Background of the Problem

1

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of the background of the problem, the problem limitation of the research, the problem formulation, the research objectives, the research benefits and also the definition of terms.

A. Background of the Problem

Language is a means of communication. According to Lazaraton, cited in Celce-Murcia 2001: 103, for most people, knowing a language is synonymous with the ability to speak the language. She adds that the most basic means of human communication is speech. In this case, people should have good speaking skills to be able to communicate well in a language. Unlike reading, writing, or listening, for many people speaking is considered the hardest one. Nunan 2000: 48 states two reasons why speaking is a difficult skill to learn. First, unlike reading or writing, speaking happens in real time: usually the person you are talking to is waiting for you to speak right then. Second, when you speak, you cannot edit and revise what you wish to say, as you can if you are writing. Diane 2004:121 proposes that the goal of most methods in language teaching is for students to learn to communicate in the target language. Educators, as cited in Diane 2004: 121, add that to be able to communicate requires more than mastering linguistic structures. It requires communicative competence. It means 2 that in teaching speaking, teachers are expected to help the students to master the communicative competence. The research was conducted to find out the students’ perceptions toward the use of audio recording as a model in the speaking classes. Theoretically, modelling is positive. According to Harmer 1991: 33-37, the ability to use a second language is a result of many subconscious processes in learning. It is the result of the input the people who learn a second language receive and also the result of the experiences that accompany the input. The input in the research is the model used in the speaking class. Hereby, if the students are exposed enough to the target language, they will be able to use the language. Therefore, the teacher in the speaking class has to provide the inputs to the students and also expose them with much practice in speaking. In accordance with the theory, to meet the expectation in teaching speaking, the teacher in the research used audio recording as a model to provide inputs to the students in the teaching speaking. Furthermore, according to James, Charles, Whitley, Bode 1980: viii, listening as a model in speaking class is aimed to provide; a opportunities for students to talk, b a classroom environment that is student rather than teacher centred, and c students with the confidence, motivation, and ideas. Therefore, the researcher wants to find out whether the students also perceive the modelling positively or not. The use of audio recording as a model in speaking class is new for the semester V students. Most students never had the same model before. Moreover, it is a different technique from the other speaking classes. Thereby, the researcher wants to find out the students’ perceptions on the modelling. 3

B. Problem Limitation