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154 ISSN 2580-1937 (Print); 2580-7528 (Online) Haines (2016), a teacher trainer from Mexico
shared 25 ways of how to make good use of Whatsapp for language learning including gap fill, incorrect sentences, describe a process and create a picture dictionary. Further, he said that Whatsapp can help overcome the obstacles of the use of technology in ELT and can take advantage of the technology that students have on their phones.
Santarossa and Castillo (2017) two university educators from Argentina applied their teaching method of What‘s Up in the Classroom for English language learning for four skills of listening, reading, writing, and speaking, and found that it was amazing how an app as simple and everyday life as Whatsapp could change so much the classroom reality and bring some of the outside, real world into the classroom. They also encourage all teachers to try their method.
The expanding phenomenon of Whatsapp group chat in education usage inspires the author as an English teacher to use the application in her own classroom. This best practice reported how Whatsapp group has been able to facilitate the students of Cirebon High School to master the Personal Letter learning material in English language subject.
Methodology
The implementation of the best practice includes four steps.
Indentifying Learning Material
Based on the national curriculum of 2013 imposed in senior high school students in Indonesia, one of the basic competences that have to be mastered by the eleventh graders is Personal Letter. The students are required to be able to differentiate the social function, text structure, and language features of personal letter. They are also obligated to be able to create personal letter in the form of written and spoken text based on the appropriate context. Personal letter was chosen since it is the closest thing to SMS yet it is not the desirable learning material to be learnt by the students, especially in written traditional context.
Learning Process
This learning method spent three weeks long in teaching with only 90 minutes spent every week in the classroom setting and the rest of the time,
U-learning with Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) was applied.
Within the first classroom meeting, the students were introduced to the concept of personal letter.
A short story entitled ―I Wanna Iguana‖ was used as the text example of personal letter. This short story tells about Alex, a young boy who wanted to have an Iguana as a pet. Alex sent many short letters to his to persuade her so she would allow him to pet the Iguana. The letters between Alex and his mom are perfect examples to be given to the students so that they could study the social function, generic structure, and language features of personal letter. The Whatsapp group was then formed by the end of the first meeting. The group was then used to continue the learning activities.
In the second week, class discussion was held to discuss all the texts had been sent to the Whatsapp group. The students were then given time to discuss on how the technology has changed the way they communicate. After the discussion, the students were then given the assignment to send personal letter through their own Whatsapp number to one of their friends, family members, or respected teachers.
The final meeting in the third week was used to discuss all the letters had sent to the group including the given comments and to have reflection on the conducted U-Learning with Whatsapp group.
Learning Assessment
The learning assessment was conducted by using authentic assessment. In other words, the assessments were done along with the learning process. Every product (see: learning mastery), online quiz, and the interaction of students in the Whatsapp group were assessed and categorized by cognitive, writing skills, and attitude score.
Learning Reflection
A simple class discussion to gain an insight of reflection towards the conducted learning method was held by the end of the third meeting. This was to address both benefits and drawbacks the students and teacher encounter during the learning process.
ISSN 2580-1937 (Print); 2580-7528 (Online) 155 Finding and Discussion
The findings indicate that constant availability of Whatsapp buddy and learning anytime anywhere has made Whatsapp a new and convenient tool for teaching learning activity. Advantages (technical, educational or instructional) out pars the disadvantages.
Learning Mastery
There are three main result can be obtained from the part of students‘ learning mastery which will be describe in the following.
The first result is from cognitive factor. From the reading quiz and progress test, more than 90% of 40 students get score above 80 (10 points higher that the school minimum standard score). This data means that from the knowledge, students were able to differentiate the social function, language features and generic structure or personal letter. They have met the minimum requirements of basic competence addressed in the curriculum 2013.
The more satisfying result can be seen from the students‘ writing skills. In accordance to what stated in the curriculum, the students are obligated to be able to create a personal letter telling about their own activity. The learning method has been able to transform the dull image of writing traditional personal letter, into an up to date activity of writing personal text through Whatsapp.
The letter sent by student #7 depicts the simple yet complete form and structure of personal letter.
Figure 3. Personal letter sample from student #7
The student sent what should be a short message to her mother asking for scout uniform. Due to the context that she needed to send the text in the form of personal letter, she adjusted the structure.
