The objectives of the research are to find out how role play technique is implemented in improving the students’ speaking skill and to find out some difficulties when role play technique is implemented in EFL classroom at VII G of SMP N 4 Surakarta in the academic year of 2015/2016.
The method that was implemented in this study is Classroom Action Research (CAR). This research was conducted in 2 cycles. Each cycle was done in 6 meetings. Every cycle consists of four stages: planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. The subject of this study is VII G students in SMP N 4 Surakarta in the academic year of 2015/2016. The students’ composition of VII G class is 16 females and 15 males. The researcher used some methods in collecting such as test, interview, observation, field note, questionnaire, and photographs. The test conducted was pre-test and post-test. The researcher analyzed the quantitative data by the result of the mean score from the data.
The results of the research show that there are improvements in the students’ participation due to the implementation of role play technique. This result is supported by the students’ score which increases significantly. Based on the mean score from the pre-test until post-test 2, it could be concluded that the students’ speaking skill improved continuously. The mean score of students’ speaking skill before action was 43.09. After the first cycle was conducted, the students’ speaking skill mean score increased to 62.12. On the second post-test, the students’ speaking skill mean score increased again to 82.54. Students’ interests in learning speaking skill also increase by used roleplay technique. They became more active in speaking after the roleplay technique was conducted.
The result of this research provides information about the improvement of students’ speaking skill utilising role play technique and the difficulties when role play technique implemented. The difficulties that appear in this research make the teacher paying attention to the students and discover appropriate teaching strategies in effort to reduce the students’ difficulties. Utilising role play technique can enhance students’ speaking skill in EFL classroom at VII G in SMP N 4 Surakarta