Using Games in Primary Schools for Effective Grammar Teaching: a Case Study from Sebha

Using Games in Primary Schools for Effective Grammar Teaching: a Case Study from Sebha 

 by Mustafa Mubarak Pathan and Zamzam Emhemad Mari Aldersi (International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies Journal homepage: http://www.eltsjournal.org)

ABSTRACT 

Teaching and learning a foreign language like English is not easy task. The situation become more difficult when the learners are primary school children and teaching and learning focus is grammar, an activity often regarded as ‘boring, ‘uninteresting’ and ‘’tedious’. However, one’s mastery over a language is determined by the appropriate use of language by that individual following grammatical rules and failing to follow the rules of grammar marks one’s use of language as erroneous. Therefore, systematic attempt is done to teach grammatical rules and structures to the language learners from the beginning of language teaching and learning process. However, the success or failure of learning, mastering and using the grammatical rules and structures is largely determined by the technique and approach used by the grammar teacher to teach. The leaner-cantered, interesting, motivating technique of grammar teaching is believed to generate positive results whereas traditional, teacher-centered, uninteresting, uninvolving method is believed to be a cause of failure for learners to learn and master grammar rules and structures. Therefore, the grammar teaching technique, which involves language learners, to maximum, in learning in amusing and creative way, motivating, challenging and stimulating his/her mental processes, and reducing classroom anxiety and fear, is desired and recommended for fruitful language teaching and learning process. In this respect, the present paper discusses the effectiveness of using games for teaching grammar to primary school students as a technique which could easily be utilised and exploited for maximum benefits for learners. The study is based on the practical experiment done on the students of two primary schools in Sebha city of Libya using grammar games. The results, which proved to be fruitful and positive, are discussed as a basis for the argument in support of using games for teaching grammar to school children.

1. Introduction
So should be the case with grammar learning, particularly in EFL context. Grammar learning has always been viewed as crucial to language learning but nowadays, it is often perceived as a tedious and laborious process. This is particularly the case in countries like Libya where English is taught and learned as a foreign language and where students often have negative attitudes towards grammar learning due to various reasons. If teachers find ways to fully engage students in the learning process; grammar learning can become more enjoyable, interactive and motivational. Research (Uberman, 1998) has shown that children learn and develop fastest when they are at play. Therefore, it is desired that teachers should think how to teach grammar through enjoyable activities. And, in this respect, the use of games can be considered to be one of the most interesting activities to be applied in ELT classes. Therefore, the use of games and its application in grammar lessons form the topics of discussion of this paper. 

1.1 Rationales of the study
Language games are the games with rules which have linguistic aims and they are agreed with the  participants. Teaching grammar through games is argued for many reasons. One reason is that, games have the advantage of allowing the learners to learn, practice and internalize grammar and structures extensively. Games can do this through providing repeated exposure to the target grammar. Another reason is that students will be more motivated to play games than they are to do deskwork. Many experienced textbook, methodology manuals and writers have argued that games are not just time-filling activities but have a great educational value. According to Šabatová (2006:12), games are surely the most interesting and the most favourite way of how to learn and practice grammar. As the games are fun, interactive, and exciting, students can study English grammar with games very easily, in a relax atmosphere, and more interestingly. Thus, games can help not only in learning and mastering the very crucial aspect of foreign language learning-grammar, but also in developing positive attitudes of learners towards the whole language learning process. In this respect, the paper attempts to discuss the effectiveness of the use of games in grammar teaching to the students of primary schools in Sebha, Libya where students often face problems with grammar learning and regard it as tedious, uninteresting and demotivating process of foreign language learning. It is believed and argued that if the EFL school teachers in Sebha, Libya use games in their grammar teaching techniques, it would certainly help not only in changing the negative perceptions of the learners towards grammar but also in imparting more dynamic, interesting, involving, learnercantered, motivational teaching of grammar in the primary schools of Sebha, Libya.

1.2 Background to the study
English is taught and learned as a foreign language in Libya. Being an  international language and language of international communication, opportunities, education, commerce and trade, the Libyan government has introduced English from the primary school level itself so that the Libyan school children can be the able citizens of global village and can cope with its demands and challenges. As a crucial part of foreign language pedagogy, teaching grammar forms the central aspect of EFL teaching in Libya. This is with the belief that learning and mastering grammar can help an individual in mastering the target language and establishing successful communication in that language.

English in the public schools in Libya is first taught for the learners in the fifth year of schooling when the students’ age is about 11 years. During the first 2 years, that is in 5th and 6th year of primary schooling, students study the alphabet of English, reading, spelling, and elementary writing. They are also introduced some grammatical terminology, categories and relations such as- nouns, verbs, conjunctions, prepositions, simple past tense, present tense, plural and singular etc. It is expected that the Libyan EFL teachers in schools use techniques and methods which involve learners and motivate them to learn English. However, the reality seems to be quite opposite. Most of the teachers rely heavily on traditional grammar-translational method where everything is literally translated and students are supposed to memorize numerous grammar rules and structures. The teacher controls almost all the activities in the class and hardly any activity is introduced and encouraged which involves learners and stimulates and challenges their creativity. One of the reasons, for this, can be the fact that most of the teachers prefer to teach the way they themselves were taught- just presenting set of rules and dozens of examples and exercises without much focus on inserting any sort of fun/amusement while teaching.

1.3 Research Problem 

This typical scenario, outlined in the section above, hardly contributes to achieving the desired aims and objectives of foreign language teaching and learning in general and teaching and learning grammar in specific in Libyan primary schools. Lack of training in teaching grammar with innovative teaching techniques and unwillingness to devise any interesting, motivational, learner-cantered technique on the part of the teachers leads to monotonous grammar classes where learners, consequently, start developing negative attitude toward learning English grammar regarding it as ‘very boring’ and ‘waste of time’ activity. This also makes them demotivated learners, a problem commonly encountered and reported by most of the Libyan EFL teachers. This situation, where both teachers and learners face problems while teaching and learning grammar, has been taken as a research problem for investigation in this study.

