Teachers` belief of how to develop students to become successful English learners.

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ABSTRACT

Pertiwi, Dewanti Ratna, 2014. Teachers' Belief of How to Develop Students to Become Successful English Learners. Yogyakarta: English Language Studies, Graduate Program, Sanata Dharma University.

The role of English as a foreign language drives it to be an interesting case to study. The case is not only in its linguistic aspects but also in its pedagogical and psychological aspects. One of the interesting matters in TEFL is the teachers who are considered as the highest organizers holding authority in classroom management. As English teachers, they have met a number of phases and cases including being English learners, being teachers, joining teachers’ forums, and practicing teaching techniques. These aspects direct them to hold particular beliefs toward the best assumption influencing their teaching.

This research attempts to answer What is teachers’ belief of how to develop students to become successful English learners? The beliefs are observed by considering its affecting aspects: schooling, professional coursework, contextual factors, and classroom practice.

To answer the research question, the study employed a phenomenology research study with two data sources: interviews and classroom observations. This study involved three junior high school English teachers from three different schools to represent various perspectives about developing successful English learners. The teachers were interviewed once and the classroom activities were observed twice. The interpretations from the interview were reported to the teachers to confirm, ensure, and convince that the interpretations are in line with the teachers meant.

The findings of the research reveal four points. First, in terms of the teachers’ schooling, the teachers believe that English is learnt as a means of communication. As a foreign language, it needs special treatments to learn since some problems may appear in learning it especially when English is regarded as a school subject in the final examination. Second, in terms of professional coursework, the teachers believe that their pedagogical value becomes the basic foundation in exploring and implementing any efforts to develop their professional development which affects on how they develop successful English learners. Third, in terms of contextual factor, the teachers believe that a teacher’ forum and teacher certification are the programs which the teachers think give a positive contribution for professional teacher development. Fourth, in terms of classroom practice, successful English learners are best developed using integrated technique, that is combining some parameters to develop at the same time and separated technique as the enrichment.

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ABSTRAK

Pertiwi, Dewanti Ratna, 2013. Teachers' Belief of How to Develop Students to Become Successful English Learners. Yogyakarta: English Language Studies, Graduate Program, Sanata Dharma University.

Peran bahasa Inggris sebagai sebuah bahasa asing menjadikan hal tersebjut menarik untuk dikaji. Ini tidak hanya terletak pada aspek kebahasaan namun pada aspek pedagogi dan psikologi. Salah satunya adalah guru yang dianggap sebagai pemegang peran tertinggi dalam manajemen sekolah. Sebagai guru bahasa Inggris, mereka telah mengalami sejumlah tahapan dan hal di antaranya menjadi pembelajar bahasa Inggris, menjadi guru bahasa Inggris, mengikuti forum pengajar bahasa Inggris, dan mempartikkan teknik mengajar. Aspek-aspek tersebut membuat para guru memegang keyakinan terhadap beberapa asumsi yang dianggap merupakan terbaik dalam mengajar bahasa Inggris.

Penelitian ini menyelidiki Apa keyakinan guru dalam mengembangkan siswa menjadi pembelajar bahasa Inggris yang berhasil? Keyakinan ini ditinjau dengan mempertimbangkan aspek yang berpengaruh yaitu sekolah, pendidikan profesi, faktor kontekstual, dan kegiatan kelas.

Untuk menjawab pertanyaan dari penelitian ini, penelitian fenomenologi dikembangkan menggunakan dua sumber data yaitu wawancara dan pengamatan kelas. Penelitian ini melibatkan tiga guru Inggris SMP dari tiga sekolah untuk menggambarkan berbagai perspektif tentang pengembangan pembelajar bahasa Inggris yang berhasil. Wawancara dilakukan satu kali dan pengamatan kelas dilakukan dua kali. Interpretasi dari hasil wawancara dilaporkan kembali kepada para guru untuk menkonfirmasi, meyakinkan, dan memastikan bahwa interpretasi tersebut sesuai dengan yang dimaksud para guru saat wawancara.

Terdapat empat penemuan dalam penelitian ini. Pertama, dalam hal sekolah, guru meyakini bahwa bahasa Inggris merupakan alat komunikasi. Sebagai bahasa asing, pembelajaran bahasa Inggris memerlukan perlakuan khusus karena beberapa kendala mungkin muncul terutama dalam ujian nasional. Kedua, dalam hal pendidikan profesi, guru meyakini bahwa nilai pedagogi menjadi pondasi dasar dalam mengeksplorasi dan menerapkan berbagai usaha untuk mengembangkan diri secara professional yang berdampak pada bagaimana mereka mengembangkan pembelajar bahasa Inggris yang berhasil. Ketiga, dalam hal faktor kontekstual, guru meyakini bahwa forum dan sertifikasi guru merupakan program yang mampu berkontribusi positif dalam pengembangan guru profesional. Keempat, dalam hal kegiatan kelas, pembelajar bahasa Inggris yang berhasil paling tepat dikembangkan

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menggunakan teknik terintegerasi yaitu menggabungkan beberapa parameter untuk dikembangkan secara bersamaan dan teknik terpisah sebagai pengayaannya.

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TEACHERS' BELIEF OF HOW TO DEVELOP STUDENTS

TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL ENGLISH LEARNERS

A Thesis Presented to

The Graduate Program in English Language Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements

for the Degree of

Magister Humaniora (M. Hum) in

English Language Studies

by

Dewanti Ratna Pertiwi

116332025

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2014

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STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY

This is to certify that all the ideas, phrases, and sentences, unless otherwise stated, are the ideas, phrases, sentences of the thesis writer. The writer understands the full consequences including degree cancellation if she took somebody else’s idea, phrase, or sentence without proper references.

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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS

Yang bertandatangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma: Nama : Dewanti Ratna Pertiwi

Nomor Mahasiswa : 116332025

Demi perkembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

TEACHERS' BELIEF OF HOW TO DEVELOP STUDENTS

TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL ENGLISH LEARNERS

Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan. Dengan demikian saya memberikan hak kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikannya secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalty kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.

Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya. Dibuat di Yogyakarta.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Alhamdulillahirobbil’alamin, praise be to Allah the Almighty and the most Merciful that because of His blessings I could finally finish my thesis to attain the degree of Magister Humaniora in English Language Studies.

I would like to express my highest gratitude and appreciation to my thesis advisor, Dr. B.B. Dwijatmoko, M.A. who has been very helpful, kind, and patient in giving me advice, ideas, guidance, assistance, and their valuable time during the process of writing this thesis. I also wish to express my sincere thanks to my lecturers, F.X. Mukarto, Ph.D., Dr. J. Bismoko, Dr. Novita Dewi, M.S., M.A. (Hons), Prof. Dr. Soepomo Poedjosoedarmo, and Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A. for their countless knowledge during my study.

My deep gratitude also goes to my parents, parents-in-law, sister, and brothers-in-law for their loving, support, and encouragement during the process of writing the thesis. Then, I need to thank my friends in PBI C UNY academic year 2006 for all the tight friendship we have, all friends, and classmates in English Language Studies of Sanata Dharma University for the priceless moment and people whose name I could not mention.

