The Implementation of Time Token Method in Teaching Speaking Skill of Descriptive Text for Grade Eight Students at SMP Negeri 1 Kutacane

This study aimed to describe (1) how the implementation method in teaching speaking descriptive text (2) to know the barriers faced by teachers in implementing Time Token method in teaching speaking descriptive text. The research was conducted at SMP Negeri 1 Kutacane. This research used descriptive qualitative design. The subject of this research was the English teacher at SMP N 1 Kutacane. The data were obtained through observation, interview, and documentation. The research results from the implementation of the Time Token method revealed that the things that underlying the success of this method were: pre teaching, where the teacher always provided motivation before learning. Giving motivation to students before studying was essential because it could increase students’ self-confidence and dispel the students' fear of speaking. Then the teacher gave the same number of coupons to each student, which the coupons served as opportunities for the students to speak. The coupons were used during the discussion, each student must finish all the coupons they had. This motivated the students to speak up or give opinions so that the coupons they hold run out. Furthermore, the coupons required that the students who were silent must speak until the coupons were exhausted. So there was no dominance during the teaching and learning process. In whilst teaching, the teacher instructed the students to discuss in groups and presented orally. The group discussion made the students teach each other and felt responsible for the discussion so that each student took a part during the discussion. Then the teacher made a question-and-answer session, with the coupons they had, the students used the opportunity to spend the coupons by giving questions or suggestions to other groups. In the post teaching, the teacher instructed the students to provide conclusions to help them to remember the topic they just learned. By implementing the Time Token method, the English teacher created the students-centered-learning. So the researcher can conclude that the success of the time token method in improving students' speaking skills was influenced by the aspects described above. But in its implementation, the teacher faced some barriers. The barriers were time limitations and needed a lot of preparation.