STUDENTS` PERCEPTION ON THE TOURIST HUNTING PROGRAM AS AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN SPEAKING ACTIVITY AT MTs. MUALLIMIN MUHAMMADIYAH YOGYAKARTA

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STUDENTS` PERCEPTION ON THE TOURIST HUNTING PROGRAM
AS AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN SPEAKING ACTIVITY AT MTs.
MUALLIMIN MUHAMMADIYAH YOGYAKARTA

A Skripsi
Submitted to the Faculty of Language Education
On a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan

Author:
Rahmad Saleh
20110540092

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE EDUCATION
UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH YOGYAKARTA
2016

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Approval Sheet
Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta
Faculty of Language Education
English Education Departement
We here by approve the Skripsi of
Rahmad Saleh
20110540092
Candidate for the degree of Sarjana Pendidikan

December 28th, 2016
Ika Wahyuni Lestari, S.Pd., M.Hum
The Skripsi Supervisor

December 28th, 2016
Puthut Ardianto, S.Pd., M.Pd.
Examiner 1

December 28th, 2016
Gendroyono, S.Pd., M.Pd.

Examiner 2

Yogyakarta, December 28, 2016

Gendroyono, S.Pd., M.Pd.
Dean of Faculty of Language Education

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Statement of Work`s Originality
I honestly declare that this skripsi, entitled “Students` Perception on the
Tourist Hunting Program as an Experiential Learning in Speaking Activity at Mts.
Muallimin Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta”, which I have written, does not contain
the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and references that
are cite in regulation with ethical standards of scientific paper.

Yogyakarta, December 28th, 2016
Author

Rahmad Saleh

20110540092

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Acknowledgement

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The biggest praise, gratitude, love, and honour are dedicated to Allah
SWT. Who has been spreading the blessing and mercies in my whole life time, so
that I could accomplish my little imperfect masterpiece flawlessly, skripsi.
Salutation and peace be upon to our prophet Muhammad SAW. Who has brought
us to get out of the stupidity to the cleverness era.
I would love to say a bunch of thanks to my beloved parents, Syahmin
Saleh and Yusniar. Also, to my beloved sisters, Dewi Purnama, Fitriana, and
Yuliana and Mrs. Maryam as my step mother. All of you are my inspiration who
never stop caring, supporting, and praying for me every time. May Allah bless and
mercy us in this world till in the paradise. Allahumma Amin..
Special gratitude belongs to my supervisor, Mrs. Ika Wahyuni Lestari.,
S.Pd., M.Hum., for supporting and guiding me in accomplishing this skripsi.
Thank you so much for extending compassion and flexibility when I needed it. I

also thank to Mr. Puthut Ardianto, S.Pd., M.Pd., and Mr. Gendroyono, S.Pd.,
M.Pd for valuable suggestions in completing my skripsi. I wholeheartedly
appreciate your dedication everything you have done to me.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all of the lecturers of English
Education Departement of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta for teaching,
and guiding me during my study in this department. I also thank to the staffs of

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Faculty of Language Education who help me during my study and my preparation
of graduation.
I would love to express my thanks to all my participants of this study
(Khalid, Haykal, Ragil, Hafidzon, and Faiz), my friends in EED of UMY, and all
my students in MTs. Muallimin Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, especially third
grade of class “C”. Thanks for giving me your spare time, valuable information,
support, prays, friendship, brotherhood, and togetherness. Hopefully, our
friendship, brotherhood, and togetherness bring us to the Jannah. Allahumma
Amin.. wa Jadzakallah alaikum khoiron katsiron.

Yogyakarta, December 28th, 2016

Rahmad Saleh

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Table of Contents
Tittle ............................................................................................................ i
Approval Sheet ............................................................................................ ii
Statement of Authenticity ........................................................................... iii
Acknowledgement ...................................................................................... iv
Table of Contents ....................................................................................... vi
List of Abbreviation .................................................................................... ix
Abstract ....................................................................................................... x
Chapter One Introduction.......................................................................... 1
Background of the Study ....................................................................... 1
Identification of Problem ....................................................................... 3
Limitation of the Study .......................................................................... 4
Formulation of the Problems ................................................................. 4
Purpose of the study .............................................................................. 5
Significant of the Study ......................................................................... 5

Chapter Two Literature Review ................................................................ 8
Speaking ................................................................................................ 8

