IMPROVING STUDENTS’ ENGAGEMENT IN SPEAKING THROUGH THINK- PAIR-SHARE TECHNIQUE

This study aimed to improve Students’ engagement in speaking activities through Think-Pair-Share (TPS) technique. The TPS was used in this classroom action research (CAR) as a technique of teaching speaking in English under collaborative learning strategy. The study was conducted at Ma’had al-Jami’ah (boarding) IAIN Pontianak which involved twenty- five students as participants. Additionally, this study aimed to learn about the problem faced in the learning process through observations and reflections. The data of the research were qualitative and quantitative analysis. They were collected through classroom observations, field note takings and recordings. To analyze the data, the researcher used qualitative analyses by interpreting the data to find clear pictures of the students’ engagement. However, quantitative analyses were also used to support the interpretation. Through three cycles of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting procedures, it was found that the students’ engagement improved when the learners were actively participated in the implementation of Think-Pair-Share technique. The research findings showed that in the first cycle 41.6 %, the second cycle 60 %, and the third cycle was 75.6 %.


INTRODUCTION
Students' engagement has been discussed within the field of education for a long time since the middle of 1990s and up to the present. It is distinguished as one of the most important issues faced by the contemporary educational system in general and independent educators in particular (DeVito, 2016, p. 5). Coates (2009, p. 18) stated that students' engagement is a student involvement with activities and condition likely to generate high-quality learning. However, Pittaway (2012, p. 38) claimed that engaged students are those who complement and interpret what they learn from others with direct knowledge based on personal experience.
From statements above it can be concluded that students' engagement is student who has personal experience and knowledge to participate in the activities of teaching process.
They learn and share their experience with other students. Speaking skill is an important part  Brown (2000, p. 7) claimes that teaching is guiding and facilitating learners, enabling the learner to learn, and setting the condition for learning. In teaching speaking English for instance, the teacher has to guide learners on how to speak well, to make the students able to speak English, and create circumstances that support teaching. The mastery of speaking skills in English is a priority for many second language or foreign-language learners.
Consequently, learners often evaluate their success in language learning as well as the effectiveness of their English course on the basis of how much they feel they have improved in their spoken language proficiency (Leong, 2016, p. 34). Teachers, students and contents all play vital roles in a good lesson.
The importance and fundamental nature of those roles are the same in effective cooperative learning as in other lesson formats (Nagler, 2016, p. 163). Teacher controlled the lesson that students do not have the knowledge or skill to control. Students work hard to construct and transform the lesson content for their own use. Cooperative learning has been applied in many classes in order to enhance students' instruction among learners.
Cooperative learning according to Johnson (2014, p. 28) is the instructional use of small group so that students work together to maximize their own and each other's learning.
According to Park (2003, p. 183) students learn best when they are actively in the process. It means the students learn more of what is taught by working together cooperatively with others. classes in order to enhance students' instruction among learners.
Think-Pair-Share (TPS) is the most appropriate technique in cooperative learning. This is very helpful for struggling students. TPS promotes positive interdependence; the students learn from each other and share ideas to report the group. According to Park (2003, p. 183) students learn best when they are actively in the process. It means the students learn more of what is taught by working. TPS increase the engagement of all learners with the subject matter and provides the facilitator time to make a better decision. Abidah

METHOD
The research design of this research is classroom action research (CAR). According to Khasanah (2016, p. 28), Classroom Action Research is a research that is conducted by the teacher in the class to complete and improve teaching learning process. There are four stages of activities in each cycle. They are: (1) planning, (2) acting, (3) observing, and (4) reflecting.
The subject of this research is students of grade A-2 of Ma'had Al-Jami'ah IAIN Pontianak in academic year 2017/2018. There are 25 students in the class.
In order to collect the data, the researcher used some research instruments, and those are: Observation checklist, field note sheet and students' engagement record. To analyze the data, the researcher used qualitative analyses by interpreting the data to find clear pictures of the students' engagement. However, quantitative analyses were also used to support the interpretation.

