APPLYING “STAR CARD” AS REWARDS
TO DECREASE
STUDENTS’ MISBEHAVIOR: AN ACTION RESEARCH
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Ingkan Prasasti
112009041
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
APPLYING “STAR CARD”
AS REWARDS TO DECREASE
STUDENTS’ MISBEHAVIOR: AN ACTION RESEARCH
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Ingkan Prasasti
112009041
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
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Copyright@2013. Ingkan Prasasti and Christian Rudianto, M.Appling.
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Applying “Star Card” as Rewards to Decrease Students’ Misbehavior : An Action Research
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APPLYING “STAR CARD”
AS REWARDS TO DECREASE
STUDENTS’ MISBEHAVIOR: AN ACTION RESEARCH
ABSTRACT
A student-teacher might have a little knowledge and experience about how to manage classroom condition and the students’ misbehavior which might lead to the failure of implementing what the student-teachers have written in the lesson plan during Teaching Practicum program. This paper aims to improve the student-teachers’ performance in dealing with the students’ misbehavior through an action research. The writer provided one solution to decrease students’ misbehavior, which is by applying ―Star Card‖. The participants were one class of eight grade students that consists of 20 students in one of private junior high school in Salatiga. The finding of this research showed that applying ―Star Card‖ as rewards in class is one of the effective ways to decrease students’ misbehavior, because it increases students’ motivation which made the students’ do, listen, and behave better during teaching and learning process.
Keyword: classroom management, student’ misbehavior, teaching method, reward, and ―Star Card‖.
INTRODUCTION
As a student in English Department we are required to do Teaching Practicum
(TP). In doing TP, student-teachers have to prepare everything by themselves. One of
the most important requirements in doing TP is preparing a Lesson Plan (LP). Lesson
plan is a teaching outline of the important points of a lesson arranged in the order in
which they are to be presented; it may include standard of competence, basic
competence, teaching objectives, teaching indicators, teaching materials, procedures,
sources, and assessment (Rahman, 2011).The student-teachers have to consult their
LP with the TP supervisor before they teach the students. In the consultation time, the
TP supervisor gives feedback toward the student-teacher lesson plan and if there is
student-teachers have to change it. Once, my TP supervisor said, ―LP is not a fix guidance but if you can follow what you have written in LP, you can achieve your goal‖. One of important elements in making LP is the ―procedure‖. Procedure may include the steps
of what activities that the teacher will do in class. It also consists of time allocation
for each activity.
However, depending on the situation in the classroom, the student-teacher
cannot always follow what they wrote in the procedure. I did my TP in one of private
junior high school in Salatiga and I have observed two of my friends who also did
their TP in that school. I saw that what they wrote in procedure was just different
from what they did in class. I also experienced the same thing. I talked to myself that
there must be something wrong. But what is actually the problem? Then, I asked two
of my friends what problems they faced and they said that actually there were many
things, such as less time and preparation and also it was mostly because they could
not manage the class. Kizlik (2012) stated on his journal, ―Surveys of graduates of
education schools and colleges indicate that the #1 area of concern of new teachers is
their feelings of inadequacy in managing classrooms.‖ He also added that this kind of
experience may make many beginning teachers have difficulty in managing the class.
While Bhargava (2009) wrote on her journal that the student-teachers fail to manage
the class because they are not able to strike a chord with children. Based on the
situation faced by the student-teachers in that school, I think that it is important to
know more about classroom management because it is one of the problematic
requirements.‖ So, it is important for the student-teachers to know how to manage the
students especially if they deal with misbehavior students.
One of the ways that the student-teachers usually do in order to deal with
misbehavior is giving the students reward. Then, a question for investigation arises:
―Can the use of reward decrease students’ misbehavior?‖ This is an action research
study where the researcher tries to implement a proposed strategy in giving reward,
find solution for the problem, and apply the solution so that the student-teachers may
find it useful for alternative strategy in their TP.
