efficiently. It is important to think of grammar as something that can help the students, like a friend. When the students understand the grammar or system
of a language, the students can understand many things themselves, without having to ask a teacher or look in a book.
Based on the observation in the school, most of students find difficulties in grammar. They feel anxious about their grammar ability. The
students feel difficult in writing the sentences or in speaking because they think about structure. In this case the teacher needs to motivate students
through new atmosphere that make the students more interested in grammar especially in imperative sentences and more enjoyable to practice their ability
in grammar. “Learning the form, meaning, and use of the imperative mood is
challenging for ESL EFL students’. Except for negative imperative, form is perhaps less challenging because students need not concern themselves about
typical verb morphological problems such as tense and subject agreement ”.
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To help the teachers create the students more interesting in teaching grammar especially in teaching imperative sentence the teacher use Total Physical
Response TPR method in teaching. “Total Physical Response TPR is a language teaching method built
around the coordination of speech and action, it attempts to teach language through physical motor activity
”.
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“One the main reason Total Physical Response TPR was developed was to reduce the stress people feel when
studying foreign languages. One of the primary ways this is accomplished is to allow learners to speak when they are ready. Forcing them to speak before
6
Marianne Celce Murcia and Diane Larsen Freeman, The Grammar Book An ESL EFL Teacher’s Course Third Edition, USA: Thomson Publishing, Inc, 1999, p. 235.
7
Jack C. Richard and Theodore S. Rodgers, Approaches’ and Methods in Language
Teaching, Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1992, p. 87.
then will only create anxiety. Also, when students do begin to speak, perfection should not be expected
”.
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Finally, from the explanation above, according to the writer it is important to teach imperative sentences through Total Physical Response
TPR because it will make students enjoyable as possible in learning imperative sentences. Based on the problems above, the writer is curious to
know the influence of Total Physical Response TPR in improving imperative sentences at the seventh grade students of SMP Islam Ruhama, the
writer will conduct the research by the title “Improving Students’ Ability in
Using Imperative Sentences Through Total Physical Response TPR”, A
Classroom Action Research in the seventh grade students of SMP Islam Ruhama Cireundeu Ciputat.
B. Identification of the Problem
According to what the writer writes in background of the research about impro
ving students’ ability in using imperative sentences through total physical response TPR
.
The identification of the problem involves: a. Most of the students find difficult in making the sentences of imperative
sentences because they think about grammar or structure. b. Most of the students are not confident to express their speaking in front of
the class. c. Mos
t of the students don’t respond when the teacher gives the command to them. They feel confused to act it.
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Dianne Larsen Freeman, Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, Oxford: Oxford University, 2000, p. 114.
C. Limitation of the Problem and Formulation of the Problem
1.
Limitation of the Problem Based on identification of the problem above, the writer clarifies and
limits the problem to discuss how to improve students’ ability in using
imperative sentences through total physical response TPR in the seventh grade students of SMP Islam Ruhama Cireundeu Ciputat.
2. Formulation of the Problem
In Background of the research, the writer specifies the research in improving students’ ability in using imperative sentences through total
physical response TPR in the seventh grade students of SMP Islam Ruhama, then the formulation of the problem which the writer is researching in SMP
Islam Ruhama are “Can total physical response improve students’ ability in
using imperative sentences, and how total physical response improves students’ ability in using imperative sentences in the seventh grade students of
SMP Islam Ruhama ”?
D. Objective of the Research
According to formulation of the problem above, the aim of this research are to know whether total physical response method could improve
students’ ability in using imperative sentences, and how total physical response improves students’ ability in using imperative sentences in the
seventh grade students of SMP Islam Ruhama.
E. Significance of the Research
From the research in SMP Islam Ruhama, which the writer performs is expected that it can be useful for:
1. The researcher
This research is use to improve the researcher in teaching grammar, especially in teaching imperative sentences.
2. The students
This research is an input for the students to improve their ability in using grammar, especially in imperative sentences.
3. The teacher
It is use to improve the teacher to practice total physical response in teaching grammar, especially in imperative sentences.
4. Institution
It is use to give the attention in grammar teaching and learning process.
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Imperative Sentence
1. Definition of Imperative Sentence
There are some definitions of imperative sentences. The first definition,
“imperative sentence is the sort typically used to give a command, or order. In English, imperatives are normally missing a subject,
though all other normal parts of the sentence are present. The verb in an English imperative is the base form of the verb, without endings of any
kind, thus identical to a second person, present tense form ”.
1
Another definition “imperative is about speaker manipulation.
They may be used as actual commands, such as those a military officer or a parent issues to a soldier or a child. They may also be used as more gentle
directives or as quasi directives, in which the speaker merely expects or envisions some behavior on the part of someone else and casts that
1
James R. Hurdford, Grammar a Student’s Guide, Cambridge: Cambridge University,
1994, p. 95.
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