The Use of Project-Based Learning in Improving The Students’ Speaking

Skill

(A Classroom Action Research at One of Primary School in Jambi City)

A Thesis Proposal

Written by:

AGNES IGA PRATIWI

P2A418024

Lecture :

Drs. Marzul Hidayat, M.A., Ph.D

MASTER OF ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

JAMBI UNIVERSITY

2019
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

I.I Background of The Research

Project Based Learning (PBL) is rooted in the progressive education movement,

which advocated for more student centered and experiental approaches to education that
support “deeper learning” thhrough active exploration of real worls problem and challenges
Pallegrino and Hilton, 2012; Peterson, 2012 in Barbara Condliffe and Friends, 2017).
However, as teachers we have to facilitate our students to get the best learning outcomes
through this approach in order to make them easily get what they have learned. Basically,
Elementary School in Jambi City are mostly take control by the government which is nit
really support their needs and ability in terms of English Language learning, English is not
inluded in their Prime Subjects, it just become their additional subject at school.

Basically, young learners are often more enthusiastic and lively as learners.
Successful lessons and activities are those that are tuned to the learning needs of pupils,
rather than to the demands of the next text-book unit, or to the interest of the teacher (Lynne
Cameron, 2001). In foreign language learning, teachers should give chance for students to
practive and use the language and unconsciously it will become their habits that they can
acquire easily. Children learning a foreign language in formal school settings learn best by
communicating primarily through oral language; effective programmes give children early
opportunities for prectice of routine language and basic language, but also for imaginative
play, action rhymes and songs, response to narrative texts and participations in narrative and
simple description (Penny McKay, 2006).

According to the national standards in Indonesia (Depdiknas, 2006 in Darini Bilqis

Maulany 2013), speaking skill or oral communication competence or speaking skill is the
goal of English learning in elementary schools. Speaking skill is considered as an initial skill
that leads learners to develop the other communication competences (reading and writing).
However, it is assumed that developing speaking skill to young learners in Indonesia is not
easy because of the status of English as a foreign language in which it is not used in national
or social life (Broughton, 2003 in Darini Bilqis Maulany, 2013). The researcher did an
observation in SD Kristen Bina Kasih Jambi City, exactly in grade 3, which is proved that
English Teachers in that school are rarely use English in the classroom and both teachers and
students are lack of English environment. They are mostly text-book oriented without having
enough chance to communicate or practice Englih oral language ability.

By looking at this view, Project Based Learning (PBL) is one of the most appropriate
methods recommended to be used in the classroom. Because it refers to a method allowing,
“students to design, plan, and carry out an extended project that produces by a publicly
exhibited output such as product, publication, or presentation” (Patton, 2012:13 in Darini
Bilqis Mulani, 2013). What clearly ditinguishes PBL from other instructional approaches is
that project are not the culmination of learning (as they often in standard classrooms) but
instead are the process through which learning takes place (Barbara Condliffe, 2017).

Through PBL, learners in English as Foreign Language (EFL) classroom will have
opportunity to communicate by using completely authentic activities which refer to project
work (individual or group project), so they will become easily use the target language in a
relatively natural context wich is practicable and applicable. Gaer (1998) reported that the
implementation of PBL is succeded, he taught speaking skill to a population of Sotheast Asia
refugees who had been in their beginning-level ESOL ( English for Speaker of Other
Language) classes. The students’ speaking skill is very improved. Comparing the success of
PBL implementation approach by Gaer, the researcher tries to apply PBL in Indonesia
Context in this case is in SD Kristen Bina Kasih Jambi City.

This research attempted to find out whether PBL could improve the students’
speaking skill or not, what speaking aspects were improved, and what speaking activities
were used to improve the students’ speaking skill. The scope of this study exposed the use of
PBL in improving young English learners’ speaking skill. So, based on the view above, the
researcher interested to conduct classroom action research entitled “The use of project-based
learning in Improving the students’ speaking skill (A classroom action reseacrh at one of
primary school in Jambi City)”
1.1 Research problems

The problem of this researh is formulated in the following question:

1. Is there any significant effect of using PBL in improving students’ speaking ability?

2. What speaking activities were used to improve students speaking skill?

1.2 Research objective

The purpose of this research is to identify the use of PBL in improving young English

learners’ speaking skill at SD Kristen Bina Kasih Jambi.

