YUSNITA SARI-FITK - Unlocked

IMPROVING STUDENT’S PRONUNCIATION
BY USING MINIMAL PAIR DRILL

(A Classroom Action Research at Grade VII.3 SMPN 66 Jakarta)
YUSNITA SARI
206014000185
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TARBIYA AND TEACHERS’ TRAINING
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
JAKARTA
1432 H/2011 M
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
‫ﺑﺴﻢ اﷲ اﻟﺮ ﺣﻤﻦ اﻟﺮ ﺣﯿﻢ‬

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise be to Allah, who bestowed upon the writer in completing this
skripsi. Peace and blessing be upon our prophet Muhammad SAW, her household,
his companions, and his faithful followers.
The writer would like to say her great honor and deepest gratitude to her
beloved parents: Usril Chaniago (her late father) and Ayani, her lovely brother:
Muhammad Firdaus, her grandparents: Husna and Rasuna Said, Hasan (her late
grandfather) and Usman who always give their love, support, motivation, and
advice to finish her study.
The writer also wants to thanks to Nida Husna, M.Pd, M.A. TESOL, as the
writer’s advisor for her time, support, advice, guidance, kindness, contribution,
and patience in correcting and helping her to finish this paper.
The writer also realizes that she would never finish writing this paper
without the help and support of some people around her. Therefore, she would
like to give special gratitude to:
1. Drs. Syauki Muchsin, M Pd., the head of English Department.
2. Drs. Nasrun Mahmud, M.Pd., who gave the advice and helped the
writer to approve the proposal of this research.
3. Neneng Sunengsih, M.Pd., the secretary of English Departmen that
gives her contribution to conduct everything, especially which related
to this research.
4. All lecturers who give their knowledge, support, advice, motivation,
kindness.
5. Irawati, M. Pd. and Drs. Moh. Khotim, M.Pd, the headmaster of
SMPN 66 Jakarta, who helped the writer to do the research.
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6. Diah Nur Pancawati, S.Pd., Zulyetni Syawir, Amd.Pd., and
Fathurrahmah, S.Pd., as the English teachers of SMPN 66 Jakarta, who
helped the writer to conduct the research.
7. All friends in English Department, especially generation 2006, her
beloved friends Rella Agustini S.Pd, Siti Habibah Egiyantinah S.Pd,
Ovalina S.Pd, Isti Widowati, Ius Yusniah, Dini Khoirunnisa, Sawitri
Maya Kuntari, Imas Masturoh S. Pd., Yeni Gustri Wahyuni, etc.,
thanks for the advice, kindness, support, sun, huge, sadness,
knowledge, and everything.
8. All friends in Kahfi Al-Karim, especially generation XI academic year
2010/2011, who supported the writer.
9. All students of SMPN 66 Jakarta, especially class VII.3, who helped
the writer in implementing this research.
10. All others my families members who give support, love, hope, and big
huge to the writer.
May Allah, the Almighty bless them, Ameen. Finally, the writer realizes
that this skripsi is far from perfectness. Therefore, the writer would like to accept
any constructive suggestion to make this skripsi better.
Jakarta, February , 2011
The Writer
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ABSTRACT
Yusnita Sari, 2011. Improving Student’s Pronunciation by Using Minimal Pair

Drill (A Classroom Action Research at grade VII.3 SMPN 66 Jakarta), skripsi,
Department of English Education, Faculty of Tarbiya and Teachers Training,
Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Jakarta.
Advisor: Nida Husna, M.Pd, M.A.TESOL
Key words: Pronunciation, Minimal-Pair Drill, SMPN 66 Jakarta.
This research is aimed to know whether minimal pair drills can improve
the students’ ability in pronunciation or not and to discuss how minimal pair drills
improve the students’ ability in pronunciation at the grade of VII.3, SMPN 66
Jakarta. This research is based on the last observation result that the students have
been active their pronunciation learning by using minimal pair drill.
This research is categorized as Classroom Action Research (CAR). It is
carried out to solve the student’s problem in used in improving the students’
English pronunciation. The CAR design that is used in this research is Kemmis
and McTaggart’s design: it consists of two cycles, those are: cycle 1 and cycle 2
with 2 actions for each cycle. Every cycle consists of four phases, those are: plan,
act, observe, and reflect. The subject of this research is the students of grade VII.3
of SMPN 66 Jakarta. In collecting the data, this research uses observation,
interview, and test.
Based on the result and the discussion of this research, it can be said that
the implementation of minimal pair in improving students’ pronunciation is
success since the criteria of success were achieved. The criterion of success that
has been agreed by the teacher and researcher is if the improvement from pretest
to posttest 1 and to posttest 2 is 30%. And the result is 20.29% improvement of
students’ mean score from pretest result to posttest 1. Furthermore, The result
shows 34,01%, the improvement of students’ mean score from pretest result to
posttest 2. Besides, the significant improvement can be seen from the students’
response to teacher’s performance. They seem more active during teaching
learning activity. Based on the result that is mentioned before, the writer suggests
that the English teacher should implement minimal pair drill in order to improve
the students’ pronunciation ability.
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ABSTRAK
Yusnita Sari, 2011. Improving Student’s Pronunciation by Using Minimal Pair

Drill (A Classroom Action Research at grade VII.3 SMPN 66 Jakarta), Skripsi,
Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Fakultas Ilmu Tarbiyah dan Keguruan,
Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta.
Pembimbing: Nida Husna, M.Pd, M.A.TESOL
Kata Kunci: Pronunciation, Minimal-Pair Drill, SMPN 66 Jakarta.
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui apakah pengucapan bahasa

Inggris siswa dapat meningkat dengan menggunakan latihan minimal-pair dan
untuk mendiskusikan tentang penerapan minimal-pair dalam meningkatkan
pengucapan siswa. Penelitian ini berdasarkan hasil observasi sebelumnya, dengan
menerapkan latihan minimal-pair, siswa dinyatakan aktif dalam pembelajarannya.
Penelitian ini dikategorikan sebagai Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (PTK).
Penelitian ini dilaksanakan untuk memecahkan masalah siswa dalam
meningkatkan pengucapan Bahasa Inggris mereka. Desain PTK yang digunakan
dalam penelitian ini adalah desain Kemmis dan McTaggart, yang terdiri dari dua
siklus, yaitu siklus 1 dan 2. Masing-masing siklus memiliki 4 tahapan yang sama
yaitu: merencanakan, melaksanakan, meneliti, dan mengevaluasi. Subjek pada
penelitian ini adalah siswa-siswi kelas VII.3 SMPN 66 Jakarta. Teknik
pengumpulan data dalam penelitian ini menggunakan observasi, wawancara, dan
tes.
Berdasarkan hasil dan diskusi dari penelitian ini, bisa dikatakan bahwa
penerapan latihan minimal-pair dalam meningkatkan pengucapan siswa telah
berhasil mencapai kriteria sukses. Kriteria kesuksesan yang telah disetujui antara
guru dan peneliti dalam penelitian ini adalah 30% dari hasil peningkatan nilai
rata-rata siswa yang dicapai dari pretes ke posttes 1 dan 2. Peningkatan mencapai
20.29% dari hasil pretes ke postest 1. Selanjutnya, hasil peningkatan menunjukan
34,01% dari hasil pretes ke postes 2. Disamping itu, terlihat juga peningkatan
yang signifikan dari respon siswa terhadap penampilan guru. Mereka terlihat lebih
aktif selama proses belajar mengajar. Berdasarkan hasil yang disebutkan
sebelumnya, penulis menyarankan kepada guru bahasa Inggris untuk terus
menerapkan latihan minimal-pair dalam upaya meningkatkan pengucapan bahasa
Inggris siswa.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
COVER ............................................................................................................ i
APROVEMENT SHEET ................................................................................ ii
ENDORSEMENT SHEET .............................................................................. iii
SURAT PERNYATAAN KARYA SENDIRI ................................................. iv
ACKNOWLEDGMENT ................................................................................. v
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................... vii
ABSTRAK ................................................................................................. …viii
TABLE OF CONTENT................................................................................... ix
LIST OF TABLES......................................................................................... xii
LIST OF FIGURES......................................................................................... xiii
LIST OF APPENDICES ............................................................................... xiv
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .................................................................. 1

A. Background of Study ......................................................... 1
B. Formulation of the Problem ............................................... 4
C. Objective of Research........................................................ 4
D. Contribution of Research ................................................... 5
CHAPTER II: THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK ....................................... 6

A. Pronunciation Theory ........................................................ 6
1. Definitions of Pronunciation ....................................... 6
2. Concepts of Pronunciation .......................................... 8
a. Sounds of Language............................................. 8
b. Stress and Rhythm ............................................... 11
c. Intonation............................................................. 13
3. Goals of Teaching Pronunciation ................................ 15
4. Pronunciation Problem................................................ 17
5. Preliminary Considerations in the Teaching of
Pronunciation.............................................................. 21
B. Minimal Pair Drills.......................................................... 23
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CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ....................................... 26
A. Method of the Research ................................................... 26
B. Subject of the Research ................................................... 27
C. Focus of the Research...................................................... 27
D. Setting of Research.......................................................... 28
E. Research Design.............................................................. 28
F. Classroom Action Research (CAR) Procedures ............... 29
1. Action Research in Cycle 1....................................... 30
a. Plan...................................................................... 30
b. Act....................................................................... 31
c. Observe................................................................ 32
d. Reflect ................................................................. 32
2. Action research in Cycle 2 ........................................ 33
a. Re-Plan ................................................................ 33
b. Act and Observe................................................... 33
c. Reflect ................................................................. 33
G. Techniques of Data Collecting......................................... 34
H. Techniques of Data Analysis ........................................... 35
1. Qualitative Data........................................................ 35
2. Quantitative Data...................................................... 35
I. Data Validity ................................................................... 36
J. Criterion of the Action Success........................................ 37
CHAPTER IV: RESEARCH FINDING AND DISCUSSION ...................... 38

A. Before Implementing the Action....................................... 38
1. Finding of Pre Interview ............................................. 38
2. Finding of Pre Observation ......................................... 39
3. Finding of Pre Test ..................................................... 40
B. The Implementation of CAR............................................. 40
1. Action Research Cycle 1............................................. 40
a. Plan........................................................................ 40
b. Action and Observation .......................................... 41
c. Reflection on Teacher’s Improvement in Cycle 1 ... 43
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2. Action Research Cycle 2............................................. 43
a. Revised Plan........................................................... 43
b. Action ................................................................... 44
c. Observation ............................................................ 45
d. Reflection on Teacher’s Improvement in Cycle 2 ... 45
C. Discussion of the Data after CAR .................................... 46
1. Result of Post Interview ............................................. 46
2. Result of Tests ............................................................ 47
D. Interpretation of Test Result ............................................. 50
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION................................. 52

A. Conclusion ....................................................................... 52
B. Suggestion........................................................................ 53
BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................ 54
APPENDICES ............................................................................................... 57
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 Phoneme Chart: English Vowel and Consonant Sounds

Showing the Symbols for Phonemic Transcription of English............ 10
Table 2.2 The Contrastive Phoneme between English and Indonesia ................. 19
Table 2.3 Sample of Minimal Pair Teaching Materials....................................... 24
Table 3.1 Schedule of Research ......................................................................... 28
Table 4.1 The Students’ Pronunciation Score of Pretest,
Posttest 1, and Posttest 2................................................................... 46
xii
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1 Penny Ur’s Pronunciation Concepts (1996)...................................... 15
Figure 3.1 Kemmis and McTaggart’s Action Research Design ......................... 29
Figure 3.2 The Writer’s Action Research Design .............................................. 30
xiii
LIST OF APPENDICES
1. Pretest score, posttest 1 score and posttest 2 score ....................................... 57

2. The graph of the Improvement of Student’s pronunciation score ................. 59
3. Interview guidelines for the needs analysis (before CAR) ............................ 60
4. Scenario of unstructured interview (before CAR)......................................... 63
5. Interview guidelines for the needs analysis (after CAR) ............................... 65
6. Observation Sheet........................................................................................ 66
7. Lesson Plan ................................................................................................. 69
8. Phonemic chart ............................................................................................ 90
9. The instrument of Pronunciation tests (pretest) ............................................ 91
10. The instrument of Pronunciation tests (posttest 1) ........................................ 92
11. The instrument of Pronunciation tests (posttest 2) ........................................ 93
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1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, the writer begins her writing from the background of study,
which will discuss and try to answer some questions that is still debated: (a) why
the writer takes the title for this research, (b) what kind of research the writer will
do, (c) how the research will be applied. Next, formulation of the problem and the
objective of research are also presented. At the end, the writer presents the
contributions of this research for some interrelated sides, those are for the teacher,
the students, the school, and for the researcher itself.
A. The Background of Study

As one of means of communication, English has important role in
understanding and expressing the information, thinking, feeling, and so in
developing the knowledge, technology, and culture within it.1 English is also
widely used in many kinds of sectors for example economical, cultural,
educational, and many others. Hence, it is necessary to master English if people
want to involve themselves in the global world.
Concerning educational in Indonesia, primarily on Junior High School,
English is considered one of the main subjects that should be taught. As a foreign
1
Depdiknas, Standar kompetensi Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Inggris SMP/MTs, (Jakarta:
Pusat Kurikulum, Depdiknas, 2004), p.14
2
language, one of the main goals for English language teaching for Indonesia is,
students are able to communicate English fluently and accurately in social
context. That goal is noted in silabus Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan
(KTSP)/School-based Curriculum.
Based on School-Based Curriculum/KTSP, there are four language skills
in English that should be learned by the language learners, they are: listening,
speaking, reading, and writing. In supporting those language skills, three English
components, (sounds of language, grammar, and vocabulary) are also important to
be learned by the learner2. As one of the language components in English,
pronunciation is taught as one of the aspects in targeting the improvement of
students‟ competence that can help them speak fluently and accurately. The
reason why the teacher should teach pronunciation accurately is because wrong
pronunciation may cause misunderstanding in communication. Ucapan
(utterance), penekanan (stress), dan intonasi (intonation) are the phonological
aspects in pronunciation that is recommended to be taught for the English teacher
from the first to third year of Junior High School level to help students be able in
communicating English accurately and fluently.3 Of course, it is not easy for
students to apply the phonological aspects in pronunciation in their daily life
because some problems could arise in this effort.
Based on the writer‟s observation at grade VII.3, SMPN 66 Jakarta and
unstructured interview the main teacher as stakeholder of this classroom during
March and April, the writer found some problems that were appeared regarding
students‟ ability in pronunciation.
The common problem faced by the foreign language learner when they
pronounce English word was caused by the influence of the students‟ mother
tongue of their first language. The problems appeared when they tried transferring
their first language into their target language (English). For example, in
2
Penny Ur, A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory, (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1996), p.46
3
Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, Silabus Kurikulum tingkat Satuan Pendidikan
Mata pelajaran Bahasa Inggris (Jakarta: Depdikbud, 2006), p. 352
3
pronouncing /r/, they still sounded it as like as they pronounce in their first
language (/r/ not /a: /).
The other problems faced by students were the difficulties in pronouncing
th which sounds as /θ/ as in „thin‟ and /δ/ as in „that‟, schwa /∂/ as in „occur‟, /i:/
as in „sea‟ (they are often pronounce it as as in ‟see‟, which sounds /i/ not /i:/) ,/t∫/
as in ‟chapter‟, /ǽ/ as in „bag‟,/dj/ as in „george‟. They also pronounce the English
words as they are written, for example, word „study‟ is as /study/, „keep‟ as /kep/,
„thanks‟ as /tank/, etc. Then, misspelling was also happened when they pronounce
the word that had more than one consonant at the end letter of the word, for
example „played‟, „helped‟, „kept‟, backed‟, „could‟, „offices‟, „shops‟,
„questions‟, north‟, etc., those were pronounced as /play/, /help/, /kep/, /bak/,
/koul/, /ofis/, /sop/, /kuestion/, /nor/, etc.. Those showed that the students also
pronounce the English word as its writting totally in Indonesia. It was influenced
by their first language which pronounces the word as its spelling. The other
example was then they uttered the word „know‟, the consonant /k/ could be
assimilated but they pronounced it as /know/. It absolutely seems problematic.
Unfortunately, the teaching-learning English in Indonesian education has
limited time. Based on PERMENDIKNAS (Peraturan Menteri Pendidikan
Nasional-The Law of the Minister of National Education) No. 22, 2006, English is
learned at Junior High School four hours in a week.4 Meanwhile, to master in
English for communicative competence, as a foreign language learner, they
should practice more inside and outside classroom. In reality, many of students
argue that they have just learned English inside classroom in certain time.
Although English teaching has limited time, the students are expertly able to
practice their English inside and outside of class. If the students practice their
pronunciation with proper method or technique inside the classroom, they might
be highly-motivated in practicing their pronunciation outside the classroom
because the method or technique in learning pronunciation that the students
learned in the classroom might help them to practice their pronunciation outside
4
Menteri Pendidikan Nasional, Peraturan Menteri Pendidikan Nasional Republik
Indonesia No. 22 Tahun 2006, (Jakarta: Permendiknas, 2006), p.17
4
the classroom independently. Therefore, teacher is desirable to use the

