THE USE OF PICTURE SERIES IN IMPROVING STUDENTS

SPEAKING ABILITY
Bio Data:
Naimatunisa was born on April 6th, 1995 in Paririsi, South Sulawesi. She
graduated from SDN No. 1 Centre Pattallassang in 2007, SMP Negeri Takalar in
2010, and SMA Negeri 3 Takalar in 2013. Now, she is a learner in English
Education

Department,

Faculty

of

Teaching

Training

and

Education,

Muhammadiyah University of Makassar. Her writing interests include the media

in teaching speaking.
Introduction
English is an international language. English is used by many nations.
Indonesia is one of the nation which has obligated English as one of lessons
taught the teacher. English includes four complex abilities namely, listening,
speaking, reading and writing. Those abilities especially speaking ability must be
improved in order to create an ideal classroom atmosphere.
An ideal classroom atmosphere involves an active participation on the
students to express orally and confidently what they have in their mind. However,
it was found that, it is difficult to make the students able to speak English well.
This problem often found in many schools that students keep silent during the
lesson. Many cases showed that the students have no idea about what they want to
say, they may lose confidence and feel uncomfortable. Those problems lead them
on the mistake. As the result, the students tend to be passive rather than active in
the class. Therefore the teachers should have a learning media to stimulate their
students speaking ability.
One of the learning media that can be used by teachers to stimulate their
students is pictures. Jean L. Mckenchnie in Fajri (2010 : 20) defines picture in
Webster dictionary that Picture is an image, or likeness of an object, person, or
scene produce on a flat surface, especially by painting, drawing or photography.

Besides, Gelach and Ely in Nuryadi (2013 : 2) state that picture

is

two

dimensional visual representations of persons, places or things. Additionally

according to Hornby in Nurvitasari (2014 : 20) picture is a painting or drawing
that shows a scene, a person or a thing. Picture is a visual media based (image or
metaphor) plays in important role in learning process. Picture can be adopted
from

books,

magazines,

newspapers, internet,

photograph,

brochure,

catalogue, posters, or cartoon strips ones drawing.

Furthemore According to Raimes in Aska (2014 : 3), pictures can be
valuable resources for teaching. Picture provides a shared experience for
students in the class, a common base that leads to a variety of language
activities. Moreover Wright in Aska (2014 : 4) points that pictures give
contribution to students interest and motivation, sense of language in
context, and stimulate students ideas. By using pictures students are expected to
get idea of what aspects they want to describe from the pictures. Additionally
according to Harmer in Aska (2014 : 4) pictures are often used to present
situations to help students work with grammar and vocabulary. But their potential
to bring students to different worlds also means that they can be used to encourage
students to fly in their creative imagination.
A picture may not only be worth a thousand words it is may also be worth a
thousand years or a thousand miles. Through pictures, learner can see people,
place and things from areas for outside their own picture can also represent image
from ancient times or portray the future. The kinds and numbers of pictures that
the teacher should take with him to carry out the activities in class can be taken
from magazines, articles, or others and should be interactive and interesting to
capture the students. Attention the purpose of using pictures for the students is to
give them an opportunity to practices the language in real context or in situations
in which they can make it to communicate their ideas.
According to Ruth Gairns and Stuart Redman in Fajri (2010 : 21), pictures
can be formed such wall charts, commercially- produced flashcards, hand drawn
pictures, and of course illustration from course books and supplementary books.
From the meaning of pictures above, it indicates that the pictures has exchanged

