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An Analysis of Reciprocal Category System (RCS) of Teachers’ Verbal Behavior in Classroom Interaction: A Descriptive Study of English Teachers at SMA PGRI 3 Padang
Oleh:
Sasi Septiawati *)
**) Mayuasti dan **) Handayani Staff Pengajar Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat
ABSTRAK
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui perlakuan verbal guru di SMA PGRI 3 Padang dengan menggunakan sebuah sistem observasi yang dikemukakan oleh Flander’s dan dikembangkan oleh Richard Ober yaitu Reciprocal Category System (RCS) dalam interaksi kelas. Jenis penelitian ini adalah deskriptif dimana sumber data dalam penelitian ini berupa kata-kata yang dihasilkan oleh guru selama proses belajar mengajar belangsung.
Partisipan dalam penelitian ini adalah guru bahasa inggris di SMA PGRI 3 Padang.. jumlah guru bahasa inggris di SMA PGRI 3 Padang adalah 4 orang, tetapi peneliti hanya meneliti 3 orang karena hanya guru tersebut yang masih aktif mengajar. Dalam penelitian ini, peneliti menggunakan observasi (observasi ceklis, field note dan recording).
Peneliti menggunakan observasi ceklis, field note dan recording saat guru mengajar dalam kelas, hal ini bertujuan untuk melihat dan mengetahui indicator apa saja dari Reciprocal Category System (RCS) yang diterapkan oleh guru dalam interaksi kelas. Kemudian peneliti melakukan interview terhadap guru bahasa inggris mengenai mengapa guru harus menerapkan indikator tersebut dalam kelas saat proses belajar mengajar berlangsung. Setelah melakukan pengolahan dara, peneliti menemukan bahwa guru telah menerapkan semua indicator dari Reciprocal Category System (RCS) dengan benar dan efektif. Indicator Reciprocal Category System (RCS) yang diterapkan oleh guru tersebut antara lain; warms, accepts, amplifies the contribution of another, elicits, responds, initiates, directs, corrects, cools, silence or confusion.
*) Penulis
**) Pembimbing INTRODUCTION
Background of the Problem
Communication gets crucial aspect in creating good classroom interaction how teachers choose the right words to communicate with students. Teachers should be able to provide the best words in doing their communication with students during the learning process takes place. According to Fielding (2006, p. 10) communication is a transaction whereby communication of participants together create meaning through the exchange of symbols. Exchange symbols may take many forms, for example: verbal (words are used when one speaks or writes to others
in an organization, non-verbal (these may take the form of gestures, facial expressions, the way people stand, and the use of voice in different ways), and graphic (graphic communication takes the form of tables, line graphs, bar graphs and diagrams).
Nowadays, many students would like to the teachers who have good communication especially in verbal language in teaching and learning process with the reason “the material that taught by that teachers will be more understood”. Although the material is difficult but students felt no problem with this because they can ask that teachers clearly until they
2 understood. In addition, more important thing that should be owned by a teacher is applying a strong relationship and instills mutual respect with students.
It is no less important for the teacher to establish mutual trust or open up with students. Automatically, teachers are able to create a good socio-emotional climate with their students in the classroom.
Although, the lesson can be said easily such as:
artistry or Indonesia subject, if students felt afraid or not enjoy to getting communication with the teacher, it can be sure that students just kept silent and did not dare to ask until the end of the semester they would not understand with the materials. Briefly, students will get low score in their achievement, and possible they are not passing in the semester. In fact, there are so many teachers that have different verbal behaviors in delivering materials, but teachers who have good communication especially in verbal language with the students will be liked mostly.
Definition of Reciprocal Category System (RCS) According to some experts, there are several definitions of Reciprocal Category System (RCS).
Firstly, Chowday (2004, p. 70) explains that RCS is not only enables use to estimate the nature and type of teacher-pupil interaction but also estimates the social-emotional climate in the classroom by noting the warning and calling behavior of teacher. It can be interpreted that by using this system in analyzing teachers’ verbal interaction will give some contributions for the teachers about what language that teachers provide during teaching process because it will influence a socio-emotional climate both teachers and students.
Moreover, according to Lakshmi and Rao (2004, p. 135) Reciprocal Category System is developed by Richard Ober of University of Florida. This system includes the following functions in classroom strategy building. It can be understood after the teachers apply this system to looking for their verbal interaction. Teachers can introspect themselves to be better in the future with changing the instructional teaching into an appropriate one.
Furthermore, according to Chauhan (2009, p.