1.4 Research questions
The following research questions have guided the study

1- Do the Libyan EFL learners in primary schools in Sebha enjoy and like grammar classes?

2- What techniques of grammar teaching are used by the Libyan EFL teachers in schools while teaching grammar?

3- Do games form important part of grammar teaching techniques in primary schools in Sebha?

4- Can the use of games be an effective technique of teaching grammar and motivating EFL learners in primary schools in Sebha? 

5- What are the perceptions and attitudes of the Libyan EFL learners toward the use of games for teaching grammar in their classrooms?

In the society of today, where interaction, fun, play and amusement are encouraged for healthy social growth of children, similar approach is also encouraged and recommended in foreign language teaching to develop positive attitude among EFL learners toward the target language and for making learning a fun-an activity loved and desired by all children across the globe. In this respect, the paper investigates the above discussed problem of grammar teaching and learning in Libyan EFL primary schools and also discusses the effective role of games in overcoming the problems faced both by the learners and teachers.

5. Conclusion
For many students, learning grammar is a really boring and a hard job. To show pupils that learning grammar could be a fun and interesting, different activities like games should be used as one of the ways. The experience from the relevant research reveals: that teaching “grammar” through different activities like games is better than teaching grammar as a formal system  through sticking to the given exercises in the textbooks, if our aim is for students to use grammar more effectively and conventionally. When planning the use of games, the teacher needs to consider what his/her objectives are. Also the teacher should have experience and be familiar with the ways of using games, puzzles, their rules and concentrate on the time, place, tools, and the groups as well. Although, it cannot be said that games are always better and easier to cope with all students, many pupils can find games relaxing and motivating. Therefore, games should be an integral part of a lesson, providing the possibility of intensive practice while at the same time very enjoyable both for the students and teachers. To sum up, the preparation for teaching grammar using games, can be a little bit time-consuming which requires much thinking and creative approach from the teacher, but it is definitely worth as it can help in achieving the true aims and objectives of EFL teaching and learning in general and grammar in particular by making the process learner centered.

source: Academia.edu Weekly Digest

THE USE OF TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENT IN INCREASING THE STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN WRITING NARRATIVE PARAGRAPH

THE USE OF TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENT IN INCREASING THE STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN WRITING NARRATIVE PARAGRAPH

                           Written by 
                          Ari Julianto


A. The Background of the Study
English language, as we have known, has become an international language used all over the world besides some other languages. In Indonesia itself, English is regarded as a foreign language. Students in primary school to university level have to learn this language. In one’s process of thinking, language plays an important thing, because any kinds of ideas, concepts, views, and desires are manifested through language.

As we know, writing is one of the English skills in school. In teaching and learning a foreign language, writing is very helpful for the students to learn a language because it provides many advantages, such as: writing reinforce, grammar, structure, idiom, and vocabulary. Therefore, the students have chances to be adventurous with the language to express ideas and constant use of eyes and brain in a unique way to reinforce a new language.

A short reflection should convince the students that they think about many things and a solution to the problem will be found at last in an examination of what they already have in mind. The purpose of writing paragraph is the students can write what their want to write based on what they think.

The researcher chose the topic of writing by considering that based on the experience in teaching English that some of the students have several problems in writing paragraph. There were 30% of the students who still did not know how to write narrative paragraph. The problems are they do not have any media as an inspiration for their writing. Besides, they still have no idea what kind of writing they must chose in writing a paragraph.

Reeves (1998: 1) stated that there are two major approaches to using media and technology in schools. First, students can learn “from” media and technology, and second, they can learn “with” media and technology. Learning “from” media and technology is often referred to in terms such as instructional television, computer-based instruction, or integrated learning systems. Learning “with” technology is referred to in terms such as cognitive tools and constructivist learning environments.

One of the media is television. Most all children like to imitate what they watch especially the words appear in television. Students sometimes repeat the words in television especially through advertisement. Advertisement is broadcasted over and over each time for commercial break. Children or students sometimes do not want to miss this commercial break of advertisement.

Advertisements, as a public notice or announcement, usually paid for, as of thing for sale, needs, etc. Agustrijanto (2002: 7) points out “Advertisement is each from of communication that has intended to motivate, to promote a product at a service to someone, the potential buyers”. This influenced and wins the public’s opinion to think and take measures in accordance with the wish of the advertiser.

From the explanation of the advertisement, generally advertisement is defined as non personal communication of information usually paid for and persuade in nature about products, services, or ideas be identified sponsor through various media. In advertisement, there are many multimedia terms to represent their needs. Through advertisement, students can express what they remember in writing. From writing we can obtain the students’ ability in understanding the message of the advertisement.

Writing a narrative text by using a TV advertisement can be an interesting lesson for the students because they can explore what they want to write in their mind based what they remember by watching advertisement. Regardless of the approach, media and technology have been introduced into schools because it is believed that they can have positive effects on teaching and learning.

Based on the previous explanation, the researcher would like to analyze the students’ ability in writing narrative paragraph based on the use of TV advertisement. The reasons for choosing this topic are as follows
1. TV advertisement is one of media can improve the students’ ability in learning language especially writing, Kozma (1991: 9),
2. Students sometimes take an example from what they watch in their daily lives,
3. Students can explore what they watch and remember by writing a narrative paragraph based on TV advertisement.

