Designing computer-based exercises using hot potatoes software to facilitate independent learning of tenses for the first grade students of SMK Sanjaya Pakem - USD Repository

  

DESIGNING COMPUTER-BASED EXERCISES USING HOT POTATOES

SOFTWARE TO FACILITATE INDEPENDENT LEARNING

OF TENSES FOR THE FIRST GRADE STUDENTS

OF SMK SANJAYA PAKEM

A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS

  

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

  By Gabriella Sandya Puspita Sari

  Student Number: 071214027

  

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2012

  “

Why should you be afraid if you never

experience it?

  

Don’t ever be afraid before you do and

taste the great moment on it!

And only faith and confidence make One

  ” succeed

  ~ ~ My Wise Guider Daddy

  

~ö~

I dedicate my thesis to:

  

 

The Almighty, Jesus Christ

  

 

Mother Mary

  

 

My Wise Guider Daddy

  

 

My Marvelous Mommy

   

  

My Spirited Grandpas and Grandmas



  

My beloved Brother and Sister: Rio and Dini

  

ABSTRACT

  Sari, Gabriella Sandya Puspita. 2012. Designing Computer-Based Exercises

  

Using Hot Potatoes Software to Facilitate Independent Learning of Tenses for

the First Grade Students of SMK Sanjaya Pakem. Yogyakarta: English

  Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.

  The study aimed to design computer-based exercises using Hot Potatoes software to facilitate independent learning of tenses for the first grade students of SMK Sanjaya Pakem. The simple present and simple past tense learning were chosen because most of the students had low level of comprehension of both tenses. They needed supplementary exercises which enabled them to improve their basic tenses and to create entertaining environment of the learning at the same time. Hence, computer-based exercises were chosen because it was very interesting learning medium, so their motivation to learn would be increased. The computer-based exercises would also lead them to learn independently because it could be accessed at anytime outside classroom. Besides, the software was chosen because it provided five interesting programs to do the exercises. Therefore, two research problems were formulated, namely first, how computer-based exercises was designed, and second, what the computer-based exercises looked like.

  The first question was answered by elaborating five steps of methodology. R&D models from Borg and Gall (1983) and Dick, Carrey, and Carrey (2005) underpinned the methodology of this study. The steps were (1) research and information collecting completed by conducting learners and context analysis, (2) planning completed by identifying instructional goal(s), conducting instructional analysis, writing performance objectives, and developing instructional strategy, (3) develop preliminary form of product completed by developing and selecting instructional materials, (4) preliminary field testing, and (5) main product revision.

  Here, the first two steps were called as pre design survey, whereas the fourth step was called as post design survey.

  The answer to the second question was the presentation of the product. The product consisted of three units of exercises, namely Unit One focusing on simple present tense, Unit Two focusing on simple past tense, and Unit Three focusing on the combination of both tenses. Each unit had the same main themes, namely describing things, describing activities, describing events, occupation, and signs. To validate and improve the design, the writer conducted two kinds of preliminary form of product, namely trial of the product, conducted to the first grade students, and content evaluation, conducted to the English teacher and experts. As the conclusion of the product validation, the design was considered appropriate and suitable for the students to develop their grammatical skill focused on both tenses.

  Finally, this interactive and interesting design would increase the students’ motivation to learn English in fun environment. It is expected that they could change their habit of the learning and improve their grammatical skill and vocabulary by accessing the exercises regularly. To see the design, the reader could visit http://sanfunlish.freewebclass.com and enter by clicking login as guess. Keywords: Hot Potatoes software, independent learning, tenses, the first grade

  

ABSTRAK

  Sari, Gabriella Sandya Puspita. 2012. Designing Computer-Based Exercises

  

