Improving the Students' Speaking Ability Through Participation Point System (Pps) Method

This research was aimed at finding out the improvement of students' speaking accuracy and fluency through Participation Point System (PPS) Method in teaching speaking. The research method used was class action research design consisting of 4 stages, namely planning, action observation, and reflection. It had 2 cycles. The research was implemented by the Tenth-grade students of SMA PGRI Sungguminasa 2011/2012. The researcher took 26 students as the subject of the research. The researcher taught speaking English using PPS Method. The data were gathered after scoring the students' speaking ability on both accuracy (vocabulary and grammar) and fluency (smoothness) through diagnostic test and test of the cycle I and II. The research findings showed that the mean score of the students' speaking diagnostic test was 3.7 as categorized poor (low ability) while the mean score of the students' speaking test in cycle I was 5.2. It had a significant progress but the result still did not reach the determined standard score 6.5, so the research has proceeded to the cycle II that the researcher gained the mean score 7 as categorized well. It showed that the latest progress in the cycle II had reached beyond the determined standard score and there was a significant improvement on the tenth-grade students' speaking ability on both accuracy (vocabulary and grammar) and fluency (smoothness) in the English teaching using Participation Point System Method at SMA PGRI Sungguminasa 2011/2012.

They have got many speaking materials from their teacher, but after they are finished, many of them still stay so difficult to speak up.
As a phenomenom existed among the students of SMA PGRI Sungguminasa Class X.III, Gowa regency in academic year 2011. It was proved that almost every one wanted to say something in English but they found themselves difficult to say it out and even bereft. It was a problem for the students since they really did not have enough vocabulary and knowledge about grammar which could make students speak accurately. This problem was identified when they had been given a picture to discribe and they found themselves unable to speak accurately and even stammer as they were extremely low at grammar especially present simple and proggressive.
Beside that, it was so difficult for them to speak about the topics given by the researcher on the diagnostic test. It is all about wanting in vocabulary. This situation definitely makes the students not highly motivated to speak as well as afraid of making mistakes. This was also supported by an observation held by the researcher through a diagnostic test directly to the students of SMA PGRI Sungguminasa class X.III on Monday, September 26, 2011. The data of the diagnostic test result on English speaking showed that the average grade of the students was 3.7 whereas the standard score was 6.5. Based on the data, it indicated that there was a weakness on the students' speaking ability especially on accuracy and fluency.
This phenomenom also happened because the students rarely practiced their English verbally. Students even hardly ever used it in English class time. It might happen because the teachers did not emphasize their students on using English in the class or their teaching method did not encourage students to speak excessively in the class. Meanwhile, speaking as a media of expressing ideas must be used frequently in order to improve speaking ability. It is imposible that the students can improve their speaking ability if they seldom use it in every single chance until it becomes a habit. As Bourdons in Nunan (1993) cited in Sasmedi (2008 said that spoken language needs the mastery of vocabulary habit. This means that practice of speaking needs lots of time to fulfill the requirements of the mastery of spoken English, either from school or the environment. In order to solve the passivity problem of the students as at SMA PGRI Sungguminasa class X.III so as to improve their speaking ability, the teacher usually give mark for students' participation to see the progress. However, this way often cannot increase the students' ability in speaking because students are usually afraid of making mistake or lack of motivation because they do not know how far their progress in every meeting. As asserted by Hadley (1997, p:1), teachers often give points to the students they observe participating by writing it secretly on their note, which he felt to be problematic. To solve this problem, a method is needed to make the point of participation become visible, so students can see clearly and then evaluate their progress in every meeting.
"Participation Point System (PPS)" is a method created by Hadley. The purpose of this is to have effective method to measure a participation mark of the student to see the students' progress (English speaking skill) and to make students get accustomed to speaking. Teachers usually write the point for active student secretly in their notes. As a result, only high motivated students who always get benefit of the point and students do not know their participating progress. So Hadley creates method that makes the point for student participation tangible. The Hadley's "PPS" method is also adopted by another researcher (David Brown, 2006, p: 1). Brown did an action research to investigate whether the "PPS" method could be implemented in Thailand. The result of his study is that students can have courageousness to participate in class activity and it shows the improvement in their speaking ability.
Based on what is said above, the writer had an interest in conducting a research entitled "Improving Students' Speaking Ability through Participation Point System Method on the Tenth Grade Students of SMA PGRI Sungguminasa".
The result of the research was expected to be a meaningful input for the teaching device that can help the teachers to find their easy communicative way of teaching the language and absolutely deal with the success of teaching speaking skill in learning process and also expected to be meaningful for the students in learning the language so as to easily be able to understand and use it then either in their classroom or outside. Besides that, it was also expected to be a valuable reference for either the university, those who will do another research relating to this case or the writers for the English teaching development in future.
The scope of this research was limited to the application of Participation Point System to improve students' English speaking ability on both fluency (smootheness) and accuracy (grammar and vocabulary) on the students of SMA PGRI Sungguminasa Class X.III, Gowa regency in academic year 2011.