Last but not least, my special gratitude goes to my gorgeous husband Latiful Fadli for the love, patience, and supports during my study. For my adorable new born baby Deswara Salsabila Latif, thank you for accompanying me in every single process of accomplishing this study.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ... i

ADVISOR’S APPROVAL PAGE ... ii

DEFENSE APPROVAL ... iii

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ... iv

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PUBLIKASI ... v

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ... vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... vii

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ... x

LIST OF CODES AND ABBREVIATIONS ... xi

LIST OF APPENDICES ... xii

ABSTRACT ... xiii

ABSTRAK ... xiv

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background ... 1

1.2 Problem Identification ... 4

1.3 Problem Limitation ... 7

1.4 Problem Formulation ... 7

1.5 Research Goal ... 8

1.6 Benefit of the Study ... 8

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Theoretical Review ... 9

2.1.1 Teachers’ Belief in English Teaching ... 9

2.1.1.1 The nature of beliefs ... 9

2.1.1.2 The source of teachers’ beliefs ... 12

2.1.1.3 The role of teachers’ beliefs ... 14

2.1.2 Factors Influencing Teachers’ Belief about Successful English Learners ... 16

2.1.2.1 Teacher education ... 16

2.1.2.2 The current English curriculum in Indonesia ... 19

2.1.2.2.1 Curriculum of 2006 ... 20

2.1.2.2.2 Curriculum of 2013 ... 23

2.1.3 Successful English learners ... 25

2.1.3.1 Learner variables ... 27

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2.1.4 Junior High School Students ... 42

2.1.4.1 The characteristics of junior high school students ... 42

2.1.4.2 The teaching of English to junior high school students ... 44

2.2 Related Studies ... 49

2.3 Theoretical Framework ... 50

CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research Design ... 53

3.2 Nature of Data ... 54

3.3 Research Setting and Participants ... 54

3.4 Data Collection Method ... 55

3.4.1 In-Depth Interview ... 55

3.4.1.1 Construction of in-depth interview questions guideline ... 56

3.4.1.2 Management of in-depth interview data ... 57

3.4.2 Classroom Observation ... 61

3.5 Data Analysis ... 64

3.5.1 Account of Teachers’ Individual Beliefs ... 65

3.5.2 Account of Teachers’ Shared Beliefs ... 66

3.6 Trustworthiness ... 68

CHAPTER IV: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 4.1 Schooling ... 69

4.2 Professional Coursework ... 73

4.3 Contextual Factor ... 92

4.4 Classroom Practice ... 93

4.4.1 Communicative competence ... 93

4.4.2 Grammar ... 97

4.4.3 Involvement ... 98

4.4.4 Learning awareness ... 100

4.4.5 Learning strategy ... 102

4.4.6 Character education ... 103

4.4.7 Motivation ... 105

4.4.8 Age ... 107

4.4.9 Personality ... 107

4.4.10 Gender ... 109

4.4.11 Meta cognition ... 110

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4.4.13 Culture ... 116

4.4.14 Aptitude ... 118

4.4.15 Language mastery ... 120

4.4.15.1 Vocabulary ... 120

4.4.15.2 Pronunciation ... 121

4.4.15.3 Error correction ... 123

4.4.16 Language skills ... 124

4.4.16.1 Listening ... 124

4.4.16.2 Speaking ... 126

4.4.16.3 Reading ... 128

4.4.16.4 Writing ... 130

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION 5.1 Conclusion ... 133

5.2 Implication ... 135

5.2.1 For English Teachers... 135

5.2.2 For Policy Maker ... 137

5.3 Suggestions ... 137

REFERENCES ... 139

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LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Figure 2.1

Relationship among beliefs, principles, and practices ... 15

Figure 2.2

Teacher education program ... 18

Table 2.1

Core and basic competence ... 24

Figure 2.3

Meta cognition model ... 30

Figure 2.4

Classroom reading performance ... 36

Figure 2.5

Theoretical framework ... 52

Table 3.1

Sample of questions in the in-depth interview ... 57

Table 3.2

Sample of interview transcription ... 60

Table 3.3

Sample of observation note ... 62

Figure 3.1

Data analysis procedure ... 65

Table 3.4

Sample of Individual Account (Mr. Inu) ... 66

Table 3.5

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LIST OF CODES AND ABBREVIATIONS

GTM Grammar Translation Method

CALL Computer-Assisted Language Learning TOEFL Test of English as a Foreign Language

APEID Asia and the Pacific Program of Educational Innovation for Development

KTSP Kurikulum Satuan Pendidikan (School based curriculum)

BSNP Badan Standar Nasional Pendidikan (Board of national education standard)

Perpem Peraturan pemerintah (Government’s regulation) IT Information technology

UTK Ujian Tingkat Kompetensi (Competence level test)

UMTK Ujian Mutu Tingkat Kompetensi (Competence level quality test)

SL Second Language

EFL English as a Foreign Language

ICARE Introduction, connection, application, reflection, extension Depdiknas Depatemen pendidikan nasional (Board of national education)

UK United Kingdom

NP Noun Phrase

VP Verb Phrase

CLT Communicative Language Teaching CBI Content Based Instruction

JHS Junior High School

IRF Initiating, Responding, Follow up

TEFLIN Teaching of English as a Foreign Language JETA Jogja English Teachers Association

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LIST OF APPENDICES

1. Appendix 1: Interview Guidelines ... 145

2. Appendix 2: Interview Transcription ... 149

3. Appendix 3: Observation Field Notes ... 219

4. Appendix 4: Shared Beliefs and the Interpretation ... 237

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xiii

ABSTRACT

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xiv

ABSTRAK

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menggunakan teknik terintegerasi yaitu menggabungkan beberapa parameter untuk dikembangkan secara bersamaan dan teknik terpisah sebagai pengayaannya.

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

The first part of this research is written to describe the background of the problems containing the issues related to teachers’ belief of how to develop students to become successful English learners

.

This chapter covers the foundation of the thesis research. It includes background, problem identification, problem limitation, problem formulation, research goal, and research benefit

.

1.1Background

A person learns the first language earlier than the second language and foreign language

.

A first language (sometimes called as mother tongue) is different in each region. It is learnt without having a particular course because it might come from the closest environment

.

Sometimes learning the first language is not called as a process of learning but a process of acquisition. In addition, a second language is varied in each country

.

It is learnt when a person gets involved in particular occasions requiring a formal language to communicate such as in training and school. Meanwhile, foreign language is learnt by following a particular language education program such as an English course and English subject at school

.

The position of English as an international language encourages some societies think that mastering a foreign language is seen as beneficial base for a person’s future

.

As we know, English has the highest number of speakers universally. The position of English as the largest language used in the world affects English teachers

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in expanding circle countries to have various beliefs. It might be due to their earlier learning experiences, teacher training courses taken at school, and their cultural backgrounds

.

Investigating the phenomenon about teachers’ belief in order to develop the students to become successful English learners is necessary to create better English learners. In this study, investigating the beliefs in the context of junior high school level is expected to give description and interpretation on what values the teachers hold and do to develop successful English learners. Junior high school level is chosen since it is the first level in which English is regarded as a compulsory subject and the learners have unique characteristics in terms of transitional phase that is they are to leave the childhood and start the adulthood.

