Data analysis technique RESEARCH METHOD

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1. Beliefs about Language

The responses of the items in the category of beliefs about language are presented in Table 4.1 which covers four items. Item 1 addresses the concept of structural view. Item 2 addresses functional or communicative view. Item 3 addresses interactional view and item 4 is the importance of accuracy and fluency in English learning. Table 4.1: Frequency of responses in and means for the beliefs about language Item Statement Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Mean X̄ 1 The most important part in learning English is grammar 1.9 15.5 74.8 7.8 2.12 2 I learn English by learning the language expression such as apologizing, advising, etc. 28.7 67.1 4.3 - 3.24 3 I learn English through conversation 14.0 67.1 19.0 - 2.95 4 English is not only about fluency but also accuracy 24.0 64.3 9.7 1.9 3.10 Table 4.1 shows 17.4 respondents agree that they learn English by learning grammar and 82.6 disagree X̄=2.12, 95.8 agree that they learn English by learning the expressions of language function and 4.3 disagree X̄=3.24, 88.3 agree that they learn English through conversation and 19 disagree X̄=2.59, 88.3 agree the importance of fluency and accuracy and 11.4 disagree X̄=3.10 See Appendix 2. There were three main themes to be discussed to clarify the students’ beliefs about language regarding the structural view, the functional view and interactional view. Responses to the items of stud ents’ beliefs about language showed that most of 50 participants view language as functions or language expression X̄=3.24 see detailed result in table 4.1. It means the participant support the importance of communicative functions and meaning in the language learning process. They consider the need to know how to use the rules and vocabulary to do whatever it is one wants to do Richards and Rodgers: 1986. Most of respondents 95.8 also agree that language learning as the way of achieving competence by initiating and maintaining interaction with others. Meanwhile, for structural view, 74.8 of the participants disagree that a language as a rule-governed system. It indicates the participants do not force their selves to master the language structure on their language learning process. However, a majority 88.3 pay attention on the importance of accuracy and fluency in learning English. This high percentage indicates that the participants have positive concern not only on the fluency but also on the appropriateness of their language. As for the theory of language, most of participants consider that language is about a vehicle for expressing functional meaning X̄=3.24. This was the highest compared to structural and interactional item. It means the participant consider the importance of communicative functions and meaning for the language learning process. This belief may due to their learning experience of having English learning process by studying functions of English. Since the implementation of School Based Curriculum KTSP 2006, the learning process emphasized the students to master language functions. This curriculum initiated a new way of how teaching materials were organized. Traditionally, syllabus had been organized around grammatical structures and vocabulary units. However, since 2006, it attempted to show what learners need to do with language and what meanings they need to communicate, and 51 organized the syllabus around functions and notions. Functions are communicative speech acts such as “asking,” “requesting,” “denying,” “arguing,” “describing,” or “requesting.” In brief, it seems that their learning experience through language functions had influenced the way they view English. This is in line with Mariani 2011 that a person’s overall previous knowledge and experience thus helps to shape herhis beliefs. Further, Puchta 1999 discussed that foreign language learners formed their beliefs through the modeling of significant others, one of whom is the foreign language teacher, and from repeating experiences. Accordingly, Huang 1997 found, in her interviews with high school EFL students in Taiwan, that the significant others by which the stud ents’ beliefs seemed to be influenced were teachers, perceived successful language learners, and mass media advertisements. These arguments suggest that beliefs about language learning are formed gradually through learners’ experience in language learning and may be influenced by agents in their learning process such as teachers. Moreover, the finding from Mohammad, Birjandi, and Maftoon 2015 also suggests that learner’ personal beliefs they held as their experience in the process of language learning. In conclusion, most of non-English major students in the present study reported believing language as functionalist view. They define as language expressions or functions. Some also support that language is about interaction and most of participant disagree if language is only about rule governed system. However, they thought that accuracy and fluency were important, and then both should receive attention.