 10 provinces in Indonesia, while the other is
given a paper consists of 20 things that might be found in those provinces. Then,
the writer told them that they have to work with their partner to decide things that
might be found in each province. They had to speak, discuss and argue their ideas
to decide what things might be found in each province.

The writer gave 20 minutes for students to practice with their partner. It
was not too difficult for them to understand how to do this activity, because they
had done this activity before.

In this phase, the writer called students names two by two. She selected
the name randomly. Then, she gave them two papers as the papers that had been
given to them before. It is in order to avoid students from cheating. The writer
also invited the English teacher to assess students performances. The test ran for
45 minutes.
3. Observation
As it was explained in the previous section, observation was done to get
the data from the students progresses during their activities when teaching
learning process occurred. It was expected that the result in the third cycle would
be better than what had been achieved in the second cycle.
The students responses in cycle 3 were very good. They were very
enthusiastic to follow the teaching learning process. The students looked braver
and more confident to speak English. They competed to be volunteers when the
writer asked them to speak or answer the questions. When the writer gave
worksheet, the students were full of concentration, so the material given could be
learnt optimally.
4. Reflection
Based on the result of the observation, the writer evaluated the students
speaking ability as well as the action procedures of teaching learning process that
she has conducted. The result implied that the students got a significant progress
in their speaking ability when they were taught using information gap activities.
They were braver, more confident, easier to understand English speaking, and
easier to use grammatical rules and vocabulary items that they have possessed to
speak English fluently and correctly. In addition, now they are able to use
language for communication, especially for speaking. When the writer met the
students outside the class, she invited them to speak English with her, and they
were able to respond fluently and correctly, although sometimes some students
still make a few mistakes, such as in using correct tenses. However, the writer has
reached the goal that is the students are able to use English as a means of
communication. To know the progress of studentsspeaking ability after
conducting the research for 3 cycles or nine meetings, the writer displayed
students progress on their pre-test and post test.
2. The Improvement of Students Speaking Achievements
To know whether the teaching speaking using information gap activities
was successful or not and whether the scores were significantly increased or not to
the students of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat, the writer described the result of
pre-test and post-test. By this result the writer wanted to know the result of
teaching action to the students in pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency
and comprehension. The writer used quantitative descriptive technique to analyze
the data.
In order to categorize and interpret the achievement of students in pre-test
and post-test, the writer used the categorization of absolute grading30 as follow:
A = Outstanding. Student has mastered all of the courses major and

minor instructional goals.
B = Very Good. Student has mastered all of the courses major
instructional goals and most of the minor ones.
C = Satisfactory. Student has mastered most of the courses major
instructional goals but just a few of the minor ones.
D = Very Weak. Student has mastered just a few of the courses major
and minor instructional goals and barely has the essentials needed
for the next highest level of instruction. Remedial work would be
desirable.
E = Unsatisfactory. Student has not mastered any of the courses major
instructional goals and lacks the essentials needed for the next
highest level of instruction. Remedial work is needed.
The writer describes students scores in pre-test and post-test in the table
below:
30
. Robert L. Linn and Norman E. Gronlund, Measurement and Assessment in Teaching,
(New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1995), p.349
Table 4.3
The Scores of Speaking Pre-test
Student Comp Fluency Grammar Voc. Pronunciation Total Score

1 65 70 60 65 60 320 64
2 60 60 55 60 65 300 60
3 55 60 55 60 60 290 58
4 65 65 60 60 65 315 63
5 60 60 55 60 55 290 58
6 65 70 70 65 70 340 68
7 65 70 70 60 65 330 66
8 60 65 60 65 60 310 62
9 60 65 55 60 55 295 59
10 60 65 65 60 60 310 62
11 55 60 50 60 60 285 57
12 70 70 70 75 70 355 71
13 60 60 60 65 70 315 63
14 55 60 60 65 60 300 60
15 60 60 50 60 60 290 58
16 60 65 70 60 65 320 64
17 60 60 50 60 65 295 59
18 65 60 50 60 65 300 60
19 65 70 70 75 75 355 71
20 65 60 65 65 60 315 63
21 60 65 55 65 60 305 61
22 70 65 60 70 70 335 67
23 70 70 65 70 70 345 69
24 70 65 65 70 70 340 68
25 60 60 55 65 60 300 60
26 60 60 55 60 60 295 59
27 60 60 50 60 60 290 58
28 70 70 60 70 70 340 68
29 60 60 65 60 65 310 62
30 60 65 65 60 65 315 63
31 60 65 50 60 65 300 60
32 70 60 55 70 60 315 63
33 60 60 65 65 65 315 63
34 70 65 65 70 65 335 67
35 70 65 60 75 70 340 68
36 60 60 50 60 65 295 59
37 55 60 50 60 65 290 58
38 60 65 60 65 65 315 63
39 65 60 55 65 65 310 62
40 60 65 60 65 60 310 62
Based on the table above, the writer concluded the lowest score of pre-test
is 57 and the highest score of pre-test is 71.
The average of students scores of pre-test is:
Pre-test (X) = 2506
Mean31 =X
N
= 2506
40
= 62. 6
Based on the absolute grading, it is categorized as satisfactory; students
have mastered most of the courses major instructional goals but just a few of the
minor ones. It means that the students almost able to achieve the goal in learning
speaking that is to use it for communication, however their ability in using the
elements of speaking described in the previous chapter is weak.
After conducting the research and teaching speaking using information gap
activities at X grade students of SMA Triguna Utama for seven meetings, the
writer conducted the post-test in order to know students achievements after they
are taught using information gap activities. The students scores are:
31
J. Supranto, Statistik: Teori dan Aplikasi, (Jakarta: Erlangga, 2000), p. 35.
Table 4.4
The Scores of Speaking Post-test
Student Comp Fluency Grammar Voc. Pron. Total Score

