AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’LEARNING STRATEGIES IN LEARNING ENGLISH STRUCTURE BASED ON OXFORD STRATEGY SYSTEMS AT THE FIRST YEAR OF SMA N 1 BARADATU
(Second Language Acquisition’s Assignment)
(Second Language Acquisition’s Assignment)
By
Name : Tati Fatmawati
Student No : 0743042042
Lecturer : Hery Yufrizal, M.A., Ph.D
THE LANGUAGE AND ARTS DEPARTMENT OF
TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACULTY
LAMPUNG UNIVERSITY
2011
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Problem
If we learn English we must also learn understand the structure of the language. Structure is the basic knowledge for someone to master the language skill. The better one masters the structure, the easier he expresses his ideas and feelings in English properly, assumes that in learning structure the students also need strategy.
We need strategies in realizing what we have already learned in order to obtain our goal in learning because strategy can help to decide put next measure and acquire knowledge systematically. For instance, in learning a language, it might be started from the easiest problem to the more difficult one..
Choosing learning is problem which is always faced by the learners. Thus, some expert have studied and resulted theories about learning strategy because learning strategy is considered important for the learners’ success. In other word, the success or failure to achieve the aims of learning depends on what learning strategy used by the learners as the object of education. Oxford (1989) stated that learning strategies are behaviors or actions which learners use to make learning more successful, self directed, and enjoyable. Therefore, learning strategy plays very important role for the learners’ success in achieving their goals.
The focus in the first class because the writer wants to see the effect of their learning strategy to their English achievement especially English sentence structure after they learned English for about 3 years (during they studied in SLTP).
If we learn English we must also learn understand the structure of the language. Structure is the basic knowledge for someone to master the language skill. The better one masters the structure, the easier he expresses his ideas and feelings in English properly, assumes that in learning structure the students also need strategy.
We need strategies in realizing what we have already learned in order to obtain our goal in learning because strategy can help to decide put next measure and acquire knowledge systematically. For instance, in learning a language, it might be started from the easiest problem to the more difficult one..
Choosing learning is problem which is always faced by the learners. Thus, some expert have studied and resulted theories about learning strategy because learning strategy is considered important for the learners’ success. In other word, the success or failure to achieve the aims of learning depends on what learning strategy used by the learners as the object of education. Oxford (1989) stated that learning strategies are behaviors or actions which learners use to make learning more successful, self directed, and enjoyable. Therefore, learning strategy plays very important role for the learners’ success in achieving their goals.
The focus in the first class because the writer wants to see the effect of their learning strategy to their English achievement especially English sentence structure after they learned English for about 3 years (during they studied in SLTP).
B. Research Question
In line with the issues presented in the background above, research question of this research is:
1. what strategies do learners (upper and lower) mostly use in learning English structure?
2. Are there any differences and similarities of learning strategies used by upper and lower learners?
C. Objective
To find the strategies (as suggested by oxford) used by the learners in learning English structure.
D. Scope of the Research
This descriptive qualitative research was conducted at SMA N 1 Lampung Utara. The writer chooses the first year students because they have already had enough knowledge about structure. The materials for structure test were taken from on the syllabus, School Based Curriculum (KTSP). The materials include Simple Present Tense. Simple Past Tense, Past Continuous Tense, Conditional type 1 and indirect speech. The data was taken from upper and lower learners’ information out of teaching learning process.
In line with the issues presented in the background above, research question of this research is:
1. what strategies do learners (upper and lower) mostly use in learning English structure?
2. Are there any differences and similarities of learning strategies used by upper and lower learners?
C. Objective
To find the strategies (as suggested by oxford) used by the learners in learning English structure.
D. Scope of the Research
This descriptive qualitative research was conducted at SMA N 1 Lampung Utara. The writer chooses the first year students because they have already had enough knowledge about structure. The materials for structure test were taken from on the syllabus, School Based Curriculum (KTSP). The materials include Simple Present Tense. Simple Past Tense, Past Continuous Tense, Conditional type 1 and indirect speech. The data was taken from upper and lower learners’ information out of teaching learning process.
II. LITERATURE REVIEW
A. Concept of Structure
According Trask (1999:295) structure is a particular pattern, which is available in a language for constructing a linguistic a unit, or an instance of this.
While Scharbach (1965:93) says that in every kind of expression we have found language and logic fused together within a context, which usually had some distinct form or organization that we referred to as structure. From these statements, it is clear that structure is rules to construct a sentence of language. Structure is an organization of language to form a particular situation.
