improving students’ learning motivation and listening proficiency
through power point
(an action research at SMAN I Girimarto in2006/2007 Academic Year)
A Thesis
Submitted to the Graduate School of English Department Sebelas Maret University as a fulfilment of the Requirements for Achieving a Magister Degree
of Graduate School of English Education
Written by : Sukatno NIM : S890306014
THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ENGLISH EDUCATION SEBELAS MARET UNIVERSITY
APPROVAL:
This Thesis has been approved by the consultants to be examined by the board of thesis examiners of English Education of Graduate School of Sebelas Maret University.
On:
By:
First Consultant
Dra. Hj. Dewi Rochsantiningsih, M.Ed., Ph D. NIP. 131 658 558
Second Consultant
Drs. H. Tarjana, M A NIP. 130 516 332
The Head of Graduate School of English Education
LEGALIZATION
This Thesis has been examined by the board of Thesis Examiners and approved as a fulfilment of the requirements for obtaining Graduate Degree in English Education of Sebelas Maret University
……….., 2008
PRONOUNCEMENT
This is to certify that I myself write this thesis entitled “IMPROVING STUDENTS’ LEARNING MOTIVATION AND LISTENING PROFICIENCY THROUGH POWER POINT”. It is not a plagiarism or made by others. Anything related to other’s work is written in quotation, the source of which is listed on the bibliography.
If then this pronouncement proves wrong, I am ready to accept any academic punishment, including the withdrawal or cancellation of my academic degree.
Surakarta, February 5, 2008
ABSTRACT
SUKATNO. S. 890306014, 2007. Improving Students’ Learning Motivation and Listening Proficiency through Power Point (An Action Research in the Grade Twelve Students of SMAN I Girimarto the 2007/2008 Academic Year). A Thesis: English Education of Graduate School. Sebelas Maret University 2008.
This research is aimed to find out whether the use of Power Point can improve students’ learning motivation and listening proficiency at senior high school. The problems highlighted in this research was the low learning motivation and listening proficiency of grade XII students of SMAN I Girimarto the 2006/2007 in the Academic Year. The writer conducted an action research from January 2007 to August 2007. The subject of the study was the grade XII students of social science study program ( XII-IPS2).
He carried out three cycles in the research. Each cycle consists of a series of steps, namely identifying the problem, planning the action, implementing the action, observing the action, reflecting the result of observation, and revising the plan. In collecting the data, he used non-observational technique that consists of questionnaires and interviews. The observational technique consists of observation, field notes, diaries, audio-video recordings and taking pictures.
Having collected the data, then he analyzed the data either qualitative data or quantitative data. Qualitative data were analyzed by using Constant Comparative Method, it was found out that the use of Power Point can improve the level of students’ learning motivation. The improvement of the learning motivation was also supported by the data that covers the students’ participations, attendance, enthusiasm in listening class were better than before conducting the research. Quantitative data was analyzed to know the difference of the mean pre-test and post-test. It was found out that there was also an improvement of students’ listening proficiency. The improvement was reflected from the mean progress of the students’ test and post-test. The mean of test was 42 conducted in pre-research and it became 55 in the post-test conducted at the end of Cycle III.
Based on the result of the study, he concluded that students’ learning motivation and listening proficiency could be improved through Power Point.
MOTTO
Verily, along with every hardship is relief. So when you have finished (your occupation), devote yourself for Allah’s worship. And to your Lord (Alone)turn (all your) intension and hopes.
DEDICATION
With deep profound love, this work is devoted to:
The writer’s beloved parents, who pray all time for his success,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, the writer prays to Allah SWT., God the Almighty that he can finally finish the thesis as a partial fulfilment of the requirements for Graduate Degree of Education in English.
In doing this work, the writer realizes that he is unable to finish it without contributions, helps, suggestions, and comments from many people. He is greatly indebted to them. Therefore, in this opportunity he would like to express my gratitude to:
1. Prof. Drs. The Director of Graduate School of Sebelas Maret University for his permission to write this thesis.
2. The Head of English Education of Graduate School of Sebelas Maret University who has suggested and guided him to write this thesis well.
3. Dra. Hj. Dewi Rochsantiningsih, M.Ed., Ph D. and Drs. H. Tarjana, MA as the first and the second consultants who thoroughly and patiently give him encouragement, guidance, and valuable ideas for the completion of this thesis. 4. The Headmaster of SMA Negeri 1 Girimarto who has given him permission to
conduct the research at the school.
5. His beloved wife and three daughters, Ikhlasul Amaliah, Khoirul Amaliah, and Khusnul Amaliah who always give him physical and emotional support during his study.
6. His beloved parents, brothers, and sisters for their prayer to finish his study successfully.
Finally, he would like to express his deep gratitude to those who have helped him so that he can finish this thesis. He really thanks to each of them.
TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED THEORIES ... 7
3. Types of Listening Activities... 17
CHAPTER IV. THE RESULT OF THE STUDY... 41
A.Process of the Research……… 41
1. Pre-Research………... 43
2. Research Implementation………... 44
B. Research Findings………... 69
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSSION, IMPLICATION, & SUGGESTION... 77
B. Implication ……… …… 140
C. Suggestion ……….. 140
LIST OF APPENDICES
No. List of Appendices ………... Page
1. Lesson Plan 1... ……….. 84
2. Lesson Plan 2...……….. 86
3. Lesson Plan 3...……….…….. 89
4. The Sample of Learning Materials in Power Point slides...….…… 92
5. The Sample of the Pre-test and Post- test in Cycle I ... 93
6. The Sample of the Pre-test and Post-test Cycle II and Cycle III... 94
7. The Pre-test and Post-test Materials before and after the Action….. 95
8. The Scores of the Test in Cycle I ………..…..…....…… 98
9. The Scores of the Test in Cycle II ………...…...… 99
10. The Scores of the Test in Cycle III...……….. 100
11. The Scores of the Test before and after the Action... 101
12. The Results of Learning Motivation Scores ………..……… 100
13. Students’ Attendance Lists in Learning ..…………..……….……… 103
14. Questionnaires...……….……... 104
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Learning English is getting more and more important. As a matter of fact,
English takes up a very important position in almost all fields of life, such as
economics, education, politics, technology, sports, tourism, and so on. In relation to
the importance of English, Indonesian Government has determined English as the
first foreign language to be learned and taught to Indonesian students. It has been
decided that English is included in the curriculum as a compulsory subject from
high school up to the university levels.