1 70 85 80 80 85 400 80
2 75 80 80 80 70 385 77
3 60 65 60 65 65 315 63
4 65 70 65 75 70 345 69
5 60 65 60 70 65 320 64
6 70 75 70 65 70 350 70
7 65 70 70 75 75 355 71
8 70 75 75 80 70 370 74
9 65 70 65 75 70 345 69
10 60 65 65 70 70 330 66
11 50 65 60 70 65 310 62
12 75 80 80 80 85 400 80
13 70 65 70 65 70 340 68
14 65 70 65 75 70 345 69
15 60 65 65 70 65 325 65
16 70 75 80 85 70 380 76
17 70 70 70 75 70 355 71
18 50 60 60 70 65 305 61
19 70 75 75 70 70 360 72
20 70 70 70 75 70 355 71
21 70 75 70 70 70 355 71
22 80 80 75 75 80 390 78
23 75 80 75 75 70 375 75
24 70 70 70 70 70 350 70
25 60 65 55 65 60 305 61
26 60 65 65 70 60 320 64
27 60 60 60 65 60 305 61
28 70 70 70 75 75 360 72
29 80 80 80 80 85 405 81
30 60 65 65 70 65 325 65
31 70 75 65 70 70 350 70
32 70 70 75 70 70 355 71
33 70 70 60 75 65 340 68
34 65 70 65 70 70 340 68
35 70 70 75 70 70 355 71
36 75 70 80 75 70 370 74
37 65 70 65 70 60 330 65
38 60 70 60 70 65 325 65
39 65 70 70 75 75 355 71
40 65 65 70 70 70 340 68
Based on the table above, the writer concluded the lowest score of post-
test is 61 and the highest score is 81 which indicated that the post-test scores is
higher than the pre-test score.
The average of students scores of pre-test is:
Post-test (Y) = 2782
Mean32 =Y
N
= 2782
40
= 70. 9
Based on the absolute grading, it is categorized as very good; students

have mastered all of the courses major instructional goals and most of the minor
ones. It means that students have achieved the goal of learning speaking that is to
use it for communication and they have also been able to use the elements of
speaking described in the previous chapter, although sometimes they still use it
incorrectly.
The improvement of the average of students scores in pre-test and post-test is:
Y - X = 70. 9 62. 6 = 8. 2
32
J. Supranto, Statistik: Teori dan Aplikasi, (Jakarta: Erlangga, 2000), p. 35.
In order to classify the improvement of students scores in pre-test and
post-test, the writer quoted standard of mark by using standard of six by
Norman Gronlund mentioned below:
Table 4.5
Standard of Six by Gronlund
Mark Classification
>9 Very good
8 Good
7 More than enough
6 Enough
5 Bad
4 Very bad
To know the improvement of students speaking pre-test and post-test, the

writer presents the data of the comparison between students score in pre-test and
post-test in the table below:
Table 4.6
The Comparison Scores of Pre-test and Post-test
Student Pre-test score Post-test score Improvement