Lado (1974:221) states that structure is the system of unit and pattern of language and each language has its own distinct structure.
Later, Finochiarro and Banomo (1975:285) said that structure is the form of word in utterances. Concerning with these statements, it is clear that structure is the way in which the part of a system or object are arranged or organized. Each language has its own structure is not the same English has different verb form for different time, it is called tenses.
B. learning Structure
learning structure is very important because by having the knowledge of structure, one can produce the sentences correctly to communicate with others. In other to be able to communicate with others, students should master the language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) and also master the language components including structure.
As Gleon (1972) states that language is a systematic structure, to learn a language is to learn the structure. Meanwhile, any description of this structure is grammar. The presentation of structure in a certain language is to make the utterances sensible and has relationship with other sentences. It is true that by learning the structure students will study and evelop their ability in the language more easily.
No area language development is more complex than that involving sentence structure (Ross, et al, 1992:387). They also stated that most adult-even those who are well educated – cannot describe the complex linguistic rules in any details. It seems that most students find very hard to be successful in learning sentence structure.
McClelland and Rumelhart (1987) in Ross, et al, (1992:387) say that among learners’ most common mistakes are difficulties with inflections, for example a verb to the past tense (ed is added, as in talked and played) and noun from singular to plural (s or es is added, as in cups and dishes).
It is clear that in learning English, the students need the knowledge of structure because the mastery of structure will help them to be able to understand both spoken and written pattern or to construct new patterns related to a certain situation. Mastering English grammatical means that the students are able to understand, to respond, to appreciate and to express their idea in the target language.
Relating to the statement above, the writer concludes that the students who have mastered grammatical structure are able to build or create larger meaning using the correct patterns they have in mind since, when they learn the patterns of the target language actively, these patterns will form clusters in their mind. Then, these clusters will appear when the students try to build or create new sentences in order to convey larger meaning. Like other skill or language components, in learning structure, students also need strategies to understand the rules of the sentence. By setting learning strategy in learning structure, they can achieve their language goal and acquire a structure knowledge systematically.
C. Learning Strategy
Learning strategy is the way students arrange their way of learning a foreign language. It is technique of learning used by the learners in gaining knowledge. It is needed by the learners since by using strategy in learning, learners can improve their skills in foreign language and also can make some plan about what should they do next. The better strategies that learner uses the more successful she/he becomes.
Wenden, et, al, (1987:6) said that learning strategies are mental steps or operations that learners use to learn a new language and regulate their effort to do so. She defines learners strategies as learning behaviors, learners actually are engaged in to learn and regulate the learning of second language. She further contend that the term ”learner strategy” also refers to what the learners know about the strategies they use, i.e. their strategies knowledge.
Rubin (1981) in Wenden and Rubin (1987:20) classifies in term of processes that my contribute directly to learning (i.e. clarification/verification, monitoring, memorization, guessing, deductive reasoning, and practice) and those that may contribute indirectly to learning (i.e. creating opportunity to practice and use of production tricks)
Oxford (1989:236) stated that there are six broad strategy system used by language learners, they are: metacognitive, affective, social, memory, cognitive, and, compentasory. below are explanation:
1. Good language learner manages his or her own learning process trough metacognitive strategy, by centering the learning (overviewing and linking with already known material,paying attention, and delaying speech production to focus on listening), arranging and planning the learning, evaluation learning.
2. Good learner do the reduction anxiety, self encouragement, they control their emotion attitude. This way called affective strategy.
3. Sometimes they work with others to learn the language, this is called social strategy, like asking questions, cooperating with others, empathizing with others.
4. They also use memory strategy, such as mental linkages, applying images and sound, reviewing well, employing action.
5. In employing the new language directly, learners use practicing, receivig and sending messages, analyzing and reasoning, creating structure for input and output. This called cognitive strategy.
6. The last is compensatory strategy, here the learners try to overcome knowledge limitation in speaking and writing, guessing meanings intelligently.
A. Concept of Structure
According Trask (1999:295) structure is a particular pattern, which is available in a language for constructing a linguistic a unit, or an instance of this.
While Scharbach (1965:93) says that in every kind of expression we have found language and logic fused together within a context, which usually had some distinct form or organization that we referred to as structure. From these statements, it is clear that structure is rules to construct a sentence of language. Structure is an organization of language to form a particular situation.
Lado (1974:221) states that structure is the system of unit and pattern of language and each language has its own distinct structure.
