Applying contextual teaching and learning in mastering the present continuous tense (A classroom ation research in the first grade of MTs khazanah kenijakan Pamulang)

APPLYING CONTEXTUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING IN
MASTERING THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
(A Classroom Action Research in the First grade of MTs Khazanah Kebajikan pamulang)

“Skripsi”
Presented to the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training
In Partial of Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of S.Pd (Bachelor of Arts) in English Language Education

By:
GUSRIANTI
205014000395

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TARBIYAH AND TEACHERS TRAINING
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
JAKARTA
2011

DEPARTEMEN AGAMA
UNIVERSITAS ISLAM NEGERI (UIN)

SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH JAKARTA
FAKULTAS ILMU TARBIYAH DAN KEGURUAN
Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No.95
Ciputat 15142 Jakarta

Telp: (62-21) 7443328, 7401925
Email: Uinjkt@Cabi.net.id

SURAT PERNYATAAN KARYA SENDIRI
Saya yang bertanda tangan dibawah ini,
Nama

: Gusrianti

Tempat/Tanggal lahir : Jakarta, 26 Agustus 1986
NIM

: 205014000395

Program Studi

: Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris

Judul Skripsi

: Applying Contextual teaching and Learning in
Mastering The Present Continuous Tense (A Classroom
Action Research in the First Grade of MTs Khazanah
Kebajikan Pamulang)

Dosen Pembimbing

: Drs. Nasifudin Jalil, M.Ag.

Dengan ini menyatakan bahwa skripsi yang saya buat benar-benar hasil karya
saya sendiri dan saya bertanggung jawab secara akademis atas apa yang saya tulis.
Pernyataan ini dibuat sebagai salah satu syarat menempuh Ujian Munaqasah.

Jakarta, 28 Juli 2011
Mahasiswa Ybs.

GUSRIANTI
NIM. 205014000395

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the Most Merciful
All praise to Allah, lord of the worlds who has bestowed upon the writer in
complement this “skripsi”. Peace and blessing be upon our prophet Muhammad
SAW, his family, his companions, and his followers.
This “skripsi” is presented to the English Department of the faculty of
Tarbiya and Teacher Training, State Islamic University Syarief Hidayatullah
Jakarta as partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of strata-1 (S1)
The writer would like to express her great honor and deepest gratitude to her
beloved Father (Hadisman), her mother (Yeni), her sisters (Sri wahyuni and Yanti
Rahmadhani) and all family who always provide the encouragement and incentive
for the writer to get on and complete this “skripsi”.
The writer also would like to express her great gratitude to her advisor Drs.
Nasifudin Jalil, M.Ag., for his valuable advices and guidance during the writing of
this “skripsi”.
Furthermore, her gratitude goes to a head of English education department,

Drs. Syauki, Neneng Sunengsih M.P.d as the secretary of English Education
Department, all the lecturers of English Education Department who have
transferred their knowledge and also for their valuable guidance and
encouragement to the writer. And the same respect is also addressed to Prof. Dr.
Dede Rosyada, M.A. as the Dean of the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teachers
Training Syarief Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta.
For all my friends in class B extension of the English Education Department
academic year 2005 that the writer cannot mention one by one who always help
and give supports to the writer in accomplishing this “skripsi”. The words are not
enough to say thank you for your help and motivation.
May Allah, the Almighty bless them all, amen.
Finally, the writer honestly claims that any found in this “skripsi” needs
suggestion from the readers.

Jakarta, July 28, 2011

The writer

ABSTRACT
Gusrianti. 2010. Applying Contextual Teaching and learning in Mastering

Present Continuous Tense (A Classroom Action Research at First
grade in MTs Khazanah Kebajikan Pamulang), skripsi, English
education Department, the faculty of tarbiyah and teachers training,
Syarief Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta.
Advisor: Drs. Nasifudin jalil. G. M.Ag
Keywords: Present Continuous Tense, Contextual Teaching Learning.
This study is aimed at knowing whether students ability in using the
present Continuous tense could be improved through Contextual Teaching and
Learning and describing the implementation of Contextual Teaching and Learning
in teaching the presenr continuous tense at first grade of MTs Khazanah
Kebajikan Pamulang. This study is related to the result of a preliminary study
show that the students were still lack of grammatical pattern understanding;
especially on present continuous tense.
This study used classroom action research (CAR) conducted to solve the
students‟ problem in understanding and using the present continuous tense. The
CAR was done based on Kurt Lewin‟s design, in which it was conducted into two
cycles. The subjects of this study were students of class VII-B of MTs Khazanah
Kebajukan Pamulang. The techniques used in collecting the data are observations,
interview, questionnaires, and test.
The finding of this study indicated that the implementation of Contextual

Teaching and learning was successful since the criteria of success were achieved.
The first criterion was 75% of students could pass the assessment score > 65
based on the KKM. The finding showed that 79.31 % of students had already
achieved the target score. Besides, the second criterion was the students who
become more active involved in learning process. The result of observation and
interview showed that students were active involved in the classroom. Based on
the finding mentioned before, the writer suggests that the English teacher could
implement the approach of Contextual teaching and learning in order to motivate
students in mastering present continuous tense.