Listening, one of the four skills in learning language, is considered as a basic language skill. Without learning listening first the learner might not be able to speak. The Decision of Indonesian Education Minister (Kepmendiknas, No. 17 / 2003) states that listening is one of the most important English skills that must be tested in the national final exam or UAN. Started from 2004, listening comprehension has been included in test material of the national final exam or
UAN.
minimum listening proficiency. In learning English, students encounter difficulties which come from sounds, words, classifying words and sentences.
In addition, students are not interested in learning English, especially listening subject. Their low interest in the learning process causes their attention to the material taught becomes low. Their low interest can be caused by their low learning motivation. According to Ur, students’ motivation loses more easily because of monotonous, apparently pointless activity (1998: 288). Consequently, the low motivation can cause unsatisfactory result in learning. Previous research shows that learners who have low learning motivation tend to get unsatisfactory achievement or low achievement. On the other hand, learners who have strong learning motivation are more curious and learn better, and they tend to obtain higher achievement than those who have low motivation. In this case, high learning motivation is associated with high achievement.
Encountering students having low motivation to learn English subject, the writer is in interested in using Power Point. There are many reasons why this study uses Power Point in teaching English. First, SMAN I Girimarto, the high school where he works, has been equipped with a language laboratory having head sets, LCD projectors, Penthium IV Computers and sound system sets. He is familiar with them, because he is in charge of the language laboratory. He has been trained to use an English laboratory and has participated in the contest in making learning media. Second, Power Point is easily operated. By using Power Point, he can develop many kinds of English materials such as English songs, games, and many kinds of stories which can be expected to improve students’ learning motivation and listening proficiency.
In teaching English in a village where SMAN I Girimarto is located, English teachers should conduct some techniques communicatively and innovatively to improve students' learning motivation. Learning English assisted by Power Point can be an inspiring technique to use, as this can be enjoyable and meaningful.
As an English teacher, he is used to use Power Point in his teaching. His experience shows that using Power Point can attract the students’ attention. So, it is necessary for me to conduct a study about using Power Point in relation to improve learning motivation in my class. In the study of language skills, he would like to focus on listening, according to his observation, his students encounter problems most in listening skills. Thus, in this research he would like to investigate the effectiveness of using Power Point to improve students' learning motivation and listening proficiency.
B. Formulation of the Problems The problems can be formulated as follows:
1. Does the use of Power Point improve students' learning motivation? If it does, to what extent?
2. Does the use of Power Point improve students' listening proficiency? If it does, to what extent?
The purposes of the study are as follows:
1. To identify whether the use of Power Point improve students’ learning motivation. If it does, to what extent?
2. To identify whether the use of Power Point improve students’ listening proficiency. If it does to what extent?
D. The Benefits of the Research
This study is expected to have some advantages in learning and teaching English.
1. For teachers
a. The teachers will get an inspiration to promote the student’s learning interest. In addition, they are able to improve the students’ learning motivation. b. The result of this study can be used as a reference for teachers who want to
solve the problems in improving the students’ learning motivation and listening achievement.
2. For students
a. It will give an enjoyable learning situation which can improve the students’ learning motivation.
a. The result of this study can improve the quality of teaching listening at schools.
b. The school also gives freedom to the teacher to conduct an innovative teaching and learning activity.
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
A. Learning Motivation 1. Learning
Learning is a process that must be undergone by all of human being.
Learning process is not only happen in the class but also outside the class. Maltby, et
al. give a statement that: “Learning is the process by which an organism changes its
behavior as the result of experience” (1999: 219). The other expert, Lahey defines:
“Learning refers to any relativity permanent change in behavior brought about
through experience”, that is, through interaction with the environment” (2004: 198).
According to Sdorow (1998: 234), learning is a relatively permanent change in
From the definitions above, learning could be defined as a change in behavior
or knowledge of an organism that is brought about through experiences, in
interacting with the environment. Learning is a change of behavior or knowledge,
either in the direction of a better or worst one. The changing is resulted from
experience. Not all changes in behavior are the result of learning. The change results
are resulted from the experiences rather than the change due to biological causes,
such as maturation
,
and body development. The changing should be relativelypermanent. It is the results of a certain period, may be for days, weeks, months, or
even grades. The changing involves many aspects, like the changing of habit,
attitude, and understanding.
2. Motivation
Harmer (1993: 3) states that motivation is an internal drive that encourages
somebody to pursue a course of action. Lahey (1995: 231) defines motivation as an
internal state that activates and gives direction to our thoughts, feelings and actions.
According to Brown (1994: 152), motivation is an inner drive, impulse, emotion, or
desire that moves one to particular action. In a more technical term, he explains that
motivation refers to “the choices people make as to what experiences or goals they
will approach or avoid and the degree of effort they will exert in that respect”.
Meanwhile, Sdorow states that motivation refers to the psychological processes that
motivation is related to the behavior, students’ behavior in the learning process that
leads them to achieve the goal.
