IMPROVING STUDENT MOTIVATION TO SPEAK ENGLISH THROUGH COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

IMPROVING STUDENT MOTIVATION TO SPEAK ENGLISH THROUGH COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

1.1 Background

English is a widely spoken language, so it becomes a global language. As an international language, English has become a tool for International communication in every single life business. For the given reason, Indonesian government has decided that English becomes a compulsory subject that should be mastered by students from the elementary level to the college level.

Vygotsky (1962), in Wray (2006), in his investigating of the relationship between language and thought, he finds the unit of verbal though in word meaning. Vygotsky saw the meaning of a word representing a close relationship between language and thought. Swain (1985), in Lawtie (2006), notes that way to learning to speak is through speaking itself. It means the more practice to speaking the more oral skills will improve.

Nunan (1991), in Lawtie (2006), suggests that success in learn foreign language is measured in terms of the ability to carry out a conversation in the target language. Therefore, if students do not learn how to speak or do no get any opportunity to speak in the target language, they soon get de-motivated and loose interest in learning. Nunan adds that if the right activities are taught in the right way, it can make speaking in class can be a lot of fun. For that reason, general learner motivation will raise and the English language classroom becomes a fun and dynamic place to be.

In English study, four language skills should be mastered are listening, speaking, reading, and writing. In facts, speaking is one of the most important things in life, thus any expression of thought that comes from mind can be conveyed by speaking. For instance in daily lives most of people speak more than write. On the other hands, speaking a foreign language usually seems much harder than learning to write and read it. Often the most important problem people have with foreign languages is that they cannot speak.

Often the most important problem people have with foreign languages is that they cannot speak. Probably it happens because they shame to speak in the public. In fact, there are a vicious circle of speaking problem. First, people make mistakes when speaking, then they become afraid of speaking, and thus they never get the practice which would enable them to correct their mistakes.

While students are actively involved in the process of learning, they learn best. Students working in small groups tend to learn more of what is taught and retain it longer than when the same content is presented in other instructional formats. Students energy increases, rewarding teams of students for performance is effective, and that appearing to increase the energy of the teams while they working together (Johnson, et all., 1981, cited by Gokhale 2006). In addition, Long & Richards (1987 cited by Lawtie 1996)), present that learner centered classrooms where learners do the talking in groups and learners have to take responsibility for using communicative resources to complete a task are shown to be more conducive to language learning than teacher centered classes.

According to Vygotsky (1978, in Gokhale 2006), students are capable of performing at higher intellectual levels when asked to work in collaborative situations than when asked to work individually. It is believed one of learning approaches that deal with working together is collaborative learning. In addition, Welch (2005) states that students learn best in a classroom where they feel free to express their ideas, they feel needed, and they feel comfortable with their peers.

In nutshell speaks, some variables take part in the success of learning, it is not only the cognitive factors, but also the personality factors such as motivation. Gardner (1985 : 27, cited in Fatriyani 2005) points that in some contexts, personality variables relate to listening comprehension and oral production and it is important. In addition, Krashen (1982 : 31) cited by Fatriyani (2005) proposed three variables related to the success of the Second Language Acquisition (SLA). First is Motivation it is assumed that high motivational performance would generally do better in SLA. Second is Self-confidence, it is understood that performance tend to do better in SLA if self-confidence and good self-image involved. The final is Anxiety, it is believed that the one of good support for SLA is the measurement of anxiety as personal or classroom anxiety.

Motivation and learning are so closely bound together, so dependent upon and affected by one another. Houston in his Motivation (1997) states that learning cannot occur unless the organism who involves in learning is motivated to learn. In teaching and learning process, not all learners were motivated to perform all classroom tasks, hence motivation being one of learning substance. The learners complete the tasks not because they want to get some cognitive or affective reward from the teacher, but because they feel fun, interesting useful or challenging in it (Brown, 2001).

The writer, therefore, is fascinated to observe the using of collaborative learning in encourage students to speak. In other words, the writer would like to know whether Collaborative Learning could improve students' motivation to speak English or not.

1.2 Research Questions

In accordance with the using of Collaborative learning in improving students' motivation to speak which is the main concern of this study, writer formulated the problem statements of the study as follow :

1. Can Collaborative Learning improve students' motivation to speak English?

1.3 Scope of the Study

In relation to the statements that have been formulated above, two variables are confirmed in this study. They are the use of collaborative learning and the students' improvement to speak English in speaking class and how Collaborative Learning influence students' motivation improvement in speaking class. The scope of this research, however, is limited to investigate the effectiveness of collaborative learning in order to improve students' motivation in speaking English.

1.4 The Aims of the Study

In general, this study is designed to figure out the use of Collaborative Learning in improve students' motivation to speak English. Particularly, the study has some aims as follow :

1. To find out whether or not collaborative learning can improve students' motivation to speak English.

1.5 Significance of the study

This study is generally expected to contribute values consideration to the whole educational subjects related to the second language teaching, especially in teaching speaking English. The writer hopes that the curriculum maker and the teacher could construct the materials of speaking learning that pay attention on psychological aspect for instance motivation.

1.6 Organization of the Paper

This paper is organized into five chapters. The first chapter includes introduction which discuss, background, research questions, scope of the study, the aims of the study, significance of the study, assumption, hypotheses, method of investigation, population and sample, data collection procedure, clarifications of the key terms, and organization of the paper.

The second chapter concerns on theoretical foundations that contains the related theories which is served as a basis of the investigation of research questions. The research methodology that covers population and sample, instrument, research design, and the data analysis is presented in chapter third.

The result and findings of the study is reported in chapter fourth. It consists of data interpretation, the analyzing of the data, and the interpretation of the data. The Last is chapter fifth which holds conclusion and recommendations that synchronize with the research findings.

THE PORTRAYAL OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE THEORY IN TEACHING ENGLISH TO YOUNG LEARNERS

THE PORTRAYAL OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE THEORY IN TEACHING ENGLISH TO YOUNG LEARNERS

1.1 Background

English is a crucial language since it plays an important role as a bridge to exchange information among countries in this globalization era. Such condition requires people to have proficiency in English. For that reason, in Indonesia English has been taught since in primary schools.

However, teaching English in primary schools "can be both a rewarding and a demanding experience" (Halliwell, 1992 : 2). Halliwell asserts that teachers need to be clear about what they are going to do. It includes how teachers treat learners in teaching-learning process.

In a classroom, learner A might be good at understanding materials through songs while learner B might demonstrate better understanding through pictures. It may be because student A has high sensitivity in musical thing while student B does not really catch up with it. Consequently, teachers should take into account learners' strengths in designing learning activities.

Based on the explanation above, many language educators start to use a new approach to maximize learners' strengths (Armstrong, 2009). Then, Multiple Intelligence (MI) theory emerged and it has been used in Indonesia. MI theory states that someone may possess different intelligences from other people. These intelligences are linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist (Baum, Viens & Slatin, 2005; Campbell & Campbell, 1999; Fleetham, 2006; Gardner, 2003).

