Improving the Student’s Speaking Mastery by Using Community Language Learning Method (CLL) on the Eight Grade Students of SMPN I Manding Sumenenep

By Galifur Rahman

Chapter I

Introduction

This chapter covers background of study, problem statement of the study, purpose of Scope and limitation of the study, significant of the study and definition of key terms.

1.1  Background of study

English as an international language was a very important subject to be learned. In English teaching, there were four language skills that need to be mastered by the students: listening, reading, speaking and writing. Among those skills, speaking seems to be the most important skill that a learner should acquire. (Hyland 2002:3)

Nowadays, many English courses places are available anywhere in regions. The ones who want to enhance their English speaking ability are provided by so many facilities in which they can learn from. The big number of members in the public courses is one the proof that teenagers or even children are having a big desire to be able to speak English. However, though so many English courses are provided it does not means that people will directly have any confidentiality to join and speak.

There are some foundations which form the background of the classroom action research. First, conventional research moves based on the experience or non-contextual. Second, finding of the research fail in solving problem that has case and regional quality. Third, finding of the formal research is too long to be taught for the subject and the fourth, formal research needs skill where not at all of the researchers can make it. E, mulyasa (2005:3).

 A form of self-reflective inquiry undertaken by participants (teachers, students or principals) in social (including educational) situations in order to improve the rationality and justice their own social educational practices, understanding of these practices, and the situations in which these practices are carried out. Mcniff (1988:2)

Teaching speaking in Indonesia is considered to be the most difficult, pronunciation, structure, discourse, and the social context of culture and situation. In short, it needs the mastery of the linguistic and the cultural competence. Besides, as speaking is difficult, more effort is required on the part of the students and teachers. It is not enough for the students to listen or to Speech only. The teachers need to give the students’ activities to practice the new speech among the four basic skills of language. Bourdons in Nunan (1993) stated that spoken language needs the mastery of speaking habit. This means that practice speaking needs much time to fulfil the requirements of the mastery of spoken English, either from school or the environment.

Getting students to speak in class sometimes is extremely easy. In a good class atmosphere, students who get on with each other and whose English is at an appropriate level will often participate if we give them suitable topic and task. However, at other time it is not too easy to get students going. The number of students is still confused in using words of English because they are shy and not predisposed to expressing themselves in front of other students. Frequently, too, there is a worry about speaking badly and personal information or opinions. Building a relationship with and among students is very important. Using Community Language Learning method may help them to active in speaking. In Community Language Learning method, the students can interact with the others and of course, all of them involved in speaking activity so that they have a responsibility how to use their own language.

Community Language Learning method has identified five stages in the movement from dependency to mutual inter dependency with the teacher in stages I, II, III the teacher focuses not only on the language but also on being supportive of learners in their learning process and in stage IV and V greater security in the language and readiness to benefit from conversation. (Curran 1951; Brown 1994)

The number of students is not active in speaking class because they are shy and worry about speaking badly in personal opinions and therefore losing face in front of their classmates. There are many teachers still taught English especially speaking by using classical teaching technique so that the students could not absorb the materials maximally, therefore, it affected their achievement.  

1.2 Problem of the study

Based on the discussion above, the r searcher is very interested in improving the student’s speaking mastery using Community Language Learning method on the eighth grade students of SMPN I Manding Sumenep. The question which has been formulated as the problem of this study is as follows:

1.     How can Community Language Learning method improve the student’s speaking mastery on the eighth grade students of SMPN I Manding Sumenep?

2.     How can Community Language Learning Method improve the student’s speaking activeness?

1.3 Purpose of study

Based on the problem statements, the purpose of the study in the research are:

1.3.1 To describe how Community Language Learning methods can improve the    student’s speaking mastery communicative in conversation.

1.3.2. To describe how Community Language Learning methods can improve the activeness of students in speaking.

1.4 Scope and limitation of the study

The scope of the study is limited to the teaching of English on the eighth grade students of SMPN I Manding Sumenep using Community Language Learning method to improve their speaking mastery. The subject of this study is 8B that has problem in speaking. 

1.5 Significant of the study

The result of this study will make students easier and confident to speak English using Community Language Learning method.

1.     Using Community Language Learning method can improve their motivation to speak English through pair work;

2.      To know about the effectiveness of using Community Language Learning improves their ability to speak English. The result of this study is expected to be useful information to: (a) increase the teachers’ knowledge of English and share experiences in improving the students’ mastery to speak English using Community Language Learning method. (b) encourage the teachers’ colleagues in doing action research in improving their teaching as the professional practices;  (c) give any contribution to the general public in increasing knowledge concerning about classroom action research and get any reflection for being perfection.

1.6    Definitions of key terms

1.     Improving is involving students in spontaneous face-to-face conversation in classroom with competence English language speakers so that they are not shy to speak English.

2.     Speaking mastery is ensure active participation remembering that it is what a student’s practices saying, not what they hear, that improves communicating ability.

3.     Community language learning is considering students as whole person. Whole person learning means that teacher consider not only their students intellect, but also have some understanding of the relationship among students, feeling, physical reactions and desire to learn.