IMPROVING SPEAKING SKILL OF THE SEVENTH-GRADE STUDENTS OF SMPN 1 KUTA UTARA IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2024/2025 THROUGH TALKING CHIPS

Speaking skill plays a vital role in effective communication and is an integral part of language learning. However, many junior high school students face difficulties in fluency, comprehension, and grammar. The present study aimed to investigate whether the Talking Chips, within classroom action research, could improve the speaking skills of seventh-grade students at SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in the academic year 2024/2025. To achieve this, the research activities included a pre- test, post-tests, and a questionnaire. The results of the pre-test indicated that the students' speaking skills were at a low level, with an average score of 62.83. Subsequently, the researcher implemented the Talking Chips to improve the students' speaking skills. The researcher conducted post-tests at the end of each cycle, yielding scores of 71.63 in Cycle I and 81.13 in Cycle II. The significant improvement in Cycle II demonstrated the greater effectiveness of this technique. Additionally, the researcher administered a 10-question questionnaire in Bahasa Indonesia at the end of Cycle II to gather supplementary data. The findings revealed that the students' enthusiasm and perception toward speaking activities had significantly improved following the implementation of Talking Chips. Based on the results of the pre-test, post-tests, and questionnaire, it could be concluded that the speaking skill of the seventh-grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in the academic year 2024/2025 can be improved through Talking Chips.