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Speaking Activity .................................................................................. 9
Characteristic of The successful Speaking Activity ........................ 10
Problems With Speaking Activity ......................................................... 11
Experiential Learning ........................................................................... 13
Advantages of Using Experiential Learning ........................................ 14
Problems of Using Experiential Learning ............................................ 17
Characteristic of Experiential Learning ................................................. 18
Tourist Hungting Program ..................................................................... 19
Conceptual Framework ......................................................................... 21
Chapter Three Methodology ...................................................................... 26
Research Design .................................................................................... 26
Research Setting .................................................................................... 26
Research Participant .............................................................................. 28
Data Collection Technique .................................................................... 29
Data Analysis Technique ....................................................................... 30

Chapter Four Finding and Discussion ...................................................... 33
Student’s perception on the advantages of the Tourist Hunting Program
as an english speaking activity............................................................... 33

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Student’s perception on the problems faced by students of
MTs. Muallimin muhammadiyah yogyakarta in conducting tourist
hunting program................................................................................... 41
Chapter Five Conclusion and Suggestion .............................................. 47
Conclusion ………….......................................................................... 47
Suggestion …………........................................................................... 48
References ................................................................................................. 50
Appendix 1 ............................................................................................... 54
Appendix 2 ............................................................................................... 55

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List of Abbreviation
EFL

: English as a Foreign Language

ESL

: English as a Second Language

THP

: Tourist Hunting Program

MMMY

: Madrasah Mua`llimin Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta

MTMMY

: Madrasah Tsanawiyah Mua`llimin Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta

MTs.

: Madrasah Tsanawiyah

MA

: Madrasah Aliyah

UMY

: Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta

e.g

: Example

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Abstract
Speaking is the fundamental need that should be mastered by ESL and EFL
students. Madrasah Mua`llimin Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta has implemented the

Tourist Hunting Program whose goal is to improve students’ English speaking
skill. Although the Tourist Hunting Program has been implemented for about five
years, it has not been supported and evaluated yet. This research aims to reveal
and investigate the advantages and the problems faced by the students of MTs.
Mua`llimin Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta in implementing the Tourist Hunting
Program as an experiential learning in speaking activity. This research is a
qualitative research using in-depth interview as the research instrument. The
participants of this research consist of five students who are in eighth and ninth
grades of MTs. Mua`llimin Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. The result suggests that
the implementation of the program can improve student`s public speaking skill
quality and enrich students’ mastery of vocabulary. It can also increase the
students’ self confidence. Besides, it can increase the students’ linguistic
competence and broaden the students’ insight. Moreover, this program can
encourage students to love English subject and finally becomes means of
students’ English skill training/practice. However, there are several problems
faced by the students, i.e. lack of the time allocation, lack of grammar and
vocabulary mastery, too large amount of students, and the lack of funding given
by the school.
Keywords: english speaking proficiency, tourist hunting program,
experiential learning.

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Chapter One
Introduction
This chapter discusses the introduction of the study. This chapter is
divided into five (5) sections: background of the study, identification of the
problem, limitation of the study, problem formulation, objectives of the study, and
the significances of the study.
Background of the study
English language proficiency consists of four skills: listening, speaking,
reading, and writing. Nevertheless, among these four skills, speaking seems to be
a fundamental need that should be mastered by students of ESL (English as a
second language) and EFL (English as a Foreign language). It is because of the
development of science, especially literature demands in which all people have to
be able to communicate using English as one of the international languages. As
Nazara (2011) stated that for several reasons, speaking has always been
considered as the most essential skill to be mastered. Therefore, many educational
institutions in Indonesia provide English lesson to improve students` English
proficiency. In addition, in order to encourage students’ motivation to learn
English, some schools facilitate various kinds of English activities for their
students, one of the examples is Madrasah Muallimin Muhammadiyah
Yogyakarta.
Madrasah Muallimin Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (MMMY) is an Islamic
boarding school in Yogyakarta. In developing religious and intellectual students,

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MMMY also provides many activities which are strongly helpful for the students
in encouraging their ability to master English speaking skill, for example the
Tourist Hunting Program.
The Tourist Hunting Program (THP) is one of the English speaking
activities which has function to emphasize students’ English speaking skill
improvement. While joining the activity, the students are prepared and guided by
an English teacher to go to some tourism places in Yogyakarta to find and to
interact with English native speakers. This activity will automatically challange
the studensts as an EFL students to learn English with native English speakers
directly as well as get to know how native speakers use the target language
confidently and fluently in the context of daily conversation. This program is
aimed to improve students’ English speaking skill. Moreover, the main goal of
this program is to help students solve nerve and fear of making mistakes in the
context of grammatical structure in speaking, and encourage students become
more confident to speak English with native speakers.
In 2015, the members of THP consisted of 70 students from different
grades that were the students of MTs. (junior high school students) and the
students of MA. (senior high school students). Nevertheless, the members who are
still active in joining the program until 2016 consist of 30 students from different
grades. The program is held three (3) times a week. On Sunday, they have some
practices in the school as the preparation before hunting tourists. Besides, on
Monday afternoon and on Friday morning until midday, they have an agenda that
is to practice their English speaking skill by hunting tourists in some tourism

