The influences of the English used in the international class of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta towards the student English grammar accuracy : a case study.

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ii ABSTRACT

Andriani Lestari, Brigitta. 2011. The Influences of the English Used in the International Class of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta towards the Student English Grammar Accuracy: A Case Study. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.

SMAN 3 as one of the best high schools in Yogyakarta has been running international classes for a while. The teaching-learning activities in the international classes are based on some principles of Content-based Instruction (CBI) and Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) curriculum. Principally, CBI allows students to learn English through maximum exposure to content that is interesting and relevant to them. Its main goal is the mastery of the subject matter. Therefore, the language mastery will be the by-product of its implementation. For that reason, it is interesting to relate the English used in the international class to students English grammar accuracy in writing, for both grammar and writing are not of the highest priority in either CBI or CIE curriculum.

This study was aimed to address the following research problems: (a) how the principles of Content-based Instruction are implemented in the international class of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta, and (b) how the English used in the international class influences the student English grammar accuracy in writing in terms of the application of Subject-Verb agreement.

In order to provide answers to the research questions, the researcher conducted a case study in class XI A1. Due to time limitation, it was decided that the study would focus on one research participant who was chosen because of his unique characteristics. To acquire required information to answer the first question, the researcher conducted observations, wrote field notes, and held interviews. An interview with the research subject then was done to gather personal details that might be useful to answer the second research question. The researcher also collected samples of the student’s writing. The data then were analyzed and related to the theories of CBI and Subject-Verb agreement.

The research discovered that the implementation of CBI principles in the international class of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta was not ideal because the school has only managed to apply three out of the six major principles. However, the imperfect implementation worked one way or another. This discovery is supported by the second finding that the samples of the student’s compositions, which were written in different points along the timeline of the semester, showed some positive development.

In conclusion, the English used as the means of delivering materials in Mathematics and Science classes has brought about some constructive changes to the student English grammar accuracy in writing. However, due to the size of the study, other researchers might consider conducting a bigger study with a bigger population of research subjects to get a larger picture of the topic.

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iii ABSTRAK

Andriani Lestari, Brigitta. 2011. The Influences of the English Used in the International Class of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta towards the Student English Grammar Accuracy: A Case Study. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

SMAN 3 sebagai salah satu sekolah menengah atas terbaik di Yogyakarta telah mengadakan kelas internasional selama beberapa waktu terakhir. Kegiatan belajar-mengajar di kelas internasional tersebut mengacu pada beberapa prinsip Content-based Instruction (CBI) dan kurikulum Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). Pada dasarnya, CBI berusaha untuk meningkatkan kemampuan bahasa Inggris siswa dengan mengajarkan materi yang menarik dan sesuai dalam bahasa Inggris. Fokus utama dari CBI adalah penguasaan mata pelajaran sehingga kemampuan bahasa Inggris adalah produk sampingan dari penerapan metode ini. Oleh karena itu, menemukan pengaruh penggunaan bahasa Inggris di kelas internasional terhadap kemampuan struktur bahasa siswa dalam menulis adalah suatu hal yang menarik karena struktur bahasa dan kemampuan menulis bukanlah prioritas utama dalam CBI maupun CIE.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menjawab dua masalah berikut: (a) bagaimanakah prinsip-prinsip CBI diterapkan di kelas internasional di SMAN 3 Yogyakarta, dan (b) apakah pengaruh penggunaan bahasa Inggris di kelas internasional terhadap akurasi penggunaan rumus kesesuaian antara subjek dan kata kerja dalam tulisan siswa.

Untuk menjawab kedua pertanyaan di atas, peneliti mengadakan studi kasus di kelas XI A1. Karena keterbatasan waktu, peneliti memutuskan untuk memusatkan perhatian pada seorang siswa sebagai subjek penelitian yang dipilih karena keunikkannya. Peneliti mengadakan observasi, wawancara, dan membuat catatan untuk memperoleh informasi yang dibutuhkan untuk menjawab pertanyaan pertama. Kemudian peneliti mengadakan wawancara terpisah untuk mendapatkan informasi pribadi yang berguna untuk menjawab pertanyaan kedua. Selain itu, peneliti juga mengumpulkan contoh hasil tulisan siswa tersebut untuk diteliti. Data yang diperoleh kemudian dianalisis dan dikaitkan dengan teori-teori CBI dan kesesuaian antara subjek dan kata kerja dalam kalimat.

Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penerapan prinsip-prinsip CBI di kelas internasional di SMAN 3 Yogyakarta tidaklah ideal karena hanya tiga dari enam prinsip utama yang berhasil diterapkan. Akan tetapi, penerapan seperti itu pun tampaknya cukup berhasil. Hal ini didukung oleh penemuan kedua yang menunjukkan bahwa ada peningkatan dalam hasil tulisan siswa yang ditulis dalam waktu berbeda di sepanjang semester.

Sebagai kesimpulan, penggunaan bahasa Inggris di kelas internasional di SMAN 3 Yogyakarta membawa pengaruh positif terhadap akurasi penggunaan rumus kesesuaian antara subjek dan kata kerja dalam tulisan siswa. Akan tetapi, mengingat kecilnya ukuran penelitian ini, peneliti-peneliti lain bisa mengadakan penelitian lebih lanjut yang lebih besar yang melibatkan lebih banyak peserta untuk mendapatkan gambaran yang lebih lengkap.

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THE IN THE INTE TOWARDS TH

Presente to

ENGLISH L DEPARTME FACULTY O

E INFLUENCES OF THE ENGLISH USED TERNATIONAL CLASS OFSMAN 3 YOGY THE STUDENT ENGLISH GRAMMAR AC

A CASE STUDY

A THESIS

nted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requireme to Obtain theSarjana PendidikanDegree

in English Language Education

Brigitta Andriani Lestari Student Number: 041214029

LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROG ENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUC

OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCA SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2011

GYAKARTA ACCURACY:

ents

OGRAM CATION CATION

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THE IN THE INTE TOWARDS TH

Presente to

ENGLISH L DEPARTME FACULTY O

E INFLUENCES OF THE ENGLISH USED TERNATIONAL CLASS OFSMAN 3 YOGY THE STUDENT ENGLISH GRAMMAR AC

A CASE STUDY

A THESIS

nted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requireme to Obtain theSarjana PendidikanDegree

in English Language Education

Brigitta Andriani Lestari Student Number: 041214029

LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROG ENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUC

OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCA SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2011

GYAKARTA ACCURACY:

ents

OGRAM CATION CATION

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ii A Thesis on

THE INFLUENCES OF THE ENGLISH USED

IN THE INTERNATIONAL CLASS OFSMAN 3 YOGYAKARTA TOWARDS THE STUDENT ENGLISH GRAMMAR ACCURACY:

A CASE STUDY

Prepared and Presented by BRIGITTA ANDRIANI LESTARI

Student Number: 041214029

Approved by

Sponsor

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iii A Thesis on

THE INFLUENCES OF THE ENGLISH USED

IN THE INTERNATIONAL CLASS OFSMAN 3 YOGYAKARTA TOWARDS THE STUDENT ENGLISH GRAMMAR ACCURACY:

A CASE STUDY

BRIGITTA ANDRIANI LESTARI Student Number: 041214029

Defended before the Board of Examiners on 29 July 2011

and Declared Acceptable

Board of Examiners

Chairperson : C. Tutyandari, S.Pd., M.Pd. __________________ Secretary : Made Frida Yulia, S.Pd., M.Pd. __________________ Member : Dr. Retno Muljani, M.Pd. __________________ Member : Carla Sih Prabandari, S.Pd., M.Hum. __________________ Member : Gregorius Punto Aji, S.Pd., M.Hum. __________________

Yogyakarta, 29 July 2011

Faculty of Teachers Training and Education Sanata Dharma University

Dean,

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STA

I honestly declare tha or parts of the work of references, as a scient

ATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY

hat this thesis, which I have written, does not c k of other people, except those cited in the quot

ntific paper should.

