STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE USE OF DIALOGUE JOURNALS AS COMMUNICATION MEDIA FOR THE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS OF SMAN 1 DEPOK A THESIS

  STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE USE OF DIALOGUE JOURNALS

AS COMMUNICATION MEDIA FOR THE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS

OF SMAN 1 DEPOK

A THESIS

  Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education

  By Lucia Sekar Widianingsih

  Student Number: 051214017

  

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

  

God makes everything happen

at the right time.

  Ecclesiates 3:11a I dedicate this thesis to My dear God, my lovely mother, my brothers sisters, and my beloved boyfriend

  

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY

  I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and references, as a scientific paper should.

  Yogyakarta, February 23, 2010 The Writer

  Lucia Sekar Widianingsih 051214017

  

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN

PUBLIKASI ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS

  Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma: Nama : Lucia Sekar Widianingsih

  Nomor Mahasiswa : 05 121 4017 Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

  

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE USE OF DIALOGUE JOURNALS

AS COMMUNICATION MEDIA FOR THE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS

OF SMAN 1 DEPOK

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

  Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya. Dibuat di Yogyakarta, Pada tanggal: 23 Februari 2010 Yang menyatakan

  

ABSTRACT

  Widianingsih, Lucia Sekar. 2010. Students’ Perceptions on the Use of Dialogue

  

Journals as Communication Media for the Tenth Grade Students of SMAN 1

Depok. Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University.

  Communication between teacher and students is important in teaching- learning activities. However, to build communication is not an easy matter. Nowadays, education field recognizes an alternative way to build communication in the classroom which is named dialogue journals. They are journals which cover dialogues and responses between the teacher and the students. Recently, these media have been applied in second language classroom.

  Since the researcher was interested in these media, she carried out the research about the students’ perceptions on the use of dialogue journals in learning English. When the researcher was conducting teaching practice in SMAN

  1 Depok, she applied these media in her classes. This research investigated the students’ perceptions on the use of dialogue journals as communication media in SMAN 1 Depok. There were two research problems to be solved: (1) What are the perceptions of the tenth grade students of SMAN 1 Depok on the use of dialogue journals as communication media? (2) What are the students’ suggestions to improve the implementation of dialogue journals?

  The research participants were tenth grade students of SMAN 1 Depok in the academic year of 2008/2009. The researcher employed a survey research. She conducted the research by observing the students’ behaviors, distributing a questionnaire to two classes: class XB and class XF, and interviewing eight students.

  The result of the research showed that the majority of the students perceived the use of dialogue journals positively. The students enjoyed the activities in writing dialogue journals. They admitted that they obtained many advantages by the implementation of dialogue journals such us they could convey their problems or opinions easily, they found solution to overcome their difficulty in learning, they improved their skills in English, and they became close to the teacher. The students suggested that dialogue journals should be implemented in all subjects and the time in writing dialogue journals is longer. They also recommended making the appearance of dialogue journals more interesting.

  Based on the findings, the researcher suggested that it is better for English teachers to apply dialogue journals as communication media in their class. Yet, the use of dialogue journals should still be improved. The teacher should vary the guiding questions to attract students to write. Finally, the researcher suggested that further research be conducted on other aspects of dialogue journals. This thesis then can serve as the basis for it.

  ABSTRAK

  Widianingsih, Lucia Sekar. 2010. Students’ Perceptions on the Use of Dialogue

  

Journals as Communication Media for the Tenth Grade Students of SMAN 1

Depok. Yogyakarta: Universitas Sanata Dharma.

  Komunikasi antara guru dan murid dalam aktifitas belajar dan mengajar adalah hal yang penting. Namun, membangun suatu komunikasi bukanlah hal yang mudah. Dunia pendidikan sekarang ini mengenal suatu media alternatif untuk membangun komunikasi antara siswa dan guru yang disebut dialogue

  

journals . Media ini merupakan jurnal yang mencakup percakapan dan jawaban

  melalui tulisan antara guru dan murid-muridnya. Sekarang ini media dialogue journals telah banyak diterapkan di kelas bahasa kedua.