appropriately technique which can help students improving their English
pronunciation and increasing their desire to practice it anytime and anywhere.
One of the main ways in teaching pronunciation that is regarded helping
students to improve their pronunciation is minimal pair drills in which it is a kind
of technique in pair two words which have different meaning and differ in one
sound only.5 To distinguish the English sound that has the similar sound obscurely
is by pairing those two words, so it could be easy to recognize whether the sound
pronounced contextually or not, because wrong pronunciation could be
misunderstanding and obstruct the communication fluency. Kelly (2007) assumed,
“Teachers can use minimal pair to good advantage in the classroom as a way of
focusing on sounds which have been causing difficulties for students”.6 In this
assumption minimal pair drill is considered to help students overcome their
difficulties in pronunciation, mainly for English sounds. For example, sound of
vowels /iy/ as „sheep‟ vs /i/ as ship, and sound of consonants /θ/ (think) seems
similar sound with /s/ (sink) or /t/ (tin), /δ/ (that) vs /d/ (dad), etc. Technique of
minimal pair hopefully helps the students to distinguish the similar sounds in
English word theoretically and contextually and to practice their fluency and
accuracy in oral and reading aloud ability.
In covering this research, the writer would like to take the title of this
skripsi “Improving Student’s Pronunciation by using Minimal Pair Drills (A
Classroom Action Research at Grade VII.3, SMPN 66 Jakarta)”.
B. Formulation of the Problem

To make the study of pronunciation being organized, the writer formulates
the problem as follows: “Can minimal pair drills improve the students‟
pronunciation at grade VII.3 SMPN 66 Jakarta?” and “How are minimal pair drills
conducted at grade VII.3 SMPN 66 in Jakarta?”
5
Peter Avery and Susan Erlich, Teaching American English, (Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 2009), p. 207
6
Gerald Kelly, How to Teach Pronunciation, (England: Pearson Education Limited,
2007), Jeremy Harmer Series Editor, p.18.
5
C. The Objective of Research

The objective of the research is intended:
1. To know whether minimal pair drills can improve the students‟ ability
in pronunciation or not at the grade of VII.3, SMPN 66 Jakarta.
2. To discuss how minimal pair drills improve the students‟ ability in
pronunciation at the grade of VII.3, SMPN 66 Jakarta.
D. The Significance of Research

This research is hopefully used for:
1. The students, it helps them to practice more and distinguish the
English sounds and they come familiar with the new sounds that do not
appear in their first language. Therefore, they are able to communicate
in English and expose it in their daily communication.
2. The teacher, it helps the teacher to apply the pronunciation activities
creatively, intensively and easily for students by introduce them how
the different sounds of English words produced.
3. The school. School is as a facility in developing the English education
will affect the students‟ competence in communicating foreign
language, mainly English language. By outcome the qualified students,
it benefits the school to increase the quality of education as one of the
goals for the school.
4. The writer. This research helps the writer to enrich her knowledge and
to apply the theories that related to this research.
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CHAPTER II
THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK
In this chapter, the writer will discuss pronunciation theory includes the
definitions of pronunciation, the aspects of pronunciation that explain about
sounds of language, intonation, and stress. Next, the goals of teaching
pronunciation, pronunciation problems, the factors that considered in teaching
pronunciation, and minimal pair drill will be also discussed.
A. Pronunciation Theory
1. Definitions of Pronunciation
Here are some definitions of pronunciation recommended by some
dictionaries, firstly, based on Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
(2004), “Pronunciation is the way in which a language or a particular word is
pronounced and a particular person‟s way of pronouncing a word or
words”.7It explains that pronunciation is viewed as how people utter a word
or words that created a good speech, so it be clearly and can be understood by
people. In other definition, pronunciation is also focused on people‟s manner
to utter a word or words that appear in spoken, as it is defined in Oxford
Learner’s Pocket Dictionary (1995) “pronunciation is way in which a
7
Della Summer, et. al., Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 2004 (England:
Pearson Education Limited), New Edition,p.1313
7
language is spoken and way in which a word in spoken”.8 In addition, Echols

and Sadily (2003) defines „pronunciation‟ in Indonesian is (a) lafal,
pelafalan, pengucapan and (b) cara mengucapkan, ucapan9. This definition is
as it same as with the two-previous definitions that those are still focused on
people‟s way to produce a word or words in their utterance or spoken.
Actually, pronunciation is sometimes not easy to define by the
linguists, indeed they have the various definitions, and basically the aim is
similar. As Kreidler (2004) viewed pronunciation is a terminology that is
correlated among speech and language. He noted “speech is an activity which
is carried on in numerous events; language is knowledge, a code which is
known and shared by people who use their knowledge for transmitting and
interpreting messages in the events.”10 It means when someone delivers the
message to the hearer by his/her voice, then its message could be received by
the hearer clearly and understandable, but the hearer sometimes does not
understand that or even seems confusing about what the speaker said.
Therefore, she/he needs any knowledge to process what the message received
to his/her eardrums. As the words that speaker delivered by his/her voice is
delivered by the wave of speaker‟s voice that created the different sounds
from the words. To catch those sounds the hearer absolutely has a sense to
differentiate the word that speaker said by his/her knowledge or code. That is
why the language is defined as knowledge or code.
On the other hand, Ur (1996) assumed pronunciation is “to say the
sounds right, to use the words to express the appropriate meanings, or
construct their sentences in a way that sounds acceptable.”11 More and more,
the aim of pronunciation is to ease the speaker and hearer in receiving
message on communication. The message will be easy to receive, if it delivers
8
Martin H. Manser, Oxford Learner’s Pocket Dictionary, 1995, (Oxford: Oxford
University Press), New edition, p.331
9
John M. Echols and Hasan Sadily, An English-Indonesian Dictionary, 2003 (Jakarta: PT
Gramedia Pustaka Utama), p.451
10
Charles W. Kreidler, The Pronunciation of English, second ed., (USA: Blackwell
Publishing Ltd., 2004), p.4
11
Penny Ur, a Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory, (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1996), p.103
8
clearly and can be understood, so what the speaker wanted from the hearer can
be received as its purpose.
According to those definitions, the writer concludes that pronunciation
is the way of a person in which a word or language sounded and uttered and
one of the people‟s ways in pronouncing, uttering, even in communicating a
language to deliver someone‟s desire in communication, so that the
communication is hopefully more clear and understandable.
2. The Concepts of Pronunciation

Pronunciation is not just a word that has the meaning how people
pronounce or utter a word or sentence in language, but it has some aspects that
explain the ways in pronouncing the word that will be understandable in
spoken language. Ur (1996) stated “three concepts of pronunciation, those are:
the sounds of the language or phonology, stress and rhythm, and intonation.”12
a. The sounds of language

Sounds of language or phonology, which is the symbols of
language, heard which is produced by the organs of speech. 13 English
language has the numbers of sounds which produced by organs of speech.
Those sounds are classified in two categories, vowel and consonants.
Avery and Erlich (2009) noted, “Consonants involve a narrowing in the
mouth which in turn causes some obstruction of the airstreams. With
vowels, air passes rather freely through the mouth because there is very
little narrowing”.14 It seems when people producing consonants are signed
by the activity of the mouth narrows, there is pressing on the throat or
mouth when the word produced. On the other side vowel is produced
12
Penny Ur, a Course in …, p.47
13
Daniel Jones, The Pronunciation of English, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
1986), p.11
14
Peter Avery and Susan Erlich, Teaching American English Pronunciation, (Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 2009), p.12
9
freely, there is no obstruction when it is produced, even it is produced

smoothly without any hard effort to produce it.
In addition, Murcia, et. al (2009) presented “one of the best ways
to appreciate the difference between voiced and unvoiced is to put your
hand against your Adam‟s apple (i.e.) larynx.”15 Somehow, it is one of the
familiar ways to recognize the production of consonants. Here is the
terminology of voice and unvoiced. These are to differentiate the
consonants sounds when it is produced. “If the vocal folds are held gently
together and air under pressure from the lungs is pushed between them, the
folds can be made to vibrate evenly to produce the tone we call voiced.”16
So, when people produce voice sounds, their vocal folds (vocal cords in
older terminology) could be vibrated whilst unvoiced/voiceless not. For
example: /f/ vs /v/. We could feel the difference between them, it could be
light when we produce /f/ sound and there is no vibration/unvoiced. On the
other side, /v/ is produced by vibration on vocal folds and there is a
pressure of the lungs when the air flows.
Then, vowel can be classified based on its sounds. According to
Kelly (2000), there are two kinds of vowel sounds, single vowel and
diphthong that is involving a movement from one vowel sound to another
(like /ei/, as in late). Single vowel sounds may be short (like /i/, as in hit)
or long (like /i:/, as in heat). The symbol /:/ denotes a long sound. 17 It
showed that single vowel sound is vowel that appeared one morpheme in a
word or when it sounded, which diphthong consists of the combination of
two different sounds, and monophthongs are more than two morphemes
combined in one sound or they are produced equally.
15
Marianne Celce-Murcia, et. al. Teaching Pronunciation: a Reference for Teachers of
English to Speakers of Other Languages, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009), P.42
16
Michael Arshby and John Maidment, Introducing Phonetic Science, (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2005), pp.22-23
17
Gerald Kelly, How to Teach Pronunciation, (England: Pearson Education Limited,
2000), Series Editor: Jeremy Harmer, p.84
10
Based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), the formally

phonemic symbols (vowels and consonants) using in English language as
follow:18
Table 2.1
Phoneme Chart: English Vowel and Consonant Sounds
Showing the Symbols for Phonemic Transcription of English
Vowel Phonemes
Consonant Phonemes
Short vowels
01 Pit 1 Pit
02 Pet 2 Bit
03 Pat 3 Time
04 Pot 4 Door
05 Luck 5 Cat
06 Good 6 Get
07 Ago 7 Fan
Long Vowels 8 Van
08 Meat 9 Think
09 Car 10 That
10 Door 11 Send
11 Girl 12 Zip
12 Too 13 Man
18
http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/l1all.html/may 26th,2010
11
Diphthongs 14 Nice
13 Day 15 Ring
14 Sky 16 Leg
15 Boy 17 Rat
16 Beer 18 Wet
17 Bear 19 Hat
18 Tour 20 Yet
19 Go 21 Shop
20 Cow 22 Leisure
23 Chop
24 Jump
From that table, based on the IPA (International Phonetic

Association), there are 20 vowels, it classified 7 short vowels and 5 long
vowels and 8 diphthongs and 24 consonants. It also explains the examples
of words, which placed consonants or vowels, are produced.
b. Stress and Rhythm

Stress and rhythm are parts of the pronunciation which influence
the expression of meaning of words pronounced. According to Harmer
(2007), “stress is the term we use to describe the point in a word or phrase
where pitch changes vowels lengthen and volume increases”. 19 It is
regarded that stress helps speaker to control the speech production related
19
Jeremy Harmer, the Practice of English Language Teaching, (New York: Longman,
2007), fouth edition …, p.42
12
to the meaning. This statement is supported by Jones (1986), “stress is one

of the factors that may cause or help to cause a sound or syllable to be
„prominent‟.”20 So, stress is a way to press whether the syllable of the
words is as a pointer or not in a speech.
Stress is classified into word stress and sentence stress. Word stress
is the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables within a word. Harmer
(1991) presented that word stress affects the situation of the speaker said
and the grammatical differentiate within its word. As he noted in the
practice of English Language Teaching New Edition (1991) as follows:
For example, in the word in a word „photograph‟, we can divide it
into three parts: ‘pho’, ‘to’, and ‘graph’. Competence speakers will
say the word like this, „PHOtograph’, stress in the first syllable.
The situation changes with the words „photographer‟ where the
stress shifts to the second syllable, i.e. „phoTOgrapher‟. Stress in
words also changes depending upon a word‟s grammatical
function: ‘perMIT’ is a verb, but ‘PERmit’ is a noun, and the same
is true of the words ‘imPORT’ and ‘IMport.21
The samples that showed the stress syllable in a word could be

changed its position based on the grammatical or word-form change.
Based on the previous explanation, sentence stress, which is stated
as the speaker‟s way to pronounce the certain word in a sentence, by using
louder, stronger, and higher in pitch, is supposed to express the word that
is stressed. It serves as the clue or main point of the speech. Moreover,
Kelly (2000) argued, “Sentence stress is an integral feature for the listeners
with vital clues as the salient points of the speaker‟s message.”22 In this
statement, stress in sentence is viewed as an important part in speech to
help the listener understanding about the message delivered. By stressing
in the word point, it could ease the listener in catching the message
effectively. For example, ‘I can RUN’ means that I am probably able to
20
Daniel Jones, The Pronunciation of English…, p. 140
21
Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of English Language Teaching, (New York: Longman,
1996), New Edition, p.12
22
Gerald Kelly, How to Teach…,p.84
13
run. But if „I CAN run’ is stressed that I am really able to run, someone
could say it because maybe there somebody doubt his ability to run23.
The other terminology in pronunciation is rhythm which is
24
commonly defined as stress in many languages. Ashby and Maidment
(2008) noted “Rhythm can be defined as the pattern of occurrence in time
of relatively „strong‟ and relatively „weak‟ events.”25 Here, the strong is
known as stressed syllable and weak is unstressed one. So, when the words
or phrases are pronounced, the strong syllable is usually spoken in highly
pitched and clearly utterance, while the weak one is not.
c. Intonation
One of the prominent parts in pronunciation to express the meaning
of word or sentence more clearly is intonation. Ashby and Maidment
(2008) denoted that “Intonation is used to signal how a speaker intends his
or her utterances to be interpreted.”26 Intonation is regarded as a process
where people play the tone of the language in communication. Intonation
also shows the speaker‟s emotion and attitude in his/her utterances, directs
whether the speaker finish his/her speech or not yet, and explains about the
speakers‟ purpose in speaking if that is in statement or question.27 In
addition Ur (1984) agreed that intonation is characterized the speaker‟s
meaning in the utterance that shows the real situation and emotions of the
speakers for example, certainty, doubt, irony, inquiry, seriousness, humor,
etc.28 Even though, the word or sentence grammatically forms as a
question, but intonation performs as a statement, so the meaning could be
different. The meaning expresses based on the speaker‟s aim in delivering
23
Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of …, New Edition, p.12
24
Michael Ashby and John Maidment, Introducing Phonetic Science, 2008, (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press), p.160
25
Michael Ashby and John Maidment, Introducing Phonetic…, p.161
26
Michael Ashby and John Maidment, Introducing Phonetic…, p.154
27
Gerald Kelly, How to Teach,…p.86
28
Penny Ur, Teaching Listening Comprehension, (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1984), p.13
14
something to the hearer. So that, the intonation could be clearly to avoid