PARTICIPATION POINT SYSTEM METHOD
According to Hadley (1997, p. 1) The participation point system is a method of motivating classroom participation, especially communicative participation, by giving students something tangible (such as discs, marbles, poker chips, etc.) while activities are underway to represent their participation scores. Active participation is a must for every student; clearly communicating daily expectations is a must for every teacher. This participation points system combines these in a measurable, visual way. Each class activity is assigned a number of points that students can earn as they complete tasks. As students engage in the activities, they write on their grids the points they earn by participating. Just before the class ends, the students write their total for that day. These can be then used for giving daily, weekly or semester long participation grades.
In addition to Gardner and Lambert's intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
According to Fisher (1990, p. 17), there are three essentially three levels of motivation: intrinsic satisfaction (the students' natural interest), extrinsic motivation (future reward such as enhanced employment prospects) and the combination between satisfaction and reward (success in the task). It is the latter considered as an important component of motivation since there the true motivation is born. The researcher has notion that students quitely look spiritful if they are rewarded by the teachers. They will consider it a so valuable experience that they can be motivated to take part in the classroom activities actively. It is all because the students feel satisfied.
In a classroom situation where instrinsic and extrinsic motivation is generally lacking, and passivity prevails, it becomes necessary to combine satisfaction and reward, to give motivation a chance to develop. Thus, without a simple and effective task based system of creating satisfaction there would be no foundation upon which to build instrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Therefore, the intention of the participation point system is to reward students in a simple yet tangible way. The best form of praise is rewarding them immediately with participation point that they can actually see and touch, and making these participation points an important part of the grading process.
Firstly, there are some ways to improve students' participation in the class.
Firstly, create motivational learning environtment in class. Although we may not be able to choose our actual classroom, we can still do a lot about their phisycal appearance and the emotional atmosphere of our lesson. Both of these can have a powerful effect on the initial and continuing motivation of the students. When student walk into an attractive classroom at the beginning of a course, it may help to get their motivation of the process going. When they come to an unattractive place, motivation may not be initiated in this way. (Harmer, 2001, p. 53). If we create an English environment, making english classroom language as well as the language to be learnt and perhaps even anglicizing our students' names then there will be more of the students making the classroom truly English.
In addition, the way in which learning environment is created will make students feel either hostile or comfortably to get involved in class. Theorists who are concerned with humanism say that the learners' feeling are as important as their mental or cognitive abilities. If students feel hostile toward the subject of study, the materials, or the teaching methods, they will be unlikely to achieve success (Harmer, 2001, p. 74). So, we can say that the students need an environment that is really suitable for them to get them motivated in learning, especially an English environment to trigger their capability in English so as to participate more actively.
How can teachers ensure that their students feel positive about learning that the effective filter is lowered ? The psychologist Carl Roger, whose impact upon this line of thingking has been profound, suggessted that learners need to feel that what they are learning is personally relevant to them, that they have to experience learning (rather than just been 'taught') and their self image need to be enhanced as part of the process (Rogers 1994 in Harmer, 2001, p. 74).
Secondly, how to encourange students' participation is by giving students reward every time they participate in class. One of teaching principles offered by Brown (2001, p. 1