(X) (Y) (Y-X)
1 64 80 16
2 60 77 17
3 58 63 5
4 63 69 6
5 58 64 6
6 68 70 2
7 66 71 5
8 62 74 12
9 59 69 10
10 62 66 4
11 57 62 5
12 71 80 9
13 63 68 5
14 60 69 9
15 58 65 7
16 64 76 12
17 59 71 12
18 60 61 1
19 71 72 1
20 63 71 8
21 61 71 10
22 67 78 11
23 69 75 6
24 68 70 2
25 60 61 1
26 59 64 5
27 58 61 3
28 68 72 4
29 62 81 19
30 63 65 2
31 60 70 10
32 63 71 8
33 63 68 5
34 67 68 1
35 68 71 3
36 59 74 15
37 58 65 7
38 63 65 2
39 62 71 9
40 62 68 6
The table above shows that the average score of pre-test is 62,6. In post-
test, the average score is 70,9. The improvement result of the implementation is
8,2. So, there is a significant improvement of students achievements in speaking.
According to Gronluds standard of six, it was classified into good. It means that
information gap activities is effective to be used in teaching speaking to X grade
students of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat.
3. Students Responses on the Implementation of Teaching Speaking by
Using Information Gap Activities
After the teaching action had been implemented, the writer gave
questioner to the students. The questioner was given at the end of meeting after
school time, in order that it will not disturb the teaching learning process. The
writer took ten samples of students to answer the questioner. The questioner is
about their feeling during English lesson and their responses toward the
implementation of information gap activities in teaching speaking at X grade of
SMA Triguna Utama.
1) The process of English learning in SMA Triguna Utama.

It showed that 5 students like the process of English learning and the
others stated that they like it but it is difficult to understand. For some students,
English learning is interesting but difficult to understand. So, we should use new
method in order to help them better in English lesson.
2) The method in teaching English speaking used by their English teacher.

According to 10 students it is known that the method of English teaching
used by the English teacher of X grade of SMA Triguna Utama is by asking
students to memorize the material she has given to them, without engaging
students in the activity that will motivate them to apply what they have learnt
using their own ways. The teacher should use new method to teach English in
order that the students will be more active and able to improve their
communicative competences.
3). Students opinions about the method used by their English teacher in teaching
speaking.
Most students like speaking lesson, but they need a more creative and
communicative activities to motivate them to speak English.. The English teacher
should engage students in more active activities, so that they can express their
ideas or opinions orally.
4) Favorite things in speaking lesson.
According to 10 students, their favorite things in speaking lesson are
practice and perform the dialogue with their friends in front of the class. It showed
that the students want to be active in teaching and learning process, so that they
can express their ideas or opinions. Therefore, we should give more attractive
activity to facilitate them to speak English
5) Students problems in Speaking Lesson.

Most of students said that their problems in speaking lesson are bored to
memorize the dialogue. It showed that the students do not like monotonous
activity, such as memorization and they do not brave to express their ideas or
opinions.
6) Students ability in speaking English for communication before they are taught
using information gap activities.
Students opinions showed that most students have difficulty in speaking
because they do not know how to say their ideas in English, because they have
used to memorize the dialogue. The teacher should give them more opportunity to
express their ideas in English.
7) Students opinions about learning speaking using information gap activities.

According to 10 students, they like and enjoy to learn speaking using
information gap activities because it has various of interesting activities.
8) Favorite things in speaking class using information gap activities

According to 10 students, the favorite things in speaking class using
information gap activities are speaking with their partner without memorizing, so
it forces them to use language elements that they have possessed to express their
ideas.
The statements above showed that the students like this method, they
become more confident, more enjoy, more active and easier to understand, and
they also like to cooperate and speak without memorization
9) Problem in speaking lesson when students are taught using information gap
activities.
At first, the students have some difficulties to express their opinions
without memorizing, however after they have accustomed to the activity, they
found that information gap activities are interesting.
10) Students ability in speaking English after they are taught using information
activities.
Most students said that their ability are improved after they are taught
using information gap activities. They are braver and more confident to speak
English.
Most students said that they love this technique. They could easily learn
English speaking. The students admitted that their speaking ability is improved.
The students could speak up confidently in front of the class. For those reasons,
the students could be more familiar with speaking activity.
The students also admitted that they were not bored during the teaching
learning process. The students looked braver and more confident to speak and
express their feelings orally in English. They became active and full of
concentration in the classroom during the lesson. They are motivated to practice
and try to speak English.
B. Interpretation of Data
1. Data of Observation
Based on the observation conducted by the writer, it is known that the