She added the date and the greeting before and after the content.
According to Grace and Sudarwati (2014), a complete personal letter consists of four main parts; the date (when the letter was written), the greeting, the content, and the closing.
Another personal letter was sent by student #12 further way beyond the teaching and learning process.
Figure 4. personal letter sent by student #12 The letter was sent to a long time friend who lives in different island. Even though the letter does not follow a very complete structure of personal letter, still it can be granted a serious improvement in the way they use the technology to communicate in English.
Increasing learning motivation and writing confidence due to the learning method applied are two of some attitudes that can be taken into score. Other important attitudes that can be generated from the U-learning is honesty. Most of the assignments and quiz were all done online and outside the classroom. The condition lead the students to be honest, since the teacher was not available to watch them while they were doing the assignments as well as the test.
Other learning attitudes revealed from the learning process are respect and patient. Since everything that was done in Whatsapp group could be read and accessed by all the group members, the students were expected to be respectful to one another when they had the intention to give comments or opinions or even
156 ISSN 2580-1937 (Print); 2580-7528 (Online) just questions. They are also expected to be
patient whenever they need the teacher to give reply or comment on their works since there was no time limitation that they could reach anyone or posted anything in the group even outside the office hours and holidays.
Learning Benefits
Some learning benefits can be gathered based on the observation done during the learning process and during the discussion and reflection held after the learning process. According to the students, the creation of Whatsapp group had four main benefits in teaching and learning setting. These benefits are not only for the personal letter learning materials but for learning in general.
The first benefit is that the group enable the teacher to communicate with the students, send information, manage the class, and help students to feel up to date. This fact has stimulated the idea for the students to also form different Whatsapp group for different subject and different teacher. The second benefit is that the group is able to grooming a positive social atmosphere even though it is not in the homeroom class. The students who are shy in the classroom during face-to-face interaction, are able to feel a sense of belonging and community through Whatsapp group that also enables them to share information and work as a team. The third benefit is that the students can use the group as a learning media to improve the possibility to access the learning materials and the performance of learning activities.
Learning Challenges
Despite of some benefits, there are some drawbacks that can hinder the implementation of Whatsapp group and U-learning. The main technical problem is the fact that not all students possess a Smartphone or the application. In that case, the teacher is required to be more creative and to maintain the connection with those students through other communication tools, usually by simple text messages.
Another challenge is caused by the teachers‘
availability online, leading the students to demand a ―here and now‖ solution. Thus, the students‘ attitudes of being respectful and being patient are taken into account as important score.
The final challenge is honesty issue. Questions were asked by other teacher when they found out about the U-learning applied. How can you be sure students are not cheating? There seems to be a common justification that U-learning or online learning in general open up the door for students to become more mischievous and dishonest than they ever would dare in a more traditional classroom setting. What needs to be held in mind is the fact that someone who wants to behave dishonestly will probably figure out how to do so regardless the circumstances.
Conclusions
Writing is one of the language skills that require intense training to master it. The availability of the short message feature on Whatsapp becomes one of the media that can be used by learners to practice writing. Short message service on Whatsapp can be used to allow learners to write messages with acceptable language structures and features. Messages sent in the form of personal letters are successfully trained so that students are able to arrange text of personal letter in context.
Briefly it can be concluded that the strategy of U- learning by ways of mobile-assisted language learning or technology-based learning using tools such as smart phones that can be used anytime, anywhere and in accordance with the context of learners has managed to deliver the students to be able to write a personal letter with a very good quality.
References
Bouhnik, D., & Deshen, M. (2014). Whatsapp goes to school: Mobile instant
language-students/ messaging between teachers and students. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 13, 217-231.
Cohavi, A. (2013). How did Whatsapp became the strongest social network? Calcalist.
Retrieved from
http://www.calcalist.co.il/local/articles/0, 7340,L-3593840,00.html
De Sousa Monteiro, B., Gomes, A. S., & Neto, F.
M. M. (2014). Youubi: Open softWhatsappre for ubiquitous learning.
Computers in Human Behavior 55, 1145- 1164.
Fogg, P. (2008). The 24/7 Professor--What to Do When Home Is Just Another Word for
ISSN 2580-1937 (Print); 2580-7528 (Online) 157 the Office. Chronicle of Higher
Education, 54(21).
