Online ISSN 2502-5740/© 2018 EnJourMe. All rights reserved. EnJourMe (English Journal of Merdeka): Culture, Language, and Teaching of English Vol. 2 No. 2 December(2017) 98– 104 EnJourMe (English Journal of Merdeka) : Culture, Language, and Teaching of English Journal homepage: http://jurnal.unmer.ac.id/index.php/enjourme/index Using Target-Story Picture to Improve Students’ Narrative Monologue Skills Misianto Public Senior High School 7 of Malang, Jl. Cengger Ayam No. 14, 65141, Malang, Indonesia misianto.misianto@gmail.com A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T Article history: Received 10 November 2017 Received in revised form 04 January 2018 Accepted 12 June 2018 Available online 20 August 2018 In learning English, a narrative monologue skill is required. This is instructed by the English Curriculum of Senior High School. The existing method of narrative monologue learning implemented so far is memorization which is difficult for students to develop and to improve their own ideas. This Classroom Action Research was aimed at developing an innovative learning model of narrative monologue by using a Target- Story Picture media for improving the students’ narrative monologue skills. Based on the collected data, the use of Target-Story Picture media proved effective in improving the students’ narrative monologue skills. Thus, it is suggested for English teacher especially who teach XI Grade students to use Target-Story Picture media to teach narrative monologue. © 2018 EnJourMe. All rights reserved. Keywords: Classroom action research, narrative monoloque skills, Target-story picture media. 1. Introduction According to Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan (KTSP), a document issued by the government for regulating the implementation of curriculum at a school, one of the language skills that must be mastered by the students is a narrative monologue. The existing method of the narrative monologue learning mostly implemented so far is memorizing a narrative text to be presented in front of the class. This learning model tends to be boring and does not reflect the students’ real monologue ability due to the absence of authentic involvement of ideas and creativity naturally delivered by them. The students had difficulty in expressing their ideas properly and fluently when they encountered naturally spontaneous communication situations. Such problem was found by giving the students an assignment in the form of a narrative monologue. The results of the assignment were as follows: 10 students (29.4%) showing the acceptable fluency and 24 students (70.6%) with the problem of fluency. Seemingly the problem was caused by the absence of an interesting learning media which was able to motivate the students to do the narrative monologue. Based on the above problem, the researcher implemented an innovative learning model by using the Target-Story Picture media that can allegedly improve the students’ narrative monologue skills. The use of the Target-Story Picture media is in line with the learning strategy which has active, innovative, creative, effective, and interesting features. Such strategy involves not only the exciting learning environment but also the fulfillment of the students' curiosity. It requires the support of classroom management and uses the appropriate learning media, aids, and learning resources. It is created to adjust the learning process to the characteristics of the students’ learning (Abimanyu, et al. 2008: 8-15 in Trianingsih (2013). The Target-Story Picture media principally uses picture series. The following are the previous studies on the use of picture series for improving the speaking ability. Purwantiningsih (2015) stated that the use of picture series was successful in improving not only the students’ participation in the teaching-learning process but also the speaking ability of the students in terms of retelling a story or in this case, students’ score and their interest in learning English. The success was mailto:misianto.misianto@gmail.com Misianto/ EnJourMe Vol. 2 No. 2 (2017)98 – 104 99 indicated by the achievement of the criteria of success which deal with the students’ involvement in the teaching-learning process; it was found that 84% students were actively involved in the teaching-learning process. Concerning the students’ scores, it showed that 81% of the students already achieved scores greater than 75, and 89% of the students showed good responses to the media. Windihastuti (2013) stated that the use of picture series could improve the students’ speaking skill in telling a story (narrative