EXTERNAL MOTIVATION TO ACTIVATE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO SPEAK.

EXTRl~AL

MOTIVATION TO ACTIVATE
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
TO SPEAK
A THESIS
Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Graduate Program
in Partial Fulfillment of The Req~irmnts
fo{ the DegrH" of.

MAGISTER HUMANIORA

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By :

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~!MED

IMliJKPERPUSTAK~

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NOVITA CHRISTIANTI HUTABARAT
RIC. 0 I SO I 0033

1.).
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ENGEISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS

GRA'DUATE PROGRAM
STATP::..UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN

·

2004
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THESIS

EXTERNAL MOTIVATION TO ACTIVATE
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
TO SPEAK
Arranged and Proposed by;

NAME; NOYITA CHRISTIANII HUTABARAor
Reg. No: 015010033

Has been defended before the Thesis Examination Committee on June 23, 2004
and declared to have fulflllcd the requirements

Approved By:
First Consultant,

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--· -- ':"'"--=..:..:-:___ -- --· -

- -

Prof. Dr. J. Naibaho

English Applied Linguistics
Dead!

Prof. Dr. J. Naibaho

Director,

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

By the Grace of God, The Most Merciful and with all his guidance the writer
completed this thesis. In accomplishing her study in the Gmduate Program of Applied
Linguistics of State University of Medan, many parties have been involved. In this
occasion, she would like to express her sincere gratitude and deep appreciation to all

of them.
She indeed indebted and would like to express her great appreciation to her
first consultant, Prof. DR. J. Naibaho and DR. L. Sihombing, M. Pd, (as her second
consultant) who both have spared time and given lots of guidance, comments,
suggestions, and endless support from reading the draft to the completion of the
thesis.
Special gratitude is expressed to the Head of English Applied Linguistics,
Prof. DR. J. 1\aibaho, and the secretary Ora. Mesuri, M.A., and all the lectures who
have given her encouragement, a lot of experience and knowledge during her study.

Many thanks are particularly put into words to her beloved lectures and
reviewers, Prof. Tina Mariany A. M.A, Ph.D, Amrin Saragih, M.A., Ph.D, DR. Berlin
Sibarani, M.Pd. who have given lots of important critical comments, suggestions and
recommendations in improving her thesis in seminar of proposal, seminar of result
and at her final exam.
The most precious appreciation is expressed to her family, her beloved
parents, W_ Hutabarat, S.H and, T. Br. Simamora for their spiritual support which
she believe lias led her in finishing in her study, and also their moral and fmancial

support during her study. Her special thanks are also due to her oldest brother,
Herwinto Hutabarat, S.E., M.M., her sister, Erika Hutabarat, S.T., and her sister's
husband, G. Sntumeang, S.T. and her youngest brother Jimmy R. Hutabarat, for their
support, and encouragement during her study.
Last but not least, she wishes to thank to all her friends in Graduate Program
of Applied Linguistics, State University of Medan, and to a few close friends Wina,
Tresna S., Nike, Kak. Ouk·guk, Nurmawati, Vely, Ibok, Nelly. and all others who can
not be mentioned one by one, for their support.

:,
Medan., June 2004

(Novita Christianti Hutabarat)

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ABSTRACT

HUTABARAT, NOVITA CHRISTIANTI. External Motivation to activate Senior

High School (SMU) Students Speak in SMU DWI WARNA Medan. Thesis. Applied
Linguistics Graduate Program. :rhe State University ofMedan (UN1MED) 2004.
The present thesis that deals with external motivation to activate Senior High
School (SMU) to speak is based on quantitative research. The objectives of the study
are to describe the factors of external motivation which are significanlly motivated

students to learn English and to find out the significant correlation between external
motivation and students' achievement in speaking. The most dominant factor was
watching Television. The data were obtained from 30 students of SMU DWI

.

.

questionnaire for external motivation and opened-questionnaire for the question in
speaking. In analyzing the data, product moment statistical were applied in order to
get the findings about the correlation between external motivation and student's
achievement in speaking. The findings indicated that there is a positive correlation

both of them. The correlation is high and significant because the correlation was
0.98

111

TABLE OF CONTENTS

page

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................... .

ABSTRACT ......................................................... .
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................... .. ................... ..

1.1. Background of the study ................. ..

1.2. Scope ofthe study ......................... ..

1.3. Research problems of the study ........... .
1.4. Objectives of the study ................... ..

4

1. 5. Significance of the study ................. ..

5

1.6. Assumption ................................ .

5

CHAPTER II: BRIEF REVIEW OF LITERATURE ... .