English teacher teaches speaking by giving a dialogue to the students, then she
asks them to memorize and perform it in front of the class without asking them to
make a more communicative dialogue on their own ways or facilitating them with
a communicative activity to motivate them to speak.
This teaching strategy causes many problems. First, the students are lack
of vocabulary which causes them unmotivated and afraid to speak English.
Second, the students do not used to speak English in the classroom, while the
most comfortable place for them to speak English is in the classroom. Third, the
students are very noisy because they are not interested with the activity given by
their teacher and it causes the teacher difficult to manage the classroom condition.
However, after the students are taught using information gap activities,
they can be active and participate fully in the teaching learning process. It because
they are interested with the activity given to them, and an interesting activity can
motivate them to be active in the teaching learning process.
2. Data of Interviews
The data of interviews with the English teacher and the students of X
grade of SMA Triguna Utama show that the teacher and the students have some
problems in teaching and learning English speaking. First, the teacher has a
problem to get students attentions and participations, and she thought that the
reason was that they are not motivated to speak English. Getting students
attentions and participations for more than one hour, especially in a large class of
40 students is a hard job if we do not give them an interesting, creative and
innovative activity. If a teacher only uses a kind of activity in every meeting, it
will make students feel bored. Therefore, an English teacher has to use different
activities in teaching speaking to make students interested and enjoy the teaching
learning process. If the students enjoy the teaching learning process, they will pay
attention and participate actively in the teaching and learning process.
Second, the English teacher has a problem to handle some passive students
who do not participate in the class, while other students are very active that they
always talk or play with their friends while teaching learning process is going on.
Therefore, we have to motivate passive students to be active students by giving
them an interesting activity that allows and forces them to be active to speak
English with their friends at first, and later it will motivate them to speak in front
of the class. The very active students will also be motivated to participate in an
activity that involved them actively in an interesting activity. The active student
will participate actively if they are involved actively in an interesting activity that
allows them to use their creativity in using language.
The third problem is that the students are rarely involved in a
communicative activity, so it causes them difficult to communicate when they are
involved in communication. They can not express their ideas in English because
they used to memorize the material given by their teacher, sometimes without
knowing the meaning of the conversation that they have memorized. Therefore,
the writer tries to use an interesting and communicative activity in teaching
speaking, so that the learner will be motivated to use language they have learned
for communication. Therefore, the writer decided to implement information gap
activities in teaching speaking at X grade students of SMA Triguna Utama.
3. The Implementation of Information Gap Activities to Improve Students

Speaking Ability.
There were the problems faced by X grade students of SMA Triguna

Utama Ciputat in speaking. First, the students had limited vocabulary items and
understanding to speak English because they seldom or even never engaged in
communicative activities to improve their speaking skills. If they only memorize
the dialogue and never apply their knowledge of language elements for
communication, it will cause a problem when they involved in a real
communication. It can cause miscommunication and low confident. The students
speaking ability were low. It could be proven by the students average score in
pre-test that was 62. 6. Therefore, the writer decided to use information gap
activities with various interesting activities that can make the students enjoy the
teaching and learning process and motivate them to speak English.
In the implementation of information gap activities in teaching speaking at
X grade of SMA Triguna Utama, the writer chose some kinds of information gap
activities which are suitable to be implemented to the student of X grade of senior
high school. At first, the students looked confuse and afraid to speak English
spontaneously, however, after they had engaged in some interesting and
communicative activities for nine meetings, they looked braver and more
motivated to speak English even in real communication when they meet the writer
outside the class.
4. Students Achievements in the Tests
After the problems were analyzed, the writer decided to use information
gap activities to overcome the problems. The use of information gap activities can
improve students speaking ability. Then classroom action research was held. The
writer has conducted three cycles. The problems found in cycle 1 have been
solved in cycle 2 and 3. Each cycle consists of three meetings. After cycle 3 was
conducted, the writer conducted a post-test. It aims to know the students
improvement. The average of pre-test score before the treatment was 62. 6.
Whereas the average score after the treatment in cycle 3 is 70. 9 and the
improvement result of the implementation is 8. 2. It shows that teaching speaking
using information gap activities can improve students speaking ability
significantly.
5. Students Responses on the Implementation of Information Gap Activities
in Teaching Speaking
The students admitted that they loved this technique. They do not feel
bored and more enthusiastic to follow the teaching learning process. The students
looked braver and more confident to speak and express their feelings, thoughts or
ideas. They also admitted that they become active and full of concentration in the
classroom. They are also motivated to speak English. Considering the explanation
above, the writer concluded that the research is successful and the technique of
information gap activities can improve the students speaking ability at X grade of
SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat. The improvement of students speaking ability can
be supported by the improvement of students scores. The result of the pre-test
and post-test showed a significant improvement. The use of information gap
activities in teaching speaking can overcome the research problem that is how to
motivate the students of X grade of SMA Triguna Utama to speak English so that
it will improve their communicative competences in speaking. The students also
have a positive response to the implementation of teaching speaking using
information gap activities. The students speaking ability can be improved trough
information gap activities, because in information gap activities they can share
information, which will force them to say comprehensible language for their
friend/s. If they get difficulty to arrange the sentences, lack of vocabulary items
and low confidence, in information gap activities they can reduce those problems.
They can help each other. They can be motivated, more enjoy and easier in
learning English speaking.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
A. Conclusion
The result of this research shows that the use of information gap activities
in teaching speaking can overcome the students problems effectively. The
conclusions drawn from the result of research as follows:
1. The observation and interview conducted by the writer during the