Using Hot Potatoes Software to Facilitate Independent Learning of Tenses for

the First Grade Students of SMK Sanjaya Pakem. Yogyakarta: Program Studi

  Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

  Studi ini bertujuan untuk mendisain soal-soal latihan berbasis komputer menggunakan perangkat lunak Hot Potatoes untuk memfasilitasi pembelajaran mandiri mengenai tenses untuk siswa SMK Sanjaya Pakem kelas satu. Pembelajaran simple present dan simple past tense dipilih karena kebanyakan dari para siswa memiliki pemahaman tenses yang rendah. Mereka membutuhkan soal- soal latihan tambahan untuk meningkatkan kemampuan tenses dasar mereka dan pada saat yang bersaamaan mampu menciptakan suasana pembelajaran yang menyenangkan. Oleh karena itu, soal-soal latihan berbasis komputer dipilih karena media tersebut sangat menarik sehingga para siswa semakin termotivasi untuk belajar. Soal-soal latihan berbasis komputer tersebut juga mengarahkan mereka pada pembelajaran mandiri karena media tersebut dapat diakses setiap waktu di luar kelas. Di samping itu, perangkat lunak tersebut juga dipilih karena menyediakan lima program yang menarik untuk mengerjakan soal-soal latihan. Dengan demikian, penelitian ini menyimpulkan dua pertanyaan, yaitu bagaimana sebuah disain mengenai soal-soal latihan berbasis komputer dibuat dan seperti apakah bentuk dari disain tersebut.

  Pertanyaan pertama dijawab dengan menjabarkan kelima langkah dari prosedur penelitian. Langkah tersebut, yang merupakan gabungan teori Borg and Gall (1983) and Dick, Carrey, and Carrey (2005), merupakan pondasi pada penelitian ini. Langkah-langkahya adalah (1) research and information collecting,

  

yang dilengkapi dengan conducting learners and context analysis, (2) planning,

  yang dilengkapi dengan identifying instructional goal(s), conducting instructional

  

analysis, writing performance objectives, dan developing instructional strategy, (3)

develop preliminary form of product yang dilengkapi dengan developing and

selecting instructional materials, (4) preliminary field testing, dan (5) main

product revision. Dalam penelitian ini, dua langkah pertama disebut sebagai pre-

design survey, selain itu, langkah keempat disebut sebagai post-design survey.

  Jawaban dari pertanyaan kedua adalah presentasi disain yang sudah dibuat. Disain tersebut terdiri atas tiga unit, yaitu Unit One berfokus pada simple present

  

tense, Unit Two berfokus pada simple past tense, dan Unit Three berfokus pada

  kombinasi dari tenses tersebut. Setiap unit memiliki tema-tema yang sama, yaitu

describing things, describing activities, describing events, occupation, dan signs.

Untuk mengvalidasi dan memperbaiki disain tersebut, maka penulis melakukan dua proses pada langkah preliminary form of product, yaitu proses trial of the

  

product, yang dilakukan oleh siswa kelas satu, dan proses content evaluation, yang

  dilakukan oleh seorang guru bahasa Inggris kelas satu (yang merupakan

  

practitioner) dan dua orang dosen (yang merupakan experts). Proses validasi

  menyatakan bahwa disain tersebut dipertimbangkan sebagai disain yang cocok dan tepat untuk digunakan oleh siswa kelas satu untuk mengembangkan kemampuan

  Pada akhirnya, disain yang interaktif dan menarik ini dapat meningkatkan motivasi mereka untuk belajar bahasa Inggris di dalam lingkungan yang menyenangkan. Dengan ini diharapkan bahwa mereka dapat mengubah pandangan mereka terhadap pembelajaran bahasa Inggris dan meningkatkan kemampuan tata bahasa dan pemahaman kosakata dengan cara mengakses soal-soal pada disain ini secara berkala. Untuk melihat disain tersebut, pembaca dapat mengunjungi http://sanfunlish.freewebclass.com dan masuk dengan mengklik login as guess. Kata kunci: perangkat lunak Hot Potatoes, pembelajaran mandiri, tenses, siswa kelas satu SMK Sanjaya Pakem.

  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  At first, my deepest thanks go to The Almighty Jesus Christ and Mother

  

Mary, who have led and blessed my way on completing my thesis. There are so

  many obstacles found in the process, but Jesus and Mother’s hands always hold me and pull me out through the down and the sickness. Believe on them is the greatest faith I have.