MI theory has been reported to be effective in developing individual capacity. Chen's work (2005) in a classroom for junior college students in Taiwan showed that MI benefitted students in encouraging them to learn English and improving their four language English skills. Other related studies conducted in Indonesian young learners' classroom settings (see Dewi, 2007; Elroy, 2008; Komariah, 2007; Marliani, 2007; Paridawati, 2007; Suhartatik, 2008; Sundusiah, 2005). Dewi (2007) explained that MI theory helped students improve their abilities, such as imitating sounds and knowing new vocabulary. Elroy (2008) and Marliani (2007) found that MI theory created a fun and meaningful English learning. Additionally, Paridawati (2007) stated that MI theory improved students' English vocabulary achievement while Sundusiah (2005) discovered that MI theory improved students' English writing. Furthermore, Komariah (2007) and Suhartatik (2008) asserted that MI-based instruction was influential in encouraging students to learn English. Therefore, MI theory can be implemented in this present study.

This study attempts to investigate if MI theory has been attended to by the observed teacher, the advantages and the barriers of MI implementation in the classroom. The results of the study are expected to contribute to the development of MI implementation in classroom. In addition, through MI theory, teachers are encouraged to conduct a teaching-learning process which emphasizes on students' strengths. The idea of MI theory can also help students at all levels recognize their highly-developed and less-developed intelligences. Therefore, they can implement MI theory in their learning activities in order to maximize their potentials.

1.2 Research Questions

The study addressed the following questions :

1. Has multiple intelligence theory been attended to by the teacher in the classroom?

2. If multiple intelligence theory has been attended to, what are the advantages and barriers of implementing it in the teaching-learning process?

1.3 Aims of the Study

This study aimed to investigate :

1. If multiple intelligence theory has been attended to by the teacher in the classroom.

2. The advantages and barriers of implementing multiple intelligence theory in the teaching-learning process.

1.4 Significance of the Study

In X, where the present study took place, few studies related to Multiple Intelligence (MI) theory implementation in the classroom have been conducted. Therefore, this study is urgent as it will contribute to the development of MI implementation in classroom, especially for the school where this study is conducted.

Even though MI is a well-known theory among language educators, not every single teacher at schools has already known about it. Some teachers may have understood about it while some others may not. Thus, this study presents a real picture on how MI-based teaching strategies are applied in classroom. Teachers can both adopt and adapt the teaching strategies for their teaching-learning process in the class.

MI theory gives teachers benefits not only in improving their pedagogical competence but also in developing their social competence. The teachers' understanding of MI theory can also affect their professionalism. MI theory encourages teachers to accommodate students' different strengths by providing a wide range of learning activities. Besides, MI theory enables teachers to assess students' performance based on their strengths. By doing so, students are given chances to demonstrate their best.

Although this study is focused on young learners, the idea of MI theory is universal. Students at all levels can implement MI theory in their learning activities. The results of this study are expected to encourage students at all levels to be aware of their highly-developed and less-developed intelligences. Therefore, they can maximize their strengths so that they are able to reach their success sooner.

1.5 Scope of the Study

The study focused on if MI theory has been attended to by the teacher in the classroom. In addition, the researcher attempts to find out advantages and barriers of implementing MI theory encountered by the teacher. This study was conducted in an elementary school located in X.

1.6 Clarification of Main Terms

a. Multiple Intelligence Theory : A theory, initially proposed by Gardner (2003), stating that someone may possess different intelligences from other people. These intelligences are linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinaesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist intelligence.

b. Young Learners : in this study, young learners are defined as learners at age 6 - 8 (first and third graders of elementary school).

1.7 Organization of the paper

This study is organized into five chapters. Chapter one consists of background, research questions, aims of the study, significance of the study, scope of the study, clarification of main terms and organization of the paper.

Chapter two provides theories that are relevant to the study. Chapter three contains research methodology that consists of research design, sites and participants, data collecting techniques, and data analysis. Chapter four reveals the findings and discussions. Chapter five presents the conclusions and suggestions.

THE STUDENTS STRATEGIES IN SOLVING SPEAKING DIFFICULTIES

THE STUDENTS STRATEGIES IN SOLVING SPEAKING DIFFICULTIES

This chapter presents the background of this research, statements of the problems, aims and significance of the research, preview of research methodology, and organization of the paper.

1.1 Background

Acquiring foreign language is one of requirements to be successful in many fields in a global era because by acquiring the language people can communicate easily all over the world. As the most used language, English has a great role in uniting people worldwide for many purposes. Because of that fact, it is important for people, especially Indonesians, to master English skill. For the sake of communication, speaking becomes an important skill that should be mastered. Recent research in second language acquisition finds that speaking is a main factor in forming learner's language development (Hadley, 2001 : 230). Furthermore, Hadley (2001 : 230) asserts that in the twenty-first century, second language speaking ability can be an important benefit for anybody looking for a job in business and industry.

The requirement to acquire English speaking skill is opposite with the fact that many graduates from Senior High School in Indonesia can not speak English, even to introduce themselves, after learning English for at least six years (Frans, 2007 in http://kursusinggris.wordpress.com). There must be some aspects which cause this problem; one of the aspects is that the students face some difficulties in speaking English. This is a common thing because English is a foreign language in Indonesia, in which the students are not accustomed to speaking English with their community. This fact is in line with Pinter's statement (2006 : 55) that one of the biggest challenges for all language learners is to speak fluently and correctly because to master speaking skill, the students must speak and think at the same time.

Moreover, English has different language pattern with Indonesian, so it is possible for Indonesian students to be influenced by their native language while speaking English. According to Ellis (1986 : 6) that most of difficulties faced by second language learners are caused by their first language.

In term of learning, facing some difficulties or making any mistakes is common; the most important thing is how the students deal with such problem. There are many kinds of strategies that the students might use to make their speaking more fluent, for example by doing practice with their friends, listening to English songs, watching English movies, etc. Despite all the strategies, the most important one is the strategy which comes from themselves. It is possible for students to use their interlanguage in delivering message and making people more understand what they are talking about. Ellis (1986 : 8) argues that second language acquisition is similar to first language acquisition depending on the strategies that learners use. In addition, Hadley (2001 : 7) asserts that effective strategies to employ in communication are guessing, and using gestures.

Based on theories and findings stated, the writer will observe kinds of difficulties which are encountered by SMAN 8 X's students and types of strategies they employ to solve their speaking difficulties. Since the most important thing in solving problem is by knowing the problem and finding the solution, this research is not only aimed to observe the students' speaking difficulties, but also reveal their strategies in solving speaking English difficulties. Hopefully, this research can help solving speaking problems which are faced by many Indonesian students.

1.2 Statement of Problems

Research problem of the study is formulated in the following questions :

1.2.1 What kinds of difficulties that the students face in speaking English ?

1.2.2 What kinds of strategies that the students use to help them solving their difficulties in speaking English ?

1.2.3 Are the strategies effective in helping the students to solve their difficulties in speaking English ?

1.3 Aims of the Study

The aims to achieve in this study are :

1.3.1 To find out the students' difficulties in speaking English

1.3.2 To find out the students' strategies in solving speaking English difficulties

1.3.3 To see whether or not the strategies are effective in helping the students to solve their speaking English difficulties

1.4 Significance of the Study

The results of this study are expected to :

1.4.1 Present the view of students' difficulties and strategies in speaking English

1.4.2 Help solving problems of the lack of speaking skill owned by Senior High School students

1.5 Scope of the Study

This study is limited to two primary points. The first is difficulties that the students encounter while having speaking test, and the second is strategies that the students use to solve the problems. Other aspects besides the main points are not investigated or discussed further.