157) the RCS derives its name from the reciprocity principle. According to the reciprocity principle, for every teacher verbal behavior that can either be observed in the classroom or theoretically conceived there exists a corresponding students’ behavior. This system states that every teacher’s behavior can be observed. Moreover, this observation will give significant effect toward teachers’ teaching performance. It is as introspections for the teachers about what appropriate or inappropriate languages that used in classroom interaction.
Finally, Mangal and Mangal (2009, p. 381) state that RCS’s system represents one of the several modifications suggested in the Fanders’ ten category system. It was developed by Richard Ober et al. of the University of Florida. The reciprocal category system is based on the principle of reciprocity which assumes that for any phenomenon or event, there exists a corresponding student behavior. Based on experts of this theory, Reciprocal Category System (RCS) has ten categories that should be applied by teachers in the classroom interaction.
In briefly from the experts’ statements above, the researcher can conclude that Reciprocal Category System (RCS) is an observational system by flander’s that developed by Richard Ober et al. of Florida’s University to looking for teachers’ verbal behavior in the classroom interaction in which these verbal behaviors are going to influence socio-emotional climate between teacher and students in the classroom during teaching and learning process.
Some Categories of Reciprocal Category System (RCS)
Reciprocal Category System (RSC) has some categories that should be implemented by the teachers in classroom interaction. These categories are warms, accepts, amplifies the contributors of another, elicits, responds, initiates, directs, cools, silence and confusion. Moreover, it is conducted by several experts, they are Laksmi and Rao (2004, p.
135-136), Aggarwal (2009, p. 222-223), Mangal and Mangal (2009, p. 381-382) and Chauhan (2009, p.
158-159) that will give detailed information like as follow
a. Warms
Warms is one of categories that require teachers to be able to handle the emotion in the classroom. It also asks teachers to using praises for each student’s good behavior while teaching and learning process.
According to Mangal and Mangal (2009, p. 381) who inform that “Warms” (informalizes) the climate:
(i) Tends to open up and eliminates the tension of the situation.
(ii) Praises or encourages the action, behavior components, ideas and or contribution of another.
(iii) Jokes that release tension not at the cost of others.
(iv) Accepts and clarifies the feeling tone of another in a friendly manner.
It can be understood that in this category teachers should be able to maintain good socio emotional climate with student by using some jokes.
It purposes to keep students enjoy and avoid boredom during teaching and learning process. Moreover, rewards and positive reinforcements are not less
3 important to be given by teachers in keeping students motivation in the classroom. Such as: “Fighting, I am sure you can be.”
a. Accepts
The next category is accepts. It allows the teacher to accept all of students’ behavior in the classroom whether it can be action or utterances.
According to Mangal and Mangal (2009, p. 381) Accepts is teacher accepts the action behavior, comments, and or contribution of another, positive reinforcement. This category means that teachers accept all of actions that made by students in the class. Teachers may use rewards or positive reinforcements for appropriate behavior that done by students. Such as: if one student gives good ideas about the materials or topic that discussed, teacher may say “Good job or that’s good ideas, keep achievement.”
b. Amplifies
Amplifies is the third category of Reciprocal Category System (RCS) that should be had by teachers in the classroom. Mangal and Mangal (2009, p. 381) say that amplifies the contributions of another: asks for clarification or builds on and/ or develops the action, behavior, comments over ideas and/ or contribution of another. In this category, teachers would like to ask some question clarifications about one topic to the students. In addition, teachers should be able to develop students’
good behavior with appropriate statements. Such as:
“What do you think about smart students? Is it good, is not it?”
c. Elicits
Elicit belongs to one of category of Reciprocal Category System (RCS) that should be implemented by teachers in the classroom interaction. Mangal and Mangal (2009, p. 381) say elicits orders the teachers to asks a question or requests information about the content, subject, or procedure being considered with the intent that another should answer (respond). In teaching and learning process, teachers should ask some questions to review students’ understanding or background knowledge about materials that taught by teachers. Furthermore, these questions should be answered by students correctly. Such as: “Who knows what it is?”
d. Responds
Mangal and Mangal (2009, p. 381) assume responds: gives direct answer or requests for information that are initiated by another; includes answers to one’s own question. While teaching and learning process takes a places, giving direct responses are important thing. Because not all of students have the same ability. A half of them may need more explanation by the teachers. Such as:
“Anyone still does not understand about my explanation? If yes, I will repeat again
e. Initiates
The next category is initiates. Mangal and Mangal (2009, p. 381) also explain that initiates has several part of teachers’ verbal behavior that can be seen like as follow:
(i) Presents facts, information, and/ or opinion concerning the content, subject or procedures being considered that are self-initiated.
(ii) Expresses one’s own ideas.