text) and the classroom situation of speaking class. The speaking skills included the students’ vocabulary, pronunciation, understanding of grammar, and fluency. The improvement of classroom situation included a more alive class because the students actively participated in the speaking class, the students’ motivation to speak English, and the students’ good attention to the teacher’s explanation. In previous research, Misianto (2007) succeeded in improving students’ English-speaking performance using crossword puzzle. Moreover, this strategy claimed as an appropriate method to improve students’ enthuastic and motivation in study English. Thus this present study expected to improve students’ narrative monologue skills at the Grade XI-IA 2 of the Public Senior High School 7 Malang using the Target-Story Picture media. 2. Method This research is a Classroom Action Research (CAR) that develops a narrative monologue learning model using the Target-Story Picture media to improve the students’ narrative monologue skills. The CAR was implemented to solve practical problems faced by the students when presenting narrative monologues. The problems were identified by giving the students an assignment of a narrative monologue. This research involved a collaborator who acted as both a narrative monologue evaluator of the students and an observer who observed the atmosphere of the learning process in the classroom by using the assessment and observation sheets that were prepared by the researcher. The purpose of this research was improving the students' narrative monologue skills based on the problems found in the preliminary study. There are 2 steps of the CAR, namely preparation and implementation (Mistar, 2006). The preparation included the following activities: (1) identification of problems faced by the students when performing narrative monologues in English. This was done by giving the students an assignment in the form of a story retelling presented in the front of the class (meeting 1 and 2); and (2) learning the narrative monologues by using the Target-Story Picture media to overcome the problems. The implementation of the CAR included the cycles to solve the identified problems. Each cycle consisted of planning, implementing, observing, and reflecting. At the planning stage, the researcher prepared the things needed for implementing the narrative monologue learning using the Target- Story Picture media in order to solve the problems that were already identified. The preparation included the following: (1) preparing the Lesson Plan; and (2) determining the criteria or indicators of success of the narrative monologue learning using the Target-Story Picture media. The Lesson Plan mentioned the following: (a) meeting 3 (2x45 minutes) spent for presenting and elaborating the materials on the narrative monologue with the Target-Story Picture media and practicing the narrative monologue by using the Target-Story Picture (only one group performing the activity as a sample / model); and (b) meetings 4 and 5 (4 x 45 minutes) spent for designing a scenario of the narrative monologue learning using the Target-Story Picture media. The scenario was as follows: (a) the teacher made groups of 4 students; (b) each group was given an envelope containing a series of pictures for a different story from one another;(c) the teacher assigned each group to in turns deliver a narrative monologue based on the pictures. Each member of the groups put the pictures into a pocket that was on the Target-Story Picture media which was already fixed on the white board and presented the monologue. The available time for each group to prepare was 15 minutes; and (d) when the students were delivering their monologues, the researcher and collaborator assessed their performance. In terms of criteria or indicators of success, there were 2 types of criteria or indicators of success, namely the students’ performing the narrative monologue and the atmosphere of narrative monologue learning process using the Target-Story Picture media. There were 5 indicators of success for the students’ narrative monologue performance which was assessed by the researcher and collaborator using the assessment rubrics as presented in Table 1. Misianto/ EnJourMe Vol. 2 No. 2 (2017)98 – 104 100 Table 1 Assessment Rubric of Narrative Monologue Performance Used by the Researcher and the Collaborator NO ASPECTS TO BE EVALUATED *) SCORE 1 2 3 4 1 developing main ideas meaningfully (content) 2 organizing main ideas meaningfully (coherence) 3 telling a story smoothly and fluently (fluency) 4 pronouncing the words properly (pronunciation) 5 using vocabulary meaningfully (diction) *) Put a mark (√) in the score column 1, 2, 3, or 4 Conversion Score in Value: 1 = 0-64 2 = 65-74 3 = 75-84 4 = 85-100 Each indicator of success for the narrative monologue performance was fulfilled when the students were able to achieve a minimum score of 3 or 75. There were 3 indicators of success for the atmosphere of narrative monologue learning process using the Target-Story Picture media which was accessed by the researcher and collaborator using the observation guide as presented in Table 2. Table 2 Observation Guide for the Atmosphere of Learning Process Used by the Researcher and the Collaborator NO ASPECTS TO BE EVALUATED *) SCORE 1 2 3 4 1 The students showed an attitude of cooperation in group while doing tasks 2 The students showed an enthusiasm while doing the tasks 3 The students showed a serious attitude in completing the tasks *) Put a mark (√) in the score column 1, 2, 3, or 4 Conversion Score in Value: 1 = 0-64 2 = 65-74 3 = 75-84 4 = 85-100 All those three criteria were said to be achieved if the students reached the minimum score of 3 or the value of 75. In addition to using the observation guide, the researcher also used a questionnaire filled by the students to assess the atmosphere of learning process using the Target-Story Picture media as presented in Table 3. Table 3 Questionnaire Filled by the Students NO ASPECTS TO BE ACCESSED *) Yes *) No 1 Do you like this learning model? 2 Are you passionate about this learning model? 3 Do you work together in your group while studying? 4 Do you seriously study by using this learning model? 5 Do you think this learning model can improve your narrative monologue skills? *) Put a mark (√) on the Yes or No column Misianto/ EnJourMe Vol. 2 No. 2 (2017)98 – 104 101 At the implementing stage the process of learning narrative monologue using the Target-Story Picture media was implemented in the class based on the existing schedule. The researcher had to follow the schedule and do what he had planned keeping the atmosphere of learning process natural and reasonable so that the students did not feel being the subject of the research. During the learning process, the researcher acted as a facilitator. The next stage was observing. This stage was used for collecting the data by using the instruments. This study used two types of instruments, namely the researcher and the collaborator. Both observed the overall implementation of the narrative monologue learning using the Target-Story Picture media in the classroom. They observed the implementation by using an assessment rubric of narrative monologue performance and an observation guide for the atmosphere of the learning process using the Target-Story media. The following stage of the research cycle was reflecting. At this stage all the data obtained from the assessment rubric and the observation guide were analyzed and then the results of the analysis were compared with the criteria of success. 3. Results and discussion 3.1 Results In the first cycle, there were 31 students who performed the narrative monologue by using the Target-Story Picture media. There were two stories to present, namely The Three Little Pigs and Snow White and Seven Dwarfs. Based on the assessment conducted by the researcher and the collaborator the results were obtained as shown in Table 4. Table 4 Results of the Narrative Monologue Performance in Cycle 1 NO ASPECTS TO BE EVALUATED SCORE 1 2 3 4 1 developing main ideas meaningfully (content) 13 % 87 % 2 organizing main ideas meaningfully (coherence) 3 % 97 % 3 telling a story smoothly and fluently (fluency) 58 % 42 % 4 pronouncing the words properly (pronunciation) 48 % 52 % 5 using vocabulary meaningfully (diction) 65 % 35 % Conversion Score in Value: 1 = 0-64 2 = 65-74 3 = 75-84 4 = 85-100 The table above can be explained as follows: In terms of developing main ideas meaningfully (content), there were 4 students (13%) who got the score of 3 and 27 students (87%) getting the score of 4. In organizing main ideas meaningfully (coherence), there was 1 student (3%) who got the score of 3 and 30 students (97%) getting the score of 4. Pertinent to telling a story smoothly and fluently (fluency), there were 18 students (58%) who got the score of 3 and 13 students (42%) getting the score of 4; 4) For pronouncing the words properly (pronunciation), 15 students (48%) got the score of 3 and 16 students (52%) getting the score of 4; and For the ability of using vocabulary meaningfully (diction), there were 20 students (65%) who got the score of 3 and 11 students (35%) getting