implementation of information gap activities in teaching speaking at X grade of
SMA Triguna Utama show that the students are motivated and interested to
participate actively in information gap activity, because this activity can
facilitate them to speak with their friends and then it also makes them brave to
speak in front of the class and even outside the class.
2. By implementing information gap activities in teaching speaking, the students
have chance to be active and cooperative in speaking activity. Information gap
technique has various activities that can be effective to teach students in a big
class. Finally, the students speaking ability of X grade of SMA Triguna Utama
Ciputat is improved.
3. The improvement of students speaking ability can be seen in the improvement
of their achievements in pre-test and post-test. The result of pre-test and post-
test showed a significant improvement. The average of pre-test score is 62, 2,
and average of post-test score is 70, 8. It showed that teaching speaking using
61
information gap activities is effective.Thus, it can be said that the teaching
English speaking by using information gap is successful.
4. The students responses are positive. They do not feel bored, but more
enthusiastic to follow the teaching learning process. The students look braver
and more confident to speak, easier to understand and to express their thoughts
and ideas. They also admitted that they become active, enjoy, and full of
concentration in the classroom.
B. Suggestion
Having concluded the result of research, the writer would like to propose
some suggestions that hopefully will be useful for the students, and other English
teachers or researchers.
1. For the students
Being aware that speaking is important in English communication, the
students should try or practice to speak individually, in pair or in group, both
inside and outside the classroom.
2. For the teacher

The teacher should learn and be creative to find the way of how to teach
speaking using effective method, one of them is by using information gap
activities. The teacher must also give some motivations and explanations about
the importance of speaking in English communication or universal
communication.
3. For the researcher

The result of the study can be used as an additional reference or further
research with different discussion.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Indonesia, Jakarta: ErlanggaAngkasa, 1988.
Brown, Gillian and George Yule. Teaching the Spoken Language, Cambridge:
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Brown, H. Douglas. Principles in Language Learning and Teaching, New York:

Pearson Education, 2000.
Cameron, Lynne. Teaching Language to Young Learners, Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press, 2001.
Folse, Keith S. The Art of Teaching Speaking, Michigan: The University of

Michigan Press, 2006.
Harmer, Jeremy. How to Teach English, Harlow: Pearson education limited, 2007.
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Education Limited, 2001.
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Education, 2004.
Appendix 1
LESSON PLAN 1
Theme : Asking and Giving Explanation

Subtheme : My lovely home
Time : 2x40 minutes
A. Objectives
1. Terminal objectives
Students are able to use the expressions of asking and giving explanation in
daily speaking.
2. Enabling objectives
- Students are able to describe something correctly
- Students are able to practice speaking English with their partner
- Students are able to speak English in front of the class
B. Materials, sources and teaching aids

1. Material : Asking and giving explanation
2. Sources : The Art in Teaching Speaking
3. Teaching aids : Pictures and hand out.
C. Teaching procedures
1. Opening (15 minutes)
- Teacher greets and asks students conditions
- Teacher introduces new material by giving example of dialogue and
related vocabulary items.
2. Core learning (55 minutes)
- Teacher gives the example the activity
- Students practice with their partners
- Students perform in front of the class
3. Closing (10 minutes)
- Teacher gives feedback
- Teacher summarizes the material with students
65
LESSON PLAN 2
Theme : Asking and Giving Direction

Time : 2x40 minutes
A. Objectives
Students are able to use the expressions of asking and giving direction in
daily speaking.
- Students are able to ask and give direction correctly
- Students are able to practice to give direction to their partners

1. Material : Asking and giving direction
2. Sources : Lanternfish ESL.com
3. Teaching aids : City map and hand out.
- Teacher introduces new material by giving example of dialogue and
related vocabulary items.
- Teacher asks students to make a dialogue about asking and giving
direction based on the map given to them in pair
- Teacher checks students works
- Students practice the dialogue with their partners
LESSON PLAN 3
Theme : Unforgettable experience

Time : 2x40 minutes
A. Objectives
Students are able to tell the past activities correctly.
- Students are able to tell their experiences
- Students are able to practice English speaking with their partners
- Students are able to retell their partners experiences to the whole class

1. Material : Telling your experience
2. Sources : New Interchange
3. Teaching aids : Hand out.
1. Opening ( 20 minutes)
- Teacher introduces new material by telling her experience and
explaining the rule to tell the activities happened in the past.
- Students practice to tell their experiences to their partners
- Students retell his/her partners experiences to the whole class.
LESSON PLAN 4
Theme : Travelling
Time : 2x40 minutes
A. Objectives
Students are able to describe place or thing correctly.
2 Enabling objectives
- Students are able to describe a picture to make other students understand.
- Students are able to practice English speaking with their partners

