IMPROVING STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION TO SPEAK ENGLISH

THROUGH COLLABORATIVE LEARNING STRATEGY FOR THE

ELEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS AT SMK TRISAKTI BATURAJA

A. Background of the Study

Teaching of English includes four skills: listening, speaking, reading and
writing. Speaking is one of the most difficult aspects for students to master.
Speaking is also the most important skill, because the purpose of language to
communicate, and speaking as an oral communication that vital component.
Speaking is interactive process of constructing meaning that involves producing
and receiving and processing information (Brown, 1994; Burn & Joyce, 1997).
We talk to somebody about something use the voice to say something; be able to
use the language; make a speech to an audience; say or state something through
speaking. On the other hand, speaking is important skill that should be learned by
learners, because speaking is primary mode of communication to speak well with
others.
That’s why teaching speaking is generally felt challenging for the
learners especially the tenth grade students of SMK Trisakti Baturaja, because it
need more attractive activities. In order to reach the successfulness of teaching
and learning process, teacher should provides good material, method and learning
assessment.
Indonesia as one of the developing countries has also set its educational
curriculum to include English as foreign language which is studied from
elementary school up to the university level. But in reality, Students in Indonesia
are used to be in passive condition. This condition is the same as what the writer
has been experienced in SMK Trisakti Baturaja when I was Teaching Practice
(PPL), although they have been studying English for more than a year, but they
are still unable to use English in interaction with their teacher or friends in the
classroom.
One approach could be used in teaching English speaking is using
Collaborative Learning strategy. Collaborative learning strategy is one of

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educational approach in teaching and learning process that involved group of
learners working together to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product.
Through collaborative learning strategy, the writer hope can improve students’
motivation especially in speaking English.
Then, the researcher is interested to have an action research that entitle
“improving the students’ motivation to speak English through collaborative
learning for the eleventh grade students at SMK Trisakti Baturaja”.

B. Problem of the Study

1. Limitation of the Problem
Based on the background of study above, the writer want to limit the
problem is how the students can use collaborative learning strategy to improving
their motivation in speak English. Here, the writer will use oral test to measure the
students’ improvement in speaking English.

2. Formulation of the Problem

Based on the problem above the writer formulate the problem as follow
“whether collaborative learning effective to improving the students’ motivation in
speak English for the eleventh grade students at SMK Trisakti Baturaja?”

C. Objective of the Study

In the objective of the study the writer will find out it is effective or not use
collaborative learning to improving the students’ motivation to speak English for
the eleventh grade students at SMK Trisakti Baturaja.

D. Significant of the Study

The significant of this study expected can useful:
1. For the Students
The result of the study can give an experience for the students in
communicating and working together in groups that apply collaborative
learning strategies so that they will be motivated in learning English, and

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 when highly motivated the students will be able to increase their achievement
in speaking English.
2. For the English Teacher
The result of this study will help the teacher in solving their problem about
the students’ motivation and give new perspective on teaching and learning
process.
3. For the Researcher
The result of this study can improve and develop her English and give some
experience about how to improving the speaking skill through collaborative
learning strategy.
4. For the TEFL
The result of this study can be also a good contribution to development of
teaching and learning English as foreign language.

E. Hypothesis of the Study

According to Freankel & Wallen (2007:45) hypothesis is simply put, a
prediction of some sort regarting the possible outcomes of a study. There were
two hypothesis namely null hypothesis (Ho) and alternative hypothesis (Ha) :
1. Alternative Hypothesis (Ha):
It is significantly effective to Improving the Students’ Speaking Skill through
Collaborative Learning Strategy for the Eleventh Grade Students at SMK
Trisakti Baturaja.
2. Null Hypothesis (Ho):
It is not significantly effective to Improving the Students’ Speaking Skill
through Collaborative learning Strategy for the Eleventh Grade students at
SMK Trisakti Baturaja.

F. Criteria for Testing Hypothesis

The criteria for testing hypothesis are:
1. If t-obtained (to) is equal to or more than t-table (t t), so the null hypothesis (Ho)
is unacceptable and alternative hypothesis (Ha) is acceptable: it means that

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 there is significantly effective to improving the students motivation in speaking
English through collaborative learning for the eleventh grade students at SMK
Trisakti Baturaja.
2. If t-obtained (to) is less than t-table (tt), so the null hypothesis (Ho) is
acceptable and alternative hypothesis (Ha) is unacceptable: it means that there
is no significantly effective to improving the students motivation in speaking
English for the eleventh grade students at SMK Trisakti Baturaja.