the score of 4. Furthermore, the researcher and the collaborator observed the atmosphere of the narrative monologue learning process using the Target-Story Picture media and obtained the facts as shown in Table 5. Misianto/ EnJourMe Vol. 2 No. 2 (2017)98 – 104 102 Table 5 Observation Result of Learning Process of Narrative Monologue in Cycle 1 NO ASPECTS TO BE EVALUATED SCORE 1 2 3 4 1 The students showed an attitude of cooperation in group while doing tasks 6 % 94 % 2 The students showed an enthusiasm while doing the tasks 16 % 84 % 3 The students showed a serious attitude in completing the tasks 16 % 84 % Conversion Score in Value: 1 = 0-64 2 = 65-74 3 = 75-84 4 = 85-100 The table above can be explained as follows: In the case of cooperation in the group, there were 2 students (6%) who got the score of 3 and 19 students (94%) getting the score of 4. In the case of enthusiastic attitude of doing the tasks, there were 5 students (16%) who got the score of 3 and 26 students (84%) getting the score of 4. And in the serious attitude of doing the tasks, there were 5 students (16%) who got the score of 3 and 26 students (84%) getting the score of 4. The atmosphere of the learning process was also assessed by using the questionnaire filled by the students. The results were presented in Table 6. Table 6 Results of Questionnaire Filled by Students in Cycle 1 NO ASPECTS TO BE ACCESSED Yes No 1 Do you like this learning model? 84 % 16 % 2 Are you passionate about this learning model? 77 % 23 % 3 Do you work together in your group while studying? 97 % 3 % 4 Do you seriously study by using this learning model? 90 % 10 % 5 Do you think this learning model can improve your narrative monologue skills? 100 % 0 % Based on the results of Cycle 1 above it proved that the narrative monologue learning model using the Target-Story Picture media succeeded in improving the students' ability of narrative monologue and creating a fun monologue-learning atmosphere in the class. Nevertheless, the researcher considered it necessary to continue this research by using Cycle 2. The purpose of Cycle 2 was improving the students’ performance of narrative monologue on 2 aspects, namely fluency and vocabulary (diction) because most of the students still got the score of 3 for those two aspects (see Table 4). The researcher considered it necessary to improve both aspects so that the students were able to get the score of 4. To implement Cycle 2 some revision and improvement to the planning were done. The revision and improvement included the following: (1) explaining how to improve fluency when telling a story and how to use vocabulary items (diction) appropriately; (2) arranging the jumbled pictures in a good order. The purpose of this action was giving the students more opportunities to focus on fluency and vocabulary. The students unnecessarily spent much time for arranging the pictures; (3) giving all groups the same story, so they could learn from each other while presenting the story; and (4) prolonging the preparation duration; it was formerly 15 minutes and was changed into 25 minutes so that the students had enough time to prepare themselves for presenting the monologue. In the second cycle, all of the students presented the same story of Rapunzel. Based on the assessment conducted by the researcher and the collaborator, the results of the monologue performance were obtained as shown in Table 7. Misianto/ EnJourMe Vol. 2 No. 2 (2017)98 – 104 103 Table 7 Performance Results Monologue Narrative Cycle 2 NO ASPECTS TO BE EVALUATED SCORE 1 2 3 4 1 telling a story smoothly and fluently (fluency) 23,5 % 76,5 % 2 using vocabulary meaningfully (diction) 8,8 % 91,2 % Conversion Score in Value: 1 = 0-64 2 = 65-74 3 = 75-84 4 = 85-100 The table above can be explained as follows: In terms of telling a story smoothly and fluently (fluency), there were 8 students (23,5%) who got the score of 3, and 26 students (76,5%) getting the score of 4. Pertinent to using vocabulary meaningfully (diction), there were 3 students (8.8%) who got the score of 3, and 31 students (91,2%) getting the score of 4. It was proven that learning a narrative monologue using the Target-Story Picture media was very effective to improve the fluency and vocabulary (diction) aspects. The number of students who got the score of 4 for the fluency increased; it was 42% in Cycle 1 and 76.5% in Cycle 2. There was also an increase in the number of students who got the score of 4 for the vocabulary (diction) aspect, namely 35% in Cycle 1 and 91.2% in Cycle 2. 