and represented the real object into a simple device, which has displayed a series
of places, object, person, or even experiences.
Furthemore Hornby in Nuryadi (2013 : 3) states that there are two kinds of
pictures that are used in teaching and learning activity. Firstly is single picture, it
means the one independent picture in which things or certain objects are showed.
In teaching speaking by means of using the single picture, the teacher can also
encourage the students to use or to practice certain tenses patterns, such as
practicing present tense only, but various tenses can be practiced and used.
Secondly is picture series. It means number of pictures each of which is related to
some ways to other, especially to the one before it. Series of picture is really
serviceable for teaching speaking purpose, because from these kinds of pictures
the students get a complete idea and their imaginative are stimulated.
Discussion
Picture series is a form of entertainment that enacts a story by sound and a
sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement (Wahyuni, 2013 :
25). Series is group of related things, events, etc, occuring one after the other.
Additionally, Yunus in Fajri (2010 : 24) a picture series is a number of related
composite pictures linked to form a series of sequences. Hence, it is main function
is to tell a story or sequence of events.
Here the students are asked to look at the picture correctly and they have to
describe the picture. The students were expected to practice in telling the story
based on the picture. Then, students are required to tell the story by their own
words.
Another picture can be used to produce dialoque. The students are asked to
make a dialoque by their imagination based on the picture. Then, they present
front of class. Picture series is more effective than single picture whenever we
want to teach concept involving motion or process because they can know each
process by looking at the picture series.
Fatimah (2014 : 9) states that the aspects of speaking ability include
accuracy on pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency and content of speech.

All of these components are important to achieve the goal of communication.

Those five aspects were used as the indicators to analyze the students speaking
ability. Those five aspects were used as the indicators to analyze the students
speaking ability.
1. Pronunciation
Pronunciation refers to the production of sounds that we use to make
meaning. Pollard in Fatimah (2014 : 9) states that pronunciation is an
essential aspect of learning to speak a foreign language. If the student does
not pronounce the words correctly, it can be very difficult to the listener to
understand him/her. On the other hand, if students make grammatical
mistakes e.g. in a verb tense, the listener still has an idea of what is being
said. So it can be seen that good pronunciation is vital if a student is to be
understood. Therefore, the students are required to perform good
pronunciation in order to make their listeners understand what they say
correctly.
2. Grammar
The students speaking ability also concerns with the use of English
grammar. Grammatical ability is an ability to master the grammar of the
language used. Grammar skills include the ability to use structure and
arrange them in the form of words to make correct sentences. Harmer in
Fatimah (2014:10) states that grammar of language is the description of the
ways in which words can change their form and can be combined into
sentences in that language. In

speaking

activity, the

students

are

expected to be able to perform the understandable utterances. The

students poor grammar may influence the understanding in their
speaking activity because every sentence made, needs correct formula
to make the sentences well understood.
3. Vocabulary
Vocabulary is one of the important aspects in speaking ability. It is needed
to produce a foreign language. Thornbury in Fatimah (2014 : 11) says
that to improve your English, you have to learn more words and
expressions. In other words, in producing spoken language, students
need to know a large number of vocabularies. If the students have many

vocabularies, they will not have problems in speaking. Vocabulary is really

needed to produce sentences because the richer vocabulary they have, the
easier for students to develop their sentences. the sentences are used to
convey the idea that speakers want to say. Thus the use of vocabulary is
very important for a person to be able to speak well.
4. Fluency
Hornby in Fatimah (2014 : 11) fluency is the ability to speak a language
smoothly and readily. Fluency deals with content and the flowing of
delivering thoughts and ideas in speaking without too much hesitation.
Fluency controls the sounds, spelling, vocabulary, grammar and discourse
features of the language so that they can be used for communication
effectively.
5. Content
Fatimah (2014 : 12) explains that content is the form of messages or
ideas that related to the structuring of

speech or description about

something. These involve the use of the sentences. Conversation using

effective sentences will make the listener easy to understand the
content of the conversation. Practicing to speak English, the students
need to express their ideas or thoughts. So it is important for the
students to produce appropriate speech or sentences relevant to the topic.
The students should be able to produce understandable utterances by
relating the words meaning to the situation being described. Besides,
the students should be able to use the correct language grammar,
vocabulary to make their sentences understandable.
Furthermore, Wahyuni (2013) states that picture series is effective by
helping students to improve vocabulary mastery and motivate the first grade
students of SMAN 1 Kampak. It also can improve the students fluency in
speaking. After getting the treatment, the students were more enthusiastic
and motivated to speak,

they also enjoyed when presented the material.