G. Literature Review
1. Concept of Teaching
Teaching is an activity of someone how to show or help the learner to learn
how to do something, giving instruction, guiding in the study of something,
therefore the learner can understand well what the meaning of the teacher.
According to Brown (2000:7) teaching is guiding and facilitating learning
enabling the learner to learn, setting the conditions for learning.
According to Grasha (2002:113) teaching is an activity where one person
tries to facilitate in another person an appreciation of complexities involved
within an area of study. Teaching involves getting people to think critically about
such issues.
Based on explanation above, the writer concluded that teaching is a
profession of someone to gives information and knowledge to help the learner to
learn conducted by using combination of art, science, and skill. It is a necessary
one, and can be very rewarding when we see our students’ progress, it could be a
satisfaction for the teacher when they see the learner can get useful knowledge
and useful for people around them. Besides that, an English teacher must have the
interesting strategy in teaching English to motivate the learners to be active in the
classroom activity. A good teaching will educate the learners to be responsible for
their learning.

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2. Concept of Speaking
Brown (2000:267), state that speaking is a productive skill that can be
directly empirically observed, those observations are invariable colored by the
accuracy and effectiveness of test taker’s listening skill, which necessarily
compromises is the reliability and validity of an oral production test.
Speaking allows us to voice and explore out thoughts, it is also allow us to
develop new thoughts as we create ideas, and then communicate it directly by
using verbal language. Tarigan (2008:1) says that when we practice our language
skill, It mean that we practice our thinking.
Based on the explanation above the writer concluded that speaking is
element speak up ability that including knowledge, background knowledge, and
response to the communication.
According to Brown (2000:271), there are six types of classroom speaking
performance:
a. Imitative
A very limited portion of classroom speaking time may legitimately be spent in
the “human tape recorder” speech, where learners are, for example, practicing
and international contour, trying to pinpoint a certain vowel sound, etc.
b. Intensive
Intensive speaking goes one step beyond to imitative to include any speaking
performance that is designed to practice some phonological or grammatical
aspect of language.
c. Responsive
A good deal of students’ speech in the classroom is responsive: short replies to
teacher or student-initiated question comments.
d. Transactional (dialogue)
Transactional language, carried out for the purpose of conveying or exchanging
specific information, is an extended form of responsive language.
e. Interpersonal (dialogue)

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 The other form of conversation mentioned in the previous chapter was
interpersonal dialogue, carried more the purpose of maintaining social
relationships than for the transmission of facts and information.
f. Extensive (monologue)
Finally, students at intermediate to advanced levels are called on to give
extended monologues in the form of oral report, summaries, or perhaps short
speeches.

3. Collaborative Learning Strategy

a. Concept of Collaborative Learning
Collaborative learning refers to an instruction method that encourage
learning through peer collaboration as students work towards a common goal
becoming responsible for one another’s learning as well as their own. Thus, the
success of one student helps other students to be successful (Gokhale, 1995).
Collaborative learning take place when the students work together to
“achieve shared learning goals” (Barkley, Cross, Major, 2005, p. 4.).
Collaborative learning assumes that knowledge is socially, rather than
individually, constructed by communities of individuals and that the shaping and
testing of ideas is a process in which anyone can participate. Furthermore, it
stresses the importance of common inquiry in learning, a process through which
learners begin to experience knowledge as something that is created rather than
something that is transmitted from the facilitator or teacher to the learner.
Based on the explanation above, it can be said that collaborative learning
is an educational approach to teaching and learning that involves groups of
learners working together to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product
to reach a common goal in teaching and learning process.

b. Four Key Elements of Collaborative Learning Strategy

According to Jhonson, Jhonson, and Smith (1991), there are four key
elements of collaborative learning strategy:
1) Positive Interdependence

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 In positive interdependence, the members are obliged to rely on one another
to achieve the goal. If any team members fail to their part, everyone suffers
consequences.
2) Individual accountability
In this element all students in a group are held accountable for doing their
share of the work and for mastery of all of the material to be learned.
3) Face-to-face promotive interaction
Although some of the group work may be parceled out and done individually,
some must be done interactively, with group members providing one another
with feedback, challenging one another’s conclusions and reasoning, and
perhaps most importantly, teaching and encouraging one another
4) Appropriate use of collaborative skills.
Here students are encouraged and helped to develop and practice trust-
building, leadership, decision-making, communication, and conflict
management skills.
5) Grouping processing
The last elements of collaborative learning strategy is group processing, in
this element the team member set group goals, periodically assess what they are
doing well as a team, and identify changes they will make to function more
effectively in the future.