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places such as Malioboro, Borobudur, and sometimes they do the tourists hunting
on the bus nearby Ngabeyan bus station. They all collaborate together and are
divided into some groups, then they are spread away to different places in order to
meet English native speakers.
Even though the Tourist Hunting Program has been implemented for about
five (5) years, it has not been supported and evaluated well. As the result, MMMY
does not really know whether the program has run well or not, whether the
program can give contribution toward students` English proficiency or not. Seeing
this circumstance, the researcher is interested in conducting the research in order
to know students` perceptions on Tourist Hunting Program conducted at MTs.
Muallimin Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (MTMMY).
Identification of the problem
This research discusses students’ perception on the Tourist Hunting
Program as their English speaking activity at MTs. Muallimin Muhammadiyah
Yogyakarta.
Based on the researcher`s observation in the formal class when he teaches
the students at MMMY, the researcher sees some problems faced by the students.
Those students’ problems are for examples: first, students have less enthusiasm to
participate in the classroom activity. Second, many of them get difficulty to
practice their English speaking ability. Third, while trying to show their English
speaking ability, most of the students get stuck and get difficulty to convey their
ideas. Those kinds of problems are faced by students of MMMY. Besides, the

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researcher also find that the English teacher as one of students` facilitators or
guides in running THP also get difficulty to control the students in the field by
himself. This is the reason why that English teacher is always accompanied and
helped by the students of senior high school (students MA. Muallimin
Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta) in order to control and manage the students who are
joining the program.
Limitation of the study
Based on the facts that happen, the researcher is interested in discovering
and analyzing the students` perception regarding the implementation of the
Hunting Tourist Program whether this program gives benefits for students or not.
The researcher focuses on the students` perception when conducting Tourist
Hunting Program, especially on its advantages and problems faced by the students
of MTMMY. The goal of the research is to know students` perception toward
THP conducted at MTMMY.
Formulation of the problems
There are two research questions disscused in the research:
1. What are the advantages of the Tourist Hunting Program as an experiential
learning in speaking activity as perceived by the students of MTMMY?
2. What problems are faced by the students of MTMMY in conducting
Tourist Hunting Program in the field?

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Purpose of the study
Related to the formulation of the problems, there are two purposes of the research:
1. To reveal the advantages of the Tourist Hunting Program as an
experiential learning in speaking activity as perceived by the students of
MTMMY.
2. To investigate kinds of problems that are faced by students of MTMMY in
conducting the Tourist Hunting Program in the field.
Significance of the study
This research is expected to give many contributions for the researcher,
Madrasah Muallimin Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta as the institution that conducts
the Tourist Hunting Program, the teachers, the students, and other researchers.
For the institution, MTMMY. In this research, the researcher reveals the
advantages and the problems in holding The Tourist Hunting Program conducted
by the students of MTMMY. By the explanation of the research results, MTMMY
can compare and manage the strengths and the weaknesses of using experiential
learning approach as their alternative way of teaching and learning process. Next,
the school can pay more attention to evaluate and support this Tourist Hunting
Program well.
For English teachers. This research gives information to the English
teachers of MTMMY about the advantages and the problems of using the
experiential learning activity, such as the THP can become English teachers`
consideration to solve potential obstacles that might happen in implementing such

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learning approach. Besides, this research also give a comprehension that the THP
as one of the English outside classroom activities might help and influence
students’ attention and interest to learn the English.
For the researcher. This research is very important for the researcher as
the candidate of English teacher at MMMY. It is because from the result of this
research, the reseacher is able to know the advantages and the problems of the
THP and it can become researcher`s consideration and anticipation to handle the
program for the students. Therefore, the researcher can give significant
contribution for the school to show the role of the THP as their additional English
learning practice in MTMMY. Moreover, accomplishing this research gives the
researcher many insights into some advantages of conducting the outside
classroom English learning activity that can become a reference for the next
researcher`s research.
For the student. This research gives many benefits and information for
the students of MMMY about THP. It is because from the result of this research,
the students can know the advantages and the problems of the THP and it can
become students`s consideration and anticipation to handle this program in the
field. Due to which, the students can have positive values about THP as their
additional English learning practice conducted by MTMMY.
For other researchers. This research can be a good reference for other
researchers who have the similar research topics dealing with English speaking
activity. Moreover, this THP enables the researcher and other researchers to

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research more about this study which is interesting to be investigated and
analyzed.