) is anticipation of reward principle. Brown adapted is based on
Skinner theory that stated anticipation of reward is most powerful factor in directing one's behavior. Here, the researcher considers that giving a reward to students everytime they participate in every single classroom activity is a powerful way to achieve the learning success. It is because the students are extremely motivated to be given a reward as a motivational praise by their teacher.
The reward principles based on Skinner Theory of anticipation of reward principle that human being are universally driven to act, or "behave" by the anticipation of some of sort of rewad-tangible or intagible, short term or long termthat will ensue as a result of behaviour (Brown, 2001, p. 1). As stated above, the researcher says that reward is like a praise in which it can make people or students move or take part actively in any situation especially in the communicative classroom. The researcher believes that the students will participate greatly in all classroom activities if they are praised with a reward that can be seen or touched.
This reminds the researcher of her teaching experience when she taught English in a class at one state school, in which she rewarded her students answering successfully a question with a bar of chocholate. Her student was really glad and more enthusiastic to participate in all activities in the class. Thirdly, students' participation can be enhanced by supplying them with key language. Before students are asked to take part in spoken or written activity, their knowledge of key vocabulary must be checked then teacher must help them with phrase or questions that will be helpful for the task. (Harmer, 2001, p. 252). The researcher has a notion that sometime the problem of the students is they confuse to say a word because they do not know what to speak or they feel English is very difficult. So, giving students simple phrases first or simple examples in the pre-task stage would trigger and raise their confidence to participate in all classroom activities.
Fourtly, plan activities in advance may make students' involvement in class more effective. Because of the time-lag between student meeting new language and their ability to use it fluently, productive activities need to be planned that will provoke the use of language which student have had a change to absorb at an earlier stage. (Harmer, 2001, p. 252).
Participation point system is a simple method devoleped by Hadley. The idea of the method is how to make students participation become tangible so that students can evaluate their progress. At the first year of the class, teachers usually emphasize students' participation in which it will be graded and will be the significant adding score for English score. Howover, the teachers usually note the students' participation secretly in their notes, consequently, teachers unconsciously only focus on active students ( Hadley, 1997, p. 1), teachers often give points to the students they observe participating by writing it in their note. To solve this problem, it is important to have a method that make the point of participation become visible so students can see clearly, and then evaluate their progress in every meeting. The method that can be implemented is called "Participation Point System (PPS)".
Based on of students' culture where it is teacher-centerd and memorizing emphasized, participation point system method can be an alternative to boost students' participation in increasing their speaking ability. Participation point system also can help teacher to mark students' participation and furthermore this method is quite easy and simple. The media is also easy and does not cost to much money. Additionally the teacher does not necessarily need to learn the method more, nor does it need training to master it.
Participation point system combines motivation and participation by giving positive and instantaneous feedback to students. It is also a tangible and immediate form of feedback, which is very motivational for students. It is very staraightforward, even simple approach (Jeffrey, 2003, p. 59). The main advantage of the participation point system or PPS is its tangibility. The students hold the discs or marbles in the classroom, extend their hands to receive them, and look at them with a sense of achievement (Jeffrey, 2003, p: 2). This really takes what could often be called boring classroom more of a game and the students take the points from the teacher really seriously. This method is also very helpful to overcome the students' passivity in speaking (Jeffrey, 2003, p. 1). this way can make students communicate with full of confidence in the classroom. Beside that, this method is rather easy and simple to apply in the classroom and does not cost expensive for the teachers.
In the teaching learning process, the researcher will apply the so-called participation point system method to improve the students' speaking ability. In this research, a classroom action research will be used as a research design, in which it has 2 cycles. Each cycle consists of 4 stages, namely planning, action, observation and reflection. The cycle II will be done after getting the result of the cycle I that is not satisfying.Clearly in the diagram, the researcher only focuses their research on improving speaking accuracy and fluency. In accuracy, the researcher just puts the focus on grammar and vocabulary. So, when the materials taught to students by using participation point system method with task-based activities, the researcher will emphasize on students' grammar and vocabulary. The grammar development can be seen on language focus stage, meanwhile the researcher will provide students with the vocabulary through writing directly on the whiteboard or any ways. Finally it is hoped that the improvement of students' speaking ability will be achieved.