B. The Identification of the Problems
The problems of this study are identified as follows:
1. the improvement of students’ writing narrative paragraph by using TV advertisement,
2. the students’ behavior when they study narrative paragraph by using TV advertisement.

C. The Scope and Limitation
This research is focused on the use of TV advertisement in teaching narrative paragraph especially the students’ ability and disability in writing narrative paragraph based on TV advertisement broadcasted in Indonesia. There are many advertisements and in this research, the researcher only chose the advertisement appeared in television. In television, the researcher chose the educational advertisement and that is why the kind of food advertisement Mie Sedap as the object of this research. Meanwhile, the subjects of this research are the first year (X) of SMAN Negeri ............of academic year 20../20... In this case, the students have to watch the Mie Sedap advertisement at home or by video clip in handphone for many times

D. The Formulation of the Study
The problems of this study were formulated as follows
1.  does the use of TV advertisement improve the students’ ability in writing narrative paragraph?
 2.  how do the students behave when they study narrative paragraph through TV advertisement?

E. The Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study are as follows:
1. to describe the students’ improvement in writing narrative paragraph by using TV advertisement,
2. to find out the students’ behavior in writing narrative paragraph by using TV advertisement.

F. The Significance of the Study
It is expected that the results of this study will be useful for:
1. the university students who would like to write a narrative paragraph based on TV advertisement,
2. contribution of the teachers/lecturers who would like to know the students’ ability in writing a narrative paragraph,
3.    other researcher who are interested in writing based on TV advertisement, and finally
4. the high school students who would like to improve their ability in writing a narrative paragraph.


References
Agustrijanto. 2002. Copy Writing. Bandung: Rosda Karya.

Kozma, R.B. 1991. Learning with Media. Review of Educational Research, 61(2), 179-212. University of Michigan.

Reeves, Thomas C, 1998, The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools, Georgia: The University of Georgia.

The Use of Infinitive in Educational News of BBC Online (INTRODUCTION)

The Use of Infinitive in Educational News of BBC Online (INTRODUCTION)

                                   Written by Ari Julianto

  

      A. The Background of the Study

Language is inseparable from almost every human activity. It is a means of communication and the basic fundamental function of language in daily communication. Besides that every language has a different characteristics and difficulties. Language also has connection with four aspects; they are listening, speaking, writing and reading. Language is very important for our life and we cannot ignore language and we have to study it.

Language, especially English is very essential to be learned by Indonesian people because English is an International language that is taught in Indonesia schools. It is asserted that comprehension is enabled when readers construct mental situation models that incorporate elaborated text-based information with readers’ available prior knowledge. Situation models are flexible mental representations that are constantly updated to reflect the most recent conceptualizations of read text information.

In Indonesia, English is regarded as the language of  sentence. Text books are mostly written in English, not only books in learning English but also the other disciplines since all Moslems are obliged to search for knowledge then we should consider. Students and teachers are interested in the development of education occurs in this country or world.  The educational news is necessary in this case. It can be found in any kinds of media, such as newspaper, books, magazines, letters, tabloids etc.

English is the dominant language of the Internet. The Internet will in turn become the dominant place to learn English. The way languages are learned is changing, and these changes are accelerating. We can access English language content on any subject and learn from it. We can connect with English speaking people who share our interests. We can do this via e-mail, through blogs, podcasts and forums. The World Wide Web is the ultimate dynamic classroom and learning community.

The Internet is constantly evolving. It has created a dynamic environment for the communication and the management of information. The Internet has brought with it new forms of social interaction without boundaries. Technologies are making an immense variety of communication, information, literature, news and other language content available anywhere and anytime. One of the famous online news is BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). This news online is very popular since the first launched in November 1997.

BBC News Online can be browsed in http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ in which the website contains international news coverage, as well as British, Business, Technology, Entertainment/Arts, Science/Environment, Health, Sport that all presented for educational news. Many reports are accompanied by audio and video from the BBC's television and radio news services, while the latest TV and radio bulletins are also available to view or listen to on the site together with other current affairs programmes. In May 2012 the BBC News website won the People's Voice award for newswebsite at the 16th annual Webby Awards. Internet users with IP addresses originating from the UK are served the UK edition, all others receive the World edition.

In reporting the educational news, the author or the writer uses some essential parts of speech and one of them is infinitive. Downing (2006: 13) stated that tense is carried not only by lexical verbs but also by the finite operators. If the verb-form does not signal either tense or modality, the verb and the clause are classified as non-finite. In non-finite there are some categories like the infinitive (inf.) be, eat, lock, go sometimes called the ‘bare’ infinitive; the to-infinitive (to-inf); the participial -ing form (-ing) being, eating, locking, going; and the past participial form, symbolised in this book as -en been, eaten, locked, gone. These forms are said to be non-tensed.

There are three types of infinitive i.e. bare infinitive (simple infinitive), full infinitive (to infinitive), and infinitive of phrases. The infinitive is the base form of a verb with to. Usually it also functions as a noun, although it can be an adjective or adverb for examples
- to jump is fun (noun, subject of is),
- I like to ski (noun, object of like),
- she had a suggestion to offer (adjective modifying suggestion),
- He called to warn her (adverb modifying called)

Furthermore, the infinitive has a form of phrase that is called the infinitive phrase. This consists of an infinitive together with its modifier and complements. The entire phrase may be used as a noun, adjective and adverbs as well for examples
- to stay in shape requires dedication and discipline (noun),
- the thing to do first is an activity you enjoy (adjective)
- I came to Austin to see the art exhibit (adverb)

There is no educational news without an infinitive since the information for the readers is very important by using infinitive. Based on the previous explanation, the researcher would like to analyze the use of infinitive in education news of BBC online. Hopefully, this analysis will be useful and benefit for those who are interested in English grammar and news.   

