Getting Students' Attention in Grammar Lessons in The Sprinter Level At Creative Learning.
ABSTRACT
Dalam mengajar grammar, seorang guru harus menggunakan cara
yang tepat agar anak tertarik untuk memperhatikan pelajaran. Pada tugas
akhir ini, saya menganalisa permasalahan kesulitan pada anak dalam
memperhatikan pelajaran grammar. Masalah tersebut saya alami selama
menjalani masa magang sebagai guru di Creative Learning. Hal ini
merupakan masalah serius yang dapat mengganggu kelancaran kegiatan
belajar dan mengajar. Saya menganalisa beberapa faktor penyebab
kesulitan anak untuk memperhatikan pelajaran grammar di kelas. Selain
itu, saya juga memaparkan beberapa dampak yang terjadi akibat
permasalahan ini.
Siswa tidak memperhatikan pelajaran grammar di kelas dipengaruhi
oleh beberapa faktor penyebab, baik dari siswa tersebut maupun dari
lingkungan sekitarnya, misalnya dikarenakan guru mengajar grammar
menggunakan teknik yang tidak menarik sehingga siswa bosan, atau
dikarenakan adanya kesenjangan kompetensi di antara siswa. Apabila
permasalahan ini tidak diatasi, maka akan berdampak buruk pada
kegiatan belajar di kelas. Namun permasalahan ini dapat diatasi dengan
adanya beberapa solusi yang perpotensi membuat anak memperhatikan
pelajaran grammar di kelas, misalnya dengan menggunakan teknik
pengajaran yang membuat anak nyaman dan tertarik untuk
memperhatikan, yaitu menggunakan lagu, permainan, dll.
Dalam menganalisa permasalahan yang saya hadapi selama masa
magang ini, saya menggunakan metode problem-solving. Saya
menganalisa permasalahan disertai dengan faktor penyebab dan dampakdampaknya. Selain itu, saya memaparkan tiga solusi yang berpotensi
mengatasi permasalahan tersebut. Dari ketiga solusi tersebut, saya
menentukan solusi yang paling berpotensi dalam membuat anak
memperhatikan pelajaran grammar di kelas, yaitu dengan
menggabungkan solusi mengajar grammar menggunakan teknik dan topik
yang menarik agar siswa memperhatikan pelajaran di kelas.
i
Maranatha Christian University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………….i
DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY …………………………………………ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………...iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………......iv
CHAPTER Ι. INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………1-5
A. Background of the Study
B. Identification of the Problem
C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study
D. Description of the Institution
E. Method of the Study
F. Limitation of the Study
G. Organization of the Term Paper
CHAPTER ΙΙ. PROBLEM ANALYSIS …………………………………….6-9
CHAPTER ΙΙΙ. POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS …………………………….10-13
CHAPTER ΙV. CONCLUSION ………………………………………….14-15
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX:
A. FLOWCHART
iv
Maranatha Christian University
FLOWCHART
Causes:
• The techniques used
are not interesting.
• The students’ English
competence is not the
same.
• The topic used is not
suitable with the
students’ interest.
The problem
Some students in the
sprinter level in
Creative Learning do
not pay attention to
the teacher’s
explanation in
grammar lessons.
Effects:
• Students do not
understand the lesson
that affect to their
performance.
• The application of
lesson plan will not be
effective.
(+) effects:
• The students will be
interested in the
lesson because of the
techniques used.
• The students will
understand the lesson
easily.
Solution 1
The teacher explains
grammar using
techniques that can
get the students’
interest, e.g. using
games, songs, realias,
etc.
(-) effects:
• If it takes too much
time, it will not be
effective.
• The techniques may
cause students
always expect for
games, songs and
realias.
(+) effects:
• The students can be
more enthusiastic to
learn grammar
because the topics
used match the
students’ interest.
• The lesson will be
more memorable if the
students already had
an experience related
to the same topic.
(+) effect:
• The students pay
attention to the lesson
because they will be
given rewards.
• The students will have
good performance in
the class.
Solution 2
The teacher uses
topics that interest the
students, e.g. animals,
sport, holiday, etc.
Solution 3
The teacher gives
rewards when the
students pay
attention.
• Some students are
more interested in
discussing the
topics than learning
grammar.
(-) effect:
(-) effects:
• The students may be
disappointed with the
teacher if they are not
given rewards.
• The students may
always expect the
rewards.
Chosen Solution
Combination of teacher explains grammar using interesting
techniques and the teacher uses interesting topics.
