The Effects of Fun Active Learning and Visualization Strategies on EFL Students’ Speaking Skills
A Quasi-Experimental Study in an Indonesian Senior High School
Abstract
The goal of this study was to look at speaking problems among secondary school students by closely watching how their speaking skills grew during the learning process. This study used a collaborative classroom action research method, where the researchers worked together with the Year 11 English teacher at SMA N 8 Medan instead of doing the research on their own. Before the test, the average score was 58.65, but after the test, it went up to 73.78. These results show that students' speaking skills improved a lot after using the narrative approach. When comparing the scores before and after the teaching strategies were used, there was a big difference in how well the students performed. The data analysis supports the first research question by showing that using visualization tactics really helps improve the speaking skills of students at SMA N 8 Medan. More research shows that visualization tactics help students get better at speaking, as seen from the increase in scores from 55 to 96. Comparing the pre-test and post-test scores shows a big difference in student performance before and after applying the teaching strategies. The results of the data analysis confirm the first research question by showing that using visualization tactics effectively improves the speaking skills of students at SMA N 8 Medan. Further research shows that visualization tactics help students improve their speaking skills, as seen from the increase in scores from 55 to 96.
References
Asmawati, A., Asy’ari, A., & Malkan, M. (2020). Active Learning Strategies Implementation in Arabic Teaching at Senior High School. International Journal of Contemporary Islamic Education, 2(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.24239/ijcied.vol2.iss1.10
Brown, H. D. (2001). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy. Longman.
Campbell, B. G. (1988). Reading with meaning. In The Classical Journal (Vol. 83, Issue 3). http://professionallearning.ism-online.org/files/2009/09/Reading-with-Meaning-flyer.pdf
Damiri, A., Hastomo, T., & Sari, Y. A. (2022). Visualization Strategy: An Effective Strategy to Teach Reading to Middle School Students. Seltics, 5(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.46918/seltics.v5i1.1233
Deani, A., & Widodo, P. (2020). Active Learning in Teaching English for Young Learners. https://doi.org/10.4108/eai.11-11-2020.166957
Djiwandono, P. I. (n.d.). Strategi Membaca Bhs. Inggris. Gramedia Pustaka Utama. https://books.google.co.id/books?id=QxNTVU%5C_2IcAC
Fauziyah, F., Ida Royani, Adis Triawan, M. Ibnu Nabil, & Niken Kencono Ungu. (2024). The Implementation Contextual Teaching Learning to Improve Students’ Speaking Skill: Penerapan CTL untuk meningkatkan kemampuan berbicara siswa. Journal of Language Education (JoLE), 2(4), 328–332. https://doi.org/10.69820/jole.v2i4.177
Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2007). Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension to Enhance Understanding.
Indrawati, S. W. (2021). The Implementation of the Visualization, Auditory, Kinesthetic (Vak) Model in Teaching Speaking. Holistics Journal, 13(1), 38–46. https://jurnal.polsri.ac.id/index.php/holistic/article/view/3491/1603
Kahar, A., & Hermansyah, S. (2021). Improving Speaking Skills through Active Learning Strategy. M. Journal, O. English, 3(1), 15–21. https://ummaspul.e-journal.id/majesty/article/view/1106/450
Klerkx, J., Verbert, K., & Duval, E. (2014). Enhancing learning with visualization techniques. Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology: Fourth Edition, 1999, 791–807. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3185-5_64
Oktaviani, A. L., Rapiudin, T. U., Mahyati, Supriyanto, E., & Suryadi, A. (2024). Enhancing EFL students’ speaking skills through the debate technique: A classroom action research study. JETAL: Journal of English Teaching & Applied Linguistics, 6(2), 177–187.
Mello, D., & Less, C. A. (2013). Effectiveness of active learning in the arts and sciences. Humanities Department Faculty Publications & Research., 45. http://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/humanities_fachttp://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/humanities_fac/45%0Ahttps://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/humanities_fac/45/?utm_source=scholarsarchive.jwu.edu%2Fhumanities_fac%2F45&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages
Miller, C. P. (2010). Before They Read: Teaching Language and Literacy Development Through Conversations, Interactive Read-alouds, and Listening Games. Maupin House. https://books.google.co.id/books?id=IuQSdpAQ86QC
Oliver, M., & Aczel, J. C. (2002). Theoretical Models of the Role of Visualisation in Learning Formal Reasoning. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 2002(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.5334/2002-3
peng, R. (2018). Promoting Active Learning Activities To Improve Students’ Speaking Ability. Social Science Learning Education Journal, 03(11), 08–14. https://doi.org/10.15520/sslej.v3i11.2342
Romero, E. J., & Cruthirds, K. W. (2006). The use of humor in the workplace. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 34(3), 18–30. https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2006.261378
Sugiyono. (2019). Educational_Research_Planning_Conducting.pdf.
Shatri, K., & Buza, K. (2017). The Use of Visualization in Teaching and Learning Process for Developing Critical Thinking of Students. European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research, 9(1), 71. https://doi.org/10.26417/ejser.v9i1.p71-74
Siahaan, S. (2008). Issues in linguistics. //digitallib.pps.unj.ac.id/index.php?p=show_detail&id=23722&keywords=
Soviyah, R. N. H. & A. P. (2018). Pendekatan Active and Fun Filled Based Pada Pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris Untuk Anak. Jurnal Pemberdayaan: Publikasi Hasil Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat, 2(3), 490–491. http://journal2.uad.ac.id/index.php/jpmuad/article/view/474/pdf
Surakhmad, W. (1982). A. Metode Penelitian. Rajawali, Jakarta.
Thambu, N., Prayitno, H. J., & Zakaria, G. A. N. (2021). Incorporating Active Learning into Moral Education to Develop Multiple Intelligences: A Qualitative Approach. Indonesian Journal on Learning and Advanced Education (IJOLAE), 3(1), 17–29. https://doi.org/10.23917/ijolae.v3i1.10064
Wardhani, M. K., & Nduru, M. (2023). Method of learning through play to facilitate the activity of kindergarten students. Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar Nusantara, 8(2), 250–262. https://doi.org/10.29407/jpdn.v8i2.19185
wiharjo, cahyadi. (2025). The Effect of Video Media on Students’ Public Speaking Skills for Nursing Students. Journal of Language Education (JoLE), 3(3), 29–36. https://doi.org/10.69820/jole.v3i3.415
Zalukhu, A., Sihite, J. E., Hasanah, U., & Cahyani, A. N. (2025). Improving Students’ Business Letter Writing through a Genre-Based Approach. J-LELC: Journal of Language Education, Linguistics, and Culture, 5(3), 275–281. https://doi.org/10.25299/j-lelc.2025.25103
Copyright (c) 2026 Atalisi Zalukhu; Fitria Rahmawati ; Mariska Intan Sari; Aliya Noor Cahyani
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
In submitting the manuscript to the FOSTER: Journal of English Language Teaching, the authors certify that:
- They are authorized by their co-authors to enter into these arrangements.
- The work described has not been formally published before, except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, review, thesis, or overlay journal.
- That it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere,
- The publication has been approved by the author(s) and by responsible authorities – tacitly or explicitly – of the institutes where the work has been carried out.
- They secure the right to reproduce any material that has already been published or copyrighted elsewhere.
- They agree to the following license and copyright agreement.
License and Copyright Agreement
Authors who publish with FOSTER: Journal of English Language Teaching agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the FOSTER: Journal of English Language Teaching right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors can enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the FOSTER: Journal of English Language Teaching published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or edit it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) before and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
.jpg)
.jpg)
1.jpg)
.jpg)