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Chapter Two
Literature Review
This chapter discusses the theories related to the study matter. The
researcher demonstrates three main points of the study. First, speaking
comprehension that comprises of the definition of speaking, speaking activity,
characteristics of a successful speaking activity, and problems in speaking
activity. Second, the definition of experiential learning, characteristics of
experiential learning, advantages of using experiential learning, and problems of
using experiential learning. Third, the explanation of the Tourist Hunting Program
and its implementation.
Speaking
Among four English language proficiency (listening, speaking, reading,
and writing), speaking seems to be the most important and difficult one to be
mastered by students of EFL in particular. As Nazara (2011) stated that for several
reasons, speaking has always been considered as the most essential skill to be
mastered. In addition, Hinkel (2005) said that the most complex and difficult skill
to be mastered is speaking. Speaking is a complex skill in comunication because it
involves a speaker and a listener. Speaking can also be defined as an English
communication skill with the purpose that is to convey well the messages to the
interlocutor or to express someones` opinions, intentions, idea, feelings and point
of views. It involves producing, receiving, and processing information. As Florez
(1999) stated that speaking is an interactive process of constructing meaning that

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involves producing, receiving, and processing information. Futhermore, in terms
of English proficiency, the measurement of EFL students’ succesful language
acqusition can be seenmostly from their speaking skill or their ability to interact
with other speakers of the target language. As Brown (2000) stated that the
success of the language acquisition can be seen from the demonstration of an
ability to accomplish pragmatic purpose of the use of the language itself through
an interactive discourse with other speakers of the language. In addition, Nunan
(1999) also said that a single most important aspect of learning the second or
foreign language is speaking and the success of learning the second or foreign
language is measured in terms of the ability to carry out the language
conversation.
Moreover, in this globalization era, speaking skill becomes a crusial skill
that should be mastered by the studentsof both ESL and EFL in order to help them
communicate well both in formal and informal situations. According to Osborn
(2008), if these learners were to achieve succes such as when attanding job
interview, or fulfilling other job-related task which needs the use of the second
language, the abilty to communicate orally in English especially becomes a crusial
thing. Besides, it is not only for the academic pupose, but also for professional
purpose.
Speaking activity.Speaking activity is usually defined as learners’
activity held in or outside the normal curricullum of educational institution, they
give more regular courses of classroom instruction and are sometimes organized
and conducted by their instructor. Moreover, according to Nunan (2004) speaking

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activity is the activity designed to engage learners in authentic, pratical, and
funtional use of language for speaking skill development purpose. Speaking
activity helps the students in developing their English proficiency and it gives
many chances for students to pratice their ability. It can be a must for the EFL
students to pratice their English ability as often as possible. As proverb says “the
more you practice, the more you will be expert”.
Characteristics of a Successful Speaking Activity. To know whether a
speaking activity is succesful run or not, it can be seen from some characteristics.
As Ur (1996) categorized some characteristics of a successful speaking activity,
those characteristics are:
First, learners talk a lot. Commonly, in learning process, the activity starts
with teacher talks or pauses the learners talk less than the teacher. Instead, in order
to have an effective speaking activity, the teacher should give the learners as
much as possible the period of time to talk more in the activity. This will
encourage learners of EFL to think more of how they participate well in the
activity and helps them in enriching more language linguistic acquisition. Second,
participation is even. When the classroom discussion or the activity is running,
sometime the activity is dominated by a minority of talkative participants. In this
case, the learners should be given a turn to get a chance to speak, and contribute in
the activity. Third, motivation is high. A good speaking activity starts from
learners’ high motivation. An interesting topic will help learners to speak eagerly
because they have a lot thought to say about it. Moreover, learners will try to
contribute well to achieve objectives of learning. Fourth, language is of an

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acceptable level. The last measurement of a successful speaking activity can be
seen from how the learners express themselves in utterances, whether the learners
easily comprehensible each other’s words, how their langauge accuracy in the
activity process.
Problems With Speaking Activity. Many students of EFL commonly
face the same problems with this speaking skill especially as the most difficult
skill to master. Zhang (2009) argued that for majority of the English learners’
speaking remains as the most difficult skill to master, and they are still
incompetent in communicating orally in English. In line with that, according to Ur
(1999), there are four common problems of English speaking activities that are
faced by most learners of EFL consisting of inhibition, nothing to say, low or
uneven participation, and mother tongue use (p. 121).
Inhibition. The term of inhibition refers to the condition where the
learners feel discomfort when they try to say something in the foreign language.
In speaking activities practice, commonly learners are inhibited to try saying
something in a foreign language especially English. It is because speaking skill is
unlike with the three other English skill such as listening reading and writing. It
requires some degree of real time exposure to their interlocutor or audience.
Therefore, many learnersare often too worried about making mistakes, fearful of
criticism or losing face, or simply learnersare shy that their speech might attracts
crowd’s attention.