miss understanding in communication.
The writer assumes intonation also shows the meaning of the
speakers‟ utterance, although the sentence structurally equals, but if the
speaker pronounces it in different intonation, it indicates changing in
meaning. Intonation sounded by raising and falling tone, in symbols (/) for
raising and (\) for falling and symbols ˆ ˇ to show fall-rise and rise-fall. In
line, stress may affect speed, volume, and the use of pause. Ur (1986)
states this assumption as follows: “the rhythm of English is, then, mainly
a function of its stress patterns; these may also affect such aspects as speed
of delivery, volume and the use of pause.” For example, PEter, come
HERE, please.29 In this example shows that the prominent words are
„peter‟ and „here‟, those express that the speaker wants the hearer to come
him/her. This related to the stress, the syllable is stressed in “PE > Peter”
and “HERE”.
From the explanation, the writer concludes about the concept of

pronunciation, there are 3 components in the concept of pronunciation. Firstly,
sounds of the language defined as the symbols of language which are produced
by the organs of speech. Secondly, stress and rhythm, which is focused on the
speaker‟s way in sounding the certain word that has the main meaning in
language. Thirdly, intonation is a sound wave to pronounce the words/sentence
to make sense in meaning.
In the sounds of language, there are vowel and consonants. Vowel
involves air passes rather freely through the mouth because there is very little
narrowing. Vowel divides into two; monophtong is single vowel sound and
diphthong is combination of two different vowel sound, whilst consonant
involves a narrowing in the mouth which in turn causes some obstruction of the
airstream. It consists of voice and unvoiced/voiceless. In the stress and rhythm
29
Penny Ur, a Course in…, p.49
15
discussion, there is word stress, how the speaker made pointer in the syllable
and sentence stress is how the speaker to stress the word as pointer within a
sentence, the stress is acted the different way both of them. And for intonation
is assumed as the speaker‟s signal in delivering message. To ease reading this
discussion, the writer tries to visualize the Penny Ur‟s concept in
pronunciations into a figure as follows:
CONCEPTS OF
PRONUNCIATION
Sounds of the Stress and Intonation

language rhythm
Vowel Consonant Word Sentenc Speaker‟s

s e Signal
Monophthong Diphthong Voice Unvoice

s s d d
Figure 2.1. Penny Ur’s Pronunciation Concepts (1996) 30
3. The Goals of Teaching Pronunciation

In teaching English pronunciation, a teacher is desirable have the goals
that should be achieved. One of the teacher‟s goals is to help the student to
pronounce English word accurately. So, they know how to communicate what
they want to say properly. Therefore, the students‟ spoken can be understood
by listener. This means their pronunciation should be at least adequate for that
purpose.31
30
Penny Ur, a Course in …, p.47
31
Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of English…, New Edition, p.21
16
Bowen (1972) in Rosane Silveira proposes 3 realistic goals for the

teaching of pronunciation:
a. Ability to communicate orally with ease and efficiency;
b. Ability to produce the basic contrasts of the target language sound
system;
c. Ability to understand fluent speech as produced by native speaker. 32
The ability to communicate orally with ease and efficiency affects the
fluency in communication.33 When people utter something, indeed they is
desirable know what they are going to say, they should think whether their
utterance can be understood by the hearer or not and predict whether the
word/sentence is efficiently delivered or not.
From that explanation, the students are involved in learning English
pronunciation to recognize the sound system of the target language, and to
produce the sound system of English, prominently to distinguish the sound
system between their target language and their native language. If the students
have been able to recognize the sound system of the target language and have
been able to produce its sound system, they may be able to practice the
pronunciation of English words accurately.
As the writer discussed in chapter 1, additionally, one of the main goal
for students in learning English are able to communicate understandable
English.
Harmer (1994) argued that Pronunciation teaching not only makes
students aware of different sounds and sounds features, but also improve
their speaking immeasurably. Concentrating on sounds, showing where
they are made in the mouth, making students aware of words should be
stressed-all these things give them extra information about spoken
English and help them achieve the goal of improved comprehension and
intelligibility.34
Based on that quotation, the goal showed by Harmer is by improving

student‟s pronunciation, it can help the students in improving their speaking
32
Rosane Silveira, Pronunciation Instruction Classroom Practice and Empirical
Research, (Linguagem & ensino: Santa Catarina, 2002), Vol.5, No. 1, p.98
33
Rosane Silveira, Pronunciation Instruction…, Vol.5, No. 1, p.98
34
Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of English…, Fourth Edition, p.284
17
ability. In this case, the students are not only introduced the English sound
system, but they are also given the other information or aspects in
pronunciation that related to the improvement of their speaking ability and that
can help their communication being understood, for example how/where the
words should be stressed in sentence. Absolutely, these goals require lots of
practice in pronouncing the word or sentence.
Furthermore, in Silabus KTSP 2006 noticed that the goals in teaching
pronunciation at junior high school in Indonesia, is to improve the students‟
communicative competence.35 It means the students are involved to develop
their speaking skill. In fact, based on the writers‟ observation, the students have
their own goal. The goal may be different with the main goals in learning
English which is to improve the communicative competence. The goals in
learning English pronunciation that the students set are some of them just want
to communicate English at a basic level or to pass examination. And other goal
is to achieve the best they possibly can, that is to be able to pronounce English
well, and it would be beneficial in getting job later. However, again, the
standard of pronunciation goal is the students have to achieve their
pronunciation to improve their speaking ability.
From the discussion the writer concludes that the goals of teaching
pronunciation is to train the student‟s communication ability in English, so that
they can communicate English accurately and fluently, and make their
speaking can be understood by others.
4. Pronunciation Problem
The errors in pronouncing English word pronunciation that are made by
students; apparently could give bad effect to the improvement of students‟
communicative competence. Ur (1996) explained some pronunciation‟s error
from various sources:
1. A particular sound may not exist in the mother tongue, so that the
learner is not used to forming it and therefore tends to substitute the
35
Silabus KTSP 2006
18
nearest equivalent he or she knows (the substitution of /d/ or /z/ for the
English th / ð/ as in that is a typical example).
2. A sound does exist in the mother tongue, but not as a separate
phoneme: that is to say, the learner does not perceive it as a distinct
sound that makes a difference to meaning. In Hebrew, for example,
both the /i/ and /i:/ (ship/sheep) sounds occur, but which is used
depends only on where the sounds come in the word or phrase, not
what the word means; and if one is substituted for the other, no
difference in meaning results. 36
The problems showed by Ur seem the common problems that are
appeared and faced by the foreign language learner. Those problems are also
existed in the Indonesia‟ students‟ pronunciation when they speak English.
In addition, Harmer (1994) assumed that “some students have great
difficulty hearing pronunciation features which we want them to reproduce.
Frequently, speakers of different first language have problems with different
sound that the students‟ first language does not have the same sounds.”37 In this
case, the students‟ problem is lack of students‟ knowledge for English sound,
so they might face difficulties when they find the different sound between their
target language and their first language. They seem confused to imagine what
kind of sounds they heard. This problem may influence the students‟ listening
and speaking comprehension because when they are asked to reproduce that
English new sound or word they may be quite or cannot respond the spoken.
Moreover, different sounds between English language and the students‟
native language exist in some moments. This problem is also supported Avery
and Herlich (2009), which the mostly problem in pronunciation is because of
the uncommon sounds for the students‟ first language that exists in English. 38
For example, learners from most language backgrounds have difficulty with
the English th sounds.
Furthermore, Ur (1984) added, “sometimes the foreign learner of English
may have difficulty with the sequences and juxtapositions of sound typical of
36
Penny Ur, a Course in …p.52
37
Jeremy Harmer, the Practice of… Fourth Edition, pp. 249-250.
38
Peter Avery and Susan Ehrlich, Teaching American English Pronunciation, (Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 2009), Second Edition, p. 95.
19
English words.”39 For example, word „crisps‟, the foreign learner is usually
pronounce by /crisp/ or /crips/, the phoneme „s‟ is omitted. Meanwhile, word
„crisps‟ should be pronounced by /crisps/. It happens because the three-
consonants rarely appear in their native language and/or even it disappears.
Based on the writer observation, some of these problems were found in
the teaching learning process at students class VII.3 SMPN 66 Jakarta as it
have been explained in chapter one. The problem mostly was because of the
student‟s difficulties in transferring their mother tongue into target language.
The problem was because the different sound system between their native
language and their target language which were they could be contrasted.
In table 2 below, the writer tries to show the contrastive phoneme
between English and Indonesian language. These are taken from any sources.
Table 2.2
The Contrastive Phoneme between English40 and Indonesian41
Vowel Phonemes Consonant Phonemes
No. English Indonesian No. English Indonesian
Short Vowels
01 01
02 02
03 03
04 /o/ 04
05 /a/ 05
39
Penny Ur, Teaching Listening Comprehension, (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1984), p.12
40
41
Abdul Chaer , Linguistik Umum, edisi baru, (Jakarta: Rineka Cipta, 2007), p.119
20
06 06
07 07
Long Vowels 08
08 09
09 10
10 11
11 12
12 13
Diphthongs 14
13 15
14 16
15 17
16 18
17 19
18 20 /y/
19 21 /sy/
20 22
23 /c/
24 /j/
25 /?/
21
26 /x/
27 /ny/
This table displays the contrastive analysis of sound system between the
students‟ native language (Indonesian) and their target language (English). As
the writer discusses previously that one of the students‟ troublesome in
producing English sound is because of some the English sounds does not exist
in their native language, contrastively even the sounds that exist in their native
language, it is pronounced differently.
Based on the IPA (International Phonetic Association) and the other
resources for Indonesian‟ phonemic spelling, English has 20 vowels involving
12 single vowels consist of 7 short vowels and 5 long vowels and 8 diphthongs,
whilst Indonesian has 9 vowels only; it classified 6 single vowels and 3
diphthongs. Moreover, consonants in English are 24 and 25 consonants exist in
Indonesia.
In conclusion, the common problems in teaching learning pronunciation
are because the different sound between their native language and target
language that make the students face the difficulty in transferring their mother
tongue into target language and the difficulty in practicing new sound appeared
in their target language.
5. Preliminary Considerations in the Teaching of Pronunciation

Teaching pronunciation needs some considerations that support
teaching-learning activity run better, for example, how the sounds are
produced, how people create the words, what kind of sounds appear in English
word or sentence, and what factors that courage the students to speak English.
Those may affect the students‟ improvement in practicing the pronunciation of
their target language.
Avery and Erlich (2009) noticed some several factors to be considered
in the teaching pronunciation in the EFL classroom that may influence the
22
students‟ encouraging in pronouncing the English words or sentences, there

are:
1. Biological factors, the influence of the students‟ mother tongue in
acquiring native-like pronunciation in a second language.
2. Socio-cultural factors, this factor are strongly influenced the
students in different culture that also influence their achievement in
transferring the sound native-like pronunciation in LT.
3. Personality factors; the students who are out-going, confident, and
willing to take risks probably have the more opportunities to practice
their pronunciation inside and outside classroom. These factors
affect the acquisition of the sound system of a foreign and second
language. 42
Biological factors are one of the factors that influence the students
„pronunciation improvement. These factors are related to their organ of speech
as the set of speech productions. As the writer previously presented that the
words/sentences as a collection of vowels and consonants are produced by
organ of speech. In supporting this assumption, Avery and Erlich‟s statement,
biological factor is stated as the influence by the students‟ mother tongue.43 As
we know that tongue is one of the organs of speech production. Tongue
influences the student‟s acquiring in pronunciation because some of the sound
system in English does not exist in their native language, so they seem quite
confuse how to pronounce the new sounds and it require lots of practice to
make their tongue smoothly.
The second factor is socio-cultural. This factor may influence the
student‟s desire and motivation in exposing their target language, preliminary
in practicing their English outside of classroom. They absolutely don‟t have
time enough if they just learn English inside classroom. But if there is no one
help student to practice his/her language, it seems dilemma for student even
though the students have highly-motivated.44
The last factor recommended by Avery and Erlich is personality factor.
This factor is considered as the main factor that influences people effort in
42
Peter Avery and Susan Ehrlich, Teaching American..., Second Edition, p.xv-xvi.
43
44
23
doing everything, even less in learning. In this case, student‟s intern

motivation and attitude is highly appreciated. Student is assumed who has a
big desire, out-going, and confident could improve and/or even expand his/her
English quickly. This student will practice and expose his/her target language
into social-life, not only inside classroom.45
In this case the writer concludes, the considerations in the teaching of

pronunciation are biological factor that is relating to the students‟ way in
pronouncing word, while Socio-cultural factor affects the students‟ effort in
developing their target language, and personality factor in line the students‟
desire in expand practice their target language in the daily life.
B. Minimal Pair Drills