Yogyakarta, 29 July 2011 The Writer

Brigitta Andriani Lestari 041214029

not contain the work quotations and the

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ii ABSTRACT

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iii ABSTRAK

Andriani Lestari, Brigitta. 2011. The Influences of the English Used in the International Class of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta towards the Student English Grammar Accuracy: A Case Study. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

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LEM PUBLIKASI KAR

Yang bertanda tangan Nama

Nomor Mahasi Demi pengembangan Universitas Sanata Dh

TH IN THE INT TOWARDS THE STU beserta perangkat yan kepada Perpustakaan mengalihkan dalam be data, mendistribusika media lain untuk kepe memberikan royalti ke penulis.

Demikian pernyataan

Dibuat di : Yogy Pada tanggal : 29 Jul

Yang menyatakan,

EMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN ARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN A

an di bawah ini, saya mahasiswi Universitas Sa : Brigitta Andriani Lestari

hasiswa : 041214029

gan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

THE INFLUENCES OF THE ENGLISH USED NTERNATIONAL CLASS OFSMAN 3 YOGYAKA

UDENT ENGLISH GRAMMAR ACCURACY: A ang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian sa aan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk

bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam be kan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya

pentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin ke i kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nam

an ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.

ogyakarta Juli 2011 N AKADEMIS Sanata Dharma: ada Perpustakaan KARTA

: A CASE STUDY saya memberikan untuk menyimpan, bentuk pangkalan ya di Internet atau n kepada saya atau ama saya sebagai

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

” I would thank you from the bottom of my heart, but for you my heart has no bottom.” Author Unknown

First and foremost, my greatest gratitude goes to Lord Jesus who has made all things possible.

I am heartily thankful to my sponsor, Dr. Retno Muljani, M.Pd., for her limitless patience, support, and guidance during the seemingly never-ending thesis writing process.

I would also like to make a special reference to all PBI lecturers for the magical seven years as well asMbak DhanniekandMbak Tariwhose persistent help I will never forget.

I am indebted tothe teaching staff and the students of XI A1 of SMAN 3Yogyakartawho have made the completion of this thesis possible.

Many thanks go tomy familyfor caring about and loving me in their own inexplicable ways.

I would like to give my sincerest thanks to all my friends, whose names I cannot mention one by one, for sticking with me through thick and thin.

I cannot find words to thankmy IELSP brothers and sisters for constant reminders and much needed motivation.

Last but not least, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to any other individuals who in one way or another have contributed their valuable assistance in the preparation and completion of this thesis. I also wish to apologize

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if I have unintentionally failed to mention anyone to whom an acknowledgement of appreciation is due.

Brigitta Andriani Lestari

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vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE……….

APPROVAL PAGES……….

DEDICATION PAGE………

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY………...

ABSTRACT.……..……….

ABSTRAK…………...………... LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS……….

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………..………….

TABLE OF CONTENTS………...

LIST OF TABLES……….

LIST OF APPENDICES……… i ii iv v vi vii viii

ix xi xvi xvii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION………. 1

A. Research Background ……….. 1

B. Problem Formulation ……....……….. 4

C. Problem Limitation ………. 4

D. Research Objectives ……… 5

E. Research Benefits ……… 6

F. Definition of Terms ………. 7 xi

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viii

1. Case Study ………. 7

2. Immersion Programs ………. 7

3. Content-based Instruction ………. 8

4. Grammar Accuracy ………... 9

5. Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord) ………. 9

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE………. 10

A. Theoretical Description ………... 10

1. Immersion Programs ………. 10

2. Cambridge International Examinations Curriculum ………. 12

a. The Aims of Cambridge IGCSE ………. 12

b. The Assessment Objectives of Cambridge IGCSE ……. 13

3. Content-based Instruction ………. 14

a. Definition of Content-based Instruction ……….. 14

b. Principles for Content-based Instruction ………. 15

c. The Role of Teachers and Students ………. 16

d. The Advantages of Content-based Instruction ………… 17

e. Prototypes of Content-based Instruction ………. 17

4. Theories of Grammar ……… 21

a. The Importance of English Grammar ………. 21

b. The Teaching of Grammar ……….. 22

c. Spoken and Written Grammar ……… 24

d. Subject-Verb Agreement ………. 24

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B. Theoretical Framework ………... 25

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY....………. 27

A. Research Method ………. 27

B. Research Participant ……… 29

C. Research Instruments ……….. 30

1. Interview ………... 31

2. Collection of Existing Information ………... 32

3. Observation ………... 32

4. Field Notes ……… 33

D. Data Gathering Technique ……….. 34

E. Data Analysis Technique ……… 34

F. Research Procedure ………. 35

CHAPTER IV: RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION…. 39 A. The International Class ofSMAN 3Yogyakarta ………. 39

1. A Brief Overview of the International Class in SMAN 3 Yogyakarta ……… 39 2. The Teaching System ……… 40

3. The Emphasis of Language Used ……….. 42

4. Comprehensible Input in the Material Delivery ……… 44 a. The Modules ………

b. The Handouts ………..

44 45 xiii

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5. General Analysis on the CBI Principles Implementation in the International Class ofSMAN 3Yogyakarta ………

B. The Influences of the English Used towards the Student English Grammar Accuracy in Writing ………..

1. Research Subject’s Characteristics ………... 46

a. Overall Description of P-Man ………. 47

b. Research Subject’s Attitude towards English …………. 48

c. Research Subject’s X-Factors ………. 48

2. The Results of the Interview ………. 50

3. Research Subject’s Grammar Accuracy in Writing ……….. 54

a. Research Subject’s High School Compositions ……….. 54

1) Composition 1 – Mid-term Test ……… 54

2) Composition 2 – Final Test ………... 55

b. Research Subject’s Today’s Composition ……….. 59

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS………... 61

A. Conclusions ………. 61

B. Suggestions ………. 63

1. Suggestions for Further Researchers ………. 63

2. Suggestions for Schools ……….... 63

3. Suggestions for Teachers ……….. 64

REFERENCES……….………. 65 xiv

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APPENDICES………..………. 67

A. Letters of Permission ……….. 1. Surat Permohonan Ijin Penelitian dari FKIP……...…….... 2. Surat Izin Penelitian dari Dinas Perizinan………...

68 69 70

B. Interview Transcript ……… 71

C. Field Notes ………..

1. Chemistry Class ……… 2. Physics Class ..……….. 3. Biology Class ………

75 76 80 82

D. Student Compositions ……….

1. Research Subject’s First Composition ……….. 2. Research Subject’s Second Composition ……….. 3. Research Subject’s Latest Writing ………

84 85 86 88

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xii

LIST OF TABLES

Page 4.1 Composition 1 – The Mid-term Test ………... 55 4.2 Composition 2 – The Final Test ……….. 56

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xiii

LIST OF APPENDICES

Page Appendix A: Letters of Permission ………

1. Surat Permohonan Ijin Penelitian dari FKIP… 2. Surat Izin Penelitian dari Dinas Perizinan……

68 69 70 Appendix B: Interview Transcript ………. 71 Appendix C: Field Notes ………...

4. Chemistry Class ……….. 5. Physics Class ………..….... 6. Biology Class ……….

75 76 80 82 Appendix D: Student Compositions ………..

4. Research Subject’s First Composition ………... 5. Research Subject’s Second Composition ……... 6. Research Subject’s Latest Writing ……….

84 85 86 88

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1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter provides an introduction of what the researcher will discuss in this research paper. The introductory part contains six subheadings, namely Research Background, Problem Formulation, Problem Limitation, Research Objectives, Research Benefits, and Definition of Terms.