1.3 Limitation of the Research

The research focuses on investigating of teaching speaking to young learners by

using Project Based Learning (PBL) approach. The information of this research will be

conducted from the third grade students of SD Kristen Bina Kasih Jambi.

1.4 Significance of the research

The findings of this research will add the informations about the most effective

teaching speaking methods by using Project Based Learning approach that can be very

useful in terms of Teaching English to Young Learners. It also very useful for the

teachers who often face the problem or difficulties when they teach speaking for the

students, so that they can consider and apply the most appropriate teaching speaking

method.
1.5 Definition of key terms

The definition of key terms are given to avoid the bias between what the researcher

means and the readers’ point of view. It is used to define the important terms in this

research. They are Project Based Learning (PBL), Speaking Skill, English as Foreign

Language (EFL), and Primary School.

Project Based Learning (PBL) PBL is viewed as an approach that enables students to

develop the “21st century competencies” — cognitive and socio emotional skills — needed for

success in college and careers.

Speaking skill is one of the skill in English. It is important in a language, because it is used

to communicate through the world. In lingustics and applied linguistics the spoken form is very

valued, it is because speaking is the primary form of language and the source of innovation of

language changing (Hudges, 2011 in Datugari Pangemban, 2016). Speaking also known as a

language skill that is developed in child life, which is produced by listening skill, and at that

period speaking skill is learned (Tarigan, 1990:3-4).

English as Foreign Language is a traditional term for the use or study of the English language

by non-native speakers in countries where English is generally not a local medium of

communication. English as a Foreign Language (EFL) corresponds roughly to the Expanding

Circle described by linguist Braj Kachru in "Standards, Codification and Sociolinguistic Realism:

The English Language in the Outer Circle" (1985).

Primary School is is a school for children between the ages of 5 and 11. According to

Kimberely McGee (2015) the basic goal of a quality primary education is to establish, create and

offer opportunities to kids of various ages as they enter the education system.
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents some theories and previous studies related to the research. It

begins with the related theory of: (a) Project Based Learning (b) Assesment Design

Principle (c) Some stages of PBL implementation (d) Benefits of implementing PBL (e)

Previous Study.

2.1 Project-Based Learning (PBL)

PBL is rooted in the progressive education movement, which advocated for more

studentcentered and experiential approaches to education that support “deeper learning”1 through

active exploration of real-world problems and challenges (Pellegrino and Hilton, 2012; Peterson,

2012). Inspired by the philosophies of John Dewey, William Heard Kilpatrick developed the

“project method,” which is cited as the first formalization of a PBL model (Peterson, 2012). 2

For Kilpatrick, the key to the “project method” lay in its being “an activity undertaken by

students that really interested them” (Ravitch, 2000, p. 179).

Project Based Learning (PBL) is one of the most appropriate methods recommended

to be used in the classroom. Because it refers to a method allowing, “students to design,

plan, and carry out an extended project that produces by a publicly exhibited output such

as product, publication, or presentation” (Patton, 2012:13 in Darini Bilqis Mulani, 2013).

What clearly ditinguishes PBL from other instructional approaches is that project are not

the culmination of learning (as they often in standard classrooms) but instead are the

process through which learning takes place (Barbara Condliffe, 2017).

 2.2 Assesment Design Principles

Assessment is a critical concern for PBL educators given the unique nature of the

academic content and learning process in the PBL context. Often, assessments do not

measure the array of cognitive and noncognitive (intra- and interpersonal) outcomes that

deeper learning approaches intend to produce (National Research Council, 2012). The

design principles espoused by Darling-Hammond et al. (2008), Grant (2002), Krajcik and

Shin (2014), and Ravitz (2010) all address issues of assessment but set somewhat

different guidelines in this regard.

a. Create a Product That Answers the Driving Question: Krajcik and Shin (2014)

are the only authors who specified the type of assessment product that students

must create. They indicated that the assessment must involve the creation of a

tangible product that addresses the driving question of the unit or curriculum and

offers a physical representation of student learning (an artifact).