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Nothing to say. In spite of the fact that learners of EFL have been
learning English since they were in elementary school until they are in the junior
high school, mostly the learners still get mixed up or confused of the precise
word or even unwilling to convey their ideas, thought, or feeling eventhough they
probably are not inhibited. They cannot think of anything to say and seems no
motivation to express themselves beyond the guilty feeling that they should be
speaking. Morozova (2013) mentioned that unwillingness to communicate to
other is the reason of poor speaking of Russian students.
Low or uneven participation. The term of this problem indicates that there
are some active/dominate students in the classroom activity when it is in the
teaching and learning process. When a talkative participant dominates to speak, as
the activity regulation to achieve a task, this means that other learners will have
only very little time to speak in order to improve their speaking ability. This
problem is actually caused by the tendency of some learners who have got used to
express themselves confidently, while others speak very little because they have
less confidence and even they choose not to speak at all. As Chamot explained in
his article that if the students undergo the poorest condition of speaking, lack of
practice, they tend to be reluctant to speak in the classroom activities (as cited by
Madsa, 2012, p.1).
Mother-tongue use. In the middle of the activity, many learnes neglect the
rule of expressing themselve using foreign language. Some learners probably feel
unnatural to speak to one other using a foreign language. They tend to and prefer

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to use their mother tongue, they perhaps think it will become more exposed and
easier to convey their thought.
Experiential Learning
In 1980, David Kolb has created a learning theory called as experiential
leaning. Experiential learning refers to a style of learning that tends to be oriented
to the activity which is encouraging the studentsto interact with the environment,
including the situations and people involved. According to Majid (2016),
experiential learning is a learning strategy that is centred to the students and
oriented to the activity. This learning strategy tends to emphasize on the learning
process that can be more important for the students. Learning to learn is more
important than learning a particular chunk of subject matter (Nunan, 2004). In the
classroom, experiential learning is seen as transformation of knowledge within the
learner rather than from the teacher to the learner. While the teacher acts as a
facilitator and students get to manage their own learning, and with this awareness
the students are given some autonomy. This will help students reach the goal of
language learning as well as to reach a communicative compentence that achieves
a desirable goal through engaging in intercultural communication, with the
balance between external factors (learning enviorement) and internal factors
(language learner and his beliefs, concepts, preferences, etc.) in the language
learning (Kohonen, 2000).
The experiential learning can be used both inside the class and outside the
class. It is learning by doing and may takes place during a short period of time,

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such as during a workshop, or during regularly scheduled sessions of an activity.
It promotes personal exploration of feelings and behaviors in an educational
format. During experiential learning, the students try out strategies and procedures
of an action theory, gets results and feedback, and then organize present
information and experiences into an action theory. As Kolb (1984) said that
experience as the source of learning and development.
The purpose of this learning strategy is more than just orienting the
students to master the lesson by memorizing delivered facts or materials of
learning. Nevertheless, the orientation of the leaning is to give experience for a
long period. As Malik (2016) stated that learning style of the experiential learning
tends to be oriented to give experience for a long period. Furthermore, the
expected result of learning is more meaningful for the students.
Advantages of using experiential learning. This learning strategy
(experiential leaning) facilitates many meaningful and fun learning process for
students. Nevertheless, the primary purpose of using this strategy is to give many
advantages knowledge for student and consistently well guided. The advantages
and disadvantages of using the experiential learning is described in detail in
Learning Strategy (Malik, 2016), those are:
Motivate students` participation. Teaching a foreign language for the EFL
learners especially English needs a strategy of teaching that can encourage
students to take their chance to participate in the activity. If the students do not be
given a turn to contribute in the activity, they will not get used to practice. As the

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result that, the students get difficulties in learning English speaking skill.
Moreover, it will give bad impact toward their motivation to participate in every
English activity. As Alharbi (2015) stated that the students who are only being a
listener and a receiver of knowledge without getting the chance to speak in the
activity, for example responding answer-question session tend to face difficulties
in learning English speaking skill.
In this case, the experiential learning trains the learners to show their role
in the activity and to get the learners used to take a turn or a chance to speak with
their interlocutor as their contributions in the activity. As Ur (1996) argued that a
succesful language learning can be seen from students’ participation to take their
turn to speak in the activity. Therefore, implementing the experiential learning
will let the learnerstry to contribute and participate well to achieve the objective of
the task with fun and real learning atmosphere both for teachers and students.
Develop students` confidence and competence in their speaking ability.
Experiential learning method supports a practical and useful speaking activity that
trains EFL learners to get used and to encourage learners to speak eagerly in the
real situation. Experiential learning activity trains the learners to face and
overcome their shyness in conveying their thoughts or ideas and in performing
their English speaking ability. They will get used to take a part to contribute in the
conversation or activity to solve or accomplish the task naturally. Moreover, the
learners will not see their task or activity as a formal or as a controlled role play
that probably makes some students shy to speak out.

