This chapter presents some descriptions: background of the study, statement
of the problem, objective of the study, reason for choosing the topic, significance
of the study, and limitation of the study.
A. Background of the Study
Amid the hotly debated issue on whether grammar should be taught or how
it should be taught, the researcher believes that learning grammar is undoubtedly
useful for those wanting a second or foreign language communicative
competence. This opinion is supported by Zhang, (2009:184) telling that grammar
mastery is one of the two main important things in a communicative competence
besides vocabulary. Additionally, having a communicative competence using the
new language that have been learning is the goal of our language learning. In
English teaching, there are commonly four skills to teach which are considered as
ways of communication. The people’s way of communication definitely deals
with the act of speaking, listening, reading and writing which all of them cannot
be separated from grammar. Therefore, no one cannot argue that grammar is
really usefull.
The process of communication itself always involves the way of words
spoken and written form. Thereby, grammar prevails here. No one learns grammar
while using their mother tongue in truth. As Indonesian, people just start speaking
what other people speak around. By doing that such thing only, the language can
be practiced fast and effective as it is the native language that people hear and see
everytime in their daily life. Yet, when someone wants to learn a foreign language
like English, especially in a non-English speaking country like Indonesia, one
must learn its grammar too in order to speak clearer and more effectively with
well structured sentences. Debata (2013:483) states that consciously or not,
anyone using a certain language always uses its grammar. Nonetheless, those
having unconscious grammar knowledge will only be sufficient in holding simple
language use. Once again, grammar instruction is still necessarily to be done.
Grammar teaching at English Department of Muhammadiyah University of
Purwokerto is taught as structure subject. The term of “ structure “ has a very
close meaning to “grammar” since it discusses rules of word combination and
sentence structure. It is also endorsed by Zhang (2009:184) saying that grammar
is a system consisting principles about the formation (or structure) of a language’s
sentences use. Structure class has a series started from structure 1 taught at the
first semester to structure 5 taught at the fifth semester.
Joining all series of structure class, the researcher finds out that the common
problem which often come up concerning structure class is the students’
perception. Some students say that structure class is boring. Whereas, some others
say the other way. These sort of ideas still prevail even in the last series of
boring?,How much students perceiving the same idea? whereas learning structure
is undoubtedly important. These ensuing reasons can be the answers. First, they
may feel that learning grammar is confusing. Second, they may be uninterested to
learn. So, what makes learning grammar confusing to the students?; What makes
them uninterested to learn? ;how do they feel towards grammar? how they
perceive the learning atmosphere in structure class? ; how they perceive their
instructor? These questions lead us to know more about students’ perception
towards structure class as well as factors affecting their perception.
To know further, a research on students’ perception towards structure class
is inevitably to be conducted. Knowing students’ perception towards structure
class is not like knowing students’ perception on the structure subject only as it is
related to a teaching and learning process. Thus, there should be some factors
related to a teaching learning process involved in students’ perception. As the
subject in a learning process, it is crystal clear that students are those who best
know what happens there since they feel everything in their learning process—
their interest to learn, learning motivation, learning activities, lecturer’s quality,
instructional method, learning support, media and the like. Hence, the perception
of the students must be able to describe several things related to teaching and
learning process in structure class such as instructor’s quality, students’ learning
involvement and interest, the role of grammar teaching in their foreign language
learning, teaching or learning media in which all of those factors are believed to
have a contribution to success or failure in a process of teaching and learning. The
of teaching and learning in structure class. They also have a bigger possibility of
getting learning success than those with negative perception as students having
negative perception tend to reluctantly join the class.
Knowing the advantage of survey on students’ perception towards structure
class and the most affecting factor on students’ perception drive the researcher to
conduct this research entitled “ College Students’ Perception towards Structure 5
Class at English Department of Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto”. The
findings of this study will be beneficial for especially the lecturers as well as the
readers or the other education practitioners in general. Besides that, the findings of
this study can also be profitable to the other researchers having the same or
similar interest to this study. Regarding to the benefits of the survey explained
before, once again, it is necessary to carry out a research.
B. Statement of the Problem
The problems of this research are:
1. What is the students’ perception towards structure 5 class at English
Department of Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto ?
2. What is the most affecting factor on students’ perception towards structure 5
C. Objective of the Study
In line with what has been mentioned before, this study tries to know the
perception of the students joining structure class at the fifth semester in the
academic year of 2014/2015. More specifically, this study is aimed at knowing:
1. Students’ perception towards structure 5 class.
2. The most affecting factor on students’ perception towards structure 5 class at
English Department of Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto.
D. Reason for Choosing the Topic
The main consideration in choosing the topic of this study is that the
diversity of perception among the students still prevail even for the last series of
structure. Moreover, grammar acquisition is something very essential in a
language teaching besides vocabulary mastery as stated by Zhang on the initial
page.
E. Significance of the Study
The results of this study are expected to contribute to the English
Department students, lecturer, and the public theoretically, practically, and
pedagogically. Theoretically, the result of this study will bring up the useful
information on what factor related to student’s perception on grammar teaching
should be improved in order to establish good teaching learning atmosphere.
Practically, the lecturers know several things such as students’ perception towards
viewpoint on grammar teaching which all of these things will be helpful for the
lecturer to have such kind of reflection or contemplation in order to provide better
learning environment. Pedagogically, the lecturer will be aware that perception
affects the way students learn. As a consequence, the instructor will also maintain
the good perception of the students by providing better quality of teaching as well
as the learning or teaching media.
F. The Scope of the Study
Considering many factors may affect students’ perception towards grammar
teaching and learning in structure class, the researcher would like to limit his
discussion in the following points:
1. Linguistic factor ( grammar and vocabulary)
2. Student factor ( motivation, learning interest, learning involvement )
3. Instructor factor
4. The use of grammar instruction method (explicit instruction )
5. Learning facilities and media ( classroom equipments and learning media )
The decision of choosing these five factors as the scope of discussion in this
study is based on Brown’s (2007:1) statement telling that these five factors belong
to some commonly used topical categories in talking about second language