1.6 Organization of the Paper

The paper is presented in the following paper organization :

Chapter I Introduction

This chapter presents the background of this research, statements of the problems, aims and significance of the research, preview of research methodology, and organization of the paper.

Chapter II Theoretical Foundation

This chapter cites related theories as the basis of the analysis.

Chapter III Research Methodology

This chapter consists of research questions, research design, participants of the research, data collection, and data analysis procedures.

Chapter IV Findings and Discussion

This chapter discusses results and findings of the research and investigated them to answer the formulated research questions.

Chapter V Conclusion and Suggestion

This chapter presents conclusions of the research and some suggestions for English students and teacher, and further research.

STHE EFFECTIVENESS OF SKIMMING AND SCANNING TECHNIQUES IN IMPROVING STUDENTS READING ABILITY

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SKIMMING AND SCANNING TECHNIQUES IN IMPROVING STUDENTS READING ABILITY

The chapter gives a brief description of the whole content of the research, including background, statements of the problem, aims of the study, scope of the study, significance of the study, hypothesis, and research methodology.

1.1 Background

Reading is considered as an important aspect for students because of its valuable benefit in developing knowledge. Reading is also the most important skill for EFL learners especially in academic context because students need to comprehend and deal with all reading aspects and difficulties.

In general, the essence of reading is made up of recognizing or identifying, interpreting, and responding the components of a written message (Oliver and Boyd 1986).It means that individuals, in this case the students, have to understand and interpret the meaning of words or symbols in a text to achieve their own goals or interests.

In getting the entire components of information and acquiring the meaning in a written message, many students come across several difficulties because they have to go through a certain process of puzzle-solving (Brown, 2001 : 299). Other difficulties also can be encountered by students from teachers, curriculum, government policy, textbooks, techniques, etc (Bond et al, 1994).

In Indonesian traditional classrooms, which practice English as a foreign language, teachers insist that students understand every word in a text to get the general idea for the purpose of looking for required information, and this prompts the students to think for if they do not understand each and every word they are somehow not completing the task (Ismini, 2000). This phenomenon reveals the practice of a conventional teaching reading strategies and the writer assumes that those kinds of situations will not help the students to overcome the difficulties they encounter and will not improve their reading abilities.

In addition, Wiryodijoyo (1989) stated that the national examination in English subject put a large emphasis on reading aspect, and this situation will assure students who cannot read or comprehend the text and answered the question in the examination to face tremendous difficulties and overwhelm the students.

A study on reading and its strategies conducted by Amanda (2007) found that students apply several strategies such as making prediction of the words that they do not know, search for words in the dictionary, and many others to help overcome the obstacle in their reading task. This shows the implementation of a conventional reading techniques and the lack of reading strategies from the students in overcoming their reading task.

Particular reading techniques are needed not only to overcome student difficulties, but also to improve their reading abilities. Those techniques are skimming and scanning.

Scanning is the technique for quickly finding specific information in a text while ignoring its broader meaning, it searches for keywords or ideas in a written text (Brown, 2001 : 308). Meanwhile, skimming is a technique in looking over a text to get a quick idea of the gist of a text (Harmer, 2001). By encouraging the students to glance their eyes and take a short look at a text and searching for specific piece of information, it will help them get the general understanding and detail information of the text itself (Harmer, 2001).

Based on that explanation, therefore, skimming and scanning techniques are required in helping students in comprehending a text, getting detailed information and other reading tasks. Skimming and scanning techniques are also intended to help students in overcome the senior high school curriculum task in Indonesia, which is to understand the meaning of short functional text and simple essay in the form of report, narrative and analytical exposition in the context of everyday situation and also to access knowledge (KTSP, 2005).

Hence, the present study is intended to investigate the effectiveness of skimming and scanning techniques in improving students' reading abilities and it is expected that this research will contribute to the practice of reading teaching in the future.

1.2 Statements of the problem

This study is conducted to answer these following questions :

1. How is the students' mastery of reading comprehension before learning the skimming and scanning techniques ?

2. How is the students' mastery of reading comprehension after learning the skimming and scanning techniques ?

3. Do skimming and scanning techniques effective in teaching reading ?

1.3 Aims of The Study

Based on the questions formulated above, the aims of the study are :

1. To find out the students' mastery of reading comprehension before learning the skimming and scanning techniques ?

2. To find out the students' mastery of reading comprehension after learning the skimming and scanning techniques ?

3. To find out the effectiveness of skimming and scanning techniques in teaching reading.

1.4 The scope of the study

According to Surakhman (1975, cited in Setiawan 2006), the scope of the study is necessary since it can simplify the subject for the researcher and solve the problem, such as time, dexterity, cost and energy that emerge from the research planning.

Based on that, this study focuses on the use of skimming and scanning techniques in improving the students' reading abilities and the subjects are the second grade students of UPI Laboratory High School.

1.5 The significance of the study

This study is expected to :

1. Contribute to the EFL teaching methodology where skimming and scanning techniques is used as an alternative technique in teaching and learning reading.

2. Enhance students and teacher knowledge related to reading skills.

3. Develop students and teachers creativity in the teaching learning process of reading.

1.6 Hypothesis

In this research, the writer uses the null hypothesis which is : Ho : There is no effectiveness in using skimming and scanning techniques in improving students reading ability.

1.7 Organization of The Paper

The research paper will be organized as following :

Chapter I Introduction

This chapter consists of an introduction which provides the information on the background of the study, the scope of the study, statement of the problem significance of the study, research technique that comprises population, sample, instrument, and procedure, clarification of terms, and organization of the paper.

Chapter II Theoretical Foundation

This section focuses on the theoretical foundations that are relevant to the present study, with skimming and scanning techniques as the main issue.

Chapter III Research Methodology

This part comprises the methodology of the research includes the formulation of the problems, aims of the present study, data collection, scope of the study, analytical frameworks and data analysis.

Chapter IV Findings and Discussions

This chapter provides the results of the research and discussion of the research findings.

Chapter V Conclusions and Suggestions

This chapter presents all the conclusion of the study and also provides for implications and suggestions for further researchers and related institutions.

THE COOPERATIVE LEARNING THREE-STEP INTERVIEW TOWARDS STUDENTS SPEAKING ABILITY

SKRIPSI THE COOPERATIVE LEARNING THREE-STEP INTERVIEW TOWARDS STUDENTS SPEAKING ABILITY

1. Background

English language teaching, for more than six decades of research and practice, has identified the four skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—as the most important parameter in the textbooks or curriculum development. The textbook or curricula used tends to focus on one or two of the four skills (Brown, 2001). The teaching process above is used in the English language teaching from elementary to the high school curriculum development.

In fact, many senior high school students still cannot explain certain procedure fluently in English when they are asked to do or make something. So, the teacher should be smart to choose an approach or technique of teaching that is suitable with the condition and the needs of the students. As a result, the goal of teaching and learning can be achieved. Therefore, this issue has become a dilemma for most English curriculum developers in finding the best approach to teach English in order to enable the students' competence to communicate in English both spoken and written successfully (Burkart, 1998).

Cooperative learning is a teaching strategy in which small teams, each with students of different levels of ability, use a variety of learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject. Each member of a team is responsible not only for learning what is taught but also for helping teammates learn, thus creating an atmosphere of achievement. Students work through the assignment until all group members successfully understand and complete it (Kagan, 1994).