Grace, E., & Sudarwati, T. M. (2014). Pathway to English for senior high school grade xi.
Jakarta : Penerbit Erlangga.
Haines, P. (2016). 25 ideas for using Whatsapp with English language students. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from:
https://oupeltglobalblog.com/2016/05/17/
25-ideas-for-using-Whatsapp-with- english-
Santarossa. C.,& Castillo J. (2017). What‘s Up in the classroom? Whatsapp!. Learning Technologies Special Interest Group.
Retrieved from:
https://ltsig.iatefl.org/whats-up-in-the- classroom-Whatsapp/
158 ISSN 2580-1937 (Print); 2580-7528 (Online)
THE TENOR AND FIELD OF THE CONVERSATIONS IN BAHASA INGGRIS KELAS X
Dwi Rukmini, Ana Sugiati
English Department Semarang State University
Semarang [email protected]
Abstract
This study was conducted because of the researchers‘ disappointment when they found that the English textbook provided for the tenth graders of all senior high schools (general, vocational, Islamic) was only one entitled Buku Bahasa Inggris Kelas X which was published by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture. It focused on the tenor and field of the conversations available in that book, therefore all the conversations in that textbook were taken as the data. The language model of Derewianka (1990) which suggests that language when it is used to communicate (spoken or written) is put and influenced by two contexts; context of culture and context of situations was used as the instrument to analyse the data. The context of situation gives rise to register which consists of three dimensions: field, tenor and mode. In this study, the mode dimension was not analyzed since the data were all in the form of spoken texts (conversations).
The results reveal that the tenors and fields do not reflect the vocational students actually involve with when communicating in their environments (at schools and work places).These might be because the book is not specifically designed for them. The suggestion is that the English book for vocational students should have been specified considering that their needs of learning English is different from the needs of general high school students.
Keywords:conversation, tenor, field, vocational
Introduction
Referring to the Government Regulation No 20, 2003, a vocational high school is a secondary school of which the instruction process aims to prepare students with the skills and knowledge of particular field to be able to work professionally or continue to higher education based on their study program field. The study programs are such as engineering (civil, mechanical, automotive, electrical, etc.), accounting, information and communication technologies, tourism, graphic arts, etc.
Considering it, the English given to the students is English for Specific Purposes (ESP)–the English given has specific ultimate goal that is to enable them to communicate in that language based on the students real needs which are different from one study program to the other. This implies that the learning material should be relevant to the students‘environment when using
English. Hutchinson and Water (1981:8) stated that the relevant English course to the needs would improve learners‘ motivation and thereby make learning better and faster.
Furthermore they wrote that in ESP, all decisions as to content and method are based on the learners‘ reason for learning. Richards (2006: 17) stated that ESP as a learning approach gives more emphasis on teaching of specific language element and communicative skills which are needed by the learners. The main goal of ESP is to provide relevant English language instructions based on the students‘ needs. It is deferent from general high school in which English subject might concentrate on theory and abstract conceptual knowledge and aims to prepare students to continue their study to higher institution (university). They have different concept, goal and needs. Therefore, the curriculum and the English material should also be different.
ISSN 2580-1937 (Print); 2580-7528 (Online) 159 In the preliminary research, the researchers
found that the English textbook provided for all senior high schools (general, vocational, islamic) was only one entitled Buku Bahasa Inggris Kelas X based on 2013 curriculum which was published by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture in 2016.
Therefore, vocational and general high school students have the same English learning materials.
In this study, the researchers did the further research for revealing if the English learning material especially conversation available in that textbook consider the needs of vocational high school students, particularly on the tenor and field of the conversations.
Conversation
Conversation is a talk between two people or more to share ideas and information. It can be a dialogue, face to face between two people or more and can be mediated, such as when electronic technology is used for talking or sending a text. A real conversation is spontaneous and interactive. It has opening to begin conversation and closing expressions to end the conversation.
Conversation analysis is study of talk.
Hutchby and Wooffitt (2002:13), it is the systemic analysis of the talk produced in everyday situations of human interactions:
talk-in-interaction. It studies about how ordinary talk is organized in interaction. It is not just study of talk but of talk–in- interaction. Talk is the verbal instantiation of language but conversation analysis is only interested in language as such; its actual object of the study is interactional organization of social activities.
