Objective of the Research Language

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CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

A. Language

Language is a means of communication or interaction with other in order to deliver proposition and interpret the meaning. There is no relation between the objects referred by the language and the symbol represented by the language through words. Researchers began to see that language was one manifestation of the cognitive and affective ability to deal with the world, with others, and with the self Brown, 2000: 27. Language is a living thing. It changes and develops over time. In addition, Slobin in Brown 2000: 29 states that language develops its form and function in two levels; on the functional level and on the formal level. Furthermore, Nunan proposes that language is more than a system for communication. It involves whole person, culture, educational, developmental communicative process Nunan in Brown, 2001: 34. On the functional level, the implication of language change is the growth of conceptual and communicative capacities that are connected to the innate schemas of cognition. On the formal level, the implication of language change is the growth of perceptual and information- processing which is connected to the innate schemas of grammar. There are verbal language and non-verbal language. Verbal language is the language that relates to the use of words as the means of delivering proposition and interpreting meaning. In another side, non-verbal language is 12 the language that relates to the use of gesture, mimic, pictures and other ways to deliver proposition and interpret meaning. However, what people call a language in common is that the one that uses words as the means of delivering idea and interpreting the meaning. Moreover, language is understood in terms of certain elements: ideas, signs, and their association Taylor in Jourdan and Tuite, 2006: 17. Words are not stood by themselves. They are created by the society and culture gives its influence to its process of creation. In fact, words do not have meaning. Their main duty is representing the object sign in an understandable way so that the language users get the idea of the object from the words. Words only bring the meaning of objects that have been attached to them. Therefore, words are the language symbols of the real objects. Language is not used word-by-word in order to communicating idea. Language uses a set of words that are able to cope a single complete idea. It is called as a sentence in the written form and an utterance in the oral form. However, a chain of words, called a phrase, is not able to represent a complete idea because a phrase is still a part of a sentence or utterance. Thus, in order to make a meaningful and understandable communication or interaction, the writer or speaker should build a complete sentence or utterance and the listener should use its competency to convey the meaning.

B. Language Learning

Language acquisition is a long and complex process. It can be achieved through long learning. It is a social process of growth from childlike dependence to self-direction and independence Nunan in Brown, 2001: 34. 13 Foreign language acquisition can be defined as the way in which people learn a language other than their mother tongue, inside or outside of a classroom Ellis, 2003: 3. Therefore, acquiring a foreign or second language needs includes the process inside and outside the classroom. It is wrong if only relying on the learning process in the classroom. Furthermore, Harmer 1998: 24 states children and adults who do acquire language successfully outside the classroom are the result of three important factors: language exposure, motivation, and opportunities. Language exposure is needed for learners to make them get used to live with it. The language exposure they get becomes essential input for their learning process. In addition, language learners who have motivation, especially integrative motivation, have good determination to learn new language for their sake since they have good awareness of the importance of acquiring language in communication. Finally, language learners who have many opportunities to train their selves with the new language in order to make their brain and organ of speech work together to produce language which is clear and understandable are able to show good outcomes in terms of their communicative competence. One of teacher’s duties is to provide as much as language exposure to the learners as the input. It can be delivered with authentic materials, and supporting media. In designing syllabus, the teacher should be based threshold level which copes the topics, functions, notions, situations, and grammar as well as vocabulary. Van Ek and Alexander 1980 propose that the threshold level describes the level of proficiency leaners need to attain to 14 cross the threshold and begin real communication Jack C. Richard, 2006:11. In addition, a teacher should be able to generate students’ confidence and awareness of learning to acquire new language. Appropriate classroom situation that can make the learners feel safe and confident to learn a new language is suitable for supporting the process of learning a new language. A teacher should play relevant roles that suits to the learners need and the purpose of learning process to ensure the learning process is on the right track. The situation should be able to encourage students to speak English with providing many opportunities in which learners take part in real English communication regardless the communication takes place in classroom- border. Actually, the process of learning should not stop in classroom-border. The learning process is mainly the learners’ responsibility rather than the teacher’s responsibility. Teachers’ roles in learning process are as facilitator, manager, controller, and other roles. Therefore, the teacher provides suitable inputs and media, plays many roles which are relevant to the learners’ need, manages situation in which learners feel safe and confident to train their selves with English are aimed to make students feel close to the success of acquiring English so that they encourage themselves to explore their own competence and skill in English communication.