The finding of this action research will be useful for the improvement of
student-teachers who will have their Teaching Practicum where the students act
beyond their expectation (misbehave). The researcher provides one proposed strategy
in dealing with students’ misbehavior that can be applied by the student-teachers.
LITERATURE REVIEW
There are many behavioral patterns done by the students in the classrooms.
Some students have positive behaviors, but some have negative behaviors (Salem,
2011). As a teacher, we may face difficulties in managing those behaviors. Especially
for the student-teachers who are new in that field in order to have an effective
teaching (Cabaroglu, 2012). I have talked to some of the students who were doing
their teaching practicum and most of them said that they have difficulties in managing
the classroom. To run the class well, they should have what is called as classroom
management. According to Doyle (1989), the term classroom management refers to
the teachers’ action and strategies use to establish order in classrooms. While
―classroom management is perhaps the single most important factor influencing
student learning‖ (p. 161). Reinke et.al (2011) said that effective teacher classroom
management strategies promote student interest in learning, enhance academic
achievement and school readiness, and prevent and reduce classroom – disruptive
behavior. On the other hand, ineffective classroom management practices interfere
with students’ motivation and on-task learning and lead to raising risk for developing
disruptive behavior problems (Jones & Jones, 2004; Webster-Stratton, Reid, &
Hammond, 2004).
As Rickman & Hollowell in Cabaroglu (2012) note, the student-teachers do
not feel good enough to handle those problematic area like the misbehaviors done by
the students. Cabaroglu (2012) stated on her journal that there are many examples of
misbehaviors observed in teaching practice in school such as talking out of turn when
they are not supposed to talk, noise, lack of motivation, students talking among
themselves, students shouting or interrupting others during a learning process, and
passive students who do not participate in the class. Schussler(2009) added that
misbehaviors can also be caused by the lack of academic challenges. She explained
that when students accept the assignment as too difficult or too easy, which usually
means there is either no flexibility or too much flexibility in how students achieve
academic success, they feel a lack of respect. Lack of respect generally causes in a
negative attitude toward the students’ academics. Not only because of academic challenges, misbehavior of the students is also caused by instruction. Instruction here
means that when the teacher only focuses on the textbook, without creating teaching
materials/ aids that are more creative. In this case, the students may lack of interest
The reviews above show that, actually, there are many reasons why the
students tend to misbehave. However, this study focuses on how to manage classroom
so that what the student-teachers have planned before in the lesson plan can be
implemented in the teaching and learning process. Based on Hargreaves (2000),
educators have to be able to know the students’ condition, expectations, and emotions
over time. Seeing from the students’ perspective, the students want the teacher who can cope with them, enjoy their teaching, and be able to handle the class (Williams
et.al, 2012).
Many researchers have done a research on classroom management and they
suggest some ways that the teachers can use to deal with students misbehaviors.
Babkie (2006) suggested that one of the useful things that the teachers can use is to
clarify rules so that students fully understand teacher expectations from the beginning.
Oliver & Reschly (2007) stated that rules establish the behavioral context of the
classroom by specifying what behaviors are expected from the students, what
behaviorrs will be reinforced, and the consequences of inappropriate behavior. Babkie
(2006) added that rules should be stated in a clear, simple, short, and in a positive
format so that the students will know what they have to do rather than not to do.
Another suggestion was proposed by Roache & Lewis (2011), that the
teachers should give positive strategies when dealing with misbehaviors in the class.
They also added as cited from Balson (1992) that recognize appropiate behavior, use
rewards, hint, discussions, and involvement are some example of positive strategies
that the teachers can use in managing misbehaviors, but the teachers should also
provide the clear and consequences for those who misbehave. Those suggestion was
appropriate student behavior, student teachers used various strategies: ignoring it
altogether, giving verbal (e.g. call on the student during the lesson, send an
Imessage)and non-verbal warning (e.g. giving such signal interference as making eye
contact,shaking a hand or finger, using touch control, roaming about the classroom, or
proximity control) talking with the student(s) after the lesson were other strategies
used by the participants during their practice teaching. Additionally, the other said
that they had to shout at the disruptive students several times.