Elliot, et al. (2000: 332) define motivation as an internal state that arouses
people to action, pushes them in particular directions and keeps them engaged in
certain activities. Maltby (1995: 207) defines motivation as what energizes us and
directs the activity to achieve the goals. The energy and direction are derived from
the learner’s mind to reach the goals which are as the center of the motivation.
He can conclude that motivation is the energy and direction of the
behavior of the people in the learning process that drives them to do a particular
action in order to achieve goals.
In this study, the writer defines that learning motivation is as the energy of
the people to achieve learning goals that covers curiosity, perseverance,
ego-involvement and positive task oriented in through learning experience.
3. Motivation in Learning Foreign Language
Motivation has an important role in learning. Motivation affects learner’s
learning process. It increases a learner’s energy and activity level. Generally,
more-motivated learners achieve higher levels of achievement. Elliot, et al (2000: 332) say
that motivation affects learning and performances in four ways. They are: 1)
Motivation increases an individual’s energy and activity level; 2) Motivation directs
activities and persistence in those activities; and 4) Motivation affects the learning
strategies and cognitive processes an individual employs. Thus, motivation is very
important in learning.
Harmer (1993: 3-4) separates motivation in learning foreign language into
two main categories: extrinsic motivation, which concerns with factors outside the
classroom, and intrinsic motivation, which concerns with what takes place inside the
classroom. He also states that there are two main types of motivation, integrative
motivation and instrumental motivation. Integrative motivation is the wish of the
students to integrate themselves into the culture. Instrumental motivation is the wish
to learn language for purposes in career promotion or better jobs. Therefore,
integrative motivation comes up from the learner himself while instrumental one
comes up from other sources outside the learners.
Elliot, et al. (2000: 233) distinguish two types of motivation; intrinsic
motivation and extrinsic one. Intrinsic motivation is the desire of students themselves
to learn, without the need for external motivation. When motivation generates
interest and enjoyment; and a reason of performing the activity lies within the
activity itself, this indicates that the motivation comes from the learners’ needs,
wants and desires for their own sake. This motivation exists when the learner learns
because of an inner desire to accomplish a task successfully, whether it has some
While extrinsic motivation is rewards and external inducements to students
such as scores, prizes, and other rewards. Students’ reason for doing an activity is to gain something outside the activity itself. Thus, it is clear that the extrinsic motivation exists when the learners are motivated by an outcome that is external.
Extrinsically motivated students carried out task in anticipation of reward from
outside and beyond themselves.
Intrinsic motivation seems to stay more steadily and gives more contribution
to students for learning than extrinsic one. However, in motivating students to learn, the external stimulus is also needed by the students to reach some goals. This stimulus can be used to stimulate the students’ motivation toward teaching and learning process. Good grades, colorful stickers, and praise, for example, are used ubiquitously as extrinsic rewards for competent work and cooperative behavior. To
promote extrinsic motivation of the students, some rewards from outside and beyond
them give meaningful contribution to the their extrinsic motivation. It seems
important that the teacher does not only supply on students’ intrinsic motivation, but
also supplies extrinsic motivation and stimulates students’ motivation to learn. The
teacher can apply some strategies in maintaining or improving the extrinsic one
toward a successful teaching and learning.
Motivation arouses, sustains and directs students’ behavior. However, it is
not always in a stable condition. The stable condition can affect the students’
learning process. Knowing the importance of motivation in learning, the teacher
should be aware that there are several factors that affect students’ motivation as
proposed by Elliot, et al. (2000: 345-352). They are as follows:
a) Anxiety
Anxiety may be defined as an unpleasant sensation that is usually experienced as
feelings of apprehension and general irritability accompanied by fatigue,
uneasiness and various somatic symptoms. Anxiety can affect students’
classroom performance and achievement.
b) Curiosity and Interest
According to Loewenstein (in Elliot, et al. 2000: 348), curiosity is a cognitively
based emotion that occurs when a student recognizes a conflict between what he
or she believes to be true about the world and what turns out actually to be true.
Students become curious if their environment stimulates them. Interest is similar
and related to curiosity. Interest is an enduring characteristic expressed by a
relationship between a person and a particular activity or object.
Locus of control is the cause of behavior. Internal locus of control is the cause
that exists within the leaner himself, and external locus of control is the cause
that comes from outside. For example, if the learner believes that his success is
based on his skill not luck, it is an internal one, and if the learner believes that
his success is based on his luck not skill, it is an external one.
d) Learned Helplessness
It means the reaction on the part of some individuals to become frustrated and
simply stop trying or give up after repeated failure.
e) Self-efficacy
It is an individual’s belief in his or her own capabilities to control over aspect of
his or her lives. The student who believes in his or her ability and has strong
efficacy can focus on his or her work, take an effort on it, minimize difficulty.
On the other hand, the student who does not believe in his or her ability, feels
inefficient focusing on his or her work. This condition can exaggerate potential
difficulty that can influence motivation.
f) Student’s Environment
It is the place where students learn. Classroom environment, the multicultural
background of students, medium for study, where they learn can influence the
students’ motivation.
A motivated student is one who is eager to invest an effort in learning
activities and to progress. It is essential to know that student is motivated. Ur (1996:
275) gives the characteristics of the motivated student in learning, that is quoted
from Naiman, et al. (1978). The characteristics are as follows:
1) Positive task oriented, student who is motivated in learning is willing to tackle
task and challenges and has confidence in his or her success.
2) Ego-involvement, student finds it important to succeed in learning in order to
maintain and to promote his or her own positive self-image.
3) Need for achievement, student has a need to achieve, to overcome difficulties and
to succeed in what he/she sets out to do.
4) High aspiration, student is ambitious, and he goes for demanding challenging,
high proficiency and top grades.
5) Goal orientation, student is very aware of the goals of learning, or specific
learning activities, and directs his or her own effort towards achieving them.
