Increasing Children's Expressive Language Development Through the Role-Playing Method

. This study aims to improve children's expressive language skills by applying the group B role-playing method in Al-Hikmah Santong Kindergarten. This type of research is collaborative classroom action research, which consists of two cycles, each carried out in one meeting. The research procedure includes planning, implementing actions, observing and reflecting. The research subjects were all the children of group B in Al-Hikmah Santong Kindergarten, totalling 36 children. The data analysis used is descriptive qualitative, and quantitative. The results showed an increase in the expressive language skills of group B children in Al-Hikmah Santong Kindergarten. Increased expressive language skills are more emphasized in children's language, which includes expressive language indicators, namely expressing desires, feelings, and opinions in simple sentences in communicating with children or adults and expressing emotions and ideas with appropriate word choices when speaking. In the implementation of the pre-action, children's expressive language skills reached 37.5%, and the performance of the pre-action was still in the criteria of starting to develop. In cycle I, the implementation of the action increased by 55%, including the requirements for developing as expected. And the performance of Cycle II reached 93.8%, which showed the criteria for developing very well and achieved indicators of success. So the implementation of this research was stopped. Based on the study above, it can be concluded that the expressive language skills of group B children at Al-Hikmah Santong Kindergarten have increased through the application of the role-playing method.


INTRODUCTION
Kindergarten is a form of early childhood education unit in the formal education path that organizes educational programs for children aged 4-6 years which is a sensitive period for children to lay the first foundation in developing physical, cognitive, language, social, artistic abilities, morals and religious values. Authors [4] state that early childhood education institutions seek to develop the potential of children; where this potential has been created, the possibility of children is different from one another. Language development needs to be stimulated because human life cannot be separated from communication with the environment. Language acquisition can be in the form of spoken language, written language or sign language.
The author [1] states that language is a liaison or communication tool between community members consisting of individuals who express their thoughts, feelings, and desires. Language means using language based on personal knowledge about manners. Expressive language is one of the stages of language development for Kindergarten-age children. At school and outside school, children are expected to be able to express their thoughts through simple language appropriately in communicating with their interlocutors [5,6,10].
The role-playing method is a variation of the learning method. This is important to eliminate watching learning and reduce student boredom [13]. The purpose of the role-playing plan is so that the cultivation and development of aspects of children's values and attitudes will be easily achieved. This game can train: the first is to explore children's knowledge, experience, opinions and perspectives. Second, introduce children to other people and feel empathy for the roles they play so that children are taught to live an actual event or event in the reality of real life. As for the appearance of children who play roles directly in front of their friends, they take turns in pre-determined groups based on the roles played by each child.
The author [11] states that the role-playing method is in line with previous studies where the role-playing process can help improve expressive language skills, such as speaking or communicating orally. The author [8] reveals that the media used in learning for early childhood is a tool to achieve the expected competencies by the established themes and sub-themes, where the press can optimize the empowerment of all of the child's senses during role-playing. The learning process involves many reasons that will make it easier for children to understand the material presented by the teacher. The author [2] explorations of play tools for role-playing provides opportunities for children to develop their spoken language. Authors [14] state that the play equipment can become a property for children when playing a role, supporting the child's ability to do role play well.
Based on the facts, the expressive language ability of group B children is still relatively low, especially in the Al-Hikmah Kindergarten School, Santong Village, Kayangan District, North Lombok Regency. And the learning system provided at school only focuses on reading, writing, drawing, and colouring skills, so children feel bored quickly in class. This is done to make it easier for children to enter the next level to elementary school, especially in reading and writing. The impact is that it hampers children's opportunities to develop aspects of expressive language skills, as it is known that explicit language is one of the stages of language development in Kindergarten age children. At school and outside of school, children are expected to be able to express their thoughts through language. These problems prompted the authors to research "increasing children's expressive language development through the group B role-playing method at Al-Hikmah Kindergarten in Santong village, Kayangan subdistrict, North Lombok regency. From this background, the formulation of the problem in this study is how to improve children's expressive language development through the group B roleplaying method in Al-Hikmah Santong Kinder-garten. Thus, the purpose of this study was to find out efforts to improve children's expressive language development through the group B roleplaying method at Al-Hikmah Santong Kindergarten.