The other aspect that can raise students’ motivation is giving praise to the students who act well like for the example if they can answer the teacher’s question,
do the exercises, and behave well. On my micro teaching class last semester, the
lecturer also reinforced me to always give praise to the students such as ―great‖,
―good‖, or by giving the thumb up in order to make them participate more in the class.
Mooer Partin etal. (2010) wrote on his journal that giving praise to the students can
reinforce them to behave appropriately. Hayes et al. (2007) argue that verbal
reinforcement is possibly the most fundamental tool available to teachers and
arguably the most powerful and meaningful for pupils. Cameron and Pierce (1994)
found that verbal praise has a greater impact in terms of effect size for increases in
motivation than either tangible rewards or no reward. The amount of positive
feedback is highlighted by some researchers as possibly being the key to the
effectiveness of behavioral interventions (Elwell & Tiberio, 1994;Webster-Stratton &
Hammond, 1997; Webster-Stratton & Reid, 2004).
The connections of the problem with what many researchers said and
suggested are that as a student-teachers, in order to manage the class and deal with
conditions. Also, the teachers should be able to see from the students’ perspective.
Kharat (2012) added that a teacher should use many method of teaching to make the
teaching interactive and fun.
As the student-teachers we have to be able to deal with students’ misbehavior,
attract the students’ attention, create attractive teaching materials/aids, and make the
teaching interactive and fun. I think what the researchers said and suggested toward
classroom management were good and useful. However, there must be good and bad
sides of the suggestions. On my Micro Teaching class, beside always giving praise to
the students, the supervisor also emphasized on teacher’ ability in creating good and
attractive teaching materials. Once, I also heard that giving rules and clear instructions
are also important.
However, I still belief that giving reward can attract the students to participate
more in the class. I have tried to ask some students from the class I am going to
observe about the teachers’ reward. Some of the students answered that they are
happy if the reward is something tangible like snacks; even only a candy. However, I
do not really agree that such kind of reward; give candy to the students is constructive
one. I think that reward is not always something that related to give the students with
snacks or things that they can buy by themselves.
In this study, I try to use reward in the class. I propose one solution in giving
reward. In relation to reward, I would like to give them a ―star‖ in the form of sticker.
If they can listen, do, and behave well, they can get one star. I will also give them a
table in which they can stick their ―star‖. In here, the ―star‖ is only a tool that will be
However, before dealing with reward, and rules, the clear description about
what kinds of good behavior to get reward, should be explained to the students. In
giving the reward, I will tell the students if the star can be as a means to get extra
point. It is not just a star, but it is an extra point of participation which can be
accumulated at the end of the class. Children are more motivated to read when they
are evaluated, compared, competed with others and when the teacher gives
recognition or grades for the students (Wigfield and Guthrie ,1997).
As the principle of Action Research, if the first action does not work, I have to
examine what does not work and try to propose another strategy, and it goes until the
strategies I have proposed can have an effect. As the purpose of this study is to make
some improvement for the student-teachers in implementing what they have written in
the procedure of lesson plan, this study will end if the students’ misbehaviors decrease
and the student-teachers are able to implement what they have planned in the lesson
plan.
ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT
This study was conducted by myself as a teacher during my Teaching
Practicum. The participants were one class of eight grade students that consists of 20
students in one of private junior high school in Salatiga. I chose that class because the
class condition was not conducive enough. The students could not cooperate well and
I found some students who misbehave, like they were busy chatting with their
classmates, moving around the class, shouting in the class and they tend not to pay
attention to the teacher. Besides, my experience of teaching this particular class twice
before. The other two student-teachers of the same class also had the same problem
with me. So, I thought action should be done to improve the classroom situation.