6) Perseverance, student consistently invests high level of effort in learning, and is
not discouraged by setbacks or apparent lack of progress.
7) Tolerance of ambiguity, student is not disturbed by situation involving a
temporary lack of understanding or confusion; he or she can live with this
patiently, in the confidence the understanding will come later.
A motivated student is one who has a positive mind. He finds the importance
effort to achieve the goal consistently. He is learning patiently although he has not
understood what he learns. He has confidence that he will understand better.
B. Listening 1. The Definition of Listening
Myers and Myers (1999: 143) state that listening is not only hearing, but also including the added dimensions of understanding, paying attention, analyzing, and evaluating the spoken messages, and possibly acting on the basis of what has been heard. Similarly, Floyd as quoted by Myers and Myers, defined listening as receiver orientation to the communication process, since communication involves both a source and a receiver, listening consists of the roles receivers playing in communication process. Ross (1994: 2) states that listening is a process triggered by our attention. In psychological terms, attention is an excitation of nerve pathways, the brain to organize incoming stimuli in an efficient way. Farlex (2007: 2) defines that listening is the act of hearing attentively.
understand what the speaker has said, think about whether it makes sense. Listening requires listeners to interpret all massages they hear and see. Effective listening means being able to understand the language (grammatical ability) and the way the language is used in a different situation (interaction ability). Listening is a psychomotor process of receiving sounds waves through the ear and transmitting nerve impulse to the brain.
2. Learning to Listen
Listening comprehension also has an important role in determining the learner's success in learning language, especially in communication. We cannot communicate with others if we do not understand what the speaker intends. That is why there is a lot of misunderstanding between the listener and the speaker. Why misunderstanding always occurs in communication, what the speaker said and intended, is determined by the listener's ability in answering the speaker's question.
Learning to listen in our first language is by no means easy. It requires considerable cognitive development and constant attention to social and linguistic input over a period of several grades. However, learning to listen in a second language seems to be even more difficult. While it may not require more time to develop, second language listening is confounded by a number of difficulties.
Second, he selects and designs appropriate materials in solving the student's difficulties, in order to make the students more effective listeners.
Considering the difficulties or the problems which are faced by the students, it will be better if the teacher understands how the process of listening comprehension is achieved by them.
According to Helgezen and Brown, students learn to listen or read through two processes, they are bottom-up and top-down (1994: xii):
a. Bottom-up processing. Students start by learning the component parts, such as: words, and grammar. Lynch states that the listener or reader would first recognize the smallest bits of information in the text and then built them up into words, into phrases, into clauses, and so on, until the whole text had been decoded (1996: 21).
b. Top-down processing. Students start to learn from their background knowledge. Lynch states that background knowledge is the level that covers a wide range of information and experience stored in memory. For example: general knowledge of scientific facts and historical events, the belief and conventions of our culture, local knowledge about the place we live, and the individual experiences of our social and private lives (1996: 21).
speaker (gender, age, known opinions), knowledge of the topic (and what the speaker is likely to know about it, or feel about it ), and so on.
In short, in the top-down processing, students do not need to pay much attention to the language used. As in some situations, the topic or the speaker is so familiar that they can take for granted a great deal of what is said. It allows to anchor their comprehension on what they think is relevant knowledge of the topic, the speaker, and so on.
3. Types of Listening Activities
An essential factor in creating effective listeners is exposing the listeners to a variety of listening activities. According to Helgesen and Brown 1994: xii) there are three types of listening activities, namely:
a) Listening for the main idea/listening for gist/global listening.
It is listening skill for understanding the general meaning. The listener usually is quick to understand the idea of the text. He/she can imagine to catch the general meaning of something he/she hears.
b) Listening for specific information/listening for detail/ focused listening. It involves understanding the task and focusing to catch certain information. c) Listening between the lines /understanding inferences.
though the specific words are not used. It means the listener needs to understand the sequences of the story. Here, in this listening activity, the hearer must be able to draw the inference of the story.
4. Listening Problems
The first step in constructing a successful listening is to identify the learning problems that students are experiencing as a result of listening to related issues. Penny Ur (1996: 111-112) identified the learners' problems and the solutions as follows:
a) Trouble with sounds
Most students rely mostly on context for comprehension; they are often themselves unaware of inaccurate sound perception.
b) Have to understand every word
Some students feel worried and stressed when they miss some words of the text. Here, the teacher needs to give the students practice in selective ignoring of heard information/something, they do naturally in their mother tongue: The teacher should explain this point to the students, and set them occasional tasks that ask them to scan a relatively long tasks for one or two limited items of information.
The students can only understand if the teacher talks slowly and clearly. They can not understand fast, natural native-sounding speech. To overcome this problem; the teacher has to expose the students to as much spontaneous-informal talk as possible, so they can understand the native speech. The teacher can also provide them with the sorts of discourse at the right level for them.
d) Need to hear thing, more than once
In order to understand, students need more than once to hear the text. In this problem, the teacher can try to use texts that include "redundant" passage and within which the essential information is presented more than once and not too intensively and give the students the opportunity to request clarification or repetition during the listening.
e) Find it difficult to keep up
The students feel overloaded with incoming information. The solution is not (so much) to slow down the discourse but rather to encourage them to relax, stop trying to understand everything, learn to pick out what is essential and allow themselves to ignore the rest.
Sometimes, students feel tired and bored to listen, if the discourse is too long. They also feel more difficult to concentrate: The solution of this problem is similar with the third problem.
Similar to Penny Ur (1996: 113), Rost (1994: 119) has identified the listeners' problems as follows: acuity of hearing, discrimination and auditory perception, attention and concentration, comprehension including four aspects, namely: factual or literal comprehension, interpretation, critical listening, and evolutional listening.