  Tertarik akan media ini, peneliti melakukan penelitian tentang persepsi siswa terhadap penggunaan media dialogue journals. Saat melakukan praktek mengajar di SMAN 1 Depok, peneliti menerapkan media dialogue journals ini. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui persepsi siswa SMAN 1 Depok tentang penggunaan dialogue journal sebagai media komunikasi. Ada dua permasalahan yang harus dipecahkan: (1) Bagaimana persepsi siswa terhadap penggunaan

  

dialogue journals sebagai media komunikasi untuk siswa kelas 1 SMAN 1

  Depok? (2) Apa saran-saran siswa untuk mengembangkan penggunaan dialogue

  journals ?

  Peserta dari penelitian ini adalah siswa-siswi SMAN 1 Depok kelas 1 tahun akademik 2008/2009. Peneliti menggunakan metode survey yaitu yaitu dengan cara mengamati tingkah laku siswa, menyebar kuesioner di dua kelas; kelas XB dan kelas XF, dan juga mewawancarai beberapa siswa.

  Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa mayoritas siswa mempunyai persepsi positif terhadap penggunaan media dialogue journals. Para siswa menikmati aktifitas menulis dialogue journals. Mereka mengakui bahwa banyak keuntungan yang mereka dapat dari menulis dialogue journals seperti mereka dapat menyampaikan pendapat atau saran dengan lebih mudah, mereka mendapatkan solusi atas permasalahan belajar, kemampuan bahasa Inggris mereka meningkat, dan mereka menjadi dekat dengan guru. Para siswa member saran agar dialogue

  

journals seharusnya diterapkan di semua pelajaran dan waktu untuk menulisnya

  diperpanjang. Mereka juga mengusulkan untuk membut bentuk fisik dari dialogue journals menjadi lebih menarik.

  Berdasarkan penemuan, peneliti mengusulkan agar para guru Bahasa Inggris menggunakan media dialogue journals di kelas mereka. Namun demikian penggunaan dialogue journals harus lebih ditingkatkan. Guru bisa membuat pertanyaan beragam untuk menarik siswa dalam menulis. Akhirnya, peneliti juga menyarankan agar diadakan penelitian lanjutan tentang aspek lain dari dialogue

  

journals . Skripsi ini dapat berfungsi sebagai landasan bagi penelitian lebih lanjut.

  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Jesus Christ for everything He had given to me. He accompanied me during the process of finishing my thesis. He gave me strength and spirit to keep on trying whenever I felt weak. Without Him, I could not finish my thesis.

  I would like to thank my sponsor, Made Frida Yulia, S.Pd., M.Pd., for her guidance, patience, time, support, and advice from the beginning to the end of this thesis. Her suggestions, comments, and corrections for my thesis really helped me to finish it.

  I would like to thank Riswiyanto Mp., S.Pd., the headmaster of SMAN 1 Depok, Yogyakarta for the permission to conduct the research in the school. I would also like to thank Dra. Wahyu Srinuryati for helping me in obtaining the data of the research. I would also thank all of the students of class XB and class

  XF of SMAN 1 Depok of 2008/2009, for all of their remarkable willingness in being my respondents and giving me valuable information for the sake of this thesis.

  I would like to express my gratitude to my parents especially my mother

  

Ibu Fr. Sri Yuniarti, my brothers, my sisters for their love, prayer, support and

encouragement so that I could finish my thesis.

  My gratitude also goes especially to someone special, Bangkit Setiyaji for his love, loyalty, trust, prayers and support. I thank him for always guiding me

  Further, I would like to thank all my great friends: Linda, Helen, and Dee for having good relationship from the beginning of the study. I would also like to thank all friends in PBI 2005 especially in class A: Intan, Putri, Devi, Phia,

  

Ririth, Siska, Ayik, Bondan, Andre, Fidel, Pepy, Sedik, Bety, Ganis,

Lia,Wahyu, Listyan, Lita, Ezra, Tere, and Ike for all tremendous moments,

  teamwork, and friendship we shared during the study.

  I would like to thank my boarding house friends: Agnes, Maria, Monik,

  

Hari, and Mb Sisil for being my place to share and for the friendship, support,

  inspiration, smiles and laughter to warm my heart. I will not forget all memorable events we spent in our boarding house.

  Finally, I would like to thank anyone who has helped in finishing this thesis but whose names could not be mentioned here. I believe that God always blesses them all.