RESEARCH METHOD
The researcher used Classroom Action Research design which consists of 4 stages, namely planning, action, observation and evaluation or reflection. This research design has 2 cycles.
The variable is one of the very important elements of research, and there are two kinds in it, namely independent and dependent variable. Independent variable of this research was the application of Participation Point System method and the dependent variable was developing students' speaking ability on both fluency (smoothness) and accuracy (grammar and vocabulary). The indicator of this research was the students' speaking ability on both fluency (smootheness) and accuracy (grammar, and vocabulary).
In this research, there were two main instruments which were used to collect data, they were observation sheet and speaking tests (recorded). The function of English Education Department Vol. 2 No. 1 Mei 2013 each research instrument was as follows; (1) observation sheet was used to collect data about students participation in teaching learning process in speaking by using Participation Point System Method. (2) speaking tests were used to measure the students' English speaking ability on both fluency (smoothness) and accuracy (vocabulary and grammar).
The procedure of data collection is presented in chronological order as follows: a. Observation; it aimed at finding out the students' participation during the teaching and learning process. b. Speaking test; it aimed at finding out the students' speaking progress. In the cycle I test, the researcher gave 2 phases of oral test for every 2 students based on the materials. The first phase was distributing a discussion card to the students to ask each other and the second one was giving a series of picture to describe about the making of boiled noodles individually. The researcher monitored and recorded it. It was done for 15 minutes. And in the cycle II, for the first phase, the researcher asked the students individually to choose one activity in the options and invite their friend to that activity (someplace). For the second one, the researcher asked them to describe an object, tell a short news and an event. It was all done for 12 minutes.
The data was collected through the test and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. It employed inferential statistic using the following procedures:

The assessment of speaking accuracy
In giving score for the students' speaking accuracy ability, some categories were used as follows: Pronunciation is only very slightly influenced by the mother tongue, two or three minor grammatical or lexical errors. Pronunciation is slightly influenced by the mother tongue. A few minor grammatical and lexical errors but most utterances are correct. Pronunciation is still moderately influenced by the mother tongue but not serious phonological errors. A few minor grammatical and lexical errors but only one or two major errors causing confusion. Pronunciation is seriously influenced by the mother tongue but few serious phonological errors. Several grammatical and lexical errors. Two or more errors cause confusion. Pronunciation is seriously influenced by the mother tongue with the errors causing breakdown in communication. Many basic grammatical and lexical errors. Serious pronunciation errors as well as many basic grammatical and lexical errors. No evidence of having mastered any of language skills and areas practiced in the course. (Heaton, 1988:100) 2. The assessment of speaking fluency  (Sudjana, 1999) 7. To classify the students' score, there were six classifications which were used as follows: Table 3. Students' Score Classification ( Depdikbud, 1999)

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
During the research, the researcher gained some findings that cover the improvement of the students' speaking accuracy and fluency as well as their activeness in the teaching and learning process in class X.III at SMA PGRI Sungguminasa. These findings were to cover the answers of the problem statements aimed to improve the students' speaking skills on accuracy (vocabulary and grammar) and fluency (smoothness).

Participation Point System Method.
In the cycle I, the implementation of Participation Point System Method in teaching speaking at SMA PGRI Sungguminasa in class X.III gave a progress toward the students' speaking accuracy with the mean score 5.3 but it was still under the standard score. That is why the researcher moved on to the cycle II to give improvement and it apparently worked well. In the cycle II, the students' speaking accuracy got a significant improvement with the mean score 7.1. It can be seen clearly in the following table: The table above shows the improvement of the students' speaking accuracy which covers vocabulary and grammar. In the cycle I, the students' speaking accuracy shows the mean score 5.3 as categorized poor and in the cycle No. Score Classification 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 8,6 -10 7,6 -8,5 6,6 -7,5 5,6 -6,5 3,6 -5,5 0,0 -3,5 Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor Very Poor II does 7.1 as categorized good goes beyond the standard score of SMA PGRI Sungguminasa. Therefore, the improvement of the students' speaking accuracy is 34 % in details, in the cycle I the vocabulary and grammar accuracy shows the mean scores 5.5 and 5.1 whereas the cycle II shows the mean scores 7.2 and 7.0.

