„developing‟ implies making the students aware of the significance of learning, able to communicate, and have meta cognition ability.
2.1.4 Junior High School Students
As a subject of the research, theoretical concept about teaching English to junior high school students is necessary to be presented in this chapter. The
discussion is distinguished into the characteristics of JHS students and the foundation of teaching English to junior high school JHS students.
2.1.4.1 The characteristics of junior high school students
Junior high school JHS level is a grade in which the students experience mass transition. It is regarded as one of the difficult transitions in human life as at the same
time students are adapting to cognitive changes, hormonally induced physical, emotional that effect their psychology, and, they suddenly enter new educational
environments that are typically less encouragement, larger, more structured, more competitive, and more demanding academically. JHS students are generally expected
to be more independent and responsible for their own assignments as well as other commitments.
Considering the cognitive development, in general students of JHS as proposed by Piaget‟s perspective belong to formal operations stage age 11 or 12 through
adulthood Ormrod: 2011. Based on the theory, students in this stage are able to think concepts that have little or even no basis in concrete reality, prefer active over
passive learning experiences, prefer interaction with peers during learning activities, and respond positively to opportunities to participate in real life situations. In terms
of thinking development, they can logically recognize abstract thing and foster
scientific reasoning such as formulating hypothetical ideas, formulating multiple hypotheses, and separating and controlling variables.
From psychological point of view, students of JHS start knowing the concept of personality and search for identity. In
www.etsd.org , it is mentioned that JHS
students increasingly behave in ways associated with their sex. It is seen from the way they feel reluctant to work in group with friend in different sex but concern
about peer acceptance mostly with the same sex. In terms of personal mood, they swing very unpredictably thus are more sensitive in personal criticism.
The theories are supported by Brown 2001 in more collaborative way. The first, JHS students increasingly experience intellectual capacity of abstract
operational thoughts. The second, attention spans are increasing as a result of intellectual maturation however due to many distraction, it can be easily decreased.
The third, students very often find problems about ego, self-image, and self-esteem. The fourth, in relation to grammar and vocabulary JHS students become adult-like in
their ability to make a switch from the „here and now‟ concept of immediate communicative contexts.
To help JHS students on the proper tract of transition mass, Niesen and Wise 2004, teachers and schools can do the following action. The first is encouraging
students‟ participation in extracurricular activities in the form of organizations, teams, and club to provide place that will contribute positively for their learning. The
second is encouraging parents‟ involvement. Teachers and schools can keep in touch with students‟ parents in monitoring students‟ behaviour as school time is limited.
The third is making a school as a community resource centre. School can not only
become a place to study but it should provide a centre of stress management and conflict resolution. The fourth, to avoid relationship gap, teachers and school should
provide opportunities for students to know each other. It can be done through getting students involved in service activities such as picking up trash around the school,
conducting a car wash to raise money for a class wide social activity, training students in peer mediation, or providing a child care training for students.
2.1.4.2 The teaching of English to junior high school students
