The Use of Describing Picture Strategy to Improve Students’ English Speaking Skill

This study was designed due to a consideration that English speaking is a difficult subject to be mastered by young learners and using a right teaching strategy is important to improve their English speaking skill. The study explored the effect of using describing picture strategy on the students’ improvement of English speaking at the second grade students of SMPN 2 Darul Imarah Garot, Aceh Besar and found out the students’ problem in learning speaking using describing picture strategy. The study was conducted at SMPN 2 Darul Imarah Garot, Aceh Besar involving 21 students in second grade (class VIII-1). Using quantitative approach and a pre experimental research design, the study collected the data through pre-test, post-test, and questionnaires. The data analysis showed that tscore was 9.27 and ttable at significant level of α = 0.05 was 1.725. Thus, the data can be stated that t-score was higher than t-table (9.27 >1.725). The data showed that alternative hypothesis (Ha) was accepted. This means that the use of describing picture strategy improves students’ English speaking skill. In addition, based on the students’ responses in questionnaire, they considered that describing picture is an effective and suitable strategy in teaching English speaking skill. This finding conform the previous research finding that describing picture can help students to improve students’ English speaking skill. Nevertheless, there were some problems gained in using describing picture strategy. Many students could not apply grammar correctly when they speak by using the strategy. The students are difficult to understand English when their friends speak English using describing picture. They could not speak English fluently and concentrate in speaking English when the teacher used the strategy.