B. The Identification of the Problems
The problems of this study are identified as follows
1. the use of infinitive in educational news of BBC online,
2.the most dominant type of infinitive used in educational news of BBC online.

C. The Scope and Limitation
This research is focused on the use of infinitives in the form of bare infinitives or to infinitive and infinitive phrases. Besides, this research also focused on the functions of infinitive that is as a noun, adjective and adverb. BBC news online in this case http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ is used as the source of this research which is limited only in educational news.

D.The Formulation of the Study
The problems of this study are formulated as the following
1.what types of infinitive found in educational news of BBC online?
2. what is the most dominant type of infinitive found in educational news of BBC online?
E. The Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study are as follows
1. to describe the types of infinitive in educational news of BBC online
2. to find out the most dominant type of infinitive found in educational news of BBC online

F. The Significance of the Study
It is expected that the results of this study will be useful for1.  the university students who would like to know the use of infinitive in online news especially in BBC,
2. contribution of the teachers/lecturers who would like to learn and understand the educational news in online media,
3.  other researchers who are interested in analyzing English infinitive in a text,
4. the internet users or readers that hopefully the findings of this research will be useful for them in understanding the content of the news.

Cognitive Learning Strategy In Developing The Students’ Vocabulary Ability (INTRODUCTION)

Cognitive Learning Strategy In Developing The Students’ Vocabulary Ability (INTRODUCTION)

                            
                               Written by Ari Julianto



1.1 Background of the Study
With the emergence of the Information Age, the need for information and demand on education increased relatively in society. Technological developments in this age also were helpful to cope with the increased demand on education, and people’s expectation on being independent from time and place limitations. Especially in the 1990s, after the Internet began to be used widely at homes, the use of Internet for educational purposes became inevitable. To acquire the need for information and demand in English, learners that use English as a second language need learning strategy. Acquiring a second language, involves different areas such as motivation, learners’ needs, learning environment, learning strategies and language awareness. It is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore second language learning strategies.

Language is a means of communication and also a system for the expression of a meaning reflected in the structure of the language as an instrument to express meaning. Based on the definitions above, it seems that there is an emphasis on the components of language such as vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. Thus, the language would be very useful if it is communicated with others to get the meaning of language itself. To understand the language we have to invent the meaning of words as many as possible. Therefore, it can be assumed that language is a systematic communication tool that may transfer one’s idea or feeling through meaningful body language, signs, sounds and gestures.

There are many different theories of how people learn. What follows is a variety of them, and it is useful to consider their application to how your students learn and also how we teach in educational programs. It is interesting to think about our own particular way of learning and to recognize that everyone does not learn the way we do. The language learning strategies are not newly created strategies, but have been in use by ancient storytellers thousands of years ago. Language development is very much influenced by the learners’ language learning strategies that are how learners accumulate new second language (Foreign Language) rules and how they automatize existing ones.

The writer chose learning strategy by considering as follows; first it is related to a person’s psychological and educational preferences. Second, it is a part of the individual’s personality. Third, it is considered as an important factor in education because of its influence on the student performance. This transfer was assisted by the new explorations in the teaching/learning psychology represented in research which concern on the internal cognitive processes such as attention, comprehension, memory, information reception and processing and the mental operations occurring within the student's mind.

Nunan (1991: 6) states that “Language learning is largely a form-focused activity. It focuses on the structures of the language in an explicit way. It focuses on accuracy.” The activity that Nunan means is the learners should not only know how the language is but also know the language as a knowledge and awareness. In the field of language education, many different approaches have been developed, based on various theories of language learning. For example, while some believe that language learning should focus on learning grammar, others espouse a communicative approach.

Moreover, some learners’ strategies will also depend on various factors and domains. Bloom (1956: 7) developed taxonomy domains that influenced second language acquisition. He mentioned complete taxonomy in three major parts, (1) cognitive, (2) affective, and (3) psychomotor domains. The cognitive domain deals with the recall or recognition of knowledge and the development of intellectual abilities and skills. This is the domain which is most central to the work of much current test development. It is the domain in which most of the work in curriculum development has taken place and where the clearest definitions of objectives are to be found phrased as descriptions of student behavior.

This thesis uses cognitive learning strategy by considering that this strategy views teaching as a complex cognitive activity and focuses on the nature of teachers’ beliefs and thinking and how these influence their teaching and learning. It emphasizes that “teachers are active, thinking decision-makers who make instructional choices by drawing on complex practically-oriented, personalized, and context-sensitive networks of knowledge, thoughts, and beliefs” as Borg (2003: 81) stated. In teacher education, it encourages teachers to explore their own beliefs and thinking processes and to examine how these influence their classroom practice. From a cognitive learning perspective, learning involves the transformation of information in the environment into knowledge that is stored in the mind.

Ellis (1994: 347) stated that cognitive component of procedural knowledge comprises the various mental process involved in internalizing and automatizing new Foreign Language knowledge in conjunction with other knowledge sources to communicate in the Foreign Language. The cognitive theory sees memory as functioning in two stages. The first is the working (or short-term) memory system characterized by limited capacity. This means that short-term memory requires conscious effort and control to retain only modest amounts of information. Short-term memory is believed to be serial in operation. The second stage of storing information is the long-term memory system which is large in capacity, operates in parallel fashion and is not susceptible to conscious control.

The other reason in choosing cognitive learning strategy as the main topic is that this strategy is vital to the understanding of basic concepts. Strategies exist to help a student use his mind to discover basic principles, such as mathematics and vocabulary. Teachers should spend time at the beginning of each school year reviewing basic concepts. This sets a baseline for further learning, making the introduction of new concepts a smoother process.