A three-step interview is defined as a cooperative learning technique which enables and motivates members of the group to acquire certain concept deeply by students' role. It is an adaptable process in the classroom. The aim of this technique is to gather students in a conversation for analysis purpose and new information synthesis (Kagan, 1994).

Regarding to the explanation above, there should be a technique which is effective to improve student's mastery of English language, especially speaking ability. Due to what most English teachers of senior high school deliver the materials which is dominated by grammar focus, students cannot speak fluently because lack of practice and use of spoken English itself. In line with it, this study is expected to prove whether a cooperative learning : three-step interview is effective to improve students' speaking ability.

2. Reasons for Choosing the Topic

The researcher chose this topic to examine the effectiveness of the cooperative learning : three-step interview in improving students' achievement especially on active speaking ability. So far as the researcher knew that there had not been a study about this issue. This study would be undertaken through experimental study.

To measure the effectiveness of Three-Step Interview in this research, the writer would use speaking test as the research instrument. Florezz & Cunningham (1999) state that speaking is one the important skills in language learning. Inside the classroom, it is used twice as often as listening and the most often used skill (Brown, 2001).

In line with it, Dawson (1975) states that speaking is truly basic skill in language learning. Oral language or speaking is truly basic in the preschool. Furthermore, speaking is basic because in the everyday affairs of life, it is used more frequently than written communication. Moreover, speaking is fundamental aspect of spoken language that similar to those of written communication. However, people speak first instead of both reading and writing.

On the other hand, three-step interview is still rarely used in the English teaching process. It can be an alternative strategy instead of classical teaching model. This technique would be tried to be applied to the students of senior high school and whether it was effective or not to improve their ability on active speaking.

3. Statement of the Problem

In relation with the importance of speaking in learning new language and also because of speaking can be one of the factors that determine someone success in learning the language, so this study was intended to find out the cooperative learning : three-step interview towards student's speaking ability. The research questions will be directed to :

1. Is the cooperative learning : three-step interview effective to improve senior high school students' speaking ability?

2. To what extent the cooperative learning : three-step interview is effective in teaching speaking?

4. Scope of the Study

The main concern in this study was regarding how the cooperative learning : three-step interview could be carried out and used to the students of senior high school. The three-step interview itself was used for the treatment in the experimental group.

In testing speaking, there would be four aspects that were going to be tested : pronunciation, vocabulary, fluency, and procedural generic structure (grammar) which covered present tense, imperative sentence, cause and effect, and sequencing. The tests would be conducted to the both experimental and control groups.

Furthermore, it would be very interesting to go along this process of English teaching-learning technique. Any aspects or cases could be possibly investigated during this study, but this study was designed to cover the three-step interview applied in SMAN X only. Specifically, it investigated whether the three-step interview technique effective or not in improving student's speaking ability.

5. Aims of the Study

Particularly, the study has some aims as follows.

1. To find out the use of cooperative learning : three-step Interview towards student's speaking ability.

2. To explore the extent of the cooperative learning : three-step interview in teaching speaking

6. Significance of the Study

The study is expected to :

1. Contribute to the English as Foreign Language (EFL) teaching model of the institution and the practice of foreign language teaching.

2. Develop student's and teacher's creativity in comprehending speaking skill.

7. Hypothesis

The most common hypothesis that is used in experimental study is null hypothesis (Hatch & Farhady, 1982 : 85-86), which states that there is no difference between the sample and the population after receiving a special treatment. Therefore, this study put forward the null hypothesis as follows. "There is no difference between students' speaking ability in control and experimental groups after being given a Three-Step Interview."

8. Organization of the Paper

The paper is organized into five chapters as follows :

Chapter I : Introduction

This section contains introduction, which discusses background, reasons for choosing the topic, statement of the problem, scope of the study, aims of the study, significance of the study, hypothesis, organization of the paper, and clarification of the terms.

Chapter II : Theoretical Foundation

It contains theoretical foundation, which serve as the basis for investigating the research problems. The theoretical foundation covers the description of The cooperative learning : three-step interview towards Student's Speaking Ability.

Chapter III : Research Methodology

In this section, the researcher discusses the method and procedure of the study.

Chapter IV : Findings and Discussions

This chapter reports the findings and discussions of the study.

Chapter V : Conclusions and Suggestions

This chapter reports the conclusions and suggestions of the study.

9. Clarification of the Terms

The researcher will review several terms related to the study. The terms are :

1. Cooperative Learning is a learning model where students work in small group consists of six members collaboratively and the structure of group is heterogeneous (Slavin, 1995).

2. Three-Step Interview is a learning model in which consists of four members of students signed A, B, C, and D. Each member chooses another member to be a partner. During the first step individuals interview their partners by asking clarifying questions. During the second step partners reverse the roles. For the final step, members share their partner's response with the team (Kagan, 1994).

3. Speaking ability is a productive skill in oral mode (C.J. Orwig, 1991 : 1). It can also be defined as student's competence in producing oral mode.

A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY ON CLASSROOM INTERACTION OF ENGLISH TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS IN THE LARGE CLASSES OF THE FIRST YEAR STUDENTS IN SMA X

SKRIPSI A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY ON CLASSROOM INTERACTION OF ENGLISH TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS IN THE LARGE CLASSES OF THE FIRST YEAR STUDENTS IN SMA X

A. Background of the Study

Language teaching is a complex activity, and that this complexity derives primarily from the diversity of perceptions and the goals of the various participants who play a role in the teaching learning process (Tudor, 2001 : 43). Indeed, if all participants have the same perceptions about the nature and the goal of language teaching, teaching would be much clearer and easier to be undertaken than it generally is. By so doing, there would be no gap between the teacher and students. Thus, language teaching can be understood in term of interactions of different rationalities of the teacher and students rather than enactment of a single rationality.

Classroom, as stated by Gaies in Amy B.M. Tsui's book in tittled "Introducing Classroom Interaction", is called as 'crucible' in which elements interact. These elements are the teacher and the students (1995 : 5). Then Allwright and Bailey (1996 : 18) also aids that students also bring with them to the classroom their whole experience of learning and of life, along with their own reasons for being there, and their own particular needs that they hope to see satisfied. The teacher brings experience of life and learning, and of teaching too.

In the classroom, the place where the teaching-learning process is undertaken, there are a variety of different potential perspectives of the nature and the goals of language teaching meet and interact. Hence, it can be an important factor to reach the goal of the instruction (Tudor, 2001 : 47). Besides, Val Lier also stated that there are greater attentions in educational teaching that language learners should have effective involvement to practice their communicative skill because language is a means of communication and self-expression. That is a medium by which members of a speech community express concepts, perceptions, expectations, and values which have significance to them as members of a speech community. In other word, classroom can be a place where students can express their personal problems and concerns. Within this perception, the classroom is conceptualized to create a condition where students can improve their ability in learning English that is for using the English for the real communication. And even, classroom itself is a part of the real world of students as individuals and social actors. Then, communication is not just something that happens "out there" but also process which occurs in the social environment, which we call the classroom (p. 115).