b. Provide Opportunities for Student Reflection and Teacher Feedback: Darling-

Hammond et al. (2008), Grant (2002), Larmer and Mergendoller (2015a), and

Krajcik and Shin (2014) all noted the importance of students having time for self-

assessment, reflection, and feedback. For example, Darling-Hammond and

colleagues said that time should be provided for “students to reflect deeply on the

work they are doing and how it relates to larger concepts specified in the learning

goal” (p. 216).

c. Present Products to Authentic Public Audiences: Darling-Hammond et al. (2008),

Larmer and Mergendoller (2015a), and Ravitz (2010) all emphasized the

importance of students presenting their work to public audiences.

DarlingHammond and colleagues noted that this public audience “can be highly

motivating for students” (p. 215).

2.3 Some stages of PBL implementation

There are some stages of PBL implementation according to Kriwas (1999, as cited in

Bell, 2010) in Darini Balqis Mulany (2013).

a. The first is speculation in which teachers provide the choice of project topics initially

based on curriculum and discuss them with the students. In this stage, teachers and

students speculate possibilities that will lead to the projects smoothly (Bell, 2010).

However, for the beginner or lower level students, teachers can choose the project by

themselves but still consider the students’ problem. This was because it was assumed

that “the students in beginner or lower level do not have the language or confidence

to develop project themes” (Gaer, 1998) so that the teachers need to lead them first

before they can decide by themselves.

b. The second stage is designing the project activities, referring to organizing the

structure of a project activity that includes group formation, role assigning,

concerning methodology decision, information source, etc (Bell, 2010

c. The third is conducting the project activities in which the students work what had

been planned and designed in the previous stage. At this stage, the students gather

information, discuss it with their group member, consult problems encountered in

their work with the teachers, and exhibit their final products that might be in form of

presentation, performance, product, publication, etc. to wider community such as

other classes, teachers, foreigners, etc.

d. The last stage is evaluation referring to “the assessment of activities from the

participants and discussion about whether the initial aims and goals have been

achieved, implementation of the process, and final products” (Brinia, 2006, as cited in

Fragoulis, 2009: 115). Bell (2010) also says that the evaluation, towards the project
organization, problems encountered during the process of working it, students

attitudes toward it, etc., also includes evaluation from others and selfevaluation.

2.4 Benefits of implementing PBL

Fragoulis (2009) and Bell (2010) in Darini Balqis Mulany (2013) state that there are

many benefits of implementing PBL in teaching English as Foreign Language.

1.PBL gives contextual and meaningful learning for students

2.PBL can create optimal environment to practice speaking English.

3.PBL can also make students actively engage in project learning

4.PBL enhances the students’ interest, motivation, engagement, and enjoyment.

5.PBL promotes social learning that can enhance collaborative skills

6.PBL can give an optimal opportunity to improve students’ language skill

2.5 Previous Study

A study was conducted by Ani Marisah; Rr Hasti Robiasoh, 2017. She

conducted a study about the implementation of project-based learning (PBL) to

improve vacational students’ speaking skills. She wanted to conduct this study

because she was looking at the situation that vocational high school prepares

the students for career or working, though the opportunity to take higher

education is widely open. In case of the working preparation, one of the skills

required besides the majored one is English. The vocational school graduates

who have sufficient English competence will be more employable in this

MEA-era. They will need English to communicate whether it is in oral or

written form. When the graduates’ writing competence is not yet perfect but
they can speak comprehensibly, companies will likely hire them. Thus,

speaking skill is definitely needed to be improved.

This research aims to describe: (1) the implementation of Project-

Based Learning (PBL) to improve students’ speaking skill in SMK N 1

Bantul, (2) the strengths and challenges of the implementation of PBL. This

study is an action research consisting of two cycles. The results showed that

(1) many students have the opportunity to speak English during the PBL

implementation; besides, the students’ interest in learning English increased

significantly, (2) the strengths of PBL implementation deals with team work as

stimulation for interactions and students could integrate their language skill to

social skill and technology. The challenges were: the teacher could not closely

assist and monitor the students’ project doing directly. The project making

also requires sufficient time. From the results and discussion, it can be

concluded that PBL can be used as an alternative learning model since it

supports not only language skill improvement but also social and

technological skills integration.