DISCUSSION
The implemention of Think-Pair-Share to improve students' engagement in speaking to grade A students of Ma'had Al-Jami'ah IAIN Pontianak has been done in cyclical stages of classroom action research. This research was conducted in three cycles. Each cycle consisted of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting as the classroom action research procedures.
The research was started from 19 th of April 2018 until 24 th of May 2018.
The first cycle was done in two meetings. The first activity in the first cycle was held on Wednesday and Friday, 18 th and 20 th of April 2018. The schedule of English class began from 05.00 to 06.30 AM on those days. The target of this first cycle was that the students could engage in speaking during teaching and learning process. The researcher acted as the observer, did the observation by using observation checklist, field notes, and students' engagement description. The collaborator acted as an English teacher who handled the class during research. The duration time was 90 minutes. The teaching and learning process was divided into three activities: pre-activity, whilst-activity, and post-activity. The teacher ran the class based on the procedures that were already written in the lesson plan. The topic for that day was narrative text under title "Prophet Muhammad (I)". There were 10 opportunities for the students to be engaged in this first cycle. There were 25 students attending the class. The total number of student's engagement frequency in the first meeting was 1040. The average of the students' engagement was 41.6%. While in the second meeting, the total number of student's engagement was 1210 and the students' engagement was 48.4%. In other words, there wereonly 41.6% being engaged during the first meeting and were only 48.4% in the second meeting of the first cycle.
The second cycle was done in one meeting. The location time was 90 minutes. The activity in this second cycle was held on Wednesday, 2 nd of May 2018. The schedule of English class began from 05.00 to 06.30. The target of this second cycle was that the students could identify the purpose of descriptive text and its features. In reference to the observation checklist, the activity started by greeting and checking the students' attendance. There was no student absent on those days. The teacher asked the students about the materials they had learnt in the previous meeting. There were 25 students attending the class. The total number of student's engagement frequency of cycle 2 was 1500. The percentage of the students' engagement was 60 %. In other word, there were 60 % being engaged in the second cycle.
The third cycle run only in one meeting. It was prepared for 90 minutes. The meeting of this cycle was held on Wednesday, 23 rd of May 2018. The schedule of English class in Ma'had al-Jami'ah IAIN Pontianak began from 05.00 to 06.30. The target of this this cycle was that the students could engage during teaching and learning process. Reference to the observation checklist, the activity started by greeting and checking the students' attendance.
The students responded the teacher's greeting enthusiastically. There were 25 students attending the class. The total number of student's engagement frequency of cycle 3 was 1890.
The percentage of the students' engagement was 75.6 %. In other word, there were 75.6 % being engaged in the third cycle. The students' engagement in speaking through Think Pair Share was improved significantly from the second cycle.
The Think-Pair-Share technique was considered successful in this research. It was shown by the improvement of the students' engagement in speaking class during teaching and learning from the first cycle to the third cycle. The frequency of students' engagement was improved significantly. It can be concluded that improving students' engagement in speaking JAZILATUL ADAWIYAH, REGINA, IKHSANUDIN 121 JOEEL Vol. 2 No. 2 2021 Journal of English Education and Literature through TPS (Think-Pair-Share) successfully helped the grade A-2 students of Ma'had Al-Jami'ah IAIN Pontianak. The theory that stated in the literature review was actually proven during the implementation of Think-Pair-Share technique. Carss (2007, p. 27) states that Think-Pair-Share technique is one of successful ways for generating class discussion and sharing of opinions and ideas.

CONCLUSION
The application of Think Pair Share improves the student's engagement in speaking. It helps the students to formulate what they want to say. Moreover, it improves the students' confidence in speaking. The application of Think Pair Share gives positive impact to the class atmosphere. It was able to encourage the students to practice speaking during the teaching and learning process.
Before teaching speaking through Think Pair Share technique, many students could not engage in the classroom. Teaching speaking by using Think Pair Share absolutely asked the active involvement of the students. The students had to think and answer individually the question at the beginning. The students had to work together and cooperatively. The advantages of Think Pair Share technique made the students able to work in group to create cooperative learning among the students.