In adition, William Littlewood (1981 : 93) also states that :

"The development of communicative skills can only take place if learners have motivation and opportunity to express their own identity and to relate with the people around them. It therefore, requires a learning atmosphere which gives them a sense of security and valves as individuals. In turn, this atmosphere depends to a large extent on the existence of interpersonal relation slips which do not create inhibition, but are supportive and accepting"

With these visions of the classroom, there should be an effective interaction between teacher and students, and among students themselves in improving their knowledge and skills for the use at some stage in the future. Coleman (1996 : 88) also states that language teaching needs improvement of using English as the target language. Therefore, the successful realization of the language for communication depends on the genuine students' involvement in the relevant teaching learning activity.

For achieving the visions as the writer states above, good atmosphere of teaching-learning process is very required, especially in the English classroom where the dynamic interaction of teacher and students in the class is implemented, where the network of shared meaningfulness, which binds together in the mind of teacher and students emerges (Tudor, 2001 : 45).

In the large class, however, where the number of students and a range of factors such as the rapport of the classroom's participants, physical condition and seating become a problem, to get dynamic conditions of teaching-learning process is far from the ideal. Therefore, it is a big challenge to organize the classroom in order to create an effective language classroom interaction for the teaching-learning process.

Wagner (p.234), then also says "I should get every learner to talk much more, but that is impossible with 30 learners in my class". Therefore, for creating an interactive learning process between teacher and her/his students, innovations in teaching English are very much needed.

In such classes too, it will be unrealistic to expect more than a blackboard and a supply of chalk. The rows of heavy desk would be a constraint on group work, and coping with the noise, persuading the class to use English, managing the introduction and setting up of activities, making limited resources go a long way, and monitoring the work of individual within the class will also be management problems (David Cross, 1995 : 5).

Hence, the writer tends to know whether there is a dynamic process of teaching and learning in the classroom or not. Thus, as a place of communication, language classroom should become a place which would allow all students to practice the communicative skills that they would need to use in the real interactive situations outside the classroom. Besides, the real students' involvement in the relevant learning activities / the assumptions that students should be more active and participatory is the parameter of successful realization of an experiential approach to language learning. Therefore, it becomes a big attention to the writer (Tudor, 2001 : 113).

To the classroom, students will come with certain expectations as to what a good classroom should be, and of the role the teacher plays within it. They also expect the teacher to have something solid to offer them the terms of professional knowledge and experience of language learning options (p. 110). Here, the teacher does play an important role. A good teacher therefore, is one who can breathe life into methodological procedures in pursuit of the learning objectives set out in the curriculum. Whereas the student role is defined as the nature of students' participation in the classroom : their participation is therefore channeled through the assumptions about the nature of language and of language learning found in the methodological being used (p. 106). In addition, the relationship between the teacher and the students also becomes the light for the writer to conduct the research.

In order to know more about classroom interaction of English teaching-learning process in the large classes, a descriptive method is suitable to be conducted because it looks deep at the relationship between teacher and students in the form of classroom interaction, that is when the teacher asks question, give explanation, feedback, error treatment and when the students listen to the teacher's instruction and explanations, when they express their views, answer questions and carry out the tasks and activities, etc. Besides that, it is also aimed to know the opportunities of the students' involvement for practicing their knowledge and skills in the teaching-learning process, the role of the teacher and the students in the classroom, and also to know the effectiveness of English teaching-learning process. In addition, its qualitative, interpretive nature helps the writer to realize this complexity in perspective. In short, a descriptive research is very important to help the writer understand the view of those problems and find route through it.

From the description above, the writer is interested in carrying out the study on "A Descriptive Study on Classroom Interaction of English Teaching-Learning Process in the Large Classes of The First Year Students in SMAN X"

B. Identification of The Problem

Having given the background of the study, the writer would like to identify the problems as follows :

1. How is the form of classroom interaction in the large classes?

2. How are the teacher talk and the students talk in the large classes?

3. How are the opportunities of the students in the front zone and in the back zone of large classes?

4. How is the atmosphere of English teaching-learning process in the large classes?

5. Does the teacher encourage the students to engage in the English teaching learning process?

6. Are the students actively involved in the English teaching-learning process?

7. How is the rapport between the teacher and the students in the classroom interaction in large classes?

8. How are the teacher and the student role in the classroom interaction of large classes?

C. Limitation of The Problem

The study has a broad scope and it is impossible for the writer to handle all of the problems. Therefore, the writer limits the study as follows :

1. The form of Classroom Interaction in large classes of the first students in SMAN X.

2. The opportunity of the students in the front zone and in the back zone of large classes of the first students in SMAN X.

3. The rapport between teacher and students in the classroom interaction in large classes of the first students in SMAN X.

4. The teacher and students role in the classroom interaction of large classes of the first students in SMAN X.

D. Problem statement

Based on the problem limitation above, the problem statement in "a Descriptive Study on The Classroom Interaction of English Teaching Learning Process in Large Classes of The First Year Students SMAN X" is as follows :

1. How is the form of Classroom Interaction in large classes of the first students in SMAN X?

2. How are the opportunities of the students in the front zone and in the back zone of large classes of the first students in SMAN X?

3. How is the rapport between teacher and students in the classroom interaction in large classes of the first students in SMAN X?

4. How are the teacher and students role in the classroom interaction of large classes of the first students in SMAN X?

E. The Purpose of The Study

The research is conducted to describe the classroom interaction of English teaching-learning process in large classes of the first year students in SMAN X. The implication in this research includes the form of classroom interaction, the students' opportunity in teaching-learning process, the rapport between teacher and students, and also the student and teacher role in the process of teaching-learning process. Furthermore, it is also aimed to know more about the effectiveness of English teaching-learning process in the large classes, that is by describing the weakness and the strength of the classroom activities.

F. The Benefit of The Study

From this study, it is expected that the results of the research can give contribution to the improvement of the effective English teaching-learning process in general.

For the English teacher, especially the teacher of SMAN X, the results of this research can be used as a reflection about all his/her duties that have been done as long. As everybody knows, the daily hard work of the teacher often becomes an obstacle to make a reflection to what they have been taught in the class. By so doing, the teacher would become more responsible to improve their teaching skills in term of being more creative, innovative, and skillful in conducting the classroom. Moreover, it is also hoped that the teacher would be able to create a very convenient classroom to study. Within these efforts, they would be escaped from the "daily mechanics" activities.

Besides, for the writer, some benefits, which can be reached from this research is that it may give many new valuable experiences in English teaching-learning process for the preparation of the future ideal. In addition, it can give deep understanding about the nature of English teaching-learning process in the large classes like what have been conducted in Indonesia as long.

A STUDY ON TEACHING-LEARNING ACTIVITIES AT A DESIGNATED INTERNATIONAL STANDARD SCHOOL

SKRIPSI A STUDY ON TEACHING-LEARNING ACTIVITIES AT A DESIGNATED INTERNATIONAL STANDARD SCHOOL

A. Background of Study

Government has paid attention to the education for a long time. It can be seen from the government's seriousness in constructing the constitution including education problem. Its seriousness is stated in the opening part of the constitution that is :

"Tujuan pembentukan Pemerintah Negara Indonesia adalah melindungi segenap bangsa dan seluruh tumpah darah Indonesia dan untuk memajukan kesejahteraan umum, mencerdaskan kehidupan bangsa, dan ikut melaksanakan ketertiban dunia yang berdasarkan kehidupan bangsa, dan ikut melaksanakan ketertiban dunia yang berdasarkan kemerdekaan, perdamaian abadi dan keadilan sosial" (Constitution Opening)

To reach one of the aims as stated above, that is to develop nation's mind, can be done through education. In accordance to the aim of the state, education is also regulated in the body of the constitution.

