Background of the Study

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of background of the study, reasons for choosing the topic, statement of the problem, objective of the study, hypotheses of the study, significance of the study, limitation of the study, and outline of the report.

1.1 Background of the Study

Language plays an important role in communication. People need language as a means of communication since they are social being who cannot live separately from others. Just as Gleason 1965: 4 states that language is an important feature of human life, the major means of communication, and a basic essential in our communicating society. In this way, people use language to be able to communicate with others easily. One of the languages used in international communication is English. In Indonesia, English has been included as one of the subjects in the formal education. Therefore, Indonesian English teachers should have good language mastery in order to gain the students ‟ understanding and deliver the materials appropriately. Based on the curriculum of 2013, the scope of teaching English at Senior High School includes communication both in speaking and writing. In order to be able to communicate effectively in them, we should master language components such as grammar or structure, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc. 2 Grammar is believed to be the most important subject for language teaching and learning process. It is the central role in language learning. Vocabulary and grammar are used simultaneously to arrange sentences in expressing or conveying messages. The students are not supposed to know only the knowledge of grammar, but also how to apply it in both oral and written communication. Leech, Deuchar, and Hoogenrad 1986: 3 states that we shall use the term of grammar in reference to the mechanism according to which language works when it is used to communicate with other people. It is difficult to communicate with others or write correctly if we do not have an understanding about grammar; therefore, we have to learn it. Learning English grammar is sometimes boring and difficult for the students. Most teachers using conventional method lecturing, explaining, drilling, etc in teaching grammar. It makes the students not motivated to study, so they will be passive in their learning process. The athmosphere in the class relates to the technique used by the teacher in delivering the lesson. It challenges English language teachers to determine what strategy is the most effective. The teachers not only look for the strategy keeping the students to concentrate in teaching learning process but also make them enjoy the lesson. Therefore, the students will understand the lesson easily. One of strategies is through the use of games. Teaching grammar using games will be more effective than teaching it using conventional method. Teachers should see games not only as tools but integrate them into the language teaching program. The most important function of implementing games in teaching is to give practice in communication. It can 3 stimulate everyone to „have go‟ and do their best. Goleman 1996 says that children always enjoy fantasy, imagination and movement, and he claims that learning does not take place in isolation from children‟s feelings. Children will remember and learn faster when they are happy, relaxed and unthreatened. Therefore, teachers have to create a conducive and pleasurable atmosphere, so that what they learn can have a lasting effect on them. Random sounds game could be an effective technique to develop and reinforce some concepts of grammar. It is a game to speculate orally andor in writing about the sources of sounds, using the simple past, expressions of uncertainty e.g. I thought I heard a … andor expressions of speculation e.g. I think I could hear …. This game will make the students practice to write what they heard after they closed their eyes and listened every sounds they can hear. Based on the description above, the writer is interested to study about the effectiveness of random sounds game in teaching simple past tense. An experimental study on the tenth grade students of SMA N 1 Batang, academic year 20152016. Hopefully, this technique can be an effective learning technique in teaching simple past tense.

1.2 Reasons for Choosing the Topic