ABSTRAK
Gusrianti. 2010. Applying Contextual Teaching and learning in Mastering
Present Continuous Tense (A Classroom Action Research at First
grade in MTs Khazanah Kebajikan Pamulang), Skripsi, Jurusan
Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Fakultas Ilmu Tarbiyah dan Keguruan,
Universitas Islam Negri Syarief Hidayatullah Jakarta.
Pembimbing: Drs. Nasifudin jalil. G. M.Ag
Kata Kunci: Present Continuous Tense, Contextual Teaching Learning.
Penelitian in ditujukan untuk mengetahui apakah kemampuan siswa
dalam penggunaan kalimat present continuous tense dapat ditingkatkan melalui

pembelajaran yng kontekstual dan untuk menjelaskan pelaksanaa pemnbelajaran
kontekstual dalam mengajarkan kalimat simple past tense pada siswa kelas tujuh
di MTs Khazanah Kenajikan Pamulang. Penelitian ini berdasarkan pada study
pendahuluan yang menunjukan bahwa siswa masih memiliki pemahaman yang
kurang pada pola tata bahsa; khususnya pada kalimat Present continuous tense.
Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian tindakan kelas yang
dilakukan untuk mengatasi masalah siswa dalam pemahamnan dan penggunaan
kalimat present continuous tense. Penelitian ini dilakukan mengikuti pola desain
kurt lewin, penelitian ini dilaksanakan dalam dua siklus. Suvjek penelitian ini
adalah siswa kelas tujuh MTs Khazanah Kebajikan Pamulang. Teknink yang
digunaklan dalam mengumpulkan data antara lain observasi, wawancara, angket
dan tes.
Hasil

dari

penelitian

ini

mengindentifikasi

bahwa

pelaksanaan

pembelajaran kontekstual dinyatakan berhasil dikarenakan tercapainya criteria
sukse. Kriteria sukses pertama adaklah 75% dari siswa dapat mecapai nilai lebih
dari 65, hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa 79.31% sudah mencapai nilai target.
Di samping itu , criteria yang kedua adalah siswa terlihat lebih aktif dalam
kegiatan belajar. Hasil dari observasi dan wawancara menunjukan bahwa siswa
terlihat lebih aktif di dalam kelas. Berdaasarkan hasil yang telah disebutkan,
penulis menyarankan kepada guru bahasa inggris untuk melaksanakan

pembelajaran yang kontekstual demi member motivasi kepada siswa dalam
pengajaran kalimat present continuous tense.

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix 1

Pretest , Posttest score of cycle 1, Posttest score of cycle 2……..57

Appendix 2

The graph Improvement of students score……………………… 58

Appendix 3

Observational Notes for need analysis before CAR……………. 59

Appendix 4

Observational Notes for need analysis in Cycle 1……………… 60

Appendix 5

Observational Notes for need analysis in Cycle 2……………… 63

Appendix 6

Interview Guidelines for the need analysis ( Before CAR )….… 64

Appendix 7

Interview Guidelines for the need analysis ( After CAR ).…….. 66

Appendix 8

The result of Pre Questionnaire.………………………………… 68

Appendix 9

The result of Post Questionnaire…………….………………….. 69

Appendix 10 Instrument of Pre Questionnaire for students…………………... 70
Appendix 11 Instrument of Post Questionnaire for students………………….. 71
Appendix 12 The blueprint test of pretest & posttest 1……………………….. 72
Appendix 13 The blueprint test of Posttest 2…………………………………..73
Appendix 14 Instrument of Pre test…………………………………………... 74

Appendix 15

Instrument of Posttest 1………………………………………... 78

Appendix 16 Instrument of Posttest 2………………………………………… 82
Appendix 17 lesson Plan…………………………………………………….... 86

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1

The Students Score of Pretest, Posttest 1, Posttest 2……………..40

Table 2

The result of Pre Questionnaire……………………………….… 46

Table 3

The result of Pre Questionnaire………………………….…….....48

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A. Background of The Problem
Nowadays, English is an international language that is used by
people in the world wide community. It means that English language is not
only viewed as knowledge but also as a life skill, that is skill of
communication. As a result the purpose of teaching and learning English is
no longer to make students know about the language but to make students
able to use the language.
That is the why, today, in Indonesia, students are acquired to have
language competences. One of the competences is communicative
competence that is, knowing how to use the language rather than just
knowing about the language1. It means that the central aim of teaching and
learning English is to make student able to use all aspects of language.
English has four important skills that should be mastered by the
student, namely Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. Where the
receptive skill are listening and reading and productive skill are speaking
and writing. Meanwhile, the English components should not be taught
separately but those must be taught integrated to support the mastery of the
four language skills.
In conducting teaching and learning process, the teacher should
follow the curriculum recommended. It is in line with the decree of the
Minister of Education number 22/2006 about the national content standard
composed by BNSP. It can be represent in the teaching and learning
process, on presenting kinds of the text types; it needs to be covered the
three aspect of that text. Those are schematic structure, vocabulary, and
linguistic features. In case of schematic structures, it discusses how the
1