The research question that guided my project is ―Can the use of reward decrease students’ misbehavior?‖ I chose that reseach question because I think that
reward is a thing which can at least change the students’ misbehavior and students can
participate more in the class instead. I have proposed one solution and I applied it in
one cycle. The pedagogical implication of giving star was to make the students
participate more in teaching and learning activities and increase their motivation. A
star symbolized something brighten that means if the students can get a star, they can
feel more appreciated by the teacher and the students can feel the sense of competition
among others. The star was not only for the students who can do the exercise well but
it is more on giving the star for the students who can do, listen, and behave well. From
this activity, I expected the students can change their misbehaviors. They could feel
the sense of competition, participate more in class, and motivate them to learn.
In here, I applied this proposed solution in reading section class. I chose
reading section because I found that the students are less enthusiastic in reading. They
were usually lazy in doing the exercises. I found that many students did not read the
text carefully which lead to the failure or they get bad mark in the exercises. The stars
were given in the whilst-teaching plan in my lesson plan. I asked the students to do
some exercises. The exercises included comprehensive questions, rearrange
paragraphs and sentences, find the synonym, and fill in the blank. What the students
needed to do is to do, listen, and behave well. In giving the star, I also included my
expectation toward the words ―behave well‖ which means when the students can at
and friend. There were almost a half of the twenty students who misbehave; the
students were busy chatting with their classmates, moving around the class, shouting
in the class, they tend not to pay attention to the teacher. I name the give of star as
―Star Card‖. In applying the ―Star Card‖, I gave the students with a card which
consists of ten blocks where the students could stick the one star on each block. I also
tried to distinguish the star by their colors, which are blue if the students can do,
listen, and behave well Besides, if the students could not do, listen, and behave well,
such as they did not do the exercise and still busy chatting with their classmates, they
would get a red one. They saved or I still gave them chance to study in the class if
they still got one red star, but if they had already gotten two stars, they had to go out
from the class. The more the students participated, the more star they would get.
The data were collected with some action I have planned before that was
applying ―Star Card‖ method to decrease students’ misbehavior. I observed the class condition and students’ behavior in class. I involved one of student-teachers who also
taught in that school as my research partner to observe my performance, classroom
condition, and how my proposed solution was taking place. The types of data
collection that I used are my self-reflective teaching notes, my partner’s reflective notes, and video recording. The video here was used to check my performance and
students’ behavior during the class so that if there is something that I or my friend
missed, I can check from the video.
I conducted this action research because when doing Teaching Practicum,
many student-teachers faced difficulties in managing classroom especially dealing
improve the student-teachers and students performance in class so that the goal of the
teaching and learning process could be reached.
This study has a limitation. This study had narrow generalization because it
may only happen in the class where I did the Teaching Practicum.
REFLECTION OF ACTION RESEARCH
In the teaching and learning process, I applied three teaching methods that
were Grammar Translation Method (GTM), Community Language Learning (CLL),
and Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). I also added one additional method
that can be integrated with the existing methods (GTM, CLL, CLT) that was ―Star Card‖. ―Star Card‖ is a new additional teaching method that I think it is useful to
teach reading and change the students’ misbehavior.