  Second, my sincere gratitude goes to my advisor Carla Sih Prabandari,

  

S.Pd., M.Hum. for her support and patience in guiding the process by reading and

  checking my thesis. Without her cheerful and wise in guiding me, I am sure that I cannot finish my thesis at the time. In addition, I would like to thank to Chosa

  

Kastuhandani, S.Pd., M.Hum. and Gregorius Punto Aji, S.Pd., M.Hum. for

their willingness to evaluate my design. Next, my great thank also goes to Sr.

  

Margaret, FCJ who has kindly given some suggestions and advice toward the

grammar of my work.

  Above all, my great thanks also go to all of PBI’s lecturers, who had accompanied me for more or less four years. In addition, thank Made Frida Yulia,

  

S.Pd., M.Pd. and Ag. Hardi Prasetyo, S.Pd., M.A. for the time to have some

discussions related to the process of designing my thesis.

  Next, I would like to give my great thank to Dra. Sri Utami, the head master of Sanjaya Pakem Vocational School, who has given me permission on conducting my thesis in the school. Besides, I would like to thank Rosalia Endang

  

Widyastuti, S.Pd., the English teacher of the first grade students, who has guided

  Next, my special and deepest gratitude goes to my beloved parents, Bapak

  

Albertus Sugiyanto, and Mama Yohana Endang Kusjatwati, because of their

  endless guidance, support, patience, prayer, and love. I give thank as well for my beloved brother and sister, Marius Brilian Priambodo and Maria Regina

  

Andarini Tyaswati for the prayer and support. In addition, my greatest and

  deepest thank goes to my beloved grandparents, (†) Yohanes Karmidi Susilo

Sumarto and (†) Yohana Dalmi Susilo Sumarto; (†) Veronica Setyowati, J. B.

  

Hadisiswoyo (grandpa) and Theresia Siti Warni (grandma), for their unending

  love and pray. Next, I am so grateful to my faithful boyfriend, Mas Yustinus

  

Agung Dwi Cahyanto, who always gives his ears to listen what I feel, hope and

do.

  Next, I would thank my great friends, Bowtea, Wiwid, Wichan, Ochan,

  

Rieta, Nana, Fendy, Bertha, Nowtea, Kitin, Risma, Tika, Gobe and Anti, for

the most beautiful and irreplaceable friendship that we have made.

  Finally, my gratitude goes to all of my relatives and friends that cannot be mentioned by names. May God bless and give joy of life to them.

  Gabriella Sandya Puspita Sari

  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

  TITLE PAGE ..................................................................................................... i APPROVAL PAGES ........................................................................................ ii MOTTO AND DEDICATION PAGE .............................................................. iv STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ................................................. v

  

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK

KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIK ........................................................................... vi

  ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................... vii

  

ABSTRAK .......................................................................................................... viii

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................. x TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................. xii LIST OF APPENDICES ................................................................................... xvii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................

  1 A. Research Background ................................................................

  1 B. Research Problem ......................................................................

  5 C. Problem Limitation ....................................................................

  5 D. Research Objectives ...................................................................

  6 E. Research Benefits ......................................................................

  6 F. Definition of Terms ...................................................................

  7 CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ......................... 10

  A. Theoretical Description .............................................................. 10

  1. Grammar .............................................................................. 10

  a. The Way of Learning Grammar ..................................... 11

  b. The Way of Teaching Grammar .................................... 12

  2. English Tenses ..................................................................... 15

  a. Simple Present Tense ..................................................... 15

  3. Independent Learning .......................................................... 18

  a. Students and Independent Learning ................................ 20

  b. Teachers and Independent Learning ............................... 21

  4. Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) ................ 21

  a. The Roles of Computer in Language Learning............... 22

  b. The Roles of Teachers in Language Classroom.............. 22

  c. The Advantages of Using Computer-based Media ......... 25

  d. The Disadvantages of Using Computer-Based Media.... 25

  e. Five Types of Computer Programs ................................. 27

  5. Hot Potatoes Software ......................................................... 27

  6. Curriculum ........................................................................... 29

  B. Theoretical Framework .............................................................. 30

  

