THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTEXTUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING (CTL) IN TEACHING ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL : A Case Study of Eight Grade Students in a Junior High School.

(1)

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTEXTUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING IN TEACHING ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL

ABSTRACT

This thesis reports a study on the implementation of Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) to teaching speaking by a teacher in one private junior high school in Bandung. The study intends to portray the efforts made by the teacher in the classroom when teaching speaking through CTL and to report the students’ responses. Therefore, this study aims to describe how speaking skill is taught through CTL, to investigate teacher’s opinion about the implementation of CTL in teaching speaking and to find out the students difficulties in the speaking class through CTL. The study employed a qualitative case study research design. The data were obtained from observation, interview and questionnaire. The findings revealed that the teaching and learning process in implementing the components of CTL method (Making meaningful connection, Doing significant work, Self-regulated meaning, Collaborating, Critical and creative thinking, Nurturing the individual, Reaching the high standard and Using authentic assessment) is effective enough, especially in improving students’ English speaking skill in transactional and interpersonal conversation. Based on the teacher’s interview, it is suggested that CTL method is also very good for junior high school students because there are many advantages; (1) students were easy to absorb the academic material; (2) the student got meaning from the academic material;(3)It helps the students to construct their speaking; (4) it provides ways for students to discuss and interact with their friends; (5) it helps the students to solve the problems. However, the students still have difficulties in speaking class. Based on the findings and the discussion, it is recommended that teachers should more focus on their students’ difficulties and reluctant to speak English. In addition, teachers are suggested to keep implementing the CTL method to help students easily catch the academic material and retain the knowledge in their mind for a long time.

(2)

PENERAPAN KONTEXTUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING DALAM PENGAJARAN KETERAMPILAN BERBICARA SISWA DALAM

BAHASA INGGRIS

ABSTRAK

Tesis ini untuk melaporkan penerapan Kontextual Teaching And Learning dalam pengajaran Speaking oleh seorang guru disalah satu sekolah SMP Swasta di Bandung. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kemajuan yang dilakukan oleh guru dalam kelas Ketika mengajar speaking menggunakan metode CTL dan melaporkan respon siswa. Karena itu kajian ini bertujuan untuk menggambarkan bagaimana pengajaran Speaking menggunakan metode CTL. Kajian ini menggunakan penelitian kualitatif. Data dikumpulkan dari observasi, interview dan kuisioner. Penemuan menjelaskan bahwa pengajaran speaking dengan menggunakan komponen-komponen metode CTL (membuat hubungan yang bermakna, melakukan tugas yang signifikan, pengajaran diatur sendiri, kolaborasi, pemikiran yang kritis dan kreatif, pendewasaan individu, pencapaian standar yang tinggi dan menggunakan penilaian otentik) cukup efektif khususnya dalam keterampilan berbicara siswa dalam percakapan transaksional dan interversonal. Berdasarkan dari interveiw guru disarankan untuk menggunakan metode CTL dalam mengajar Siswa SMP karena mempunyai beberapa keuntungan ; (1) siswa mudah untuk menyerap materi akademis ; (2) Siswa mendapatkan makna dari materi akademis ; (3) membantu siswa dalam berbicara ;(4) menyediakan cara bagi siswa untuk berdiskusi dan berinteraksi dengan teman-temannya ; (5) membantuk siswa dalam menyelesaikan masalah-masalah. Walaupun begitu siswa masih mengalami kesulitan dalam berbicara dikelas. Berdasarkan penemuan dan diskusi direkomendasikan agar guru sebaiknya lebih fokus terhadap kesulitan siswa untuk berbicara bahasa inggris. Guru juga disarankan untuk terus menerapkan metode CTL untuk membantu siswa lebih mudah menyerap materi akedemis dan mempertahankan ilmu didalam ingatannya dalam waktu yang lama.

(3)

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the general issues related to the present study. The first section started with the background of the study that mainly deals with the issue for conducting this study. This section is followed by research questions and the purpose of the study. The next section presents the scope of the study, the significances of the study, clarification of terms and the organization of the thesis.

1.1Background of the Study

Speaking skill is very important in learning English, especially in junior high school. However, there are some factors affecting students of English as a foreign language (EFL) negatively in their speaking activities during the teaching and learning process (Johnson, 2002). First, students fail to relate what they have learnt to how to use the language in their real life communication. This failure can be caused by the inappropriate method used by teachers in the classroom. Based on pre survey, in practice, teachers tend to use the traditional method while students need innovative methods that can help them perform their speaking skill well.