A. Research Background

International classes (immersion programs) in schools have currently become a popular trend in Indonesia. The implementation of the program is mainly intended to fulfill the demand of English mastery starting from early ages. Ideally, the program should be started from the elementary level – between the age of two to puberty - which is believed as the best time for children to learn and acquire any languages in accordance with Critical Period Hypothesis (Penfield and Roberts, 1959 and Lenneberg, 1967). However, considering certain factors such as the limited number of qualified teachers who have proficient English skills, international classes in this country were started from secondary education.

Sekolah Menengah Atas Negeri 3 (SMAN 3), one of the best senior high schools in Yogyakarta, has been chosen as the research setting. In its regular day-to-day execution, the international class of SMAN 3 utilizes a curriculum called Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) as a guideline which clearly states what is expected from the students. The students of this school are supposedly

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believed to have adequate English skills, for they were specifically chosen out of a large number of applicants in the beginning of school year. Furthermore, the students ofSMAN 3are very unique, for their windows of opportunity to continue their post-secondary education abroad are widely open. To prepare for this future prospect, they are equipped with several supporting facilities such as a language lab and an English club in which they can develop their English skills. All of the points mentioned above make this school interesting to be observed.

In its daily implementation, the school asserts that the program employs principles of Content-Based Instruction (CBI) which is one of the recommended approaches to be implemented in international classes, for its characteristics go along with the basic principles of running an immersion class. Principally, CBI allows students to learn English through maximum exposure to content that is interesting and relevant to them. It is based on the assumption that by forming good habits of using English as the means of delivering materials in classes, the process of mastering English would be accelerated. However, the main goal of Content-Based Instruction is the mastery of the subject matter (Richards & Rodgers, 2001). It means that the second/foreign language mastery will be the by-product of this method.

As one of the four English skills being developed, writing is crucial for students. It is widely used these days in a variety of events and thus, is of importance. Mastering this skill helps with the transfer of knowledge and information. Students have to be able to make use of English appropriately in making reports after finishing their science experiments, writing an application

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letter for a job or a scholarship, composing a proposal to hold a school event, etc. In a broader and wider sense, writing is needed in a larger and industrialized society in order for bureaucratic organization to be successful (Harmer, 2004).

Based on the Cambridge curriculum used in SMAN 3 Yogyakarta, the emphasis is on the development of communicative competences which to some extent ignores the rules of English grammar. It is evident in the aims of the curriculum. The first item mentioned is to build up the ability to use English effectively for the purpose of practical communication which means that it is of the highest priority over the others. This might result in a low level of grammar accuracy. Meanwhile, in order to compose a good writing in English, students are required to have sufficient knowledge of basic English grammar. As one of the supporting elements in English language learning, knowing grammar is still important for several reasons. First, Widdowson (1988: 154) argues that the communicative approach does not involve the rejection of grammar. On the contrary, it involves a recognition of its central mediating role in the use and learning of language. For that reason, an understanding of grammar speeds up learners’ language learning. In addition, Wilkins (1976), the proponent of the functional and notional approach, believes that the acquisition of the grammatical system of a language is still the most important element in second language learning. The knowledge of grammar helps them understand why some ways of using the language are more efficient than others. It widens the range of linguistic resources available to a language learner.

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B. Problem Formulation

Having presented the background of the research and identified the problems, the researcher formulates two questions to be addressed in this study. The questions are as follows:

1. How are the principles of Content-Based Instruction implemented in the international class ofSMAN 3Yogyakarta?

2. How does the English used in the international class influence the student English grammar accuracy in writing?

C. Problem Limitation

This study is a small scale one which focuses on the implementation of Content-Based Instruction (CBI) principles in SMAN 3 Yogyakarta in which immersion programs are carried on and whether or not the English used in the class affects the student grammar accuracy in writing. The attempt is done by using some theories of Content-based Instruction and English grammar as well as the principles of Cambridge International Examinations curriculum as the basis of the analysis. In order to make a clear boundary of the research, the researcher needs to make some limitations.

First, the type of research is a case study, for it is commonly used in explanations of how and/or why a specific event takes place. Second, the researcher is concerned only with the student grammar accuracy which has recently been one of the major problems in English language learning related to its importance in the language mastery. Third, the grammar accuracy being assessed

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is in the form of written compositions. Written grammar is selected because it tends to occur in formal conversation and writing. Naturally, it requires complete grammar features. Fourth, the researcher will only analyze Subject-Verb agreement mistakes in the student’s compositions. It is based on the fact that subject and verb are the two most important elements of a sentence, for they are the minimum requirements for a certain words construction to be called a sentence.

The researcher will also pay attention to some English grammar rules the student can successfully apply in his writing, for it is not viable to expect perfection from an eleventh grade student. Fifth, the population used as the sampling of the research is limited to the 11th grade students of the international class of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta. Considering the time limitation, the researcher decides to narrow it down to one research participant who is chosen based on his distinctive individual characteristics shown during the researcher’s observations as well as the teacher’s recommendation.

D. Research Objectives

In line with the problems stated in the problem formulation, the objectives of the study are:

1. To provide a clear and analytical illustration of Content-Based Instruction principles implementation in the international class ofSMAN3 Yogyakarta. 2. To describe the influences of the English used in the international class on the

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E. Research Benefits

The result of the study is expected to give valuable contributions to any individuals who are concerned about the improvement of the quality of Indonesia’s education. It is also contributed to the teaching of English as a foreign language in Indonesia. The expected benefits are as follows:

1. For schools

After learning the effectiveness of immersion classes in improving the student English grammar accuracy through the research, schools or any educational institutions will hopefully know what steps towards development to take later on. It is expected that they will then be able to design and run their own immersion programs which are suitable for their students and effective to improve their English proficiency and mastery so that they can survive in the globalization era with exceptional feats.

2. For English teachers

This study is presented to help English teachers understand more about international classes including the methods used, activities done, and how they build up the student English grammar accuracy in writing. Several facts proposed in the study may also give them a new perspective on immersion programs as well as the limitations and benefits of using English as the means of delivering materials in class.

3. For further studies

This inquiry is expected to support other related studies in revealing the precision of any current trends in education. It is supposed that some research

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done in this field will bring about positive developments to the country's education which may lead us to a better Indonesia.

F. Definitions of Terms

In order to avoid misconception and help readers grasp the concepts of the discussion in the paper, the researcher provides the definitions of several key-terms which are used in writing the research paper.

1. Case Study

This study is categorized as a case study because it focuses on a specific event in terms of the relationships between the use of English as the means of delivering materials in an international class and the student English grammar accuracy in writing. Based on the three main types of case studies identified by Stake (1994), this case study is an intrinsic case study, for it is carried on in order to understand a particular case in question. Stake (1995) also states that an intrinsic case study is the one where the interest lies in the case itself for its own sake, for example: a teacher looking at a problematic student. In this study, a case study is intended to explain the “how” aspect of the use of English in regard to its effects on the student English grammar accuracy.

2. International Classes

Lightbrown and Spada (1990: 431) states that “Immersion programs are referred to by Krashen (1984) as 'communicative programs par excellence' since the focus is almost exclusively on meaning through subject matter instruction rather than on the form of language itself.” In addition, Lapkin, Swain & Shapson

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(1990) propose that “Immersion environment provides ample incentive and opportunity for learners to acquire both receptive (reading & listening) and productive (speaking & writing) teaching-learning skills.”

In this study, immersion programs will sometimes be referred as international classes as well as content activities. According to Stephen D. Krashen and Tracy D. Terrell (1983), content activities refer to “learning academic subject matter such as math, science, social studies, art, and music in the target language.” The major principle of content activities goes along the same line with the execution of Content-based Instruction (CBI) in SMAN 3’s international class. In short, since the core idea of the immersion programs, international classes, and content activities is more or less the same, the use of them is interchangeable.