6

2.1. Motivation ........................................ ..

6

2.2. External Motivation............................. .

8

2.3. Advantages of Being Motivated ................ .

9

2.4. Factors of External Motivation ............... .

10

2.5. Speaking........................................ ..

13

2.6. Appropriate Material to increase
External Motivation .......................... ..

CHAPTER ID: RESEARCH METHOD ........................ .
3.1 Research Des;Jll................................ .
3.2. Population and Sample ........................ ..

3.3. Instrument of Collecting Data..................

16

5.4. Technique of Analyzing the Data..... . . .. . .. ..

'21

iv

CIIAPTER IV: DATA AND DATA ANALYSIS................

20

4.1. Data................................................

20

4.2. Data Analysis.....................................

22

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION, SUGGESTION,
AND IMPLICATION ................................... .

26

5.1. Conclusion ...................... .. . .... ....... . ..

5.2. Suggestion ....................................... .

5. 3. Implication....................................... .

REFERENCES............................................................

43

APPENDICES............................................................................

32-80

v

LIST OF TABLES
page
Table 3.1: The Aspects of Speaking..................................

18

Table 4.1: The Result ofthe Students' questionnaire............

21

Table 2 :Items of Students' Questionnaire ..................... .
Table 3 :The Questionnaires' Score................................. ..

Table 5 : The Frequency and Percentage of the Items'

Questionnaire .. . . .. . . ... .. . ... .. . ... . .. ... .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .

54

Table 6 :The Percentage of the Students'
Questionnaire Score .................................. ..

68

Table 7 :Students' Score in Speaking through Aspects
of Speaking ................................................ ..

70

Table 8 :Comparing Students' Score in English Aehievement

70

Table 9 : Students• Scores in English Achievement.............

72

Table 10: The Average ofthe Students' Score...................

74

Table 11 : The Value of Product Moment. ....................... .

V1

LIST OF APPENDICES

page
Appendix I

:Questionnaire.............................. .

32

Appendix II

: Initial of the Students ................... ..

40

Appendix Ill

: Items of Students' Questionnaire ..... .

Appendix IV

Questionnaire ..............................
Appendix VI

: Indicators of the Questionnaire's Item

Appendix VD

: The Frequency and Percentage of
the Items' Questionnaire ..............

Appendix VIII

: The Percentage ofthe Students'
Questionnaire Score.......................

Appendix IX

68

:Students' Score in Speaking through
Aspects of Speaking .....................

Appendix X

54

70

:Comparing Students' Score in English
Achievement .................................

72

Appendix XI

: The Average of the Students' Score .

Appendix XII

:The Value of Product Moment.. .....

76

AppendixXill

: TRANSTV ..............................

79

Appendix XIY.

:Summary of Senandung Masa Puber.

80

VB

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the study

Facing the information and globalization era. many people are obliged to learn
English as the global language. There are lots of facts to support the idea that learning
English is crucial such as: 1) 400 million speakers of first language; 2) 700 million
speakers of second or foreign language; 3) over 80% of the infonnation stored in the
world's computers is in English; 4) more than half the world's scientific journals are
in English; and 5) if s the main language on the internet, fihns, songs, and so on
(Porter Keith, 2003).
In line of this, Acha (2003: 45) said that English is one of the important things
that we have to know because in this era of globalization there is much information
written down in English.
Indonesia is one of the developing countries which treat English as a foreign
language, as the consequence this English is taught to the students from primary up to
the University level. With this fact, it is hoped that the students realize English is
important to learn. In addition, they can pass their exam, graduate from school,. speak
English, get better jobs, enter the college or university, etc.
In cGnnection with the result of learning English, learning will be effective
when an individual is ready to learn, that is when someone wants to know something.
In seconlliuy vel, the students do not realize yet that English is·very important since

1

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it is taught as one of the subject matters. The importance of learning English hold by
the teachers of English subject at school, so they have to motivate their students in
\earning English.
Motivation is the willingness to persevere in a learning task; the drive or
impulse that causes one to act in a certain manner; the process of providing with a
motive or motives; the force or incentive within a person that stimulates him/her to
have an active interest; the drives, impulse, and intention and causes a person to do
something (act) in certain ways. Student's motivation naturally has to do with
students• needs. Needs is a lack of something useful; required or desired (Webster,
1996: 906).
Motivation to learn a foreign language is seen as referring to the extent to
which the individual works or strives to learn the language because they are need to
do so and the satisfaction experienced toward the activity. So different learners will
have different motivation depends on their needs.
The major recognizable concepts of motivation are internal and external

motivation. internal motivation is an internal source used to urge a person forward.
This includes an inner sense of accomplishment and purpose that can boost selfesteem and performance in the classroom. While external motivation comes from

external source of motivation can be from people such as watching television (TV),
reading books, teachers, and parents, but most often involve objects in a reward and
punishme

~ sytem.