"(1) Setiap warga Negara berhak mendapat pendidikan; (2) Setiapwarga Negara wajib mengikuti pendidikan dasar dan pemerintah wajib membiayainya; serta (3) Pemerintah mengusahakan dan menyelenggarakan satu sistem pendidikan nasional yang meningkatkan keimanan dan ketaqwaan serta akhlak mulia da lam rangka mencerdaskan kehidupan bangsa." (1945 Constitution section 31)

Government realizes how important qualified education in Indonesia is, therefore, government has to make serious efforts to improve the quality of national education. People's need for getting more and more towards qualified education shows that education has become one of powerful and authoritative social life institutions, and also has important and strategic role in developing the country. Education has given significant contribution in developing the country from one period to another period, either before or after the independence of Indonesia. Various studies and experiences show that education gives broad benefits to nation's existence. Education can create educated people who become the main pillar to develop prosperous society. Education has improved people's awareness in order to make harmony and tolerance in diversity, and also to strengthen social cohesion and place nationality insight to create democratic people. In the other side, education also gives real contribution toward economic growth through educated workers mastering technology and having abilities.

Education has an important role to develop the country. To make it better, government has many innovations to improve the quality and create qualified students in order to continue to higher and better education. One of the innovations made by the government is to provide schools which refer to international standard. It is called Designated International Standard School. It is the implementation of national education regulation system year 2003, arising as the command for each region to have the International Standard School which refers to national and international curriculum.

This kind of school has firstly been available since 2006 and the rule underlining it is the legislation number 20 year 2003 section 50 sentence 3 stating that "Pemerintah dan/atau Pemerintah Daerah menye-lenggarakan sekurang-kurangnya satu sekolah pada semua jenjang pendidikan untuk dikembangkan menjadi sekolah yang bertaraf Internasional" (www.depdiknas.com).

There are some new inputs in the Designated International Standard School which makes it different from other national schools; that is, the use of English as the instructional language, air conditioner-classroom, multimedia facilities, letter-U seats, and limited students. Since English is used as the instructional language, automatically one of the selection tests to join in this school is English proficiency test like TOEFL. The reason of developing the Internationally Standard School is to increase the education level both primary and secondary education in order to be equal with other developed countries.

There are some languages used in this school, including Indonesian and English in which the use has been ruled in the regulation. Language has broad functions such as to communicate, to exchange, to convey meaning, etc. Language is a system of communication by sound, operating through the organs of speech and hearing among members of a given community and using vocal symbols possessing arbitrary conventional meanings. (Pei, 1966 : 141 as stated in Brown, 1994 : 4).

The Designated International Standard School uses English as the instructional language for certain subjects such as Mathematics and Science. Since Indonesian language is the mother tongue, and English is the foreign language, the school will face a difficulty to use English as the instructional language in teaching and learning activities.

Teaching means guiding and facilitating learning, enabling the learner to learn, and setting the conditions for learning (Brown, 1994 : 7), it means in teaching there is communication between teacher and students. Communication means the exchange and negotiation of information between at least two individuals through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, oral and written models, and production and comprehension processes (Richards and Schmidt, 1983 : 4). To make communication among them is not an easy thing. The language used should be effective in order that the materials can be transferred and understanding can be reached.

Since this school is a new program in our country, how it is run and implemented is still in question. The language used in which English should be used in teaching Mathematics and Science is also questioned. The main questions are how English is used in the Designated International Standard School and how it can make a good communication. This communication can be seen by the interaction between the teacher and students, and among the students. Good communication means that the materials can be transferred well; no misunderstanding between the teacher and student; no misunderstanding dealing with the materials; and also enabling learners to learn.

Based on the consideration above, the researcher is interested in carrying out A Study on Teaching-Learning Activities at Designated International Standard School (A Descriptive Qualitative Study at Designated International Standard School, SMPN X).

B. Problem Statements

Based on the background of the study above the problems are formulated, as follows :

1. How is the use of English in teaching-learning activities at the Designated International Standard School?

2. What are the strengths and the weaknesses in using English as instructional language in teaching-learning activities at the Designated International Standard School?

C. The Objectives of the study

The objectives that will be obtained in this research are :

1. To describe the use of English in teaching-learning activities at the Designated International Standard School.

2. To describe whether the use of English in teaching-learning activities at the Designated International Standard School can make the teachers and students communicate well.

3. To describe the strengths and the weaknesses of the use of English in teaching-learning activities at the Designated International Standard School.

D. Benefits of the Study

The research result is expected to be able to give some benefits, such as the following :

1. The study will give a clear description about the use of English in teaching learning activity at the Designated International Standard School.

2. The study will give clear description how far the teachers and students communicate during the lesson in which they use English as an instructional language.

3. The study will generally provide contribution for the improvement in using English as instructional language in teaching learning activities.

AN ANALYSIS ON THE SPEAKING CLASSROOM INTERACTIONS AT THE TENTH GRADE OF SMA NEGERI X

SKRIPSI AN ANALYSIS ON THE SPEAKING CLASSROOM INTERACTIONS AT THE TENTH GRADE OF SMA NEGERI X

1. Background of the Study

In the classroom students do their educational activity - learning - but they also do another activity like playing and socializing with their friends. Classroom is a small miniature of wide society filled in with many elements. Classroom is a real social context where its elements (teacher and learner) enter into equally real social relationship each other, but, in the sense of education, it's an artificial environment for teaching, learning, and using a foreign language.

The process of teaching and learning is the most common element in the language classroom. Language teaching, in a simple word, can be defined as the activities which are intended to bring about language learning. It is assumed that language teaching is proposed to help people to learn and use the language. According to Dewey in Risk (1985 : 6), language teaching is the direction or the guidance of learning. Learning, as every body knows, refers to the acquisition of knowledge and skill. Based on these definitions, then, language learning will be placed in appropriate definition as the learning to have knowledge and skill in language.

The process of teaching and learning almost occurs in the classroom. Tsui (1995 : 1) defines classroom as a place where more than two people gather together for the purpose of learning, with one having the role of the teacher. Classroom is not a place where the teacher just carries out predetermined routines, but rather than a place where various elements interact one another. These elements are the teacher with their educational background, the students, experience, knowledge, and expectation and also the activity in the classroom.

Language learning occurs through meaningful interaction. Interaction, then, will certainly involves students. In other words, it can be said that language learning is a two-way interaction between all the elements in class. Those elements handle the same significant role in deciding whether the learning will achieve its aim or not. Each element cannot dominate the others. The teacher, then, handles a significant role in creating an atmosphere that stimulates students to participate in the classroom. The teacher also has to plan certain activities and interactions in order to achieve or produce a particular behavioral outcome.

According to Anderson, as quoted by Skinner (1984 : 4-6), the teacher's role in the classroom can be described under three broad categories : (1) Selecting and organizing material (The teacher has to select and organize the material to be learned); (2) Guiding and directing learning; and (3) Evaluation to know how well he has done as a teacher and how well his students have learned.