Point System Method.
The findings of the research show that the students' speaking fluency was improving in the teaching learning through Participation Point System Method, even though in the cycle I the students just obtained the under-standard score.
The data can be seen in the following table. The table above shows that the implementation of Participation Point System Method in English teaching and learning process could improve the students' speaking fluency (smoothness) at SMA PGRI Sungguminasa Class X.III after taking actions in two cycles. Clearly, one of the indicators of the research was speaking fluency referring to its smoothness. In the cycle I, the students just obtained the mean score 5.0, whereas in the cycle II they did the mean score 6.9. The latter had exceeded the standard score of SMA PGRI Sungguminasa for the students Class X and was categorized good. The improvement of the students' speaking fluency (smoothness) obtained after taking two cycles action was 38 %.

Point System Method
Participation Point System Method in improving the students' speaking skills dealing with the accuracy and fluency can be seen clearly in the following table: Table 6. The Improvement of the Students' Speaking Skill

No Indicators
The Student' Score
Fluency 5.0 6.9 Students' Speaking Skill 5.2 7 The table above indicates that there was an improvement for the students' speaking skill from cycle I to cycle II. The students' speaking skill in cycle I showed 5.2 as categorized poor, whereas in the cycle II it showed an increase in which the score turned into 7 as categorized good. This latest score indicates that the students had reached more than the standard score during the research.
Considering the comparison of the results between the cycle I and II, the table clearly shows that the improvement of the students' speaking skill reached 37 % which was then considered a significant improvement.

The Observation Results in the Teaching and Learning Process
During the research about the use of the method of Participation Point System in improving the students' speaking skill, the researcher gave an observation thoroughly toward the class to know the improvement of the students' participation when following the teaching and learning process using this method in 2 cycles. The researcher used observation sheets to identify it easily. The observation result toward the students' participation at SMA PGRI Sungguminasa Class X.III in the teaching and learning process using Participation Point System Method can be seen clearly in the following table. The table above shows that the use of Participation Point System Method in teaching and learning process could improve the students' participation in the class.
In detail, the table shows that the average score of the students' participation in the class in the cycle I was 57.8% and in the cycle II, the students' participation increased to 71.8%. It proves that there was an improvement toward the students' participation in the teaching and learning process along two cycles in which its improvement reached 14%. The researcher assumed that the students were still bad in their accuracy, especially their grammar and the use of vocabulary though they had been active enough and motivated in speaking the target language. Based on that reflection, the researcher tried to scrap her lesson plans and give a better presentation (providing vocabularies at least 15 words per meeting) and clearer instructions in the cycle II. And apparently in the end, it all worked well and successfully resulted in a higher score than before.

DISCUSSION
This part presents a discussion dealing with the interpretation of the research findings derived from the result of statistical analysis and researcher's notes during the research to depict the students' speaking improvement in the teaching and learning through Participation Point System Method, focusing on both accuracy and fluency. The researcher did not use PPS all the time. Since there were vary activities in the class. She used PPS only in terms of after her material presentation (pre-task).
Though, any participation or achievement can arise point for the students but they seemed not to be motivated to initiate. It just happened in the cycle I. The researcher tried hard to trigger the students' confidence. She often asked students with a simple question first to motivate low achievement students or passive students. In the first meeting, students looked enthusiastic so did they in the second, third and the fourth meeting, only few students who did not try to get involved. The participation and enthusiasm of students were increasing from the first meeting until the fourth meeting in each cycle.
Students tried to answer even they might not know the answer, but they were motivated to raise their hands, and it was visible clearly that students who got the points show happy and satisfied expression. It made class fun like a game. The researcher looked happy because got attention from the students, unlike when did not use the PPS for example during her presentation the students were not very attentive to the researcher.