There are a number of aspects determining a successful English learner. Ellis (2008) describes the characteristics of good English learners. Firstly, competence in using language form is considered as the important dimension for an English learner. Secondly, as language is used as a means of communication, an English learner should be able to use English as a means communication. As a teacher, she can help learners to concern with the fluency followed by the accuracy such as delivering a speech (Nunan: 2004). Thirdly, a good English learner keeps activeness and creativeness of completing a task designed to help learners achieving a particular learning goal. In this case, the teachers facilitate active learning and encourage experiment for new expansion. Fourthly, learning focuses not only on the result but also the process, thus, a good English learner is characterized by the awareness of the learning process. Fifthly, in undergoing the learning process, a good English learner

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is able to use particular strategies flexibly either for long term goals or task to hand. The teachers can help learners to discover ways of learning that work best for them. In addition, a competence to set objectives for the learners and the selected techniques to achieve the objectives support the development of successful learners. Some factors affect the formation of teachers’ belief. Ivone (2005) mentions that English teachers’ belief in Indonesia is influenced by teachers’ background, particularly childhood. As we know, in Indonesian curriculum, started from Curriculum of 1947 (Rencana Pembelajaran 1947) until Curriculum of 1975, the curriculum described the application of Classical Humanism model. The purpose of learning was limited to transferring knowledge. English was taught by memorizing rule and vocabulary and translating the language instead of using it in communication. The following curriculum, Curriculum of 1984, changed the paradigm by adopting Reconstructionism model in which learning aims at producing human to have good behaviour. In this model, students were treated as the subject of learning process who observed, classified, until reported the result of the learning activity. In 1994, the curriculum changed into Curriculum of 1994. It was seen as the combination of the previous curriculums for activating students’ self-actualization mentally, physically, and socially as stated in the Progressivism model. The students were supposed to use their English in communication. From 2002 to now, Indonesia starts using New Pragmatism model emphasizing on students’ competency, orienting learning outcomes, applying various approaches and methods, using various learning sources (not limited in teachers’ capacity), and assessing learning process and achievement.

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1.2Problem Identification

Teachers’ belief determines the success of a teaching and learning process. Internal factors (from the teachers itself, e.g. experience, psychology) and external factors (from other board, demand from particular institutions, e.g. government’s campaign on character building) affect the teachers’ belief formation. In relation to English teaching and learning, the teachers question on how English teachers should teach English as a foreign language and how they develop the students to become successful English learners.

Along the time, a number of experts attempt to give various definition of belief. In one of the more extensive reviews of teachers’ belief, Pajares (1992) points out that belief is rarely operationalized in studies and thus it is difficult to separate from reveal and investigate. He posits that belief is seen based on evaluation and judgment. Bernat and Gvozdenko (2005) highlight belief is a psychological case by which human use their understandings, premises, or propositions about the world so that they feel something regarded as the true one. More specifically, Luft and Roehrig (2007) describe belief has interrupted memory, high personality, and information concluded from personal experiences, cultural sources, and containing evaluative, emotive, and affective components. Based on the definitions, the operational definition of belief will be the result of observing, understanding, proofing a principle and use it in a particular occasion as regarded to be right and applicable one.

In investigating teachers’ belief in the way they develop their students to become successful English learners, it is necessary to have a look at types of beliefs.

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Richards and Lockhart (1996: 32-42) propose types of beliefs consist of “beliefs about English, learning, teaching, the program and the curriculum, and language teaching as a profession”.

Firstly, talking beliefs about English is crucial since each individual may have different perspective about English. For some English instructors in a course, English is seen as a medium to earn money. Differently, people studying abroad (in English speaking countries) English is likely used as a means of communication. In addition, some people may say English is language of colonialism

.

Secondly, people might have different points of view about learning. One of the possible emerging views is about English teachers’ concept. Some teachers may say that learning is accomplishing mark record to get as perfect score as possible. Or, learning is likely seen as grabbing knowledge and materials from the teachers. These predicted beliefs affect the way teachers select the best technique, exposure, type of expected students, learning style, and teaching strategies

.

Thirdly, beliefs about learning are closely related with beliefs about teaching. Teachers use their beliefs about learning in formulating beliefs about teaching. Beliefs about teaching are reflected in the way teachers define their role in the classroom, teaching methods, teaching resources, effective teaching, and qualities of a good teacher

.

Fourthly, beliefs about the program and the curriculum can be the indicators toward teachers’ action. As we know, a program and curriculum are determined by the government which is put into a policy. Beliefs about how the teachers think and do related to a program and curriculum are reflected on the way they take an action

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toward supporting cases in their teaching. Such as, recently, government develops character education by integrating it into the instruction. This program influences the teachers in preparing the instructional materials. The teachers are required to use instructional materials which integrate the character education into the materials.

Fifthly, teachers might have different perception on language teaching as a profession, i.e. the way teachers see their occupation. Teachers’ teaching activity in a different institution even in the same one likely has different reflection about their occupation due to the concept of professionalism. The beliefs about this language teaching are reflected on the way teachers characterize English teaching as a profession and think about the required training for the professionals, professional development, rewarding aspect, and evaluation

.

Successful English learners are assigned when they achieve the standards in either pedagogic or non-pedagogic aspects. In pedagogical aspect, Ellis (2008: 708) points out some characters of a successful learner, i.e. having ability to use language form and communication function, actively get involved in a task, be aware of the significance of learning process, and use the strategy flexibly. Similarly, Depdiknas (2006) decides three aspects should be met by a good junior high school student in learning English, i.e. developing communicative competence, developing awareness, and understanding the correlation between nation and culture. Meanwhile, based on Curriculum of 2013, a successful learner should achieve the learning goals of having appropriate religious value, social attitude, knowledge, and knowledge implementation. To be a successful learner, awareness of being autonomous is required. Scharle and Szabo (2000) argue that autonomy is essential for successful

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language learners as even though they have spent much time in the classroom, still they need to learn by practice on their own.

To identify teachers’ belief on how to develop successful English learners, this is essential to know what the teachers believe related to the indicator about successful English learners in Indonesia and globally. Moreover, is important to relate what the teachers say and what the teachers do. Therefore, the research applies a qualitative method. It assists education practitioners to take the benefits of the teachers’ belief model which can improve the quality of teaching and learning process. In this research, interpretive phenomenology is applied to give description and interpretation about how to develop successful English learners

.

1.3Problem Limitation

Nowadays, English is taught in Indonesia in almost all levels of education, starting from very young learners to university students. Considering the limitation in terms of time, area, and methodology, this research attempts to focus on junior high school scope as this level is seen as ideal phase where English starts becomes a compulsory subject. Moreover, junior high school students are in the transition phase between childhood and adult in which they need special treatment to teach. Therefore, it can be assumed that the teaching and learning have unique phenomena to investigate.

1.4Problem Formulation

With regard to the identified problems and the limitation of the identified problems, the research question framing the current study is What is teachers’ belief of how to develop students to become successful English learners?.

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1.5Research Goal

The goals in doing the research are to reveal, describe, and interpret junior high school teachers’ belief. It may be derived from what the teachers say and do about their beliefs as a result of their constructed experience, observations, training, and other ideas of how to develop their students to become successful English learners. The different beliefs are included into teachers’ individual belief whereas the similar beliefs are included into teachers’ shared belief.

1.6Benefit of the Study

This research is expected to contribute to the improvement in teaching and learning of English in Indonesia. Theoretically, this research aims to reveal, describe, and interpret teachers’ belief in developing students to become successful English learners. The investigation result of teachers’ belief here is expected to give valuable information as a means of teachers’ foundation in their professional teaching, reflection, evaluation, and improvement.

Practically, this research is expected to help English teachers in developing their students to learn better. In investigating teachers’ belief, some real conditions might be found in teaching and learning activity and what the teachers do to help their students learn better. By looking at those samples of real phenomena either shared or individual beliefs and the teachers’ action, other English teachers can reflect it in their teaching and learning activity to develop successful English learners.