(Littlejohn, 200[ ).

Both of the motivation can be activated in the learning process

3

External motivation is seeking external rewards and avoiding punishment. A
student can be described as extrinsically motivated when he or she engages in
learning. School practices that seek to motivate students extrinsically include rewards
and on the basis students' academic performance (Ames and Ames, 1989).
External motivation is also a motivation where fear is the key. To be success,
all the teachers were expected to sign the forms. Active participation provides a
stimulating environment. To provide this environment, learning strategies should be
flexible, creative and constantly applied. Stimulating learning environments provide
variety in presentation styles, methods of instruction and learning materials.
External motivation that is given to the students is enhanced by the way in
which the instructional material organized. ln general, the best organized material

makes the information meaningful to the individual, and it will also enhance students
to speak (Nicholas and Miner, 1994).
So in order to help the students to be able to speak, the teachers have to give

them motivation in the process of teaching- learning English as a foreign language.
With this fact, it is hoped that the students realize Enghsh is important to learn. But
talking with Senior High School (SMU) students, the external motivation applies to
them, because they need to pass the exam, high score, etc. In order to make it short,

the writer infonned that the using of Senior High School did not use any more, but
the writer only used SMU.

Many students have less motivation in learning English. Generally, classes
are big consists of 40-50 students in one class. This will make them have little time to

4

practice. Language is perfected when it is practiced and using plentiful of time. Due
to lack at practice, their speaking is weak. These conditions make them shy to speak.

Based on explanation above, the writer is only interested in motivating the
students to speak. The writer wanted to improve the students' speaking by giving
them an external motivation, and used films which are displayed by private television

in Indonesia and through conversational practice in English classes. In this study, the
writer was only examining the external motivation to activate SMO students speak.

1.2.. Scope of the study
This study has specific intention to the external motivation to activate SMU

students speak.
1.3. Research Problems of the study

The problems of this study are formulated as the following:

:z

1. What factors of external motivation are significantly motivated students to

learn English?
2. Is there any significant correlation between external motivation and students'

achievement in speaking?
1.4. Objectives of the study

The objectives ofthis study are:

1. To identity factors of external motivation which are significantly motivated
students in learning English

5

2. To find out the significant correlation between external motivation and
students' achievement in speaking.

1.5. Signjficance of the study
After completing this study, the writer hopes that her. thesis would be able to
help teachers of English with a clear idea of strategy in giving external motivation to
activate SMU students speak.
The result will lead English teachers to teach their students to motivate the
ir own advanta es. In addition it can be said that an anal sis of

external motivation to activate SMU students speak give the students evidence of
their current competence in the process of learning foreign language. Besides, they

will gain valuable information which is important to design teaching materials to
make their class more enjoyable.

1.6. Assumption
The spread of English as a universal language is a clear cultural sign of the
globalization taking place at the end of the century, but the teaching ofEnglish as an

English language in traditional schools is unsatisfactory in Indonesia. There is
insufficient awareness of the impediment to globalization that the inability to
communicate in English represents. Once again education looks elsewhere jnstead of
mobilizing sufficient material.

So in order to help the students enhance their interest to
l~am

English, the

teachers have to give them motivation, and the motivation must be from the outside

of the students.

CHAPTERV
CONCLUSION, SUGGESTION, AND IMPLICATlON,

5.1. Conclusion
Having analyzed the data which are presented in the previous chapter, the
writer draws conclusion as the following:
5.1.1 Motivation is one of the most important influencing the studentst-success or

failure in learning English. S1-Hdents who are highly motivated are interested in

on what they have learned. Talking about SMU students, external motivation
are applied to them, because they needs to achieve a good score, especially in
speaking.
5.1.2 There was a significant correlation between students' external Questionnaire
and students' Achievement Score in Speaking. The hypothesis is accepted, and

z

the correlation between both of the variables was 0.98. It means the correlation
is high.

5.1.3 SMU Students of Dwi Warna Medan, are still needed external motivation from

their teachers enable the students to speak English.

5.2. Suggestion

Based on the conclusion, the suggestion draws in the following:
5.2.1

Metnod of teachiftg English has to be modified in order to make them

interested in learnin.g English.

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5.2.2 The teachers and parents have to control the student's ability in learning
English. This monitoring is necessary for them because it can be as a starting
point to them, and how far the students' improve.
5.2.3 In the process of learning English especially in speaking, the teachers have to
create the class more enjoyable. For example, by asking them to speak, the
teachers can take from others sources than merely from text books and asks
them to speak about it.