1. Material : Travelling
2. Sources : New Ways in Teaching Speaking
3. Teaching aids : Picture and hand out.
- Teacher introduces new material by describing an interesting place
(Toba Lake) and together with students concluding how to describe
something.
- Teacher gives 5 pictures to each student.
- Teacher performs the activity in front of the class with a student.
2. Core learning ( 50 minutes)
- Students practice with their partners.
- Students perform in front of the class with their partners.
LESSON PLAN 5
Theme : Describing shapes
Time : 2x40 minutes
A. Objectives
Students are able to use the correct vocabulary to describe shapes for
learning or daily speaking.
- Students are able to describe shapes correctly
- Students are able to do the activity to memorize some shapes with their
partners
- Students are able to perform in front of the class

1. Material : Shapes
3. Teaching aids : Pictures
- Teacher introduces new material by giving some vocabulary items of
shapes
- Teacher performs the activity in front of the class with a student.
- Students practice to describe and draw correct shapes with their
partners
LESSON PLAN 6
Theme : Naming noun categories

Day/Date : Monday, May 3rd, 2010
Time : 2x40 minutes
A. Objectives
Students are able to describe something correctly.
- Students are able to describe something correctly, so that their friends can
guess the thing s/he has described.
- Students are able to guess something that their friends have described.

1. Material : Shapes
- Teacher introduces new material by describing something and asks
students to guess
- Students try to describe the pictures they held to their friends in group
of four and they correct their works each other.
- Students describe their pictures to the whole class, and let other groups
to guess
- Teacher summarizes the material.
LESSON PLAN 7
Theme : Fairy tales

Time : 2x40 minutes
A. Objectives
Students are able to tell a narrative story based on the picture correctly.
- Students are able to tell a story in English.
- Students are able to speak and argue with their friends in group

1. Material : Telling story
2. Sources : New Interchange
1. Opening (20 Minutes)
- Teacher introduces new material by asking students about their favorite
stories when they were child.
- Teacher asks students to work in group of four, each student is given a
picture and they have to arrange all pictures in a sequence
- Students speak, argue and discuss to create a story based on the pictures.
- Students tell the story to the whole class, and other groups comment their
story.
3. Closing (10 Minutes)
- Teacher summarizes the material.
LESSON PLAN 8
Theme : Making a tour

Time : 2x40 minutes
A. Objectives
Students are able to discuss in order to solve some problems in daily
speaking
- Students are able to discuss in English with their friends.
- Students are able to argue and state their ideas
- Students are able to tell their decisions in front of the class

1. Material : Making a tour
2. Sources : The Art in Teaching Speaking
3. Teaching aids : List of places and things
- Teacher introduces new material by giving a conversation and some
vocabulary items needed by students on discussion.
- Teacher asks students to work in pair, student A gets a list of places and
student B gets a list of things.
2. Core learning ( 50 minutes)
- Students have to discuss what should they bring when they go to a
certain place in the list, they may not see each others list.
- Students perform in front of the class, the teacher points out the place
and they have to converse to discuss it.
INSTRUMENT OF POST-TEST
In this post test, the researcher asked students to work in pair and she gave
a student in each partner a paper consisting of 10 provinces in Indonesia, while the
other is given a paper consisting of 20 things that might be found in that province.
They may not see others paper.
Then, the researcher told them that they have to work with their partner to
decide things that might be found in each province. They had to speak, discuss
and argue their ideas to decide what things might be found in each province.
When they are ready, they perform what they have discussed in front of the class,
however the teacher pointed out the province in student As paper.
The aspects that will be assessed by the researcher are: comprehension,
fluency, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation.
Student As paper Student Bs paper