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CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW

In this part, I present three parts; theoretical review, review of related studies, and theoretical framework. In the theoretical review, I elaborate the relevant theories of teachers‟ belief in English teaching, the teaching of English to junior high school, and successful English learners. Meanwhile, in the review of related study part, I summarize the findings of some research then extracts each then looks for the comparison among others. Furthermore, I present the theoretical framework in the last part.

2.1Theoretical Review

2.1.1 Teachers’ Belief in English Teaching

Investigating teachers‟ belief can contribute information related to English instruction. Liao (2007) proposes that the study of teachers‟ belief is necessarily used as the predictors to investigate the situations and decisions they make.

2.1.1.1The nature of beliefs

The term belief is admitted as an uneasily defined term because it has many branches to talk about and unlimited scopes. Senior (2006: 12) defines belief as “personal convictions (passions) about language teaching and learning that teachers are able and willing to express”. It is influenced by teachers‟ background that makes them decide toward elements in language teaching and learning. Language teachers differ extremely in the amount to which they articulate why they teach in the ways they do and why they behave in certain ways in their professional work field. Some believe that learning should be done as effectively and efficiently as possible. After

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one learning program lasts, they have to prepare the following lesson without having reflection. Meanwhile, some other teachers likely have beliefs that reflection is necessary used in improving the quality of language teaching and learning.

Notwithstanding the uneasily defined term, discussing a belief can use an assumption. Liljedahl (2010) describes beliefs using an analogy that beliefs are as if a scene which figures out dissimilar viewpoints. In other words, a belief is actually resulted from different ways a person stands point an object. Similarly, Richards and Lockhart (1996) argue that beliefs are regarded as the extraction of what the teachers understand and assume to be the right one.

One of the difficulties in examining teachers‟ belief is that they are not directly observable. Therefore they can only be inferred from teachers‟ behaviours in the classroom. Aspects of classroom practice which reflect teachers‟ belief are teaching approaches, types of materials, and types of activities (Richards: 1998).

Teaching approaches may vary among teachers such as teacher-centred or learner-centred, monolingual or bilingual, focus on fluency or focus on accuracy, etc. The chosen approaches are resulted from what teachers understand and believe to be correct one, for example, the application of teacher-centred approach which reflects teachers‟ belief that effective language learning is more successful using teacher-centred than other approaches.

In addition, types of materials may vary in the form of locally produced, authentic materials, multimedia, etc. For some education practitioners, authentic materials are considered to be the most appropriate one as it has been used in the real context. However, teachers may choose multimedia materials to be the most

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appropriate one since it is more up to date and modern. These two conditions show how materials reflect teachers‟ belief.

Meanwhile, teachers may use different types of activities like presentation, discussion, pair work, group work, games, role play, etc. In teaching and learning case, there is a tendency that an old-fashioned teacher tends to use traditional activity (one-way activity) such as teacher-explains and students-listen. The teacher in this occasion posses the concept that one-way activity is regarded to be the most effective in language learning. On the other hand, a developing teacher prefers to use two way activities and more communicative one, such as discussion and pair work. Both contrastive conditions reflect how teachers‟ belief is put into their action in choosing the appropriate activities.

A number of factors affect the formation of different beliefs among English teachers. Richards and Schmidt (2002: 541) argue that teachers‟ belief are affected by “experience, observations, training and other sources and serve as a source of reference when teachers encounter new ideas, sometimes impeding the acceptance of new ideas or practices”. As an idiom, experience is the best teacher, experience is seen as the major factor in beliefs either as teachers or learners since teachers prove the strength and weakness of having particular beliefs. Beliefs are constant as they structure a system. As we know, a system is very likely to be fossilized.

Even though beliefs are seen as a constant thing, feeling dissatisfaction, phenomenon shift, and dynamic condition affect teachers change their beliefs to make a better condition. Bailey in Richards et al. (2001) proposes some factors that influence teachers change their beliefs. Dissatisfaction with the current situation and

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the connection of a new idea with the teacher‟s own situation affect teachers to shift their beliefs with the proper one. In addition, a change is derived from a change in the teaching context such as the themes of the teaching materials. In carrying out their responsibilities, teachers are required to do number of government‟s demand to be a professional teacher. In doing so, there are some criteria made by the government to fulfil, such as minimum 24 lesson hours teaching each week. This case also influences teachers to change their beliefs. Furthermore, a change is influenced by a realization of something based on his or her experiences as a learner and a conflict between the teachers‟ new beliefs and their practices.

In conclusion, teachers‟ belief refers to what teachers assume as the correct one which is influenced by the experience from internal and external factors in doing their teaching responsibility. There is no absolute correct and incorrect in formulating beliefs. The properly admitted belief is the one which is born out to be effective in language learning and has sufficient theoretical foundation.

2.1.1.2The source of teachers’ beliefs

Teachers‟ belief may be dynamic. It is influenced dominantly by the practical things instead of theoretical things. A teacher tends to change their beliefs under the influence of their fellow teachers actual teaching practice or their own teaching practice (Kagan: 1992). Nevertheless, a number of sources of teachers‟ belief exist in teaching work field. The idea of investigating belief is supported by the theory proposed by Borg (2012) who mentions that in order to understand what teachers do in meeting an effective language learning, it is not enough to know their behavior. Researchers need to observe what they believe, know, feel, and do.

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Teachers‟ belief reveal in each English teacher due to several factors. Kindsvatter, Willen, and Ishler in Richards and Lockhart (1996) suggest the sources of teachers‟ belief. Before being teachers, all teachers have gone through a phase in which they were learners. The manifestations about how they were taught contribute to forming their beliefs about teaching. Moreover, teaching experience can be the primary source of teachers‟ belief. By witnessing how a method works for a particular group of students might lead to the beliefs about such a method. In addition, within a school, an institution or a community, certain teaching styles or methods may be preferred. Hence, a method or an approach rooted in a community or a school system for quite some time might be taken for granted as the most effective. Another source is some teachers are likely to have a preference for a particular teaching method or activity simply because it matches their personality.

New finding and approach based principles encourage teachers form their beliefs. Teachers drive their beliefs due to new finding on principles in language education. The existing approach and method also direct teachers‟ belief. For example teachers who feel comfortable learning using Grammar Translation Method (GTM) are likely to apply this method as well in their teaching activity.

Convincingly, experience is determined to be the broad factor formulating beliefs. Richards and Rodgers (2001) add that teachers‟ approaches are formulated at the same way they expand their experience and knowledge. This process portrays an established approach which reflects their beliefs, values, principles, and experiences. In other words, teachers‟ experiences either as learner of a training or program or as teachers themselves is considered as the big factors fostering beliefs. Nevertheless,

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Marland (1995) opposes by arguing that the way teachers were taught does not merely influence their beliefs. It is more due to their personal experience especially as teachers.

Overwhelming factors formulate teachers‟ belief. A belief which is also called as a cognition is derived from “schooling, professional coursework, contextual factors, and classroom practice” (Borg: 1997 as cited in Borg: 2003). Schooling factor in this case includes a training program which was experienced by a teacher during her/ his role as a learner and a teacher at the past. A belief may be formed and changed as there is a contextual factor, professional coursework, and classroom practice. The teachers need to adapt what they have believed and what they need to do in a particular context. Teachers may believe that a GTM is old fashioned but in preparing their students to have a TOEFL, a GTM may be a must to teach.