Many ways could be done by the language learner in improving their
English pronunciation. One of the ways or techniques recommended by some
linguists is minimal pair drills. Michael Ashby and John Maidment (2008) argued,
“In order to prove conclusively that a phonetic distinction is contrastive in a
particular language it is necessary to find a pair of words in the language that
differ in only one segment.”46 It means minimal pair is one of the appropriate
techniques to prove that the single phonetic sound in a pair of words is contrasted.
In addition, according to Avery and Erlich (2009), “minimal pair refers to pairs of
words which have different meanings and which differ in pronunciation on the
basis of one sound only.”47. In this case, minimal pair is viewed as a technique to
distinguish English sound in the words that have quite similar sound but indeed
have been different meaning.
Furthermore, Bloomfield (1933) in Marianne Celce-Muria, et. Al (2009)
defined, “minimal pair drill-drills that use words that differ by a single sound in
the same position. This technique based on the concept of the phoneme as a
minimally distinctive sound, is used for both listening practice and guided oral
45
46
Michael Ashby and John Maidment, Introducing Phonetic …, p.136
47
Peter Avery and Susan Ehrlich, Teaching American..., Second Edition, p.207.
24
Production.”48 Bloomfield added that minimal pair is appropriately used for

listening practice and oral production.
Basically, those arguments have the same aim which is minimal pair is a
technique that is used in teaching pronunciation to distinct the quite similar sound
that have the same position in a word or sentence. Students sometimes don‟t
understand the difference of its sound and the effect of its differences. Eventhough
this seems small problem, but it can affect the understanding, efficiency, and
fluency in communication. So, this practice is regarded useful for both the speaker
and the hearer.
There are two kinds of sample in teaching materials of minimal pair, it
demonstrates in word drills and sentence drills.49
Table 2.3
Sample Minimal Pair Teaching Materials
WORDS DRILLS SENTENCE DRILLS
No.
A /iy/ B /i/ Syntagmantic Drills Paradigmatic Drills
1. Sheep Ship 1. Don‟t sit in the 1. a.Don‟t slip on the floor.
2. Green Grin seat. b.Don‟t sleep on the
3. Least List 2. Did you at least floor.
4. Meet Mitt get the list? 2. a. Is that a black sheep?
5. Deed Did b. Is that a black ship?
From the table, it can be seen that the sound differences in the words seem
obvious, but it may seem strange and difficult to a foreign learner who does not
speak the target language.
Minimal pair can be demonstrated in two drills: word drills and sentence
drills. In the word drills, teacher drills the students by contrasting two different
words but the pronunciation seems similar, but actually sound of the words is
different in one sound. Whilst, in the sentence drills, there are two kinds of the
48
Marianne Celce-Murcia, et. al. Teaching Pronunciation…, p.3
49
Marianne Celce-Murcia, et. al. Teaching Pronunciation…, p.3
25
materials that can be presented in teaching learning activity, they are syntagmatic
drills and paradigmatic drills. Syntagmatic drills contrast two words within a
sentence, while paradigmatic drills contrast two words across two sentences.50
Minimal-pair drills helps the students to recognize the English sounds and
contrast both the English sounds in their native language and their target language,
thus the sounds are able to be produced flexibility and smoothly. The advantage of
minimal pair for students is the students perceive English pronunciation
accurately and fluently.
In sum up, minimal pair drill is one of the ways in teaching pronunciation
by drilling the words that have the quite similar sound in pair. This drill is to train
the students‟ tongue being smoothly and introduce them to recognize the
difference sound between the students‟ native language and their target language.
Hopefully, they are familiar with English sound and practice its sound correctly.
50
Marianne Celce-Murcia, et. al. Teaching Pronunciation,… p.4
26
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter presents the method of the research, subject, and object of the
study, time and place of the research, research design, CAR procedures, and the
technique of collecting data, technique of the data analysis, data validity, and
criterion of the CAR.
A. Method of Research
In this research, the writer uses Classroom Action Research (CAR)
because she assumes it will be useful for the professional job in education
developmental, as classroom action research might help teachers to evaluate their
teaching activity and its progress. In this case, the teacher is not just as an
educator but she also plays the important role as a researcher in evaluating the
educational progress.
Classroom action research is suggested to the teacher as a way to know the
development in the classroom. For further discussion, Carr and Kemmis in David
Nunan (1989) offer the following definition:
A form of self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social
situations in order to improve the rationality and justice of their own
practice, their understanding of these practices, and the situations in which
these practices are carried out.51
51
David Nunan, Understanding Language Classrooms: A guide for teacher-initiated
actions, (UK: Prentice Hall Ltd.,1989), p.12
27
Classroom action research is regarded as the teacher‟s work to know the

situation in the classroom, the relevance of student‟s achievement during teaching
learning activity with the teacher‟s guide, the recent result of the student‟s activity
during teaching learning activity, etc. here, the teacher could consider the
obstacles, the positive and negative effects that influence teaching learning
activity and try to think the appropriate ways in variety to make teaching learning
activity be creative and dynamic.
The writer concludes that action research is teacher‟s effort in identifying
the problem that appeared in teaching learning activity and doing something to
solve the problem. In other word, the teacher begins with take out some
educational questions about everything that in line with teaching learning activity.
This is done in the effort to improve the quality of teaching learning activity. After
that, the teacher evaluates the action in solving the problem to know how
successful the effort done, if the result do not obviously improve, so she should
try action research again till the teacher feels satisfied with the result of CAR and
the students can improve their ability. Thus, the teaching learning activity will be
more quality and the CAR can be said successful.
B. Subject of the Research

The subject of the research is the students at grade VII.3 of SMPN 66
Jakarta, Jakarta Selatan academic year 2009/2010. There number of the students
consists of 39 students.
C. The Focus of the Research

The focus of the research is to implement the minimal pair drills in
improving the students‟ English pronunciation, and to observe how minimal pair
works at the grade of VII.3, SMPN 66 Jakarta.
28
D. Setting of Research
The research has been done from March until June, 2010. It has been held
at VII.3, SMPN 66 Jakarta, and South Jakarta by implementing a classroom action
research in two cycles. The writer and the teacher also arrange the schedule of
Action Research as follow:
Table 3.1
Schedule of the Research
Week
No. Activities 2010 2011
March April May June Jul - Dec January
1. Data Collecting
2. Proposal
3. Instrument
4. CAR Cycle 1
5. CAR Cycle 2
6. Report
E. Research Design
In this research, the writer has chosen Classroom Action Research (CAR)
design of Kemmis and Mc Taggart (1985). It consists of two cycles. The steps of
each cycle are plan, act and observe, and reflect. Design of research by Kemmis
and McTaggart in Nunan (1989) figured as follows: 52
52
David Nunan, Understanding Language..., p.13
29
PLAN
OBSERVE REFLECT
ACT
REVISED PLAN
OBSERVE REFLECT
ACT
Figure 3.1
Kemmis and McTaggart’s Action Research Design
30
- Record questions and - investigates the

responses, see what is
class to cover the
problems.
happening in class. PLAN - find the best
and keep notes in a technique to solve
OBSERVE REFLECT
diary and observation the problems.
sheet.
- Evaluate the students
feedback and their
- Implement all ACT comprehension of
activities that have what have been
been planned. learned.
REVISED PLAN
- Record questions and
- Develop the idea
responses, see what is OBSERVE REFLECT from cycle 1.
happening in class. - Prepare teaching
and keep notes in a procedures, media,
diary and observation resources,
sheet. ACT instrument, and
evaluation.
- Implement all
activities that have - Evaluate the students
been planned. feedback and their
comprehension of
what have been
Figure 3.1 learned.
The Writer’s Action Research Design
F. The Classroom Action Research (CAR) Procedures

CAR that designed by Kemmis and McTaggarts‟ consists of four phases,
there are plan, act, observe, and reflect. The completely procedures for each
phase are as following:53
1. Action Research in Cycle 1
a. Plan
Plan is the first phase/step that would be done in CAR (Classroom
Action Research). According to Mills (2003), “an action plan summarizes
53
David Nunan, Understanding Language …, p.12
31
your action research thoughts in a plan that will guide you through your
action work….”54 Here, the writer/the observer and the teacher plan the
appropriate technique to improve the students‟ pronunciation at class VII.3
of SMPN 66 Jakarta, South Jakarta, and then, they arrange a script within a
lesson plan. This work does after the observer finding something
problematic that is assumed as an obstacle in improving students‟ English
pronunciation. Previously, the observer investigates the class by creating
some related questions as a brainstorming. Then, she tries to find out the
best way to solve the problems that faced by students. To make the
assumption stronger, she also interviews the teacher and the participants
about the pronunciation problems they faced.
b. Act
In this phase, act and observe are done all at once. The teacher as a
stakeholder tries to implement the plan. She applies the technique in
teaching pronunciation adequately.
Teacher may do an action research because she recognizes the
conditions of her classroom, the students, and the progress during
teaching-learning activities. Teacher understands what the classroom
should be, how to develop the classroom and all of the completely related
things. In this act, the steps that are going to be practiced by teacher in
teaching pronunciation by using minimal pair drills as follow:
Step 1: Introduces the phonemic symbols and concept of minimal pair
drill and with the advantages for the students. Tell them that minimal pair
would be helpful to distinguish the sound of words that improve their
pronunciation.
Step 2: Presents to students the pairs of words and drill the pair of those
words together using teachers‟ guidance. Then, ask some of them to
54
Geofrey E. Mills, Action Research: a Guide for the Teacher Researcher, (New Jersey:
Merill Prentice Hall, 2003), Second Edition, p.41
32
pronounce it by themselves. If the students make an error in pronunciation,

peer correction will work.
Step 3: Asks them to recognize if the pair of words that teacher said is
same or different. This is hopefully useful for checking their listening
comprehension.
Step 4: Selects the sounds that are seemed similar with the students‟ native
language, this is a comparison between the students‟ native language and
the language they are studying.
Step 5: After drill the pairs of words, asks students to answer the questions
on worksheet in pair (students A and B). Student A will read the sentences
in the worksheet on him while students B choose an appropriate word that
student A mention.
Step 6: Evaluates them using an oral test to check their progress in
pronunciation.
c. Observe
The observation aims to assess teachers‟ action during teaching
learning activities.55 Kemmist and McTaggart (2003) suggested that in
this phase the researcher observes the feedback of action, and the effects
that occur during teaching learning activity.56 The writer observes the
classroom atmosphere when the teacher acts her teaching technique, the
students‟ responses of teacher‟s action and the outcomes of the
intervention and reflecting on its effectiveness. These activities will be
recorded towards the implementation of the action using observation sheet
and field notes.
d. Reflect
Reflection is done after the action and observation. In this cycle, the
writer and the teacher reflect to know the effects of the action and to find
55
Michael J. Wallace, Action Research for Language Teachers, (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1998), p. 104
56
David Nunan, Understanding Language…, p.13
33
out the progressiveness to the whole action. This reflection is held by

unstructured interview the students through teaching learning activity and
reviews their feedback and their progress after doing Action. The teacher
and the writer collaborate in evaluating what have been doing in the
previous phases. Then, they re-plan the phases in cycle 2.
2. Action Research in Cycle 2

After implementing action research in cycle 1, the teacher and the
writer think the arrangement for cycle 2. The phases in cycle 2 are similar with
the cycles 1 which are re-plan, act and observe, and reflect.
a. Re-Plan
After doing reflection on cycle 1, the teacher and the writer arrange
everything that is related to the phases in cycle 2. The first step is the
teacher and the writer re-plan the items that is required for implementing
CAR. In this case, the teacher and the writer develop the idea that will be
implemented in the Action like the procedures of teaching, media,
resources, instrument and evaluation.
b. Act and observe

In these phases, the teacher and the writer carry out the items
which have been planned. The teacher establishes the action based on the
lesson plan systematically, while the writer observes the whole activities in
the classroom, like teacher‟s action in implementing the action and the
students‟ responses. She also records the classroom atmosphere.
c. Reflect
Here, the teacher and the writer note the results of observation and
evaluate it to know whether the implementing of the action process is held
appropriately with the preparation or not. Then, they evaluate student‟s
feedback. One of the ways to evaluate it is by giving the test to the
34
students. After doing the reflection of cycle 2, the writer and the teacher
agreed to stop the action if the results of the action succeed.
G. Techniques of Data Collecting

The writer uses quantitative and qualitative approach for data collecting.
The consideration in using quantitative is because the data can be measured
objectively and more valid by counting the data in which it inquires. While
qualitative is considered subjective and used to describe the collected data and it
does not need to be counted.57 In this research, the students‟ pronunciation tests
use quantitative approach. Meanwhile, the qualitative approach consists of
observation and interview.
Here are the completely explanation about the data collecting used
quantitative and qualitative approach:
1. Tests
In this research, the writer uses tests to measure the students‟
pronunciation achievement. The test that is taken before treatment/action
done, the writer use terminology “pre-test”, while “post-test” is terminology
that the writer used to the test that is done after the treatment/action. The
writer does pre-test and post-test to get the students‟ score of their
pronunciation by using the appropriate instrument. These tests are also to
know the students‟ improvement for their pronunciation.
2. Observation
The writer observed what had been happening during teaching learning
activities. She also observed the problem faced by students. The observation
was done collaboratively. The observer records her observation into
observation sheet.
57
Michael J. Wallace, Action Research…, p.38
35
3. Interview
The writer interviews the teacher and the students about the problems
that the students faced as long as their studying in English, the teacher‟s effort
in applying teaching techniques, and the students‟ condition when the teacher
carries out the method or the technique in improving students‟ pronunciation.
The unstructured interview is undertaken during the classroom activity to get
the students‟ involving and also does face to face between the teacher and the
writer.
H. Technique of Data Analysis

1. The Qualitative Data
The analysis for qualitative data used by the writer in this research is the
observations of the students‟ activities during teaching learning process, and
interview in every action. In this case, first, the writer collected the entire data
which was gained. Then, those data are given certain codes in the basis of their
kind of source. Next, the writer interprets all data in order to ease in
categorizing and formulating some hypothesis about the result and plan of
CAR in reference to the aim of research.
2. The Quantitative Data

To analyze the quantitative data, the writer uses the method of statistic.
The statistics used in this analysis are mean to calculate the average of the
students‟ score for each tests which are pre-test, post-test 1 and post-test 2, and
the percentage of student‟s gained score. The first formula is to get the average
of students‟ pronunciation score/„mean‟ score. It uses the formula as follows:58
x = ∑x
n
x = mean
x = individual score
n = number of students
58
Sudjana, Metoda Statistika ed. 6, (Bandung: Tarsito, 2000), p. 67
36
To calculate the students‟ improvement of pronunciation test score, the

writer calculates the test in cycle 1 and cycle 2, the writer uses the formula as
follows:59
P= y1-y x 100%
y
P= percentage of students‟ improvement
y= pre-test result
y1= post test 1
The following formula is to get the percentage of the improvement of
the students‟ score after doing post-test 2:
P= y2-y x 100%
y
P= percentage of students‟ improvement
y= pre-test result
y2= post test 2
I. Data Validity
According to Pelto&Pelto in Mills (2003) “validity refers to the degree to
which scientific observations actually measure or record what they support to
measure.”60 Validity is to measure the data collected accurately. The validity is
regarded as a qualification to measure whether the data can be responsible or not.
In considering knowing whether the data is valid or not, there are some
criteria as Anderson and colleagues in Mills (2003) offered the following criteria
for the validity of action research: democratic validity, outcome validity, process
validity, catalytic validity, and dialogic validity.61 In this case, the writer uses
outcome, process, and dialogic validity.
59
David E. Mettzer, The relationship between mathematics preparation and conceptual
learning gains in physics: a possible physics and astronomy, 2008) p.3
60
Geofrey E. Mills, Action Research,…Second Edition, p. 77
61
Geofrey E. Mills, Action Research,…Second Edition, p. 84-85
37
J. Criterion of the Action Success

In this research, the writer and the teacher agreed that the research is seen
successful if there is improvement 30% of students‟ mean score from the pre-test
to post-test cycle 1 and the post-test in cycle 2. If there is no improvement, so the
next step would be done.
38
CHAPTER IV
RESEARCH FINDING AND DISCUSSION
This chapter explains the research finding. In this case, it discusses the
way to improve students‟ pronunciation by using minimal pair drill at VII.3
SMPN 66 Jakarta. Related to the research finding, it is classified into three parts.
Those are before implementing the action, the implementation of the action, and
discussion of the data after implementing the action.
A. Before Implementing the Action