5. Difficulties in Listening
According to many experts among others (Dunkel, 1991; Richards, 1983; and Ur, 1984), there are eight factors making listening difficult as follows: a) Clustering
Because of the limitation of memory and predisposition for clustering, we need to break down speech into small groups of words. In teaching listening comprehension, the teacher needs to help students to pick out manageable cluster of words.
b) Redundancy
c) Reduced form
Spoken language has also many reduced forms. Reduction can be morphological, phonological, syntactic , pragmatic and so on. These reductions pose significant difficulties, especially for classroom learners who have initially been exposed to the full forms of English language.
d) Performance variables
Everyday casual speech by native speakers also commonly contains ungrammatical forms, they might be understood easily to native speakers, but might not be easy to second language learners.
e) Colloquial language
English learners might have difficulties to deal with colloquial language. Colloquialisms appear in both monologues and dialogues, they make learners have difficulties to listen to them. Colloquialisms cover idioms, slang, reduced forms and so on.
f) Rate of delivery
Virtually every language learner thinks that native speakers speak very fast. The speed of speaking can influence the understanding of the listeners.
g) Stress, rhythm, and intonation
terror for learners as mouthfuls of syllables come spilling out between stressed points.
h) Interaction
Conversation is especially subject to all the rules of interaction : negotiation, clarification, attending signals, turn-taking, and so on. So, learning to listen is also to learn to respond and to continue a chain and responding. Learners should be trained that good listeners are good responders.
6. Listening Proficiency
Listening proficiency can be developed through increased attention to the ways in which pupils participate orally and to the ways in which they understand new information that is presented, how they retain information, and how they respond to speakers. These skills can be developed systematically and consistently through school curricula that emphasize the use of learning from medias, and structured speaking and listening tasks.
Rost (1994: 142) has drawn up a partial list of components of listening proficiency as follows:
7) Recalling important words, topics and ideas. 8) Giving appropriate feedback to the speaker. 9) Reformulating what the speaker has said”.
In deciding the listening tasks, the teacher needs to identify the components and designs specific exercises that include the use of those components of listening proficiency.
7. Types of Classroom Listening Performance
With literally hundreds of possible techniques available for teaching listening skill, it will be helpful to think in terms of several kinds of listening performance. The types of listening performance are as the following:
a) Reactive
This kind of listening performance requires little meaningful processing, it nevertheless may be a legitimate, even though a minor, aspect of an interactive communicative classroom. The role of the listener is merely as a “tape recorder“ because the listener is not generating meaning.
b) Intensive
The purpose of this technique is to focus on components (phonemes, words, intonation, discourse etc.) of discourse. It may be considered to be intensive, as opposed to extensive, in their requirement that students single out certain elements of spoken language.
A significant proportion of classroom listening activity consists of short stretches of teacher language designed to elicit immediate responses. The students’ task in such listening is to process the teacher talk immediately.
d) Selective
The purpose of this performance is not to look for general meaning, but to be able to find important information in a field of potentially distracting information. Such activity requires field independence on the part of the learner. Selective listening differs from intensive listening in that the discourse is in relatively long lengths. They include speeches, media broadcast etc.
e) Extensive
Extensive performance could range from listening to lengthy lecture, to listening to conversation and deriving a comprehensive message. Extensive listening may require the student to invoke other interactive skills (e.g. discussion) for full comprehension.
f) Interactive
Based on the statements above, listening can be defined as a communication process between a source and receiver where the receiver has an important role in understanding, paying attention, analyzing and evaluating the spoken messages, and possibly giving response of what has been heard. Listening covers the following problems: (1) Discrimination between sounds, (2) recognizing words, (3) identifying stressed words and grouping of words, 4) identifying functions in a conversation, (5) using background knowledge and context (what has already been said) to predict and then to confirm meaning, (7) recalling important words, topics and ideas, and (9) reformulating what the speaker has said”.
C. Review on Power Point
1. The definition of Power Point
There are several definitions of Power Point. Fisher (2003: 1) defines that Power Point is a type of presentation software that allows one to show colored texts and images with animation and sound. Power Point is just one of many types of presentation software.
While in the internet TESL Journal, Tuffle (2006: 1) writes his definition about Power point:
also offer word processing, outlining, drawing, graphing, and presentation management tools-all designed to be easy to use and learn”.
Kisito (2006: 2) states that Power Point is presentation software bundled in MS office and used for creating presentations usually in the form of slideshows. Over the grades Microsoft has been updating the software, each time making it even better.
Based on the definition of Power Point above, it can be concluded that Power Point is one of the presentations software producing professional-looking presentations such as colored texts, graphic packages, sound, animations in the form of slideshows.
Power Point comes bundled with Microsoft packages. It will run on either Macintosh or Windows PC's. The files are easy to create and can be e-mailed as attachments. They can be posted on or downloaded from websites, and can be converted to html web pages. Not only can Power Point presentations be traded and exchanged, they can also be modified to fit any individual classroom setting. Although other presentation soft wares may have the same capabilities, it is the most common, and it is user friendly.
Fisher (2003: 2-3) explains that Power Point can be used in many ways in the teaching English second language as well as in other subjects. They can be used for initial teaching, for practice and drilling, for games, for reviews, and for tests. Many English materials of listening, speaking, writing and also reading can be inserted in Power Point easily. By recording the sound from TV program, radio, etc or by copying from other files. Fisher (2003: 3) adds that Power Point can be used in many parts of teaching, they are as follows:
a. Initial Teaching
Power Point can be used to teach new ideas and concepts to students. In theory this sounds very good; however, in practice this can be tricky. The teacher must anticipate areas of misunderstanding and difficulty. Once the teacher knows the troubles, which the students will face, he or she can create or adapt a presentation for the students. The presentation must be clear and uncluttered. It should address anticipated areas of student’s difficulty in an orderly manner. This type of presentation is difficult to prepare, but it can be done. Once an initial teaching presentation is prepared, it can be saved and used again and again, and it can be shared with others.
b. Practice and Drill
presentation of irregular verbs is one example of something which can be repeated again and again. Other types of material can be repeated weekly. Presentations using the correct preposition, or the correct form of an adjective, or countable and uncountable contrasts could be practiced and reviewed periodically.