2.1.1.3The role of teachers’ beliefs

Teachers‟ belief is acknowledged to play roles on their classroom practices and professional development. Kuzborska (2011: 102) mentions that “teachers‟ belief influences their goals, procedures, materials, classroom interaction patterns, their roles, their students, and the schools they work in.” More detail, Richards (1998) highlights that a crucial source of teachers‟ classroom practices is their belief structure. Its structure includes the information, attitudes, values, expectations, theories, and assumptions about teaching and learning that they construct from time to time then extract it then put it into their classroom.

Another function of teachers‟ belief is being the fundamental role in the process of teacher development. Richards, et al. (2001) utter that teachers‟ belief facilitates

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the process of conceptualizing teachers‟ professional work. The belief is used as an indicator in promoting themselves either their development inside the place where they work in carrying out their teaching responsibility (school, university) or outside (seminar, workshop, training).

In line with Richards, et al., in making a decision, teachers use their beliefs as the main indicator. It is based on the nature of extraction process that belief is the value people get and hold as the most appropriate one. This assumption is cited by Bandura, 1986; Dewey, 1933; Rokeach, 1968 in Nash and King (2011). In addition, Atkin (1996) states that a belief formulates the creation of principles and practices of a teacher or the environment where the teacher works in. She describes the relationship among beliefs, principles, and practices as follows.

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In the figure, beliefs are put in the same circle with core values since beliefs and values both become the indicator source of decision making.

2.1.2 Factors Influencing Teachers’ Belief about Successful English Learners A number of factors affect the creation, development, and change of teachers‟ belief. The factors start staying in teachers‟ lives since they are in an education program until when they are already being a teacher. According to Borg‟s conceptual framework in Borg (1997), teachers‟ professional coursework which they take from their educational program becomes one of the factors influencing their belief. Therefore, the first factor to discuss is teacher education. Furthermore, to be able to teach better and develop successful English learners, teachers need to know the concepts and indicators of successful English learners stated in the curriculum and the variables of successful English learners. Thus, the second factor to discuss is English curriculum in Indonesia which focuses on the two current English curriculums and the third factor is about successful English learners which focus on the variables.

2.1.2.1Teacher education

It is well known that the quality and extent of learner achievement are determined primarily by teacher knowledge and competence. Therefore, it is required a program to enable high quality of English teaching and learning by advancing knowledge about teaching, spreading good practice, and enhancing equity for the students which is called as teacher education. As Borg (2003) says about teacher cognition, schooling which includes teacher education and experience become a shaper of teachers‟ belief. Teacher education is a program which is related

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to the development of teacher proficiency and competence that would enable and empower the teachers to meet the requirements of the profession and face the challenges. It includes all formal and non-formal activities and experiences which assist teachers holding their responsibilities as a member of educational profession more effectively.

The development of teacher knowledge has been cultivated through professional development activities. Spelman and Rohlwing (2013) argue to counter professional development, the new professional learning models are designed as lifelong, collaborative learning processes that support a job embedded, learner-centered approach. The new model emphasizes the need for educators to take active roles in their professional learning and development. This movement away from the traditional professional development model emphasizes the need for schools to become learning communities that support the growth of both teachers and students. According to Darling-Hammond & Branaford in Darling-Hammond (2006), to prepare a qualified teacher, a teacher education program should teach about 1) knowledge of teaching, 2) knowledge of learners and their development in social context, and 3) knowledge of subject matter and curriculum goals as described in the following figure.

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Figure 2.2 Teacher education program by Darling-Hammond (2006)

From the table, it can be seen that in preparing teachers for a changing world to reach a vision of professional practice requires two phases, that is teaching and also learning. In terms of teaching, the teachers should teach as a profession to prove that they have competence and commitment in the instructional program. While teaching, the teachers should also learn pedagogical value in the context of democracy that is positioning the quality of human rights in which teachers learn to teach without authoritarian.

This classification is supported by Crandall (2000) who mentions that recently teacher education emphasizes on three things, i.e. 1) practical experiences consisting of teaching practice and curriculum material development, 12)

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classroom-centered management, and 3) teachers‟ belief (cognition) in language teacher education.

In line with Crandall, Borg in Simpson (2011) proposes themes characterizing teacher education including teacher cognition, knowledge base for teacher education, knowledge about language, reflective practice, practicum, and teacher research. Furthermore, APEID (Asia and the Pacific Program of Educational Innovation for Development) in 1990 mentions the impacts of teacher education. Teachers at all levels of provision (primary, secondary, vocational and non-formal) require regular opportunities for further study, for both personal and professional growth through teacher education program. This is intended to maintain their commitment and motivation, update knowledge and skills toward new curriculum and teaching materials, and have access to a reorientation program if they wish to move into a different field of teaching.

2.1.2.2The current English curriculum in Indonesia

One of the ways to always keep the quality of education better and more up to date is concerning the quality of curriculum. Curriculum is something dynamic which becomes the root of education program. As a part of curriculum in general, the focus of language curriculum development is selecting what knowledge, skills, and values students learn in educational program, what experiences should be provided to convey intended learning outcomes, and how teaching and learning can be planned, measured, and evaluated (Richards, 2001). Richards and Rodgers (2001) add that the elements in a language curriculum development form interacting system network; the choice of one element determines and affects other elements.

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The dynamics of curriculum likely influences teachers in developing successful English learners as curriculum determines the indicators should be reached in an English program. In relation to the need of English education improvement, Indonesia has gone through some curriculum changes following what happened universally. Broadly, there are five curriculum changes in Indonesia; Curriculum of 1968 and before, Curriculum of 1975, Curriculum of 1984, Curriculum of 1994, and competency based curriculum. The last curriculum, competency based curriculum is classified into four curriculums; version 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2013. Considering the up to date-ness of curriculum development, this research describes, compare, and interpret the essence of the last two recent curriculum, curriculum of 2006 and 2013. 2.1.2.2.1 Curriculum of 2006

Curriculum of 2006 is well known as school based curriculum (KTSP= Kurikulum Satuan Pendidikan). Derived from the name, the focus of Curriculum of 2006 is giving autonomy for the educational institution (school) to develop the curriculum as much as possible based on government regulations, graduate standard of competence and standard of content (Depdiknas: 2008). The standard of content includes the minimum material scope and the minimum competence standard to achieve minimum graduate competence at particular education level nationally. Whereas graduate standard of competence is used to do a measuring and determine learners‟ graduate. It is nationally applied however the achievement may depend on the school condition.

In relation to English subject at junior high school level, the goal of English instruction in Curriculum of 2006 is to develop communicative competence in

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spoken and written form to achieve functional literacy level. Functional literacy for junior high school students is able to communicate in a spoken and written form in a daily life context. Secondly, English learning is intended to develop awareness about the nature and significance of English to improve global competition power. The third, the goal of English instruction is to develop learners‟ understanding about the relation between language and culture (Depdiknas: 2006).

In order to achieve the goals, scopes of English instruction need to be covered. School based curriculum includes three scopes for junior high school level. The first scope is competence in terms of discourse that is identifying and producing spoken and written text. The second is competence in identifying and producing functional text, monologue, and essay which consists of procedure, descriptive, recount, narrative, and report. The third scope is supporting competences including 1) linguistic competence in using grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and punctuation, 2) socio cultural competence in using expression, 3) strategic competence in solving possible problems in communication, and 4) discourse competence in using tools to produce a discourse.

Besides identifying the scopes of English instruction, a standard of content is spelt out into standard of competence and basic competence. The standard of competence is determined based on the four language skills; listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Each standard of competence in a language skill is described more in some basic competences.