3. Content-Based Instruction

According to Brinton (2001), CBI refers to “the teaching of language through exposure to content that is interesting and relevant to learners.” In this study, the writer selects a senior high school international class as the main subject. The school asserts that the program employs CBI in the sense that English is used as the means of delivering materials. Materials are delivered in English in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics classes. Therefore, the researcher aims to analyze how CBI principles are implemented in reality and connect the English used to the student English grammar accuracy in writing.

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4. Grammar Accuracy

According to Scott Thornbury (1999), grammar is defined as “a description of the rules that govern how a language's sentences are formed.” In this study, the researcher takes grammar, one of the language elements which are sometimes regarded only as the supporting component in language learning, as the sub-topic. Some people think that grammar is an important feature in language learning, for it teaches us how to constitute a sentence correctly. However, some others believe that it is not necessary. Thus, it is significant for us to analyze more on English grammar and whether or not the exposure to English in international classes has any effects on English language mastery.

Accuracy in this study refers to its definition by Nunan (2003: 329). He defines accuracy as the ability to produce grammatically well-formed words, phrases, and sentences. Specifically, the grammar accuracy being addressed in this study is the student’s ability to produce sentences with correct agreement between the subject and the verb.

5. Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord)

Phillips (2003) regards Subject-Verb agreement as a simple matter in the sense that if the subject of the sentence is singular, then the verb must be singular, while if the subject is plural, then the verb must follow. In this study, the researcher will analyze the student’s Subject-Verb agreement mistakes in two compositions. One of them is in the form of an explanation, while the other one is an argumentative kind. Subject-Verb agreement is chosen because it is present in both types of composition.

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10 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

In this chapter, the researcher would like to discuss some theories related to the topic of the study. The discussion is presented in two main parts i.e. Theoretical Description and Theoretical Framework. In the Theoretical Description part, the researcher presents theories of immersion programs, Cambridge International Examinations curriculum, Content-Based Instruction, and English grammar, whereas in the Theoretical Framework section, the researcher presents the theories used as the foundation of conducting the research and analyzing the research findings.

A. Theoretical Description

This part of discussion is divided into four major parts. The first part is concerned with immersion programs, while the second is concerned with Cambridge International Examinations curriculum. The third part will address Content-Based Instruction, while the fourth will discuss several theories of English grammar. All of these theories will be the basis of the research.

1. Immersion Programs

Swain and Lapkin (1982) illustrate a special class in Canada. The class consists of several nine-year-old children. Their mother tongue is English, but from the time they arrive at school to the time they leave, they are spoken to almost entirely in French. They are greeted by their teachers in French, their

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lessons are all delivered in French, their teachers speak to them in the playground as well as in the dinner hall in French, and then say goodbye to them at the end of the day in French. Shortly speaking, the medium of communication among teachers and students of that class in the school is simply French, the non-native language spoken by people in the environment. This condition is far different from when they began the class early on. In the beginning, they used to reply to their teachers’ French in English naturally, but over time this has changed, and now the students are increasingly using French during their school days.

The teaching-learning style used by the teachers in Canada as exemplified above is called “immersion”. It is based on the idea that learners may ‘acquire’ a second/foreign language in much the same way as children ‘pick up’ their native language, which is through exposure (Johnson, 2001: 135).

Immersion programs or international classes are defined differently by many experts. The followings are some of those definitions proposed by several most influential researchers in language learning. Even though the terms used are distinctive, the basic meaning of them is more or less the same.

Krashen (1984: 74) states that “Immersion programs are public school programs in which majority language students study in a minority language.” In addition, Lightbrown and Spada (2000) propose that “Immersion programs are referred to by Krashen (1984) as ‘communicative programs par excellence’ since the focus is almost exclusively on meaning through subject matter instruction rather than on the form of language itself.” Moreover, Stephen D. Krashen and Tracy D. Terrell (1983) suggest that “Content activities refer to learning academic

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subject matter such as math, science, social studies, art, and music in the target language.”

Ideally, the program is started from the elementary level; between the age of two to puberty, which is believed as the best time for children to learn and acquire any languages in accordance with Critical Period Hypothesis (Penfield and Roberts, 1959 and Lenneberg, 1967). However, the initial immersion program in Indonesia was started behind schedule in secondary school level. Students of these programs are exposed to English in their classes by using it the major means of delivering subject matters. They may sometimes use Indonesian when they find difficulties in delivering what they want to say in the target language, yet the teachers try their best to respond to them in English in any possible situations.

2. Cambridge International Examinations curriculum

The curriculum used as a guideline in the international class of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta is specifically referred to as Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) English as a Second Language. It provides syllabuses for English teachers in countries whose native language is not English but whose students use English as a lingua franca or language of study. The curriculum has specific aims and assessment objectives which are constantly consulted by the teachers inSMAN 3Yogyakarta in running their programs. a. The Aims of Cambridge IGCSE

The aims set out below describe the general educational purposes of a course in an English as a Second Language IGCSE examination, and are the same

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for all students. They are not listed in order of priority. The aims are to develop the ability to use English effectively for the purpose of practical communication, form a sound base for the skills required for further study or employment using English as the medium, develop an awareness of the nature of language and language-learning skills, along with skills of a more general application, as well as promote students’ personal development.

b. The Assessment Objectives of Cambridge IGCSE

The assessment objectives of Cambridge IGCSE 2010 are divided based on the four English skills as follows:

1) READING

Candidates will be assessed on their ability to understand and respond to information presented in a variety of forms, select and organize material relevant to specific purposes, recognize, understand and distinguish between facts, ideas and opinion, as well as infer information from texts [Extended tier only].

2) WRITING

Candidates will be assessed on their ability to communicate clearly, accurately and appropriately, convey information and express opinions effectively, employ and control a variety of grammatical structures, demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of appropriate vocabulary, observe conventions of paragraphing, punctuation and spelling, as well as employ appropriate register/style.

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3) LISTENING

Candidates will be assessed on their ability to understand and respond to information presented in a variety of forms, recognize, understand and distinguish between facts, ideas and opinions, select and organize material relevant to specific purposes, as well as infer information from texts [Extended tier only].

4) SPEAKING

Candidates will be assessed on their ability to communicate clearly, accurately and appropriately, convey information and express opinions effectively, employ and control a variety of grammatical structures, demonstrate knowledge of a range of appropriate vocabulary, engage in and influence the direction of conversation, as well as employ suitable pronunciation and stress patterns.

3. Content-based Instruction

a. Definition of Content-based Instruction

According to Brinton (2001), CBI refers to “the teaching of language through exposure to content that is interesting and relevant to learners.” The content itself allows the teacher to present and explain specific language features and a comprehensible input. According to Krashen (1985), comprehensible input is defined as “challenging language that is slightly above the current linguistic level of the students which provides the foundation for successful language acquisition.”

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Karl Krahnke (1987) proposes that Content-based Instruction is a simple teaching methodology in the sense that it is the teaching of content or information in the language being learnt with little or no direct or explicit effort to teach the language itself separately from the content being taught.

b. Principles for Content-based Instruction

Brinton (2001) proposes several key principles for Content-based Instruction. The first one is to base instructional decisions on content rather than language criteria. It means that CBI allows course planners or materials designers to choose appropriate content which will later dictate or influence the selection and sequencing of language items. The second principle is to integrate skills. In its implementation, CBI covers all four language skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing) as well as three language elements (Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation). This principle represents what happens in real life; that we use multiple skills simultaneously in our daily interactions with others.