Songs and games are a good way to review and practice English. Teachers can use Power Point by recording or copying from many sources to create their own games to use in the classroom. Once a game has been created, it can be reused by the author or shared with other teachers.
c. Review
Power Point is great for reviewing ideas which have already been taught. After the students have learned and practiced something, it is good to see a presentation. Presentations of Power Point can be done every day. They provide a break in the routine and a way to see material differently. Not only do students find this interesting, but it is also a good way to check and see if they have mastered a concept. When using a presentation created by another teacher, the students have a chance to see old ideas presented in different ways. Power Point media is also good ways to review a lesson before a test.
d. Test
number of seconds for each slide). The students then write down the name of each item. It is a great way to test vocabulary. Using the timer feature, a teacher could design a many types of tests or quizzes.
D. Rationale
For some English teachers, it might be not easy to teach English to senior
high school students that live in a village. The teacher finds that students are
reluctant in learning English in their class although it is not a new subject for them.
Their low interest causes their low learning motivation. The low learning motivation
can influence to their achievement.
Students’ learning motivation naturally has to do with students’ desire to
participate in teaching and learning process. Learning motivation is the willingness
of the students to follow the learning activities. It concerns with the goals involved in
the activities being performed. Besides, learning motivation also concerns with the
efforts of the students to devote to that pursuit. Their persistence during the learning
activity is performed related to their learning motivation.
Based on the theory underlying the study, it seems that using Power Point
can improve the students’ learning motivation and listening proficiency. Students
having low learning motivation will be more effectively taught through Power Point.
uses Power Point in teaching English. First, SMAN I Girimarto, the high school where he teaches, has been equipped with a language laboratory having head sets, LCD projectors, Penthium IV Computers and sound system sets. He has been trained to use an English laboratory and has participated in the contests in making learning media. Second, Power Point is easily operated. He can develop many kinds of English materials such as English songs, games, and many kinds of films. They can be inserted in the slides of Power Point. By clicking the active buttons, the students can enjoy the sound and images produced by Power Point. Based on the theories underlying the study and the problems which are being faced by the students, it seems that the use of Power Point has many contributions to attract the student’ motivation in learning, Moreover it also helps students have entertainments but also to have social interaction among. From the explanation above the writer assumes that the students who learn English listening subject through Power Point have better learning motivation, their high learning motivation can influence their achievement.
E. Action Hypothesis
Based on the theoretical principles and the related research, the writer proposes the following hypothesis:
2. Learning English through Power Point can improve the students‘ listening proficiency.
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. The Setting and the Time of the Research
This study was carried out at SMAN I Girimarto, Wonogiri, Central Java. The school is located on Jalan Maron Girimarto. Maron is the name of the hill where SMAN I Girimarto is situated. This school is located far from a main street and surrounded by forests, small river and rice fields, so it is difficult to reach by public transportation.
(XI IPS 1, XI IPS 2), and three classes of grade XII which consists of one natural science study class (XII IPA ), two social science study classes (XII IPS 1, XII IPS 2).
The facilities of SMAN I Girimarto are a small library, a natural science laboratory, a language laboratory, 10 toilets, a parking area, three school canteens and a mosque.
There was no difficulty to manage the time to carry out an action research in the classroom that the writer teaches. The time schedule of the research could be done easily without disturbing the teaching and learning process. The action was from February to September, 2007.
The time schedule of the research in SMAN I Girimarto in 2007/2008 academic year is described on Table 3.1 as follows:
Table 3.1. Time Schedule of Research.
No Activities Time Estimation Note(s)
1 . Pre-survey January, 2007
2. Performing and writing proposal February-June, 2007
3. Reviewing literature July, 2007
4. Developing Instrument July-August, 2007 5. Collecting and analyzing data August-September, 2007
6. Writing reports September-October,2007
B. The Subject of the Research
The subject of the study is the twelfth grade students of social science study program ( XII-IPS2) of SMAN I Girimarto. They are 40 students, consisting of 17 male and 23 female. Most of them were reluctant to learn, because they have not known yet why they must study. In addition, they were not eager to continue their study after graduating from SMA. They wanted to get a job in many big cities, most of their parents are money makers over there and the rests are farmers in the village. Commonly, their parents do not motivate their children to study hard and to attend the school lessons actively. This can be seen from the book of presence. One of the reasons they were reluctant to go to school is because of the transportation cost. It is rather difficult to reach SMAN I Girimarto. The number of transportation means is limited. There is no bus passing by near the school. Sometimes they must go to school on foot, the transportation cost is not cheap.
C. The Method of Research
This research was conducted as an action research. The writer was assisted by an observer, who is also an English teacher of SMAN I Girimarto. The observer and the writer collaboratively designed, planned, revised the research procedures, and also discussed the research results as reflection.
1. Definition of Action Research
The definitions of an action research are stated by many experts, as follows: Elliot (1991: 69), states:
“Action research is the study of social situation with a view to improving the quality of action within it. It aims to feed practical judgment concrete situations and the validity of the "theories" or hypothesis it generates depends not so much on scientific test of truth, as on their usefulness in helping people to act more intelligently and skillfully. In action research "theories" are not validated through practice”.