Later, Finochiarro and Banomo (1975:285) said that structure is the form of word in utterances. Concerning with these statements, it is clear that structure is the way in which the part of a system or object are arranged or organized. Each language has its own structure is not the same English has different verb form for different time, it is called tenses.
B. learning Structure
learning structure is very important because by having the knowledge of structure, one can produce the sentences correctly to communicate with others. In other to be able to communicate with others, students should master the language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) and also master the language components including structure.
As Gleon (1972) states that language is a systematic structure, to learn a language is to learn the structure. Meanwhile, any description of this structure is grammar. The presentation of structure in a certain language is to make the utterances sensible and has relationship with other sentences. It is true that by learning the structure students will study and evelop their ability in the language more easily.
No area language development is more complex than that involving sentence structure (Ross, et al, 1992:387). They also stated that most adult-even those who are well educated – cannot describe the complex linguistic rules in any details. It seems that most students find very hard to be successful in learning sentence structure.
McClelland and Rumelhart (1987) in Ross, et al, (1992:387) say that among learners’ most common mistakes are difficulties with inflections, for example a verb to the past tense (ed is added, as in talked and played) and noun from singular to plural (s or es is added, as in cups and dishes).
It is clear that in learning English, the students need the knowledge of structure because the mastery of structure will help them to be able to understand both spoken and written pattern or to construct new patterns related to a certain situation. Mastering English grammatical means that the students are able to understand, to respond, to appreciate and to express their idea in the target language.
Relating to the statement above, the writer concludes that the students who have mastered grammatical structure are able to build or create larger meaning using the correct patterns they have in mind since, when they learn the patterns of the target language actively, these patterns will form clusters in their mind. Then, these clusters will appear when the students try to build or create new sentences in order to convey larger meaning. Like other skill or language components, in learning structure, students also need strategies to understand the rules of the sentence. By setting learning strategy in learning structure, they can achieve their language goal and acquire a structure knowledge systematically.
C. Learning Strategy
Learning strategy is the way students arrange their way of learning a foreign language. It is technique of learning used by the learners in gaining knowledge. It is needed by the learners since by using strategy in learning, learners can improve their skills in foreign language and also can make some plan about what should they do next. The better strategies that learner uses the more successful she/he becomes.
Wenden, et, al, (1987:6) said that learning strategies are mental steps or operations that learners use to learn a new language and regulate their effort to do so. She defines learners strategies as learning behaviors, learners actually are engaged in to learn and regulate the learning of second language. She further contend that the term ”learner strategy” also refers to what the learners know about the strategies they use, i.e. their strategies knowledge.
Rubin (1981) in Wenden and Rubin (1987:20) classifies in term of processes that my contribute directly to learning (i.e. clarification/verification, monitoring, memorization, guessing, deductive reasoning, and practice) and those that may contribute indirectly to learning (i.e. creating opportunity to practice and use of production tricks)
Oxford (1989:236) stated that there are six broad strategy system used by language learners, they are: metacognitive, affective, social, memory, cognitive, and, compentasory. below are explanation:
1. Good language learner manages his or her own learning process trough metacognitive strategy, by centering the learning (overviewing and linking with already known material,paying attention, and delaying speech production to focus on listening), arranging and planning the learning, evaluation learning.
2. Good learner do the reduction anxiety, self encouragement, they control their emotion attitude. This way called affective strategy.
3. Sometimes they work with others to learn the language, this is called social strategy, like asking questions, cooperating with others, empathizing with others.
4. They also use memory strategy, such as mental linkages, applying images and sound, reviewing well, employing action.
5. In employing the new language directly, learners use practicing, receivig and sending messages, analyzing and reasoning, creating structure for input and output. This called cognitive strategy.
6. The last is compensatory strategy, here the learners try to overcome knowledge limitation in speaking and writing, guessing meanings intelligently.
III. RESEARCH DESIGN
A. Research Design
The research employed descriptive quantitative research. Quantitative research is associated with social survey technique like structured interviewing and self-administered questionnaires, experiments, structured observation, content analysis, and the analysis of official statistics. It implies the implication of measurement of predetermined variables, as well as to the gathering and analyzing of numerical data. Then, the writer hopes that the reader can understand the whole description about the students’ learning strategies and some problems that students’ face in learning structure.
