J-SHELVES OF INDRAGIRI (JSI) VOL.4. NO.1.

NOVEMBER 2022
E-ISSN. 2721-205X

THE INFLUENCE OF ROLE PLAY TECHNIQUE TOWARDS

STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL ON NARRATIVE TEXT
AT NINTH GRADE OF SMP NEGERI 1 TEMBILAHAN HULU

Bella Azelina Pratiwi1, Edi Ardian2, Sri Erma Purwanti3

Universitas Islam Indragiri - Tembilahan Riau1,2,3
Email: [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of role-play techniques on
students' English-speaking skills using narrative texts. The research method used is the
experimental method. In collecting data using a questionnaire and a test of the students'
English-speaking ability, The subjects of this study were grade IX students of SMPN 1
Tembilahan Hulu. The results of the analysis show that the results of the analysis show
that the t-observed is higher than the t-table (14.24 > 2.75 or 14.24 > 2.45) at a
significant level of 5% or 1% with degrees of freedom (df) = 30 This means that the null
hypothesis (H0) is rejected and the alternative hypothesis (H1) is accepted. This also
means that the role-play technique affects the English-speaking skills of students who
study narrative texts in class IX at SMP Negeri 1 Tembilahan Hulu.

Keywords: Rola-play, Narative text, Speaking

INTRODUCTION
English becomes the world's most important language. Almost everyone from
different countries around the world uses it to communicate. English has always been of
special interest. In international relations, English proficiency is essential to participate
in the wider world of work. There are four skills required in the English teaching-
learning program. They are reading, speaking, listening, and writing. Based on that skill,
speaking is one of the most important skills in language learning. By speaking, we can
convey information and ideas and maintain social relationships by communicating with
others. Speech skills are measured by the ability to have conversations in a language.
Many language learners conclude that speaking ability is the measure of
knowing a language. That is why the main purpose of language learning is to develop
proficiency in speaking and communicative efficiency. They mention speaking as the
most important skill they can acquire and assess their progress in terms of their

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accomplishments in spoken communication. This reality makes teachers and parents

think that the ability to speak must be mastered by students and their children.
According to the researcher, when she was in junior high school, speaking was
the most difficult part for students when they learned English. The researcher found
many junior high school students still have difficulty speaking English, even though
they should have mastered it after graduating from their school and be able to
communicate. Although students have been studying English for many years, many of
them are still unable to use spoken English. This may be due to limited opportunities to
practice, a lack of vocabulary, psychological factors that are more concerned with the
fear of making mistakes when speaking English, and also because methods of teaching
are not appropriate for the characteristics of students in English speaking. The
researcher discovered the students' difficulty in learning English while observing them
at SMP Negeri 1 Tembilahan Hulu, and he then interviewed an English teacher who
taught in the ninth grade. She explained that students here can speak good enough
English and are rich in vocabulary; they are also taught using a technique, but the
problem is that with thirty students in a class, each student can't be given the
opportunity to speak up in front of the class. There are only some active students who
dare to come forward, and students who are less active but are not confident enough to
come forward. This makes the teacher look for certain techniques so that less active
students can be on par with active students in coming forward when speaking English.
When the researcher chooses the English language in English classes, some
difficulties arise. Roleplay is a fun technique, suitable for junior high school students,
that can be applied to all students; it can also make students who are less active be
active in speaking English. There is no difference between students and others in
applying the skill. Use the role-playing technique, have students form groups in class,
encourage cooperation and the exchange of ideas, have students demonstrate their
talents, each with happy material, and have students listen or see frequently. There is a
role-playing technique applied in teaching that can encourage and motivate students to
use their English without feeling afraid of making mistakes.