  Lucia Sekar Widianingsih

  TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

  TITLE PAGE…………………………………………………………………. i APPROVAL PAGES…………………………………………………………. ii DEDICATION PAGE ……………………………………………………….. iv STATEMENT OF WORK'S ORIGINALITY ………………………………. v

  LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ILMIAH UNTUK

KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS ........................................................................... vi

  ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………….. vii

  

ABSTRAK ……………………………………………………………………... viii

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………. ix TABLES OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………… xi LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………. xiii LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………... xiv LIST OF APPENDICES……………………………………………………... xv CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION……………………………………………..

  1 A.

  1 Research Background ……………………………………………………...

  B.

  4 Problem Formulation ……………………………………………………… C.

  4 Problem Limitation ………………………………………………………...

  D.

  5 Research Objectives ……………………………………………………….

  E.

  5 Research Benefits ………………………………………………………….

  F.

  7 Definition of Terms ………………………………………………………..

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

  8 A.

  8 Theoretical Description …………………………………………………… 1. Perceptions……………………………………………………………….

  8 2. Dialogue Journals in Educational Context……………………………...

  12 3. The Importance of Communication in Learning Process……………….

  15

CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY…………………………………………..

  19 A.

  19 Research Method …………………………………………………………..

  B.

  20 Research Participants ……………………………………………………… C.

  20 Research Instruments ……………………………………………………… D.

  23 Data Gathering Technique ………………………………………………… E.

  23 Data Analysis Technique …………………………………………………..

  F.

  24 Research Procedure ………………………………………………………..

  CHAPTER IV RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION …………...

  26 A. Students’ Perceptions on the Use of Dialogue Journals as Communication Media…………………………………………………….

  26 1. Data Presentation Based on the Observation of Students’ Behaviors during the Implementation of Dialogue Journals ……………………...

  26 2.

  32 Data Presentation Based on the Questionnaire………………….……...

  a. The Result of Closed-ended Questions …………………………….

  32

  b. The Result of Open-ended Questions ………………………………

  41 3.

  43 Data Presentation Based on the Interview……………………………..

  B.

  46 Students’ Suggestions on the Implementation of Dialogue Journals...…….

1. Students’ Suggestions on the Implementation of Dialogue Journals Based on the Questionnaire………………….……………….

  47 2. Students’ Suggestions on the Implementation of Dialogue Journals Based on the Interview….……………….…………………………….

  49 CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS …………………..

  51 A.

  51 Conclusions ………………………………………………………………..

  B.

  53 Suggestions ………………………………………………………………..

  REFERENCES ………………………………………………………………

  55

  LIST OF TABLES Table Page

Table 4.1 Students’ Perceptions on Positive Implication of Dialogue Journals

  42 Table 4.2 Students’ Perceptions on the Implication of Dialogue Journals Related to English Skills

  43

  LIST OF FIGURES Table

  Figure 1 The Perceptual Process ……………………………………………… Figure 2 Students’ Responses to “I Liked the Implementation of Dialogue Journals in the Learning Process” …………………………………..

  Figure 3 Students’ Responses to “I Wrote My Academic Problem or My Difficulty in Learning Through Dialogue Journals”………………... Figure 4 Students’ Responses to “Dialogue Journals Created Good Communication Between Students and Teacher” ………………….. Figure 5 Students’ Responses to “Dialogue Journals Helped Me to Convey My Problem or My Difficulty in Learning” ………………………... Figure 6 Students’ Responses to “Dialogue Journals Became Communication Media to Convey Suggestion to the Teacher” ……………………... Figure 7 Students’ Responses to “Teacher’s Reply in Dialogue Journals

  Motivated Me in Learning” …………………………………………

  Page

  10

  34

  35

  37

  38

  39

  40

  

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix Page

  APPENDIX A Permission Letters 1.

  Permission Letter from English Language Education 59 Study Program 2. Permission Letter from BAPPEDA

  60 APPENDIX B Surat Keterangan Penelitian

  62 APPENDIX C Sample of Dialogue Journals

  64 APPENDIX D The Questionnaire Blueprint

  69 APPENDIX E Research Instruments 1. Observation Checklist

  72 2. The Questionnaire

  73 3. The Interview guide

  77 APPENDIX F Sample of Completed Research Instruments 1. Sample of Completed Observation Checklists

  79 2. Sample of Completed Questionnaire

  81 APPENDIX G Frequency and Percentage of Students’ Responses to the Closed-ended Questions

  90 APPENDIX H Students’ Answers to Open-ended Questions

  96 APPENDIX I Students’ Interview Transcript

  99

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This study investigates the students’ perceptions on the implementation of

  dialogue journals to the tenth grade students of SMAN 1 Depok. The chapter presents six sections, namely background of the study, problem formulation, problem limitation, objectives of the study, benefits of the study, and definition of terms.