Another reseach conducted by Darini Balqis Maulany, in 25 June

2013. She is a learner of English Education Study Program of Indonesia

University of Education. This research is submitted by him as the degree

thesis. The title of this research is The Use of Project-Based Learning in

Improving The Students’ Speaking Skill (A Classroom Action Research at

One of Primary School in Bandung). The research reports on a two-cycle action

research conducted at a Year 4 class at one primary school in Bandung. This research

aimed to find out whether Project-based Learning could improve young learners’

speaking skill or not and what speaking aspects were improved through PBL. It also

aimed to investigate what speaking activities were used in PBL to improve their
speaking skill. To collect the data, participatory observation was done for eight

meetings and speaking assessment was conducted three times in the first, fifth, and

eighth meetings (Pre-test, Post-test 1, Post-test 2). Qualitative analysis was also used

in this design of study. The findings show that PBL could improve the students’

speaking skill. Based on this study, it is suggested that Project-based Learning is

implemented in teaching speaking in primary schools.

 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter aim to describe the method of the research of The Use of Project-Based
Learning in Improving The Students’ Speaking Skill (A Classroom Action Research at One
of Primary School in Jambi City). It presents how the research will be done by the researcher
in order to reach the purposes stated discussing every steps in: (a) research design (b) place
and time of the research (c) population and sample (d) technique of data collection (e)
technique of data analysis.

3.1 Research Design

This study employed a classroom action research (CAR), which was targettted to
develop the teaching media. Action research designs are systematic procedures done by teachers (or
other individuals in an educational setting) to gather information about, and subsequently improve, the
ways their particular educational setting operates, their teaching, and their student learning ( Mills,
2011 in John W. Cresswell, 2012). The type of classroom action research used in this research is
Practical Action Research. According to John W. Cresswell (2012), in practical action research
teachers seek to research problems in their own classrooms so that they can improve their students’
learning and their own professional performance. Teams composed of teachers, students, counselors,
and administrators engage in action research to address common issues such as escalating violence in
schools and the purpose is to research a specifi c school situation with a view toward improving
practice (Schmuck, 1997).

Classroom Action Research (CAR) in this study was done following Kemmis’ cycle
process. Each cycle covers four steps; (1) Planning, (2) Acting, (3) Observing, (4) Reflecting.
There will be 2 kinds of class that used in this study, they are exerimental class and control
class. Experimental class is the group of students which the teaching activity is controlled
without the teaching media that will be identify in this research, that is without using picture
in descriptive text. But, in contro class, the researcher use the media to control the teaching
activity in the classroom. There will be also 2 variable in this research, they are independent
and dependent variable. Independent variable is the variable which influence or which
becauseof change of it is appear of dependent variable, it is refers to students’speaking
ability. And dependent variable is variable influenced by indepent variable, that is refer to
picture in descriptive text.
 3.2 Place and Time of The Research

This research implemented for the third year learners of elementary school at
SD Kristen Bina Kasih Jambi in academic year 2019/2010. It is located at Jln. Prof HMO.
Bafadhal Lrg. Kemang II No. 102, Jambi City. This research run from September 2019.

3.4 Population and Sample

According to Creswell (2003, p. 381) Population is the group of individuals having

one characteristic that distinguishes them from other groups. The population of this research
was third grade students of SD Kristen Bina Kasih Jambi. The total number of students was
100 students from four classes.

Sample is the group of participants in a study selected from the target population from
which the researcher generalizes to the target population (Creswell, 2003). The sample of this
research is students of class III of SD Kristen Bina Kasih Jambi in academic year 2019/2020.
The numbers of students are 25 and 25 students from ctwo classes.