METHODS
The researchers used the Classroom Action Research (CAR) method in this study. Classroom action research is a process of scientific inquiry in the form of self-reflection that involves teachers in certain educational situations to improve understanding and fairness about academic conditions or practices, understanding of the practices carried out, and the cases in which these practices are carried out. The approach used in this research is a descriptive qualitative and quantitative approach which aims to reveal the problems studied thoroughly, broadly and deeply.
This research was carried out in Santong Village, Kayangan District, North Lombok Regency and was carried out in mid-May 2022. The data to be studied in this study is the increase in the expressive language development of group B children in Al-Hikmah Santong Kindergarten after applying the role-playing method. This research is on group B children, as many as 36 people.
The stages of this research are 1) initial observation stage, 2) field data mining, and 3) report preparation. This study uses a design developed by Kemmis Mc. Taggart consists of four stages, starting from planning (planning), action (implementation), and observation (observation or observation and reflection) using a cycle model. If the results are not good at the beginning of the performance, then action can be taken in the next cycle until the desired target is achieved. The data collection technique in this study was carried out using observation and documentation. Authors [2] stated that this technique was used to observe closely to find and explore data through direct and in-depth observations of the subjects and objects studied.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This study was conducted at Al-Hikmah Kindergarten, Santong Village, Kayangan District, North Lombok Regency, on May 24, 2022. Based on the results of research conducted by Al-Hikmah Santong Kindergarten, it can be described that the improvement of children's expressive language development is through the group B role-playing method in Al-Hikmah Santong Kindergarten. The results obtained from the observations and documentation of the group B children studied were as follows: 1. The teacher collects children to be given directions and rules for playing, starting with an explanation given by the teacher regarding roleplaying activities between sellers and buyers.
2. The teacher explains the tools that the children will use. Before the children are divided into groups, the teacher introduces the materials and tools used in role-playing activities. The media used are vegetables such as kale, spinach, carrots, and mustard greens and play money (Rp. 1000, Rp. 2000, Rp. 5000, Rp. 10000, Rp. 20000). Then, the teacher gives an example of how to play as a seller with the help of the researcher as a buyer.
3. The teacher gives directions before playing, takes the children's attendance, and counts the number of children together, starting from the male group to the female group. The teacher gives an apperception to the children about the role-playing activities that will be carried out with the theme Plants, the sub-theme of Vegetables. This learning activity is where children become sellers and buyers. 4. The teacher determines groups for children, and the teacher will give assignments to children before playing according to their groups so that role-playing learning activities can be organized, such as singing and counting with other teachers. This makes the children not scramble. Children have explained the play equipment that has been provided. After the teacher gives examples to the children, the teacher divides them into groups of men and women to determine who is in the seller's group and who is in the buyer's group. 5. The teacher has prepared the game tools that will be used before the children start playing activities.
In the next stage, children play roles according to their respective roles. The children who act as sellers sit on chairs the teacher has prepared to sell vegetables, with vegetables placed on the table, and the children act as buyers.
The teacher supervises and assists the child in role-playing if the child needs it. The teacher does not talk much about helping the child when doing role-playing activities. Now and then, the teacher will go fishing or join a group. Still, it is only for a short time. For example, when the teacher asks if the child likes to eat Carrot vegetables, the child will answer and take Carrot if he likes it or not if the child wants it, and the teacher observes the children's play.
After playing time is up, the teacher prepares a printed Sayur Sawi drawing paper, and then the child will colour and write the name of the vegetable according to the example provided and write his name. At the same time, the teacher tidied up the tools and materials used during roleplaying. The results of increasing the expressive language development of group B children in Al-Hikmah Kindergarten, Santong Village, Kayangan District, North Lombok Regency, carried out from May 22 to June 15 2022, through observation and documentation methods, can be seen in Table 1.  Table 1 shows that during the Pre-Action implementation, 12 children entered the criteria not yet developed with a percentage of 33.30%. Twenty-two children obtained the requirements for starting to create with a rate of 61.10%, and two children were considered developing criteria. as expected with a percentage of 5.50%. In the implementation of the first action cycle, four children entered the undeveloped criteria with a share of 11.10%, and nine children obtained the requirements for starting to develop with a percentage of 25.00%. There were 16 children whose criteria were developed according to expectations, with a rate of 44.40 %. Seven children included in the requirements set very well with a percentage of 19.40%. Children who entered the criteria began to develop in implementing the second cycle of actions. There were three children with a rate of 8.30%, six children included in the standards designed as expected with a percentage of 16.60%, and 27 children included in the criteria set very well with a rate of 75.00%. Authors [14], according to research, show that the role-playing method can improve children's expressive language skills.
Based on the results of research that has been carried out by researchers and collaborated with group B teachers of Al-Hikmah Santong Kindergarten, who during the Pre-Action implementation showed that the expressive language skills referred to in the criteria began to develop with the percentage obtained that was 37.50%, in the implementation of the first cycle the percentage was 55. % which shows children's expressive language skills are included in the criteria for developing as expected, and cycle II shows that children's expressive language skills have increased with a percentage of 93.8% entering the criteria for developing very well Judging from the increase in the results of the children's expressive language ability indicators in each cycle, namely, cycle I and cycle II, it can be improved by the steps of role-playing activities implemented by the teacher. It can be seen when children retell role-playing activities directly in front of friends and teachers. Authors [4] state that retelling stories can develop children's language skills.
The author [7] states that expressiveness makes communication even more effective in the form of expressions of feelings with a beaming face, lip vibrations, wide eyes, teardrops, smiles and/or hand squeezes. From these expressions, communication can be carried out on oneself and others, as well as determining attitudes and actions that must be taken at the right time. Language skills are generally divided into four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Role-playing activities can improve children's expressive language skills, increasing their confidence in explicit language and developing their ideas and creativity in playing their roles.
The author [12] states that role-playing is a game to play certain characters, objects, and rolls around children. Role-playing is an activity of imitating the actions of other people around them. Playing the role of children's habits and preferences for imitating will be channelled. It can develop children's imagination or imagination, as well as an appreciation of the material for the activities carried out. Children carry out the roleplaying method to play a character of their choice in macro form, where children directly play the roles they play with fundamental game tools, will play roles according to their wishes or preferences, and some want to be sellers or buyers.

CONCLUSIONS
Based on the results of the discussion that has been conveyed that the expressive language skills of group B children of Al-Hikmah Santong Kindergarten can be improved by role-playing activities where this activity can motivate children to learn to play their roles, foster courage and their confidence in expressing their desires, feelings, opinions and ideas in communicating with friends during role-playing can develop children's creativity, and provide new experiences for children.