1. Central Java 1. Rock Mountain
2. Irian Jaya 2. Famous lake
3. North Sumatra 3. Temple
4. Jakarta 4. Snow
5. West Java 5. Beach
6. South Kalimantan 6. Backwoodsmen
7. Bali 7. Wildlife
Reservation
8. South Sulawesi 8. Rain forest
9. West Sumatra 9. Monument
10. Lampung 10. Palace
11. Oil industry
12. Gas industry
13. Mountain
14. Railway track
15. Toll road
16. Plantation
17. Water pollution
18. High building
19. Hill
20. Traditional house
Appendix 4
KUESIONER
Penelitian Tindakan Kelas tentang Peningkatan Kemampuan Speaking
Siswa dengan Menggunakan Information Gap Activities di Kelas X SMA
Triguna Utama Ciputat
Petunjuk pengisian kuesioner
a. Bacalah dengan seksama setiap pertanyaan di bawah ini
b. Tidak ada jawaban yang bernilai benar atau salah, tetapi yang ada merupakan
pendapat atau kondisi yang saudara/i rasakan
c. Kerjakan setiap nomor, jangan sampai ada yang terlewatkan.
d. Yang dimaksud dengan metode information gap adalah cara yang digunakan
oleh peneliti dalam mengajar bahasa Inggris di SMA Triguna Utama.
Pertanyaan:
1. Bagaimanakah menurut anda Proses pembelajaran bahasa Inggris selama
anda belajar di SMA Triguna Utama?
2. Bagaimanakah cara yang digunakan oleh guru bahasa Inggris anda dalam
mengajar speaking di kelas?
3. Bagaimanakah pendapat anda tentang belajar bahasa Inggris dengan cara
mengajar tersebut?
4. Apakah kegiatan yang paling anda sukai dalam kelas speaking?
5. Apakah masalah yang anda hadapi dalam belajar untuk berbicara bahasa
Inggris selama belajar dengan guru bahasa Inggris anda ?
6. Bagaimanakah kemampuan anda dalam berbicara bahasa Inggris sebelum
anda belajar dengan metode information gap?
7. Bagaimanakah menurut anda belajar bahasa Inggris dengan metode
information gap?
8. Apakah yang paling anda sukai dari belajar bahasa Inggris dengan metode
information gap?
9. Apakah masalah yang anda hadapi dalam belajar bahasa Inggris dengan
metode information gap?
10. Bagaimanakah kemampuan anda dalam berbicara bahasa Inggris
(mengungkapkan pikiran tanpa harus dihapal terlebih dahulu) setelah anda
belajar dengan metode information gap?
JAWABAN KUESIONER
1. Bagaimanakah menurut anda Proses pembelajaran bahasa Inggris di SMA
Triguna Utama?
Student 1: Saya cukup merasa senang
Student 2: Rasanya menyenangkan tapi juga susah
Student 3: Mengasyikkan, gurunya baik
Student 4: Cukup menarik
Student 5: Menyenangkan tapi kadang susah
Student 6: Menyenangkan tapi kadang membosankan
Student 7: Kadang menyenangkan kadang tidak
Student 8: Menyenangkan, gurunya ramah
Student 9: Menyenangkan tapi kadang susah
Student 10: Mengasyikkan
2. Bagaimanakah cara yang digunakan oleh guru bahasa Inggris anda dalam
mengajar speaking di kelas?
Student 1 : Diberi hapalan
Student 2 : Menerangkan kemudian menghapal
Student 3 : Memberikan percakapan kemudian tampil di depan kelas
Student 4: Memberikan materi untuk dihapal, kemudian siswa maju ke
depan kelas.
Student 5 : Caranya menyenangkan
Student6 :Menjelaskan, terus memberi tugas menghapal atau
membuatcerita
Student 7: Mempraktekkan ke depan kelas
Student 8 : Memberikan materi, setelah itu mempraktekkan ke depan
kelas
Student 9: Mempraktekkan materi yang diberikann di depan kelas dengan
teman
Student 10: Mengajarnya mudah dipahami
3. Bagaimanakah pendapat anda tentang belajar bahasa Inggris dengan cara

mengajar tersebut?
Student 1: Senang, tapi takut kalau maju ke depan
Student 2: Kadang menyenangkan, kadang menyebalkan
Student 3: Menarik, tapi susah menghapalnya
Student 4: Baik
Student 5: Cukup menarik
Student 6: Senang
Student 7: Biasa saja
Student 8: Senang
Student 9: Enak dan tidak enak
Student 10: Cukup senang
4. Apakah kegiatan yang paling anda sukai dalam kelas speaking?

Student 1: Menghapal
Student 2: Saat dialog
Student 3: Berdialog dengan teman
Student 4: Speaking di depan kelas setelah menghapal materi yang
diberikan
Student 5: Berbicara dengan bahasa Inggris
Student 6: Conversation
Student 7: Membuat cerita
Student 8: Percakapan
Student 9: Dialog
Student 10: Maju di depan kelas dengan teman
5. Apakah masalah yang anda hadapi dalam belajar untuk berbicara bahasa
Inggris selama belajar dengan guru bahasa Inggris anda ?
Student 1: Menghafalkan
Student 2: Sulit untuk mengubah dari bahasa Inggris ke bahasa
Indonesia
Student 3: Saat berbicara ke depan kelas
Student 4: Kalau disuruh maju
Student 5: Bila harus menghafal
Student 6: Mengartikan
Student 7: Sulit membuat kalimat
Student 8: Menghafal
Student 9: Mencari arti
Student 10: Tidak ada
6. Bagaimanakah kemampuan anda dalam berbicara bahasa Inggris sebelum