CHAPTER III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ...................................... 35

A. Research Method ....................................................................... 35 B. Research Setting ........................................................................ 39 C. Research Participants ................................................................. 39 D. Research Instruments and Data Gathering Technique ............... 41 E. Data Analysis Technique ........................................................... 44 F. Research Procedures .................................................................. 45

CHAPTER IV. RESEARCH RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ................ 48

A. Designing The Materials ............................................................ 48

  1. Research and Information Collecting ................................... 48

  a. Results from Questionnaire Distribution ....................... 49

  b. Results from Pre-Test ..................................................... 52

  c. Results from Interview ................................................... 54

  d. Classroom Observation .................................................. 56

  2. Planning ................................................................................ 60

  b. Conducting Instructional Analysis ................................. 60

  c. Writing Performance Objectives .................................... 61

  d. Developing Instructional Strategy ................................. 62

  3. Developing Preliminary Form of Product ............................. 64

  a. Developing and Selecting Instructional Material ........... 64

  4. Preliminary Field Testing ...................................................... 67

  a. Trial of The Product ....................................................... 68

  b. Content Evaluation ......................................................... 74

  5. Main Product Revision .......................................................... 80

  B. Presentation of The Designed Materials ...................................... 85

  

CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............. 95

A. Conclusions .................................................................................. 95 B. Recommendations ........................................................................ 97

REFERENCES ................................................................................................ 99

APPENDICES .................................................................................................. 101

  

LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 2.1 Larsen and Freeman’s Prototypical Units of the Three Dimensions

  .......................................................................................................... 12

Figure 2.2 Two models of CALL ...................................................................... 23Figure 2.3 The Theoretical Framework of the Study ........................................ 34Figure 3.1 The Procedural Steps in Developing the Product ............................ 45

  The Front Page of the Website

Figure 4.1 ............................................................. 86Figure 4.2 The Front Page of the Design .............................................................. 87Figure 4.3 The Main Menu of Unit One ............................................................... 88

  Print Screen of Describing Things Exercises

  Figure 4.4 ......................................... 89

Figure 4.5 Print Screen of Describing Activities Exercises .................................... 90Figure 4.6 Print Screen of Describing Activities Exercises .................................... 91

  Print Screen of Describing Events Exercises

  Figure 4.7 ......................................... 92

  Print Screen of Occupations Exercises

Figure 4.8 ................................................. 93Figure 4.9 Print Screen of Signs Exercises ............................................................ 94

  

LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 4.1 Eight Main Points on the Questionnaire for the Students ................. 49Table 4.2 The Error Results for Pre Test Part A ............................................... 53Table 4.3 The Error Results for Pre Test Part B ................................................ 53Table 4.4 The Students’ Response toward the English Subject Learning ......... 56Table 4.5 The Performance Objectives and the Topics ..................................... 62Table 4.6 The Titles of Designed exercises ....................................................... 65Table 4.7 The Evaluators’ Background ............................................................. 75Table 4.8 The Evaluation Sheet Result from the Teacher and the First Expert . 75Table 4.9 The Revised Topics with Its Learning Objectives ............................ 83Table 4.10 The Revised Designed Exercises .................................................... 83

LIST OF APPENDICES

  Appendix A. Permission Letter Appendix B.1 Questionnaire for the Students Appendix B.2 Pre Test for the Students Appendix B.3 Lists of Questions for Interview Appendix B.4 Lists of Questions for School Observation Appendix C.1 Result of Questionnaire for the Students Appendix C.2 Result of Pre Test Appendix C.3 The Interview Transcript and Raw Data of Interview with the

  English Teacher Appendix C.4 Result of School Observation Appendix D.1 Lesson Plan of Trial of the Product Appendix E.1. Evaluation Sheet for the Students Appendix E.2. Evaluation Sheet for the English Teacher and Experts Appendix F.1. Result of Evaluation from the Students Appendix F.2. Result of Evaluation from the English teacher Appendix F.3. Result of Evaluation from the First Experts Appendix F.4. Result of Evaluation from the Second Experts Appendix G.1. Framework of Final Revision Appendix G.2. The Sequence Steps to Visit the Designed Exercises Appendix G.3. List of Username and Password

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This chapter would discuss the research background, the problem

  formulation, the problem limitation, the research objectives, the research benefits, and the definition of terms of the study.