CHAPTER Ι
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
The topic of my study is how to get attention from students in grammar
lessons. I have chosen this topic to be analyzed in my term paper because
when I did my internship as a teacher in Creative Learning, I faced a
problem of students who did not pay attention to the grammar lessons.
When I explained grammar to the students, they felt boredom and did not
pay attention. Therefore, by analyzing this problem, it is expected that the
best solution to the problem can be found, and, as a result, the students
will understand the lesson. Moreover, they will be able to improve other
English skills such as writing and speaking skills, because grammar is the
basis of every sentence construction. “A sound knowledge of grammar is
essential if pupils are going to use English” (Hutchinson 14).
B. Identification of the Problem
From the topic, the identification of the problem can be described as
follows:
1
Maranatha Christian University
1. Why do the students in the Sprinter level in Creative Learning not
paying attention to the teacher while the teacher is explaining
grammar?
2. What is the impact for students who do not pay attention in
grammar lessons?
3. What should the teacher do to get the students’ attention while
teaching grammar in the Sprinter level in Creative Learning?
C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study
The objectives of the study are to identify the causes and effects of the
problem of getting students’ attention in grammar lessons in the Sprinter
level at Creative Learning, and find the best solutions to solve the
problem.
Besides the objectives, there are some benefits from the study. Firstly,
for Creative Learning, as the institution of my internship, the institution will
get information about the real problem that happened in the teachinglearning process and an effective solution to handle the problem. Thus,
the teachers in Creative Learning can use the information in the term
paper to teach grammar interestingly. Secondly, for me, this study will help
me to solve the problem of getting students’ attention when I work as a
teacher. Furthermore, for the readers who intend to teach, this term paper
will give information about how to teach grammar in an interesting way so
children of ten years old can be enthusiastic to learn grammar.
2
Maranatha Christian University
D. Description of the Institution
Creative Learning is an English course for children between the ages of
2 years and 18 years of age. This course was established by Mr. Setia
Budi Teja in 1995. The institution is located at Setrasari Plaza No.2 block
A, Jalan Suria Sumantri, Bandung. The program of Creative Learning is a
didactic educational program designed for teaching English as a foreign
language, or as a language development program for young students.
Creative Learning has a motto, a vision and a mission concerning its
educational service. The motto is that the personality of every child is
unique. The vision is the teaching program will motivate students to be
more confident, diligent, and enthusiastic in the learning process, so they
can improve their intellectual, emotional and creative skills. The mission is
that teaching with an individual approach to help the students learn
English step by step.
In the teaching learning process, Creative Learning uses module
presentation to teach ten topics for each level. Additionally, the students
are divided into three levels, they are Runner (introductory level), Jumper
level (middle level), and Sprinter (advanced level). These levels are based
on the students’ ability and understanding of English.
Since January 2009, Creative Learning has two additional levels.
Firstly, the preschool level and secondly, general English for students who
have graduated from the Sprinter level.
3
Maranatha Christian University
E. Method of the Study
The process of the study is done by collecting the useful data related
to the topic. There are several methods used. The methods are library
research, Internet research, teaching experiences during the internship
and observation of several classes during the internship at Creative
Learning.
F. Limitation of the Study
The study is focused on students in Sprinter level, two classes out of
the four classes that I taught in Creative Learning. The study is based on
my internship, form December 5th 2008 until February 27th 2009. The
problem discussed is focused on the difficulty of getting students’ attention
in grammar lessons. The number of students observed is four out of eight.
G. Organization of the Term Paper
The term paper is divided into several parts. The first part is the
Declaration of Originality which states the originality of the term paper.
After that is Acknowledgements, which expresses my gratitude to those
who have been helpful in the writing of the term paper, followed by Table
of Contents. The next part is Chapter One. It is Introduction, which
contains the Background of the Study, the Identification of the Problem,
the Objectives and the Benefits of the Study, the Description of Institution,
the Limitation of the Study and the Organization of the Term Paper. The
next chapter is Chapter Two, which is the analysis of the problem using
4
Maranatha Christian University
cause-effect analysis. Chapter Three describes the potential solutions to
the problem. The last chapter, Chapter Four, explains the potential
solutions to gain students’ attention and the best solution to be applied to
teach grammar to students in Sprinter level. This is followed by
Bibliography, which contains the sources of information used in the term
paper. Finally, the term paper will be closed with Appendix, which contains
the flowchart of the problem-solving.