3.2 Discussion Based on the results of the implementation of the narrative monologue learning model using the Target-Story Picture media, there were some positive changes that occurred in the students’ performance of narrative monologue and in the atmosphere of the learning process in the classroom. The students met the criteria / indicators of success in presenting the acceptable narrative monologues, and the atmosphere of the learning process in the class was fun. The narrative monologue learning model using the Target-Story Picture media succeeded in improving the students’ acceptable narrative monologue performance and their spirit in learning the narrative monologue in class. It proved that the use of the Target-Story Picture was really effective for improving the students’ speaking ability because it was able to stimulate the students to actively speak up. This is in line with what Bailey (2005:37) in Zainatuddar (2015) stated as follows: Using pictures as the basis of speaking lessons gives the learners something to talk about, something to focus on other than their own uncertainty with the new language. Whether you use colored photographs from calendars, advertisements cut out from magazines, or pictures you locate on the internet, pictures add interest to speaking lessons and can motivate people to speak. It was obvious that the Target-Story Picture media succeeded to dig up the students’ authentic speaking ability because they were stimulated to express their own ideas based on the picture series as their guidance. 4. Conclusion and Suggestions This research has successfully developed a model of narrative monologue learning using the Target- Story Picture media. The learning model has the following scenarios: (1) the students make groups of 4; (2) each group receives an envelope containing a set of jumbled pictures; (3) each group rearranges the pictures; and (4) each member of a group presents a monologue based on the arranged pictures. Each member puts only the picture to be narrated into a pocket that is attached on the Target-Story Picture media and tells the story. The narrative monologue learning model using the Target-Story Picture media has an advantage of giving the students an opportunity to develop the main idea into a detailed explanation based on their creativity. Based on the analysis of this research result, the narrative monologue learning model using the Target-Story Picture media proved effective in improving the students’ ability of presenting a narrative monologue. In addition, the learning model was able to improve the quality of the atmosphere of a fun Misianto/ EnJourMe Vol. 2 No. 2 (2017)98 – 104 104 narrative monologue learning process. The students were motivated to study the narrative monologue more enthusiastically and better. Whereas, there are two suggested things as follows: (1) conducting follow-up Classroom Action Research (CAR). This study had a major limitation on the use of the international stories. It is expected that the other researchers conduct a further CAR by digging and using the local stories of Indonesia and even giving the students the opportunity to create their own stories; and (2) making use of the results of this study. English teachers are expected to apply the narrative monologue learning model using the Target-Story Picture media because it proves effective in improving the students’ achievement of presenting the narrativemonologue and the quality of atmosphere of narrative monologue learning process in the classroom. 5. References Misianto. (2007). Improving The Students’ Speaking Skills and The Learning Process of English Speaking Through Information Gap at The Grade XI-IS 2 of the Public Senior High School 7 Malang. EnJourMe (English Journal of Merdeka) : Culture, Language and Teaching of English, 2(1), 28-41. Mistar, J. (2006). Pedoman Penulisan Tesis. Malang: Program Pascasarjana Universitas Islam Malang. Purwatiningsih. (2015). Improving Speaking Ability through Story Telling Technique by Using Picture Series. Journal on english as a Foreign Language, 5(1), 57-66 Trianingsih. (2013). STRATEGI DAN MODEL-MODEL PEMBELAJARAN PAIKEM. Retrieved November 6, 2017, from https://rimatrian.blogspot.com/2013/11/strategi-dan-model-model-pembelajaran.html Windihastuti, R. (2013). Improving Students’ Speaking Skill by Using Picture Series. Retrieved November 6, 2018, from https://eprints.uns.ac.id/13566/ Zainatuddar. (2015). Teaching Speaking in English by Using the Picture Series Technique. Retrieved January 3, 2018, from www.jurnal.unsyiah.ac.id/EEJ/article/view/2854/2716 https://eprints.uns.ac.id/13566/ http://www.jurnal.unsyiah.ac.id/EEJ/article/view/2854/2716