Background of Study INTRODUCTION

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

The introductory section of this study discusses: A Background of the Study; B Problem Limitation; C Problem Formulation; D Research Objectives; E Benefits of the Study; and F Definition of Terms.

A. Background of Study

To increase the quality of Indonesian education, the Ministry of National Education develops the regeneration of curriculum that is Competency–Based Curriculum, known as CBC. CBC is a set of plans and arrangements about competency, which has been approved; and its achievements are adapted with the condition and capability of the areas involved, K.U. Depdiknas, 2003: 4. However, only few schools have implemented the CBC, as said by Winarno in Joglo , a daily paper in Klaten. In some areas, however, the CBC implementation has started to be carried out. In implementing this curriculum, each school has its own way to implement the CBC. Therefore, the success of CBC implementation is influenced by the way it is applied in schools. The learning process in CBC is directed to the competency approach, which can be seen from the students’ ability to acknowledge the communication stages, K.U. Depdiknas, 2003: 8. Therefore, the learning process of CBC can be said as learning–centered. Furthermore, the learning process in CBC is based on the principles, which are centered on the students in order to develop and improve competence, creativity, independence, cooperation, and the students’ ability in 2 building their characters, K.U. Depdiknas, 2003:20. In Klaten, the local government has encouraged the implementation of CBC. However, some schools still find difficulties in implementing it. But, in some vocational schools, CBC has been implemented. As we know, the vocational school is one kind of schools which prepares the students to have the ability in engineering, for example in mechanical, electrical and automotive engineering. In other words, the students are expected to be ready to face the working world after they graduate. English, in the educational context, serves to enable the learners to communicate in the framework of accessing information, in daily conversation, in building interpersonal relationships, and in enjoying the esthetical language of English. Moreover, English in vocational school has become the basic principles to be learned in order to face the working world. The students of vocational schools must be able to acquire the literacy functional stage. It means that the students are expected to use the language to fulfill the daily speech as the “survival” communication through the introduction of English skills listening, speaking, reading, and writing, Standard Competency Curriculum, 2003: 5. In teaching English subject, the English teacher must know about how English teaching is brought within the scope of the new implementation of CBC. It will show whether both the teacher and the learner have understood and succeeded in implementing the CBC in English. Meanwhile, the study is done in a vocational school in Klaten, which still uses CBC. It is one of the best vocational schools in Klaten, SMK Leonardo. It provides several skill programs, such as mechanical, electrical and automotive 3 engineering. It has great reputation to produce technicians who are able to enter the industrial world and the companies, which need some particular skills to fulfill the demand of the industrial world in Indonesia.

B. Problem Limitation