5
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER ΙV
CONCLUSION
The reasons that cause students do not pay attention in grammar
lessons are the teaching techniques used by the teacher are not
interesting, the students’ English competence in the class are not the
same and the topic used is not suitable to the students’ interest. If
students do not pay attention to the lessons, their performance will be
affected and the lesson plan will not be effective. In order to attract
students’ attention, the teacher can use three potential solutions. The
solutions are, firstly, teacher teaches grammar using techniques that
interest the students, including games, songs, realias, etc. Secondly, the
teacher teaches by using interesting topics, and thirdly, the teacher gives
rewards to the students who pay attention.
Those three potential solutions are applicable to make students pay
attention in grammar lessons. However, the most effective solution to get
students’ attention in grammar lessons is by combining two potential
solutions, namely, teacher uses interesting techniques and uses topics
that interest the students.
The reason for combining the teaching using interesting techniques
and topics is that the students will pay attention to the lesson. Additionally,
14
Maranatha Christian University
the application of this combination worked successfully to get students’
attention in grammar lesson.
From the discussion of potential solutions and the most effective
solutions to be applied in the classroom, the teacher can prevent the
negative effects that may come from the problem by teaching using
interesting techniques and topics that are interesting for the children.
When applying the solutions to solve the problem, a teacher needs to think
of the techniques and topics that are appropriate to all the students in the
class. The learning process in the grammar lesson will be effective if
students pay attention. And as a result, they will understand the lesson
and be able to apply the use of grammar in other language skills, namely,
listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
15
Maranatha Christian University
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Printed Sources
Anderson, R. John. Learning and Memory. New York: John Wiley and
Son, 2000.
Ellis, Gail, Jean Brewster, and Denis Girard. The Primary English
Teacher’s Guide. London: Penguin Book, 2002.
Fredericks, D. Anthony. Success as a Teacher. New York: Alpha, 2005.
Hutchinson, Tom, and Alan Waters. English for Specific Purposes. New
York: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
Thornbury, Scott. Hot to Teach Grammar. New York: Longman Pearson
Education, 1999.
Electronic Sources
Leveridge, N. Aubrey. Class, Pay Attention. Slide Share Inc. 2009. 5
August 2009 .
Maria, Xanthou, and Pavlou Pavlos. Advance in Research on Language
Acquisition and Teaching. Greek Applied Linguistic Association 16
December 2007. 20 April 2009
.
Maranatha Christian University
Vernon, Shelley. Teaching Grammar with Games in ESL Classroom.
Teaching English Games 2006-2009. 25 March 2009
.
Maranatha Christian University
Dalam mengajar grammar, seorang guru harus menggunakan cara
yang tepat agar anak tertarik untuk memperhatikan pelajaran. Pada tugas
akhir ini, saya menganalisa permasalahan kesulitan pada anak dalam
memperhatikan pelajaran grammar. Masalah tersebut saya alami selama
menjalani masa magang sebagai guru di Creative Learning. Hal ini
merupakan masalah serius yang dapat mengganggu kelancaran kegiatan
belajar dan mengajar. Saya menganalisa beberapa faktor penyebab
kesulitan anak untuk memperhatikan pelajaran grammar di kelas. Selain
itu, saya juga memaparkan beberapa dampak yang terjadi akibat
permasalahan ini.
Siswa tidak memperhatikan pelajaran grammar di kelas dipengaruhi
oleh beberapa faktor penyebab, baik dari siswa tersebut maupun dari
lingkungan sekitarnya, misalnya dikarenakan guru mengajar grammar
menggunakan teknik yang tidak menarik sehingga siswa bosan, atau
dikarenakan adanya kesenjangan kompetensi di antara siswa. Apabila
permasalahan ini tidak diatasi, maka akan berdampak buruk pada
kegiatan belajar di kelas. Namun permasalahan ini dapat diatasi dengan
adanya beberapa solusi yang perpotensi membuat anak memperhatikan
pelajaran grammar di kelas, misalnya dengan menggunakan teknik
pengajaran yang membuat anak nyaman dan tertarik untuk
memperhatikan, yaitu menggunakan lagu, permainan, dll.
Dalam menganalisa permasalahan yang saya hadapi selama masa
magang ini, saya menggunakan metode problem-solving. Saya
menganalisa permasalahan disertai dengan faktor penyebab dan dampakdampaknya. Selain itu, saya memaparkan tiga solusi yang berpotensi
mengatasi permasalahan tersebut. Dari ketiga solusi tersebut, saya
menentukan solusi yang paling berpotensi dalam membuat anak
memperhatikan pelajaran grammar di kelas, yaitu dengan
menggabungkan solusi mengajar grammar menggunakan teknik dan topik
yang menarik agar siswa memperhatikan pelajaran di kelas.
i
Maranatha Christian University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………….i
DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY …………………………………………ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………...iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………......iv
CHAPTER Ι. INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………1-5
A. Background of the Study
B. Identification of the Problem
C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study
D. Description of the Institution
E. Method of the Study
F. Limitation of the Study
G. Organization of the Term Paper
CHAPTER ΙΙ. PROBLEM ANALYSIS …………………………………….6-9
CHAPTER ΙΙΙ. POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS …………………………….10-13
CHAPTER ΙV. CONCLUSION ………………………………………….14-15
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX:
A. FLOWCHART
iv
Maranatha Christian University
FLOWCHART
Causes:
• The techniques used
are not interesting.