With ―Star Card‖, both my partner and I think that the students’ misbehavior
has decreased. The most obvious change I found by using ―Star Card‖ method was that the students’ motivation has increased. I saw that the class be more interactive. Motivation can be defined as a ―temporal sequence that is started, sustained, directed,
and finally terminated,‖ which examines ―why people think and behave as they do‖
(Graham & Weiner, 1996, p. 63). There are two forms of motivation, which are
intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Kirk (2013) stated that intrinsic
motivation arises from a desire to learn a topic due to its inherent interests, for
self-fulfillment, enjoyment and to achieve a mastery of the subject. On the other hand,
extrinsic motivation is motivation to perform and succeed for the sake of
By using the star as a reward, it found that the student’ extrinsic motivation has increased. Lepper and Hoddell (1989) in Pradas (2011) added when individuals
have extrinsic motivation, they have some desired outcome as a purpose (e.g. getting
a good grade, avoiding punishment), they realize that there is a certain way in
behaving to achieve that purpose and they make plans to adjust they behavior so that
they will get what they want. During my study, I saw that the students tried to change
their bad habit and started to act positively in the learning process and answered the
teacher questions to get reward. Although some researchers said that intrinsic
motivation is more important, but when students were less enthusiastic and interested
in reading which leads to students’ misbehavior, it was good to use extrinsic motivation taking into account the rewards (Pradas, 2011). I saw that the impact of
extrinsic motivation of the students played an important role in the teaching and
learning process which leads to the successful of applying ―Star Card‖ method. It seemed that their motivation influence their performance in class.
Because the students had high extrinsic motivation, there were many changes I
saw which influence the students’ performance. The first change happened in the
class which was when I gave the students with some exercises. In giving the
comprehensive questions, I asked the students to answer it in complete sentences
because my TP supervisor told me that the students tend to answer the questions
shortly. It was proven right. When I asked the students to answer in complete
sentences, they begged me to answer in short way. However, I have made the rule and
the students had to obey it and they agreed to do it. Sedlak et.al (1986) said that
students who lack of academic challenge often been attributed to the ―bargains‖ or
maintain order and teachers tacitly agree to hold expectations to a minimum.
However, according to Sizer & Sizer (1999) and Yazzie-Mintz (2006) in Hester et.al
(2009), substantial evidence exists that students across school contexts want teachers
to challenge them academically. So, I wanted to challenge them and open their mind
to not always answer questions shortly. As the rule, the stars were given to the
students who answered the questions completely. I gave them ten minutes to answer
five comprehensive questions. After they finished doing it, the ―Star Card‖ began. I
asked the students to raise their hand and come forward to write their answer in the
white board. The faster the students raised their hand, the bigger opportunity they will
get. I chose the fastest students who raised their hand to answer the question. I saw
that in answering the questions, the students competed each other. Each student
wanted to be the first and pointed.
I also found that by using this method, the students more focus with their own
and friends’ tasks (answering questions). I saw when a student tried to answer a
question, another students do not only focus on their own answer but also their friend’ answer that was in the board. However, they paid more attention to their friend’
answer because when their friend made mistakes in answering the question, they can
correct their friend’ answer and get the star.
Another thing I found was when some passive students started to be active in
class. I saw some passive students from beginning of the class; they are very quiet and
shy to answer the teacher questions. In the first exercise, they did not raise their hand,
but by applying ―Star Card‖ and those passive students saw another student competed
each other, those passive students are motivated to raise their hand and answered the
show their ability. Their self-confidence also raised. Those passive students need to be
recognized by their friends. So, it can be inferred that the students’ motivation in
getting stars can trigger their self-confidence.
Another positive thing I got by applying ―Star Card‖ was when I saw the
whole students did the exercises given by the teacher. I was quite surprised with the
result. The students were willing to do their tasks, which was very different from
when I have not applied this method yet. Firstly, when I taught this class and gave the
students some exercises, many of them did not do the exercise; they were busy with
their own business such as chatting with their classmates, moving around the class
instead of doing the assignment. However, I was very happy that by applying this
method, they can change their habit. I saw the students did the exercise as fast as they
can so when I asked them to answer the questions, they can raise their hand and
answer the questions correctly. It seemed that the students were more responsible with
their tasks.