(iii) Lectures (included rhetorical questions not intended to be answered).
It means that teachers are suggested to give facts or opinions related to the materials that being taught when delivering material. It can be teachers’
experience. Moreover, sometimes if teachers ask question but there is no student able to answer that question, teachers may answer their own questions by themselves. Such as: “There is no one can answer my question? OK, I will explain it for you.”
f. Directs
Mangal and Mangal (2009, p. 381) say directs:
gives directions, instructions, order and /or assignments to which another is expected to comply.
This category intends that when the teachers are asking students to do assignments or exercises, teachers should use clear directions or instructions in the classroom. As the result, students are going to understand what they will do and do not get confuse about the task that given by teachers. Such as: “Now, make a group that consists of five students for each group.”
g. Correct
The next category is correct. According to Mangal and Mangal (2009, p. 381) corrects: tells another that his answer/behavior is inappropriate or incorrect. In this category, if students find difficulty in doing assignments, teachers should indicate the correct one. However, if it is the wrong behavior, teachers should address the students with the best language in modifying become an appropriate behavior. Such as: “Who do not make this assignment seriously, I will give minus score for you.”
h. Cools
The next category is cools. Mangal and Mangal (2009, p. 381) also describe that cools: (formalizes) the climate can be explained like below:
(i) Makes statement intended to modify the behavior of another from an inappropriate to an appropriate pattern.
(ii) May tend to create a certain amount of tension (i.e. exercise authority, rejecting or criticizing the opinion or judgment of another.)
It can be interpreted as teachers should be able to choose and use the best words in making statements
4 to modifying students’ wrong behavior when teaching and learning process takes a place.
Moreover, teachers should avoid impolite words in doing interaction with students in the classroom. As the result, teachers should eliminate the tension and use the appropriate language is the best way. Such as:
“To passing this subject, I suggest you to study hard everyday.”
i. Silence and confusion
The last category of Reciprocal Category System (RCS) is silence and confusion. In addition, according to Mangal and Mangal (2009, p. 381) silence or confusion: pauses, short periods of silence and periods of confusion in which communication cannot be understood by the observer. It means that, sometimes teachers not only use verbal behavior but also non verbal behavior in the classroom. In silence category, there is no words that used by teachers.
But, the researcher just observes what teachers do during silence or confusion periods.
RESEARCH METHOD
This research is conducted by using descriptive research. According to Gay and Airasian (2000, p.275), a descriptive research determines and describes the way things are. Thus, descriptive research is chosen because the researcher wants to describe deeply what kinds of Reciprocal Category System (RCS) that implemented and why it is used by teachers of Senior High School PGRI 3 Padang in the classroom verbal interaction. Furthermore, Gay and Airasian (2000, p.281) state that the selected research participants must be (1) able to provide the desire information and (2) willing to provide it to the researcher. In order to, the researcher takes teachers who teach at Senior High School PGRI 3 Padang as participants. Moreover, Lufri (2000, p. 121) says that purposive sampling adalah sample yang sengaja dipilih berdasarkan kharakteristik tertentu yang diperlukan dalam penelitian. It means that the researcher is going to select English teachers who have applied Reciprocal Category System (RCS) in classroom interaction as samples in this research.
Briefly, the researcher collected the data through observation (field note and observation checklist).
RESEARCH FINDINGS
The result of two instruments shows that the English teachers of SMA PGRI 3 Padang have implemented all of indicators of Reciprocal Category System (RCS) in classroom interaction. It can be seen from this following description:
Finding a. Warms
The teacher would be uncertain to give jokes or slank words for students in the classroom. When students forgot to make the homework, the teachers did not give judgments toward students’ behavior, but she would like to give jokes. In this situation, the teacher tried to address students’ mistake with precious ways, for example: “Oh my God, OMG hello, kenapa belum siap tugasnya nak?” ( Oh, My God, OMG hello, why not ready duties, dear?). The teacher was also able to control the emotion in the classroom when there was a student got lazy and day dream, the teacher tried to modify the student’s attitude by using the polite sentences, such as:
“Onya, pagi baru nak, tagak’an kapalo tu nak!”
(Onya, new morning dear, please stands your head dear). .In delivering this statement, the teacher would like to give smile and using soft tones to the student.