• The students’ English
competence is not the
same.
• The topic used is not
suitable with the
students’ interest.
The problem
Some students in the
sprinter level in
Creative Learning do
not pay attention to
the teacher’s
explanation in
grammar lessons.
Effects:
• Students do not
understand the lesson
that affect to their
performance.
• The application of
lesson plan will not be
effective.
(+) effects:
• The students will be
interested in the
lesson because of the
techniques used.
• The students will
understand the lesson
easily.
Solution 1
The teacher explains
grammar using
techniques that can
get the students’
interest, e.g. using
games, songs, realias,
etc.
(-) effects:
• If it takes too much
time, it will not be
effective.
• The techniques may
cause students
always expect for
games, songs and
realias.
(+) effects:
• The students can be
more enthusiastic to
learn grammar
because the topics
used match the
students’ interest.
• The lesson will be
more memorable if the
students already had
an experience related
to the same topic.
(+) effect:
• The students pay
attention to the lesson
because they will be
given rewards.
• The students will have
good performance in
the class.
Solution 2
The teacher uses
topics that interest the
students, e.g. animals,
sport, holiday, etc.
Solution 3
The teacher gives
rewards when the
students pay
attention.
• Some students are
more interested in
discussing the
topics than learning
grammar.
(-) effect:
(-) effects:
• The students may be
disappointed with the
teacher if they are not
given rewards.
• The students may
always expect the
rewards.
Chosen Solution
Combination of teacher explains grammar using interesting
techniques and the teacher uses interesting topics.
CHAPTER Ι
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
The topic of my study is how to get attention from students in grammar
lessons. I have chosen this topic to be analyzed in my term paper because
when I did my internship as a teacher in Creative Learning, I faced a
problem of students who did not pay attention to the grammar lessons.
When I explained grammar to the students, they felt boredom and did not
pay attention. Therefore, by analyzing this problem, it is expected that the
best solution to the problem can be found, and, as a result, the students
will understand the lesson. Moreover, they will be able to improve other
English skills such as writing and speaking skills, because grammar is the
basis of every sentence construction. “A sound knowledge of grammar is
essential if pupils are going to use English” (Hutchinson 14).
B. Identification of the Problem
From the topic, the identification of the problem can be described as
follows:
1
Maranatha Christian University
1. Why do the students in the Sprinter level in Creative Learning not
paying attention to the teacher while the teacher is explaining
grammar?
2. What is the impact for students who do not pay attention in
grammar lessons?
3. What should the teacher do to get the students’ attention while
teaching grammar in the Sprinter level in Creative Learning?
C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study
The objectives of the study are to identify the causes and effects of the
problem of getting students’ attention in grammar lessons in the Sprinter
level at Creative Learning, and find the best solutions to solve the
problem.
Besides the objectives, there are some benefits from the study. Firstly,
for Creative Learning, as the institution of my internship, the institution will
get information about the real problem that happened in the teachinglearning process and an effective solution to handle the problem. Thus,
the teachers in Creative Learning can use the information in the term
paper to teach grammar interestingly. Secondly, for me, this study will help
me to solve the problem of getting students’ attention when I work as a
teacher. Furthermore, for the readers who intend to teach, this term paper
will give information about how to teach grammar in an interesting way so
children of ten years old can be enthusiastic to learn grammar.
2
Maranatha Christian University
D. Description of the Institution
Creative Learning is an English course for children between the ages of
2 years and 18 years of age. This course was established by Mr. Setia
Budi Teja in 1995. The institution is located at Setrasari Plaza No.2 block
A, Jalan Suria Sumantri, Bandung. The program of Creative Learning is a
didactic educational program designed for teaching English as a foreign
language, or as a language development program for young students.
Creative Learning has a motto, a vision and a mission concerning its
educational service. The motto is that the personality of every child is
unique. The vision is the teaching program will motivate students to be
more confident, diligent, and enthusiastic in the learning process, so they
can improve their intellectual, emotional and creative skills. The mission is
that teaching with an individual approach to help the students learn
English step by step.