3.5 Procedure of the Research

Research used the design of Kemmis and McTaggart in this action research. There
were four steps in his design. They are planning, acting, observing, and reflecting (Kemmis,
Taggart & Nixon, 2014).
 Figure 1. Kemmis and McTaggart Design (2014)

The description of each steps that had been done in this research would be described eas follows:

1) Plan Stage In this step, the researcher is prepared everything needed in teaching and learning
process. There are many activities that will be done in this step. They are:

a) The researcher has to do preliminary study or lesson plan by identifying the problem in the
classroom.

b) The researcher will formulate planning to conduct the research based on the problem
found.

c) The researcher prepares the teaching facilities.

d) The result of the preliminary study will guide the researcher to determine the problem of
the study, the objective of the study, the instruments, the data collection technique, the data
analysis, and anything relates to the research preparation. In specific definition, this step of
planning will discuss about the planning before the researcher treat the class including the
materials, the target of learning, the indicators of learning, the time allocation, media, the
assessment is used in which usually it is stated in the form of lesson plans.
2) Action Stage In this step, the researcher made some plans to be implemented in the action research.
The researcher collaborates together with the collaborator. The aim of the actions is to improve the
students‟ ability in speaking English by using talking chips strategy. The actions are implemented in
two cycles. Each cycle is done in two meetings.

3) Observation Stage This action ideally should be done in pairs between the researcher and the
observer or collaborator. This way is considered very ideal to reduce the subjectivity of the data
collected. Clearly, the observation should be done by another person, not the researcher herself. In
different word, if the one who conducts the research is the researcher herself, so the one who observes
the class is the observer or collaborator, another person.

4) Reflection Stage This stage presents the findings of the study reflected from the implementation of
the talking chips strategy in the cycle 1 and in the cycle 2. All the findings were formulated together
in this step with the teacher partner as the result of the direct observation in the class.

3.4 Techniques for Data Collection

Instrument is a device to get the data. For doing this research, the researcher needs the
instrument that is used to collect the data. The data included quantitative data and qualitative data.
Koshy explained that quantitative data can be measured and represented by numbers. This kind of
data could be presented in the form of tables and charts. Besides, qualitative data could be presented
in the form of transcripts, descriptions, and document for analysis.48 In addition, in quantitative data,
the researcher is used oral test as instrument to measure their ability at speaking. In scoring the
students‟ test, the writer is used speaking rubrics.

Through speaking rubrics sheet, the researcher will give the students‟ score based on points
given of the speaking rubrics prepared. The test will give after teaching learning activity is done. The
test will conduct in pre-action as called pre-test and in action of both cycle I and cycle II as called
post-test.

1) Pre-test In pre-test, the researcher will conduct teaching learning activity as called pre-action. In
this action, researcher as teacher will give material to the students without implementing the talking
chips strategy. Researcher willuse another method or strategy to teach the students. The other method
is about discussion method. Besides the researcher will also give pre-test as preliminary test to know
how well the student had mastered the speaking skill before taught by talking chips strategy.

2) Post-test In post-test, the researcher will give the material for the students. The researcher will
explain about English material based on material has been learned in that class. After conducting
teaching learning activity, the researcher will give post-test to the students.The researcher conducted
the test as data supporting that to know the students‟ ability in English after implementing talking
chips strategy during learning process especially in discussion activity.

3) Speaking Rubrics The speaking rubrics contain scores of students‟ speaking performances. The
scores are gained through a pre-test and a post-test. At the end, the scores will accumulate and show
the result whether the talking chips strategy improves students‟ speaking ability or not.
3.4 Technique for Data Analysis

In analyzing the data, researcher used the qualitative method of data analysis. Researcher used
the instruments to know how this action research run. They were teaching speaking materials,
teaching scenario, field notes, video and audio recorder, students’ talking time data and learners’
recapitulation score. To gather this data and analyze them, researcher used the the theory of
triangulation. Triangulation is a process to strenghthen the fact that has been gotten from the different
individual, types of data, method of data collection in description (Cresswell, 2012).

The speaking assessment sheet used contains five aspects of speaking skill, namely
comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, fluency, and pronunciation. Each aspect has its own criteria
scaled from 1-5 (adapted from Harries, 1984, and Brown, 2004 )
Maximum score : 100

Minimum score : 25

Students’ score = total score x 100

40
85 – 100 = Very Good
70 -84 = Good
55 – 69 = Okay
54 – 25 = Poor
Table 1. Speaking Assesment Rubrics
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