One important element, besides the teacher, is the students that also play many significant roles. In the language classroom, the students can be positioned as object; but sometime they have to put themselves as subject. It means that they are not only as receiver but also as an independent one who can speak up, give ideas, and contribute to language in the classroom. As Chaudron's opinion (1998 : 9) learners have their own initiative, productivity, and strategies in classroom learning rather than passive absorption of the teachers' information of precise adherence to the performance of classroom activities.

In the speaking classroom, the teacher and the students have significant roles to the process of teaching and learning. These elements (teacher and students) constantly interact one another in which the teacher and the students are the main subjects. In speaking class, the teacher is not allowed to dominate the class where he keeps talking or giving more question. Each element has as much to contribute as very other participant in determining the direction and outcome of the interaction.

Interaction simply means communication which implies more than one person. The importance of interaction is explained by Rivers (1981 : 160-162) : "Through interaction, students can increase their language store as they listen to or read authentic material, or even the output of their fellow students in discussion, skits, joint problem solving tasks, or dialogue journals. In interaction, students can use all they possess of the language -all they have learned or casually absorbed - in real-life exchange. Even at an elementary stage, they learn in this way to exploit the elasticity of language" (Brown, 1994 : 159).

Ellis (1988 : 94) states the role of interaction into following points : (1) when learners are addressed by fully component speakers of language, the latter adjust both the formal and discourse levels of the language they use. Learners also employ certain strategies to enable communication to take place; (2) there is insufficient evidence to decide whether these interactional modifications are responsible for the route learners follow in Foreign Language Development (FLD) or Second Language Development (SLD), although it would seem unlikely that those are the major determining factors. There is an evidence to suggest that the types of learners' interactions developed by the influence of the rate progress; and (3) Interaction contributes to development because it is the means by which the learner is able to crack the code.

In the speaking classroom, interaction should be encouraged. In other words, it is the teacher's responsibility to promote the interactive language teaching in the class. In the interaction, however, teacher should not dominate the class, instead facilitate students in practicing speaking as much as they possibly can. As Rivers says :

"For the genuine interaction language learning requires, however, individuals (teachers as well as students) must appreciate the uniqueness of other individuals with their special needs - not manipulating or directing or deciding how they can or will learn, but encouraging them and drawing them out (educating), and building up their confidence and enjoyment in what they are doing". (1987 : 9)

From the explanation above, we know that interaction in the language classroom is very important in the process of teaching and learning. In the speaking classroom, how the teaching-learning process run well also depends on the interaction between the teacher and the students. Therefore, understanding the interaction happening in the speaking classroom is also very important. Based on the description above, the writer is interested to study the interaction in a language classroom - especially speaking - of the tenth grade in the Senior High School.

2. Identification of the Problem

Related to the background of the study, there are some problems that may arise. The writer identifies the problems as follows :

a. How is the English teaching process at SMA Negeri X?

b. How is the English learning process at SMA Negeri X?

c. How is the interaction between the teacher and the students in the Speaking classroom?

d. What kinds of feedback does the teacher use in the speaking classroom interaction?

e. What are the problems faced by the teacher in the speaking classroom interaction?

f. What can English teacher do to overcome the problems?

g. How can the teacher and the students overcome the problems?

3. Limitation of the Problem

In order to reach the expected goal, the writer limits the problems on the following terms :

a. The study is limited to the pattern of interaction happening in the speaking classroom.

b. The writer stresses the analysis on the percentage of teacher's talk and student's talk in the speaking classroom interaction.

c. The population of the research is limited to the tenth grade students of SMA Negeri X.

The method used in this study is descriptive method and the data are analyzed by using FLint system.

4. The Formulation of the Problem

The problem discussed can be stated as follows :

a. How is the percentage of the teacher's talk and the student's talk occurring in the speaking classroom interaction?

b. What patterns of interaction happen in the speaking classroom interaction?

c. What kinds of problems occur in the speaking classroom interaction?

5. The Benefit of the Study

From this study, it is expected that the result of the research can give a contribution to the language teaching and learning in general. To the researcher, many new valuable experiences in language education are useful for her preparation to be an English teacher in the future. To the teacher and the students, this study is very useful because they will get much information related to their activities in the classroom, especially in what patterns are the interactions between the teacher and the students happened in the speaking classroom. The teacher can also identify the problems arising in the speaking interaction and able to overcome them. Hopefully, the description of the interaction in the speaking classroom can give a valuable input to improve the quality of language teaching and learning.

THE EFFECT OF TEACHER CERTIFICATION ON THE QUALITY OF ENGLISH TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS

SKRIPSI THE EFFECT OF TEACHER CERTIFICATION ON THE QUALITY OF ENGLISH TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS

A. Background of Study

Education is an effort which is done by people to develop their self-competence through a process of learning. Ernst von Glasersfeld, the "father" of constructivism (in www.englishfirst.com) believes that education has two main purposes : to empower learners to think for themselves, and to promote in the next generation ways of thinking and acting that are deemed important by the present generation. Empowering the learner means that teachers should relinquish some of their power and hand it over to the learner. As mentioned in Undang-Undang Dasar Republik Indonesia Section 31 (1) every citizen has the rights for education, the government gives the same chances for all citizens to get education no matter whether they are rich or poor. This regulation shows that our government does admit the importance of education for their people.

The quality of human resource of a nation is easily judged by the number of literate population living in it. It means that education is a must if a nation aims at achieving growth and development. This may explain the fact that rich and developed nations of the world have very high literacy rate and productive human resource. Realizing the importance of quality education, the government has been doing many steps to develop the education in Indonesia.

The steps include the massive funding of education, the improvement of education qualification, educator competence and certification as well the increase of human resources in education. Among other steps were the application of information communication, and technology (ICT) for e-learning and e-administration programs, the development and reconstruction of education facilities and the substantial reform in textbook supplies for school children.

The government allocated Rp 11,5 trillion for five programs of education in 2007. They are school operational fund (Bantuan Operasional Sekolah/BOS), textbook procurement aid, student special assistance, quality management operational fund and scholarship programs. Since 2005, the ministry of education has applied an ICT-based library network system in 10 state universities and conducted ICT-based learning in 125 senior high schools in 125 regencies across the country. The development of school facilities is also considered to be part of the ministry's breakthroughs. This covers building new schools, state universities, classrooms, libraries and laboratories.

Education facility is not the only education aspect that the government concern with. Since all aspects of education determine the quality of education, teacher, as one of the important components of education, has a vital position in society. Teacher is one of the main pillars of a sound and progressive society. They bear the weight and responsibility of teaching, and, apart from parents, are the main source of knowledge and values for children. He acts as a pivot for the transmission of intellectual traditions and technical skills from generation to generation. He is also being recognized as the most vital factoring any educational system. He is the key of quality education and the foster parent of the child. Child looks up to him for knowledge, wisdom, manners, morals inspiration, enlightenment, and so on.

A teacher performs many functions in the classroom for the comprehensive development of the students. Teacher keeps the students safe, decides what is important for the students to learn, presents a rich and organized body of information to students, protects and improves the students' self-esteem, provides an environment for the students to explore a variety of experiences, helps students to use technology-related tools to accomplish certain tasks, makes sure that the students are prepared for the next level of education, loves and nurtures the students.

Teacher can influence his students since students believe him as a trusted source of knowledge. If a teacher is incompetent and the students follow him, they will grow up with a 'wrong' understanding about certain knowledge. There are many cases a student comes home with a wrong understanding and when parents are trying to correct it, they will say "But my teacher said so. My teacher can't be wrong". Therefore, the competence of teachers should be improved.