1. Jeremy Harmer, The practical of English Language Teaching, (Cambridge: Longman
1991).p.18

text is organized. It would be simply known by analyzing the time, the
place, and the participant who taking part in the text. Meanwhile, the
vocabulary aspect in the terms of difficult words can not be neglected to be
delivered when the teaching learning activity discuss the text. And the last
aspect is the term of linguistic features. It focuses on the aspect of
grammar, conjunction, linking verb, etc. therefore, those aspects such as
schematic structure, vocabulary items and grammar become three in one
strongly integrated that the teacher should give full attention related to
understand the genre/ English text type.
Based on the explanation above, Grammar is the one of the most
important parts to be learnt is “tense”. Tense is usually defined as relating
to the time of an action, event or state.2 There are three tense forms
normally called simple present, simple past and simple future. 3 By tense,
the students can know what time the actions occur, and understand the
correspondence between the form of the verb and their concept of time, for
example, the form of present continuous tense (s + V-ing) is easy to
remember but the students are lazy to memorize verb-ing. Most of the time
the teacher presented the formula and asked the students to memorize it,
and then they should do the exercises.
Many factors caused the students comprehension about the present
continuous tense low; we divide the factors into two categories. The first
category comes from the inside of students themselves that we called
internal factor. This factor contains motivation, interest, intelligence, and
etc. The second category is called external factor that comes from outside
of the students such as school curriculum, physical conditions, the teacher,
learning material including the teaching method.

2

3

Laurie baurer, English word formation. (Cambridge University Press, 1983), p.157

Graham lock, Functional English grammar an introduction for second language
teachers (Cambridge university press, 1996),p 149

Actually, there are many kinds of method of approach can be
applied in teaching present continuous tense. Method by which students
are taught may have some effects on their motivation. If they have
confidence in the method they will find it motivating. By motivation,
students are eager to study and it easy to difficult area of all to be certain
of
To support teaching and learning process, there are many methods
that appear to help the learners in acquiring the language and help teachers
to achieve the learning goals. One of the methods that can be used in
teaching learning process is contextual teaching and learning (CTL). To
learn contextually is to learn in a way that naturally draws forth a student‟s
full promise.
Elaine B. Johnson in Contextual teaching and learning said that:
The contextual teaching and learning system is an educational process that
aims to help students see meaning in the academic material they are
studying by connecting academic subject with the context of their
personal, social and cultural circumstances. To achieve this aim, the
system encompasses the following eight components: making meaningful
connections, doing significant work, self regulated learning, collaborating,
critical and creative thinking, nurturing the individual, reaching high
standards, using authentic assessment.4

The contextual teaching and learning system consists of eight
components: making meaningful connections, doing significant work, self
regulated learning, collaborating, critical and creative thinking, nurturing
the individual, reaching high standards, using authentic assessment. Taken
together, however, these components invite students to connect school
work with daily life in ways that hold personal meaning. When students
see meaning in their school work, they learn and remember it.
Elaine B. Johnson, contextual Teaching & Learning what it is and why it’s here to stay,
(California: Corwin Press, Inc., 2002), p.38
4

To make present continuous tense easier to learn, the writer tries to
apply contextual teaching and learning approach can motivate students in
learning to make connections between knowledge and is applications to
their daily lives. Contextual teaching and learning approach enables
students to consolidate, develop, and apply the knowledge and language
skill in various levels both in and outside schools. In addition, students
learn to solve problems they encounter by using the language actively, like
forming a discussion or doing simulation. That is the reason, why the
writer chooses that title of the “skripsi” that is applying contextual
teaching and learning in mastering present continuous tense.
To respond the problem above the researcher attended to applying
the Contextual teaching and learning in mastering present continuous tense
and the researcher wanted to find out the effect of applying contextual
teaching and learning in the skill of the students, because it is very help the
students reading in facing the final exam at the third grade.

B. Identification of The Problem
There are many factors that can cause the problem that can cause
the problems in understanding present continuous tense. Those are internal
and external factors. The internal factors that can cause the difficulty in
understanding the present continuous tense are motivation, intelligence,
interest, and etc. while the external factors and school curriculum, physical
conditions, the teacher, learning material including the teaching approach.
The researcher limits only on the external factor that is the teaching
approach. Then the writer regards contextual teaching learning (CTL) as
the approach in teaching present continuous tense.

C. Limitation of The problem
In this research the researcher limits the problems on the technique
of the teaching process used by the teacher. In this case the problem is
focused on applying the Contextual teaching and learning in mastering

present continuous tense. In this research the researcher will focus on
using contextual teaching and learning to make the student more early to
understand about the present continuous text. The researcher would focus
on how the contextual teaching and learning technique became an
effective method in mastering the present continuous text.

D. Formulation of The Problem
From the limitation of the problem above the researcher formulates
the problem as follows how the applying of contextual teaching and
learning can help the students in mastering the present continuous tense
texts.

E. Objective of The Study
The objective of this research is as follow:
1. To improve students ability in mastering present continuous tense text
at the first grade of MTs Khazanah Kebajikan pamulang
2. To increase students skill in understanding about the present
continuous tense text and its relation with situation and condition.