Second, normally students do not want to let their mistakes and weaknesses be laughed. For this reason, they will be reluctant to take part in the classroom oral English activities. Consequently, the less they practice, the less they improve their speaking skill, and the more they are afraid of doing so. It is in line with what Harmer (1998) states that many speaking activities do not work in class because they may prevent students from speaking English. Students are afraid of making mistakes, of being laughed at by his or her friends and of having lack of confidence in their ability.

Third, most teachers prefer teaching grammar to practicing productive skills, such as speaking and writing. This statement is supported by Mustafa (2001) and Paul (2003), who explain that many teachers in Asia tend to focus their teaching on grammatical items and the knowledge of syntax. Fourth, students do

(4)

not study the correct materials. The teacher gives lesson in front of the class and sometimes does not care whether the students understand and are interested in the material. Therefore, many students think that English is boring. They learn many difficult materials, memorize them and use them in examinations. After the examinations, they will just forget everything about them (Rahmawati, 2012). One of the solutions that teachers can choose to overcome the problem is they are requested to provide students with a different, interesting teaching and learning method that will enable their students to connect the English instruction they have in the classroom to their real life situation context.

Related to these matters, ideas to motivate students to perform better in the speaking classroom have to be developed. Therefore, it is necessary to find

appropriate teaching and learning methods that may improve the students’

speaking performance. Based on the pre-observation at junior high schools, many teachers implemented GBA as a method in teaching English skills. However, teachers still have many problems with this method and the students still find difficulties in speaking. There are many generic structures that they have to pay attention. Therefore in the present study, the researcher wants to conduct another method, the alternative is contextual teaching and learning (henceforth mentioned as CTL) in teaching speaking that was discovered by Johnson (2002). In the current curriculum, 2013 curriculum, the teacher is given the freedom to use any method that is relevant to the 2013 curriculum.

In this connection, CTL is a teaching learning method that can be regarded as an appropriate method that is able to make teaching effective, fun and meaningful (Johnson, 2002; Depdiknas, 2003; Alwasilah, 2006; Rusman 2011; and Komalasari, 2011). CTL is an educational process that helps students see meaning in the academic material they are studying by connecting the academic material in the context of their life. It includes the context of their personal, social and cultural circumstance (Johnson, 2002). CTL is also based on the philosophy that students will be able to absorb the teaching material if they can catch the meaning in the academic materials that they have and they can catch the meaning

(5)

of school assignments if they can relate new information with the background of the their knowledge.

In other words, we can say that CTL occurs when students apply the experience what is being taught by referencing to real problems associated with their roles and responsibilities as family members, citizen, students and workers (http://www.cew.wisc.edu/ teach net/ctl/). Moreover, there are seven components in CTL that must be developed by teachers. They are constructivism, inquiry, questioning, learning community, modeling, reflection and authentic assessment (Rusman, 2011). Those components are applicable and it is in line with one of the competent standards in the Junior High School Curriculum.

In Indonesia, a lot of researcher on the implementation of CTL has been carried out at the level of junior high school and senior high school as well.

Zauharin (2008) in her research on the “The Implementation of Contextual Teaching Learning (CTL) Approach in Teaching and Learning of English” found

that the implementation of CTL was not optimal because some of CTL components were neglected. From research on the implementation of CTL for the English teaching. Mushthoza (2009) found that CTL approach was effective to be

implemented for teenagers’ English classroom, especially Junior High School.

Meanwhile, Hafidz (2010) has conducted research on the implementation of

contextual teaching and learning method in improving students’ speaking skill at

senior high school”. Based on the result of his research, the teaching and learning

process in implementing the components (Constructivism, Questioning, Inquiry, Modeling, Reflection and Authentic assessment) of CTL method is effective

enough, especially in improving students’ English speaking skill because most

students are motivated to speak highly.

Based on the background presented above, this study has its primary aim to investigate the ways speaking is taught through CTL method, to investigates

teacher’s opinions to the implementation of CTL and to find teacher’s difficulties

in teaching speaking through CTL. This primary research is different from previous study because this study proposed eight components of CTL adapted from Johnson( 2002).

(6)

1.2 Research Questions

This research attempts to address the following research questions. 1. How is speaking taught through CTL?

2. What are the teacher’s opinions toward the implementation of CTL in teaching speaking skill?

3. What are students’ difficulties in speaking class through CTL?

1.3The Purpose of the Study

This study is intended to portray the efforts made by the teacher in the

classroom when teaching speaking through CTL and to report the students’

responses. Therefore, this study aims:

1. to describe how speaking skill is taught through CTL.