The students' speaking accuracy achievement
The description of data collected through the test as explained in the previous finding section shows the improvement on the students' speaking accuracy by applying Participation Point System Method as supported by the significant difference between the scores gained in the cycle I and II. As seen on table 1, the mean score of accuracy in the cycle I was 5.3 and in the cycle II it was 7.1 where its improvement reached 34 %.
In the teaching and learning process using Participation Point System Method, students were given a presentation of a single target item clearly and easy understandably, so that they were able to comprehend it faster. In the presentation, they were also often led to use the target item. Afterward, they continued to work on some practices (communicative practices are preferred). These practices made the students more trained, so that they became much better at the lesson. They were also given a language analysis where the researcher analyze all the mistakes relating to the lesson target like their grammar construct, vocabularies, and any problems that they might face. This took place until the last meeting.
In the cycle I, the researcher still found some mistakes done by the students during the class especially the use of grammar (target items) and vocabularies though they were really enthusiastic and fun with the lessons. So, in the cycle II The researcher tried to scrap her lesson plans and focused on giving a clearer presentation. She also tried to give clearer and simpler instructions of every activity so that the students' speaking accuracy was improving. Based on the facts above, the researcher concludes that the application of Participation Point System Method in the teaching and learning on the students of SMA PGRI Sungguminasa Class X.III is improving the students' speaking accuracy.

The students' speaking fluency achievement
According to the research findings, the students' speaking fluency also meets the improvement by implementing Participation Point System Method in the teaching and learning. The improvement of the students' speaking fluency in the cycle I with the mean score 5.0 was good enough compared with the mean score gained in the diagnostic test (3.3 ). However, in the cycle II the mean score of fluency increased to 6.9 as considered a good achievement for the students of SMA PGRI Sungguminasa Class X.III. The students' fluency score in the cycle I was low. It was because the students still had a few vocabularies whereas it was quite needed to develop the ideas in speaking fluently. Therefore, the researcher, in the cycle II, tried to help the students by providing the related vocabularies at least 15 words every meeting. This way really worked even though it did not give a very high result but at least it had gone beyond the standard score determined by the school.
Besides that, the students were led to the task and practice stage, in which in these phases they really used the target item in a communicative practice. The students produced it well. The researcher allocated around 30 minutes in this stage, therefore they had many lots of time to practice. The researcher also emphazised 60 minutes STT (Student Talk Time) greater than TTT (Teacher Talk Time) 30 minutes to the class in all cycles carried out. In a nutshell, the students had lots of chances to use the target language in their class so that this absolutely could motivate them and develop their speaking fluency.

The students' Participation improvement
Beside the improvement of accuracy and fluency in cycle I and cycle II, the findings also showed the improvement of the students' participation in the class.
The result showed that students' participation in cycle I was lower than students' participation in cycle II. Before the researcher started doing the observation, she had to prepare the observation sheets to observe the students' participation in the teaching and learning process in every meeting.
In the cycle I, it sounded good enough because in the first meeting until the last meeting the students welcomed the class like a game though few of them still did not get involved in every activity. They could give a happy expression. For the passive ones who did not give participation, they were just lacking vocabularies to speak up so that they became so reluctant and even shy. However, at the end of the cycle I, the observation result showed that the students' participation in the teaching and learning using this method was still low and under the standard. It was 57.8%.
In the cycle II, The researcher tried hard to trigger the students' confidence.
She often asked students with a simple question first to motivate low achievement students or passive students so that at last they could get themselves involved in doing the tasks. The researcher also tried to speak not too fast especially in giving the instructions and materials so as to make the students easy to catch the materials and instructions. Once the students could understand, they would certainly participate in every activity in the class. By taking these actions in the cycle II, the students turned to be more active that before in the cycle I as a data of observation showed an improvement with the score 71.8%. So, the improvement of the students' participation in the teaching and learning process from cycle I to cycle II reached 14%. As discussed above, the researcher concludes that Participation Point System Method could improve the students' speaking skill on both accuracy (grammar and vocabulary) and fluency (smoothness) at SMA PGRI Sungguminasa Class X.III.