Text and Context
In communication, people use a text to exchange meanings. A text is any meaningful stretch of language–oral (spoken) or written (Derewianka, 1990:17). Not all texts are the same; they have different models and language choices since they are influenced
by two contexts: context of culture and context of situation. At the level of cultural context, language is used for some purposes such as giving information, recounting what happened, giving instruction, explaining phenomena, and arguing for a position.
These purposes are realized respectively as genre. The cultural context influences the structure of the texts to successfully achieve the purpose of the text. The purpose of recount texts, for example, is to tell what happened. To achieve its purpose, the text will have a different set of structures:
orientation, series of events, and coda.
Another example is a procedural text of which its purpose is to tell how something is accomplish--how to do or make something;
the structure would move through stalling the goal, outlining any materials or equipment needed and detailing the steps to be taken.
Texts differ not only on their cultural context but also according to their situational context.
Derewianka (1990:18) stated three key features in any context of situation: the field, tenor, and mode. These three features together determine the register of the texts.
The field being developed is the subject matter of the texts (Derewianka, 2012:132).
It will influence the language choices for expressing and connecting the idea.
Thornburry (2005:91) defines it as a topic of the text. In a school context, language choices of a text will vary depending on the curriculum and the field. Every subject has different language choices. A text for tourism students has quite different language choices from a text for engineering students.
The tenor of the context refers to ‗who is involved in the interaction?'-will influence our language choices for interacting with others (Derewianka, 2011:6). It is the relationship between the participants of the texts (husband/wife, teacher/student, doctor/patient, and shopkeeper/customer) and the relationship between people (intimate,
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familiar, distant or frequent). The other factors such as age, gender, authority, how the status, also influence our language choices. A guide, for example, might interact with the tourist by asking some questions formally (Have you ever visited this beautiful place? Sir); giving commands (taking pictures inside this castle is prohibited but you could take pictures of the outside of this building). The tour guide might attempt to persuade the customer through the emotion (you will love the places). The language choices that the guides use when they have conversation with the tourist are different with the language that they use when they have conversation with their friends.
The mode is the channel of communication being used: written or spoken (Derewianka, 2012:132). It will influence the text structure and organization. If the mode is spoken the language will be more spontaneous and interactive. If the mode is written, the language will be more considered, edited, dense and cohesive within the text itself.
Methodology
In this study, the researchers employ a qualitative approach. The source of data is the English textbook, Bahasa Inggris kelas X. The data are all conversationsof the concerned textbook. The units of analysis are the register (field and tenor) of the conversations. The mode is not analyzed since the data are all in the form of spoken texts (conversations).
The theory which is proposed by Derewianka (1990) is used as the instrument to analyze the data. The steps of data analysis are identifying the conversation models, identifying the tenors and the fields of the conversations and comparing the tenor and field to the need of vocational high school students.
Finding and Discussion
This part describes the findings and discussions of the field and tenor available in
the conversation texts. The textbook consists of 15 chapters and provide 8 conversation models. In details, the findings and discussions are presented based on field and tenor in every conversation.
Conversation 1
In the first conversation (page 17) the field is introduction and greeting. There are some expressions in the conversation which refers to greeting (e.g. Hello), introducing (e.g. I am Edo. May I know your name please?), talking about self (e.g. I am from Raja Ampat. I work in a tourism resort).It is between Edo and Slamet who meet for the first time in a party. They introduce themselves to each other. The tenor is distant, and formal, even frozen, influenced by the fact that neither of the speakers have met nor know much about each other. This is reflected by using the expression may I know your name, please?
The social function of this conversation is introducing and mentioning identity to develop interactional communication with others. By the end of the lesson, students (general, vocational and Islamic) should be able to introduce themselves to the others.
The conversation copes the demand of the general/vocational/Islamic school students in practicing conversation. The field of the conversation is related to the field study in the vocational school (e.g. business and tourism). The field considers the need of vocational students in the general conversation.
Conversation 2
The conversation (page 23) is much more in keeping informality of conversation between some friends in the office. The field is complementing to the new director,
Sinta : I am very happy for you, Alif. Now that you are the director of the company, I believe the company will develop even faster.
Alif : thank you.