2. to investigate teacher’s opinions of the implementation CTL in teaching speaking.

3. to find out the students difficulties in speaking class through CTL.

1.4 The Scope of the Study

This study elaborates the classroom interaction performed by a teacher and his class of grade eight students in one Junior High School in Bandung. The study focus on how the teacher teaches EFL speaking skill using CTL and to see the

teacher’s opinion to the implementation of CTL in teaching speaking skill and to

find students’ difficulties in speaking English by CTL. The teaching program of this study is based on syllabus of junior high school at the eighth grade for the first semester.

1.5Significance of the Study

The study is considered to be significant for some reasons.

1. This study can provide information for English teachers about how to implement CTL in the classroom.

(7)

2. This study is expected to enrich the literature on teaching method in EFL contexts.

3. This study provides one of the appropriate approach for English

teachers in improving students’ speaking ability.

4. This study provides information about the difficulties faced by the students in learning speaking.

1.6 Clarification of the Terms

1. CTL is a method that helps students to relate academic material with their daily life and try to connect the new information with their background knowledge (Johnson, 2002; Indrawati, 2012; Alwasilah, 2007). In this study, CTL is the method that is used to teach speaking in the experimental group.

2. Speaking refers to ways to communicate what people think, feel, and need (Cameron, 2001). In this study, speaking is used by the teacher and the students to express some expressions of transactional and interpersonal conversation in the teaching learning process.

1.7Organization of the Thesis

This thesis is organized into five chapters. The first chapter covers the background of the study, research questions, the purpose of the study, the scope of the study, the significance of the study, the clarification of the study and the organization of the thesis. The second chapter covers the nature of speaking, the elements of speaking, the functions of speaking, the speaking in the curriculum, the definition of CTL, the historical of CTL, the components of CTL, the principles of CTL, teaching speaking using CTL, teacher perception of CTL, approach for implementing CTL, previous study and concluding remarks. The third chapter covers research design, research setting and participants, techniques of collecting data, teaching material, procedures, data analysis, and concluding remarks. The fourth chapter covers the discussion and findings. The lasts or the fifth chapter presents conclusion and recommendation related to the research findings.

(8)

(9)

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the conclusions of this study. It also spells out some recommendations for further studies regarding the teaching of spoken genre. These conclusions of the study are built up based on the data analysis which is discussed in previous chapter. Some recommendations are proposed here in order to give information as well as guidance to conduct further research concerning the same field or issue.

5.1Conclusions

This study investigates the implementation of CTL in teaching speaking,

teacher’s opinion in teaching speaking using CTL and students’ difficulties in

speaking through CTL. The major conclusions of the study can be described below.

First, it was found that the implementation of the components (Making meaningful Connection, Doing significant work, Self regulated meaning, Collaborating, Critical and creative thinking, Nurturing the individual, Reaching the high standard and Authentic assessment (Johnson, 2002) of CTL is effective enough in teaching speaking. this method was beneficial to improve student’s speaking ability.

Second, there were some advantages of CTL in teaching speaking: (1)

increasing students’ motivation to participate actively in speaking class; (2) helping the students to catch the academic material easily and keep them in long term memory; (3) Providing ways for students to discuss and interact with their friends; (4) Helping the students to summarize and reflect the academic material.

However, there are also some issues that should be solved in using CTL in the classroom: (1) not all the students were active to speak English because they have different backgrounds; (2) Some CTL components were neglected because the class was too large; (3) The teacher could not drill students actively because the time was limited.

(10)

5.2 Recommendations

Based on the finding and conclusion of this research, there are three suggestion that could hopefully help and beneficial to the teachers and next research.

First, it is recommended that teachers keep implementing CTL method to help students easily to catch the academic material and keep the knowledge in their mind for long term memory. Besides that, it is also expected to contribute to

the development of students’ speaking in English.

Second, as the teacher suggests, should be able to create a supporting atmosphere in the classroom so that all students are brave to speak English.

Third, teachers should be more aware of their students’ difficulties. The teachers should try to make all the students active in the class by grouped the students at the same background of knowledge. If the member of the class could be in small class, it would be better so that the teacher could apply all the components of CTL. In addition, it would be better if there were extra time for the students so the teacher could drill students to practice their English actively. Finally, for the next research, the experimental research can be done on the findings. The next research can use the finding of this study as the teaching plan.

(11)

(12)

References

Alwasilah, C. A. (2006). Contextual Teaching and Learning Menjadikan Kegiatan Belajar dan Mengajar Mengasikkan dan Bermakna. Bandung: Mizan Learning Center.