Based on the examples above, it could be interpreted that the teacher tried to keep students’ feeling by using appropriate sentences when modifying students’ misbehavior in the classroom. In addition, jokes were done by the teacher to avoid students’
stress toward the materials that were given by the teacher in learning process.
b. Accepts
The teacher respected all of students’ action in the classroom. When a student gave her opinion about the material that being discussed, the teacher would like to say “O.K, that’s good.” Next, the English teacher also gave the positive reinforcement to the student who was success to read the text that asked by the teacher, then the teacher said, “Ha, good.” It meant that because the teacher was aware that every student had different experiences and different potency in learning in order to the teacher tried to always accept students’ effort in learning process. Giving positive reinforcement and praises toward students’ action were one of the teacher’s way to accept every students’ action in the classroom. It purposed to motivate students’ enthusiasm during teaching and learning process takes a place.
Considering that the students prefered the award than the punishment in the learning process.
c. Amplifies
The teacher would like to ask the opinion from the students that related to the material that being taught, for instance: “Unpredictable itu apa artinya?” (Unpredictable, what is a mean?). When the teacher was delivering materials in the classroom, she would like to ask the clarification from students, it purposed that the teacher wanted to make sure whether the students have understood about the materials that were taught or not, such as: “Erlangga, ada contoh lain? Give me example about
5 this”(Erlangga, do you have another example? Give me example about this). It meant that the teacher wanted to ask clarification about students’
understanding of materials that had been discussed in the classroom. if the lesson was not understood by the students yet, the teacher was going to give clearer explanation for students again until the students got the point. The teacher also asked other students to giving responds toward opinion that given by their friend, such as: “Hei Dayat, lai batua nan disampaian jo Erlangga tu?”. It could be understood that the teacher tried to ask students opinion in the classroom to making students felt belong in teaching and learning process.
d. Elicits
The teacher would like to ask some questions to recall students’ background knowledge that realeted to the materials that being discussed in the classroom, for example: “Masih ingat nggak jenis text yang ada story didalamnya? Nah, apa itu? (Do you still remember about the text that have the story there?
What is it?). The teacher also allowed students to asking the question in the classroom, such as: “who have a question?”. Next, the teacher required students to giving their opinion related to the materials that being taught, for instance: “Menurut kalian, berapa aktifitas yang terjadi pada past perfect tense?” (According to your opinion, how many activities that happened in past perfect tenses?).
It intended that by asking the questions to students, the teacher could recall students’ background knowledge about the materials that had been taught.
It was considered that the main job of teachers was to teach and educate students so that all students were able to master the lesson well, it could be seen that the teacher let students to be active in the classroom.
In order to, students could ask everything that they needed to know in the learning process.
e. Responds
The teacher would like to give direct respond when a student asked the question, for example: the student said “Persamaan besar tu giant nak miss?”(The Equation of big is giant, miss. Is it right?) so that the the teacher answered “Iya, bisa” to the student directly. The teacher also added some information when students still got confused about the materials that being learnt, for example: “The purpose of announcement itu “to inform” sedangkan narrative text “to amuse atau to entertain” (The purpose of announcement is “to inform” whereas narrative text is “to amuse or to entertain). It could be interpreted that the teacher would like to give direct responses toward students’ question to avoid students’ misunderstanding about the lesson that was being learnt.
f. Initiates
When explaining the material about spoof, the teacher tried to establish students’ understanding by giving an example to the students, for instance:
“Pernah kan nonton cerita warkop? Endingnya funny” (Have you ever watch warkop film that has funny ending?. Another example that given by the teacher was about past perfect tense, such as: “I had eaten before I went to school”. The teacher would like to give real example to the students when delivering materials, such as: “Nah, ini dia contoh announcement (show to students an example of announcement)” (Look! this is an example of announcement). It could be understood that the teacher always tried to build students’ understanding by giving some examples to the students. Referring to the reason, the materials would be easier to be understood by students. The teacher also was conscious that the students were more pleasure from the things that were concrete and practical in teaching and learning process.
g. Direct
When the teacher wanted to ask students to making the tasks, the teacher would like to give clear commands to the students, for example: “Coba sekarang buka buku catatannya” (Now, please open your notebook.). Then, the teacher gave clear directions to the students about what would be done next, for instance: “Besok, kalian cari materi tentang descriptive stext!” (For tomorrow, please mfind the material about descriptive text!). Another example was “Kerjakan soal nomor 1-50, buat dikertas selembar!” (Do about numbers 1-50, make a paper sheet!). It could be meant that the teacher would like to give clear the instruction or directions to make students understand about what would be done by students in the next. It also purposed to avoid students’ misunderstanding in making the tasks.