F. Significances of The Study
Firstly, the result of the research will be helpful for the teacher to
improve their technique in teaching especially in teaching present
continuous tense text. It is hoped that it can overcome the problem of the
students in mastering present continuous tense at MTs Khazanah
Kebajikan Pamulang.
Secondly, the result of this research would be useful for educator
who has responsibility to plan, design, and develop teaching reading focus.
Moreover, it is hoped that this research can be input for institution in
planning, designing and developing the English curriculum.

Finally, this research would be useful for the students who learn
English, especially in mastering present continuous tense text. The result
of this treatment will make the students more easily to understand about
the present continuous tense text, so that it can help the students in
mastering present continuous tense text.

CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A. General Concepts of Present Continuous Tense
1. Definition of Tense
According to A.S. Hornby, tense refers to an action, activity or
state that may occur in past, present or future.5 Therefore, there are three
tenses in language; present, past, and future. It is in line with Kam Chuan
Aik who defined that the tense refers to the indication of time by the form
of the verb or verb phrase, whether an action is a present, past or future.6
Meanwhile, Sydney Greenbaum defined that the tense is a
grammatical category that is realized by verb inflection.7 Other definition
from Michael Swan said, “The verb-forms which show differences in time
are called tenses. Tenses are formed either by changing the verb (e.g.
know, knew; work-worked), or by adding auxiliary verbs (e.g. will know;
had worked)‟. According to those definitions, the word „tense‟ stands for a
verb from or series of verbs used for declare a time relation.
There are many kinds of tense in grammar; one of them is the
present continuous tense that will be discussed in this chapter.

2. The Understanding of Present Continuous Tense

5

A.S Hornby, Guide to Pattern and Usage in English, (New York: Low Priced Inc,
1975), p.78
6

Kam Chuan Aik and Kam Kai Hui, Longman Dictionary of Grammar and Usage,
(Addison Wesley Longman Singapore Pte Ltd, 1992), p.294
7
Sidney Greenbaum and Randolph Quirk, Student’s Grammar of The English Language,
(London: Pearson Education Limited, 1990), p.47

The present continuous tense is one of the important elements of
English language especially in grammar. Present continuous tense is also
known as present progressive tense.8
According to Robert Krohn who stated, the present progressive is
made with form of be and the –ing form of the main verb and indicates an
action or event which is actually in progress at this moment but may
terminate at any time.9 In addition, Ann Seaton explains the present
continuous tense is talking about actions in the present, or thing that are
going on or happening now. Ann Seaton also explicates the form of
present continuous tense, that is by adding –ing to the verb,10 for example:
a. I am learning how to make origami
b. My mother is cooking at the kitchen
c. Rina is reading a magazine at the corner
Derived from those definitions, it can be concluded that the present
continuous tense indicates the activity that is going on or in progress at the
moment of speaking.
3. The Form of Present Continuous Tense
According to A.J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet, the present
continuous tense is formed with the auxiliary verb be + the present
participle:11 The present continuous tense consists of four form,
they are:
a. Affirmative
To make affirmative statement by using this formula12:
Subject + TO BE (am, are, is) + PRESENT PARTICIPLE

8

Michael Swan, Practical English Usage, (Oxford; ELBS/ Oxford University Press,
1980), p.500
9
Robert Krohn, English Sentence Structure, (The University of Michigan Press, 1970),
p.36
10
Ann Seaton, English Grammar for Students, (Singapore Learners Publishing, 2000),
p.107
11
A.J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet, A practical English Grammar: fourth edition, (New
York: Oxford University Press, 1986), p.153
12
Drs. John Surjadi Hartanto, Accurate, Brief and clear English Grammar, (Surabaya:
penerbit Indah Surabaya), p.282

(ing-form) + Object
For example13 :
Subject

To Be

Present Participle

Object

I

am

studying

English

You

are

studying

English

She/he/It

is

studying

English

We/they

are

studying

English

b. Negative
To make negative statement, put “not” after the auxiliary
“be”:14
Subject + TO BE (am, is, are) Not + PRESENT PARTICIPLE
(ing- form) + Object

For example:
Subject

To Be

Not Present Participle

Object

I

am

not

studying

English

You

are

not

studying

English

She/he/It

is

not

studying

English

We/They

are

not

studying

English

c. Interrogative
To make interrogative statement, put “be” before the
subject:15

13

14

A.J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet, A practical English Grammar…..p.153

Raymond Murphy, Essential Grammar in Use, (Cambridge: Cambridge University
press, 2003), p.14
15
Raymond Murphy, Essential Grammar in Use….. p.16

TO BE (am, is, are) + SUBJECT + PRESENT PARTICIPLE
(ing-form) + OBJECT +?
For Example:
To Be

Subject

Present Participle

Object

Am

I

studying

English?

Are

You

studying

English?

Is

She/he/It

studying

English?

Are

We/They

studying

English?

d. Negative Interrogative
To make negative interrogative statement put contractive
form of “be + not” before the subject16
Contractive form BE (am, are, is) Not + SUBJECT +
PRESENT PARTICIPLE (ing-form) + OBJECT +?