Students got easy to speak something and also more enjoy to spread out their idea
with look at the picture series. Teacher helped the perform of individual students
directly. So, the students did not nervous about trying to say things in

foreign language. In addition, they had self confident to telling story in front of
class. The application of picture series as media in speaking also gave some
advantageous both teacher and students.
Besides, Mulya (2014) states that the use of picture series helps students
in learning speaking skill. The students in 8 th grade of one of junior high
schools in Bandung have some new vocabularies when retelling the story.
In addition, the students could know some of verbs in the past form. Even
though it was complicated to explain the meaning of the picture, the
teacher should repeat the verbs, but in times, students could get the
meaning and understanding in the story through picture series. In addition,
retelling

story using

includes

picture

series

can

enhance

students

imagination and concentrates the mind and clues about the story.
Based on explanation above, it can be concluded that picture series can
improve students speaking ability especially for vocabulary, fluency and content
mastery. Picture series make interesting speaking activity for most of the students.
This can be happened because this speaking activity made an opportunity for
students to play like fun but in case they are learning serious topic. By
conducting the research the students might explore their speaking ability without
afraid of their friends insulting words. Therefore, students have good
confidence to develop their idea and improve their speaking ability.
There are some researchers that implemented the picture series to improve
the students speaking ability, they are:
Prihastuti (2013) taught the speaking procedure text in SMP PGRI
Kedawung Cirebon, by using series pictures, it means number of pictures each of
which was related to some ways to the other. Series pictures was really
serviceable for teaching composition purpose, because from this kind of pictures
the students was get a completed idea and their imaginative powers are
stimulated.
There are two groups taken as the investigate groups in this study.
One group was for the experimental group that received the special treatment
namely the group treated by the use of picture during the teaching and learning

spoken procedure text whereas another group was for the control group that didnt
receive the special treatment.
As the result, the use of series pictures in teaching speaking procedure
text is effective to improve students speaking ability. These can be seen from
the data obtained in this study. Data from speaking test shows that there is an
improvement on the students speaking score. The calculation of t-test in
post-test scores shows experimental group got higher score, the tobtain 7.25 is
higher than tcritical 2.021, meaning that the null hypothesis is rejected. It means
there is a significant difference of means between experimental group that was
assigned series pictures and control groups that was not. Moreover, it is also
proved by computing the effect size which shows that the use of series
pictures as the teaching method had a large effect size in improving students
speaking ability. In other words having been treated by series pictures,
students have a significant improvement on their speaking skill in procedure text.
Besides, Aska (2014) taught by using picture series at the third grade of
SMPN 1 Gadingrejo in class IX.5. The researcher explains that first, it began by
giving pretest at the first meeting to measure students speaking ability before
the treatment was given. Next, students were asked about procedure text
they had performed in their previous classes. Then they took lottery consist of
three title of procedure text they were How to Make a Cup of Coffee, How to
make a Cup of Tea, and How to Make a Glass of Mango Juice that would be
deliver in the pretest and posttest. Then the students were asked to come in
front one by one delivering their procedure.
Then she gave the treatment to student. The researcher showed a picture
series of procedure text How to make a Cup of Coffee and guided them to
create a procedure text based on the picture series. It supposed to give the same
perception of the pictures students seen and helped them to express their idea
orally. By seeing the picture series students know what they have to mention and
explain so it will increase their vocabulary. After that, researcher performed a
procedure text in front of the students. After seeing an example which was
performed by the researcher, students were asked to perform.

As the result, there is a significant increase of students speaking ability in

procedure text after taught by using picture series at the third grade of SMPN 1
Gadingrejo, especially in class IX.5. It can be proved by the increase of students
mean score in the pretest and posttest from 47.47 to 62.93. It could be concluded
that picture series is able to be used as a learning media for speaking, especially
for procedure text.
Furthermore, Fatimah (2014) states that the use of picture series could
improve the eighth grade students active participation and speaking ability
in the speaking teaching and learning at MTs Negeri Bondowoso 1 in the
2014-2015 academic year. Picture series used in this research were pictures
used as the teaching media in teaching speaking which had a function to
tell a story or sequence of events. The picture series used in this research were
taken from the cartoon videoand internet as the media of teaching speaking.
The size of picture series was about 20cm x 30cm. The picture series used
were colorful.
She began teaching by delivering leading questions. After that, she
explained the instructional material about Simple Past tense and Recount
Text . The researcher showed and explained the example of a recount text by
using picture series. Then the researcher distributed picture series to the students,
and