It is mentioned in the first chapter Of Act of the Republic of Indonesia Number 20, Year 2003 On National Education System with the One and Only God's Mercy President of the Republic of Indonesia that educators mean teaching staffs who have the qualification to be teachers, lecturers, counselors, learning guides (pamong belajar), senior instructors (w idyais-wara), tutors, instructors, facilitators, and other titles in accordance with their specialization, and who participate in the provision of education. Laurence D. Hazkew and Jonathan C. Me Lenon in Hamzah B. Uno (2007 : 15) say that a teacher is a professional person who conducts classes. Still in Hamzah B. Uno (2007 : 15), Jean D. Grambs and C. Morris Me. Clare define teachers as persons who consciously direct the experiences and behavior of an individual so that education takes place. By the definition above, it can be synthesized that a teacher is a professional person and therefore, they are expected to have professional competence.

A teacher, as a professional educator, should fulfill 3 requirements : (1) having academic qualification, (2) having competency, (3) having teacher certificate (Diknas, 2006 : 4). The competency of teacher can be classified into four areas of competency, namely : pedagogical, personal, professional, and social competency. In brief, each competency encompasses the following : (1) the pedagogical competency is a teacher's ability to manage students' learning which includes lesson plan, learning evaluation, and students' potency actualization (2) the personal competency includes demonstrating certain characteristics, such as faith and devoutness, stability, maturity, sensibility, etc. Teacher should be critical and skeptical in doing his duty to deliver his lesson (3) the social competency is teachers' ability to be part of the community such as communicating and socializing effectively with students, fellow teachers, teaching staff, and students' parents. (4) The professional competency is teachers' ability to master science, engineering, and/or art (in other words, content or subject knowledge).

As a part of efforts to enhance the academic qualification and competence of teachers, the ministry of education provided scholarships to 170,000 teachers to attain their university diplomas in 2007. Every scholarship recipient was allotted Rp 2 million per year. A total of 12,065 lecturers were also granted scholarships to finish their master and doctoral degrees. This program cost the government Rp 236.6 billion in 2007.

Another program which is set by the government in order to enhance the competency of teacher is the teacher certification program. Teacher certification is a process of giving an educator certificate to teachers who have fulfilled the requirements (Samani et al, 2008 : 1). The goals of this program are : (1) to determine the qualification of a teacher in doing his duty as a professional educator, (2) to enhance the process and result of teaching and learning, (3) to increase the welfare of teachers, (4) to raise teacher's prestige; in the effort of creating a qualified national education.

Teachers who have been certified will get profession subsidy as big as their main salary. It is expected that this policy will encourage teachers to work professionally and improve their teaching quality so that the goal of education can be reached. This program began in 2007 and was aimed at ensuring that state teachers have pedagogic, professional, social and personal competence. It is also being applied to 210,600 contract teachers as the government plans to appoint all of them as civil servants by 2008 at the latest.

The teacher certification program is based on the Act of the Republic Indonesia number 14/2005 on Teacher and Lecturer, the Act of the Republic Indonesia number 20/2003 on National Education System, and the regulation of National Education Minister Number 18/ 2007 about teacher certification. Government believes that this program is the right medicine for the poor quality and payment of education. Launched in 2006, the program is aimed at certifying 2.7 million state and private school teachers in 2015.

Nowadays, many teachers have been certified, either by portfolio assessment or by attending teacher training. By passing this program, it is believed that they have good capabilities in teaching their students. It is proved by the documents they submit and teaching assessment by the evaluator. Certified teachers are believed to perform better than teachers who have not been certified. People assume that they have enough competencies in teaching. Educators, policy makers, media, and public equate teacher quality with teacher certification.

In fact, many teachers do not follow the process of teacher certification program fairly. There are some cases of deceit done by the teacher certification program participants. Take as an example, a few months ago there was a teacher who was excluded from the certification process by the evaluator because he was found copying other's scientific writing in order to fulfill the teacher certification requirements. It is only one example of many deceits found during the teacher certification program.

The other case is that teachers perform their best only during the program but not after it. Teachers have high motivation to arrange lesson plans and attend any seminars related to their major. The problem is that they do these activities not because they want to enhance their quality of teaching but because they want to pass the certification program and get the profession subsidy. Much skepticism appears from different people related to the teacher certification program. The validity of teacher certification program is being questioned. They are not sure whether teachers who have passed the teacher certification program are really professional teachers, teachers who are eligible to teach. Many assumptions state that teacher certification program is only a waste of time and money since teachers are only interested in the high salary without any quality improvement.

Teacher certification is like a candle in the dark for teachers since it offers a raise of profession subsidy for teachers. On the other hand, government hopes that by the process of teacher certification, teachers will be encouraged to improve their quality in teaching, not only during the process of certification but also after the process. Many teachers have high motivation to give their best performance during the teacher certification program. But, whether they keep their best performance after the process is the question that the researcher also deals with. In this research, the researcher is interested to find out the extent of teacher certification affects the quality of English teaching and learning process.

Since the main purpose of teacher certification program is to enhance the professionalism of teachers, certified teachers should be teachers who are professional and vice versa. However, there have been many rumors saying that certified teachers do not always lead to professionalism. These rumors may come arise because the phenomenon showing that teachers do not make lesson plan, use various method in teaching, make use of media, or arrange a good evaluation mechanism. Therefore the researcher is interested to conduct the study in SMAN X. The researcher chooses SMA N X as the object of the study because it represents the requirement for conducting the research since all of the English teachers in SMA X have been certified. The writer is eager to find out the extent of teacher certification affects the quality of English teaching and learning process in SMA N X.

B. Formulation of the Problem

In harmony with the background of the study exposed, the problem of this study is formulated as follow :

To what extent does teacher certification affect the quality of English teaching and learning process at SMA N X?

C. The Objective of the Study

Based on the formulation of the problem, this research is aimed at identifying to what extent the teacher certification can effectively affect the English teaching and learning process.

D. The Benefits of the Research

This research is mainly intended to find out the extent of teacher certification affect the quality of English teaching and learning process. It will be fruitful not only for the certified teachers but also the uncertified teachers and the government. The result of the research is expected to be able to give some advantages classified as follows.

For the researcher, this research is expected to give a good understanding about teacher certification and its effects on the English teaching and learning process. The results of the research are expected to be significant considerations in enhancing the quality of English teaching and learning process. In addition, this study also sharpens the inquiry of the researcher in doing research.

For the teachers, this research will provide them some basic information about teacher certification program. This research will provide information for the teachers about the teacher certification mechanism and what should be done as further implications of teacher certification. With this in mind, it is expected that teachers who have been certified can teach their students better than before and develop themselves in order to perform their best in the classroom. And for the teachers who have not been certified, it is hoped that by reading the result of this study, they will understand how they should attend the teacher certification program and what they should do after the program. This study is also hoped to give motivation for the uncertified teachers to always improve their competencies.

For the government, this research provides some authentic data about teacher certification program and its effect on the quality of English teaching and learning process. The data include the teachers' lesson plan, result of interview with the teachers, and the result of classroom observation. Therefore, it is hoped that the government can take the result of this research into consideration for the betterment of teacher certification program and the development of teacher professionalism.