Alwasilah. C.A. (2008). Pokoknya BHMN. (2008). Bandung: Lubuk Agung. Alwasilah, C.A. (2009). Pokoknya Kualitatif. Jakarta: Dunia Pustaka Jaya.

Asniatih, S.T. (2009). Teaching speaking through storytelling: Principles and

Techniques. A Master’s Thesis. School of Post Graduate UPI: Bandung.

Borich, G. D and Tombari, M. L. (1997). Educational Psychology: A Contempory Approach. New York: Addison Wesley Longman

Brand, B. (2003). Essentials of High School Reform: New form of Assessment and Contextual Teaching and Learning. Washington: American Youth Policy Forum.

Brookfield, S.D. (1987). Developing Critical Thinkers. California: Open University Press.

Brooks. J.G & Brooks. M. G. (1993). In search of understanding: The case for constructivism classroom. Alexandria. VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Brown, Gillian and Yole, G. (1983). Teaching the Spoken Language: Cambridge University Press.

Brown, Gillian and Yole, G. (1983). Teaching the Spoken Language. USA: Cambridge University Press

Brown, H. D. (2001). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy (Second Edition). San Francisco: Longman.

Brown, S. (2005). How Can Research Inform Ideas of Good Practices in Speaking?. The Contribution of Some Officials Initiatives in the U.K. Cambridge Journal of Education. Volume 35 no I

Cameron. L. (2001). Teaching Language to Young Learners. Cambridge University Press.

(13)

Cohen, L., Manion,L., and Morrison,K. (2007). Research Methods in Education. Sixth Edition. New York: Routledge.

Cresswell, J. W. (1994). Research Design Qualitative & Quantitative Approach. California: SAGE Publication.

Cresswell, J. W. (2008). Educational Research: planning, conducting and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Third Edition. Pearson International Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

Crowford, L.M. (2001). Teaching Contextually: Research, Rationate and Technigues for Improving Student Motivation and Achievement Texas: CCI Publishing, Inc

Darney, Z. (2003).Questionnaires in Second Language Research.New Jersey: Laurence Fribaunm Associates, Inc,publisher.

Depdiknas (2001). Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Pusat Kurikulum. Kurikulum Berbasis Kompetensi. Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Inggris. Untuk: Sekolah Menengah Tingkat Pertama. Jakarta. Depdiknas.

Depdiknas. (2002). Pendekatan Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL). Jakarta: Direktorat Pendidikan Lanjutan Pertama.

Depdiknas (2003). Pendekatan Kontextual. Jakarta: Depdiknas.

Dewey. J. (1996). Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. New York: Free Press.

Dornyei, Z. (2003). Questionnaires in Second Language Research. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Association.inc

Dornyei, Z. (2007). Research Method in Applied Linguistic, Quantitative, Qualitative and Mix Methodology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Dowson. C. (2009). Introduction to Research Method: a Practical Guide for Anyone Undertaking a Research Project. Oxford: How to books ltd

Cooper, James M. (1990).Classroom Teaching Skill.Canada: DCHeat and Company.

(14)

Chaffee, J. (2000). Thinking Critically. New York: Houghton Miffin Company Emilia, E. (2005). A Critical Genre- Based Approach to Teaching Academic

Writing in a Tertianary EFL Context in Indonesia (a thesis, vol. 1). Melbourne: Deakin University.

Emilia, E. (2008). Menulis Thesis danDisertasi. Bandung: Alpha Beta.

Emilia, E and Satriani, I.(2012). Contextual Teaching and Learning Approach to Teaching Writing. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics. Volume 2 no I.10-21

Fathulloh. (2010). Developing Students’ Speaking Skill Through Role Play.

Unpublished Thesis: Upi.

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantam books.

Hadley, O.A. (2001). Teaching Language in Context (3rd. Ed). Boston: Heinle and Heinle.

Hafidz. M. (2010). The Implementation of Contextual Teaching and Learning in improving students speaking skill at Senior High School of Alfalah Sumber gayam Kadur Pamekasan. http:/cak.umam. Blogspot. Html. Accessed on 14th October, 2012.

Harmer, J. (1998). How to Teach English. England: Pearson Longman.

Hughes, R. (2002). Teaching and Researching Speaking. United Kingdom: Pearson Education.

http://www.cew.wisc.edu/ teach net/ctl/.

Indrawati. S. (2012). Pembelajaran Contektual Teaching and Learning (CTL). http: //pustaka ilmu. Indrawati.blogspot.com.2012.pembelajaran contextual teaching and learning. Accessed on 19th December, 2012.

