IMPLEMENTING THINK PAIR SHARE TO REDUCE SPEAKING ANXIETY AND IMPROVE SPEAKING ABILITY IN MTS MA'ARIF NU 1 KEDUNGBANTENG

This study aimed to reduce speaking anxiety and improve speaking ability of eighth-grade students in MTs Ma’arif NU 1 Kedungbanteng through the implementation of the Think Pair Share (TPS) method. Using a Classroom Action Research (CAR) design over two cycles, each cycle included a pre-test, intervention, observation, questionnaire, and post-test. The test results showed a significant improvement in students’ speaking skills with the average score increasing from 53.83 to 62.45 in Cycle 1, and from 60.69 to 76.14 in Cycle 2, thereby successfully exceeding the passing grade (KKTP) of 75. Meanwhile, the questionnaire results showed a marked decrease in speaking anxiety, with 68% of students consistently showing a decrease in speaking anxiety scores, and the “very anxious” category was reduced to 0% by the end of Cycle 2. This study demonstrates that TPS method can improve speaking ability and creating a supportive learning environment for students to reduce their speaking anxiety.

Keywords: Think Pair Share, Speaking Ability, Speaking Anxiety, Classroom Action Research, Junior High School