Burns (1999: 30) quoted from Carr and Kemmis (1996: 162) defines that:
“Action research is a form of self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants (teacher, students or principals, for example) in social (including educational) situations in order to improve the rationality and justice of (a) their own social or educational practices, (b) their understanding of these practices, and (c) the situation; and institutions) in which these practices are carried out “.
McNiff (1988: 1) defines that:
From the definitions above Action Research is carried out in school to get an improvement of the teaching and learning process.
Action Research is conducted in this study to improve the students' learning motivation and listening proficiency. The fact shows that the students' learning motivation and listening proficiency in my English class is still unsatisfactory.
2. The Characteristics of Action Research
Burns (1999: 30) suggests a number of common features which can be considered to characterize Action Research:
1. Action Research is contextual, small-scale and localized. It identifies and investigates problems within a specific situation.
2. It is evaluative and reflective as it aims to bring about change and improvement in practice.
3. It is participatory as it provides for collaborative investigation by teams of colleagues, practitioners and researchers.
4. Changes in practice are based on the collection of information or data which provides the impetus for change.
Based on the statements above, the characteristics of Action Research can be concluded as follows:
1. Action research is carried out by practitioners.
2. The process of evaluation and reflection in its aim is to bring about social and educational change and improvement.
3. Action Research provides collaborative investigation by teams of colleagues, practitioners and researchers.
4. The results of the research have direct application to real-world problems. 5. The treatments and methods which are investigated are flexible.
3. The Model of Action Research
1. Planning
Developing a plan of critically informed action to improve what is already happening.
2. Action
Acting to implement the plan 3. Observation
Observing the effects of the critically informed action in the context in which it occurs.
4. Reflection
Reflecting these effects as the basis for further planning.
4. The Procedures of an Action Research
The procedure of this research takes six steps. The second until the last step form one cycle. The procedure is described as follows:
Reflecting
Planning
Acting
Observing Acting
Planning
Reflecting
a. Identifying the problems
The problems are identified first before planning the action. The problems refer to the factors making the low listening proficiency improvement of the students and the passive behavior during the teaching learning process. The problems are identified by using two techniques as follows:
1) Using test
The pre-test is given to know the students’ proficiency of English listening. 2) Observation
The observation is held in order to know the students’ behavior during the teaching and listening process to know the model of class management and students’ listening proficiency and learning motivation.
b. Planning the Action
General plan is made before implementing the action. The writer prepares everything related to the action as follows:
a) Making a lesson-plan and designing the steps in doing the action. b) Preparing listening materials (using audio visual aids in Power Point)
c) Preparing exercises, pre-test, and post-test (to know students’ listening proficiency)
d) Preparing an audio video recorder (to record the teaching learning process)
The writer implements the action by using Power Point to improve learning motivation and listening proficiency.
d. Observing/ Monitoring the Action
The writer was assisted by an observer, who is also an English teacher of SMA I Girimarto to observe all activities during the teaching learning process in a field note.
e. Reflecting the Result of the Observation
The observer and the writer made an evaluation on the observation result to find out the positive results and weaknesses during the action.
f. Revising the Plan
Based on the weaknesses which were found in the reflecting process, the observer and the writer revised the action plan for the next cycle.
D. Steps of Conducting Action Research
1. Data Collection
The data of the research were collected using some techniques of quantitative and qualitative data collection which include: the scores of the written tests, interview, observation, diary, and document analysis. Audio visual recording and photographs were also taken during the implementation of the research to provide more accurate data. The data which were collected in this study consisted of the information gained in pre-research, the process, and the result of Action Research implementation.
To know the level of the students’ learning motivation, the writer uses questionnaires. The results of questionnaires are changed into quantitative data by using Likert Scale. To know the students’ listening proficiency, he takes from the tests that are carried out before and after the cycles are implemented.
2. Data analysis
During the process of Action Research, he collected the following group of data: research diary, pre-research observation reports, field notes, record of research implementation, photographs of teaching learning process and research documents which consist of: lesson plan, lesson tasks, questionnaires result, and list of students’ pre-test and post-test results.
The qualitative data are analyzed by using Constant Comparative Method as suggested by Strauss and Glasser in Moleong (2005: 288-289). They said that in general, the data analysis process includes data reduction, data classified, data synthesis, and ended by action hypothesis. They are as follows:
1. Data Reduction
a) Unit identification. First of all, it is identified the smallest unit which is found in the data. It must have closed relationship with the research problems. b) Having got the unit, the next step is making codification. It means that we
have to code every unit in order to be known where the data come from. 2. Categorization
a) Categorization Arrangement. It is aimed at choosing every unit which has the same characteristics.
b) Every category must be labeled. 3. Synthesis
b) The related one category to another must be given a label again. 4. Stating ‘Action Hypothesis’ .
The quantitative data are analyzed by comparing the means of the pre-test and post-test to know the difference before and after the cycle.
CHAPTER IV
THE RESULT OF THE STUDY
The aims of the research are to find out whether the use of Power Point improve students’ learning motivation. If it does, to what extent; and to identify whether the use of Power Point improve students’ listening proficiency. If it does to what extent. The findings are described in this chapter which is divided into two sections. The first is the process of the research and the second is the findings. Each section will be described in section A and section B, respectively.
A. The Process of the Research
classroom situation and she decided to take part in my Action Research. In this research she really involved in the class observation. She also took parts in designing, planning, revising and discussing the results of the research as a reflection. The procedures of the Action Research are described on Table 4.1
Table 4.1. Procedures of the Research
Planning the action for Cycle I
Implementing the action plan in three meetings. Implementing the action plan in three meetings.
To use songs and monologue report texts through Power Point To use film “Snow White” through Power Point
1. Planning Implementing the action plan in three meetings students' learning motivation and listening proficiency. The pre-research included: 1) interviewing the students, 2) observing the teaching and learning process and, 3) giving pre-test (listening test) and questionnaires to identify the students’ learning motivation.