For example:
Contractive

Subject

form of be + not

Present

Object

Participle

Aren‟t

I

studying

English

Aren‟t

You

studying

English

Isn‟t

She/he/It

studying

English

Aren‟t

We/They

studying

English

If they are not contracted, the negative interrogative form is like
this17
Form of Be (am, is, are) + SUBJECT + Not + PRESENT
PARTICIPLE (ing-form) + OBJECT
For example:
To be

16
17

subject

Not

Present Participle

Object

A.J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet, A practical English Grammar…..p.153
A.J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet, A practical English Grammar….. p.93

Am

I

not

studying

English

Are

You

not

studying

English

Is

She/he/It

not

studying

English

Are

We/they

not

studying

English

Something must be noticed concerning with form of the
present continuous tense that is the process of making the infinitive
into ing-form, because each verb has different form, so there are
different ways to form it. There are some ways to spell the present
participle, Rebecca E and friends stated below:
1) A final e that is not pronounced is dropped
Take

Taking

Write

Writing

But a final ee is retained.
Free

Freeing

Agree

Agreeing

2) A final consonant letter (except h,w,x,y), preceded by a single
vowel letter, is doubled in words of one syllable.
Beg

Begging

Stop

Stopping

But fix (ending in x)

fixing

Greet (two vowels letter before consonant) greeting
3) A final consonant letter (except h,w,x,y), preceded by single
vowel letter, is doubled in words accented on the last syllable.
Begin

Beginning

Permit

Permitting

But suffer (accent on first syllable) suffering

4) A few verbs ending in ie. The ie in some of these verbs changes
to y when the ing ending is added.18
Die

Dying

Lie

Lying

3.1 The Usage of Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous tense is used to:
a. Express an activity that is in progress at the moment of speaking.19 It
began in the recent past, is continuing at the present, and will probably end
at some point in the future.
For example: - Rina is sleeping right now
b. Express the beginning, progression or end of an action
For example: - My headache is getting worse20
c. Refer a temporary activity that is necessary at the moment of speaking.
For example: she is learning Spanish this year
The students are doing a project this term
d. Express annoyance with a frequently repeated action (an adverb like
always, constantly, forever or continually used with it)
For example: Mr. Rizal is always coming late to work21
In summary, the time of the action always be mentioned, as
otherwise there might be confusing between present and future meanings,
go and come; however, can be used in this way without a time
expression.22

18

Rebecca E, Dorothy W. and Aurora Quiros, Mastering American English, (New Jersey:
Prentice-Hall, inc, 1956), p.63
19
Betty S. Azar, Understanding and Using English, (New Jersey Prentice Hall Regents,
1989), third edition, p.11
20
Marcella Frank, Modern English Part 1, (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc, 1972), p.48
21
Kam Chuan Aik and kam kai Hui, Longman Dictionary…..p.299
22
A.J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet, A practical English Grammar:….p.94

B. General Concepts of Contextual Teaching and Learning
1. Background of Contextual Teaching and Learning
Contextual teaching and learning is one of the hot topics in
education today. John Sounders said that Contextual teaching and learning
was a subject of great interest to educations philosopher, John Dewey,
around turn of the century. He add that contextual learning supports that
when new knowledge presented in the context of a person at past time
experience, the learning is most effective.23
The philosophy that was going on the basis of contextual approach
was developed 1916 by John Dewey.24 An educational philosophy
emphasized on developing student‟s interest and experience.
Philosophy of contextual teaching and learning is rooted from John
Dewey progressivism, the students will be best learning if what they have
learned related with what they have already known and teaching learning
process will be productive if the students involve actively in the process of
learning.
Before long, schools were implementing teaching and learning in
context. Academies and career path began to appear in both large and
small high schools around the nation. Block scheduling was introduced to
give students enough time to learn by doing and to apply lesson to daily
life.
Partnership that let students apply academic lesson to the
workplace; lesson that connect schoolwork to daily experience; school
restricting that permits student to learn by doing-all this activities are
revealed by the power of Contextual Teaching and Learning central
message. This central message is that learning by doing causes to make
23

John Sounders, Contextual Based Learning. Fad or Proven Practice in a forum brief:
www.Naid/ca/fulltext/htm.1999.Http//Contextual teaching information.html.
24
John Dewey, Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the philosophy of
Education (New York: Macmillan, 1969, rep.free press, 1966)

connection that yield meaning, and when see meaning, acquire and retain
knowledge and skills.25
Meanwhile, background of contextual teaching and learning in
Indonesia had also told in the 55th TEFLIN International conference by
Kasihani. “More than one hundred Junior High School of math, science,
biology, English, and Bahasa Indonesia were sent to the University of
Washington at Seattle to follow the CTL in service training in October
2001 and April 2002. Among of them are the EFL teachers from six
provinces. Since then the National CTL in-service training has been
conducted. A number of classroom action researches have been done by
teacher using components to improve their English classes since 2003.
They admitted that their learning achievement were relatively better when
they implemented this approach. It has empirically been proved that CTL
is a fruitful instructional approach which seems appropriate to be adapted
by teachers in Indonesia, including EFL teachers.
Furthermore, he mentioned four educational programs are designed
to support the CTL development in Indonesia. Indonesia training project
2001-2002:
1) Short fellowship Training (C-STARS: August 2001-April 2002)
2) Developing CTL materials
5 groups of teachers & lectures develop CTL materials for
middle schools.
3) Try- out programmed (July 2002)
31 SLTP (Junior High School) in 6 provides implemented the
CTL approach.26
Basically, contextual teaching and learning is a respond to
behaviorism approach which emphasizes on the concept of stimulus
Elaine B. Johnson, contextual Teaching & Learning what it is and why it’s here to stay,
(California: Corwin Press, Inc., 2002), p.11
26
Muljanto Sumardi (ed), “Human Resources Development in English Language
Teaching”, in The 55th TEFLIN International Conferences, 2008, p.246-247.
25