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In addition, implementing experiential learning will enable the learners to
get a different dimension of learning style that can strongly boost learners
motivation in learning foreign language. As many people have known well that
motivation has an important role as a fundamental thing in learning process
especially to encourage the learners to be more confident and to enjoy in
participating in their learning process. As the result, when the learner feels more
confident and enjoy to participate their learning process, then it can guarantee the
successful learning. In this line, Andreas argued that one of the key points of a
successful students` learning is motivation (as cited in Juhana, 2012). In addition,
Gardner (2001) also explained that different language activity provides learners
with additional opportunities to boost all the three components of motivation: to
learn the language, achieve their learning goals and enjoy the language learning
experience. From this perspective, when the learner get those three components of
motivation the learners will have better confidence and for sure when they
confidently participate in the activity and their competence of English speaking
proficiency will be more getting developed.
Increase students` retention about what is learned. English speaking
knowledge that students have learned in the classroom can easily be expressed by
students through the implementation of experiential learning activity. It is kind of
a brush up of what students have learned in the formal setting in the classroom
especially. The experiential learning activity as one of the effective tool to be
applied deeply and naturally by students of EFL in practicing what they have
learned about speaking competence or ability with their teacher in the classroom.

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Problems of using experiential learning. Although the experiential
leaning has many advantages for students, in implemeting this experiential
learning also has some problems for the student. Some problems that are
commonly faced by the students in implementing the experiential learning as
described by Malik (2016) in detail in Strategy Pembelajaran such as:
Expensive cost. Probably running this kind of experiential learning
activity is quite different from the learning process generally. It is because the
educational institution where the students study there have to spend cost to
accomodate or facilitate the students as a supporting learning. Even, sometimes
students also have to spend their own cost in case.
Need long time. It cannot be denied that in the implementation of
experiential learning activity, it needs much time process to run it. It is because
basically the main purpose of this experiential learning activity tends to be
oriented to give much experience for a long period. The activity which is ran
outside the classroom generally encourages learners to interact with the
enviorenment including the situation and the people involved. Thus, this learning
style is more emphasizing on the learning process, not on the result commonly.
However, the expected result of learning is the students get more meaningful
learning for a long period.
The students` safety. The safety is one of a big challanges in
implementing this experiential learning activity for students. To implement the
experiential learning, students have to be divided into some groups and spread
away to the target field that it depends on what kind of activity which needs to be

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done. Therefore, it is strongly needed a big monitor by a teacher as a fasilitator to
guide them in order to run the activity well and safely.
Characteristics of Experiential Learning. Based on the Kolb Learning
Style Inventory book written by Kolb (2005), in implementing this experiential
learning, the teacher must pay attention to the six propositions that are shared by
these scholars. Those characteristic are:
First, learning is best conceived as a process, not in terms of outcomes. To
improve learning in higher education for the learners, the main focus should be in
engaging the learners in a process that best enhances their learning. The process
itself should be included feedback on the effectiveness of their learning efforts.
Through this experiential learning, the outcomes represent only historical record,
not the knowledge itself of the future. This emphasis of the process of learning
differs the experiential learning from idealist approaches of traditional education
and from the behavioral theories of learning. Second, all learning is relearning.
Learning is best facilitated by a process that draws out the students’ beliefs and
ideas about a topic, so the students can be examined, tested, and integrated with
new, more refined ideas.
The third characteristic is that learning requires the resolution of conflicts
between dialectically opposed modes of adaptation to the world. Conflicts,
differences, and disagreement influence the learning process. In the process of
learning, one is called upon to move back and forth between opposing modes of
reflection and action and feeling and thinking. Fourth, learning is a holistic
process of adaptation to the world. It is not just the result of cognition but involves

