CHAPTER II REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE
B. Components of Syllabus
3. Materials
Teaching materials are key component in most language programs.
Whether the teacher uses a text book, institutionally, prepared materials or make us of his/her own materials, instructional material generally serve as the basis for much of the language input learners receive and the language practice that occurs in the classroom. These may take the form of:
a. Printed materials such as books, workbooks, worksheet, or readers.
b. Non print materials such as cassette or audio materials, videos, or computer-based materials.
c. Material that comprise both print and no-print sources such as self- access materials, and materials on the internet. In addition, materials not designed for instructional use, such as magazine, newspaper, and TV materials, may also play a role in the curriculum.
Some teachers use instructional material as their primary teaching resource. The material provide the basis for the content of the lesson, the balance of skills taught, and the kind of language practice students take part in. In other situation materials serve primarily to supplement the teachers’ instruction. For learners, materials may provide the major
source of context they have with the language apart from the teacher.
Hence, the rule and uses of material in a language program is a significant aspect of language curriculum.
Obtaining appropriate materials generally involve one of the three alternatives; selecting available materials, modifying existing materials and designing new materials.
a. Selecting available materials, the majority of instructional materials used by the teachers and trainers are “off the self” that is ready made and available from school, district, or company collections or other easily accessible sources.
b. Modifying Available Materials, if the teachers cannot locate entirely suitable materials and media off the shelf, they might be able to modify what is available. This can be challenging and creative. In terms of time and cost, it is a more efficient procedure than designing own materials.
c. Designing Material. Heinich et al (1996:48) gives some basic elements that must be considered when designing materials, they are; objectives, audience, cost, technical expertise, equipment, facilities, and time.
According to Kitao (2003:123) the materials should be slightly higher in their level of difficulty than the students’ current level English proficiency”. Teaching materials should be designed easily enough for the students to process it without difficulty. Besides that the choice of
materials should be suitable with students’ age. Urr (1991) expresses that “the teacher needs to know if the material is appropriate for the age of the students. Some materials may focus on some skills but may differ in format and content to appeal to different ages”. Related to this statement, it is really important to choose the materials which are suitable with students’ background knowledge. The teaching materials will be mastered easily, if it can be related to the previous learning and background knowledge of the students.
Additional, Robininett (1978) characterizes that good materials can be viewed from the validity, authenticity, proficiency level and appropriateness and the currency of the topics. Good materials should be related to students’ need, daily life and situation.
It can be seen that the material should be:
1. The materials should be slightly higher in their level of difficulty than the students’ current level English proficiency. (Kitao: 2003) 2. The authentic materials can be used in giving the materials to help
the students to understand the materials easily. (Tanti and Yusuf:2010)
3. Teaching materials should be designed easily enough for the students to process it without difficulty. (Kitao: 2003)
4. The choice of materials should be suitable with students’ age.
(Urr: 1991)
5. The materials can be viewed from the validity, and authenticity.
(Robininett: 1978)
6. The materials should be related to the students’ need, daily life and situation. (Robininett: 1978)
In additional, According to BSNP (2006:12) there are some components that should be considered in developing the English teaching materials as follow:
a. Students’ potency. It means the materials used by the English teachers should be suitable with the students’ knowledge.
b. The relevance to the local characteristics. It means the materials should be related to the students’ environments.
c. Students’ usefulness. It means the material that the teachers give should have significances for the students themselves.
d. Timeliness, Depth, breadth of the instructional materials. In preparing, implementing and doing the evaluation the materials should be considered the promptness appropriate with the timetable. Besides, the depth and width of information contained in the materials become the aspects of the materials which are appropriate with the students’ level, intellectual and condition.
e. The relevance to the students’ needs of environment demand. SMA N 2 Sungai Penuh has two kinds of study programs; namely science and social program. So the materials should be related with their programs and what their environments demand.
f. Time allocation. It means the material that the teachers give to the students must be given the time allocation in presenting it appropriate with the time for each of activities has been given in the lesson plan.
So that, the indicators for the materials consist of a) students’
potency, b) the relevance to the local characteristics, c) students usefulness, d) timeliness, depth, with of the instructional materials, e) relevance to the students’ need of and environment demand, f) time allocation.