B. Data Collecting Technique
In collecting the data, the writer used some techniques as follows:
1. Structure Test
The structure test is multiple choice which consist of five options, a, b, c, d and e. The test items are 41. in selecting the material of structure test, the writer selected the one based on the material state in syllabus, School Based Curriculum (KTSP) for the first year of SMU that are Simple Present Tense, Simple Past Tense, Past Continuous Tense, Conditional Type 1 and Indirect Speeceh.
2. Questionnaires
The purpose of administering questionnaire is to find out the learning strategies used by the learners in learning English structure. In this research, the writer used close-ended questionnaire in which the options have been provided, in order to classify the data more easily. The questionnaire, which was made by the writer, consisted of the 30 items, which over the strategies according to oxford (2989:236). Those items identified learning strategies under six categories; memory, cognitive strategy, number 11-15 measured compensatory, number 16-20 measured metacognitive, number 21-25 measured affective and number 26-30 measured social strategy.
To judge the respondents’ answer, the writer used Likert Scale where the writer gave 5 alternatives responses for each statement (stated on appendix) because there is no exact answer on responding someone’s learning strategies.
The research employed descriptive quantitative research. Quantitative research is associated with social survey technique like structured interviewing and self-administered questionnaires, experiments, structured observation, content analysis, and the analysis of official statistics. It implies the implication of measurement of predetermined variables, as well as to the gathering and analyzing of numerical data. Then, the writer hopes that the reader can understand the whole description about the students’ learning strategies and some problems that students’ face in learning structure.
B. Data Collecting Technique
In collecting the data, the writer used some techniques as follows:
1. Structure Test
The structure test is multiple choice which consist of five options, a, b, c, d and e. The test items are 41. in selecting the material of structure test, the writer selected the one based on the material state in syllabus, School Based Curriculum (KTSP) for the first year of SMU that are Simple Present Tense, Simple Past Tense, Past Continuous Tense, Conditional Type 1 and Indirect Speeceh.
2. Questionnaires
The purpose of administering questionnaire is to find out the learning strategies used by the learners in learning English structure. In this research, the writer used close-ended questionnaire in which the options have been provided, in order to classify the data more easily. The questionnaire, which was made by the writer, consisted of the 30 items, which over the strategies according to oxford (2989:236). Those items identified learning strategies under six categories; memory, cognitive strategy, number 11-15 measured compensatory, number 16-20 measured metacognitive, number 21-25 measured affective and number 26-30 measured social strategy.
To judge the respondents’ answer, the writer used Likert Scale where the writer gave 5 alternatives responses for each statement (stated on appendix) because there is no exact answer on responding someone’s learning strategies.
IV. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
A. Result of Structure Test
In order to classify upper and lower students of the subject class based on their structure mastery, the writer conducted a structure test which consisted 41 items to students of X.3. the complete result can be seen appendix 9.
After opening the students’ scores the range from 45 until 88 for English subject. On structure test, students’ score range from 11 until 33. then the writer arranged the scores of their structure test from the highest score to the lowest score.
From this, the writer took students as the subject of this research. 10 students as upper learners and 10 students as lower learners.
B. The differences
This table shows the calculation of using the strategy system (in percentage)
Table. Calculation of using the strategy system (in percentage)
Strategy / Criteria Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Total
Upper
Cognitive 10% 50% 40% 100%
Compensatory 30% 60% 10% 100%
Metacognitive 30% 60% %1 100%
Affective 40% 40% 20% 100%
Social 30% 60% 10% 100%
Memory 40% 60% 100%
Lower
Cognitive 60% 40% 100%
Compensatory 80% 20% 100%
Metacognitive 20% 40% 40% 100%
Affective 10% 30% 60% 100%
Social 10% 70% 20% 100%
Memory 40% 60% 100%
The criteria:
Always : The score ranges from 21-25
Often : The score ranges from 16-20
Sometime : The score ranges from 11-15
Seldom : The score ranges from 6-10
Never : the scores ranges from 0-5
A. Result of Structure Test
In order to classify upper and lower students of the subject class based on their structure mastery, the writer conducted a structure test which consisted 41 items to students of X.3. the complete result can be seen appendix 9.
After opening the students’ scores the range from 45 until 88 for English subject. On structure test, students’ score range from 11 until 33. then the writer arranged the scores of their structure test from the highest score to the lowest score.
From this, the writer took students as the subject of this research. 10 students as upper learners and 10 students as lower learners.