a. Techniques of Collaborative Learning

According to Barkley, Cross and Major (2005), There are some techniques
in collaborative learning:
1) Divided the class into small groups or in pairs, so that each individually
has opportunity to participate into discussion.
2) Creating a framework (for example, by providing a meaningful role for
each student), which requires every student to get involved and contribute.
3) Reduce the risk that associated with taking and saying what really think by
someone, because discussions take place in small group classmates and
generally not done in front of the class and the teacher.

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 4) Allow the students to clarify their thoughts and train their comments
before speaking in front of class.
5) Give the opportunity for students to find the opinion from other students
who possible agree and support their opinion before that opinion was
delivered in to public.

H. Procedures of Teaching Speaking Using Collaborative Learning

Strategy.
1. Pre-activities (10 minutes)
a. Teacher greets the students by asking:
- Good morning/ afternoon…
- How are you?
b. Teacher checks the attendance list by asking:
- Who does not come top day
c. The teacher give motivation to the students by asking some question about
the material which going to study.
- Have u go to market?
- What do you think if the price in the market too expensive?
2. Whilst-Activities (70 minutes)
a) The teacher give the material about Shopping and Bargaining.
b) The teacher explains word and expression used for bargaining.
- Is there any discount on it?
- Would you be a discount on it?
- Have you got anything a little cheaper?
- That’s too low?
- I’m sorry, you can’t bargain it. It price is fixed.etc
- That’s too expensive for me may I bargain?
- How about/what about Rp 50.000,00?
- How about/what about 20% off?
- I’ll offer you it Rp 10.000,00.
- Will you take Rp 25.000,00?

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 c) The teacher give example of bargaining dialog
In a traditional market there are two friends named Rifky and Obet. They are
looking for goldfish, they are going to make a party at Rifky’s house by roasting
goldfish.
Rifky : we should buy cheaper goldfish because our money is not much
Obet : sure, that’s why we have to round to get the cheaper price
Rifky : but I’m tired. We have rounded the whole part of this market but
the price of all goldfish is almost the same
Obet : Look at there…! There’s a goldfish Fishmonger that we have not
been there yet
Rifky : ok, come on
Obet : what the price of this goldfish in a kilo?
Fishmonger : It’s 27.000 rupiahs a kilo
Rifky : That’s too expensive, may I bargain?
Fishmonger : How much can you pay, boys?
Obet : what about 20.000 rupiahs a kilo?
Fishmonger : Ok, you may take it.
Rifky : thank you

d) The teacher divided the students into pairs.

e) The teacher providing the role for each pairs, one student has a role as
buyer and the other one as seller.
f) To reduce the risk before the students practice in front of class, the
teacher asks to the students to say what they are thinks about the task.
g) Then, The teacher clarify the students thoughts and train their comments
before speaking in front of class.
h) The teacher give the opportunity to find the opinion from each students
to support their task.
i) After that, the students practice the dialog in front of class.

3. Post-Activities (10 minutes)

a) The teacher reviews the students’ activities.
b) The teacher asks the students to conclude the lesson.
c) The teacher give school work.

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I. Related Previous Study
First relevant study that was written by Huzaipa (2014). In her study entitle
“Improving Students’ Speaking Ability By Using Inside Outside Circle Strategy
To Seventh Grade Student Of Mts Ishlahul Ummah Lubai”. In her research, he
applied the strategy to improve students’ speaking skill and found the number of
students’ ability to focus what the students would speak up through strategy.
There are similarity and differences between the previous study and this
research. The similarity was in the use of the same teaching speaking. The
differences were on the method of teaching, limitation of the problem, population
and samples, and research methodology.

J. Research Methodology
1. Method of Study
This research is using Classroom Action Research as methodology.
According to Arikunto (2010:130), classroom action research is a study toward
activities that are intentionally appeared and happened in a class. In this research,
divided into pre cycle, first cycle and second cycle. The researcher will
collaborate with the English teacher when conduct the research.