A. Research Background

  During the development in education field, the conception of the role of teacher is changing. Traditional teaching views that a teacher is the only source of information in learning whereas students become passive receiver (Gerlach and Ely, 1980: 5). However, nowadays a teacher is not only a giver of information but also a facilitator of learning. A teacher is not the only one who gives contribution in the learning process, yet the students also have role in it. Therefore, in teaching- learning process, communication between teacher and learners is absolutely required.

  Recently, both teacher and students expect that they have a good communication in the classroom since it becomes a core to develop the learning.

  A teacher should measure how far his students’ understanding is in grasping the learning material. He also has to know in what way his students face difficulties. difficulties or their problems. Moreover, affectivism theory views that a learner is not only a thinking being but also an emotional being. Thus, there is a need for a teacher to learn about other affective factors of students such as their interest, their experiences, and their problems in following the learning. Therefore, a good communication between teacher and students is totally needed in the classroom.

  To build a good communication in the classroom is not an easy matter. Many teachers often do not open a good communication with their learners that makes learners shy and afraid to share their problems. Moreover, every learner has individual differences to other learners that influence their personality. Consequently, it creates only one way communication; from a teacher to his students. The lack of communication, therefore, becomes a big problem in the process of teaching-learning activities.

  Nowadays, there are media which are part of alternative assessment named dialogue journals to respond the problem in building a good communication. They starts to be applied in the second language classroom recently. “Dialogue journal is a log of students which includes thoughts, feelings, reactions, assessments, ideas, or progress conveying to the teacher and she responses it” (Brown, 2004: 260). Dialogue journals can be viewed as communication media between students and teacher which are conducted regularly. “They imply an interaction between a reader (the teacher) and the students through dialogues or responses” (Brown, 2004: 260). Dialogue journals allow students to write reflection of their learning, comments on teaching process, to ask questions and to share their experiences. motivate students and answer students’ questions. Dialogue journals use writing as a means of communication between each student and the teacher (Staton, 1987). Thus, it also habituates the students in writing.

  The following is one of the examples of dialogue journal: Question : Do you like English? Why? A student : Yes, because English is interesting and English is international language.

  Question : How is teaching learning activity today? A Student : Teaching learning activities today is very interesting for me Teacher’s response: It’s good Faris (name of the student). I’m glad to know that you like English. I’m also happy that you enjoy my activities. Then, if you have questions or difficulties in learning English, don’t be shy to ask me. Ok. ☺ Keep your spirit Faris..! This example of dialogue journals reflects student’s sharing in giving his response to teaching-learning activity that becomes feedback for the teacher. Moreover, through these media, a teacher is able to give his students some motivations and spirit in learning personally which really encourage them in learning.

  In Senior High, English is considered as an important subject which is tested in National Exam. Yet, many senior high school students still find that English is a difficult subject. In this case, this problem is probably caused by students’ incapability to have a good communication with the English teacher. Due to this reason, the writer, who was conducting teaching practice, started implementing dialogue journals in her classrooms.

  This study is then aimed to find out students’ perceptions on the use of dialogue journals of the tenth grade students of SMAN 1 Depok and to present suggestions which can contribute to the improvement of the implementation of dialogue journals.

  B. Problem Formulation

  The research problems can be formulated as follows: 1. What are the perceptions of the tenth grade students of SMAN 1 Depok on the use of dialogue journals in their class?

  2. What are the students’ suggestions to improve the implementation of dialogue journals?

  C. Problem Limitation

  The use of dialogue journals of the tenth grade students of SMAN 1 Depok may lead the students to have various perceptions on it. This research is focused on two things, namely, the students’ perceptions on the use of dialogue journals as communication media for the tenth grade students, and finding out and presenting some suggestions for the improvement of the implementation of dialogue journals in learning English subject.

  This research was conducted at SMAN 1 Depok, one of the State Senior

  2008/2009 academic year of SMAN 1 Depok because the researcher has implemented dialogue journals in their classes. The researcher has chosen two classes to be researched.