1. The Finding of Pre Interview
Pre Interview conducted in this study was the unstructured interview.
It was held on February 9th, 2010. Here, the writer asked the teacher some
questions that were related to the students‟ learning way in class especially
for pronunciation, the students‟ difficulties in learning pronunciation, and the
teachers‟ regularly techniques in teaching pronunciation.
The first category that the writer observed was students‟ learning
ways. The teacher explained that the students have differences in the
students‟ learning styles; therefore, the teacher should adjust her teaching‟s
way with the students‟ learning style. This effort was to stimulate the
student‟s active in learning English. Unfortunately, they were still shy to
expose their English in the classroom because they worried to make the
mistakes especially in pronunciation practice.
39
The second category was the students‟ difficulties in learning

pronunciation. The teacher mentioned that the common problem faced by
students in learning pronunciation was caused by the influence of students‟
mother tongue that made them difficult in imitating the pronunciation of
English properly. By this condition, the teacher has tried some techniques to
improve the students‟ pronunciation in teaching learning activity. The usual
technique was by reading aloud. Teacher often asks some students to read
aloud the text or reading passage. This activity aims to make the students‟
tongue being smoothly in pronounce the English word. But, some students
still pronounce the word incorrectly. They still pronounce the English word in
their native language dialect. Based on this condition, the writer advised the
teacher to use the minimal pair drill in improving students‟ pronunciation. At
began; the teacher asked the writer how to use this technique. Yet, at last, the
teacher agreed to use it in teaching learning activity after she had completely
explanation from the writer.
2. The Finding of Pre Observation

Pre observation was conducted to observe the process of teaching
learning in pronunciation activity before implementing the action. It was
held on at VII 3 of SMPN 66 Jakarta academic year 2009/2010. The
observation was conducted on February the 8th and 24th 2010. It was started
at 07.10 A.M and finished at 08.40 A.M. In general, teacher‟s role was as a
guide.
Here are some steps that the teacher did. First, she stimulated the
students‟ brainstorming by some related question with the topic that would
be discussed contextually. Second, she read the passage loudly while the
students listened to her. This activity was for teaching the students how to
read the words in the passage correctly. Next, she asked the students reading
aloud the passage together and then per line-seat, after that one by one
max.3 students. Reading aloud drill was dominantly acted. After it was
done, she asked students about the meaning of the difficult words that the
40
students found. After that, she asked students to pronounce those words.
Furthermore, she asked the students to answer the questions based on the
passage in written and oral. Then, when the students wrote down their
answers in their workbook, some of them were asked to write down their
answer on the whiteboard. Next, the students corrected their friends‟ answer
on the whiteboard while they checked their answers whether it corrected or
not. During teaching learning activity, teacher didn‟t explain the materials in
detail. Reading drill was enhanced. In the last session, the teacher concluded
the material and did reflection. Moreover, she gave the students tasks or
homework.
3. The Finding of Pre-Test

As the writer discussed previously, she used the terminology “pre-
test” to name the test that is done before the CAR. Pre-test was conducted
on Tuesday, June 1st, 2010. There were 10 pairs of words that should be
pronounced correctly by the students.
Based on the result of pre-test which was done at VII 3 SMPN 66,
the sample was 39 students; the data showed that the mean of pre-test was
68.21. The highest score was 90, held by only two students, and the lowest
achievement gained score was 45, it is also held by two students.
B. The Implementation of CAR

1. Action Research Cycle One
a. Plan
In this case, the writer and the teacher planed the activity that helps
to solve the students‟ problem in pronunciation. The writer and the
teacher selected the proper material based on the syllabus and arranged it
into lesson plan. In the lesson plan, the writer and the teacher discussed
the activities related to the pronunciation involvement. On the other hand,
the writer prepared the observation sheet to record the activities during
teaching learning process. Then, the writer also prepared the post test 1 as
41
an instrument to measure the students‟ achievement and it was also as a

data collecting.
b. Action and Observation

The action and observation was conducted at class VII.3 SMPN 66
Jakarta on June 2th and 4th 2010. Here, the writer observed the teacher that
was implementing minimal pair drills to improve the students‟
pronunciation. Then, the writer also noticed the students‟ activities during
teaching learning process.
1. Action
In her action to apply the minimal pair technique in regarding
the improvement of students‟ pronunciation, the teacher does some
steps. Firstly, she distributed the handouts to the students; those
included the materials, the practice, and the exercises. In the students‟
handout, there was a cloze dialogue and the students filled the blank
of the dialogue with the words or phrases in the box appropriately.
While the students worked it, the teacher gave her attention to the
students; she walked around the class and checked the students‟
behavior in doing their work. The students who didn‟t understand
about the exercises, they asked the teacher.
After the students finished their work, the teacher asked the
students to write down their answers on the whiteboard while the
other students corrected their classmate‟s answer and matched their
answers with the correct one. Furthermore, the students read aloud the
dialog together by teachers‟ guidance. Then, the students read the
dialog in pair. After they finished it, the teacher introduced them the
phonemic chart at a glance. This activity was involved to introduce the
students about the English sounds and to differentiate the contrastive
sound between English and their native language.
42
Then, the teacher took out some words. Those words were
presented in pairs. She imitated the students how to pronounce those
words correctly and accurately. The practice was done by reading it
together and continued by reading per seat-line, and then, they were
instructed to pronounce it one by one.
Moreover, the students were given the minimal pair exercise-
practice. They did it in pair. This exercise was assumed to check the
students‟ comprehension in English sounds. Then they completed and
practiced their task. After that, the teacher concluded the topic.
2. Observation
In this observation, the observer tried to record all activities
during teaching learning activity. The recorded categories were the
teachers‟ performance, students‟ feedback/responses, and the class
situation. Related to the teachers‟ performance, she had done the tasks
appropriate with the teaching scenario or lesson plan which had been
made. She also gave the instruction clearly, so it could be understood
by the students. Besides, the students seemed active when they were
introduced minimal pair activities. Unfortunately, they still confuse
when the teacher asked them to analyze the word in pair. The students
were still afraid of making mistake, it could be seen when the teacher
asked them to say the word one by one. The actively students were
still dominant. Only a few students who existed for practicing and
answering the teacher‟s question orally.
Nevertheless, the students sometimes denied the minimal pair
practices because they faced difficulty in pronouncing some new
English vowel or consonant they found. They should work hard to
practice it, so that they can‟t correct their pronunciation.
Furthermore, in the second action of cycle one the students
seemed more active than before. They seemed confident to practice
the pronunciation activities. After teaching learning process finished
43
in action 2 of CAR cycle 1, the posttest 1 were conducted. Based on

the result of the posttest 1, the mean score of the class was 82.05.
c. Reflection on Teacher’s Improvement Cycle One

In this section the teacher reviewed the material which was just
learned by checking the students‟ comprehension, asking their opinion
about the entire activities. And, she did the closing power or relaxation.
In this case, though some of them still couldn‟t pronounce the
English words accurately, they were very active in pronunciation practice
by using minimal pair drills. They sometimes felt bored but the teacher
could solve it. They also agreed that they could discriminate the English
sound that have the similar sounds and just have the single different
sound. Even, they suggested that the minimal pairs practice would be
done regularly and the exercises could be more creative to avoid them
from boredom. On the other hand, the teacher are hoped to be fair to the
students, she was desirable giving the explicitly command the students to
be active and competitive in exposing their English. This task could be
worked by giving them the relevant games.
In general, the implementing of CAR in cycle 1 was failed; it was proven

by the students‟ posttest 1 score that improved 20.29 %. Whereas based on the
writer and the teacher‟s agreement, the criterion of CAR success was 30%. So, the
teacher and the writer should retry it in the same techniques and teaching learning
process as usual, yet it designed more creative.
4. Action Research Cycle Two

a. Revised Plan
For this section, the teacher and the writer collaborated to revised
plan the classroom action research in cycle two. Here, the teacher
prepared the lesson plan, the materials, the time to research and action, the
classroom management, the topic or the theme of the materials and also
44
the post-test 2 to compare the students‟ result whether it increased or not.

The importance thing is in this cycle two; the teaching learning process
was modified more creative, effective, and active by input three indicator
aspects, which are cognitive, affective, and psychomotor.
b. Action
For cycle two, the observation was taken on June 9thand 11th 2010.
First, the teacher previewed the previous lesson and stimulating the
students‟ brainstorming. Then the teaching learning activity was differed
than previous action. Here the teacher used media/teaching aid. For the
first action of cycle two, she used pictures and the next action of cycle
two, she did the teaching learning contextually, she used anything around
the class/students‟ environment as media, and it was regarded helping the
students to understand the material easily. From those media, she asked
the students any information that could explain. When she did it, the
students responded it desirably.
Next, she distributed the handouts to the students and then she
explained more about the theme for this section is descriptive text in
animal topic discussion. In this handout, she demonstrated a reading
passage to read out by the students, the post-reading questions, the
minimal pair practice and exercise.
After the handouts are distributed, the teacher commanded the
students to read aloud the text together by the teachers‟ guidance. After
that, she asked the students some question related to the passage, and then
students answer it orally. They are really appreciated in answering those
questions.
Furthermore, the teacher demonstrated some words in minimal pair
design to be pronounced by the students correctly and accurately. The
teacher asked the students to repeat her pronunciation in pronouncing
those words. And, the students were really appreciated and showed their
interesting by pronouncing the words loudly, and they were very
45
powerful. While the students pronounced the words, the teacher observed
their pronunciation by listening to them carefully. If there were the wrong
pronunciation which pronounced by the students, she asked the other
students to correct their friend‟s pronunciation and asked that student to
repeat his/her pronunciation. But if the students who corrected his/her
friend pronunciation was also wrong, so the teacher gave the opportunity
to other students to do it, but if she/he also pronounced it not well, the
next correction would be done by the teacher.
Next practice for this section was the students were classifying the
English words from the passage to the appropriate sounds of the
available-phonetic symbol in the table. They did it with heir partner. After
they found the words and classified it into the English sound categories,
they pronounced those words together.
c. Observation
All activities were recorded in the observation sheet. In this
observation, the observer found the different atmosphere in the
classroom. The student is very excited in the activities entirely. They
have already familiar with phonetic symbol. They were more active than
previous activity.
Here, the teacher also played her roles to be a guide and facilitator.
She gave full attention to the students and she was fair to them. She
motivates the passive student to be active, and it was well-done. Almost
all students looked confident to do their tasks and practice their
pronunciation. When the teacher asked them to answer the question or to
do the practice, they existed.
d. Reflection on Teacher’s Improvement Cycle Two

The reflection was carried out after teaching learning process. The
teacher and the writer evaluated CAR Procedures entirely whether it was
well-done or not. Yet, they felt satisfied because it was well-done. It was
46
proven by the student‟s action and their responses during teaching

learning process. They exposed their English pronunciation actively. The
good-progressiveness was also showed from the classroom atmosphere
and class-management, and from the student‟s posttest 2 that proved their
improvement. In their achievement gained score, it improved 34% from
their mean score. As the previous statement, the teacher and the writer
argued that the criterion of CAR success was 30%. For this cycle, the
students‟ achievement score proved that they have improved their score
more than the criterion of CAR success.
Thus, the writer concluded that the implementing of CAR in improving

students‟ pronunciation by using minimal-pair drills succeeded as a whole, and
based on this condition, the cycle of CAR is considerably stopped.
C. The Discussion of The Data After CAR

The Discussion of the data after implementing the action consisted of
two parts. Those were the result of post interview and the result of posttest.
1. The Result of Post Interview

After doing CAR for 2 cycles, the writer and the teacher did the
unstructured interview; it was aimed to evaluate the result of teacher‟s
actions. Here, the teacher and the writer agreed that the minimal pair drill
works in improving students‟ ability in pronunciation. She assumed that
minimal pair drill was useful in helping students to recognize the similar
sound in English. She believes that the students could practice their
pronunciation outside of classroom if they recognize the sounds of those
words. She values that the students‟ feedback is showing the
progressiveness of her action during teaching learning activities. And the
teacher would be pleased to use the minimal pair drill technique
continuously when she teaches pronunciation.
47
2. The Result of Tests
Table 4.1
The Students’ Pronunciation Score of
Pretest, Posttest 1, and Posttest 2
POSTTEST
STUDENTS’ NUMBER PRE-TEST
1 POSTTEST 2
1 55 85 75
2 60 70 90
3 60 80 95
4 60 85 85
5 65 85 75
6 65 90 95
7 55 85 100
8 45 70 90
9 55 70 85
10 70 85 90
11 60 65 75
12 70 95 100
13 50 80 90
14 90 90 95
15 65 90 95
16 70 85 100
17 70 70 85
18 65 80 95
19 70 95 100
20 75 80 95
21 85 95 100
22 70 75 90
23 80 90 90
24 50 85 90
25 70 85 100
26 75 75 100
27 65 95 95
28 80 80 95
29 80 75 80
30 75 70 85
31 70 60 80
32 80 80 85
48
33 60 85 100
34 80 85 95
35 45 75 85
36 90 90 100
37 80 90 100
38 70 85 90
39 80 90 95
TOTAL 2660 3200 3565
Mean: x = ∑x
68.21 82.05 91.41
N
To compare the result between pre-test and post-test of each cycle,

the writer uses some steps. First, the writer calculates the students‟ mean
score for each test. Second, she computes the percentage of students‟
improvement score from pre-test to post-test cycle 1 and cycle 2.
In analyzing the data of pre-test, the step is to get the mean score of
the class. It is calculated as following:
x = ∑x
n
x = 2660
39
x = 68.21
The mean score of the class in pre-test is 68.21. It means that the
students‟ pronunciation mean score before using minimal pair drill or
before implementing CAR is 68.21.
Then, the writer calculates the post-tests of CAR for each cycle to
measure the students‟ score improvement from the pre-test to post-test 1
result and then the post-test 1 result will be compared to the post-test 2
result of CAR cycle 2. The first step, the writer calculates the post-test 1 to
know the students‟ improvement after implementing CAR in cycle 1.
49
The calculating of post-test 1 is as follows:

x = ∑x
n
x = 3200
39
x = 82.05
From that calculation, the mean score of the class in post-test 1 is
82.05. It means that the students‟ pronunciation mean score after using
minimal pair drill or after implementing CAR showed the improvement, it
is 82.05. If we compare with the previous test (pre-test) score 82.05, the
difference is 13.84 points by calculation as follows 82.05-68.21 = 13.84.
So, the writer could say that the improvement students‟ pronunciation
score is 13.84.
The next phase is to know the percentage of pre-test and post-test
difference, it is calculated as follows:
P= y1-y x 100%
y
P= 82.05-68.21 x 100%
68.21
P= 13.84 x 100%
68.21
P= 20.29%
So, the percentages of students‟ mean score improvement from pre-
test to post-test 1 is 20.29%. The improvement did not valuably increase.
Next, after calculating the students‟ post-test 1 score, the next step
is to calculate the post-test 2; it can be seen as follows:
x = ∑x
n
x = 3565
39
x = 91.41
50
From that calculation, the mean score of the class in post-test 2

showed the valuably improvement, it is 91.41.
To calculate the percentage of students‟ improvement of
pronunciation test score between pre-test and post-test 2, the writer
computes as follows:
P= y2-y x 100%
y
P= 91.41-68.21 x 100%
68.21
P= 23.2 x 100%
68.21
P= 34.01%
From that computation, it can be seen that the students‟ mean score
of post-test 2 showed the higher improvement than the comparison of
mean score in post-test 1, the percentage is 34.01%.
D. The Interpretation of Test Result

