IMPROVING VOCATIONAL STUDENTS SPEAKING SKILL THROUGH ROLE PLAY TECHNIQUE

This study was attempted to improve vocational students speaking skill through Role Play Technique. This study was conducted by using classroom action research. The subject of the research was class XI EK 2 SMK Negeri 1 Merdeka, Berastagi, consists of 21 students. This research was conducted in two cycles. The instruments of collecting data were diary notes, observation sheet, questionnaire sheet, interview sheet and tests. Based on the speaking test score, it was found that the students score kept improving from the first test to the third test. In the orientation test, the mean score was 37.66, in the first cycle test, the mean score was 48.33, and in the second cycle test, the mean score was 57.33. There was improvement of students achievement from 57.33-37.66 about 19.67 points. Based on the data from diary notes, observation sheet, questionnaire sheet and interview, it was found that the students agreed that Role Play technique helped to encourage them to speak, to express the language through appropriate expressions, to think that speaking is not difficult. Thus, it was found that teaching-learning process ran well. Students were active and interested in speaking in the classroom. The result of the research shows that Role Play Technique can improve vocational students speaking skill.