B. The differences
This table shows the calculation of using the strategy system (in percentage)
Table. Calculation of using the strategy system (in percentage)
Strategy / Criteria Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Total
Upper
Cognitive 10% 50% 40% 100%
Compensatory 30% 60% 10% 100%
Metacognitive 30% 60% %1 100%
Affective 40% 40% 20% 100%
Social 30% 60% 10% 100%
Memory 40% 60% 100%
Lower
Cognitive 60% 40% 100%
Compensatory 80% 20% 100%
Metacognitive 20% 40% 40% 100%
Affective 10% 30% 60% 100%
Social 10% 70% 20% 100%
Memory 40% 60% 100%
The criteria:
Always : The score ranges from 21-25
Often : The score ranges from 16-20
Sometime : The score ranges from 11-15
Seldom : The score ranges from 6-10
Never : the scores ranges from 0-5
C. Discussion
Based on the data collected from questionnaire, the writer found that most learners used many strategies in order to improve their knowledge of structure and their ability in using some patterns in spoken and written form.
According to the result of questionnaire, upper learners tried to guess the meaning of sentences and made the example of new tenses. They tried tomake their own learning environment comport. They also tried to evaluate utterances that they have made. Besides checking their note, most of them asked their teacher, friends, or other people. While lower learners prefer not to ask other, they felt afraid and shamed if they ask their teacher or other people, except their riends.
Upper learners practice their English in spoken and written form. They motivated themselves as a self-encouragement to learn structure, they kept on practicing.
Based on the discussion above, the writer concludes that there is no learners that used only one strategy system in learning English structure. In other words, each learner used more than one strategy system in learning English, so did the lower learners but most of them did less than upper learners.. They did less practice, paid less attention although they liked English. While upper learners enjoyed the lesson.
Based on the data collected from questionnaire, the writer found that most learners used many strategies in order to improve their knowledge of structure and their ability in using some patterns in spoken and written form.
According to the result of questionnaire, upper learners tried to guess the meaning of sentences and made the example of new tenses. They tried tomake their own learning environment comport. They also tried to evaluate utterances that they have made. Besides checking their note, most of them asked their teacher, friends, or other people. While lower learners prefer not to ask other, they felt afraid and shamed if they ask their teacher or other people, except their riends.
Upper learners practice their English in spoken and written form. They motivated themselves as a self-encouragement to learn structure, they kept on practicing.
Based on the discussion above, the writer concludes that there is no learners that used only one strategy system in learning English structure. In other words, each learner used more than one strategy system in learning English, so did the lower learners but most of them did less than upper learners.. They did less practice, paid less attention although they liked English. While upper learners enjoyed the lesson.
V. CONCLUSION
Based on the data analysis, the writer concludes the research as follows:
In learning English structure most of the students are more than one learning strategies, both upper and lower learners use the strategy to improve their knowledge and their ability.
The similarity of learning strategy system used by both upper and lower learners or the learning strategy mostly used by language learners is memory strategy system. 62% from lower learners sometimes used memory and 57% from lower learners sometimes used it.
Based on the data analysis, the writer concludes the research as follows:
In learning English structure most of the students are more than one learning strategies, both upper and lower learners use the strategy to improve their knowledge and their ability.
The similarity of learning strategy system used by both upper and lower learners or the learning strategy mostly used by language learners is memory strategy system. 62% from lower learners sometimes used memory and 57% from lower learners sometimes used it.
REFERENCES
Hadi, Prof. Drs. Sutrisno. 1998. Statistic. Yogyakarta: Andi Offset.
Huzairin. 1998. Metacognitive and Cognitive Strategies Employed by ABA Yunisla Students in Learning English Vocabulary. Unpublished Thesis. IKIP Malang
Setiyadi,A. G. Bambang. 2006. Metode Penelitian Untuk Pengajaran Bahasa Asing; Pendekatan Kualitatif dan Kuantitatif. Yogyakarta: Penerbit Graha Ilmu
Veit, Richard. 1986. Discovering Englsih Grammar. Boston: Houghton Miftlin Company.
Hadi, Prof. Drs. Sutrisno. 1998. Statistic. Yogyakarta: Andi Offset.
Huzairin. 1998. Metacognitive and Cognitive Strategies Employed by ABA Yunisla Students in Learning English Vocabulary. Unpublished Thesis. IKIP Malang
Setiyadi,A. G. Bambang. 2006. Metode Penelitian Untuk Pengajaran Bahasa Asing; Pendekatan Kualitatif dan Kuantitatif. Yogyakarta: Penerbit Graha Ilmu
Veit, Richard. 1986. Discovering Englsih Grammar. Boston: Houghton Miftlin Company.
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