h. Corrects
In answering the question, the students often found the difficulty to decide whether the correct and the wrong one. Because of that, the teacher would like to correct students’ mistake when answering the question, such as: “Jawaban yang lebih tepat C, coba baca lagi soalnya dan sesuaikan dengan text!” (The answer is more appropriate C, try reading again because and adjust the text!), another example is
“Mana itu meaningnya nak, coba cari lagi dikamus!” (Are you sure it is the answer? Please check in your dictionary). When the student had bad attitude and using impolite words in doing communication in the classroom, the teacher would like to critic the students to modify his behavior by using some statements like as follow: “Kalau taka iko sikap you parah nilai you bisuak ko mah. Sikap itu ada penilaiannya juga ya” (If like this your attitude, your grades are not save because the attitude
6 is also exist assessments). It intended that the teacher was aware that the role of the teacher in the classroom was not only provided materials to students and encouraged students to be smart, but also teachers should also be able to guide students improve deviant behavior toward better by using the right words so that students could understand the intent of the teacher. Moreover, the teacher tried to give correct statements to modifying students’
mistake or students’ misbehavior in the classroom.
i. Cools
The teacher gave simple statement in addressing students misbehavior firmly, for example: “Ndak ado tempo-tempo lai do Dina, urang ka ujian”. Another example is “Dayat, catatlah tu a” and “Dah, duduk lagi”. The teacher would like to give critics towards the student’s misbehavior in the classroom, such as
“Oi Wahyu, muluik tu jago lah Wahyu. Tata karma wa tu kurang” (Hi Wahyu, keep your mouth. You lack manners) and “Bima, jan galak-galak Bima, waktu hampir habis. Siap ndak siap tugas ko dikumpul. Tarimo se lah nilai” (Bima, do not laugh!
time is running out. Ready not ready, the duty should be collected. Receive your value!). All of those statements were delivered by the teachers by using the serious mimic and higher tones than usual. It meant that the teacher would like to keep the cooling behavior in the classroom. In order to, students would pay attention more to the teacher.
Because teachers realized that the teaching- learning interaction required discipline. Discipline in the teaching-learning interaction was defined as a pattern of behavior that was arranged according to the provisions that must be obeyed by students in the classroom.
j. Silence and confusion
There was a situation in which the teachers did not say anything, the teacher kept silence for short period in the classroom, for example: the teacher wrote something in the book, the teacher gave attention when students make the exercise, and reading a note. However, it could be interpreted that teachers’ silence had the crucial reasons why they should pause for a few second or minutes in teaching process. In fact, the teacher tried to make the teaching performance would be better in the future.
CONCLUSION
Classroom interaction is a situation in which both the teacher and students need each other. They are mutual. The teacher needs students to pay attention about the materials that being taught in the classroom, meanwhile students need information or learn more about everything from the teacher. In order to, it is very important to maintain mutual
feelings between the teacher and students, one of many ways by using appropriate words when doing communication in the classroom. Although, the students have different attitude and ability, the teachers should keep students feeling when control students’ activity or address students’ misbehavior in the classroom. Thereby, the teacher will be easier to convey the intent and purpose of learning the student and the student will be easier to understand the learning. In order to, a good socio-emotional climate both teacher and students will be kept in the classroom.
In proving that statement, the researcher conducted the descriptive research at SMA PGRI 3 Padang with the purpose to find out which categories of Reciprocal Category System (RCS) that used by teacher in classroom interaction and to find out why the teachers are categorized into Reciprocal Category System (RCS) in classroom interaction. In getting the data, the researcher used two instruments, they are observation (observation checklist and field note) and interview to collect information about Reciprocal Category System (RCS) that is used by English teacher. There were observation checklist, field note and interview that were applied for each English teacher as the participants in this research.
Based on the research finding, the researcher formulated the conclusion into; the result of observation checklist and field note from each indicator of Reciprocal Category System (RCS) was good, because almost all of categories of RCS were implemented by English teachers in teaching and learning process. The last, the interview was done for each English teacher to make sure why the teachers should implement these indicators in the classroom.
SUGGESTION
After doing the investigation phase in the field and analyzing the collected data, the researcher states insightful suggestions at this point. Firstly, all teachers have to understand that classroom interaction is the key of teaching and learning process and it is part of their important role in teaching. By understanding it, the teachers will realize that their task to come to the class is not simple job but complex job. Secondly, teachers should be able to consider some supporting elements of classroom interaction that will help them in creating a good socio emotional climate between teacher and students in the classroom. Thirdly, related to the research finding, the researcher suggests that the teachers should be able to understand the aspects of Reciprocal Category System (RCS) classroom well and be able to implement it correctly. Overall, this research informs us that by implementing Reciprocal
7 Category System (RCS) to observing teachers’ verbal behavior, a good socio emotional climate or a good relationship both the teacher and students will be kept automatically.
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