Beside making the whole class did the exercises, I found that there was a case
of ignorance which made the students became unmotivated to do the tasks. Some
students felt that they have raised their hand, but I did not choose them. They felt I
ignored them. Hester et.al (2009) stated that one of strategies for promoting positive
social and academic growth of young children at risk for misbehavior is by applying
planned ignoring. Sheuermann & Hall (2008) in Hester (2009) stated that planned
ignoring basically is an extinction procedure designed to weaken, decrease, or
eliminate a behavior by abruptly withdrawing or terminating the reinforcer that is
misbehave. I have tried to remind them not to talk by themselves, but they tended to
ignore me. So, I chose to ignore them to make them aware that those misbehaviors
were wrong. However, some students also felt that they did not break the rule but I
did not choose them. I did not mean directly to do that. Sometimes almost the whole
class raised their hand to answer the questions. I have tried to choose the fastest one,
but it seemed that everyone felt that they were the fastest one. So, this kind of
situation sometimes made the students felt that I ignored them which made them
became unmotivated to do their tasks.
From the case of ignorance above, it also raised an issue of discrimination. I
found that male students were more active than the female students. Sometimes, the
male students were still busy with their own business and they forgot the rules. I
chose to ignore them. I though it worked because when I tried to ignored them and
chose female students to participate in the exercises I gave, they said to me, ―why did you always choose female students instead of male ones?‖ then, I said to them, ―you
ignore me, so I ignore you! If you want to be chosen, do you still remember our rule?
You have to do, listen, and behave well!‖ it seemed that they started thinking more
about it, calming down, and noticing the lesson. I saw that although they were noisy,
they also wanted to be noticed and given the star.
In teaching and learning process, I still saw two students who like to move
around the class and I thought it was really irritating and disturb other students’ concentration. At the beginning of the class, I have explained about the rules in ―Star
Card‖ which the blue star is for the students who do, behave and listen well and the red one for the students who are busy with their own ―business‖. When those two
want to get the red star? Which means after you get two red stars you have to go out
from the class? They said, ―no miss, I’m sorry. Then I answered, ―Okay, I forgive you, but if you do it once again, I will send you out!‖. In here, I tried to be tight with
the rules that the students and I have agreed with at the beginning of the class. Based
on Babkie (2006), as a teacher, we have to be consistent in reinforcing rules and in
managing the classroom. So, in making the rules, I tried to be tight and consistent
from the beginning of the class. By being consistent, it allows students to feel
comfortable knowing that the teacher’ behavior and responses are predictable.
Nevertheless, I realize that giving a star should consider students’ efforts and
quality of their work. Initially, I gave a blue star for the students who were willing to
answer the questions whether their answer was right or wrong because I just wanted
to respect their effort. But then I realized that it was not good for them. One of the
students said to me ―Miss, why do you give me a star while my answer is incorrect?‖ I answered, ―it is okay because you have participate in the class.‖ then, she answered
again, ―but my answer is wrong!‖ I still answered, ―it is okay!‖. But then, after the
class ended, I went home, thought about it and I just realized that it might spoil them.
They might not really pay attention and answer the questions incorrectly. So, I tried to
change it on my second teaching. On my second teaching, I tried to give the blue star
for the students who can really do, listen, and behave well in class. I gave the blue star
for the students who can answer the questions correctly and completely. I think it was
better because the students can pay more attention to the detail of questions I gave.
As a researcher, I think the use of ―Star Card‖ is also suitable with the characters that the teacher wants to build. In teaching, there are many characters that
who are useful for the nation. In my research, I only focused on four characters that
are discipline, responsible, love, and respect. Discipline means that the students are
following the lesson and doing their tasks. Responsible means that the students need
to be responsible with whatever they have to do as a student. Love means that the
students can love their surroundings such as their friends, their teacher, their family,
even the lesson itself. And respect of course means that the students have to be able to
respect other people in any situation. So, besides motivating the students to do, listen,
and behave well, this ―Star Card‖ can also be regarded as the implementation of those
characters.