In Indonesia the term of cognitive domain has been introduced in new era. Cognitive domain is used in almost all government schools to obtain a better achievement in Indonesian education. Concern tended to be towards helping Indonesian students build their character physically, mentally, morally and affectively. Towards exploring what abilities and creative potential power students have got and attempt to demonstrate and develop.

Sudijono (1996: 48) stated that “ranah kognitif adalah ranah yang mencakup kegiatan mental atau otak (cognitive domain is a domain that covers the activity of mental or brain”. Moreover, Sudijono explains that in cognitive domains there are six steps in thinking process. The six steps in thinking process are (1) knowledge / memorizing / remembering, (2) comprehension, (3) application, (4) analysis, (5) synthesis, and (6) evaluation. Generally speaking, the cognitive theory of learning, which is largely based on the theory of human information processing, deals with mental processes involved in learning. This mainly refers to three fundamental cognitive aspects of learning: how knowledge is developed, how knowledge becomes automatic and how new knowledge is integrated into an existing cognitive system of the learner.

Along with cognitive learning strategy, one of the most important skills in learning English is vocabulary. A good knowledge of vocabulary is essential for communication. One of the issues that researchers of Foreign Language (vocabulary) learning strategies have faced is finding suitable and effective procedures, methods and instruments for identification and classification of strategies.

Vocabulary is chosen as the topic in this thesis since it is the obligation for teachers to teach students, how to acquire vocabulary. In fact, many students often have some difficulties to comprehend a text because they are lack of the English vocabulary mastery. In other words, they are lack of capability of comprehending the meaning of words in the text provided precisely. In a very real sense, the students cannot master the meaning of words in a sentence and neither can communicate in English appropriately because the teaching learning activity.

Considering the potential usefulness of cognitive learning strategy as a language teaching and learning tool, the writer would like to try to put this into some sort of perspective in students’ vocabulary ability. Thus the growth of vocabulary knowledge is one of the essential pre-requisites for language acquisition and this growth of vocabulary knowledge can only be possible when teachers employ effective vocabulary teaching and learning strategies which are the objectives of this research thesis. By performing this strategy, the students of senior high school will have a skill in elaborating their potency of mastering vocabulary. In line with this, the writer will perform the cognitive learning strategy that hopefully will develop the students’ vocabulary ability in the second year of SMA..................

1.2 Problem Identification
The problem of this study focuses on
1.  the students’ ability in vocabulary taught by using cognitive learning strategy,
2. the effectiveness of cognitive learning strategy in developing the students’ vocabulary ability.

1.3 Research Objective
The objectives of the study is aimed 
1.  to describe the students’ ability in vocabulary taught by using cognitive learning strategy.
2.  to find out the effectiveness of the cognitive learning strategy in developing the students’ vocabulary ability.

1.4 Hypothesis
The hypothesis is formulated as follows
Ha :     There is a significant effect of the cognitive learning strategy to the  students’ ability in vocabulary.
Ho:     There is no significant effect of the cognitive learning to the students’ ability in vocabulary.
X = Y = Ho,   X < Y = Ho , or X > Y = Ha
If to (X) is smaller than tt (Y), it means null hypothesis (Ho) that is the effect of using cognitive learning to the students’ ability in vocabulary is rejected. In other words, there is no a significant effect of using cognitive learning towards the students’ ability in vocabulary. And if to (X) is bigger than tt (Y), it means alternative hypothesis (Ha) is accepted. In other words, there is a significant effect of using cognitive learning towards the students’ ability in vocabulary.

1.5 Scope of the Study
Acquiring a second language involves different areas such as motivation, learners’ needs, learning environment, learning strategies and language awareness. Many learning strategies and methods can be conducted through teaching English vocabulary. But it is impossible to conduct them all. This study is limited on the students’ ability in vocabulary and provides evidence of cognitive learning strategy and the effectiveness of the strategy in developing the students’ vocabulary ability of the second year of SMA .............. academic year 2012 – 2013.

1.6 Significance
The significance of this study stems from the following factors:
1. It attempts to examine the cognitive learning strategy in developing the students’ vocabulary ability. In addition, the findings may lead to a change in the students’ attitudes towards English,
2. This study may provide teachers or lecturer with a specific language teaching strategy which they can use in their classroom to enhance their students’ achievement in English vocabulary,
3. The research results can be presented to teachers or lecturers, learners and decision-makers in order to enhance the students’ vocabulary in English as a foreign language.
4. With the large deficits in second -language vocabulary of ELLs, it is crucial that students in the English for academic purposes classroom to first have a semantic understanding of what academic vocabulary is before they even learn it.

 REFERENCE
Borg, S., 2003. Teacher cognition in language teaching: A review of research on what language teachers think, know, believe, and do. Language Teaching, 36, 81-109. London: University of Cambridge.

Bloom, Benjamin S. 1956. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, the Classification of Educational Goals. Canada: David Mckay Company.

Ellis, Rod. 1994. The study of second language acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Nunan, David. 1991. Language Teaching Methodology, A Textbook for Teachers. Sydney: Prentice Hall.

Sudijono, Anas. 1996. Pengantar Evaluasi Pendidikan. Jakarta: Raja Grafindo Persada.

The concepts of love in Khalil Gibran and Jalalludin Rumi’s poems (INTRODUCTION)

The concepts of love in Khalil Gibran and Jalalludin Rumi’s poems (INTRODUCTION)

                                       Written by Ari Julianto


                                                                   1.1 Background of the Study

Rumi and Gibran

Through language, as the media for communication, people can express their feelings or ideas about something to the receiver. Meanwhile, movie, novel, short story, play, poetry or poem can be the medium for expressing the experience, feeling or idea. Poetry or poem is the literary work that can be formed from the writer’s feeling, observation, or experience. In poem, a poet asks readers to participate in understanding the meaning or even their world. The language used in poem can be far from the ordinary words and the words can be explained more than one meaning. In order to understand the meaning of words, the reader should read the whole content of what a poem says as Arp (2005: 25) says.

