learning progress is not developed since they do not practice and remember as well as concentrate on the language learning material that is taught.
In other word, the problems that cause students‘ difficulty in using past tense
are the teachers‘ wrong perception of English grammar teaching, the use of
ineffective teaching technique, and the wrong of students‘ learning habit in the class, as well as the low of students‘ learning motivation.
Further, to make students more motivated to learn, teachers can use media that becomes as a hot topic in language teaching and learning. The media is
computer. It is called as computer-assisted language learning CALL to describe the use of computer as a part in language learning process. To use CALL in
language learning, teachers need software such as Microsoft Power Point Macro- Enabled Show. By using Ms. Power Point Macro-Enabled Show, teacher can
create a language learning application which enables students to get explanation of the language learning material in an interesting way because it can be equipped
with picture, animation, sound, and video which attract students‘ attention and
empower faculties of retention to them. In addition, it can enable students to have a grammatical practice which is designed like a game. The game will
automatically show students‘ score after students have completely answered all questions in the game. In other word, this game can give students immediate
feedback for their learning and attract students to practice English grammar. Moreover, by using Ms. Power Point Macro-Enabled Show, teacher can integrate
grammar teaching with other English teaching material such as narrative text. Therefore, the teaching of grammar will not take a long time and disturb the
intended language learning material since it can be flexibly suited depending on the teachers‘ creativity.
From the explanation above, the writer is then encouraged to conduct a research entitled the effectiveness of computer-assisted language learning CALL
in teaching past tense to the tenth grade student of SMAN 5 Tangerang Selatan.
B. The Identification of the Problem
Based on the background of the study, there are four things that are regarded as problems which cause students‘ difficulty in using past tense as follows:
1. The teacher‘s perception of English grammar teaching is wrong,
2. The use of teaching technique is ineffective,
3. The students‘ learning habit in the class is deviant, and
4. The students‘ learning motivation is low.
C. The Limitation of the Problem
Since CALL is interesting to be used in this study, the problem of this study has to be limited only on examining the effectiveness of computer-assisted
language learning CALL in teaching past tense to the tenth grade student of SMAN 5 Tangerang Selatan.
D. The Formulation of the Problem
Thus , the problem of this study can be formulated as ―Is computer-assisted
language learning CALL effective in teaching past tense to the tenth grade students of SMAN 5 Tangerang Selatan or not?‖
E. The Objective of the Study
In other word, the objective for conducting this study is merely to find empirical evidence of whether or not computer-assisted language learning
CALL is effective in teaching past tense to the tenth grade students of SMAN 5 Tangerang Selatan.
F. The Significance of the Study
Finally, it is hoped that this study can produce benefits to the writer, readers, and further researchers in giving wide information about the teaching of past tense
using CALL and motivating them to do a better research about the use of CALL
in language teaching and learning as well as encouraging them to design a better application for teaching and learning grammar or other aspects of English.
7
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Grammar
1. Definition of Grammar
Definition of grammar is often changed. The shifting of grammar definition is merely to improve the old grammar perspective with the better one. In this
study, the old one refers to traditional view while the better one is functional view. Commonly, the teaching of English grammar in Indonesia is under an
assumption of traditional view point for the term of grammar. In this view, grammar is regarded as a set of rules that govern language behavior.
1
It describes how a speaker produces sentences using the words, and serves as a way to
manipulate language and combine words into sentences.
2
If we look more carefully, traditional grammar more focuses on the language form rather than
meaning. Moreover, this view left the importance of how to use grammar in real life. As stated by Alexander
3
, the primary concern of traditional grammar is with the forms of grammatical structures rather than with their meanings or uses in
different contexts. Therefore, the teaching of grammar with this view makes students not be able to connect grammar with their lives. Consequently, students
will feel grammar not meaningful to be learnt and finally their motivation to learn grammar will decrease.
On the contrary, the functional view includes a consideration of the structure functions and their meanings in context.
4
In this view, grammar is regarded not only as a set of grammatical forms, but also grammatical meaning and use as a
1
Marianne Celce Murcia and Sharon Hilles, Techniques and Resources in Teaching Grammar, New York: Oxford University, 1988, p. 16.
2
Peny Ur, Grammar Practice Activities: a Practical Guide for Teachers, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988, P. 4.
3
Graham Lock Alexander, Longman English Grammar Practice for Intermediate Students, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988, p. 1.
4
Ibid.
whole.
5
Thus, grammar deals with three dimensions i.e. form, meaning and use. This assumption leads teachers to teach grammar that should be meaningful in
context and also teach students how to use it. As a result, students can connect grammar with their lives and their motivation to learn grammar will increase.
In short, the two different main streams for the term grammar are traditional and functional views. The former more focuses on structure rather than meaning
and use whereas the last focuses on not only structure but also meaning and use. In this study, the functional view is preferred to be used to define grammar that is
described as a set of rules on how language can be formed and used as an acceptable and meaningful language in context.
2. Importance of Grammar
Grammar plays an important role in language teaching and learning. The importance of grammar is so many. The followings are the five importance of
grammar. First, it is the function of grammar as a structural foundation of language
skills.
6
Grammar is regarded as a structural foundation of language skill because of an assumption which states that learning language skills is like build a building.
Students have to build its foundation first before building its higher parts. If they do not make a strong foundation, the building will easily break and cannot be built
into a higher one. The foundation of this building is grammar. So, to develop students‘ language skill, teacher needs to teach grammar since the teaching of
grammar is so important for students as a foundation for their language skills. Second, it is the existence of grammar in language curriculum. As a language
element that is needed to develop and measure students‘ proficiency in English, grammar becomes to be a subject that has to be taught and tested in language
curriculum. It is on the language curriculum whether students like it or not. They
5
D. Laser Freeman, ―Teaching Language: From Grammar to Grammaring,‖ in Shu Yun Yu Ed., The Effects of Games on the Acquisition of Some Grammatical Features of L2 German on
Students’ Motivation and on Classroom Atmosphere A Thesis Published in Australian Catholic University, October 2005, p. 11.
6
K. Lynn Savage, et.al, Grammar Matters Teaching Grammar in Adult ESL Programs, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010, p. 3.