then they had to choose the appropriate given words for each picture

mentioned using the past form of the words. The students were given 10
minutes to make sentences based on the words chosen.
The result of the observation and students speaking ability in Cycle 1 did
not achieve the target of the research. As the average percentage of the
students active participation in Cycle 1 was 72%. Moreover, the result of
students speaking ability test showed that 16 students of 25 students or 64%
of the students got score 65 in the speaking test. It means that the percentage of
students active participation and

speaking ability test did not achieve the target

of the research yet. It might happen because there were some weaknesses
influenced. They were as follows: 1) The students tended to use verb 1 in
their monologue, 2) The students experienced difficulty in pronouncing the

English words correctly, 3) The students tended talking to their friends,

making noise and disturbed the other student , 4) The students did not respond
communicatively and did not work cooperatively with their group discussion.
Having conducted the action in Cycle 2, the result of the students
observations and speaking test showed improvement. The average percentage
of the students active participation in Cycle 2 was 86%. Further, the result of
students speaking test also reached the standard score of the research. There
were 19 of 25 or 76% students who got score 65 in the speaking test
in Cycle 2. Thus, the result of the observations in Cycle 2 of the students active
participation achieved the target criteria of the research, that was 75% of
students actively participated in the teaching learning process of speaking by
using picture series and the result of the speaking ability test in Cycle 2
achieved the target criteria of the research, that was 75% of the students got
score 65 in the speaking test.
She concluded that the use of picture series could improve the eighth
grade students active participation and speaking ability in the speaking
teaching and learning at MTs Negeri Bondowoso 1 in the 2014-2015
academic year. Therefore, it is suggested that the English teacher use picture
series as alternative media in teaching and learning process in order to help
students who have difficulties in speaking to guide the students idea, so that
the construction of the sentences becomes easier.
Based on the results above, it can be concluded that the use of picture series
as the media is appropriate in the process of teaching and learning. By using
picture series, it can also improve the students active participation. So the
use of picture series as the media in teaching and learning process of English
class is very useful for the students to improve their speaking ability.
Conclusion
Picture series is a number of related composite pictures linked to form a
series of sequences. Hence, it is main function is to tell a story or sequence of
events. Here the students are asked to look at the picture correctly and they have

to describe the picture. The students were expected to practice in telling the story
based on the picture. Then, students are required to tell the story by their own
words.
Picture series can improve students speaking ability especially for
vocabulary, fluency and content mastery. Picture series make interesting speaking
activity for most of the students. This can be happened because this speaking
activity made an opportunity for students to play like fun but in case they
are learning serious topic. By conducting the research the students might explore
their speaking ability without afraid of their friends insulting words.
Therefore, students have good confidence to develop their idea and improve their
speaking ability.
References
Aska, R. F., et al. 2014. The Use Of Picture Series to Increase Students Speaking
Ability. Unila Journal English Teaching, Vol. 3,
No. 4.
th
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Pictures on Student's Speaking Achievement of Second Semester at State
Islamic College of Tulungagung. Thesis. Tulungagung: State Islamic
College of Tulungagung.
Fatimah. 2014. Improving the Eighth Grade Students Speaking Ability by Using
Picture Series at MTS Negeri Bondowoso I. Thesis. Jember: Jember
University.
Mulya, I. R. Retelling Story Through Picture Series to Improve Students
Speaking Skill. Thesis. Bandung: Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia.
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Academic Year 2013/2014. Jurnal FKIP, Vol. 1, No. 1.

http://journal.unisla.ac.id (Accessed on December 3th, 2015 at 07:00 PM).
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Improve Speaking Ability: An Experimental at The Ninth Grade Students
of SMP PGRI Kedawung Cirebon. http://e-journal.unswagati-crb.ac.id
(Accessed on November 21th, 2015 at 04:20 PM).
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