A. Research Background

  Technology has been developed in order to help people enhance their knowledge. There are many kinds of technology, but this study focuses on the use of computer and certain software. Technology as media can benefit the learning of English. There are many kinds of teaching media, which can be in the form of manual and electronic tools, provided in common stores to support language learning. The development of technology as media to support language learning, especially English learning, makes the learning process itself become more attractive and interesting. The use of teaching media, both in manual or electronic can motivate the students in order to follow the learning process.

  English as a foreign language has become one of the main local subjects in Indonesian formal schools. Students need to pass the final examination of some prime school subjects before they continue their study to a higher level of education and so English subject is included in the examination. Therefore, teachers are responsible for the students’ comprehension of the prime school subjects that will be examined. Schools have their own problem why the English

  2 learning is not successful. One of the formal schools studied was SMK Sanjaya Pakem located in Jalan Kaliurang, Sleman, Yogyakarta.

  The writer found two major problems why students in SMK Sanjaya Pakem have not had good English comprehension. First, the students have not been supported by enough facilities, in order to be able to develop their English ability. Substantively, the school has provided some appropriate and supporting sources that are professional English teachers, handbooks for the students, and English-Indonesia and Indonesia-English dictionaries. But, the teachers and the dictionaries are available only in school. Moreover, most of the students come from lower up to middle economic family’s background. This fact really plays an important role for the students’ access in order to gain facilities to learn English at home, such as dictionary, students’ material book, and other learning sources that support and improve their English material absorption. Though the school has provided the learning tools, they are not been enough to improve the students’ achievement in English subject. Besides, their economic background also influences their attitudes in English learning. They thought that English was difficult, so they are not motivated to learn.

  Second, there are many students who do not have strong underpinning of English knowledge. The different achievement of English knowledge at their junior high school causes different English levels of proficiency. Most of them are in the low level of proficiency in English grammar comprehension. Nonetheless, later in the third grade, they are supposed to be able to pass English National Examination as the output of the study. If they do not comprehend English

  3 knowledge better, they are not supposed to pass the examination. Those two problems have a big influence in their English performance.

  Hence, the writer underlined that the fundamental skill for the students to develop was their basic grammar knowledge. Many students are incapable of constructing simple sentences using correct grammatical pattern. They also thought that their English grammar is not good enough. Those might be the answer to why the students awkward to learn English. This phenomenon also plays an important problem in reaching the success of English learning. Since, the function of language is for communicating with others, English subject at school also expects the students to be able to communicate using English. To cope with the function, they need to be able to create and produce meaningful sentences both in written and oral.

  By considering the background problems, this study tries to help the students to improve their basic tenses by designing a product to make an entertaining learning. The appropriate grade of the students to build and improve the tenses is the first grade students. Since the students are in the first grade, the grammar learning focuses on the use of Simple Present Tense and Simple Past Tense learned in the first semester.

  Hurd (n.d.) in Hurd & Lewis (2008) states that: Language anxiety and motivation are both considered to be highly influential in facilitating or inhibiting Second Language Acquisition, and have become central to any examination of factors contributing to the learning process and learner achievement (Dörnyei, 2001, 2005; Ellis, 1994; Horwitz, 2000, 2001; Horwitz et al., 1986; MacIntyre, 1995, 1999; Matsuda & Gobel, 2004; Oxford, 1999; Young, 1999) (p. 223).

  4 By being motivated in English learning, the students are expected to be able to absorb knowledge better. Moreover, in order to change their habit toward the learning of English, the study would use computer as the medium of the learning. The computer use would change the learning activity from doing regular tasks to playing such games. The ‘play’ context would increase their motivation so that later their attitude that English is difficult would be reduced. In addition, the computer also provides independent learning, so the students could access the supplementary exercises individually outside classroom in order to improve their basic tenses. However, the teacher’s control was still needed.