The Cycle of Action Research (Arikunto, 2010: 137)

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Planning in cycle in action research:
a. Pracycle
Before implementation action research by collaborative learning strategy for
eleventh grade students at SMK Trisakti Baturaja, carry out as usual.

b. Cycle 1
Pre-Observation
Based on my observation in SMK Trisakti Baturaja especially eleventh grade
students and do interview with the teacher in this school, the researcher get
two problem to find out in teaching and learning speaking. There are: students
less motivation in speaking English and they don’t have the best strategy to
improving their speaking skill.

1) Planning
In planning phase, the researcher plan the cycle that would be given to the
students in the class. It aimed to determine collaborative learning strategy that
the researcher would use. The researcher also made lesson plan for each
cycle, select the materials from textbook, and prepare speaking test for the
students. In order to get data, the researcher teach the students by use
collaborative learning strategy and ask students to speaking test. Process of
teaching will take one meeting and the process of analyzing and discussing
the result of the observation and the test will take three days in each cycle.

2) Implementing
In this step, the researcher will teach the material by using Collaborative
Learning Strategy with the lesson plan and prepare the material.

3) Observing
In this phase, the researcher observed all the activities that happen in the
class. The aspects in observation are sources of data, the instrument use in
collecting data, and the technique for collecting data. So, this phase discuss

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 about the process of gathering all relevant data occurred during the
implementation of the action.
4) Reflecting
Here, the researcher will discuss about the strength and the weakness of a
cycle to determine what to do in the next cycle and to determine whether or
not result of the cycle is satisfactory.

c. Cycle II
In the cycle II same with the cycle I but here planning that use in learning
cycle II, based on achievement reflection of cycle I.

K. Operational Definition
The title of this research is “Improving students’ motivation to speak
English through collaborative learning strategy for the eleventh grade students at
SMK Trisakti Baturaja. To avoid misunderstanding some terms use in the titles
are operationally.
1. Teaching
Teaching is process transferring knowledge by teacher to the students. In
this case the teacher applying collaborative learning Strategy to teaching
speaking.

2. Speaking
Speaking is the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of
verbal and non-verbal symbols.

3. Collaborative Learning
Collaborative learning is an instructional method in which learners work in
groups toward a common academic goal.

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L. Research Variable
According to Fraenkle and Wallen (2007:31) variables as characteristic that
is not always the same, any characteristic that varies. There are two variables in
this research, dependent variable and independent variable. The independent
variables are influenced the dependent variables.
The title of this study is “Improving the students’ motivation to speak
English through collaborative learning strategy for the eleventh grade students at
SMK Trisakti Baturaja”. By this title, independent variable (X) Using
collaborative learning Strategy, and dependent variable (Y) is students speaking
skill.

M. Participant
The participant in this study is Eleventh grade students at SMK Trisakti
Baturaja.
And another participant in this research is English teacher in SMK Trisakti
Baturaja, he will help to observe in the class and also will help the researcher to
analyze the data and make the planning for each cycle.

N. Technique for Collecting the Data

Collecting the data is the process of collecting information to answer the
research question and/or confirm or reject a hypothesis. To collect the data the
researcher will use test. The test in this study is pre-test and post-test. Pre-test is
use before implementing collaborative learning technique and the pot-test is use to
measure students’ achievement in speaking after implementing collaborative
learning technique. The test is spoken test that consist of one question.

O. Validity and Reliability of the Test

1. Validity
According to Cohen, et al (2005:105), validity is an important key of
effective research. Validity was important to check through the content of validity.
In this study the researcher used content validity. In content validity the writer

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make test based on the syllabus, the test should represent the material that will be
teach. A valid instrument had high validity. Conversely, instruments that are less
valid mean to have low validity. By doing this, the researcher hopes that the test
material really measures improving students’ speaking skill.

Table 3
Specification of Test Item
Format of Number of
Objective Material Indicators Test item
To know the Shopping Students are Oral Test 1
students’ and Barga able to
ability in ining practice
speak English bargaining in
by use pairs in front
collaborative of class.
learning
strategy.