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Based on the theory (Brown: 2001), role-play techniques where the student is
asked to demonstrate the role of the other person differently from his or her role, the
student will play a role appropriate to the scenario given by the teacher. The goal is to
teach and give information about how to be the character of others, be good, or a
supporting role, students will be easier to be creative with the talent they have and hone
the ability to speak their English.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Role-play is a technical activity that teaches students not to be tense, one of the
fun teaching techniques, which is where students roles play that are different from their
personality. The point is that students play other people's roles, good, bad, crying,
laughing, and others. The purpose of the role play technique is so that each student can
understand the conditions in his environment both at home, school, and in the
community, students can know and develop their potential in this role play technique,
students can take lessons from each role they experience for social relations.
According to Gillian Porter Ladousse (1987: 5), role play comes from the word
'role' which means taking part in a special activity, and 'play' which means that the role
is taken or used in an environment where students can fully develop creativity and play.
The same statement too by Joanna Budden (2006: 10) about that role play is any
speaking activity when you either put yourself into somebody else's shoes or when you
stay in your shoes but put yourself into an imaginary situation. Therefore, Roleplay is a
speaking activity in which players can act as others and themselves in various
imaginative situations that can develop creative abilities and playfully. By using role-
play techniques that impact students on being fun and motivated, silent students have
the opportunity to express themselves toward progress, the classroom environment and
outside the classroom are infinite and offer opportunities for broad language use. In
addition, students who have the opportunity to use English can repeat their English in a
comfortable situation. Real situations can be created and students benefit from training.
Any mistakes they make do not overload. The first, the research which was written by
Ati Ulfaidah (2017) from Islamic University of Indragiri entitled The Students’ Ability
In Identifying Adverb On Narrative Text At The Second Year Of SMA Muhammadiyah

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Tembilahan (Descriptive Quantitative Research) with took sample as many 23 students,

this is done because the number of students in class XI is not too big and said that
"Based on the research result, that was explained on chapter IV, the researcher found
that the students' ability in identifying adverb on the narrative text was good. In
addition, the researcher also explained about three types of adverb, these are adverb of
time, adverb of place, and adverb of manner. All types of adverbs have also had good
classification. It means that the goals of learning on the adverb material have been
achieved by the second-year students of SMA Muhammadiyah Tembilahan. Although
not all students can properly do it, by looking the mean score can be generalized to all
students that their ability was good.
The second is the research, which was written by Siti Aisyah (2016) from the
Islamic University of Indragiri and entitled "Using Role-Playing to Improve Students'
Speaking Skill at Eleventh Grade of SMA Simpang Gaung (Classroom Action
Research)" and took a sample of 31 students (12 males and 16 females). They were in
the eleventh grade at SMA Simpang Gaung and said that, "Based on the research result,
it was explained that students were using role-playing to improve their speaking skills in
grades XI and XII of SMA Simpang Gaung, respectively." Using Cycle II, students'
speaking skills are being improved. As well as the observation of the first cycle and
second cycle, this increased the students' learning activities in learning to use role-
playing to improve their speaking skills in Grade XI.a at SMA Simpang Gaung. Role-
playing involves all students and allows them to improve their ability to collaborate so
that they can learn to speak properly.
The third study, The Effectiveness of Debate Technique Toward Students
Speaking Skill at XI SMK Negeri 2 Tembilahan (Quasi-Experimental Research), was
written by Lorika Malasari (2018) from the Islamic University of Indragiri. The study's
goal was to determine the effectiveness of debate techniques in increasing students'
confidence in their speaking abilities. The data collection technique in this research was
a questionnaire, and the instrument was 20 closed-ended statements using the Likert
scale type. The sample for this research was 33 students in the XI grade at SMK Negeri
2 Tembilahan as the control and experimental classes. The researcher discovered that
the debate technique was effective in increasing students' confidence in speaking skills,

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with the t-observed being 15,84, while the t-table was 2,04 from 5% and 2,75% from
1%. The t-observed score was higher than the t-table. Based on the result, H0 (the null
hypothesis) is rejected and H1 (the alternative hypothesis) is accepted. It also means that
the debate technique was effective in building students' confidence in their speaking
skills in the XI grade at SMK Negeri 2 Tembilahan in the academic year 2017-2018.
The difference between the three researchers based on the three types of research
above is that the researcher focuses more on finding the influence of role-play technique
toward speaking skills in narrative text with the experimental research design. Then,
similarity dictates that three types of research are improving speaking skills by using a
role-playing technique in the teaching and learning process.