The third principle suggests that teachers involve students actively in all phases of the learning process. Littlewood (1981) states that a CBI classroom is learner-centered because students are actively engaged in class activities. They do not only learn from teachers’ input but also from interactions with their peers. The fourth one is to choose content for its relevance to students’ lives, interests, and/or academic goals. The content selection in CBI courses depends on the student and the instructional setting. Determining what is relevant or interesting for students may be uneasy for teachers and curriculum developers, but as they go through the

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instructional time, they may get enough opportunity to decide what topics fit their students’ interest and needs.

The fifth principle is to select authentic texts and tasks. Brinton, Snow, and Wesche (1989) define authentic texts as written or oral texts which are created for a purpose other than language teaching, while Brinton (2001) defines authentic tasks as the ones that resemble the real-life tasks that learners are going to perform. They provide certain structures or language features for students to identify which can then be taught in isolation. The last principle is to draw overt attention to language features. So, even though the focus of CBI is to give sufficient comprehensible input which mostly comes from the teachers and peers, building awareness and drawing attention to specific language features found in authentic texts are also important.

c. The Role of Teachers and Students

Content-based Instruction applied in Indonesian immersion programs has certain similarities with the definition presented above. The ideal role of teachers in the implementation of the Content-based Instruction is to be the facilitators. They keep context and comprehensibility especially in their planning and presentation, analyze the students’ needs, and attempt to create a learner-centered classroom by building up the students’ learning motivation.

Ideally, the learners should perceive their role as an autonomous being and thus be responsible for their own learning. They have to actively participate in any teaching-learning activities in the classroom such as deciding on what topic to be

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discussed based on their preference and optimally use the target language for communication with their peers which may help them acquire the language faster. d. The Advantages of Content-based Instruction

In relation with the effectiveness of implementing CBI in Indonesian immersion programs, the method itself has several positive characteristics that may help students acquire English better. First, it allows students to learn two things simultaneously; the subject matter and the target language. By using English as the medium of delivering subject materials, the students are likely to absorb some parts of the language subconsciously. Second, the language learning occurs in the context of its use. This is very important if the key of success of language learning does not lie in the way that students master the language by memorizing the words and rules or reading texts from books, yet by applying the language in appropriate contexts. Third, as proposed by Krahnke (1987), there is almost perfect match between what needs to be fulfilled and what is provided. In this case, students learn what they need to learn. Fourth, as there are always some students in any classes who are reluctant to learn the target language, students will be more strongly motivated in learning the target language by using CBI which provides them with interesting materials. They may be more enthusiastic in learning the language when it is used to deliver content materials that are motivating for the students.

e. Prototypes of Content-based Instruction

As proposed by Brinton (2003), there has been some identification of several ‘prototype’ forms of CBI i.e. theme-based language instruction, sheltered

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content instruction, and adjunct instruction. The three prototypes basically differ in some respects such as the type of population and setting that they serve, the respective degree of focus on language or content, the content type that is selected, and the degree of coordination with subject matter courses and instructors. The detailed explanation of these forms will be elaborated as follows: 1) Theme-based Language Instruction

In this kind of instruction, the teacher first sets a certain theme for the students to work on. He then uses the theme as the starting point for instruction in the teaching of various skills. He subsequently continues the exercises on the selected theme over several weeks. This might help the students get rich input for either language-based or skills-based lessons which might lead them to successful language acquisition.

2) Sheltered-content Instruction

In sheltered-content instruction, the teacher has joined a special training in working with second language (L2) learners. Thus, he is able to modify his presentation style to make it easier for the students who have limited English proficiency to comprehend the material. However, even though the focus of the lesson lies on the content materials, the teacher spends some time to work on the language-related issues which are relevant to the topic they are discussing. This kind of instruction basically aims to reach the success of language acquisition along with that of the subject matter.

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3) Adjunct Instruction

Teachers of language and subject matter classes who apply adjunct instruction usually work together in pairs. The two instructors need to meet regularly to fine-tune their teaching materials and objectives. Despite the use of the same materials to teach the class, there are some differences in the course goal of the two classes. The objective of the subject matter class is for students to grasp the content materials entirely, while the main idea of the language class is for students to develop their language abilities. Accordingly, the subject matter instructor makes use of the selected materials to optimize his students’ understanding upon the topic, while the language teacher uses it to improve his students’ language skills. In short, the two classes work hand in hand supporting each other through the same materials.

As mentioned in the previous paragraph, there are some differences among the three prototype forms based on certain categories. Brinton et al. (1989) suggested that it is possible to tell them apart by looking at their population/setting, lesson focus, content selection, and degree of faculty coordination.

 Population/setting

Theme-based instruction is generally applicable by nature. It is best suited any level of language learning in various settings. On the other hand, sheltered and adjunct instructions have certain limitations in their application relevance. Sheltered instruction is commonly employed in middle or high schools in which instructions for subject matters are given in a language other than the

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students’ first language (L1). Similar to the sheltered model, adjunct instruction is normally found in higher levels of education such as high schools or universities where students are learning both subject matters and language simultaneously.

 Lesson focus

As can be seen in the above scenarios, another distinctive feature among the three models is the focus of the lesson. Theme-based instruction puts a bigger weight on the language itself, while sheltered courses may focus more on the content learning. On the other hand, the adjunct instruction respects the development of both language and subject matters content.

 Content selection

Since Content-based Instruction is typically applied in schools, colleges, and universities, the content used in language course might intersect with the one discussed in subject matter class. The overlapped contents might help students understand both courses better, for they have bigger chances to explore them deeper.

 Degree of faculty coordination

The degree of coordination among the three ‘prototype’ forms varies in accordance with the urgency to synchronize language and the subject content. Theme-based and sheltered instruction instructors do not usually coordinate their set of courses. The given materials are inclined to fulfill the student’s needs and vary in a variety of setting. Conversely, adjunct instruction requires the language and content instructors to discuss their curriculum and teaching

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objectives along the timeline. They might also need to match the assignments they will give to the students once in a while throughout the course.

All in all, despite the existing several distinctive features among them, all models of Content-based Instruction basically share a match in the way that each focuses on learning and acquiring both specific content and either related or supporting language skills. ‘In content-based language teaching, the claim in a sense is that students get “two for one” – both content knowledge and increased language proficiency” (Wesche, 1993 – Diane Larsen-Freeman, p. 142 ).

4. Theories of Grammar

Grammar has many definitions in accordance with many grammarians. According to Scott Thornbury (1999: 1), grammar is defined as “a description of the rules that govern how a language’s sentences are formed”, whileThe Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguisticsdefines it as “a description of the structure of a language and the way in which units such as words and phrases are combined to produce sentences in the language” (Richards, Platt, and Weber, 1985). Based on the details above, it may be concluded that grammar is generally thought to be a set of rules which specify the correct ordering of words at the sentence level. a. The Importance of English Grammar

Here are some evidences supporting the importance of grammar in learning English as a second language, for it may not be perfectly done without learning grammar.

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1) Burton (1982: 128) states that “Although it is possible to communicate in speech without much knowledge of grammar, we still need grammar because the knowledge of grammar is a handy tool.”

2) Widdowson (1983) proposes that “The communicative approach does not involve the rejection of grammar. On the contrary, it involves the recognition of its central mediating role in the use and learning of language. An understanding of grammar speeds up learners’ language learning.”

3) Wilkins (1976) suggests that “The acquisition of the grammatical system of a language is still the most important element in second language learning. Knowledge of grammar helps them to understand why some ways of using language are more efficient than others. It widens the range of linguistic resources available to a language learner.”

b. The Teaching of Grammar

Scott Thornbury (1999: 1) states in his book,How to Teach Grammar, that the teaching of grammar has always been one of the most divisive and least implicit aspects of language teaching. Consequently, there have been many debates in deciding whether or not grammar is still important in today’s English language learning. Few teachers stay behind uninterested to grammar, whereas many are obsessed by it. Basically, grammar teaching is not only a matter of asking the students to memorize the rules of a language but it also includes the process of internalizing the rules in their subconscious mind.