The interpretation of the data results among pre-test, the pos-test of cycle 1
and the post-test of cycle 2 as follows:
In the pre-test, the mean score of students on pronunciation test before
using CAR and applying minimal pair drill in teaching pronunciation is 68.21.
This mean score is viewed low because the minimal standard-mean score that the
teacher declared is 70 (seventy). So, mean score 68.21 is assumed as the low score
achievement. Afterwards, to compare whether CAR succeed or not, it was done
post-test that is carried out after implementing CAR for each cycle. The result of
mean score in the post-test cycle 1 is 82.05. This is assumed as good achievement-
mean score that the students got because they could pass the minimal standard
score that the teacher declared. It can be said that the students‟ mean score from
the pre-test to post-test improved. The improvement is 82.05-68.21 = 13.84 or the
improvement percentage is 20.29%. However, from this percentage, the CAR has
51
been failed. Because the criterion of the action success based on the writer and the
teacher‟s agreement is 30%.
Furthermore, the mean score of post-test 2 is 91.41. It can be said that the
students showed their best achievement. They proved the good improvement for
each cycle. The percentage of mean score improvement between pre-test and post-
test 2 is 34.01%. From that percentage, it can be concluded that the CAR is
success because the percentage of students‟ mean score of post-test 2 could pass
the criterion of CAR success, 30%. So, the writer and the teacher agreed that the
cycle of CAR is stopped.
52
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
From all discussion in this paper, the writer would like to conclude about
the result of this research. And then, related to the conclusion the writer would
give some suggestion. However, before conclude and suggest this research, the
writer would like to summarize this research.
In summarize for this research, the writer conducted the implementation of
CAR (Classroom Action Research) as a research design. The writer used Kemmis
and Mc. Taggart design, which has four phases, there are plan, act, observe, and
reflect. In this moment, the writer used two cycles. In CAR, the writer applied one
of the techniques in improving students‟ pronunciation, which is minimal-pair
drill. In this technique, the students practice their pronunciation intensively, yet
they could practice they pronunciation by using this technique inside and outside
of classroom independently.
Furthermore, the observation and the implementation of this CAR were
held at first grade class VII.3, SMPN 66 Jakarta academic year 2010/2011. The
number of students is 39 students. Based on the writer‟s observation, minimal pair
drill has been successfully improving the students‟ pronunciation and it was also
effective to be implemented in large classroom. Even, the teacher or the students
did the teaching learning activities well. Moreover, the students were more active
in learning English pronunciation.
Based on the result of students‟ pronunciation test, it can be measured that
the students could improve the students‟ pronunciation mean score more than
53
30%, that it was criterion for CAR success. Thus, the implementation of minimal
pair drills in improving the students‟ pronunciation, especially at class VII.3,
SMPN 66 Jakarta was successful.
A. Conclusion
Based on the research conducted at class VII.3 SMPN 66 Jakarta in
academic year 2010/2011, it could be concluded that the students improve their
English pronunciation by using minimal pair drills. Then, they also could
recognize the English phonetic symbols. Therefore, the students were showed
their progress and be able to gain the best achievement especially in English
pronunciation.
B. Suggestion
The writer would like to give some suggestions for the teacher. First, she
suggests the teacher for keeping the minimal pair drills in improving students‟
pronunciation into teaching learning activity. Second, the teacher is hoped for
continuing to introduce the phonetic symbols to the students step by step because
it helps their comprehension in distinguishing English phonemic sound. Third, the
writer hopes the teacher should expand this technique into the minimal-pair
sentence practice, as in this research the writer is focused on minimal-pair word
practice. Hopefully, these suggestions will be useful for teacher‟s professional job
in improving the quality of teaching learning activity.
54
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Achmad HP, Materi Ajar Fonologi Seri Fonetik, Jakarta: UNJ Press, 2007.
Arikunto, Suharsimi, Penelitian Tindakan Kelas, Jakarta: Bumi Aksara, 2009.
Arshby, Michael and John Maidment, Introducing Phonetic Science, Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2008.
Avery, Peter and Susan Ehrlich, Teaching American English Pronunciation 2nd
ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.
Celce-Murcia, Marianne and, et. al. Teaching Pronunciation: a Reference for
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2009.
Chaer, Abdul, Linguistik Umum, edisi baru, Jakarta: Rineka Cipta, 2007.
Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, Silabus Kurikulum tingkat Satuan
Pendidikan Mata pelajaran Bahasa Inggris, Jakarta: Depdikbud, 2006.
Depdiknas, Standar kompetensi Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Inggris SMP/MTs,
Jakarta: Pusat Kurikulum, Depdiknas, 2004
Frank, Marcela, Modern English: A Practical Reference Guide, New Jersey:
Prentice Hall, 1972.
Harmer, Jeremy, the Practice of English Language Teaching, 4th ed., New York:
Longman, 2007.
Harmer, Jeremy, The Practice of English Language Teaching, New Ed., New
York: Longman, 1996.
http://www.worldwidewords.org/pronguide.htm
Indriani, M.I, English Pronunciation: the English Speech Sounds Theory and
Practice, Jakarta: PT. Gramedia PustakaUtama, 2001.
Jones, Daniel, The Pronunciation of English, Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1986.
Kelly, Gerald, How to Teach Pronunciation, England: Pearson Education
Limited, 2000.
Kreidler, Charles W., The Pronunciation of English, 2nd ed., USA: Blackwell
Publishing Ltd., 2004.
Kusuma, Wijaya and Dedi Dwitagama, Mengenal Penelitian tindakan Kelas,
Jakarta: PT. Malta Printindo, 2009.
Lado, Robert, Linguistics Across Cultures: Applied Linguistics for Language
Teachers, Ann Arbor: the University of Michigan Press. 1983.
55
Mahmud, Nasrun, English for University Students, 3rd ed., Jakarta: Siwibakti
Darma, 1998.
Manser, Martin H., Oxford Learner’s Pocket Dictionary, new ed., Oxford: Oxford
McMillan, James and Sally Schumacher, Research in Education: Evidence-Based
Inquiry, 6th ed,
Menteri Pendidikan Nasional, Peraturan Menteri Pendidikan Nasional Republik
Indonesia No. 22 Tahun 2006, Jakarta: Permendiknas, 2006.
Mettzer, David E., The Relationship between Mathematics Preparation and
Conceptual Learning Gains in Physics: A Possible Hidden Variable in
Diagnostic Pretest Score, Lowa: Department of Physic and Astronomy, 2008.
Mills, Geofrey E., Action Research: a Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 2nd ed.,
New Jersey: Merill Prentice Hall, 2003.
Norish, John, Language Learners and Their Errors: Essential Language Teaching
series, London: MacMillan Press, 1983.
Nunan, David, Understanding Language Classrooms: A guide for teacher-
initiated actions, UK: Prentice Hall Ltd., 1989.
Silveira, Rosane, Pronunciation Instruction Classroom Practice and Empirical
Research, Linguagem & ensino: Santa Catarina, 2002.
Sudijono, Anas, Pengantar Statistik Pendidikan, Jakarta: PT. Raja Grafindo
Persada, 2008.
Sudjana, Metoda Statistika ed. 6, Bandung: Tarsito, 2000.
Sukardi, Metodologi Penelitian Pendidikan, Jakarta: Bumi Aksara, 2009.
Thomson, A.J and A. V Martinet, A Practical English Grammar, 4th ed., New
York: Oxford University Press, 1995.
Thornbury, Scott, About Language: Tasks for teachers of English, Cambridge:
Ur, Penny, Teaching Listening Comprehension, Cambridge: Cambridge
Ur, Penny, a Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory, Cambridge:
Wallace, Michael J., Action Research for Language Teachers, Cambridge:
56
LIST OF APPENDICES
1. Pretest score, posttest 1 score and posttest 2 score ……………………...57
2. The graph of the Improvement of Student‟s pronunciation score
during CAR………………………………………………………………59
3. Interview guidelines for the needs analysis (before CAR)………………60
4. Scenario of unstructured interview (before CAR)……………………….63
5. Interview guidelines for the needs analysis (after CAR)………………...65
6. Observation sheet………………………………………………………...66
7. Lesson Plan………………………………………………………………69
8. Phonemic chart…………………………………………………………...90
9. Pronunciation tests (pretest)…..………………………………………….91
10. Pronunciation tests (posttest 1).………………………………………….92
11. Pronunciation tests (posttest)…………………………………………….93
57
Table 4.1
The Students’ Pronunciation Score of Pretest, Posttest 1, and Posttest 2
STUDENTS’ CYCLE 1 CYCLE 2

PRE-TEST
NUMBER POSTTEST POSTTEST
1 55 85 75
2 60 70 90
3 60 80 95
4 60 85 85
5 65 85 75
6 65 90 95
7 55 85 100
8 45 70 90
9 55 70 85
10 70 85 90
11 60 65 75
12 70 95 100
13 50 80 90
14 90 90 95
15 65 90 95
16 70 85 100
17 70 70 85
18 65 80 95
19 70 95 100
20 75 80 95
21 85 95 100
22 70 75 90
23 80 90 90
24 50 85 90
25 70 85 100
26 75 75 100
27 65 95 95
58
28 80 80 95
29 80 75 80
30 75 70 85
31 70 60 80
32 80 80 85
33 60 85 100
34 80 85 95
35 45 75 85
36 90 90 100
37 80 90 100
38 70 85 90
39 80 90 95
TOTAL 2660 3200 3565
Mean: x = ∑x
68.21 82.05 91.41
N
59
CHART 1
The Improvement of Student’s Pronunciation Score during CAR
12
10
Pretest
6
Posttest of cycle 1
Posttest of cycle 2
0
100 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45
60
Interview Guidelines for the Needs Analysis (Before CAR)

(Tuesday, February 9th, 2010)
R: The Researcher
T: The Teacher
A. Kategori umum tentang pengajaran bahasa Inggris

R: Sudah berapa lama ibu menjadi guru bahasa Inggris?
T: Ah…belum begitu lama, kalau di SMPN 66 saya beru mengajar +15tahun,
tapi sebelm disini saya juga sudah mengajar, saya mengajar bahasa Inggris
dari sebelum saya nikah. Yah…kalau ditotal sekitar 18tahun lah.
R: Bagaimana cara ibu mengajar bahasa Inggris?
T: Saya kalau mengajar selalu berusaha untuk membuat anak-anak senang.
Kita harus menyesuaikan dengan kemampuan dan keinginan anak-anak.
Apalagi pelajaran bahasa Inggis,, kita harus kreatif, tidak boleh monoton.
R: Hal apa yang biasa ibu lakukan agar proses belajar-mengajar tidak
membosankan?
T: Pastinya anak-anak akan senang kalau dikasih game.
R: Apakah ibu mengajar menggunakan bahasa Inggris?
T:Saya pakai bilingual, tapi untuk kelas VII, saya lebih banyak menggunakan
bahasa Indonesia, karena kasihan mereka tidak paham nantiya.
B. Kategori sumber belajar

R: Ngomong-ngomong, ibu kalau mengajar sumbernya darimana saja, bu?
T: LKS, kadang saya suruh mereka cari dari internet untuk tugas mereka atau
dari media atau apa saja yang ada disekitar anak-anak, kan kita
menggunakan metode “Contextual Teaching-Learning”. Jadi, sumber,
media, atau teaching aida lainnya harus disesuaikan dengan tema atau topic
yang akan dipelajari dan tentunya saja yang mudah dicerna oleh para siswa.
Siswa, biasanya akan lebih cepat paham bila yang kita ajarkan masih
mengena dengan lingkungan dan kehidupan sehari-hari mereka.
61
C. Kategori keadaan umum kelas

R: Bagaimana kondisi kelas saat ibu mengajar?
T: Pada saat menjelaskan mereka diam, tapi saya selalu berusaha membuat
anak-anak aktif, jadi kalau rebut-ribut sedikit wajarlah…namanya juga
pelajaran bahasa.
R: Skill apa yang sangat ibu tekankan pada para siswa khususnya kelas VII?
T: Bagi saya yang paling utama mereka harus banyak drill dalam membaca.
Jadi, setiap awal pelajaran mereka harus membaca teks berulang-ulang
untuk melenturkan kekakuan lidah mereka dalam mengucapkan kata-kata
bahasa Inggris.
D. Kategori kesulitan siswa dalam pronunciation

R: Jadi, ibu lebih fokuskan mereka dalam pengucapan/pronunciation?
T: Ya.
R: Lalu, bagaimana hasilnya bu?
T: Ya, namanya juga anak-anak mereka sering lupa, jadi wajarlah kalau
pronunciation mereka masih terjadi kesalahan. Makanya harus dilatih
terus.
R: Kesulitan apa saja yang biasa siswa hadapi dalam pronunciation, bu?
T: Kesulitannya adalah disaat mereka menemukan kata-kata baru, mereka
membutuhkan latihan yang ekstra agar pengucapan bahasa Inggris
mereka benar.
R: Apa yang menyebabkan kesulitan itu terjadi pada siswa?
T: Seperti yang telah kita ketahui bahwa lidah mereka masih kaku untuk
mengucapkan kata-kata tersebut. Disamping itu, mereka bingung
bagaimana untuk mengucapkannya karena kata-kata dalam bahasa
Inggris itu, antara pengucapan dengan writtennya berbeda. Sedangkan,
dalam bahasa kita apa yang tertulis, ya…itulah yang terucap.
62
E. Kategori strategi yang digunakan tentang pengajaran pronunciation

R: Apakah ibu menggunakan cara lain untuk melatih pronunciation mereka
selain reading aloud?
T: Ya pastinya dengan drill itu, reading aloud.
R: Tapi, apakah ibu pernah memperkenalkan bunyi-bunyi huruf/phonetic
symbol pada siswa?
T: Belum. Saya langsung mencontohkan saja pengucapan yang benarnya.
R: Seandainya mereka melakukan kesalahan dalam pengucapan kosakata
bahasa Inggris, koreksi seperti apa yang dilakukan?
T: Saya tidak langsung menyalahkan mereka tapi biasanya “peer correction”.
Saya minta teman-temannya terlebih dahulu untuk mengkoreksi agar
mereka juga belajar dan yang pastinya mereka akan menyimak teman-
temannya.
R: Apakah ibu pernah menggunakan teknik pengajaran pronunciation
“minimal-pair drill”?
T: “Minimal pair drill” itu seperti apa?
R: Teknik memasangkan 2 kata yang memiliki bunyi hamper sama. Misalnya:
these-this. Bagaimana menurut ibu?
T: O..Begitu..Ok juga tuch. Baiklah kita coba teknik itu. Sepertinya, itu akan
memudahkan mereka dalam pronunciationnya.
63
Scenario of Unstructured Interview (before car)

(Friday, February 15th, 2010)
T: Teacher
S: Student
Ss: Students
T : Sudah berapa lama kalian belajar bahasa Inggris?

