1 IMPROVING THE STUDENTS’ SPEAKING ABILITY THROUGH THREE-STEP INTERVIEW METHOD (Meningkatkan Kemampuan Berbicara Bahasa Inggris Siswa Melalui Metode Three-Step Interview) Muhammad Astrianto Setiadi S.Pd,M.Pd English Lecturer of Muhammadiyah Makassar University astrianto@unismuh.ac.id 2015 ABSTRACT This research was intended to explain the students’ speaking accuracy and fluency through Three - Step Interview Method in class XI-2 of SMA Negeri 1 Bontonompo Selatan in the 2014/2015 academic year. This research used A Classroom Action Research (CAR). It had conducted in two cycles; each cycle consisted of four meetings. The subjects of this research were students in class XI-2 involved 40 students. Those consisted of 25 women and 15 men. The researcher took real data from the class to know the students’ speaking ability. The instruments of this research were speaking test and observation sheet in cycle I and in cycle II. The research findings indicated that the Three-Step Interview Method improved the students’ speaking ability covered students’ accuracy a nd fluency in class XI-2 of SMA Negeri 1 Bontonompo Selatan. It was indicated that there was improvement of the students’ speaking ability from diagnostic test to cycle I and from that to cycle II. The students’ diagnostic test of speaking ability was (5.47) and after gave action by using three-step interview method indicated that there was improvement from diagnostic test to cycle I and from that to cycle II. The students’ speaking ability in cycle I was 63.00% and in cycle II become 76.50% and it was classified as good. While the standard target scores 70% one which was categorized good. From these findings, there was a significant improvement of the students’ speaking ability through Three - Step Interview Method. Based on the result finding the research concludes that Three-Step Interview Method can improve the students’ speaking ability. Keywords : Three-Step Interview Method, Students, Speaking INTRODUCTION In Indonesia, English plays a very crucial role in economic field because will be involved in free trade where all goods are free to be sold in intercountries. English is one of the subjects that has been adapted with curriculum that have competence in skills of English including listening, speaking, reading and writing. As a language skill, speaking is an essential way of communication particularly in the globalization era where people of various nations are demanded to make relationship with each other in the world. Through speaking the students can stimulate to speak with others in social interaction or in the classroom. After surveying second grade of SMA Negeri 1 Bontonompo Selatan Kab. Gowa the researcher got information from the teacher that the students still have low qualification in speaking English ability. The students’ achievement in speaking English was still low where the students’ value score average still got 5.47, while the standard speaking in curriculum is