Determining the success of a curriculum cannot be seen only from the final achievement but also see the process inside. Therefore, standard of process is

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proposed according to Peraturan Menteri Pendidikan Nasional RI No. 41 Year 2007. Standard of process is defined as criteria about learning implementation at an educational program to achieve graduate standard of competence. It includes learning process planning, learning process activity, learning achievement assessment, and learning process control. In the learning process planning, some tools need to prepared, such as syllabus and lesson plan. Furthermore, the elements in the learning process activity include ideal number of learners in a class, classroom management, textbook, and teaching and learning procedure. The result of instruction can be reviewed by a teacher using test and non-test assessment, spoken and written assessment, observation, portfolio, homework, or project. In a process of conducting school based curriculum, it also requires learning process control. It is divided into control, supervision, evaluation, report, and follow-up action.

The next standard characterizing school based curriculum is the standard of assessment. BSNP (2007) defines standard of assessment as a benchmark used to collect and manage information to determine learners‟ achievement. The tools to assess learners‟ achievement in school based curriculum are in the form of daily assignment, mid-term examination, semester examination, up grading examination, school examination, and national examination. The principles of assessing learners‟ achievement are genuine, objective, fair, integrated, open, comprehensive, continuous, systematic, based on criteria, and accountable. The techniques of assessment can use test, observation, individual or group assignment, homework, and project. Boards who are responsible for assessment are teacher, educational institution, and government.

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During the implementation of Curriculum 2006, there is a breakthrough to develop students‟ not only students‟ competence but also their character. It is inspired by law No. 20 Year 2003 Chapter 3 that national education is intended to develop competence, character, and national civilization. Thus, government started to develop character education integrated in the school subjects in 2010. Character education is not only law and government demand but also religion demand. Kemendiknas (2011) describes that character education is carried out to 1) develop multicultural human life, intelligent, 2) develop intelligent national civilization and be able to contribute to human life development, and 3) develop peaceful, creative, and independent citizen and able to socialize with other nations harmonically. The more attempts to realize character education is executed in the Curriculum of 2013. 2.1.2.2.2 Curriculum of 2013

According to Kemendikbud (2012) Curriculum of 2013 is well known as outcomes-based curriculum (Kurikulum Berbasis Kompetensi). Different from Curriculum of 2006, Curriculum of 2013 gives more portions toward the process and character education. Besides, Curriculum of 2013 is structured by core competence and basic competence. Core competence is the operation of graduate standard of competence, i.e. required quality of a learner after finishing an educational program in the form of behavior, knowledge, and skill (affective, cognitive, and psychomotor). It is structured as organizing element of basic competence which is divided into vertical (among grade in a program) and horizontal (among subject in a grade) basic competence.

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Based on Peraturan Menteri Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan No. 54 2013, the graduate standards of competences for junior high school students are categorized into three aspects. Firstly, in terms of behavior dimension, a student should have faithful, noble, intelligent, confident, and responsible behavior in interacting effectively in social and natural environment in society scope and the existence. Secondly, in knowledge dimension, a student should have factual, conceptual, and procedural knowledge in science, technology, art, and culture with humanism, nationalism, and civilization concept related to real phenomena. Thirdly, in terms of skill dimension, a student should have effective and creative thinking and behaving ability in abstract and concrete field based on what is learnt as school and other typical resources.

Values of character education are integrated in the core and basic competence of Curriculum of 2013. It can be seen from one of the competences of 9th grade as follows (Kemendikbud: 2013).

Table 2.1 Core and basic competence

Core Competence Basic Competence

2. Respecting and comprehending honesty, discipline, responsibility, care, politeness, confidence in interacting effectively with social and natural environment in society scope and the existence.

1.1 Respecting politeness and care in communicating among individual with teacher and class/ schoolmates.

1.2 Respecting honesty, discipline, confidence, and responsibility in communicating transactional expression with teacher and class/ schoolmates. 1.3 Respecting responsibility, care, cooperation, and peace in communication functional expression.

The learning scope for 7th and 8th grade it includes 1) texts (label, list of goods, sign, notice, personal invitation, congratulating card, recount, announcement, narrative,

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descriptive, and song), 2) text structure of interpersonal, transactional, and functional literacy, 3) listening, speaking, reading, and writing skill of interpersonal, transactional, and functional literacy, 4) elements of literacy, 5) very short and simple phrase, and 6) modality with meaningful expression. Meanwhile, for 9th grade, the scope includes 1) texts (factual report, scientific, procedure, narrative, and advertisement in interpersonal, transactional, and functional literacy, 2) text structure of interpersonal, transactional, and functional literacy, 3) listening, speaking, reading, and writing skill of interpersonal, transactional, and functional literacy, 4) elements of literacy, 5) very short and simple phrase, and 6) modality with meaningful expression.

To achieve the goal, Curriculum of 2013 is completed with the standard of process and standard of assessment. The standard of process in Curriculum of 2013 includes learning process planning, learning process implementation, learning achievement assessment, and learning achievement control. The standard of assessment in Curriculum of 2013 is the criteria about mechanism, procedure, and instrument of students‟ achievement. The assessment can be obtained through authentic assessment, self assessment, portfolio based assessment, assignment, mid-term semester examination, final semester examination, competence level test (UTK=Ujian Tingkat Kompetensi), competence level quality test (UMTK= Ujian Mutu Tingkat Kompetensi), national examination, and school examination.

2.1.3 Successful English learners

Another factor, beside the curriculum, that is likely to shape the beliefs in developing successful English learners is the concept of successful English learners.

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Naiman et al. in Ellis (2008: 708) uses the term „good‟ to show the quality of successful. He mentions that “good language learners use a mixture of analytical strategies for attending to form and experiential strategies for realizing language as a means of communication.” Learners have a number of strategies and maintain the strategy/ ies to achieve long term goals and certain task to accomplish right away. Hence, Ellis proposes five characteristics of good language learners. The first and second is that language learners maintain the focus of language form and communication function. The third is that they will get involved in a task actively. The fourth, learners are aware of the significance of learning process. The last, learners are able to apply strategies flexibly to accomplish particular tasks.

In the same way, Brown (2001) uses the term „good‟ to show the quality of successful. He identifies relevant factors contributing the success of English learners They are 1) discovering their own technique in learning English, 2) arranging information about language, 3) resourceful in using grammar and word, 4) using chance as maximally as possible to practice English inside and outside the classroom, 5) understanding expression by context not by single word meaning, 6) using mnemonics and other tools and strategies to help recalling what is already learned, 7) identifying errors and making errors work for the learning improvement, 8) using linguistic knowledge including mother tongue and SL knowledge to learn EFL, 9) utilizing contextual signs, 10) attempting to make reasonable guesses, 11) attempting particular tricks to keep talk going in dialogue, and 12) study various types of conversation and text and modify their language based on the context of formality.

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Considering that the focus of the research is for junior high school teachers in Indonesian context and the nature of learning English is for a global communication the concept of successful English learners in this study are constructed of factors exist in Indonesia as well as in global context. Successful English learners concept is elaborated on learner variable, and learning variable.

2.1.3.1 Learner variables

Basically, learner variables are indicators which have already attached to a learner. Grifftiths (2008) cites that a successful English learner should have high motivation, proper school age, preferred learning style, proper personality, gender regard, metacognition, developed autonomy, appropriate personal learning beliefs, cultural experience, and language aptitude.