Ss : Ada yang dari SD miss, ada juga yang dari TK.
T : Apa alasan utama kalian belajar bahasa Inggris?
Ss : Supaya pinter miss dan lancar ngomong bahasa Inggrisnya jadi kalau ketemu
bule kan udah bisa.
T : Ada alasan lainnya?
Ss : Iya miss, biar nilainya juga bagus.
T : Apakah kalian menikmati pelajaran bahasa Inggris selama ini, berikan alasan
kalian!
Ss : Iya miss, karena pelajaran bahasa Inggris itu menarik dan menyenangkan,
terus gurunya juga tegas dan baik dan pengarahannya mudah dimengerti.
T : Lalu?
Ss : Karena seru juga miss, kadang ada gamesnya.
S : Karena pelajaran bahasa Inggris sangat bermanfaat untuk kehidupan
terutama dalam bekerja dan berkomunikasi.
T : Masih ada alasan lain?
S : Sebenarnya saya nggak begitu mengerti miss kalau gurunya ngomong bahasa
Inggris.
T : Bagaimana menurut kalian tentang buku teks yang digunakan atau materi
pelajaran yang diberikan?
Ss : Lumayan menariklah miss. Tapi kadang-kadang bagus juga miss.
T : Memangnya kalian cuma mengerjakan dari students’ book ini saja?
Ss : Kebanyakan sih iya miss, tapi kadang-kadang kita juga disuruh nyari tugas
diluar dari internet.
T : Apakah kalian sering mengerjakan tugas rumah?
Ss : Sering banget miss.
T : Ya, bagus donk.
Ss : Iya sih miss, tapi kadang-kadang kan capek juga apalagi kalau banyak PR
yang lainnya.
T : Kan seperti pepatah “bersusah-susah dahulu, bersenang-senang kemudian”
betul tidak?
Ss : Betul banget!
T : Tapi kalian tetap tinggi kan motivasi atau keinginan untuk belajar?
Ss : Iya miss.
64
T : Kira-kira selama belajar motivasinya tetap tinggi nggak atau ada yang
berubah-ubah?
S : Tergantung miss. Kalau seru ya tetap semangat. Tapi kalau ngebosenin ya
males..
S : Tapi, saya nggak koq miss. Insya Allah semangat terus dari awal sampai
akhir.
T : Syukurlah…
T : By the way, kalian sering diajarkan bagaimana cara pengucapan-pengucapan
kata-kata baahasa Inggris?
Ss : Iya miss, kan kita selalu baca teks.
T : Berarti pengucapan bahasa Inggrisnya sudah benar donk?
Ss : Nggak juga miss. Banyak juga yang salah.
T : Kenapa, bukaannya sering latihan?
Ss : Iya kalau di sekolah. Tapi seringnya kan rame-rame miss.
T : Lalu apa kesulitan kalian dalam mengucapkan kosakata bahasa Inggris?
Ss : Ya…itu miss, karena tulisannya beda ama pengucapannya.
T : Lalu kalau tidak tahu cara mengucapkannya, apa yang kalian lakukan?
S :Ehm…diem aja miss. Kadang-kadang ya dibaca aja.
S : Kadang lihat kamus juga miss, kan suka ada cara pengucapannya tuwh, tapi
tetep nggak ngerti juga miss, soalnya simbol-simbolnya aneh-aneh.
T : Tapi pernah diajarkan bagaimana cara pengucapannya?
Ss : Pernah miss. Ya…kalau kita salah mengucapkan juga dikoreksi ama gurunya.
T : Kalau simbol-simbol yang seperti di kamus itu pernah dikasih tahu nggak?
Ss : Nggak miss, makanya walaupun lihat kamus tetap bingung juga.
T : Apakah gurunya pernah memerintahkan kamu untuk membaca kosakata atau
teks bahasa Inggris di luar jam pelajaran agar pengucapannya benar?
Ss : Pernah miss.
T : Kira-kira teknik yang dilakukan oleh guru bisa meningkatkan pronunciation
atau pengucapan bahasa Inggris yang benar?
S : Lumayan miss, pengennya sih ada cara yang bisa bikin pronunciation kita
cepat bisa, biar ngomong bahasa Inggrisnya cepat lancar.
S : Iya miss, lebih seru lagi kalau ada gamesnya.
T : Baiklah…Insya Allah.
65
Interview Guidelines for the Needs Analysis (After CAR)

(Friday, June 11th, 2011)
R: The Researcher
T: The Teacher
A. Kategori keadaan umum kelas

R: Bagaimana kondisi siswa setelah penerapan latihan minimal-pair dalam
mengajarkan pengucapan bahasa Inggris?
T: Minimal-pair sangat membantu siswa dalam meningkatkan pronunciation
mereka. Mereka terlihat lebih aktif dan sangat tertarik saat, apalagi saat
diajarkan phonemic chart, mereka terlihat courious. Dan yang saya lihat
juga , para siswa memperlihatkan perkembangannya dalam mengucapkan
kata-kata yang sulit. Sepertinya mereka sudah mulai terbiasa dengan kata-
kata bahasa Inggris yang mereka anggap selama ini sulit. Teknik ini sangat
membantu karena siswa lebih banyak berlatih dalam pengaplikasiannya.
B. Kategori kesulitan dalam menerapkan minimal-pair drills

R: Apakah ada kesulitan yang ibu hadapi saat menerapkan teknik minimal-pair
dalam mengajar pronunciation?
T: Sepertinya tidak. Tapi, saya justru melihat kesulitan itu muncul pada siswa.
Mereka terkadang diam saat saya meminta mereka untuk mengucapkan
kata-kata yang saya presentasikan. Hal ini disebabkan mungkin karena lidah
mereka masih kaku jadi pengucapan-pengucapan yang hampir mirip dengan
bahasa sehari-hari mereka, masih terbawa-bawa.
C. Kategori strategi untuk memecahkan kesulitan

R: Bagaimana ibu memecahkan masalah tersebut?
T: Tentu saja dengan sering-sering latihan, yaitu reading aloud, merekapun
sudah mulai terbiasa. Disamping itu, saya selalu memotivasi mereka agar
mereka tidak cemas apabila terjadi kesalahan atas pronunciation mereka.
66
RENCANA PELAKSANAAN PEMBELAJARAN

(RPP) SPEAKING
Satuan Pendidikan : SMPN 66 Jakarta

Mata Pelajaran : Bahasa Inggris
Kelas/ Semester : VII/ 2
Aspek/ Skill : SPEAKING
Alokasi Waktu : 4 x 40 menit
Jenis Teks : Transaksional (Dialog)
Tahun Pelajaran : 2009/9010
I. Standar Kompetensi
Berbicara (9)
Mengungkapkan makna dalam percakapan transaksional dan interpersonal

pendek sederhana untuk berinteraksi dengan lingkungan terdekat.
II. Kompetensi Dasar

Berbicara (9.1)
Mengungkapkan makna yang terdapat dalam percakapan transaksional (to get
things done) dan interpersonal (bersosialisasi) pendek sederhana secara akurat,
lancar, dan berterima untuk berinteraksi dengan lingkungan terdekat yang
melibatkan tindak tutur: meminta dan memberi jasa, meminta dan memberi
barang, dan meminta dan memberi fakta.
III. Tujuan Pembelajaran

Pada akhir pembelajaran siswa dapat:
1. Mengungkapkan ungkapan meminta dan memberi barang/jasa
2. Merespon ungkapan meminta dan memberi barag/jasa
3. Membuat daftar harga barang
4. Membuat dialog
67
IV. Materi Pembelajaran
ASKING AND GIVING SERVICE/SOMETHING & INFORMATIONS
Expressions
Asking for someone’s help Giving help to someone

 Can you help me, …..? - Let me give you a hand
 Please, help me. - Here, I’ll do it for you.
 Can you do me a favour, please? - May I help you Sir/Mam?
 Would you be so kind as to…..? - Can I help you?
 Can you pass me the salt, please?
 Could you give me a piece of paper, please?
 May I have……..?
To admit a fact To reject someone’s help

 Here they are (informal) - No, It’s not necessary
 Sure (informal) - Thank you for offering
 Absolutely (informal)
 Okay (informal)
 I would love to.
 Yes, I did
V. Metode Pembelajaran / Teknik:

Contextual Teaching Learning/Three-phase technique.
VI. Langkah-langkah Kegiatan:
PERTEMUAN PERTAMA
a. Kegiatan Pendahuluan
 Greeting.
 Apersepsi
 Memberi motivasi kepada siswa.
68
 Memberi tahu tujuan pembelajaran
b. Kegiatan Inti
Siswa melengkapi dialog dengan kata dan frasa yang terdapat dalam kotak.
Siswa mengoreksi jawabannya
Siswa mempraktikan dialog yang telah diisi dengan benar bersama-sama dan
dipandu oleh guru.
Siswa mempraktikkan dialog dengan teman sebangkunya
Siswa menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan tentang informasi yang terdapat
pada dialog.
Siswa melengkapi tabel mengenai daftar barang yang terdapat pada dialog
Siswa mempraktekkan beberapa kosakata bahasa Inggris yang dipasangkan
yang dipandu oleh guru.
Siswa diperkenalkan phonemic chart dan membaca contoh-contoh kata pada
chart tersebut bersama-sama.
Siswa mengerjakan latihan “minimal-pair” secara berpasangan.
c. Kegiatan Penutup
Menyimpukan materi pembelajaran
Menanyakan pemahaman siswa mengenai proses pembelajaran hari ini
Menugaskan siswa untuk mencari contoh-contoh iklan
PERTEMUAN KEDUA
 Greeting.
 Apersepsi
 Memberi motivasi kepada siswa.
 Menyampaikan tujuan pembelajaran
b. Kegiatan Inti
Siswa mempresentasikan tugas di depan kelas yaitu daftar harga barang.
Siswa melengkapi teks sesuai dengan kata yang didiktekan oleh guru.
Siswa mengoreksi jawabannya.
69
Siswa mempraktikkan kata-kata yang berpasangan secara akurat dan benar.

Siswa mencocokkan ungkapan-ungkapan meminta dengan ungkapan-
ungkapan memberi jasa/barang sehingga menjadi percakapan singkat lalu
mengidentifikasikan nama tempat dari beberapa dialog dan mempraktekkan
dialog tersebut berpasangan.
Siswa diminta mengklasifikasikan kata-kata yang pengucapannya memiliki
bunyi vokal /i/ and /i:/
Siswa membuat dialog singkat mengenai meminta dan memberi barang /
jasa.
c. Kegiatan Penutup
Menyimpulkan materi pembelajaran
Menanyakan kesulitan siswa selama proses KBM
Memberi tugas pada siswa terkait dengan materi yang telah dipelajari
Refleksi
VII. Sumber Belajar

1. Buku teks:
- Wardiman Artono, dkk.,English in focus for Grade VIII Junior High
School, Jakarta: Pusat Pembukuan Depdiknas, 2008
- Djunaedi, English 1 for the first year Junior Secondary School, Jakarta:
Balai Pustaka,1995
- Bulyaman K., English in Life VII, Bogor: Regina, 2007
- Clark, dkk., Flying Start 1B, Denpasar: Erlangga, 2007
- Jeanette Lindsey, et. al., Students‟s Book Fliying Start 1B, Jakarta:
Erlangga, 2007.
2. Internet, Majalah/Surat Kabar.
VIII. Indikator dan Penilaian

TES
NO. INDIKATOR
Lisan Tulisan
70
1. Mengungkapkan ungkapan-ungkapan meminta dan memberi  

barang/jasa/fakta
2. Merespon ungkapan-ungkapan meminta dan memberi 
barang/jasa/fakta
3. Membuat daftar barang beserta jumlah dan harganya 
 
4. Membuat dialog singkat
Instrumen: Terlampir
IX. Pedoman Penilaian dan Rubrik Penilaian

1. Setiap jawaban benar siswa diberi nilai 10
2. Nilai maksimal 100
3. Jumlah Nilai = jawaban benar X 10
Rubrik Penilaian:
No. Uraian Skor
1. Pelafalan dan ungkapan benar dan lancar, serta ekspresi tepat >80
2. Pelafalan dan ungkapan benar dan lancar, tapi ekspresi kurang tepat 70-79
3. Pelafalan tepat, ungkapan benar dan kurang lancar, tanpa ekspresi 65-69
4. Pelafalan tepat, ungkapan kurang benar dan tidak lancer serta tanpa 60-64
ekspresi <59
5. Semua kurang tepat
Mengetahui, Jakarta, 2
Juni 2010
Guru Pamong, Observer,
Diah Nur Pancawati Yusnita Sari

71
NIP/NRK. 132 202 807/133024 NIM.

206014000185
PERTEMUAN I
STUDENT’S WORKSHEET 1
Name :
……………………
Class :
……………………
Date :
……………………
Activity 1
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words and phrases in the box!
Shopkeeper : Can I help you, girl?

Sarah :Yes, I __________ and vegetables.
Shopkeeper :What _______do you want?
Sarah :Well let me see my shopping list. I want two kilos of oranges
and one kilo of bananas.
Shopkeeper : What else?
Sarah : Cabbage ______ carrots. One kilo each. Then, half a kilo of
onions and two hundred grams of garlic.
Shopkeeper : Anything ________?
72
Sarah : Oh, yes. Half a ________tomatoes.

Shopkeeper : Is that all?
Sarah : Yes, I think. That’s all I have in my __________. How _______
do I owe you?
Shopkeeper : Ehmmm, let me see. Two kilos of oranges. That’s six dollars.
Then, it’s three dollars for the bananas, two dollars for the
cabbage, two dollars fifty for the carrots, two twenty five for
the onions, one sixty for the garlic, and two forty for the
tomatoes, so, it’s ___________ in all.
Sarah : All right. Here you are. Twenty dollars.
Shopkeeper : ________________. And here’s your _________cents change.
_________
Activity 2
Kilo Now answer the following questions orally.
But They are about the dialogue above.
And
Nineteen dollars seventy five cents 1. What did Sarah want to buy?
Else 2. Where did Sarah note the things that she
Twenty five wanted to buy?
Seventeen dollars twenty-five cents 3. How many Carrots did she buy?
Shopping list 4. How much money did she pay for garlic?
Need 5. What kind of vegetables did she buy?
Thirty-five
Fruit
Thank you
Many
Much
Activity 3
Complete the table with the appropriate information from the dialogue above!
No. ITEMS AMOUNT PRICE
1. Oranges 2 Kg Rp. 10.000,00

73
Activity 4
Now pronounce the following words!
Please : /pli:s/ place : /pleis/

These : /δi:s/ this : /δis/
Pay : /pei/ pie : /pai/
Rich : /rit∫/ rice : /rais/
Ones : /wans/ owns : /әuns/
Many : /mєni/ money : /mani/
Activity 5
Student A
I. Read the sentence 1-5 to your partner!
1. These are my oranges.
2. The price of this pencil box is nineteen rupiahs.
3. I need to pay for it.
4. These short stories end dramatically.
5. You don’t need to buy it.
II. Circle the word that your partner reads.

1. Owns ones
2. Fifty fifteen
3. Some same
4. They’re their
5. She see
Students B
I. Circle the word that your partner reads.
1. These this
2. Nineteen ninety
3. Pie pay
4. End and
5. Bye buy
II. Read the sentence 1-5 to your partner!