There is a common theory in second language acquisition that once we know the grammatical rules of a language, we will be able to produce an infinite

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number of sentences. However, one popular problem in learning grammar is that while some rules are easily understood, others seem to be horribly complex. Dealing with this problem, thus certain principles for teaching grammar need to be set.

First, teachers are required to integrate both inductive and deductive methods into their teaching. The process of learning in deductive method is from rules to examples, while in the inductive one; it goes backwards from samples to principles. Teachers should both give a grammatical explanation or rule followed by a set of exercises designed to clarify grammatical points and present some samples of language in which the rules are used. This may help the learners master the points and, and through the process of guided discovery, students are expected to work out the principles underlying the samples. By discovering the rules themselves, it is expected that the students may reach a deeper understanding on their grammar learning.

Second, teachers are to use tasks that make clear the interrelated connection between grammatical form and communicative function. Every now and then, teachers often give students grammar exercises for them to work on without giving the explanation of how and why people apply the rules in real-life situation. Therefore, the rules may easily be left unnoticed and the grammar learning is likely to be unsuccessful. Principally, teaching grammar as an abstract system which fails to give learners proper context for the grammar points is relatively ineffective. Thus, teachers should be able to present the grammar in a

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real communicative context, e.g. discussing the reasons why and when passive voice is used in the students’ real life while teaching about passive forms.

Third, teachers should give an emphasis on the development of procedural rather than declarative knowledge. David Nunan, in his book, Practical English Language Teaching, proposes that declarative knowledge is a matter of knowing language rules, while procedural knowledge is related to the ability of using the knowledge of language rules for communication. Therefore, teachers should focus on developing students’ procedural knowledge by which they are able to apply the knowledge they have about a language to communicate with others. They should provide sufficient opportunities for students to practice on their language abilities in conversations. In this case, learning by doing principle is applied where students are mastering the target language grammar items, not by memorizing the rules, but by using the language for communication.

c. Spoken and Written Grammar

Spoken grammars are those which appear in the casual conversation among two speakers or more. Ellipsis (where words are ‘left out’ without destroying the meaning) is a common feature of spoken grammars. It is rather informal compared to the other type of grammar – written grammar - which tends to occur in formal conversation and writing. Complete grammar features are the compulsory requirement in written grammar.

d. Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord)

The name Subject-Verb agreement in English grammar practically defines itself which is the agreement between the subject and the verb of a sentence.

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Even though it is considered pretty simple, beginning ESL/EFL learners often make mistakes regarding Subject-Verb agreement. According to Celce-Murcia, Larsen-Freeman, and Williams (1999), they tend to simplify and leave off altogether the third person singular inflection, overgeneralize the inflection and apply it to uninflected forms i.e. modals, auxiliaries, or verbs following modals, overuse it as an agreement marker with subjects of inappropriate person or number, and interpret the –s ending as a plural marker on the verb to be used in agreement with plural subjects.

According to Bram (1995), there are several things to consider in terms of Subject-Verb agreement which include the use of masculine and feminine pronouns as well as singular and plural forms of verbs and pronouns. Awareness of the forms of nouns after one, a, an, each, another, every, both, many, this/that, these/those, a few, and much is also important.

B. Theoretical Framework

In this section, the writer will summarize and synthesize all major relevant theories mentioned in the previous chapter to answer the research questions. The questions addressed are related to the implementation of Content-based Instruction in the international class of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta and the effects the English used on the student English grammar accuracy in writing.

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The researcher proposed the English language learning in Indonesia as the broad major topic of this research. She aims to analyze the implementation of the core values of Content-Based Instruction in immersion programs and then relate the exposure to English to the students’ English grammar accuracy in writing. The objectives of the Cambridge International Examinations used in the international class ofSMAN 3Yogyakarta will also give a valuable insight into the execution of the school’s international class. The principles of Content-Based Instruction which is used as the method of teaching in the programs may also contribute some important points in the study and the nature of English grammar, in both the teaching and learning, is a significant foundation in solving the research problem.

The discussion is then continued by analyzing the students’ compositions in terms of their mistakes in Subject-Verb agreement. Therefore, Subject-Verb agreement rules will specifically be used as the basis in evaluating the students’ work. Besides, to create balance and fairness in assessing the students’ compositions, the writer will also value correct basic English grammar rules used by the students in their writing.

In short, the researcher will use the theories of CBI to reveal the activities done in the teaching learning process as well as to see if the English used somehow affects the student English grammar accuracy in writing. The theories of Subject-Verb agreement will also be employed to analyze the student compositions to see if there are any changes in terms of Subject-Verb agreement mistakes made by the student over time. This will be done by comparing the number of mistakes made in each sample of writing.

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27 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, the researcher will discuss the methods of research and analysis. This section will be presented in several subdivisions; Research Method, Research Participant, Research Instruments, Data Gathering Technique, Data Analysis Technique, and Research Procedure.

A. Research Method

This research deals with the implementation of the main principles of Content-based Instruction in the international class of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta and the influences of the English used in materials delivery on the student English grammar accuracy in writing. The two phenomena are worth-studying because an international class is an existing trend in education and thus an illustration of how the principles of CBI are put into practice in it and the influences of the English used on the student English grammar accuracy in writing are interesting to be explored.

Generally, the research is a qualitative study as it enables descriptions and analyses on its focal points, while specifically, the type of research chosen to address the research questions is a case study. According to Creswell (2007), a case study research is a qualitative approach in which the investigator explores a bounded system (a case) or multiple bounded systems (cases) over a period of time, through detailed, in-depth data collection and reports a case description as

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well as case-based themes. The case here can be an individual, a type, a group, or an institution. He suggests the involvement of multiple sources of information (e.g., observations, interviews, audiovisual material, and documents and reports). Best (1970) also asserts that the case method probes deeply and analyzes interaction between the factors that produce change or growth intensively.

The first research problem, how CBI principles are applied in the international class of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta, was explored by conducting a pilot case study. It was intended to collect necessary information about CBI implementation. It was also aimed to explore the nature of the international class of the school. The two components might contribute to the answer to the second research problem which was the main case.

In this study, the case being investigated was the influences of the use of English in classes on the student English grammar accuracy in writing. As a case study, the research was intended to develop an in-depth description and analysis of the case and to find out whether or not and how it affects the student English grammar accuracy in writing. This goes along with what Yin (2003) states in his book, Case Study Research: Design and Methods, that in general, one of the situations in which a case study is preferred is when “how” or “why” questions are posed. Additionally, McDonough and McDonough (1997) believe that based on their own professional concerns, case studies are a very suitable format for studies of language learning. Bearing in mind several characteristics of a case study mentioned before, it seemed to be the most effective way to arrive at a greater understanding of the research problems.

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B. Research Participant

In this case study, the population used was the 2nd year international class students ofSMAN 3Yogyakarta whose basic English abilities were assumed to be adequately good as they have gone through a test before entering the program. The 2nd year students were chosen considering certain variables such as the amount of exposure to English, the experience, and the broader knowledge compared to those of the lower levels. Despite their potential, the 1styear students were not selected as the subject of the research because they were still busy adjusting themselves with the new high-school life, while the 3rdyear ones had to concentrate on the coming UAN.

Since the school authority used English as the means of delivering materials for Mathematics and Sciences in all 2ndyear classes, the researcher had to choose one of them as the population being studied. As recommended by the English teacher, XI A1 was at last selected as the adequacy of English abilities was taken into account. The teacher concluded from his own observation and test results that the students of that class had better English compared to that of the other classes.