RESEARCH METHOD
In this research, the researcher used a quasi-experimental research design that is
supported by a quantitative approach; according to Frankle and Wallen in Malasari
(2018), this kind of study allows the researcher to look at the influence of at least one
independent variable and one more dependent variable, and is supported again by
Sugiono in Malasari. Lorika (2018: 21) A quasi-experimental design has a control group
but cannot control the external factors that influence an experimental design, according
to the definition. Thus, the researcher used an experimental research design supported
by a quantitative approach to determine whether or not the role-play technique
influences students' speaking skills, because this approach can test a hypothesis about
the cause-and-effect relationship.
This technique involves giving a pre-test before treatment and a post-test after
the treatment. The treatment will only be given to the experimental group, not the
control group. This research was conducted at SMP Negeri 1 Tembilahan Hulu, which
is located on Jl. Imam Bonjol Tembilahan Hulu, Indragiri Hilir regency. This research
was conducted from April to May 2021.
The population is all of the data that is relevant to the scope of the study. The IX
grade was chosen as a population by the researcher because she wanted to apply the
role-play technique to the material in this grade. The total number of students in the
ninth grade is 375, and in every class there are 34 students. In IX. A grade, there are 34

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students, IX.B 33 students, IX.C 29 students, IX.D 34 students, IX.E 34 students, IX.F
32 students, IX.G 29 students, IX.H 31 students, IX.I 32 students, IX.J 30 students,
IX.K 29 students, IX.L 28 students, and the last IX.L 28 students.
Based on the population above, the sample for this research is IX.A and IX.B in
the ninth grade at SMP Negeri 1 Tembilahan Hulu, which has 67 students. The sample
is drawn from an experiment class of 15 students and a control class of 15 students,
because only half of the students were present during the COVID-19 pandemic, which
was 50% present.
In this research, the researcher will use oral tests in the pre-test and the post-test.
The pre-test will be done by the researcher before giving treatment, and the post-test
will be done after treatment. The following procedures were followed:
a. Pretest
The pre-test will be given in the experimental group (IX.A) where given in the
first meeting. In this meeting, the researcher as a teacher asks students to search for
information about the narrative text such as definition, generic structure, and language
features that be the matter. Then last, students should show up or presented their
assignments in front of the class.
b. Treatment
After the pre-test, in the second meeting researcher doing treatment which will
become treatment is IX. A class. The researcher explains about role play technique,
from the definition, benefits, and procedures. Then researcher divided the students into
six groups, students will be given a title legend in the narrative text of each group.
Students will be divided into groups, will discuss, and choose their friends to role play.
The last group will perform skill and role play in front class and the researcher will rate.
c. Post-test
The post-test will be given by the researcher after treatment in IX. A class
giving last oral test. Students are asked to show up about examples from the narrative
text and the researcher will give a question to students.

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FINDNGS AND DISCUSSION

Findings
The learning activities for speaking skills on narrative text using role-playing
techniques are divided into three steps: opening, the lesson, and closing.
The researcher began by greeting the students, saying, "Assalamualaikum
warahmatullahi wabarakatuh/Good Morning how are you today?" (The students
responded)After that, the researcher checked the attendee list by calling students’ names
one by one.
Furthermore, the implementation of the influence of the role-play technique on
students’ speaking skills in narrative text was divided into several steps. At first, the
researcher gave an explanation of the role play technique, meaning, and purpose of the
role play. Then, after the explanation of narrative text, the meaning and purpose of
narrative text, and the generic structure and language features of narrative text, the
researcher gave examples of narrative text and discussed them together. For the
narrative text discussed, see "Malin Kundang."
Based on the data presented, the researcher discovered that students were shy to
express their opinions before receiving treatment, lacked vocabulary, and lacked
practice. This is indicated by the factors of being active, brave, expressing their opinion,
and enjoying the learning. and indicated by the statistical analysis of the post-test (after
giving the treatment that is described and drawn) that t-observed > t-table (14, 24 > 2,
75, or 14, 24 > 2.45).
It means there was a significant influence of the role-play technique on students'
speaking skills. Students seem to be more active in learning; they have opportunities to
practice speaking English, and teachers have time for English teaching. With the
roleplay technique, students gain confidence in English speaking because it makes them
happy, fun, and easier to appreciate themselves in English speaking.
Based on the table, there was a change in the determining (D) score of variable
X (experimental class) and variable Y (control class). The Experimental Class (9,53)
and Control Class (115,13) are determined by where you score.
This research answers the question about the influence on students' English
speaking skills using the role-play technique at ninth-grade students of SMP Negeri 1