In this research, poem becomes an object of the study. The reason is that poem is one of literary works which sometimes contains various themes of human senses and feelings, such as sadness, happiness, poverty, depression, hate or love etc. Childs and Roger (2006: 181) state that the terms ‘poem’, ‘poetry’, ‘poetic’ and ‘poetics’ seem to be necessarily frequent in critical writing but various in their senses. The commonest use of ‘poem’ is ‘any composition in verse’: Verse referring to a set of technical conventions for regulating a composition by line-length, for making the line part of the expressive form, and ‘poem’ claiming to be a genre-term subsuming any production which utilizes that convention.

Along with the ‘love’ which is used in many poems as the themes, the writer chose ‘love’ as the main topic. The reason is that love comes in many forms including in literature works. There is love for God, love between a parent and child, brothers and sisters, or love given by a person to an animal or object. It basically comes down to the fact that everyone inevitably either loves something or someone. Humans create love out of strong, personal bonds. Love gives us the assurance that we are not alone in the world. In a larger aspect, love runs the world around us. People love money and that creates a drive for them to work harder and run businesses. On a smaller scale, we survive as children because of the love our parents or caregivers provide for us. Love is (usually) how we are all created in the first place, so technically we wouldn't be here without it.

Rubin (1970: 265) states that love is generally regarded to be the deepest and most meaningful of sentiments. It has occupied a preeminent position in the art and literature of every age, and it is presumably experienced, at least occasionally, by the vast majority of people. In Western culture, moreover, the association between love and marriage gives it a unique status as a link between the individual and the structure of society.

As mentioned above that love comes in many forms including in literature works, poets express their feelings of love in poems. There are many famous love poets in literature world such as Robert Browning, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Robert Frost, Nizar Qabban, Ibn Al Farid, Jalalluddin Rumi, Khalil Gibran and many other poets whose works until now are still remembered by romantic poem lovers. The two famous poets as mentioned above that is Jalaluddin Rumi, Khalil Gibran are considered as the most influence poets in the world.

The writer chose Jalalluddin Rumi and Khalil Gibran by considering that first Khalil Gibran is a major pioneer of modern Arabic literature, as the best selling American poet of the twentieth century, and as a Middle Eastern modernist whose intellectual life is documented in meticulous detail. Meanwhile Rumi’s teaching of peace and tolerance has appealed to men and women of all sects and creeds, and continues to draw followers from all parts of the Muslim and non-Muslim world.

Second, Gibran’s romanticism was a health-restoring revival of the instinctual life in contradistinction to the constraints that sought to sublimate human freedom in the united name of social tradition or religious conformity; in many ways his rebellion was akin to the beginnings of Romanticism in England a century earlier, when Blake, Wordsworth, and Shelley strove to explore the literature of internalized quest and Promethean aspiration. Meanwhile, as a teacher and a mystic, Rumi’s doctrine advocates tolerance, reasoning, goodness, charity and awareness through love, looking with the same eye on Muslims, Jews, Christians and others alike. Today, this message of love, peace and friendship finds strong resonation in people’s hearts.

Bushrui and Jenkins (2008: 1) state that as an oriental who wrote Gibran’s most celebrated work in the major language of the Western world, Gibran’s style and philosophy is characteristic of the East, and of the Arab in particular. His constant inspiration was his own heritage, which colored his English and exercised an inescapable hold over his mind, its insistence being upon the wholeness of visionary experience and the perpetual availability of another realm of being. In all his work he expressed the deep-felt desire of men and women for a kind of spiritual life that renders the material world meaningful and imbues it with dignity.

Eydin (2004: 3) writes that Rumi’s message was to clarify the relation of human beings to our Creator, and our relation to others and our fellow beings. Even in his day, Rumi was sought out by merchants and king, devout worshippers and rebellious seekers, famous scholars and common peasants, men and women.

By considering the importance of knowing the love message in the poems of Khalil Gibran and Jalalluddin, the writer chose the topic of love in the poems of these two poets. This research aims to narrow the field of "love" and enable distinction between the two poets who have experienced expanded consciousness and the two poets who display random love tendencies. Through a comparative study of these two prominent poets, the thesis falls on psychological approach. These points of association are brought together to create a new framework suitable for the examination of similar poets from various religious and literary traditions.

1.2 Problem Identification
The problem of this study focuses on
1.  The concepts of love in Khalil Gibran and Jalalludin Rumi’s poems,
2. The differences between Khalil Gibran and Jalalludin Rumi’s poems in the concepts of love,
3. The similarities between Khalil Gibran and Jalalludin Rumi’s poems in the concepts of love.

1.3 Research Objective
The objectives of the study is aimed 
1.  to describe the concepts of love in Khalil Gibran and Jalalludin Rumi’s poems,
2.  to find out the differences between Khalil Gibran and Jalalludin Rumi’s poems in the concept of love,
3. to find out the similarities between Khalil Gibran and Jalalludin Rumi’s poems in the concept of love.

1.4 Scope of the Study
This thesis examines the concepts of love which is generally regarded to be the deepest and most meaningful of sentiments. It has occupied a preeminent position in the art and literature of every age, and it is presumably experienced, at least occasionally, by the vast majority of people. The writer focuses the concepts of love in love and mystical poems of Khalil Gibran and Jalalludin Rumi.