Johnson, B. E. (2002). Contextual Teaching and Learning. California: Corwin Press.

(15)

Kellough,R.D, and Kellough, N.G. (2008). Teaching young Adolescents: Method and Resources for Middle Grades Teaching. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Merill Prentice Hall

Komalasari, K. (2011). Pembelajaran Kontextual. Bandung: Rafika Aditama Kvale, S. (1996). Interviews: An introduction to quliatative research Interviewing.

USA: Sage publication, inc.

Lewin, L and Shoemarker, B.J. (1998). Great Performance: Creating Classroom Assessment tasks. Alexandria: Association for suspension Curriculum Revelopment

Louma.S. (2004). Assessing Speaking. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

Margulis, L, and Sagan, D. (1995). What is life? New York: Cimon Schurter Meriam, S. (1998). Case Study Reseach in Education. A Qualitative Approach.

San Fransisco: Jersey publisher.

Mushthoza. A. D (2009). A case Study of” CTL” approach implementation for the

English teaching in SMPN Gresik. http: digilib. Sunan Ampel/ac.id./files/disk 1/Jibtain/dinaamali=8346-1akripsi-pdf. Accessed on 14th October, 2012.

Mustafa, B. (2001) Communicative Language Teaching in Indonesia: Journal of Southeast Asian Education. No 2. December 2012.

Nunan, D (1992). Research Methods in Language Learning. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Oppenheim, A.N. (1992). Questionnaires Design and Attitude Measurement. London: Heinnman Educational Books ltd.

Paul, D. (2003). Teaching English to children in Asia. Hong Kong: Pearson Longman Asia ELT.

(16)

Partin, Ronald L. (2009). The classroom teacher’s Survival Guide: Practical Strategies, Management Techniques, and Reproducible for new and Experience teacher. Third Edition.USA: Jossey Bass A Willey Imprint. Pinter, A. (2006). Teaching Young Learners. Oxford University Press.

Powell, E.T. and Runner, M. (2003). Program Development and Evaluation Analyzing Qualitative Data. Madison: University of Wisconsin, US

Rahmawati, M. (2012). Contextual Teaching and Learning in Teaching English:

Why It Must Here to Stay. http://welovewriting.wordpress

com./2012/05/25/contextual-teaching-and learning. Accessed on 19th December 2013.

Richards, J.C. (1990). Conversationally Speaking. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Richards, J.C. (2002). Curriculum Development in Language Teaching. London: Cambridge University Press.

Rost. M. (2002). Teaching and Researching Listening. London.UK: Longman. SAGE.

Rusman,(2011). Model – Model Pembelajaran: Mengembangkan Profesionalisme Guru. Jakarta: Rajawali Pers.

Ryan, R.M., and Deci, E.L. (2002). Overview of Self Determination Theory: An Organismic Dialectical Perspective. Rochester: The University of Rochester Press.

Scale, P.C. (2003). Characteristic of Young Adolescents In National Middle School Assocition. Waterveil: National Middle School Association

Sears, S. (2002). Contextual Teaching and Learning: A Primer for Effective Instruction. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.

Shabir, M. (2012). Action Research on Improving Students’ Motivation in

Speaking Through Contextual Teaching and Learning. A Thesis Submitted to the School of Post Graduate Studies. UPI

(17)

Stake, E. (1985). ‘Case study.’In Nisbed, J., and Nisbed, S (1985). (Eds). Word Year book of Education 1985. Research, policy and politic. London: Nicholas Publishing Company

Stake, R.E. (1995). The art of Case Study. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications. Sugiyono. (2008). Memahami Penelitian Kualitatif. Bandung: CV. Alfa.

Thomas, R. M. (2003). Blending Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods in Theses and Dissertation. California: Corwin Press.Inc.

Thornbury, S.(2005). How to Teach Speaking. England: Longman.

Van Lier, L. (1998). The classroom and the Language Learner.Etnography and Second- Language Classroom Research New York: Longman Inc.

Woodside, G.A. (2010). Case Study Research. USA: Emeral Group.

Woodward, Tessa. (2009). Planning Lesson and Course: Designing Sequences of Work for the Languages Classroom. New York. Cambridge University Press.

Zauharin, I. (2008). The Implementation of Contextual Teaching and Learning approach in the Teaching English at SMPN 6 Malang.http://karya-ilmiah.um.ac.id/ndex.php/sastra Inggris/article/view 65. Accessed on 14th October,2013.

(18)