  Regarding the facilities needed in this study, the writer observes that SMK Sanjaya Pakem has realized that computers are needed at school as the supporting tools of teaching-learning process. The computers at the school are usually used to teach MYOB program to support an Accounting subject. Nevertheless, the computers also can be used to support other school subjects, such as English subject. It can maximize the function of the computers as the tools to support and improve teaching-learning process.

  Finally, the study would design supplementary exercises by using computer and Hot Potatoes software to facilitate independent learning method. It is expected that the medium can motivate the students to learn English on their own pace so that it help them to improve their English grammar basis. In addition, it is expected that by operating the design, it enables the students to be familiar with the computer operating system in the case of English learning.

  5 B. Research Problem Regarding the background of the research, the problem can be formulated as follows.

  1. How is a set of computer-based exercises using Hot Potatoes software to facilitate independent learning of tenses for the first grade students of SMK Sanjaya Pakem designed?

  2. What does the set of computer-based exercises using Hot Potatoes software and independent learning to study tenses for the first grade students of SMK Sanjaya Pakem look like?

C. Problem Limitation

  The scope of the study is designing computer-based exercises for learning basic tenses in SMK Sanjaya Pakem. The medium is designed for the first grade students. Besides, the study implements Hot Potatoes software to create an interesting activity because it contains attractive programs. The programs applied in this study were filling the gap texts, answering multiple choice, arranging jumbled sentences, and matching pictures based on its description. In addition, the exercises in the program can be added with short explanation related to the topic being discussed. The topics of the exercises are focused on basic tenses, namely simple present and simple past tense, because they are the basic grammar they really need to develop.

  6 D. Research Objectives There are two objectives of the study that are related to the problem formulation.

  1. to find out how to design a set of computer-based exercises using Hot Potatoes software to facilitate independent learning of tenses for the first grade students of SMK Sanjaya Pakem; and

  2. to present the set of computer-based media computer-based exercises design using Hot Potatoes software to facilitate independent learning of tenses for the first grade students of SMK Sanjaya Pakem.

E. Research Benefits The design of the study is expected to give benefits for certain subjects.

  1. Students in the first grade of SMK Sanjaya Pakem.

  This study will benefit the students because the product is designed to help them improve their basic knowledge of grammar focused on basic tenses learning.

  Besides, they will be more familiar with computer operation. Morever, the medium also facilitates independent learning so that it lead them to learn individually at their own pace to improve their knowledge.

  2. Teachers’ of SMK Sanjaya Pakem.

  This study will help the teachers to create fun environment to learn English so that it would increase the students’ motivation. Since the students are motivated to learn, it is expected that they will be able to improve their basic tenses.

  7 3. Future researchers.

  This study will have benefit for future research in a sense of developing in more depth the exercises designed in this study and find another entertain medium to learn English at the same time.

F. Definition of Terms The study uses terms that can be elaborated, as follows.

  1. Hot Potatoes Software Hot Potatoes is a software that can be developed as an electronic media to learn English. According to the author, Arneil, Holmes, and Street (1998-2004), the aim of the software is to enable the user to create interactive Web-based teaching exercises which can be delivered to any internet-connected computer equipped with a browser. The authors explain that the users do not need to pay attention on the formula to run the programs. It is because the authors just need to insert the exercises into the programs. There are five main programs in this software, namely J-Quiz program, J-Cloze program, J-Cross program, J-Mix program, and J-Match program.

  2. Independent Learning According to Philip Candy (1991), independent learning is a process, a method and a philosophy of education whereby a learner acquires knowledge by his or her own efforts and develops the ability for enquiry and critical evaluation (Mind over Matter section, para. 1). This study uses independent learning method because it requires the students to do the exercises by themselves. They explore

  8 their knowledge that they already have and try to use their knowledge to solve problems.