1.5 Significance
All the findings are expected to meet the problems of identification such as:
1.    to give the description of concepts of love in the poems,
2.    to show all the readers the differences and the similarities of the concept of love based on the poems of Khalil Gibran and Jalalluddin Rumi so they could implement the concepts of love in their life in order to understand the comparison,
3.    to assist the readers in understanding the two famous poets that considered as the main poets of world literature through the concepts of love in their poems so the readers could more understand the literature work.


Reference
Arp, T.R. 2005. Perrine’s Sound and Sense: an Introduction to Poetry (11th ed.). USA: Harcourt Brace & Company.

Childs, Peter and Roger Fowler. 2006. The Routledge Dictionary of Literary Terms. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd.

Rubin, Zick. 1970. Measurement Of Romantic Love. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Vol. 16, No. 2, 265-273 Department of  Social Relations, Harvard university.

Bushrui, Suheil and Joe Jenkins. 2008. Kahlil Gibran Man and Poet A New Biography. Oxford: One World Publisher

Eydin, Emin. 2004. Mevlana Jelaleddin Rumi. London: Dialog Society.

The Use of Television Advertisement in Increasing the Students’ Achievement in Writing Narrative Paragraph (INTRODUCTION)

The Use of Television Advertisement in Increasing the Students’ Achievement in Writing Narrative Paragraph (INTRODUCTION)


                                         Written by Ari Julianto

  

Image: www.ttacnews.vcu.edu

A. The Background of the Study
As we know, writing is one of the English skills in school. In teaching and learning a foreign language, writing is very helpful for the students to learn a language because it provides many advantages, such as: writing reinforce, grammar, structure, idiom, and vocabulary. Therefore, the students have chances to be adventurous with the language to express ideas and constant use of eyes and brain in a unique way to reinforce a new language. A short reflection should convince the students that they think about many things and a solution to the problem will be found at last in an examination of what they already have in mind. The purpose of writing paragraph is the students can write what their want to write based on what they think.

The researcher chose the topic of writing by considering that based on the experience in teaching English that some of the students have several problems in writing paragraph. There were 30% of the students who still did not know how to write narrative paragraph. The problems are they do not have any media as an inspiration for their writing. Besides, they still have no idea what kind of writing they must chose in writing a paragraph.

Reeves (1998: 1) stated that there are two major approaches to using media and technology in schools. First, students can learn “from” media and technology, and second, they can learn “with” media and technology.  Learning “from” media and technology is often referred to in terms such as instructional television, computer-based instruction, or integrated learning systems. Learning “with” technology is referred to in terms such as cognitive tools and constructivist learning environments.

One of the media is television. Most all children like to imitate what they watch especially the words appear in television. Students sometimes repeat the words in television especially through advertisement. Advertisement is broadcasted over and over each time for commercial break. Children or students sometimes do not want to miss this commercial break of advertisement.dvertisements, as a public notice or announcement, usually paid for, as of thing for sale, needs, etc.

Agustrijanto (2002: 7) points out “Advertisement is each from of communication that has intended to motivate, to promote a product at a service to someone, the potential buyers”. This influenced and wins the public’s opinion to think and take measures in accordance with the wish of the advertiser.

From the explanation of the advertisement, generally advertisement is defined as non personal communication of information usually paid for and persuade in nature about products, services, or ideas be identified sponsor through various media. In advertisement, there are many multimedia terms to represent their needs. Through advertisement, students can express what they remember in writing. From writing we can obtain the students’ ability in understanding the message of the advertisement.

Writing a narrative text by using a TV advertisement can be an interesting lesson for the students because they can explore what they want to write in their mind based what they remember by watching advertisement. Regardless of the approach, media and technology have been introduced into schools because it is believed that they can have positive effects on teaching and learning.

Based on the previous explanation, the researcher would like to analyze the students’ ability in writing narrative paragraph based on the use of TV advertisement. The reasons for choosing this topic are as follows
1. TV advertisement is one of media can improve the students’ ability in learning language especially writing, Kozma (1991: 9),
2. Students sometimes take an example from what they watch in their daily lives,
3. Students can explore what they watch and remember by writing a narrative paragraph based on TV advertisement.

B. The Identification of the Problems
The problems of this study are identified as follows:
1. the improvement of students’ writing narrative paragraph by using TV advertisement,
2. the students’ behavior when they study narrative paragraph by using TV advertisement.

C. The Scope and Limitation
This research is focused on the use of TV advertisement in teaching narrative paragraph especially the students’ ability and disability in writing narrative paragraph based on TV advertisement broadcasted in Indonesia. There are many advertisements and in this research, the researcher only chose the advertisement appeared in television. In television, the researcher chose the educational advertisement and that is why the kind of food advertisement .......... as the object of this research. Meanwhile, the subjects of this research are the first year (X) of .................of academic year 2012/2013. In this case, the students have to watch the .............advertisement at home or by video clip in handphone for many times.

D. The Formulation of the Study
The problems of this study were formulated as follows
1.  does the use of TV advertisement improve the students’ ability in writing narrative paragraph?
 2.  how do the students behave when they study narrative paragraph through TV advertisement?

E. The Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study are as follows:
1. to describe the students’ improvement in writing narrative paragraph by using TV advertisement,
2. to find out the students’ behavior in writing narrative paragraph by using TV advertisement.

F. The Significance of the Study
It is expected that the results of this study will be useful for:
1. the university students who would like to write a narrative paragraph based on TV advertisement,
2. contribution of the teachers/lecturers who would like to know the students’ ability in writing a narrative paragraph,
3.  other researcher who are interested in writing based on TV advertisement, and finally
4. the high school students who would like to improve their ability in writing a narrative paragraph.


REFERENCE
Agustrijanto. 2002. Copy Writing. Bandung: Rosda Karya.

Kozma, R.B. 1991. Learning with Media. Review of Educational Research, 61(2), 179-212. University of Michigan.