In the teaching learning process, Creative Learning uses module
presentation to teach ten topics for each level. Additionally, the students
are divided into three levels, they are Runner (introductory level), Jumper
level (middle level), and Sprinter (advanced level). These levels are based
on the students’ ability and understanding of English.
Since January 2009, Creative Learning has two additional levels.
Firstly, the preschool level and secondly, general English for students who
have graduated from the Sprinter level.
3
Maranatha Christian University
E. Method of the Study
The process of the study is done by collecting the useful data related
to the topic. There are several methods used. The methods are library
research, Internet research, teaching experiences during the internship
and observation of several classes during the internship at Creative
Learning.
F. Limitation of the Study
The study is focused on students in Sprinter level, two classes out of
the four classes that I taught in Creative Learning. The study is based on
my internship, form December 5th 2008 until February 27th 2009. The
problem discussed is focused on the difficulty of getting students’ attention
in grammar lessons. The number of students observed is four out of eight.
G. Organization of the Term Paper
The term paper is divided into several parts. The first part is the
Declaration of Originality which states the originality of the term paper.
After that is Acknowledgements, which expresses my gratitude to those
who have been helpful in the writing of the term paper, followed by Table
of Contents. The next part is Chapter One. It is Introduction, which
contains the Background of the Study, the Identification of the Problem,
the Objectives and the Benefits of the Study, the Description of Institution,
the Limitation of the Study and the Organization of the Term Paper. The
next chapter is Chapter Two, which is the analysis of the problem using
4
Maranatha Christian University
cause-effect analysis. Chapter Three describes the potential solutions to
the problem. The last chapter, Chapter Four, explains the potential
solutions to gain students’ attention and the best solution to be applied to
teach grammar to students in Sprinter level. This is followed by
Bibliography, which contains the sources of information used in the term
paper. Finally, the term paper will be closed with Appendix, which contains
the flowchart of the problem-solving.
5
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER ΙV
CONCLUSION
The reasons that cause students do not pay attention in grammar
lessons are the teaching techniques used by the teacher are not
interesting, the students’ English competence in the class are not the
same and the topic used is not suitable to the students’ interest. If
students do not pay attention to the lessons, their performance will be
affected and the lesson plan will not be effective. In order to attract
students’ attention, the teacher can use three potential solutions. The
solutions are, firstly, teacher teaches grammar using techniques that
interest the students, including games, songs, realias, etc. Secondly, the
teacher teaches by using interesting topics, and thirdly, the teacher gives
rewards to the students who pay attention.
Those three potential solutions are applicable to make students pay
attention in grammar lessons. However, the most effective solution to get
students’ attention in grammar lessons is by combining two potential
solutions, namely, teacher uses interesting techniques and uses topics
that interest the students.
The reason for combining the teaching using interesting techniques
and topics is that the students will pay attention to the lesson. Additionally,
14
Maranatha Christian University
the application of this combination worked successfully to get students’
attention in grammar lesson.
From the discussion of potential solutions and the most effective
solutions to be applied in the classroom, the teacher can prevent the
negative effects that may come from the problem by teaching using
interesting techniques and topics that are interesting for the children.
When applying the solutions to solve the problem, a teacher needs to think
of the techniques and topics that are appropriate to all the students in the
class. The learning process in the grammar lesson will be effective if
students pay attention. And as a result, they will understand the lesson
and be able to apply the use of grammar in other language skills, namely,
listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
15
Maranatha Christian University
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Printed Sources
Anderson, R. John. Learning and Memory. New York: John Wiley and
Son, 2000.
Ellis, Gail, Jean Brewster, and Denis Girard. The Primary English
Teacher’s Guide. London: Penguin Book, 2002.
Fredericks, D. Anthony. Success as a Teacher. New York: Alpha, 2005.
Hutchinson, Tom, and Alan Waters. English for Specific Purposes. New
York: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
Thornbury, Scott. Hot to Teach Grammar. New York: Longman Pearson
Education, 1999.
Electronic Sources
Leveridge, N. Aubrey. Class, Pay Attention. Slide Share Inc. 2009. 5
August 2009 .
Maria, Xanthou, and Pavlou Pavlos. Advance in Research on Language
Acquisition and Teaching. Greek Applied Linguistic Association 16
December 2007. 20 April 2009
.
Maranatha Christian University
Vernon, Shelley. Teaching Grammar with Games in ESL Classroom.
Teaching English Games 2006-2009. 25 March 2009
.
Maranatha Christian University