  3. SMK Sanjaya Pakem It is a vocational school located at Kaliurang Street Km. 17, Pakem,

  Sleman, Yogyakarta. This school specializes in accounting and office administration. The writer had conducted her Program Pengalaman Lapangan in this school in June-September 2010. There are three kinds of classes in each grade, namely Akuntansi class, Administrasi Perkantoran class, and Penjualan class. The design aimed to all classes in the first grade.

  4. The Students of SMK Sanjaya Pakem The students are in the first grade of SMK Sanjaya Pakem. There are three clasess, namely Akuntasi Class, Administrasi Perkantoran Class, and Penjualan

  Class. Most of them are in the low level of basic grammar comprehension focusing on basic tenses. This fact might be the reason why they have not had high achievement, in English learning.

  5. Tenses This study focuses on the learning about simple present and simple past tense. Azar (1989) defines that in general, the simple present expresses events or situations that exist always, usually, habitually; they exist now, have existed in the past, and probably will exist in the future (p. 2). It is defined also that the simple past express events happened at one particular time in the past; it began and ended in the past. According to the curriculum applied in SMK Sanjaya Pakem,

  9 the two kinds of tenses are taught in the first semester to the first grade students of SMK Sanjaya Pakem.

  6. Exercises Brown (2004) says that formal assessments are exercises or procedures specifically designed to tap into a storehouse of skills and knowledge (p. 6). This study deals with collection of exercises which are stated in a computer program. The purpose of the exercises is to measure how far the students achieve the knowledge that has been taught in a certain period of time. This study is focused on exercises related to the learning of tenses.

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE This chapter presents discussion on related theories underlying the study. There are two major sections, namely theoretical description and theoretical

  framework. The theoretical description presents some theories used as the foundation in this research. Besides, the theoretical framework presents the relations from the theories underlying the design process of this study.

A. Theoretical Description

  As mentioned above, this section is going to discuss some related theories used in this study. There are 4 main parts discussed, namely (1) Grammar, (2) English Tenses, (3) Independent learning, (4) Computer assisted language learning, (5) Hot Potatoes Software, and (6) Curriculum.

1. Grammar

  According to Larsen and Freeman (2003), grammar is the fifth skill, in language teaching, that underscores the importance of students’ developing an ability to do something, not simply storing knowledge about the language or its use (p. 13). Learners need to acquire and comprehend basic grammar because they need to know why they should use this kind of rules and that in order to express appropriate and purposeful meaning in communication.

  11

a. The Way of Learning Grammar

  Larsen and Freeman (2003) state some ideas about the learning and the teaching of grammar (p. 19-22). There are three main ideas in the learning of grammar, described as follows. 1) Grammar is not acquired naturally; it has to be taught.

  Larsen and Freeman (2003) agree that second language learners have to be taught grammar by accommodating a classroom environment as natural as the external environment where the target language is spoken (p. 20). 2) Grammar structures are not acquired in a set order.

  Larsen and Freeman (2003) say that the learning of grammar is not the learning of forms in a sequence which have steps to be passed and to be continued (p. 20). Indeed, when the learners have mastered certain forms of grammar structure and start to learn new forms, it does not mean that the learners will be free from backsliding. 3) All aspects of grammar are not learned in the same way.

  As Larsen and Freeman (2003) say that single explanation of the grammatical structure is insufficient to learn language as complex as it is (p. 21). It indicates that all aspects of grammar are not learned in a single process.

  There are three dimensions of the learning of grammar applied to language in communication according to Larsen and Freeman (2003: 34-35). The first dimension is form. It focuses on the process of language units are formed, in accordance with its syntactic structures. The second dimension is meaning (semantics). This dimension explains that meaning is implied in language. There

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  are general categories of meaning, namely notions which are related to space (location, distance, motion, size) and time (indication of time, duration, sequence).

  The third dimension is use (pragmatics). It will not focus on the meaning conveyed by the language, but it focuses on why ones use the language as means for communication. There are two units of this dimension, namely social functions (such as promising, inviting, agreeing, disagreeing, and apologizing) and discourse patterns (such as those that contribute to the cohesion texts).