The first learner variable is a motivation. It becomes the basis for a learner does something. In the scope of English instruction, motivation appears as the reason why a learner learns English. Motivation is classified into two; intrinsic and extrinsic (Brown: 2001). Intrinsic motivation is an intention derived from a learner her/ himself learns English. It is mostly shaped as a result of self awareness toward the importance of English for her/ his future life and self improvement, for example participating in a speaking club because of finding the activity enjoyable and playing a scrabble because of finding it exiting. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation occurs when a learner is stimulated to get involved in an instruction to get reward or avoid punishment, for example memorizing lists of vocabulary to get high mark and submitting home assignment on time not get mark reduction.

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The second learner variable is learners‟ age. The age of students is a major factor in making decision about how and what to teach. It affects English learners in terms of cognitive development. Harmer (2001) categorizes learner age into young children, adolescents, and adult learners. Similarly, Piaget in (Ormrod: 2011) proposes four stages of cognitive development. Sensory motor stays from birth to 2 years old. In this phase, a child‟s system is limited to motor reflexes at birth. In preoperational stage (2 to 7 years old), a child acquires representational skills and especially language. In the following stage, concrete operational stage (7 to 12 years old), a child is able to understand concrete problems and take multiple perspectives into account. The last, in formal operational stage (12 to adult) a child is capable of logical, theoretical, and abstract cognitive operations.

A successful English learner should have a preferred learning style. Myers-Briggs in Montgomery and Groat (1998) classifies learning styles into four. The first style is learners who are keen on the orientation to life. This group of learners is divided into those who enjoy in group interaction and application (extroverted) and enjoy working alone to make concepts and ideas (introverted). Secondly, learners like to make perception. Learners in this group might use sensing in organizing facts, data, and routine. In addition, learners may use intuitive to manage impressions but do not like routine. Another style classification is decision making. In making decision, learners may use thinking and feeling. Ones who use thinking will behave objectively and logically. On the other hand, learners who use feeling in making decision will behave subjectively. The last style category is attitude to outside world. In this group of learners, they tend to make judgment and perception. In making

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judgment, planning and control are more dominating while in making perception, spontaneity and adaptive styles are more dominating.

It is not enough to have good intelligence to be successful English learners without proper personality. Personality has typical characteristics among person and distinguishes one person to other from the behavior, attitudes, beliefs, thoughts, actions, and feelings. Personality factors influencing people in learning language are self-esteem, inhibition, anxiety, and risk taking which can contribute to motivation and the choice of learning strategies (Richards and Schmidt: 2002).

The following learner variable is the gender. There are some differences between female and male student in the context of language instruction. According to Brown (2001), research highlights that female and male typically use language differently. Women have frequently used more concessive language than men and tend to talk less in a mixed sex conversation. Henes (1994) adds that research points out more female students follow patterns used in an instruction than male students. Hingley in Graham (1997) supports that girls are generally encouraged to be more conscientious than boys. Considering gender composition within group is necessary to ensure that all group members gain equal experience as unbalance gender composition affect the success of group work.

One factor distinguishing proficient and less proficient English learner lies in the conscious ability to evaluate what have been mastered and not yet mastered and the ability how to struggle in achieving self improvement. The ability is well known as meta cognition. In EFL context, teachers should provide classroom activities that enhance meta cognition ability. Ghonsooly and Eghtesadee (2006) states that learners

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who can use meta cognition effectively are aware to hold their responsibility in planning, monitoring, evaluating, and self correction to their learning. Dawson (2008) describes model of meta cognition chain as follows.

Figure 2.3 Meta cognition model by Dawson (2008)

From the figure, students with meta cognition ability are able to identify learning objectives, select particular strategies to achieve the objectives, monitor the chosen strategies, manage (add or change) a number of strategies to achieve the learning objectives, and the last, evaluate the selected strategies. The action in developing the meta cognition can be in the form of realizing learning problems and have sensitivity to solve the problems. In solving the problems, the students are independently finding the preferred strategies. As the nature of a learning domain in which it is not limited in the classroom area, students with meta cognition solve the learning problems independently either by making a use of any learning sources or asking other more competent people (teachers). Thus, an active student facilitates his/her meta cognition development.

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To be a successful English learner, she/ he should be autonomous. Autonomy is frequently close to awareness and responsible. When a learner is aware of her/ his responsibility, autonomy starts attaching to her/his learning. Scharle and Szabo (2000) define autonomy as “freedom and ability to manage one‟s own affairs which entails the right to make decisions as well.” Farell and Jacobs (2010) mention that autonomy is the key role that learners hold to be success in their education. Autonomy in this case does not mean learners work alone but they are able collaborate with their peers to move away from dependence on the teacher to independence. Learners need to be trained as autonomous learners since even though it has been enough to have much learning through classroom context, there is always plenty more they will need to learn by practice on their own.

Belief in a language instruction is not only a value owned by teachers but also students. Appropriate learner belief encourages successful English learner development. Understanding learner beliefs in this context is crucial, since it has been noted that successful learners develop aware beliefs about language learning processes, their own abilities, and the use of effective learning strategies, which have a facilitative effect on learning. According to Kern, Weinstein, and Peacock in Bernat and Lloyd (2007) argue that learner beliefs tend to be stable, strongly seized, and resistant to change. Thus, it is necessary to guide learners in order to have appropriate learning belief.

Promoting learners to be successful need to see their environment. It is closely related to the culture they experience. The cultural dimension of language learning is an important dimension of second language studies. In foreign language teaching the

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culture of the language may be taught as an integral part of the curriculum. Cole in Brooker and Woodhead (2010) argue that children acquire language at the same time they acquire culture. For example, in asking for help from an older man it is more polite to say „Could you help me?‟ instead of „Help me!‟ In this case, culture teaches the speakers to use more polite expression in talking to older people. Haynes and Zacarian (2010) argue that learning a language involves learning the norms of the culture in which the language is used. For example, a text describing students in senior high school in UK who elects class officers may teach how democratic process in UK is.

The last element of learner variables is language aptitude. Unlike motivation, interest, and intelligence, aptitude is natural. Richards and Schmidt (2002: 285) state that

“Language aptitude appears as the natural ability to learn a language. A person with high language aptitude can learn more quickly and easily than a person with low language aptitude. It is structured as a combination of various abilities, such as oral mimicry ability (the ability to imitate sounds not heard before), phonemic coding ability (the ability to identify sound patterns in a new language), grammatical sensitivity (the ability to recognize the different grammatical functions of words in sentences, and the ability to infer language rules.”

2.1.3.2 Learning variables

Different from learner variables, learning variables are such elements to be mastered by a learner while learning a language. Proposed by the same author, Grifftiths (2008) mentions that learner variables consist of vocabulary, grammar, language function, pronunciation, listening, speaking, reading, writing, teaching/ learning method, strategy instruction, error correction, and task completion.

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Developing those learning variables in the post modern era is often conducted in integrated way, mostly integrating the for language skills with associated skills such as knowledge of vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation, and syntax (Oxford: 2001). She proposes two forms of integrated skill instruction, i.e. content-based instruction and task-based instruction. However, the practice of integrated skills instruction can be the combination of some variables, such as 1) integrating vocabulary, grammar, into reading and writing, 2) integrating language function and pronunciation into listening and speaking, and 3) integrating other four variables-teaching/ learning method, strategy instruction, error correction, task completion- into any variable.

