CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
There are two parts discussed in this chapter. They are the theoretical review and the conceptual framework. In the theoretical review, the researcher discusses
some theories and research studies which are relevant with the topic. In the conceptual framework, the researcher relates the theory to the study.
A. Theoretical Review
The review of literatures covers theories related to the research topic. They are theories about
learners’ beliefs and teaching English to college students, especially in non-English major.
Learners’ beliefs in English language learning are elaborated through the heading of definitions of beliefs, understanding beliefs on language
learning and the factors influencing learners’ beliefs. Moving on to the next key construct about teaching English to college students, the characteristics the students
and the implementation of English learning are discussed.
1. Definition of Beliefs
Richardson in Bernat 2005: 1 defines belief as, psychologically held understandings, premises, or propositions about the world that are felt to be true and
it is called as strong filter of reality. In the same line, Puchta 1999 claimed that beliefs are
“guiding principles” of person’s behaviors. He elaborated that beliefs are “generalizations about cause and effect, and they influence our inner representation of
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the world around us. “They help us to make sense of that world, and they determine
how we think and how we act” pp. 68-69. Beliefs determine how people view their world, and then it gives a big influence on their future action and behavior.
Moreover, Richardson 1996 says that attitude, knowledge, and belief are able to drive what person does. Though based on the theory both belief and
knowledge are able to influence people ’s action, there are some basic differences
between those both. Pajares 1992 and Borg 2001 mention some points that make belief and knowledge different. Pajares 1992 states that there are four points to be
considered in distinguishing belief and knowledge, as follow: First, compared to knowledge, the evaluative and affective components of
belief are more powerful and stronger. It means that knowledge can be developed and improved. Second, it is still related to the first point. Stronger
affective and evaluative components make belief more influential in a person
’s behavior than knowledge. Third, it deals with a process in interpreting and perceiving new phenomena or information absorbed. A belief
is considered as a better filter for the information obtained than knowledge. Fourth, in adulthood, changing belief is more impossible and rather than
knowledge. Moreover, Borg 2001 gives four other features of how to make both
different. First, knowledge is seen as a true thing in a number of external senses while belief is accepted as a true by the internal or individual holding it. Second, belief is
considered as a guide that can affect the way people think and act. Third, people sometimes are not conscious about their belief. Fourth, Borg agrees with Pajares
1992 that belief has a strong evaluative aspect. By reviewing those claims on beliefs, it can be concluded that beliefs are like
a strong filter for someone in defining their world and beliefs itself can be indicated or identified from their attitudes, expectation, or assumption.
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