As proposed by Creswell (2007), a case study may involve an individual, several individuals, a program, an event, or an activity. At first, the researcher planned to implement a formula,n= (N/ 2) + 1, in whichNis the total number of population, to maintain the validity of the sample as well as limiting the probability of data saturation. However, due to various reasons, the researcher had to narrow the population down. In order to provide an in-depth description of the

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case, the researcher decided to focus on one unique individual out of 38 students in XI A1 class. The selection was based on the researcher’s observation in some of the Science classes and the class’ English lesson as well as the English teacher’s suggestion. It was finally decided that a male student referred to as P-Man was the most suitable research participant. Based on the researcher’s initial observation, P-Man seemed to be active in class and quite confident in using English. In addition, his compositions about Anti-smoking Laws and the way human heart functions in the body were surprisingly well-arranged and twice as long as his other friends’. The English teacher also confirmed that P-Man’s performance in class is stable and he has determination to continuously improve his English. Unexpectedly, unlike another student whose English is impeccable, for she was raised in Canada, P-Man hardly ever received any special treatments, such as English courses outside school, that might contribute to his excellent English.

C. Research Instruments

In order to gather the data needed, the researcher used a number of instruments such as interview, collection of existing information in the form of the student’s written compositions, observation, and field notes. The observation and field notes were chosen as an attempt to give a clear picture of the real teaching-learning activities in the immersion class. The interview related to the student’s opinion on the use of English in his Mathematics and Science classes and its influence to his English grammar accuracy was conducted to gain as inclusive

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personal information as possible for further development. Multiple data collection instruments were used to make sure the reliability of the research result in finding out the why and how the social happening, in this case the implementation of CBI principles in immersion class, took place. They were expected to provide a clear and comprehensive result.

1. Interview

Seliger and Shohamy state that an interview is conducted to obtain information from the subjects by actually talking to them (1989). In other words, an interview is the equivalent of a questionnaire but in a spoken form. In this study, the aim of conducting an interview was to gather related information to the research problems so there would be more credible and complete data. The choice of this particular research instrument was supported by Sutrisno Hadi (1989) who describes an interview as a kind of method to gather data through questions and answers done systematically and based on the research purpose.

The researcher interviewed the research participant, P-Man, after school. The questions were delivered in Indonesian to avoid misunderstandings and the participant was given a liberty to choose whether he wanted to answer in English or Indonesian. He then chose to give answers in Indonesian.

The questions posed in the interview revolved mostly around the participant. Evelyn Hatch and Hossein Farhady (1982) propose that we could ask questions about age, sex, first language background, cognitive style, or many other individual personality characteristics of the learner. Thus, the list of questions prepared by the researcher was emphasized on the learner factor that

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potentially affects his English grammar accuracy. Besides, there were also questions related to the implementation of several principles of Content-based Instruction in his immersion class and the participant’s opinion on it.

2. Collection of Existing Information

Johnson (1992) describes collection of existing information as students’ written work or test data. In this study, the researcher collected the research participant’s test results consisting of two English compositions to be analyzed in terms of the application of Subject-Verb agreement (concord). The grammar component was selected because the type of each composition is different. One of them is an explanation, while the other one is an argumentative kind. Therefore, the researcher drew a line to connect both by finding the common element present in them, namely Subject-Verb agreement.

3. Observation

Ary (1999) defines observation as the most basic method in qualitative research which is more global than the one in qualitative studies. The purpose of using this instrument is to know the complete description of behavior in a specific natural setting. In this study, an observation was done in a few science classes in order to gain an insight into how the school ran its international classes with an emphasis on the implementation of CBI principles in the teaching-learning activities.

While observing, the researcher served as a non-participant observer. Louis Cohen, Lawrence Manion, and Keith Morrison (2000) state that

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non-participant observers keep a distance from the group activities they are investigating and avoid group membership. The researcher applied this principle by sitting at the back of the classroom without participating or taking part in the class activities.

4. Field Notes

Field notes are one of the most popular instruments in qualitative studies. Cohen et al. (2000) assert that the recording of observations in the form of field notes is a frequent source of concern to inexperienced case study researchers. One interesting trivial point about field notes was said by Wolcott (1973) who admitted that note-taking helped him fight the acute boredom that he sometimes felt while observing his case.

The field notes were employed as one of the research instruments to ensure the validity, reliability, and the objectivity of the observation. Other than that, they were also used to provide a clearer insight and references in analyzing the real teaching-learning activities as well as the unbiased judgment. The unbiased observation data were acquired through the division of the fact and the observer’s comment (OC). The use of field notes is closely related to the first research question, the implementation of Content-based Instruction principles in the immersion class of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta. The field notes in this study were written by different observers, for it was a collaborative research conducted by four researchers.

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D. Data Gathering Technique

The next step was to choose the data collection methods that would be used in the study. In this study, the researcher made some observations on the implementation of Content-based Instruction principles in SMAN 3 Yogyakarta’s international class. With the purpose of avoiding the observer’s bias, the researcher acted as a non-participant observer; meaning that the researcher interacted with the subjects enough to establish rapport but was not really involved in the behaviors and activities of the group of research participants. During the observations, the researcher made some field notes to document any phenomena happening in the class.

Backstrom and Cesar (1981) propose that in a personal view, the interviewer gathers information in the physical presence of the respondent. Accordingly, the researcher interviewed and held an informal discussion with the headmaster and teachers in charge of the immersion program in order to get specific details that were useful for the research. In addition, the researcher also collected samples of the research participant’s writing in the form of compositions. The two compositions were to be analyzed in terms of the application of Subject-Verb Agreement.

E. Data Analysis Technique

Since it was a qualitative research, the data collected were in the form of words (e.g. descriptions, observations, impressions, recordings, and the like). The

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writer first organized and coded the large mass of data into several categories in order to make it easier to interpret and describe them.

In analyzing the data, the researcher compared and contrasted the data collected with the literature review to see the ways in which they are similar and the ways in which they are different. By comparing the data collected from both studies, the researcher might find out if there was any divergence in the implementation of the basic principles of Content-based Instruction in SMAN 3 Yogyakarta’s international class.

To analyze the student’s English grammar accuracy, the researcher observed the written grammar in the compositions written by the student. The first composition was written in the middle of the semester, while the second one was written at the end of the semester. The influences of the English used in Mathematics and Sciences classes were determined by the number of mistakes and correct sentences made by the student in each composition. Then, the researcher compared the results. If P-Man made more mistakes in the second composition, thus the exposure to English had no significant influences on the student English grammar accuracy in writing. On the other hand, if he made fewer mistakes in the second composition, thus the use of English had considerable influences on the student English grammar accuracy in writing

F. Research Procedure

Creswell (2007) states in his book, Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing among Five Approaches, that there are several procedures

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available for conducting case studies such as the ones proposed by Merriam (1998), Stake (1995), and Yin (2003). However, he relies primarily on Stake’s (1995) approach. Based on Stake’s approach to conducting case studies, here are the stages undergone by the researcher in conducting the research from the beginning to the end.

1. Determining if a case study approach is appropriate to the research problems After selecting the topic and the problems of the research, the researcher picked the most appropriate approach which might give the best results by comparing the characteristics of several approaches to see which one fits the research questions. Stake (1995) argues that a case study is a good approach when the inquirer has specialized cases with limitations and intends to provide an in-depth understanding of the cases or a comparison of several cases. This study is mainly about whether or not the use of English in international classes affects the student English grammar accuracy. Then, it is restricted to the written grammar with a specification on the Subject-Verb agreement. It is also aimed to provide a comprehensive discussion on the topic. Hence, a case study seemed to qualify to be used in the study.

2. Identifying a case or cases

Stake (1995) recommends that investigators first consider what type of case study is most promising and useful. Considering that the researcher is a first-timer, it was decided to conduct a small scale study. This study is a single case which involved one student as the research participant.