74
Activity 6
You are going to shopping. List the things that you’re going to buy!
No. ITEMS AMOUNT PRICE
1. Oranges 2 Kg Rp. 10.000,00

75
PERTEMUAN II
Activity 1
Listen to the teacher’s voice. Choose the words on the right side to
complete the questions; your teacher will guide you by reading the
sentence completely.
1. Could you … me the salt, please? Past / pass

2. Would you like some more …? Cheese / cheers
3. Does anyone … more orange juice? Want / won’t
4. This is nice. Can you give me the …? Receive / recipe
5. How would you like … tea? You’re / your
6. Do you need some help … the dishes? With / white
7. Could I have a … of coffee, please? Glasses / glass
Activity 2
Practice the pairs of words in the previous box!
Activity 3
Match the questions of activity 1 and the responses in the box and
then rewrite down into a short dialogues.
a. Yes, please. It’s very nice of you.

b. With sugar and lemon, please.
c. Yes, please. I love it.
d. Yes, of course. I’m glad you like it.
e. Dark or with cream?
f. Sure, here you are.
g. Yes, please. I’m so thirsty.
Activity 4
a. Practice the dialogue with your partner!
b. Classify and list the words which have vowel sound /i/ and /i:/ from the dialogue
that you arranged!
c. Create your own dialogue with your partner!
76
Lampiran
Lembar KBM (Kegiatan Belajar Mengajar)
ASKING AND GIVING SERVICE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------
ANSWER KEY!
A. Activity 1 B. Activity 3
1. Pass 5. Your 1. F 5. B
2. Cheese 6. With 2. C 6. A
3. Want 7. Glass 3. G 7. E
4. Recipe 4. D
C. Activity 4 part B
/i/ /i:/
Please
It Cheese
Very Tea
With
Cream
Thirty
77
RENCANA PELAKSANAAN PEMBELAJARAN (RPP)

BERBICARA

Aspek/ Skill : Berbicara
Jenis Teks : Deskriptif
I. Standar Kompetensi
Berbicara (10)
Mengungkapkan makna dalam teks lisan fungsional dan monolog pendek

sederhana berbentuk descriptive dan procedure untuk berinteraksi dengan
lingkungan terdekat.

Berbicara (10.1)
Mengungkapkan makna yang terdapat dalam teks fungsional pendek sederhana
dengan menggunakan ragam bahasa lisan secara akurat, lancar, dan berterima
untuk berinteraksi dengan lingkungan sekitar dalam teks berbentuk descriptive
dan narrative.
78

1. Mengucapkan kosakata dengan benar dan akurat.
2. Mengungkapkan berbagai informasi dalam teks berbentuk deskriptif
(mendeskripsikan hewan).
3. Mendeskripsikan gambar hewan.

Terlampir

Contextual Teaching Learnig/ Three-phase technique.
 Greeting
 Apersepsi
 Memberi motivasi kepada siswa
 Memberitahu siswa tentang tujuan pembelajaran
b. Kegiatan Inti
 Siswa diperlihatkan gambar-gambar binatang dan mendeskripsikan gambar
tersebut bersama-sama.
 Siswa membaca teks dengan lantang bersama-sama yang dipandu oleh guru.
 Siswa menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan tentang informasi yang terdapat
dalam teks deskriptif.
 Siswa mempraktekkan cara pengucapan kosakata dengan benar dan akurat.
 Siswa mengklasifikasikan kosakata yang terdapat dalam teks sesuai dengan
bunyinya secara berpasangan.
 Siswa mendeskripsikan gambar hewan di depan kelas.
 Siswa melakukan tanya jawab dengan teman sebangkunya untuk melengkapi
teks berbentuk deskriptif.
79
c. Kegiatan Penutup
 Menyimpulkan materi pembelajaran
 Menanyakan kesulitan siswa
 Refleksi
VII. Sumber Belajar

1. Buku teks:
Balai Pustaka,1995
2. Internet/Majalah/Surat Kabar
TEST
NO. INDIKATOR
LISAN TULISAN
1. Mengucapkan kosakata dengan benar dan akurat. 
2. Mengungkapkan berbagai informasi dalam teks 
berbentuk deskriptif (mendeskripsikan hewan).

 
3. Mendeskripsikan gambar hewan.

1. Untuk setiap jawaban benar diberi skor 10
2. Nilai Maksimal = 100
3. Nilai Siswa = Skor Perolehan X 10
Rubrik Penilaian:
No. Uraian Skor

80
1. Pengucapan dan ejaan benar, dan pemilihan kata tepat 10

2. Pengucapan dan ejaan kurang benar dan pemilihan kata tepat 5
3. Salah semua 0
Juni 2010

NIP/NRK. 132 202 807/133024 NIM.
206014000185
STUDENT’S WORKSHET
Practice 1
Read this passage carefully!
The Sea Eagle
There is an eagle nesting on the treetop near

my grandparent’s house in Pangandaran. It was a sea
eagle.
The color of its feathers is light brown. It has
a strong and sharp yellowish beak. Its claws are very
sharp. It hunts for fish in the sea but sometimes it
hunts chickens and small birds.
Eagles have many sizes, shapes, and colors, but the sea eagle is easy to recognize
because it has a strong a streamlined, sharp beak and a stream-line body.
Its forelimbs (or arms) serve as wings. This means that they are of little use for
anything except flying. It walks on two legs and has a very flexible neck and strong beak
to handle foods, to care for its feathers and for many other jobs that non-flying animals
81
Practice 2
Answer the following questions based on the text above.
1. What do you know about eagles?
2. Why is the sea eagle easy to recognize?
3. What do you think of its flying? Is it easy or hard to do?
4. What do the forelimbs of a sea eagle do?
5. What are the sea eagle’s neck and beak like?
Practice 3
Put the words in the box into these sentences.
1. mushroom
1. A________ grows into a beautiful butterfly. 2. eel
2. The_________ lives in a land but breeds in water. 3. orchid
3. The_________ usually grows in a dead tree. 4. caterpillar
4. The_________ is a predator bird. It hunts for fish or chickens. 5. toad
6. bird
5. A__________ is a bird that can imitate words.
7. cockatoo
6. An___________ is a very beautiful flower. 8. owl
7. The sound of a_________ is very annoying. 9. raven
8. There is a big fish called a ________living in the sea. 10. shark
9. I see an___________ in that tree. 11. eagle
10. An___________ is a snake-like animal that lives in the 12. beak
ANSWER KEY!
PRACTICE 1
1. A bird
2. Yes, it is
3. Middle
4. Yes, it can
5. It has the sharp eyes
Practice 2
1. Eagle is a carnivore animal
82
2. The sea eagle is easy to recognize because it has a strong a streamlined,

sharp beak and a stream-line body.
3. It is easy
4. Its forelimbs (or arms) serve as wings
5. It has a very flexible neck and strong beak
Practice 5
1. Caterpillar
2. Toad
3. Mushroom
4. Eagle
5. Cockatoo
6. Orchid
7. Raven
8. Shark
9. Owl
10. Eel
RENCANA PELAKSANAAN PEMBELAJARAN (RPP)

BERBICARA

Aspek/ Skill : Berbicara
Jenis Teks : Procedure
83
II. Standar Kompetensi

Berbicara (10)
Mengungkapkan makna dalam teks lisan fungsional dan monolog pendek

sederhana berbentuk descriptive dan procedure untuk berinteraksi dengan
lingkungan terdekat.

Berbicara (10.1)
Mengungkapkan makna yang terdapat dalam teks fungsional pendek sederhana
dengan menggunakan ragam bahasa lisan secara akurat, lancar, dan berterima
untuk berinteraksi dengan lingkungan sekitar dalam teks berbentuk descriptive
dan narrative.

1. Mengucapkan kosakata dengan benar dan akurat.
2. Mengungkapkan berbagai informasi dalam teks berbentuk procedure.
3. Membuat teks procedure.

Terlampir

Contextual Teaching Learnig/ Three-phase technique.

 Greeting
 Apersepsi
84
 Memberi motivasi kepada siswa

 Memberitahu siswa tentang tujuan pembelajaran
b. Kegiatan Inti
 Siswa melengkapi teks prosedur.
 Siswa membaca teks yang telah lengkap dan benar dengan lantang yang
dipandu oleh guru.
 Siswa menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan tentang informasi yang terdapat
dalam teks prosedur.
 Siswa mengklasifikasikan kosakata yang terdapat dalam teks sesuai dengan
bunyinya secara berpasangan.
 Siswa mempraktekkan cara pengucapan kosakata yang telah dipasangkan
dengan benar dan akurat.
 Siswa diberikan latihan “minimal pair”
 Siswa membuat teks prosedur.
c. Kegiatan Penutup
 Menyimpulkan materi pembelajaran
 Menanyakan kesulitan siswa
 Refleksi
VII. Sumber Belajar

1. Buku teks:
Balai Pustaka,1995
2. Internet/Majalah/Surat Kabar
NO. INDIKATOR TEST
85
LISAN TULISAN
1. Mengucapkan kosakata dengan benar dan akurat. 
2. Mengungkapkan berbagai informasi dalam teks 
berbentuk prosedur.
 
3. Membuat teks prosedur.

1. Untuk setiap jawaban benar diberi skor 10
2. Nilai Maksimal = 100
3. Nilai Siswa = Skor Perolehan X 10
Rubrik Penilaian:
No. Uraian Skor
1. Pengucapan dan ejaan benar, dan pemilihan kata tepat 10
2. Pengucapan dan ejaan kurang benar dan pemilihan kata tepat 5
3. Salah semua 0
Juni 2010

NIP/NRK. 132 202 807/133024 NIM.
206014000185
86
LAMPIRAN
Lembar Kegiatan Siswa
Activity 3
List the word based on the phonemic chart below!
/Λ/ /æ/ /э/ /∂/
Activity 4
Work this worksheet with your partner.
Student A Student B
I. Read sentences 1-5 that your I. Read sentences 1-5 that your
partner reads. partner reads.
1. He gave me a hug. 1. He gave me a ____.
a) Hug
2. Hand me the pin.
b) Hog
3. This room is full of cats.
2. Hand me the ____.
4. It’s much withered.
a) Pen
5. The men will come soon. b) Pin
II. Circle the word that your partner 3. This room is full of ____.
reads. a) Cots
6. I’d like to see that____ b) Cats
a) Chick
b) Check 4. It’s much _____.
a) Withered
7. That’s my ____ b) Weathered
a) Luck
b) Lock 5. The ____ will come soon.
a) Man
8. They ____ around. b) Men
a) Spun
b) Spin II. Circle the word that your partner
reads.
6. I’d like to see that chick.
9. I fell over the ____
a) Rock 7. That’s my lock.
b) Rack
8. They spun around.
10. They ____weights at the gym. 9. I fell over the rock.
a) Lift 10. They left weights at the gym.
b) Left
87
ANSWER KEY!
Activity 1 Activity 2
1. Stir 1. c
2. Make 2. a
3. Add 3. b
4. Bake 4. d
5. Remove 5. c
6. Serve 6. a
Activity 3
/Λ/ /æ/ /э/ or / э:/ /∂/
Chocolate, butter, Bake Egg, Stir, Sugar, Tablespoon,
salt, bicarbonate, Add Together, Serve, Powder, Oven,
soda, large, Well, Center, Together, Another,
another, just, Ingredients, Then Mixture, Center, The,
muffin Combine, A, Completely
88
Pronunciation Test
(Before CAR/Pretest)
Name : …………………….
Class : …………………….
Date : …………………….
DIRECTIONS:
Pronounce the following words correctly!
1. That dad
2. Leave live
3. Than then
4. Van fan
5. Ear hear
6. Foot food
7. Cap cab
8. She see
9. Fawn phone
10. Rock lock
Score……………………..
89
Pronunciation Test
(After CAR I/Posttest 1)
Name : …………………….
Class : …………………….
Date :…………………….
DIRECTIONS:
1. sheep ship
2. chicks checks
3. pepper paper
4. x axe
5. men man
6. pie buy
7. cart card
8. price prize
9. boat vote
10. sink thin
Score………………………
90
Pronunciation Test
(After CAR II/Posttest 2)
Name : …………………….
Class : …………………….
Date : …………………….
DIRECTIONS:
1. Those dose
2. keen kin
3. tan ten
4. view few
5. heat eat
6. hit hid
7. bin pin
8. shame same
9. saw so
10. Rip lip
Score: …………………………….

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IMPROVING STUDENT’S PRONUNCIATION

BY USING MINIMAL PAIR DRILL

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EDUCATION

‫ﺑﺴﻢ اﷲ اﻟﺮ ﺣﻤﻦ اﻟﺮ ﺣﯿﻢ‬

Jakarta, February , 2011

Yusnita Sari, 2011. Improving Student’s Pronunciation by Using Minimal Pair

Advisor: Nida Husna, M.Pd, M.A.TESOL

Key words: Pronunciation, Minimal-Pair Drill, SMPN 66 Jakarta.

Yusnita Sari, 2011. Improving Student’s Pronunciation by Using Minimal Pair

Pembimbing: Nida Husna, M.Pd, M.A.TESOL

Kata Kunci: Pronunciation, Minimal-Pair Drill, SMPN 66 Jakarta.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui apakah pengucapan bahasa

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .................................................................. 1

CHAPTER II: THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK ....................................... 6

CHAPTER IV: RESEARCH FINDING AND DISCUSSION ...................... 38

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION................................. 52

Table 2.1 Phoneme Chart: English Vowel and Consonant Sounds

1. Pretest score, posttest 1 score and posttest 2 score ....................................... 57

A. The Background of Study

the classroom independently. Therefore, teacher is desirable to use the

B. Formulation of the Problem

C. The Objective of Research

D. The Significance of Research

language is spoken and way in which a word in spoken”.8 In addition, Echols

2. The Concepts of Pronunciation

a. The sounds of language

freely, there is no obstruction when it is produced, even it is produced

Based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), the formally

Long Vowels 8 Van

From that table, based on the IPA (International Phonetic

b. Stress and Rhythm

to the meaning. This statement is supported by Jones (1986), “stress is one

The samples that showed the stress syllable in a word could be

something to the hearer. So that, the intonation could be clearly to avoid

From the explanation, the writer concludes about the concept of

Sounds of the Stress and Intonation

Vowel Consonant Word Sentenc Speaker‟s

Monophthong Diphthong Voice Unvoice

3. The Goals of Teaching Pronunciation

Bowen (1972) in Rosane Silveira proposes 3 realistic goals for the

Based on that quotation, the goal showed by Harmer is by improving

Vowel Phonemes Consonant Phonemes

No. English Indonesian No. English Indonesian

5. Preliminary Considerations in the Teaching of Pronunciation

students‟ encouraging in pronouncing the English words or sentences, there

doing everything, even less in learning. In this case, student‟s intern

In this case the writer concludes, the considerations in the teaching of

B. Minimal Pair Drills

Production.”48 Bloomfield added that minimal pair is appropriately used for

Classroom action research is regarded as the teacher‟s work to know the

B. Subject of the Research

C. The Focus of the Research

- Record questions and - investigates the

F. The Classroom Action Research (CAR) Procedures

pronounce it by themselves. If the students make an error in pronunciation,

out the progressiveness to the whole action. This reflection is held by

2. Action Research in Cycle 2

b. Act and observe

G. Techniques of Data Collecting

H. Technique of Data Analysis

2. The Quantitative Data

To calculate the students‟ improvement of pronunciation test score, the