respond with mechanical drills. To be able to use the language naturally as
in real life and in various situation critical thinking and meaningful
learning are needed. When the students can relate the lesson they have got
in school to their daily lives, they will be aware of the benefit learning.
Besides, they will realize the importance of going to school.

2. Definition of Contextual Teaching and Learning
“Language communication is inseparable from its communicative
context. Taken out of context, language communication makes little
sense”.27 It means the use of the context plays in enabling language
learners to process and produce a foreign or second language. Simply put
the more familiar the context, to the easier to understand it and function
with it.28
The word “context” comes from the Latin verb contexere meaning
“to weave together” in which it refers to “whole situation, background, or
environment” that exists in relationship to the self that is woven together
with it.29 Various contexts are for example, of neighborhood, family,
friends, school, job, and Earth‟s ecosystem. Similarly all other entities,
living and nonliving exist in context.
Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) is “a concept that helps
teacher related subject matter to real world situation (Sears, 2001)”.30
Furthermore Contextual Teaching and Learning is the concept of learning
that aim to help teacher to make connection between the teaching materials
with the context of students real world and encourages student to make
connection between their knowledge with its applications in their daily

27

B. Kumaravadivelu, Beyond Methods Macro strategies for language teaching,
(London: Yale University Press, 2003), p.204
28
Judith L Shrum, Contextualized Language Instruction, (Boston: Heinle and Heinle
Publishers, 1994), p.24
29
Webster’s New World Dictionary, 2nd ed. (New York: world Publishing, 1968)
30
Muljanto Sumardi (ed). “Human Resources Development…..p.246.

lives.31 Using contextual teaching strategies, teachers help students make
connections with their roles and responsibilities as family members,
citizens, students and workers.
Meanwhile, Elaine B. Johnson gave the definition in her book
about Contextual Teaching and learning:
The Contextual Teaching and Learning system is an education process
that aims to help students see meaning in the academic material they
are studying by connecting academic subjects with the context of their
daily lives, that is, with context of their personal, social, and cultural
circumstance. To achieve this aim, the system encompasses the
following eight components: making meaningful connection, doing
significant work, self regulated learning, collaborating, critical and
creative thinking, nurturing the individual, reaching high standards,
using authentic assessment.32
In line with those statements, the Washington State Consortium
members have formulated the following definition of CTL: Contextual
Teaching is teaching that enables K-12 students to reinforce, expand and
apply their academic knowledge and skills in a variety of school and out of
school setting in order to real world problems. Contextual learning occur
when students apply and experience what is being taught referencing real
problems associated with their roles and responsibilities as family
members, citizens, students and workers. Contextual teaching and learning
emphasizes higher-level thinking, knowledge transfer across academic
discipline, collecting, analyzing synthesizing information data from
multiple source and viewpoints.33
Based on the preceding definitions of Contextual Teaching and
Learning, the writer concludes that CTL is a conception of teaching and
learning that helps the students to get better understanding about the
knowledge as they relate to the context of real life.

31

Departemen Pendidikan Nasional, 2003, Kurikulum Berbasis Kompetensi. (Jakarta:
Balitbang Depdikbud)
32
Elaine B. Johnson, contextual Teaching & Learning…..p.25
33

Elaine B. Johnson, contextual Teaching & Learning…, p. 38

3. The Principles of Contextual Teaching and Learning
To teach contextually, the teacher needs to know the principles of
Contextual Teaching and Learning. Here they are:
a. Planning the learning based on the student developmentally appropriate.
The relationship between curriculum content and methodology
used to teach must be based on the social condition, emotional and
student intellectual development. Therefore, age of student and the
other individual characteristic and social condition and student culture
environment must be notice in planning the learning.34
b. Making independent learning groups.
Through small groups, students learn from each other and learn to
work in teams, quality circles, and other form of collaboration that are
required of adults in the workplace and in other context in which
students will be expected to believe others. Learning groups, or learning
communities, are established in workplace and school in an effort to
share knowledge, focus on goals, and allow all to teach to learn each
other.
c. Preparing an environment that supports self regulated learning
Environment that support self regulated learning has three general
characteristic: awareness in thinking, usage of strategy and continuing
motivation. The students are encouraged to know their strong and their
weakness to organize the learning goal and develop the strategies to
achieve the goal. Therefore the teacher must create an environment
where the student can reflect how they learn to help them use their
thinking to guide their plans, select their performance, so they can solve
the problem in good way.
d. Considering the diversity of students.
In the class, student population is becoming more diverse, and with
increased diversity comes differences in values, social mores and
34