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3. Collecting the data

The data collection in case study research is typically wide-ranging, drawing on numerous sources of information, such as observations, interviews, documents, and audiovisual materials (Stake, 1995). In this study, the researcher collected the data by making observations in classes, interviewing the research participant and the school staff, taking notes, and collecting samples of the student’s writing.

The researcher initially made a number of observations on the immersion class and made some field notes based on what she perceived. Subsequently, the researcher discussed the implementation of the principles of immersion class in SMAN 3 Yogyakarta with the headmaster and teachers responsible for the program. The investigation was continued by doing an interview with the research subject, P-Man, to gather some in-depth personal information. Data saturation was also taken into account in this stage to avoid having superfluous information. Afterwards, the researcher also took some samples of the student’s writing to see how he put grammar features, in this case Subject-Verb agreement into use in his compositions.

4. Analyzing the data collected

After obtaining the data through observations, interviews, and field notes, the researcher analyzed and classified them into groups. Statistics were used in analyzing students’ writing tests outcome, while the results of discussions, interviews, and observations were elaborated in details.

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5. Reporting the meaning of the case

In the end, the researcher compiled all the data and wrote a study report on what she had done. Lincoln and Guba (1985) mention that this phase constitutes the “lessons learned” from the case.

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happened because the guest lecturer was only paying attention to the continuation of materials presentation and she neglected the students’ condition. She only paid attention on the students in the nearest row from her.

When the lecture was almost over, the teacher gave questions that needed impromptu answer in relation to the cell reproduction topic to see the students’ comprehension of the topic. She chose the students randomly. She asked several questions in Indonesian and the students answered them in Indonesian also. After that, she gave explanations that were delivered in English and had been given before. Then, she chose students randomly to explain the English sentence to the students’ own understanding in Indonesian. The students who read the materials in English lacked good pronunciation and were afraid of making mistakes in pronouncing the words. The students had difficulties in explaining them in Indonesian although they had enough vocabulary items.

From the exercises given by the guest lecturer, I noticed that the majority of the students had good comprehension of the topic and they were able to re-state sentences about the topic again with their own language and knowledge. The class ended without any tasks for their homework. I also noticed lately that the regular teacher was not involved in the lecturing process, for she did not stay in class during the lesson.

(2)

(3)

Research Subject’s First Composition

Mid Semester Test

Topic: Anti-smoking Laws

No. Sentences C/I

1 Health isthe worth thing in human life. C

2 Being recognized or not,health isthe most important matter that cannot be substituted by anything else.

C 3 In contrast,modern people do notalwayscareabout it. C

4 Their life style *showthe unhealthy habits. I

5 Moreover,the situation of people’s life *arein the difficulty. I 6 Theyjustwantto be relaxed from the problems without thinking

their health.

C 7 They mainly do smoking when the problems are so heavy for

them.

C 8 In addition, the cigarette factory is the biggest tax payer in the

country so thatthe products areso abundant.

C 9 Hence, the people caneasilygetcigarette in low price. C 10 Afterwards,they are addicted tobuy it again and again. C Number of Mistakes: 2 | Number of Correct S-V Agreement: 8

(4)

Research Subject’s Second Composition

Final Test

Topic: Explain how the heart functions in the body.

No. Sentences C/I

PARAGRAPH 1

1 Heart isthe most essential organ in human body. C

2 It worksto pump human’s bleed everyday. C

3 Heart is locatedin the chest space. C

4 Because of its vitality,human heart is closed by chest bone and ribs bones.

C 5 Heart isalsosupportedby the strong muscular system. C

6 It is definedas heart muscle. C

7 It has special shape and way to work if compared with other inner organ muscle in human body.

C 8 Heart has four rooms in it, such as left and right atria and left

and right ventricles.

C 9 Atrium is used to receive the blood; in contrast, the ventricle

worksto pump blood.

C PARAGRAPH 2

10 Heart is the chief of human circulatory system, especially blood circulatory system.

C 11 It hasan important role of oxygen and nutrition transportation in

human body.

C 12 Heart is linked with the two kinds of blood vessels, artery and

vein.

C 13 They support and help heart to distribute the gases and food

nutrition to the whole body.

C PARAGRAPH 3

14 Human circulatory system isdouble-circulatory system. C 15 It means that there are two systems of blood circulatory in

human body.

C 16 Italsomeansthatblood passes throughheart for two times. C 17 They aresmall circulatory system and huge circulatory system. C

PARAGRAPH 4

18 First, small circulatory system isa circulatory process from the heart to the lungs.

C 19 This circulatory sistem starts from the cava vein, the major C

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No. Sentences C/I 20 It transportsthe deoxygenated blood from both upper and lower

body parts, except lungs.

C 21 This bloodthenflows intothe right atrium of heart. C 22 Through the tricuspidale valve, the deoxygenated blood is

moved intothe right ventricle room.

C 23 After thatthe blood is pumped outof heart by right ventricle. C 24 Thenthe blood flowsthrough the pulmonary artery. C 25 This artery isthe only strange artery because its job isdifferent

fromthe other artery thatusuallybringsdeoxygenated blood.

C 26 This artery vessel allows deoxygenated blood and the rest of

metabolism process.

C 27 In the lungsthe deoxygenated blood is restructured. C 28 Then the exchanging process between oxygen and

carbondioxyde occursin alveoli, part of the lungs.

C 29 After occurring,the blood isnowbringingthe oxygen gas. C 30 Afterwards, the oxygenated blood flows intothe heart through

the pulmonary vein.

C 31 This pulmonary veinalso hasstrange and special task thanthe

other vein that often transportscarbondioxyde in the blood.

C 32 Finally, the oxygenated blood is moved to left atrium for the

next huge circulatory system.

C PARAGRAPH 5

33 Second, the huge circulatory system is a circulatory process from heart to the whole body, except lungs.

34 The step of oxygenated blood is continued. C

35 After reaching the left atrium, the oxygenated blood passes throughthe bicuspidale valve to move into the left ventricle.

C 36 The oxygenated blood isthenpumped out of the heart through

the aorta.

C 37 In aorta the oxygenated blood could not go back to heart

anymore because of the semilunaris valve.

C 38 The oxygenated blood flowsinto the artery until the capillary to

exchange the food nutrition and oxygen with the carbondioxyde and the rest of metabolism with the body tissue.

39 The carbondioxyde and the rest of metabolism are transportedthrough veins until cava vein.

C 40 Then they go back to heart again and are exchanged in the

lungs.

C Number of Mistakes: 0 | Number of Correct S-V Agreement: 40

(6)

Research Subject’s Latest Writing

I really love English because it’s a cool and universal language, without forgetting my own language, Indonesian and Javanese. The first intensive contact to English came when I was 4th grade. I learned it in the first and last English course I’ve ever joined and at my school too. I found it nice and interesting at that time. And so I keeplearning English more and more by myself until now. I thank God that I can improve my ability. In my opinion, the keys are the English learning sources, e.g. songs (I love Josh Groban’s, Michael Jackson’s, Sarah Brightman’s, Celine Dion’s, David Archuleta’s, and many more), movies (let me mention some of them: The King’s Speech, Harry Potter series, Pirates of the Caribbean series, etc.), and books. Honestly, I have had no conversation to native speakers again sinceI met them in English lesson in SMA 3.It wassuch a great experience for me. Nowadays, I findit easy enough to read and understand the books and journals of Dentistry in English. In my faculty,the lecturers insist the students to read the newest supporting learning sources in English in order to deepen the knowledge of Medical and Dental Sciences. By the way, I don’t have any blog or anything else in English. I simply enjoy English with all its beauty. Well,that’sall about me.I hopemy short story can help you. Thanks for the opportunity, Mbak. May God always bless you, your work and

The influences of the English used in the international class of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta towards the student English grammar accuracy : a case study.

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Research Subject’s Second Composition

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