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Tembilahan Hulu. To get the answer to the question, the researcher proposed an alternative
hypothesis (H0) and the null hypothesis (H1) as below:
Ho = There was no significant influence the role-play techniques on students’
speaking skills. H1 = There is a significant influence on students' English speaking skills
using the role-play technique among ninth-grade students of SMP Negeri 1 Tembilahan
Hulu.
The criteria of hypothesis presentation stated that if t-observed greater (≥) than t (t-
table), the null hypothesis was rejected and the alternative hypothesis was accepted. Based
on the statistical calculation, the hypothesis result of the influence on students' English
speaking skills using role-play technique at ninth-grade students of SMP Negeri 1
Tembilahan Hulu :
t-observed = (14,24 ) t-table = 5% = 2,75
1% = 2,45
As a result, H0 is rejected and H1 is accepted. The role-play technique had a
significant influence on students' English speaking skills at SMP Negeri 1 Tembilahan
Hulu ninth-grade students.
Based on the results and discussions above, there are three points that can be
deduced in regards to the problems of this research. First, there were eight types of
grammatical errors committed by the ninth grade students of SMPN 1 Tembilahan Hulu
in writing report text based on the theory of Dulay et al. (1982: 154). They were
omissions, additions, missing information, and ordering errors. The major type of
grammatical error was omission of the verb "be," for which the total result was 36.7%.
Meanwhile, the most common type of grammatical error was simple addition, with a
2.2% error rate.

Discussion
For English teacher has to be more Based on the data presented above, the
researcher found that before giving treatment, students were shy to speak their opinions,
lacked vocabulary, and lack of practice. This is indicated by the factor, active, brave,
expressing their opinion, and enjoying the learning. And indicated by statistical analysis of

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post-test (after giving the treatment that are describe and draw technique) that t-observed >
t- table (14, 24 > 2, 75 or 14, 24 > 2.45).
It means there was a significant influence of the Role Play technique on students
speaking skills. Students seem to be more active in learning, they can opportunities to
practice English speaking, and teachers have time for English teaching. Students become
more confident in English speaking with the Roleplay technique because it makes them
happy, fun, and easier to appreciate themselves in English speaking.

CONCLUSION
Based on the problem formulation and research objectives, research results, and
discussion in this research, it can be concluded that: "The role-play technique can make
students more interested and involved not only in learning about a concept but also in
integrating knowledge into behavior through classifying problems, exploring
alternatives, and finding creative solutions." The role-play technique makes students
more confident and capable of expressing themselves creatively in English, less
embarrassed to speak English in front of the class, and able to communicate together
without distinguishing between smart and less intelligent students. Every student has the
opportunity to learn English, and the teacher has the appropriate time to teach speaking
skills to all students.
After conducting research at SMP Negeri 1 Tembilahan Hulu, the researcher
found that the t-observed was higher than the t-table (14.24 > 2.75 or 14.24 > 2.45), at a
significant level of 5% or 1% with degrees of freedom (df) = 30. This means that the
null hypothesis (H0) is rejected and the alternative hypothesis (H1) is accepted. This
also means that the role-play technique affects the English-speaking skills of students
who study narrative texts in class IX at SMP Negeri 1 Tembilahan Hulu. Based on the
information above, it can be concluded that the application of the role-play technique to
the student's English-speaking skills has been implemented well, as shown in the
statistical analysis.

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