Background of the Study

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter is divided into six subheadings that explain the background of the study, identification of the problems, limitation of the problem, formulation of the problems, objectives of the study, and significance of the study.

A. Background of the Study

There are many vocational high schools in Indonesia, and the government also supports the development of the vocational high schools themselves since they hopefully help the government to decrease the number of unemployment people in Indonesia. There are numerous vocational programs, i.e. visual communication design, accounting, marketing, management, and many more. One of the vocational programs is Visual Communication Design program that becomes a favorite study program in this global era. Since the purpose of vocational high school is to generate ready-to-work graduates, the schools must equip the students with English as a prerequisite skill to enter labor market. Materials are one of the important elements in the English teaching and learning process. However, it is difficult to find a coursebook for vocational high schools, especially coursebooks that focus on a particular vocational program only. Most coursebooks for vocational high schools are the combination of materials for some main programs such as accounting, marketing, secretary, etc.. That fact makes the teachers find it difficult to adopt the materials since those are not relevant to the students’ contexts and needs. For the Visual Communication Design program that is categorized as a new vocational program, it is difficult to find a coursebook that focuses on their context and their needs. This phenomenon requires the teachers to design the materials themselves. However, they are lack of time and ability. Teachers are too busy in teaching the students and doing school administrative activities. Most of the teachers are also not able to design the materials since they were not taught how to design materials when they were in the university. Another problem is the change of curriculum, from KTSP or Curriculum 2006 to Curriculum 2013. This change of curriculum requires the change of the coursebooks. The coursebooks designed to every level of education in Indonesia must be changed since there are some differences between Curriculum 2006 and Curriculum 2013. For vocational high schools, especially Visual Communication Design program, the coursebook that is based on Curriculum 2013 is not available yet. In reference to the above problems, English learning materials for grade ten students of Visual Communication Design program of SMK Koperasi Yogyakarta should be designed.

B. Identification of the Problems