D. Research Objectives

  The objectives of this research are as follows: 1. To know and find out the tenth grade students’ perceptions on the use of dialogue journals of SMAN 1 Depok.

2. To obtain the students’ suggestions for the improvement of the implementation of dialogue journals.

E. Research Benefits

  The findings of the research hopefully will be beneficial for English teachers of SMAN 1 Depok and English teachers in general, and other researchers who are interested in conducting research about dialogue journals.

1. English Teachers

  The result of this research hopefully will be beneficial to English teachers of SMAN 1 Depok and English teachers in general. The English teachers are able to know deeper about dialogue journals media from the students’ perceptions on the implementation of dialogue journals. Thus, they can reflect the result of the research to their teaching-learning activities whether they want to apply these media in their classroom. Hence, this research will give the contribution to improve their teaching-learning activities especially in building a good communication to students.

2. Other researchers

  This research hopefully will be beneficial for other researchers who would like to conduct similar research and interested in the implementation of dialogue journals. They can use this research as their reference.

F. Definition of Terms

  Below are the terms which need to be defined in order to avoid misunderstanding. They are:

  1. Perceptions According to Kreitner and Kinicky (1992: 126), perception is a mental and cognitive process that makes people interpret and understand their surroundings.

  Perception is also defined as the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting sensory data that is considered as important process in helping people define their world (Cook, Hunsaker, and Coffey, 1997: 150). In this study, perceptions refer to how the tenth grade students of SMAN 1 Depok perceive the implementation of dialogue journals in their learning English in the classroom.

2. Dialogue Journals

  According to Brown (2004: 260), “dialogue journal is a log of one’s thoughts, feelings, reaction, assessments, ideas, or progress.” In this study, dialogue journals are media for students to write something which relates to in the learning. Hence, the teacher also allows students to write any kinds of topic they want to share.

3. Communication media

  According to Encyclopedia of Educational Research (1969: 1191), media refers to various audio and/or visual communications technologies which are commonly used by educators. Thus, the term “communication”, according to

  

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2001: 361), is the process in

  which people exchange their thoughts and feelings. In this study, the term communication media is defined as media that facilitate the process of exchanging thoughts and feelings between an English teacher and the tenth grade students of SMAN 1 Depok.

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE This chapter is intended to review some theories related to the issue of the

  study and to formulate the theoretical framework. Therefore, the researcher divides this chapter into two major sub-headings namely theoretical description and theoretical framework. The theoretical description provides the theoretical issues related to perceptions, dialogue journals, and the importance of communication whereas the theoretical framework explains the thread of the theories to formulate the orientation of the study.

A. Theoretical Description

  There are three main areas discussed in the study namely, perceptions, dialogue journals in educational context, and the importance of communication.

  The discussions of those three issues are based on previous literature and researches.

1. Perceptions

  This part presents the theory of perceptions covering the definition of perceptions and perceptual process on learning. Definition of perceptions explains about what perceptions are, whereas perceptual process on learning describes the process in forming perception on learning and factors which influence the perceptions.

    a.

   Definition of Perceptions The understanding of the perceptions can be derived from some experts.

  According to Kreitner and Kinicky (1992: 126), “perception is a mental cognitive process that makes people interpret and understand their surrounding.” Borger and Seaborne (1966: 105) add that perception is “an awareness of the environment, through which a person processes incoming sensory data in a certain way to arrive at useful impression of his surrounding.” Huffman and Vernoy (1997: 79) argue that “perception refers to the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting sensory data into useful mental representation of the world. Meanwhile, Cook, Hunsaker, and Coffey (1997: 150) state that “perception is an important process that covers the selection, organization, and interpretation of sensory data which help people to define their world and influence their behavior”.

  According to Vygotsky (1978: 33), “perception is a dynamic system of behavior which is always changing”. Warga (1983: 207) adds that perceptions begin with a stimulus which creates sensation. Hence, Warga explains that perceptions are influenced by people’ past experience.

b. Perceptual Process on Learning

  To form perceptions, there was a process inside. The process of perception covers stimulus which come from the environment, recognizing and interpreting the incoming stimuli into messages, then creating stereotype, and deciding the appropriate action or attitudes and behavior to respond to the message.

    Figure 1 shows how the perception process occurs.