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the integrated functioning of the total person thinking, feeling, perceiving, and
behaving. Fifth, learning results from synergetic transactions between the person
and the environment. In Piaget’s terms, learning occurs through equilibration of
the dialectic processes of assimilating new experiences into existing concepts and
accommodating existing concepts to new experience.
The last characteristic of experiential learning is that learning is the
process of creating knowledge. ELT proposes a constructivist theory of learning
whereby social knowledge is created and recreated in the personal knowledge of
the learner. This stands in contrast to the “transmission” model on which much
current educational practice is based, where pre-existing fixed ideas are
transmitted to the learner. Those six characteristics of experiential learning
seemshas similarity in terms of the way MMMY conducts an English program for
their students which is called as Tourist Hunting Program.
Tourist Hunting Program
MMMY school as a forming of cadres school has strong emphasis on the
English language proficiences. The school conducts an English activity which is
called The Tourist Hunting Program. THP was firstly started by an English
teacher named Mr. Muhammad Ali Akbar. It has been implemented since 2011
until now, nevertheless it was officially declared by the school in 2013. The
program includes English activities where the students are prepared and guided to
go to some tourist places to find and interact with English native speakers there.
As Bygate (1987) stated that EFL students should acquire the knowledge of how
native speakers use language in the context of structured interpersonal exchanges

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in which many factors interact. This activity included communication, interaction,
learning and practice of English proficiency.
This program is formulated both for student of junior high school (MTs.)
and student of senior high school (MA) of MMMY. This program has some rules
that should be paid big attention by the students. Those rules, such as the students
must use English as the main term to communicate with the native speaker of
English. Besides, they must keep their behavior and politeness while they are
trying to communicate with the native speakers of English in the conversation.
Moreover, they must avoid some questions that relates to the private things of
their interlocutor such as about their religion, job, financial, and etc. In term of
time allocation, they must manage their time that given only about 2 to 3 hours to
take in turn in the conversation with some the native speakers of English.
In addition, the purpose of this program is to help students to get used to
speak English with the result they have good improvement toward their
confidence when the speak English. It is corresponding with the charateristic of
experiential learning that learing is conceived as a process. Moreover, this
program as an outside English learning, have a purpose to encourages student`s
motivation toward their participation to learn English by challenge them to
interact and adapt with people and enviorement. It is in line with characteristic of
experiential learning that learning results from synergetic transaction between the
person and the enviorement. Robertson (2005) considers that in knowledge
society, the aim of education is not only to educate professional for a certain field,
but it has to help students be aware of cultural values, form human mutual

21

relationship, collaborate, be open, adapt to the new situation, creatively express
their ideas, accept responsibility and challenge. Therefore, the purpose of this
program also to train and to challenge the sudents to adapt and to solve the
problem in a real situation. It is in line with characteristic of experiential learning
that learning is a holistic process of adaptation to the world and requires the
resolution of conflict.
This THP is adjusted with the function to improve students` English
speaking skill which implements the experiential learning approach. Where this
experiential learning also as the learning activity which functions to encourage the
students to interact with the environment, including the situations and people
involved. The THP is as one of the example of public communication. In the
implementation of THP, the students are given a challenge to take in turn to
communicate face to face with their interlocutor or native speakers of English. As
Grice and Skinner (1995) said that public communication occurs when someone
speaks face to face to their interlocutor.
Conceptual framework
THP is an English activity where the student are challanged to try to
directly interact with English native speakers in a tourism place. THP is
developed by an English teacher of MMMY to confindently improve students’
English speaking proficiency. Based on the researcher`s analysis, this THP which
is implemented by the students of junior high school of Muallimin is designed
based on the principles of experiential learning approach.

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There are some advantages in implementing THP as experiential learning
for students of EFL especially. According to Malik (2016), experiential learning
activity contributes many advantages for students. The research here explaines
some of them such as: first, motivate students` participation. Experiential learning
activity gives difference dimension of English learning that can encourage
students to directly speak in turn with an English native speaker actively. As
Alharbi (2015) stated that the students who are only being listener and receiver of
knowledge without getting the chance to speak in the activity, for example
responding answer-question session tend to face difficulties in learning English
speaking skill.
The second advantage of experiential learning is that experiential learning
activity will develop students` confidence and competence toward their English
speaking activity. Experiential learning activity trains the learners to face and
overcome their shyness in conveying their thoughts or ideas and in performing
their English speking ability. They will get used to take a part to contribute in the
conversation or activity to solve or accomplish the task naturally. The last is
advantages that researcher analyzes that it increases students` retention about what
is learned.
Beside, there are also some problems for the students in implemeting this
experiential learning. Those problems for examples: first, inhibition. Most of
students are too worried about making mistakes, fearful of criticism or losing face,
or simply learners shythat their speech might attracts crowd’s attention. It is
because learners are commonly inhibited of trying to say something in a foreign