In teaching listening to grade XII of social science study, class 2 (XII IPS2) students at SMAN I Girimarto, the writer used to teach them by using conventional techniques in which he used a tape recorder, or sometimes he just read the listening material directly. Concerning the problems, he identified at least there were two which included: 1) students have low learning motivation, and 2) students have low listening proficiency.
students did not come early to the classroom. To identify the students’ learning motivation, he used questionnaires, giving the questionnaires were given before and after implementing the research. Based on the result of the questionnaires before doing the research, he knew that the students had low learning motivation. The results of the questionnaires were converted into quantitative data by using to Likert scale. The result of the Likert scale showed that the mean score the students’ learning motivation was 44.
To identify listening proficiency of the students, he conducted a pre-test. The mean which was 42 indicated that students had low listening proficiency.
The data collected during the pre-research were important to confirm the assumption about the problems. In addition, the pre-research also provided the basis of choosing Power Point to improve students’ learning motivation and listening proficiency.
2. Research Implementation
November 10 to November 17, 2007 The implementation of each cycle was summarized on Table 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4. Each cycle consisted of four steps. The steps were: 1) planning the action, 2) implementing the action, 3) observing the action, 4) reflecting of theobservation results. The steps of Cycle I are shown on Table 4.2.
Table 4.2. The Implementation of Cycle I CYCLE 1
1. Planning To discus the result of pre-test of listening test
To present Power Point of songs and monologue report texts
2. Action First meeting
3. Observation The students didn’t care with result of the pre-test
In the beginning the students were noisy
The situation of the class was getting better after an English song was played.
The situation of the class was noisy again after the song was stopped.
The students were not enthusiastic to continue to the next topic. They
( - ) Most of the students were very enthusiastic especially when the song was played, but when they began to listen the report texts, few of them are not eager learn. They want to sing again.
Some students complain about the sound produced by the slides of Power Point
a.
Cycle 11) Planning the Action
The action plan for the first cycle was based on the problems that were identified on the pre-research as follows: 1) students had low learning motivation; and 2) students had low listening proficiency. To overcome those problems, the writer decided to conduct a study by focusing on improving the students' learning motivation and the students’ listening proficiency through Power Point. After identifying the students’ learning motivation and listening proficiency, he presented songs and monologue report texts.
Before the real action was implemented, he prepared the materials, students' worksheets, a lesson plan as a guidance in teaching listening, English learning CD, and everything related to the action. The observer observed the whole process during teaching and learning process in the classroom.
2) Implementing the Action
students could practice to listen to monologue report texts through Power Point. The students could listen to and watch the texts on the screen which were
presented through LCD projector. The first cycle was conducted in three meetings. Each meeting was divided into three terms, namely: warming up and presentation, practice, and production.
a) First Meeting
(1 ) Warming Up and Presentation
The lesson started at 08:00 a.m. The writer told the students that the listening class would be held in the language laboratory. Based on the schedule they came in the laboratory enthusiastically.
The lesson began, he opened the lesson by greeting them, he said, “Good morning everybody !“, The students answered, ”Good morning sir!”, “How are you!” They answered ,”Fine!”. Then, he checked the attendance of the students. Next, he told them that today we were going to have a listening subject, we were going to listen to an English song and many monologues of report texts through Power Point.
lyrics. After finishing this task, they were asked to sing together. This activity lasted for 15 minutes. The example of the song slide was shown in Appendix 4.
(2) Practice
The students could practice listening to many kinds of materials through Power Point. The students’ worksheets were given, they could practice together by listening to the sound delivered by a speaker through Power Point. They were asked to fill in the students’ worksheets to check their understanding of the text. After listening to the song, the students were asked to listen to monologue report texts. The materials of listening in this section were about job in the form of simple report texts. Each slide in Power Point which presented images and sounds was played twice, by clicking the Power Point active buttons.
(3) Production
In this stage, the writer gave listening exercises. The exercises were based on the material which were presented through Power Point. The test materials were just filling in short answers. The students were asked to give their answers on students’ worksheets.
b) Second Meeting
The writer started the lesson at 07.15 a.m. by greeting the students and then checking students' attendance. He began the lesson by continuing the listening materials related to the materials given before.
He explained to the students that they were going to listen to an English song before continuing to listen to monologue report texts. He added that the title of the song was Sun. The students responded enthusiastically. At first, they were asked to listen to the song. Then, they were asked to complete the missing words of the song lyrics. After finishing this task, they were asked to sing together. This activity lasted for 15 minutes.
(2) Practice
The students could practice listening to many kinds of materials through Power Point. The students’ worksheets were given, they could practice together by listening to the listening materials delivered by a speaker through Power Point. To check the students’ understanding of the texts, they were asked to fill in the students’ worksheets. After listening to the song, the students were asked to listen to monologue report texts. The materials of listening in this section were continuing the topic presented in the first meeting. The topic was still monologue report texts. Each slide in Power Point which presented images and sounds was played twice, by clicking. The example of the monologue report text was shown in Appendix 4.
In this stage, the writer gave listening exercises. The exercises were based on the materials presented in Power Point. The students were asked to give short answers on students’ worksheets.
c)
Third Meeting( 1 ) Warming Up and Presentation
The writer started the lesson at 08.00 a.m. by greeting the students and checking students' attendance. Then, he began the lesson by continuing the listening materials related to the materials before.
He explained to the students that they were going to listen to an English song before continuing to listen to monologue report texts. I added that the title of the song was A beautiful girl. The students responded enthusiastically. At first, they were asked to listen to the song. Then, they were asked to complete the missing words of the song lyrics. After finishing this task, they were asked to sing together. This activity lasted for 15 minutes.
(2) Practice