  Perception, Sensors’   Stimuli organization, and selection of

  Behavioral stimuli interpretation of   response  stimuli 

  Figure 1. The Perceptual Process (Altman, Hodgett, and Valenzi, 1985: 86)

  From the perception process shown in Figure 1, it is seen that perception comes from the stimuli. According to Warga (1983: 207), stimuli are forms of physical energy that strike the sensory receptors. The stimuli then are selected in the brain and the brain interprets as a sensation. Combinations of sensations are translated into meaning. The results of the meaningful information of the translation are then called perception. Furthermore, the perception, organization, and interpretation of stimuli create behavioral responses. It means that if someone has positive perception toward something, he will respond it with positive behavior. Therefore, for students, if they have positive perception toward the English subject, they will create positive behavior on it.

  In teaching-learning activities, students have their perceptions about the subjects they learn. Their perceptions are formed by the stimuli that come from the environment, in this case the classroom. Thus, the perceptions they have will influence their behavior toward the learning. Biggs (1992) as cited by Astutiningsih (2006: 11) states that perception on learning deal with belief about knowledge which influences students’ approaches to learning. Biggs also argues

   

  called interactive system. The system is called interactive because the concept as the stimuli interacts with the environment. This system has three components; those are presage, process, and product or learning outcome.

  Presage is a factor that includes students’ belief about knowledge and learning conception. Presage also covers learning context, such as teachers and school attributes, and also students’ understanding about knowledge. The examples of presage according to Biggs (1989) as cited by Astutiningsih (2006: 12) are educational practices, students’ preparations, approaches to learning, and changes to assessment product.

  The second component is process. Process is a factor that includes students’ perceptions on learning environment and specific learning strategies that they experience in learning tasks (Biggs as cited by Astutiningsih, 2006: 12). This factor is related to the atmosphere of learning that teacher creates in the classroom. An example of process is the process how students learn the target materials during English teaching-learning activities.

  The third component is product. Product or learning outcome is influenced by the learning strategies applied in the classroom. It means that students can have good learning outcome if the learning strategies applied are suitable for them. It then makes them have positive perception on the learning. Therefore, it can be said that students’ perceptions on English learning is tightly influenced by the implementation of English teaching-learning activities.

  Moreover, according to Champbell (2001) as cited by Krisnawati (2008:

   

  implementation that build students’ perceptions. Those are (1) how the teacher teaches the students, (2) what the teacher wants students to learn, (3) how the students learn in class, (4) what the students learn, and (5) what the purposes of learning the language are.

  According to Vygotsky (1978: 33), perception of someone is always changing. It means that he can make changes in his behaviors overtime through its process. For example, at first a student does not like English subject because he considers it as a difficult subject. However, after he finds some interesting activities that he likes, he then changes his perception about English subject. This perception is influenced by those five elements.

2. Dialogue Journals in Educational Context

  This part presents the review of literature about definition of dialogue journals and the implementation of dialogue journals in educational context.

  Definition of dialogue journals explains about what dialogue journals are. The implementation of dialogue journals in educational context describe the background on the use of dialogue journals in education field.

a. Definition of Dialogue Journals

  “Dialogue journal is a log of one’s thoughts, feelings, reaction, assessments, ideas, or progress” (Brown, 2004: 269). According to Peyton (1993) as cited in http://www.cal.org/resources/Digest/peyton01.html, dialogue journal is a written conversation in which a student and teacher communicate regularly that

   

  Dialogue journal is an open-ended journal which allows students write anything covering reflection, comments, and even questions and the teacher writes back regularly, responding to students’ comment and questions (Peyton, 1993 and Brown, 2004: 270). Szeto (2009) as cited in http://classroom- activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/dialogue_journals_help_improve_writing adds that dialogue journals are interactive writing which provides students the opportunity to improve their writing skills and give students freedom to choose their own topics. Szeto also explains that dialogue journals provide a place for the teacher to respond privately to questions and comments from the students. In this place, teacher can include motivation words to give students reinforcement. Staton (1987) as cited in http://www.ericdigest.org/pre-926/journals.htm states that “a dialogue journal is a bound composition book in which each student carries on a private written conversation with the teacher for an extended period of time.” Though dialogue journals is one of the alternative assessments that is tightly related to evaluation, Staton argues that dialogue journals are functional and interactive that are mostly about self-generated topics about the continuing life of the classroom.

b. The Implementation of Dialogue Journals in Educational Context

  According to Brown (2004: 206), in the past, journals had no place in the second language classroom but today, “journals occupy a prominent role in a pedagogical model that stresses the importance of self-reflection in the process of

   

  become better acquainted with their students, in terms of both their learning progress and their affective states, and thus become better equipped to meet students’ individual needs”. Furthermore, Staton (1987) as cited in http://www.ericdigest.org/pre-926/journals.htm adds that dialogue journals are developed over years to meet several needs which are to know students better, to obtain feedback on lessons, to improve classroom discipline, and to involve each student in meaningful reading and writing.