Nurhadi, Pembelajaran Kontekstual dan Penerapanya dalam KBK, (Malang:
Universitas Negri Malang, 2004, 2nd edition), p.20

perspectives. These differences can be the impetus for learning and can
add complexity to the contextual teaching learning experience. Students
are required to work with different partners, to form different grouping
for different tasks, to engage in mingling activities, and so on.35
e. Focus on multiple intelligences of students.
In serving students in the class, a teacher must collaborate any
strategies of contextual learning approach so that the learning will be
more effective for the students with any kinds of either intelligence.
Contextual teaching and learning teachers encourage young people to
cultivate their intelligences, releasing that latent potential residing
within.
f. Using the questioning techniques.
Questioning techniques enhance students learning and the
development of problem solving and other higher-order thinking skills.
For contextual teaching and learning to achieve it goals, appropriate
types and level of question must be asked. Question must be carefully
planned to produce the intended level of thinking response, and actions
by students and all participants in the contextual teaching and learning
approached.
g. Applying the authentic assessment
The authentic assessment evaluates the applying of knowledge and
the students‟ complex thinking. It is better than just memorizing the
actual information. An assessment is authentic when it involves
students in tasks that are worthwhile, significant and meaningful.

4. The Characteristics of Contextual Teaching and Learning

35

Rose M. Senior. The experience of Language Teaching, (Cambridge University Press,
2006) p.213

According to Elaine B Johnson, the contextual Teaching and
Learning system encompasses to the following eight components:36 They
are as follows:
a. Making Meaningful connections
Connecting learning to one‟s life makes studies come alive. When
learners can connect of an academic subject such as English with their
own experience, they discover meaning and meaning gives them a
reason for learning. Johnson declared that there are many effective
ways to connect teaching and learning with the context of student‟s
daily circumstance. These include six methods.37
1) Traditional stand- alone classroom that connect material with
the students context
2) The infusion into a stand-alone class of material from another
field
3) Linked courses that remain separate but cover related topics
4) The integrated course bringing together two or more disciplines
into a single class
5) Combining school and work:




. Work based learning
. Career pathways
. School-based work experience

6) Service Learning
b. Doing significant works
Student can make relationship between the school with the exist
context in the real life as a business and as a citizen.
c. Self regulated learning
Self regulated learning is a learning process that engages students in
independent action involving sometimes one person, usually groups.
This independent action is designed to connect academic knowledge
with the context of student‟s daily lives in ways that achieve a
meaningful purpose.
36
37

Elaine B. Johnson, contextual Teaching & Learning …..p.24
Elaine B. Johnson, contextual Teaching & Learning….. p.49

d. Collaborating
Students are able to be cooperative. Teacher helps them in order to
work effectively in group, helps them understanding how do they
influence and communicate each other.
e. Critical and creative thinking
Thinking is an active, purposeful, organized process that we use to
make sense of the world. In this sense, John Chaffee assumed that
critical thinking is thinking to systematically explore the thinking
process itself.38 It means not only reflecting purposefully, but also
examining the use and others make of evidence and logic.
f. Nurturing the individual
Students keep their individuals: understand, give attention, possess
the high wishes, motivate and empower their individuals. Students
cannot success without the adult people. So the students need to respect
their friends and adults.
g. Reaching High Standards
Students know and reach the high standards: it identifiers their
purpose and motivates them to reach it. Teacher shows to the students
how to reach called excellent.
h. Using authentic assessment
Contextual Teaching and Learning asks students to exhibit their
attainment of high standard by doing authentic assessment tasks. These
tasks challenge students to apply their knowledge and skills to real
world situation for significant purposes.
5. Strategy in Contextual Teaching and Learning
Contextual Teaching and Learning helps us to relate subject matter
content to real world situations and motivate students to make connections
between knowledge and its applications to their lives as family members,

38

John Chaffee, Thinking Critically, 4th ed. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co, 1994), p.50

citizens, and workers and engage in the hard work that learning requires.
There are six strategies in using contextual teaching and learning:39

a. Problem based
Contextual Teaching and Learning begins with a simulated or real
problem. Students use critical thinking skills and a systemic approach to
inquiry to address the problem or issue. Students may also draw upon
multiple content areas to solve these problems. Worthwhile problems that
are relevant to students‟ families, school experiences, workplaces, and
communities hold greater personal meaning for students.

b. Using multiple contexts
Theories of situated cognition suggest that knowledge can not be
separated from the physical and social context in which it develops. How and
where a person acquires and creates knowledge is therefore very important. CTL
experiences are enriched when students learn skills in multiple contexts (i.e.
school, community, workplace, family).
c. Drawing upon student diversity

As the whole, our student population is becoming more diverse,
and with increased diversity comes differences in values, social mores, and
perspectives. These differences can be the impetus for learning and can
add complexity to the CTL experience. Team collaboration and group
learning activities respect students‟ diverse histories, broaden perspectives,
and build inter-personal skills.
d. Supporting self-regulated learning
Ultimately, students must become lifelong learners. Lifelong
learners are able to seek out, analyze, and use information with little to no
supervision. To do so, students must become more aware how they
process information, employ problem-solving strategies, and use
39