So, by looking at the findings I have explained before, by using ―Star Card‖, there are many impacts that can decrease students’ misbehavior. I think it is important
to give stars as a tool to improve students’ motivation because those stars can touch students’ motivation to pay more attention to the lesson, do the exercises, listen to the
teacher explanation or instruction, and behave well. Using ―Star Card‖ method is
good for the student-teachers who are doing the TP so that they can handle the class
better. By using this method, the pre-service teacher can motivate the students to
perform better in the teaching and learning process especially in reading section. The
―Star Card‖ method changed the situation in the classroom. I noticed that by using
―Star Card‖ method, the teaching and learning process could go smoothly like what I
have planned before. The goal of the lesson could also be reached.
However, if I have the second chance in doing this action research, there are
still many things that I want to improve. The first thing I want to do differently is
students’ enthusiasm so that the star can be more evenly distributed and there is no
case of ignorance and discrimination again. The teacher can also make the questions
be trickier so that not all the students can answer the question easily. The teacher can
make the exercise more difficult so that not all the students can answer the question
easily and it is good to reduce their enthusiasm so the teacher can handle the class
easier. Another thing is giving the red star to the students who misbehave. I think the
red star is very important to give to the students who try to break the rule so there is a
thing that makes them aware that their behavior is wrong and the students will not do
the same mistake. As a teacher, I also need to be more assertive in handling the class.
We do not need to shout or hit the students, but giving them that red star symbolizes
that the students are not in the right track.
CONCLUSION
A good teacher is a good manager (Kharat, 2012). As a teacher, I have to think
about how to manage the class well so that the students’ misbehaviors decrease.
Effective way to manage the class is needed to decrease students’ misbehavior. The use of ―Star Card‖ is one of strategies that have been found decrease the students’
inappropriate behavior. By applying ―Star Card‖ as a teaching method in class, teaching and learning process can run better. The impact of using ―Star Card‖ can be seen clearly from many changes that the students show. After using this method, the
students’ extrinsic motivation has increased which lead to the successful in making
the students do, listen, and behave well in class. Woolfolk & Margetts (2007) in
Saeed & Zyngier (2012) stated that when intrinsic motivation is not working, then
motivation. Vialle et.al (2005) as cited in Saeed and Zyngier (2012) added that
rewards play an important effect when the students’ intrinsic motivation is not high. It was clear that by using stars as rewards, the students’ extrinsic motivation increased
and their behavior changed. Besides that, the uses of stars as rewards made the
students were more diligent, active, and responsible in doing their tasks. The students
can do better in doing the tasks such as answering question completely and paying
more attention to the detail. The students can also learn to respect other people. As a
conclusion, by looking at the changes I have explained before, a student-teacher need
to consider using stars as rewards to increase students’ motivation and decrease
students’ misbehavior so that their performance in class will be better and the purpose
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This thesis would have been possible without the guidance and help of several
individuals who are in one way or another contributed and extended their valuable
assistance in the preparation and completion of this study.
Above all, I want to thank to Allah SWT for blessing me from the beginning of
writing this thesis until the end. Big thanks for my family, Mama, Papa, Priesta, and
Bintang , who always support me by giving big spirit in finishing this thesis. Big
thanks for my dearest man, Yoga, who always pour his love, pray, and spirit for me.
My deepest gratitude goes to my supervisor, Mr. Christian Rudianto who was
abundantly helpful and offered invaluable assistance, support, and guidance. I also
gratefully thank to my thesis examiner Mrs. Rindang, for giving me some suggestions
to improve my thesis.
Special thanks go to principal, staffs, all participants (8C), and English teacher (8C) of
one of private junior high school in Salatiga who gave me chance to do my action
research in that school. A bunch thanks for Yunita Paulina Pita who was willing to
accompany and help me in gathering the data.
Huge thanks goes to my super best friends, Dwina, Salta, and Lina and also all
Niners. Thanks for the togetherness, the stories, the pain and happiness, and the
experience of being with you all.
To all people I have not mentioned one by one, I really thank you for your helps and
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