The result of this research showed that students' external motivation and
students' achievement in speaking gave valuable input to teachers of English in
helping the students in learning English particularly in speaking for SMU students in
general and particularly SMU DWI W ARNA Medan where this research was done.
There is a good result when the external motivation is given to the students.
Talking about the SMU students, the external motivation was applied to them. This
implication gave good evidence because it can enhance them speak.

5.3.1 Ways of improving the students' external motivation
Students' external motivation questionnaire valuable input that's why same
activities/ guidance should be given by following:
5.3.1.1

Pare~ts

Parent's involvement is very important in educating their children. In learning
process e ~ecialy

in learning English. their children's education will improve better

28

if parents facilitate them by giving good chance for learning at school and at home as
well. Parents are hoped too to facilitate their children with suitable books, dictionruy,

films, put in English course, etc. The facilitated can give contribute to their children
in learning English, es~cialy

in speaking English.

5.3.1.2 Teach~t·s
Motivation starts with the needs. In this case the duty of a teacher is to find
out why students are enrolled in the course, how they feel about the subject matter,
e course

content to students' interest.

A strategy is concerned with how the teacher chooses material which is
suitable for their students. The teachers can take from others sources as their medium

in teaching, for example, in speaking the teachers can take from TV program, and of
it can enhance them in speaking English.
The attitudes of teachers can be determined or beneficial to a student's

motivational process. When the teacher demonstrate a lesson with a high energy,
dynamic fashion suggestive of enthusiasm leads students to experience greater
interest in and enjoyment of the material.

5.3.1.3 Environment
The em-ironment can be used to arouse the student's attention or eagerness to
in learning English. Social reinforces is anything that contributes to the satisfaction of
one's needs for approval, affection, acceptahce, affiliation, esteem or some other
social needs.

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5.3.1.4 Reading Books
Reading is a selective process taking place between the reader and the text in
which background knowledge and various types of knowledge information in the
text. In activating the students to speak; the teachers have to give them an external
motivation such as reading books. From reading books, they can grasp something,
and it will help them to trainee their speaking.
All of those factors at5ove give big influence in improving the students' score

5.3.2 Ways of improving the students' Achievement Score in Speaking
Talking about materials of English for SMU students, the first thing came-to
our mind is text book. From this text book, the writer hopes that there found material
for speaking. Even though the main emphasis of teaching English in Indonesia is
reading, but speaking should be trained too. In fact the writer found only small
number of speaking material there. For the time being it can be understood, why the
students are not so good in speaking. So in order to help them, the teachers have to
create their class more enjoyable. A new topic from other sources, is the way of
creating a subject so that the students did not feel bored to the subject. Taking a film

as ilie medium of teaching, and ask them to speak about it is the way of efihancing
them speak.

REFERENCES

Acha. Kompas. 2003. Jakarta. October 17.

Ames, C. 1992. Classroom goals, struce~
and student motivation. Journal of
Educational Psychology, 84(3 ), 261-271.
Ames, C., & Ames, R.l989. Research in Motivation in Education. San Diego:
Academic Press.
Arikunto, Suharsirni DR. 19~.
Jakarta: Rineka Cipta

Prosedur Penelitian: Suatu Pendekatan e raktek

el D. M and Gorham, J. 1995. A Test- retest Analysis of Students
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Csikszentmihalyi, Milay.l991. The Psychology ofOptimal Experience.

Dornyei, Zoltan. 2001. Teaching and Researching Motivation. London: Longman.
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Heaton, J.B.l988. Writing English Test. London and New York: Longman Group
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Higgins, James. 1982. Human Rt>lations Concepts and Skills. New York Random
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Hutchinson, Tom, and Alan Waters. 1986. English for Specific Purposes. Cambridge:
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Keith, Porter. 2003. Globalization: What is it? The Cold War Era and the Space Age
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Littlejohn, Andrew. 2001. English Teaching Professional, Issue 19, March.
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Nada AbiSamra. 2002. Second Language Acquisition. American University of Beirut
Education 345, Spring.
Nicholas, J. D., and R.B. Miller. 1994. Cooperative Learning and Students
Motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology 1, p. 167-178.
Paivio, A. & Ian Begg. 1981. Psychology of Language. USA: Precentice-Hall, Inc.
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Forum Snitz. 2000. Trans TV Forum - Ide: Snitz Communication. http://www.
TransTV.Co.id. 08 January, 2004.
Wallace, Michael, J. 1991. Training Foreign Language Teachers. A reflective
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