Center on Education and Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (TEACHNET)
http://www.cew.wisc.edu/teachnet/ctl, accessed on September 20th , 2010

background knowledge. CTL experiences should allow for trial and error;
provide time and structure for reflection; and provide adequate support to
assist students to move from dependent to independent learning.
e. Using interdependent learning groups
Students will be influenced by and will contribute to the
knowledge and beliefs of others. Learning groups, or learning
communities, are established in workplaces and schools in an effort to
share knowledge, focus on goals, and allow all to teach and learn from
each other. When learning communities are established in schools,
educators act as coaches, facilitators, and mentors.
f. Employing authentic assessment
Contextual Teaching and Learning is intended to build knowledge
and skills in meaningful ways by engaging students in real life, or
"authentic" contexts. Assessment of learning should align with the
methods and purposes of instruction. Authentic assessments show (among
other things) that learning has occurred; are blended into the
teaching/learning process; and provide students with opportunities and
direction for improvement. Authentic assessment is used to monitor
student progress and inform teaching practices.
Meanwhile, the Center of Occupational Research and Development
(CORD) gives the five strategies for the teacher for applying contextual
teaching and learning. These are famously called REACT, they are:
a. Relating

: The learning related with the real world experience
context

b. Experiencing : The learning is focused on the exploring, discovery, and
invention
c. Applying

: The learning is should be presented into the context of
benefit

d. Cooperating : The learning through the context of interpersonal
communication, togetherness.

e. Transferring: The learning through beneficent of knowledge in the new
situation or context

6. The strengths and the Weakness of contextual Teaching and
Learning
In applying CTL, on the one hand, there are always obstacles or
problems that should be faced by a teacher. In this case, it is usually called
as weaknesses. On the other hand, there are some things that make teacher
who teach contextually become easier to reach goal of teaching and
learning process. Then it is called the strengths of CTL. Here are some
weaknesses and strength of CTL.
Weaknesses
-

Multiple contexts outside classroom may be limited by time, money,
and resource

-

It is not easy to find a problem related to teachers subject area and
students life

-

An authentic assessment takes more time for teachers to develop and
apply

-

Most students have been spoon-fed and told what to learn. It is
teachers task to turn them to be self regulated

-

Time consuming preparation; in preparing a lesson plan, teacher
should organize students diversity and then utilize those differences to
create a rich learning environment.

Strengths
-

Dynamic; there is a number of different people to react it, to share
ideas with, etc; exchange of information is sometimes more „natural‟
in smaller scale interaction.

-

Positive atmosphere or „affective climate‟. Motivation is improved if
learners feel that they need to learn a material, near by they real life (it

has relation with their environment), less inhibited, and more able to
explore possibility self-expression.
-

Improving social development and encouraging students to engage in
society.

-

Developing students communication skill

-

Increasing student‟s comprehension about current issues which are
related to their lives.

C. Teaching Present Continuous Tense through Contextual Teaching and
Learning
Before the writer teaches, she prepares the suitable material. Preparing
suitable material has to do by the teacher in order the teaching learning
process run well successfully. Here, the writer prepares the materials related
to contextual teaching and learning method. When the teacher applies
Contextual Teaching Learning in the classroom, it must include the main
components of Contextual Teaching Learning.
Here are the steps for teaching present perfect tense by using
contextual teaching and learning. These steps are taken from Nurhadi‟s book
which title „pembelajaran kontekstual dan penerapanya dalam KBK‟ with the
adjustment of teaching present perfect tense.40
1. Preliminary activities
 Teacher ask the student related their condition
2. Presentation
 Teacher Explains about the concept of present continuous tense
40

Nurhadi, et.al., Pembelajaran Kontekstual….. P.54

 Teacher Divides students into group, four each group consists of 4 student
 Teacher gives each student a verb in the present continuous tense
(„studying‟ or „writing‟ etc) and each group consist of two word of verb
 Teacher gives the example of present continuous tense sentence related
with their condition, Starting with a simple sentence, for example:
Starting with verb “Studying” and “writing, and teacher gives the
example of the sentence from the verb. Example is: We are studying
English and writing a sentence
 Teacher asks the students to write a sentence from the verb they have as
they can about themselves and their life by using present continuous
tense with their group of work.
 After the students make a sentence, one of the students from each group
has to write down the sentence on the white board and correct together.
3. Closing
After teaching process, teacher asks the students what they have
learned today. After that, teacher and students make summarize about
present continuous tense.

CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHOD
A. Research Design
This research is designed as action research; the researcher chose the
classroom action research designs. This kind of research can solve teacher‟s
problems in teaching process. According to Arikunto, classroom action research is
an action research which is carried out at the classroom aimed to improve learning
practice quality.41 Geoffrey E. Mills defines that action research is any systematic
inquiry conducted by teacher researchers, principals, school counselors or other
stakeholder in the teaching and learning environment to gather information about
how their particular school operates, how they teach, and how well their students
learn.42 This information is gathered with the goals of gaining insight, developing
reflective. Effecting positives changes in the school environment (and on the
educational practices in general), and improving students outcomes and the lives
of those involved. It means that CAR is aimed to overcome problems in teaching
learning process in order to improve educational practice
The essential component of action research according to Kember as
followin