Reeves, Thomas C. 1998. The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools,.Georgia: The University of Georgia.

The Correlation between The Students’ Needs in Learning English Writing and The English Test Result (INTRODUCTION)

The Correlation between The Students’ Needs in Learning English Writing and The English Test Result (INTRODUCTION)
 

Image: www.theage.com.au

Written by Ari Julianto


A. Background of the Study
In Indonesia, students in primary school to university level have to learn English. In one’s process of thinking, language plays an important thing, because any kinds of ideas, concepts, views, and desires are manifested through language. With the rapid progress of information and communication technology during recent decades, a vast amount of knowledge has been spreading through the borderless world. In the trend of globalization, the most important language being used among countries, institutions and individuals all over the world is the English language.

In this study, the researcher chose the topic of students’ needs in learning English writing. Every individual has a need that may vary among individuals because needs are essentially objective in nature. In learning English writing, learners or students have some needs and they share other needs common to all people. If these needs are not fulfilled it means the problems of the students in their social life appear.

A number of educators believe that student attitudes and academic success or failure are in large part due to the nature of their relationships in and with the schools problems. It is always helpful to find out about students’ needs, their prior learning experiences, the situations they are likely to use English in and which skills/language items they need to extra practice with. Armed with this information, the teacher can select and create the most appropriate and useful learning materials and activities.

Maslow (1954: 59) stated that we have seen that the chief, principle of organization in human motivational life is the arrangement' of basic needs in a hierarchy of less or greater priority or potency. The chief dynamic principle animating this organization is the emergence in the healthy person of less potent needs upon gratification of the more potent ones.

The physiological needs, when unsatisfied, dominate the organism, pressing all capacities into their service and organizing these capacities so that they may be most efficient in this service.  The principle is the same for the other sets of needs in the hierarchy, i.e., love, esteem, and self•actualization.

Many learning problems are prevented or minimized by matching teaching methods and lesson content to learners’ current aptitude and prior experience. Some learning problems are indeed due to deficits or impairments within students themselves. Westwood (2004: 2) stated that the other essential element of pedagogical knowledge is an awareness of the learning characteristics of the students they teach, including those with special educational needs. Learners have many common characteristics at various ages and stages, but individual learners also differ in many educationally significant ways. Teachers need to understand both the commonalities and the differences in order to meet students’ needs.

Nunan (1999: 150) states that a wide range of instruments and techniques is available for carrying put need analysis. He suggested that the key questions addressed here is what are the skills and linguistic knowledge needed by the students to comprehend and produce language for communicating successfully situations? Moreover,

Nunan (1999: 151) has made a list of questionnaire to be given to the learners or students to find out what they need in learning English. And from the explanation above, the researcher would like to know the correlation between the students’ needs in learning English and the English text result or assessment.

From that reasons, the researcher chose the secondary variable that is the students’ result in English test or assessment as the topic. Assessment is an integral part of the learning and teaching process. It is an ongoing process that aims to promote and improve learning.

Fundamentally, assessment involves both teachers and learners reflecting on assessment data: it should provide learners with appraisal and feedback on their performance in relation to learning objectives, so as to help them to improve on the one hand, and offer teachers information for effective planning and intervention on the other. In light of the pressure students’ needs in learning English, it is not surprising that several studies have found that satisfaction and dissatisfaction on what students’ needs may become one of the influenced factors.

Based on the explanation above, the researcher would like to know the correlation between the students’ needs in learning English writing and their achievement in English. Either students’ needs or English achievement is necessary in developing the process of teaching learning English. Without knowing what the students’ needs, it is impossible for teachers to improve the teaching and learning way.

From the reasons and explanations above, the researcher chose the correlation between the students needs in learning English writing and the students’ result in English text. This topic is considered important since
he students’ in learning English is essential even the need analysis can lead to the change of school system, curriculum and sometimes the government policy in education.

B. Identification of the Study
    The problems of this study are related to the following aspects
1. The students’ needs in learning English writing,
2. The students’ achievement in English test writing,
3. The correlation between the students’ needs in learning English writing and the students’ achievement in English test.

C. The Scope and Limitation
    The scope of this research is to investigate the students’ needs in learning English writing based on Nunan’s questionnaires and the students’ result in English test and the correlation between the students’ needs in learning English writing as a second language and their achievement in English subject lesson in school based on the semester report. As the limitation, this research is limited on the students of junior high school.  

D. Formulation of the Problem
    The problems of this research are formulated as follows
1.    What are the students’ needs in learning English writing?
2.    How is the students’ achievement in learning English?
3.    Is there any correlation between the students’ students’ needs in learning English writing as a second language and the students’ achievement in English test?

E. The Objectives of the Study
    The objectives of this study are
1. to describe the students’ needs in learning English writing,
2. to find out the students’ achievement in English test, and
3. to investigate the correlation between the students’ needs in learning English writing and the students’ achievement in English test.

 F. The Significance of the Research
    The findings of this study are expected to give a contribution to
1. the teachers who teach English especially in junior high school in which the teachers may consider what the students’ need in learning English writing,
2. the students who are facing their need problems in learning English as a second language. By understanding their needs, the students hopefully realize that their needs are sometimes essential for their success in learning English,
3. Moreover, this research hopefully will be expected to be useful for people who would like to observe the students’ problems, needs and their achievement in English test. By knowing this, they can understand the correlation between the students’ needs and the students’ results in English test.

Reference
Maslow. A.H. 1954. Motivation and Personality. New York: Harper & Row,Publishers , Inc.

Nunan, David. 1999. Second Language Teachng & Learning. Boston: Heinle &Heinl;e Publisher.

Westwood, Peter. 2004. Learning and Learning Difficulties, A handbook for teachers. Sydney: ACER Press.