2. Reliability
The Reliability refers to the consistency of the test score. According to
Cohen, et al (2005:117) “Reliability is essentially a synonym for consistency and
replicability over time, over instruments and over groups of respondents”. It is
Concern with precision and accuracy.
To estimate the instrument is reliable or not, the writer will find the
reliability by using the Cronbach Alpha Test. The writer will use the SPSS 19
program to calculate the reliability of the instruments. To know whether the test
items are reliable or not, the writer will conclude two hypotheses as follow:
a. If the Cronbach Alpha Point is more than 0.70, it mean that the items were
reliable.
b. If the Conbach Alpha Point is less than 0.70, it mean that the items were not
reliable.
P. Technique for Analyzing the Data

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1) Scoring System
The data get from test, the researcher will be collected to get the result of
investigation in analyze the data this study use the following formula:
Table 4
The Speaking Scoring Scale
Criteria 1 2 3 4
Grammar So many error Many error Few error in No error in
and Difficult in grammar grammar grammar
to understand
Vocabulary Need Many error Few error in Using
improvements in spoken, using vocabulary and
in vocabulary speaking vocabulary expressed like
limit a native
because speaker
limitation
of
vocabulary
Pronunciation Need Many error No obvious Fluent like a
improvement in fluently mistake native speaker
in in use
pronunciation language
Fluency Need Difficult to Almost fluent fluent
improvement fluent everything. everything
in fluent without
difficulty.
(http://languageartreading.dadschools.net/pdf/speaking/intermediate/revisedverticaligmen
tashowapplicationoftheholiistic_rubric_forFACTSpeaking2013andbeyond.pdf.)

2) Percentage Analysis
To calculate the percentage of the students score test, the writer will use the

following formula.

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 P= ( fn ) X 100
Where:

P = Percentage of score

f = frequency of score

n = Total of students

(Sudijono, 2006:43-44)
In determining the level of the students’ ability in understanding
Preferences: Prefer, Like-Better Than, And Would Rather. The writer will use the
criteria as follows (Arikunto, 2010:245) :

Table 5
Score Range and Criteria
Score Range Criteria

80-100 Very Good

66-79 Good

56-65 Fair

40-55 Poor

< 39 Fail

Source : Arikunto (2010: 96)

A. Tentative Schedule
A tentative schedule of this research is formulated in table 6 below:
Table 6
The Tentative Schedule

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 Month
No
Phasing of the research 4 5 6 7 8

1 Preparing of the research x x

2 Collecting the data x x
3 Analyzing of the data x

Where:
1. Preparing of the research includes:
a. To do study of literature
b. Making research proposal
c. To manage permit of the research
d. Giving instrument to the research
2. Collecting the data
a. To take the data which is gotten
b. To investigate connective of the data again
c. To identify the data
d. To classify the data which is collected
3. Analyzing of the data
a. To investigate the data which have been classified
b. To analysis the data
c. To discuss the result analysis
d. To take conclusion from the result of analysis

REFERENCES

Arikunto, S. (2010). Prosedur Penelitian : Suatu Pendekatan Praktek. Jakarta :

Rineka Cipta.

Brown, H, D. (2000). Teaching by Principles an Interactive Approach to

Language Pedagogy, Second Edition. San Fransisco: Longman.

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Brown, H, D. (1994). Teaching By PrincipleS an Interactive Approach to
Language pedagogy. Englewood Cliffs: Presentice Hall Regents.

Burns, A, & Joice, H. (1997). Fokus on Speaking. Sydney: National Center for
English Language Teaching and Research.

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Marrison, K. (2005). Study Methods In Education, 5th
Edition. London: Routledge Falmer.

E.F. Barkley, K. P. Cross., & C. H. Major. (2005). Collaborative Learning

Techniques. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Fraenkle and Wallen. (2007). How to Design and Evaluate Research in

Education, (Seventh Edition). New York : MacGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.,
ISBN 978-0-07-352596-9.

Gokhale, A, A.(1995, Fall). Collaborative Learning Enhances Critical Thinking.

Journal of Technology Education, 7(1).

Grasha, A. F. (2002). Teaching With Style. United States of America: Alliaces

Publisher.

Johnson, R.T., Johnson, D.W., & K.A Smith. (1991). Cooperative Learning:
Increasing College Faculty Instructional Productivity. George Whasingtong
University

Sudijono, A. (2006). Pengantar statistika pendidikan.Jakarta: PT RajaGrafindo

Persada.

Tarigan, G, H. (2008). Berbicara. Bandung. Penerbit Angkasa Bandung.

Instrument Test

Subject : English

Class : XI SMK Trisakti Baturaja

Name :

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 Score :

- Make dialogue of bargaining and practice orally with your partner in

front of class. (Min 10 dialogue sentences)

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