23

language especially English. The second problem is learners have nothing to say.
Many students cannot think of anything to say and seems no motivation to express
themselves when they want to try to speak in public. The third, low or uneven
participation. When talkative participant dominates to speak as the activity
regulation to achieve a task, this means other learners will have only very little
time to talk in order to improve their speaking ability. Fourth, mother-tongue use.
Many of students tend, even prefer to use their mother tongue when they speak in
foreign langugae. It is because they probably feel unnatural to speak to another
using a foreign language. Therefore, they neglect the rule of expressing themselve
using foreign language.
Moreover, besides some problems in the learners` linguistical side, there
are also some problems in terms of the implementation of the program such as:
first, expensive cost. Implemeting this experiential learning as if forces the
education institution that the students study there to spend more costs to
accomodate or facilitate the students as a supporting learning necessity. Even,
sometimes students also have to spend their own cost in case. Then, the second
problems are in terms of their linguistic and the time allocation. It cannot be
denied that the implementation of experiential learning activity needs much time
process to run it. It is because basically the main purpose of this experiential
learning activity tends to be oriented to give much experiences for a long period.
As according to Majid (2016), it needs much allocated time for students to run the
experiential learning in the field. The last, in terms of students’ safety, the
experiential learning seems like a challange to do. To implement the experiential

24

learning, a teacher as a fasilitator has to have a big attention in guiding their
students in order torun the activity well and safely.

25

Figure 1.1Conceptual Framework
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

THE TOURIST HUNTING PROGRAM

PROBLEMS
ADVANTAGES
1. Motivate students`
participation
2. Develop students`
confidence and
competence
3. Increase students`
retention about what is
learned

 Linguistic Problems
1. Inhibition
2. Nothing to say
3. Low or uneven participation
4. Mother-tongue use
 Implementation Problems
5. Expensive cost
6. Need long time
7. The students` safety

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Chapter Three
Methodology
This chapter discusses the research methodology of the study. It is divided
into five (5) sections. Those are research design, research participants, research
setting, data collecting techniques, and data analysis.
Research design
The study functions to propose students` perceptions toward the THP
implemented by MTMMY as their English speaking activity. The purpose is to
investigate students` perception on the advantages of the program and to discover
the problems faced in implementing the THP in the field. In accomplishing the
research, the researcher has considered to do a research qualitatively. According
to Creswell (2012) who argued that qualitative research is one of the methods in
conducting the research by an observation or an interview. Therefore, the
researcher considered that using qualitative method is appropriate design for this
study in investigating and analysing students` perception by an interview section.
In line with that, it is considered with developed explanation for further
information.
Research Setting
The reseacher conducted the research at MTMMY. There were some
reasons why the research conducted the research at MTMMY. First, MMMY is a
school that implements the THP for their students to improve students` speaking
skill. The second is the accessibility. According to Cohen (2001), the early factor
that must be decided in the research is the accessibility. In fact, MMMY as an

27

Islamic education institution was accessible for the researcher because the
researcher is one of the English teacher there. Third, the researcher was also as
one of the supervisors in students` dormitory stays at the same dormitory with the
students of second grade and third grade as the researchers` interviewee target.
Thus, it will make the researcher easier in terms of the researcher`s mobility to
obtain the data. In addition, the researcher conducted the interview section twice
in MMMY on Friday morning exactly at 08.00 AM until 10.00 AM, September
23 and 30, 2016. The reason why the researcher conducted at that time is that
MMMY held the weekend holiday on Fridays. So, both the participants and
researcher had efficient time allocation to conduct the interview section in the
dormitory of MMMY.
Table 1.1Time Setting of the Research
No

Agenda

1

Proposal defence

2

Proposal revision

3

Data collection

4

Data analisis

5

Writting chapter4&5

6

Thesis defense

7

Thesis revision

2016
Sept

Oct

Nov

Des

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Research Participants
In obtaining the data in the research, the researcher interviewed five
students of MTMMY that comprised of eighth and ninth grade of MTMMY. The
reason why the researcher took five participants was according to Cohen (2011)
argued that in qualitative research, there are no rules about size of sample,
meaning size is informed by “fitness for purpose”. There were about 35 students
from seven to nine grade of MTMMY who still actively joined the THP. Then, the
researcher took five students that were choosen based on their attandance in the
program. Moreover, those five students were recommended by their teacher or
supervisor based on their active participation and ability to speak English in
participating THP. Those students were three students from the eight grade and
two students from the nine grade. The researcher did not interview the members
from the seventh grade students bacause basically they were the beginner or new
members who have not much experience in doing THP. Besides, they have just
joined and implemented the program less than two semesters. Therefore, the
researcher did not take them as the