  In the dialogue journal, students are also required to monitor and evaluate their understanding. In other words, it involves students’ self-assessment. Many researchers state that self-assessment encourages students’ motivation and promotes their autonomy and independent learning skills even self-assessment is the best formative assessment and the most rewarded among other assessments (Brown, 2004: 276). This idea is supported by Bartelo, Birkitt, and Davis (1990: 3), who state that dialogue journals make students have “response ability” to the teaching situation and responsibility about their progress of learning. Staton (1987) also agrees that dialogue journals help students to learn how to manage their own actions. It can be said that dialogue journals reflect reflective learning.

  According to Peyton (1993), the use of dialogue journal in the classroom becomes a bridge of communication between a teacher and students especially students who learn English as a second language.

  Dialogue journals not only open a new channel of communication, but they provide another context for language and literacy development. Students have the opportunity to use English in a non-threatening atmosphere, in interaction with a proficient English speaker. Because the

   

  purposeful ways and provides a natural, comfortable bridge to other kinds of writing. (Peyton, 1993 as cited in http://www.cal.org/resources/Digest/peyton01.html)

  It explains that dialogue journals become media between teacher and students in building communication in the classroom. The implementation of dialogue journals is not included in the core of teaching-learning activities, yet they support the learning process. Staton (1987) clarifies that dialogue journals create a one-to one relationship between students and teacher in both academic and personal sides. Through the journals, teachers may discuss about the students’ culture and language, problem adjusting to the new culture, school procedures, and personal interests (Peyton, 1993). It means that dialogue journals allow students to write any kinds of topic to share to their teacher. Peyton also adds that the focus of dialogue journal is on meaning of the writing rather than the form. Therefore, a teacher will not correct his students’ writing but try to obtain the message of the writing.

3. The Importance of Communication in Learning Process

  According to Harris and Hodges as cited by Taschow (1985: 3), “communication is the sharing of ideas, thoughts, information, gestures, and feeling from person to person. It means communication related to sending and receiving message through oral language, written language, and sign-gesture language”. Howell (1979: 148) states that “communication is an encompassing process that fills through all human activities”. It can be said that communication

   

  becomes people’s need in social and cultural experiences. There is no person who is unaffected by communication.

  In teaching-learning process, communication between a teacher and students is very important. Furthermore, Howell (1979: 148) argues that learning is, at heart, the expression of communication. It means that in learning, communication holds an important role. However, according to Good and Brophy (1984: 24), based on their research, teachers monopolize communication in the classroom. Their findings suggested that teachers dominate classroom discussion, even though they sometimes do not want and may not be aware that they behave that way. According to Howell (1979: 148), there are two types of communication in the classroom environment. The first type is verbal-auditory mode of communication. This type places the teacher as the focus of giving the information to the students. The second type is a duality of participation. This type combines the efforts of learning between the teacher and students in learning.

  Therefore, based on Good and Brophy’s research findings (1984: 24), many teachers still conduct verbal-auditory mode in the classroom.

  Though in many classrooms, the teacher becomes the principal actor, students also have right to share their ideas to the teacher. The theory of communication states that communication is built by the sender, the message, and the receiver. Therefore, it should be two-way communication between the teacher and the students in the classroom. Howell (1979: 148) adds that the manner the teacher builds the communication will determine whether teacher-students

   

  Therefore, as the control of the classroom, the teacher should build up two-way communication with the students and facilitate them to send their ideas and to share to the teacher.

B. Theoretical Framework

  Perceptions are significant factor in learning. Perceptions are built by the stimuli from the environment. The perception which is created will give influence to someone’s behaviors. Similarly, in classroom, students’ perceptions about something will also influence their behaviors on their learning process. If the students have positive perception, it can lead students to have positive behaviors. On the other hand, if the students have negative perception, it can lead them to have negative behaviors.