Developing the first variable, vocabulary, includes word meaning, how words extend their use, how words combine, and the grammar of words (Harmer: 2001) . In a word meaning case, the point of word meaning is not necessarily the same as what it suggests as sometimes words have different connotations so it often depends on the context it occurs. For example, „table‟ can mean 1) a kind of furniture with legs which we can write on and 2) small boxes drawing to list information. A word can also have be stretched and twisted to fit different context and different uses through extending word use such as in „The ticket price went up and I went up the stairs. The first „went up‟ means increase while the second „went up‟ means move to the upper position. Even though a word can stand as single item, more words can occur in two or more item groups though word combination (collocation). For example, „fast asleep‟ is an acceptable collocation but „fast awake‟ is not. Talking about the grammar of words, part of speech and word class are the points of this rule. For example, „Rebecca has some books‟ and „Rebecca has some furniture‟. The word

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345 yang kuat memang wadahe cukup itu tadi, jadi.

Teacher‟s

belief in maximizing

students‟

aptitude

A130. Setuju saya juga dengan itu. Saya setuju dengan bakat itu karena sebetulnya untuk belajar bahasa itu tidak semua orang bisa lho, karena itu

talent… talent juga. Jadi banyak, sing wis kok aku ora iso ngrasakke yo bedane opo. Ketika kita harus berbicara masalah idiomatic expression tadi, apa kowe ora ngrasakke kui ki maksude iki. Jadi, missleading terus missleading terus. Saya bilang, bakat itu memang ada bagi seorang pembelajar bahasa dan itu akan betul-betul menjadi kendaraan yang sangat akan membantu si pembelajar bahasa tersebut untuk bisa menjadi successful language learner. Kalau saya masuknya lain, karena dulu SMA nya IPA, tapi mungkin ternyata setelah saya telusuri diri saya sendiri mungkin saya juga memiliki bakat bahasa. Itu kan. Jadi memang saya termasuk

Language aptitude can be stimulated

to develop

successful language learners, i.e. by giving number of materials then ask the students to identify the characteristics.

Case study and inductive way of thinking.

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346 manusia aneh.

Teacher‟s

belief in developing

students‟

vocabulary competence

A131. Integrated dengan skill yang lain dan dalam tugas tadi, home assignment. Jadi saya selalu, kan sudah saya ajarkan memakai istilah ini kembar tapi nggak identik. It‟s not the same. So when you want to replace delay and postpone tidak selalu bisa. Gitu. Nah, ini kamu harus mulai bisa. Jadi, merasakan, jadi anak-anak itu tak kon nyicipi bahasa itu tadi. It‟s fine in this context you can make it by replacing delay and by replacing delay, delay, and postpone. Tapi kan dalam konteks yang lain tidak bisa. Itu. Makanya kalau kia belajar vocabulary jangan isolated tapi put it in the context.

A teacher can develop vocabulary with other skills or assignments so that it is more practical, contextual, and functional.

Integrated, no drilling and memorizing.

A132. Oh, no no no no. Saya nggak pernah kok minta anak-anak… (Itu nyuwun tulung Pak

Aris…) menghafalkan

anak-anak saya minta menghafalkan, nggak.

A133. Oh, ya. Ya. Saya pinginnya anak-anak itu bisa pakai. Jadi ketika

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347 saya di kelas bahas tentang soal misalnya.

„Oke, e… this word can

be best replaced by the word. What, what is it? Cover, web, or what? Cover, cover itu hanya

segini lo…Web itu

keseluruhan. Nah, ini yang mana?‟ seperti istilah significant, and important, itu kan meh podho essensial. Essensial, significant, and important they are all similar. In of essensial can be replaced with the significant one.

Significant means e… the

whole, not only the surface but wholeness. Jadi lebih dalem, lebih kerasa.

Obs I (08.50). She developed vocabulary integrated with other aspects.

Teacher‟s

belief in correcting

students‟ error

A135. It depends on the mistake. Kalau itu mistake itu akan menjadi wabah di kelas, itu saya biasanya

langsung, „Sorry I would

like to interrupt you for a while, I will I want to give you a kind of input. It is

Correcting errors can be regarded not as fully correction but an input given flexibly. Classical error is correcting classically and individual error is

Correcting error does not mean blaming and crossing the error. It is more on teh positive input that may encourage

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348 not correction but it is a kind of input, just because I really care about you. Apa itu tadi kamu bilang apa itu tadi? Coba diulang lagi. Masak sih seperti itu?‟ kan mesti seperti itu.

Obs I (08.50). Sometimes

she corrected students‟

mistakes classically and individually especially about the word forms.

correction individually (personally).

betterment.

Teacher‟s

belief in developing

students‟

listening skill

A136. Pertama melalui lagu. Lalu baru memasuki teks e… teks monolog pendek. Itu. Lalu nanti dialog dan seterusnya. Kenapa anak-anak ini dulu selalu saya minta mereka untuk ada kelas khusus yaituTOEIC, ya kelas kelas TOEIC untuk anak-anak ini untuk latihan kuping.

Developing

listening skill can use a song, short monologue text, and dialog because those media and materials are more contextual.

Choice of

media is the most

considerable

thing in

developing listening skill.

Teacher‟s

belief in developing

students‟

reading skill

A138. Membaca? Oke. Right, reading. Reading itu ada intensive reading dan extensive reading, ada reading aloud itu untuk for checking pronunciation ya. Nah, yang untuk intensive reading itu kan kita lalu mulai dari comprehension questions

To develop reading skill, a teacher can divide it into two, reading aloud

focusing on

pronunciation and

reading for

comprehension (extensive and intensive reading).

Integrated with other micro language skills,

such as

pronunciation and grammar.

(5)

349 dulu kan? Baru setelah itu

kita bedah bentuk e… text

analysis itu selalu saya berikan juga. Dari situ saya akan mencakup di dalamnya ada nanti masuk grammar…

Reading for

comprehension then is extended into text analysis to develop structure of the text and the grammar.

A139. Tapi saya tidak suka pakai istilah generic structure.Saya lebih suka memakai istlah structure. Itu kan istilah Indonesia karena mereka sendiri kurikulum aslinya itu nggak ada generic structure. Ya, structure, the generic structure of the text. Nanti di Amerika istilahnya udah beda lagi. Nanti kalau anak-anak kita terbiasa dengan generic structure, ndilalah mereka dibawa orang tua mereka jebret ke sana bingung. Narrative kok di sini istilahnyya nggak generic structure ya. Itu kan membedakan. Saya

apa ya… what is a lah.

Yang jelas meraka tau bahwa the text is constructed through these structures. Yang depan buang. Saya paling nggak suka, maaf ya, ini personal dengan istilah kurikulum, he eh. My personal belief,

(6)

350 istilah kurikulum yang ini yaitu dengan adanya short functional text, the functional text is not always short. Iya, agree. Jadi saya lebih suka mekai istilah functional text. Terus ini tadi generic structure, no, pakai aja istilah structure.

A140. Nah, itu nanti kalau ketemu anak-anak pintar-pintar seperti di sini, „Miss, how come is it a kind of a short functional text? Whereas it is not

short.‟ Kalau be quiet, bisa kita sebut short functional text.

Teacher‟s

belief in developing

students‟

writing skill

A141. Saya lebih sering memberikan assignment atau project ya mbak. Jadi semacam cerita tentang crocodile tadi, lalu review buku untuk kemudian dipresentasikan.

To develop writing skill, assigning assignment and project and then ask the students to present it is considered as an effective technique.

Long term

project and assignment.

Teachers` belief of how to develop students to become successful English learners.

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