  Meaning/ Form Semantics Use/ Pragmatics Figure 2.1: Larsen and Freeman’s Prototypical Units of the Three Dimensions (2003: 35)

b. The Way of Teaching Grammar

  Working from the way of the grammar learning, here are three main ideas of the teaching of grammar (Larsen and Freeman, 2003: 21-22), as follows.

  1) Learners will eventually bring their performance into alignment with the target language; error correction is unnecessary, but feedback is necessary.

  The learners can understand which forms are applicable and which forms are not if they have been given a feedback by the teachers. As Larsen and Freeman (2003) say that the job of language teachers is to maximize learning

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  by creating optimal conditions (p. 21). Therefore, giving feedback in helpful ways can create optimal conditions for grammatical structure acquisition.

  2) Grammar (teaching and/or learning) is not boring.

  Larsen and Freeman (2003) clarifies that grammar is never boring (p. 21-22). The teacher’s job is to involve the learners to learn in focus, relax, and attentive condition. The learners are not given a particular time to master grammar, but the teachers should find the solution to make valuable grammar learning. Moreover, it is necessary for the teacher to equip the learners with interesting practice focused on grammar learning. 3) All students need to be taught grammar.

  Larsen and Freeman (2003) state that there is no reason why the children should be denied grammar instruction any more than any other segment of the language student population (p. 22). The ways to acquire second language are always found out in order to enrich their grammatical skill.

  Swan (n.d), as cited by Richards and Renandya (2002), says that there are seven bad reasons and two good reason of teaching grammar (p. 148-152). The following is the seven bad reasons, as follows. 1) Because it’s there.

  It is stated that sometimes grammar is taught strictly as it is provided in the textbooks. Therefore, it is important for teachers to select the grammar which is useful for the learners rather than go straightly through the prepared syllabus.

  14 2) It’s tidy.

  Swan states that grammar looks tidy and is relatively teachable. Learners can learn grammar in a limited series, apply in exercises, and tick off one by one.

  3) It’s testable.

  The teacher can easily test the grammar comprehended by the learners. 4) Grammar as a security blanket.

  In the theory, grammar can be reassuring and comforting. It is because when the learners have comprehended the grammar exactly, they feel that they master the language. 5) It made me who I am.

  The learners need hard working in learning grammar, such as tenses. Therefore, many foreign language teachers agree that it is good to learn grammar deeply, and it works continuously in the next generation.

  6) You have to teach the whole system.

  Swan says that grammar is an accumulation of different elements, some more systematic than other, some linked together tightly, or loosely, some completely independent and detachable. Therefore, when the teachers try to teach the whole system, they will ignore what is the importance of learning grammar and how long the learners need to spend the time to learn grammar. 7) Power.

  Grammar has constant rules that can be mastered by the learners. They will have the power when they master the grammar.

  There are also 2 good reasons to teach grammar, on the next page.

  15 1) Comprehensibility.

  Comprehensibility means that the learners know how to build and use certain structures. This ability will enable them to make understandable sentences.

  2) Acceptability.

  In some social context, people may be regarded because of their ability to have high level of grammatical correctness. For those who are bad in speaking may be ignored and considered as uneducated people.

2. English Tenses

  Curme (1966) defines tenses as the different forms which a verb assumes to indicate the time of the action or state (p. 55). Because tense systems are language specific, it is not surprising that ESL/EFL learners have a great deal of difficulty mastering the English tense aspect system (Celce, Murcia, Larsen and Freeman, 1983: 61). Since the study would focus on the learning of simple present and simple past tense, the next discussion was about the form and the function of both tenses.

a. Simple Present Tense

  Azar (1989) states that in general, the simple present expresses events or situations that exist always, usually, habitually; they exist now, have existed in the past, and probably will exist in the future (p. 2). Neuman (1981) elaborates the form of the tenses (p. 41-42), as follows.

  1) The affirmative is formed with the infinitive of the verb, without to.

  The third person singular (he, she, it) has -s or -es added (e.g. he puts, she