anda belajar dengan metode information gap?
Student 1: Bingung dikit
Student 2: Lumayan
Student 3: Agak susah
Student 4:Bingung mau bicara apa
Student 5: Cukup sulit
Student 6: Kurang sekali
Student 7: Belum terlalu bisa
Student 8: Sangat kurang, karena sulit mecari kata-kata untuk bicara
Student 9: Kurang percaya diri
Student 10: Kurang, karena saya harus menghapal terlebih dahulu
7. Bagaimanakah menurut anda belajar bahasa Inggris dengan metode

information gap?
Student 1: Senang, karena bisa belajar bersama
Student 2: Mudah untuk diikuti
Student 3: Asyik dan menyenangkan
Student 4: Sangat senang dan tidak membosankan
Student 5: Kegiatannya menyenangkan
Student 6: Cukup menyenangkan dan mengasyikkan
Student 7: Pertamanya bingung, tapi lama-lama mengerti
Student 8: Santai tapi serius
Student 9: Menarik karena sering diajak menggunakan bahasa Inggris
Student 10: Mengasyikkan karena kegiatannya berbeda-beda
8. Apakah yang paling anda sukai dari belajar bahasa Inggris dengan metode
information gap?
Student 1: Kita bisa tukar peandapat dengan teman
Student 2: Bisa berinteraksi dengan teman
Student 3: Kita bisa mudah memahami
Student 4: Belajar bersama dan mencari vocabulary
Student 5: Bercerita dengan gambar
Student 6: Menambah vocabulary dan lebih percaya diri
Student 7: Mudah dipahami
Student 8: Dapat berlatih berbicara, bisa dipahami
Student 9: Speaking tanpa menghapal
Student 10: Ketika diberi kertas latihan, dan disuruh membuat
conversation
9. Apakah masalah yang anda hadapi dalam belajar bahasa Inggris dengan
metode information gap?
Student 3: Sepertinya tidak ada
Student 7: Saat guru berbicara terlalu cepat dalam bahasa Inggris
10. Bagaimanakah kemampuan anda dalam berbicara bahasa Inggris

(mengungkapkan pikiran tanpa harus dihapal terlebih dahulu) setelah anda
belajar dengan metode information gap?
Student 1: Lebih baik
96berbicara bahasa Inggris
Student 2: Semakin berani untuk
Student 3: Baik
Student 4: Semakin baik dan lancar
Student 5: Sudah sangat lumayan
Student 6: Memuaskan
Student 7: Baik
Student 8: Lebih baik
Student 9: Baik
Student 10: Lebih baik dari sebelumnya
Appendix 5
Standar Kompetensi dan Kompetensi Dasar

Kelas X Semester 1
Standar Kompetensi Kompetensi Dasar
Berbicara 3.1. Mengungkapkan makna dalam percakapan

3. Mengungkapkan transaksional (to get things done) dan interpersonal
makna dalam (bersosialisasi) resmi dan tak resmi secara akurat,
percakapan lancar dan berterima dengan menggunakan ragam
transaksional dan bahasa lisan sederhana dalam konteks kehidupan
interpersonal sehari-hari dan melibatkan tindak tutur:
dalam konteks berkenalan, bertemu/berpisah, menyetujui
kehidupan sehari- ajakan/tawaran/ undangan, menerima janji, dan
hari. membatalkan janji
3.2. Mengungkapkan makna dalam percakapan

transaksional (to get things done) dan interpersonal
(bersosialisasi) resmi dan tak resmi secara akurat,
lancar dan berterima dengan menggunakan ragam
bahasa lisan sederhana dalam konteks kehidupan
sehari-hari dan melibatkan tindak tutur:
mengungkapkan perasaan bahagia, menunjukkan
perhatian, menunjukkan simpati, dan memberi
instruksi
4. Mengungkapkan 4.1. Mengungkapkan makna dalam bentuk teks

makna dalam teks fungsional pendek (misalnya pengumuman, iklan,
fungsional pendek undangan dll.) resmi dan tak resmi dengan
dan monolog menggunakan ragam bahasa lisan dalam berbagai
berbentuk recount, konteks kehidupan sehari-hari.
narrative dan
procedure
4.2 Mengungkapkan makna dalam teks monolog
sederhana dalam
sederhana dengan menggunakan ragam bahasa
konteks kehidupan
lisan secara akurat, lancar dan berterima dalam
sehari-hari
berbagai konteks kehidupan sehari-hari dalam teks
berbentuk: recount, narrative, dan procedure
84

Improving Students' Speaking Ability Using Information Gap Activities

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Improving Students' Speaking Ability Using Information Gap Activities

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IMPROVING STUDENTS SPEAKING ABILITY USING

INFORMATION GAP ACTIVITIES

(A Classroom Action Research at X Grade of SMA Triguna Utama Ciputat)

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT