MINI RESEARCH : LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

BY. CIKA

(http://www.ateep77.wordpress.com/)

ABSTRACT

Children in the age of 6-12 are now must fully involved in learning English
since it is considered essential for children to learn it earlier. In fact, it
does not work yet for most children learning English, as a case in one of
the primary schools in Subang that 97% of them could not even spell
colors in English. The researchers begin to concern about the materials
being taught related to their motivation to learn English where lack of
motivation is proven as the main issue in this case. So, the researcher is
anxious about finding out the more practical solution in term of increasing
their motivation to speak English, without ignoring the nature of the
children itself; curious, active, full of enthusiasm and often show a lot of
eagerness to participate. The researchers employed descriptive study in
conducting this research, while observation and interviews were employed
to collecting the data. The findings show that there is a material now
given in the senior high school which is appropriate and increasing
strongly the students’ motivation to learn English better, especially in
speaking, which rarely occur in the first grade of senior high school.
Therefore the researchers conclude that having relevant and constructive
material which actually touches the nature of the children would directly
increase their motivation the most. Due to the results, the researchers
recommend the government and any educationist to be more selective in
verdict the materials given to students with paying more attention to the
students’ interest and motivation on them.

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 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents background on the research, limitation of the

research, research questions, aims of research, significance of the
research, and hypothesis. This chapter also provides a brief explanation
about the method of the research. In the end of this chapter, the
researcher informs clarification of main terms and organization of paper.
1.1 Background

Speaking English is now found very hard to be applied in daily activities

even by the students of English Department. It seems to be strange when
people speak English in the public areas. Speaking English even with
friends of English department will be considered as weird by others.
Rarely finding students, no matter in what level they are, who have
willingness to speak English in his daily life becomes one of the proves
that the students have the lack of motivation. They are not even able to
motivate themselves; it indicates that they will not able to motivate
others.

Why speaking English is important, while reading is the most important

area or activity for individuals to engage in for the sake of the
development of L2 academic competence, and it is important as well for
interpersonal function and for merely “getting along” in any literate
society (Troike 2006), should be clearly explained in the very first
beginning. As the data I found, elementary students’ activities in the
classroom are mostly, for about 85%, done in the speaking way.
Repeating what their teacher said, singing, mentioning fruits, animals,
those are examples on how students done most orally English learning in
speaking way, not reading. Speaking is also important area of activity for
L2 learners if they will be using the language for interpersonal purposes,

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whether these are primarily social or instrumental (Troike 2006). To speak
English cannot be done with ease. Having minimally 200 vocabularies is
one of the requirements for just speaking English falteringly. Since
students must have hundreds even thousand vocabularies to speak
English fluently, they should be engaged earlier. Most Indonesian usually
consider somebody good in English through her/his pronunciation,
speaking. The impressive image given through speak English is totally
effective to show off her/his ability. Peoples’ ways to see that can
motivate that somebody to learn or do it more. Firstly before learning it,
the students should have willingness to do it. The willingness comes up
from motivation.

Motivation is a key to ultimate level of proficiency (Troike 2006). In

researcher point of view, increasing students’ motivations mean helping
them to increase their level of English proficiency. So first thing to do is
motivating the children to have deeper desire to speak English. The forms
of the motivation can be a compliment, a pride, or amazement. It can be
various. Children, according to their age, are considered easy to be
motivated. All teachers need to do is choosing the best way to motivate
them through the materials given in the class.

Since children are more successful L2 learners than adults (Troike 2006),
the writer believes that children should be engrafted earlier. Completing
that way, children’s nature is essential. It is one of the ways to have
fundamental on how children respond or do something. In accordance
with children’s nature, if they are given a compliment because they do
something, they will do the same thing anymore to gain it again.

Introduction material which in status quo is explained for the students in

senior high school seems not really effective in increasing their motivation
to speak English. Based on the description above about motivation and
children’s nature, introduction material can meet the need of teachers to
increase the children motivation to learn speaking English. Since children
will meet many new people, it will be good for them to know how to
introduce themselves. When parents and others know that their children

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can speak English by introducing themselves to a guest for example, it
will make their parents rightfully proud and suddenly give compliments.
These compliments are another form of motivation which can burn
children spirit to speak more not only to introduce them.

There was also another reason why I have big concern and curiosity on
this topic. This is just a real story happened to my cousin. Last week, my
cousin, a little girl of six, went home and told my family how happy she
was. She also promised to learn hard especially in learning English. Then
she began to tell the story when he was in the English class. It was just a
simple story in my point of view. When her teacher asked her for several
questions, she never missed it. She could answer every single question
pointed to her. Then her friends adored her and suddenly thought that she
is so smart in speaking English. Her teacher also plays role here, she gave
her a compliment. For me, that was just an ordinary compliment.
However, my cousin accepted all as her new spirit, big spirit to learn
English more. Actually, at that time I saw it as one of the motivation
components which is desire to attain the goal or need (see Oxford and
Ehrman 1993). I never thought before that this kind of very simple action
could affect deeply students’ motivation.

Therefore, with a big expectation that it could be useful for Education and
its elements I decided to make a research on it, with the topic “The need
of “introduction” material (now given in the first grade of both
senior and senior high school) to be taught earlier to the fourth
grade students of elementary school in term of increasing their
motivation to speak English”.

1.2 Limitation of Problem

This research is limited in gathering information on how “introduction”

material which held in the first grade of senior high school will affect the
students motivation in improving speaking skill if it is taught in fourth
grade of elementary school. The researcher specifies her study in the
observation of the effectiveness of applying introduction material in

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improving students’ motivation in speaking English, without neglecting
other aspects that could occur in the adapting of introduction material as
one of the materials presenting in the fourth grade students of elementary
school.

1.3 Research Questions

Based on the background above, the present research endeavored to

address the questions below:

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving the

introduction material earlier to fourth grade students of elementary
school?

2. Which school should be in the first place to teach introduction

material in term of motivating students to speak English better?

1.4 The Aims of Research

The aims of this research are described below:

1. To identify which material is important to be given earlier as the

elementary school material

2. To identify how significant does the introduction material promote

the students’ motivation to speak English more

3. To have a brief knowledge about children and teenagers motivation

affected by the introduction material given to them

1.5 The Significance of Research

The result of this research will allow the fourth grade students of
elementary school to have the introduction material as one of the English

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materials given. Since it is considered less effective and efficient to adapt
this material to the first grade students of senior high school in promoting
their motivation to speak English, it would be better to convert it to be the
elementary students’ material. The impact would be seen in their spirit to
learn more vocabularies and their effort to speak English earlier. This
would be very helpful for them in the future because they already fill their
spirit with a big motivation to learn English. Another consideration is that
introduction material is the applicative one that is easy to be applied
everywhere. As children, for sure, they will meet many new people; give
this material to senior high school students will be too late to be taught.

1.6 The Hypothesis

The researcher firstly came up with an assumption that children need

something applicative for them in learning speaking English. Most people
considered speaking English as a hard thing to do. The researcher
believed that changing this paradigm since the children age is very
crucial. Children should be have an understanding that learn or speak
English is not that hard. It means that they should be given an interest
and attractive material to stimulate those continuing speaking English.
Motivated by compliment, feeling of proud, amazement, will lead them to
the first interest that Speaking English is cool. They know not all people
could speak English. Thus, introduction material is something that they
can apply it anytime with anybody to show off their ability.

In Indonesia, if there were children of seven or eight already speak

English, it is a great thing to see. People will be amazed. Children feel
rightfully proud. The compliments fill their head.

So, related to the assumption above the researcher began this research
with a hypothesis “children need an applicative material to increase their
motivation, in this case it is introduction material given in senior high
school”.

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1.7 Research Method in General

The research methods used in this research is qualitative method which is

valuable “to assist the researcher in deciding whether the teaching
program needed to be modified or altered in any way so that the
objectives may be achieved more effectively” (Nunan, 1992).

1.8 Data Collection

As outlined above, this study used multiple techniques of data collection,

conducted not only at the conclusion of the study, but also in a first
beginning and ongoing way (Fraenkel and Wallen, 2000, p. 505; Bogdan
and Biklen, 2003).

This research begins with doing an observation toward both fourth grade
students of elementary school and first grade students of senior high
school and the interview done to twenty senior high school students who
already learnt introduction material. This observation is addressed to have
a wider point of view on how introduction material affecting students
motivation to speak English. Another purpose of the observation is that to
know who feel more attractive in learning this material and followed it up
by learning the next English materials with same or bigger motivation
than before. The interview is aimed to strengthen the researcher
hypothesis that introduction material affects nothing to the senior high
school students’ motivation in improving their speaking English ability.

Ongoing data collection will be taken up briefly in this section, and the use
of interview, which was conducted at the end of the research in detail. The
interview is employed to the twenty students from both elementary and
senior high school.

1.9 Classification of Terms

These following words and its meanings are several terms used in the
research topic (Consulted from Cambridge University):

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Motivation : (U) enthusiasm for doing something;

(N) The need or reason for doing something;

Speak, speaking : using the stated language; to (be able) talk in a

language.

Need : something that somebody should have or would

benefit from having it.

Introduction : an activity to do to make people know

somebody.

Material : information produced in various forms to help people.

Elementary school : a school which provides the first part of a child’s

education, usually

for children between five and eleven years old.

High school : a school in the US for children aged 16-18 years old.

Increase : to make something larger in size.

CHAPTER 2
THEORETICAL FOUNDATION

2.1 Historical Developments and Trends in the Study of Foreign

Language Learning (L2)
Motivation

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The field of foreign language learning (L2) motivation research was
founded in 1959 by two Canadian social psychologists, Lambert and
Gardner. Although they were not linguists, they became interested in
second language learning because of the somewhat unusual Canadian
socio-political environment, which is characterized by the coexistence of
French- and English-speaking communities. The most universally accepted
contribution of their work to the field has been that learning a second
language is unlike learning any other subject. This is because it “involves
imposing elements of another culture into one’s own lifespace” (Gardner
& Lambert, 1972, p. 193), and because it is easily influenced (positively or
negatively) by a range of social factors, such as prevailing attitudes
toward the language, geo-political considerations, and cultural
stereotypes (Dörnyei, 2005). In other respects, though, the field, just like
its counterpart in general and educational psychology, has undergone a
number of shifts: in scope, in research perspectives, in its relation to
practice, and in its relationship with the field of Second Language
Acquisition research.

The first empirical investigations related to L2 learning motivation took

place in Canada, and were aimed at identifying and measuring variables
that shared variance in common with measures of English-French
bilingualism (Gardner & Lambert, 1959). Many such studies resulted in the
proposal of Gardner and Smythe’s (1975) pioneering socio-educational
model of second language acquisition in school contexts, which has been
revised several times (e.g., Gardner, 1985a; Gardner, 2000; Gardner &
MacIntyre, 1993a; Tremblay & Gardner, 1995). It is interesting to note
that, according to Gardner, “acquisition” involves “the development of
bilingual skill in the language, and that this requires considerable time,
effort, and persistence” (Gardner, 2001a, p. 4, my emphasis).
Another motivation research occurred after the publication of Dörnyei and
Ottó’s innovative (1998) process model of L2 motivation. As a result, in
the late 1990s, a new, process-oriented period began for L2 motivation
research. The process-oriented period is characterized by an increasing

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emphasis on viewing motivation, not simply as a static product, but also
as a dynamic process fluctuating over time. This movement is
spearheaded by the research that has been carried out by Dörnyei,
Ushioda (e.g., 2001), and colleagues in Europe. The new approaches are
moving toward an integration of concepts from motivational psychology,
personality psychology, and even neurobiology (Dörnyei, 2005).

2.2 Orientation and Motivation

A basic distinction was made in Gardner (1985a) but has frequently been
misunderstood, namely that between orientation and motivation (i.e., “the
driving force in any situation,” Gardner, 2001a, p. 6). Gardner’s theory
does not belong to goal-type theories (Dörnyei, 2001c); therefore, its
focus is on motivation, not orientations.
There are two common misconceptions of Gardner’s motivation theory
(Dörnyei, 2005). One is that L2 motivation is simply the interplay of two
components, an “integrative orientation / motivation” and an
“instrumental orientation / motivation.” It is not surprising that
misconceptions abound, given that:
• The terms “orientation” and “motivation” have been used somewhat
inconsistently in the past by Gardner himself.
• Gardner, for instance, still mentions both “integrative orientation” and
“integrative motivation” but that the terms have come to refer to different
concepts linked in complex hierarchical relationships (see Figure 2.3).
• Many of these terms sound confusingly similar (e.g., “integrativeness,”
and “integrative motive”).
The other common misconception is that the theory revolves around a
simple dichotomy of the type, “instrumental motivation is bad /
integrative motivation is good,” which is probably a consequence of
Gardner’s almost exclusive focus on “integrativeness.”

2.3 Integrative Motivation

Figure 2.3. shows Gardner’s (2001a) conceptualization of “Integrative
Motivation.” based on an extract from his basic model of second language

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learning (pp.5-7), which is a revised version of his earlier
conceptualization of the “Integrative Motive” (Gardner, 1985a).
“Integrative motivation” subsumes three components. The first two,
“integrativeness” and “attitudes toward the learning situation,” are
usually fairly highly correlated and are seen as supports for the third
component, which is “motivation.” In other words, a student who has high
levels of “integrativeness,” and/or “positive attitudes toward the learning
situation,” but is low in “motivation” is unlikely to achieve much in terms
of L2 proficiency. Conversely, for motivation levels to be sustained over
the long period needed to master an L2 a high level of “motivation” alone
is insufficient; it needs to be supported by high levels of “integrativeness,”
and/or positive “attitudes toward the learning situation.” Gardner’s
(1985a) social psychological approach assumes that students’ goals, when
they engage in L2 learning, fall into two categories, an integrative
orientation, and an instrumental one. An integrative orientation reflects a
positive disposition toward a community of L2 speakers, accompanied by
a desire to learn the L2 for the purpose of interacting with, and even
becoming similar to valued members of the community of L2 speakers. An
instrumental orientation refers to a desire to learn the L2 primarily for
potential concrete gains associated with L2 proficiency, such as improved
education, career, or financial prospects.

Even though “integrativeness” and “instrumentality” are the two most

frequently highlighted concepts in L2 motivation studies (Csizér &
Dörnyei, 2005), “instrumentality” has not received much attention from
Gardner. “Integrativeness” is assessed in the AMTB by scales tapping
attitudes toward the group of L2 speakers, general interest in foreign
languages, and a set of integrative orientation items reflecting reasons for
studying the L2 based on attraction to the group of L2 speakers
(MacIntyre, 2002).
Finally, Figure 2.3 indicates the function that Gardner (2001a, p. 5)
attributes to “instrumental motivation” and to other motivational factors
(e.g., a stimulating L2 teacher or course), within a class of variables that

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he termed “other support” in his model of second language learning.
However, this miscellaneous class of factors appears somewhat artificially
differentiated from “integrative motivation,” and not particularly well
integrated into the model (Dörnyei, 2005).

FIGURE 2.3
Conceptualization of Integrative Motivation
(Based on Gardner, 2001, pp. 5-7)

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2.4 Value Components of L2 Motivation
For many secondary school students, learning an L2 remains primarily an
academic requirement, which is often at best perceived as a means to
achieve another end. In other words, they may be interested in obtaining
high scores in an L2 test (which may only require the ability to do well in
complex multiple-choice tests, and not test either oral or written

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proficiency in the L2), in order to pursue other meaningful personal goals.
Recall that the term “instrumentality” is normally used to refer to learning
an L2 for such utilitarian purposes.
Dörnyei and Kormos (2000), and Dörnyei (2002) investigated the
instrumental benefits associated with the EFL proficiency of Hungarian
high school learners. In these studies, the authors preferred to use the
term “incentive values” to instrumentality because, besides the usual
pragmatic benefits mentioned by the participants, other incentives were
mentioned such as traveling, making foreign friends, and understanding
English songs. Dörnyei and Kormos (2000) found a negative correlation
between learners with high task attitudes who reported an interest in
incentive values and the number of words produced by these learners;
they suggested it might be because such an interest was socially
desirable rather than genuine. On the other hand, Dörnyei (2002)
reported a highly significant, positive correlation between students with
positive task attitudes who reported an interest in incentive values and
the number of turns they had taken during the task. Dörnyei (2002)
indicates that the result is in accordance with his theoretical proposition
that task motivation is “fuelled by a combination of situation-specific and
generalized motives” (p. 151).
Finally, another noteworthy finding from the studies by Dörnyei and
Kormos (2000) and
Dörnyei (2002) was that some learners, who had negative attitudes
toward the tasks used in their study, nevertheless engaged in L2
communication behavior when they held favorable attitudes toward the L2
course. This seems to lend support to Schumann’s (1999) argument that
some individuals may be “willing to endure” (p. 36) certain L2 learning
experiences that they find unappealing or even unpleasant, just because
of the contribution these experiences make to achieving a longer-term
goal that they value (e.g., learning an L2). It also suggests to me that
favorable attitudes toward an L2 course may be related to the positive
value students attach to L2 learning in general, and that attitudes toward

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specific language learning tasks may be based on an affective type of
response to these learning tasks, which can be self regulated.

2.5 Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Strategies Framework

Traditionally, motivational psychologists have been more concerned about
what motivation is than about how we can use this knowledge to motivate
learners. Recently, however, there has been a marked change, and more
and more researchers have decided to look at the pedagogical
implications of research by conceptualizing motivational strategies.
Motivational strategies can refer to instructional interventions consciously
applied by the teacher to elicit and stimulate student motivation, or to
self-regulating strategies that are used purposefully by individual students
to manage the level of their own motivation. The motivational strategies
discussed here belong to the first type, namely, to instructional
techniques used by teachers.
A survey of the educational psychology literature related to the study of
motivation in the classroom reveals many publications on teacher
behaviors that should be effective in fostering student motivation in the
classroom (for reviews in educational psychology see, e.g., Brophy, 2004;
Ginsberg & Wlodkowski, 2000; Pintrich & Schunk, 2002; within the area of
language education see, e.g., Alison & Halliwell, 2002; Dörnyei, 2001a,
2006; Williams & Burden, 1997).Yet, it also reveals the absence of a
theory-based framework that could accommodate the diverse behaviors—
although Dörnyei (2001a) is a notable exception in the L2 field. His model
for a motivational L2 teaching practice comprises four main dimensions:
• Creating the basic motivational conditions, namely, laying the
foundations of motivation through establishing a good teacher-student
rapport, a pleasant and supportive classroom atmosphere, and a
cohesive learner group with appropriate group norms.
• Generating initial motivation, that is, “whetting the students’
appetite” by using strategies designed to develop positive attitudes
toward the language course and language learning in general, and to
increase the learners’ expectancy of success.

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 • Maintaining and protecting motivation through promoting situation-
specific task motivation (e.g., by designing stimulating, enjoyable, and
relevant tasks), by providing learners with experiences of success, by
allowing them to maintain a positive social image even during the
often face-threatening task of having to communicate with a severely
limited language code, and finally, by promoting learner autonomy.
• Encouraging positive retrospective self-evaluation through the
promotion of adaptive attributions and the provision of effective and
encouraging feedback, as well as by increasing learner satisfaction and
by offering grades in a motivational manner.
Figure 2.5 presents the schematic representation of the model, indicating
the main macro-strategies associated with each dimension. The macro-
strategies are further broken down into over 100 motivational techniques.
The reader is referred to Dörnyei’s book on motivational strategies
(2001a) where these are explained in detail. Dörnyei’s L2 motivational
strategies framework served as the theoretical basis for designing the
classroom observation instruments in the current investigation.
While the motivational strategies reported in the L2 motivation literature
are usually grounded in sound theoretical considerations, there has been
very little research in the past to answer this crucial question: Do the
proposed techniques actually work in language classrooms? This
deficiency was already highlighted by Gardner and Tremblay (1994) over
a decade ago: In reflecting on the potential usefulness of motivational
strategies, they argued that, from a scientific point of view, intuitive
appeal without empirical evidence was not enough to justify strong claims
in favor of the use of such strategies. They therefore recommended that
these strategies be considered as mere hypotheses to be tested, and
highlighted a number of possible pitfalls to avoid in such research. The
fact that there may be a discrepancy between the assumed and the actual
motivational power of certain motives or motivational strategies is indeed
a real concern, which is well reflected in the title of a very recent paper by
Chen, Warden, and Chang (2005): “Motivators that do not motivate.”

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In retrospect, however, it can be seen that Gardner and Tremblay’s (1994)
recommendations have hardly been taken up by scholars in the L2 field.
This is partly because validation studies of motivational strategies are
labor-intensive, since they require the application of experimental designs
and/or extensive classroom observation. At the time of writing, only one
published study (Dörnyei & Csizér, 1998) had the explicit objective to
provide empirical data about the effectiveness of 51 motivational
strategies (selected from a list, drawn up by Dörnyei, 1994a, of about
100). However, that study only relied on teachers’ self-reports about how
important they considered strategies and how often they used them; it
was not based on documentation of the actual nature of the participating
teachers’ motivational practice (which would have been more objective),
nor on the students’ classroom behavior to which such practice might
have been linked.

FIGURE 2.5

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The Components of a Motivational L2 Teaching Practice (Dörnyei, 2001, p. 29)

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 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Design

This mini study, as outlined before, is conducted by using qualitative

descriptive method. Qualitative or interpretive methods are not yet
commonly used in L2 motivation research, although they have been
advocated over the past decade (e.g., Dörnyei, 2001c, in press;
Ushioda, 1996). A main difference between quantitative and
qualitative/interpretive methods is that the latter focus on the
participants’ rather than the researcher’s interpretations and priorities.
Thus, qualitative methods can be more contextually sensitive than
quantitative ones because researchers do not set out to test
preconceived hypotheses; rather, they tend to define analytic
categories only during the process of research.

Qualitative methods exclude the collection of numerical data in favor of

natural data in the form of researchers’ field notes (e.g., notes taken
during classroom observations), participants’ verbalizations of their
experiences (e.g., interviews, journal entries, or answers to open-ended
items in questionnaires), and/or authentic documents (e.g., recorded
speech samples, texts written by participants, video-recordings of
lessons). The analysis of these data consists of discovering meaningful
themes and patterns. Consequently, researchers can learn about
students’ L2 motivation from, for instance, descriptions constructed
after having observed the students engaged in classroom activities and
from students’ accounts of their feelings relating to their L2 teacher
and engagement in L2 class activities. From observation notes, it is
possible to appreciate how teachers select, sequence, modify, and
create activities to cater to their students’ specific needs and the
constraints of their particular environment.

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With their potential for yielding rich and varied data, qualitative
research methods accompanied by quality in-depth analysis and
interpretation can lead to uncovering the structure of events when the
meanings and perspectives of individuals are important. The main
drawbacks are that qualitative-type studies are labor-intensive and
usually involve only a small number of participants, which makes it
impossible to generalize the findings since the few participants may
not be representative of the population being studied. However, the
latter drawback can be overcome to some extent by using appropriate
sampling methods (see next section, and for more details, Dörnyei,
2007).

3.2 Data Collection

The data are collected using observation and the interviews. The
observation is done in the fourth grade of elementary school and first
grade of senior high school in Subang. This city is chosen because the
citizens in this city are less development especially in the educational
field. It shown by the results of national examination conducted every
years. Beside math, English become the obstacle to pass the
examination. The researchers assume that the cause is the teachers
lack in molding the students since the children age. Because of the lack
motivation that never be built in themselves make the students stay
longer in the paradigm of “learning English is hard”. The elementary
school is chosen because most of the students about 95% have low
marks. Even though the teacher has done many methods but then the
students are still not being motivated to get higher marks. Then it is
considered as the lack of motivation that the students have in learning
English. Another reason that leads the researchers to choose this
elementary school is because of their open-minded toward the
progress of their students. The same case also occurs in one of senior
high schools in Subang. When being asked, they answer that the
materials is sometime too hard and other times too simple. Then to

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prove all the assumption, the researchers firstly conduct observation to
know the real of students’ activities includes its material in class.

3.2.1 Observation
Observation is an investigation done systematically and employed
intentionally by using the five senses, especially eyes toward the
ongoing cases (Bimo Walgito, 1987: 54). While Djumhur (1985: 51)
defined observation as a technique to directly and indirectly
investigate the ongoing phenomenon both inside and outside school.

In conducting the research, using literal observation is the only way to

have more intimate situations with the students. It also facilitates the
researchers to direct feel what the students feel and to fairly judge the
performances performed by students from both elementary school and
senior high school. Getting involved and sitting in the same classes
enacted like we are the real pupil was the way to gain some
experiences and to keep the validity of the data collected.

The observation is done firstly in collecting data in order to provide the

researchers a general condition on the learning process of introduction
material conducted in the first grade of senior high school.

Since an observation of the same class in the elementary school is also

needed, a teacher from one of elementary schools in Subang
interested to get involved in this research and try to conduct this
material to her students. Introduction material is taught to them in
term of finding out the children responds to this kind of new material. it
is caused by the result of the previous observation when elementary
children are just taught about numbers, colors, things, and others
without relating it into their daily lives.

The observation is done to measure the class performances shown by

the students from each level. Then the result of each observation

21
would be compared to know the differences of them and as the
material to answer the first research question addressed by the
researchers.

The result of their performances was presented in the percentage scale

in order to facilitate the readers in understanding the result. We use
the scale from 10%-100%. It was classified deeper into:
10%- 25% = poor performance
25%-50% = average performance
50%-80% = good performance
80%-100% = awesome performance

3.2.2 Interview
The last source of data was interviews with the students. An interview
has been defined as “an interaction between two people, with the
interviewer and the subject acting in relation to each other and
reciprocally influencing each other” (Kvale, 1996, p.35).
This enabled the researchers “to check the accuracy of-to verify or
refute-the impressions we had gained through observations” (Fraenkel
and Wallen, 2000, p.509).

The interview was conducted to 40 respondents, 20 respondents were

from elementary school and the rest were from senior high school.
Both interviews were done after the students got the introduction
material. The form of the questions being investigated was presented
in different languages for each level. Students of elementary school
were asked in bahasa concerning that English questions would not be
understandable for them as they just have learnt few things in English.
Considering that senior high school students were already taught many

22
 things in English and the questions asked are simple, so, the
researchers questioned them in English.

After the class, the students were asked to stay in a room to be called
later in turn and the researcher asked about their opinions after having
introduction material.

3.3 Data Instrument

The data instruments are the observation sheet and the interviews
questions written in a paper.

3.4 Data Analysis

Data are collected from the interview used to investigate twenty
students from both senior high schools and elementary schools. The
questions asked are same for both levels of schools. The researchers
just differentiate it in the language used. Indonesian questions are
used to investigate the elementary school students in informal way,
whereas the English questions in a quite formal way are used to the
other level. They all answer the questions in a good way, so it does not
render collecting data difficult.

Literal observation is also employed on this collection data work.

Initially, both researchers participated as a learner, sitting with
different character of children and teenagers. We learned and
practiced with them and they watched us struggle with similar jobs in
the class, specifically in this material.

Bellow is the results of the data collected as well as its

analysis.

According to the observation done, the data are the following:

No Level of each value

. (Percentage)
High School Elementary
school
1. Active Class Participation 30% 60%

23
2. Students enthusiasm 20% 95%
3. Teachers and students interaction 40% 65%
4. Students practice actively 50% 85%
5. Good students’ responds to 35% 85%
“introduction” material
6. Good students attention 45% 80%
7. This material affects students 25% 95%
motivation in improving speaking
ability positively
8. Students willingness to learn 45% 75%
9. Followed up by doing practices 5% 100%
outside the class

In doing the observation, the researchers attempt to be completely

objective in viewing the students’ performance of both school levels,
elementary and the senior high school. To show the researcher
perspectives, the students’ performance of senior high school will be
firstly discussed in the findings part. The senior high school students
are seems not interested in learning this material. It is proven by their
less attention when their English teacher explained it to them.
Chatting, doing something with their cell phones, silent joking, are such
activities they did in the class when Introduction material is conducted.
The interaction between teacher and the students is wide apart. They
are in the same room working on different business. However the
goodness found by the researcher is that in the practice session, most
of the students take easy on it. Some of them pointed to come forward
and practice show very small amount of difficulties on doing that. They
already know how to introduce themselves. Well done. Perceiving “no
matter” for this material leads them to the lack of practice outside.
Understanding the material before teacher’s explanation affects
students’ motivation negatively. The ease of this actually causes a
weak willingness to learn other English materials.

Secondly is what the researcher has found in the fourth grade of

elementary school students. This observation result shows significant
differences of percentage from both elementary school students’
performances and senior high school ones. The children involve

24
actively in each activity of learning this material. When first time the
teacher introduces herself, they begin to mumble, trying to say what
she said. It is one of the indicators that they start to be attracted on. It
is a kind of very good interaction done between teacher and students,
because the students do what the teacher ask to them. Listening and
repeating loudly what is being taught run smoothly in that class. All
children want to be able to do the same thing.

When the teacher asks them to practice introducing themselves, one

by one in front of the class, they’d be happy to. They perform as well
as they can. Sometimes, even the mousy one, willing to come to the
front, and speaks very slow and soft. Almost everyone in the class
enjoy this material. Every time the teacher asks for practicing many of
them directly raise their hands. Answering teacher’s question does not
become their fear any longer. Hobbies and dreams are their favorite
things to share. Smile and even laugh fill that classroom; it is a fresh
class. No one want to be silent, they do it repeatedly without feeling
bored. This is a very active classroom since the students show very big
enthusiasm by repeating the entire teacher said loudly.

After the class dismiss, they ask the teacher when they are going to
learn English again. It is very good news. It indicates their motivation
and interest to learn English especially to speak this language. As a
nature of children, they love to show off themselves, who they are, or
how smart they are. That happens after this class; outside the class.
When they meet other friends from other classes they directly
introduce themselves in English. Most of others who listen to them look
like they wanted to do what they have done. Not only those students
taught this material but also students from other classes want to be
able to speak English.

The researcher found that the class participation of the senior high
school students is less than the elementary ones. The observation
result shows that the elementary school students have bigger interest
in learning the “introduction” material than the other ones. Then it

25
 gives them more motivation to speak English than it is for the senior
high school students.

These are question used to investigate twenty students of senior high

school:

1. Do you like speaking English?

2. Do you like learning “introduction” material?

3. Does learning this material bring any impacts toward your speaking
ability?

4. Is it difficult for you to learning this material?

5. Does learning this material motivate you to speak English better?

TABLE 3.4 a

The interview is employed as one of the ways to dig the information

Before going further, let’s firstly discuss the data collected from one by
one specific answer delivered by the twenty respondents. For the first
question, more than half of the respondents respond it positively.
Speaking English is something they like to do. Good beginning. It means
that they already have good start to learn speaking English. Teachers just

26
need to support them appropriately by giving them, in this case, more
challenging material than just a little of “introduction”. Then the second
question answered by the students dislike dominating it. In fact, the
ignorance of this material begins to appear here. It is one of the reasons
of why learning introduction material does not bring any impacts toward
their speaking ability. Unfortunately their likes to speak English are cut
down by the easy material given to them. The data show that learning an
introduction material is not a big deal for them so why teachers should
teach something the students already able to do. The materials should be
to appropriately support the development of motivation so that there is a
proper foundation for optimal educational growth. However the data
collected from the senior high school interview negate the statement
before.

According to Ryan and Deci (2000), ‘intrinsic motivation generally refers

to motivation to engage in an activity because that activity is enjoyable
and satisfying to do.’ Class activities are on occasion of the materials of it.
Indeed, because they already know the stages of self introduction,
learning this material become as just as flashing something the usually
do. It leads them to feel bored immediately in class. Repeating something
usual in a formal condition make them ignore it, not watch in from
academic perspective and its senses. The boring atmosphere in the class
will not bring them to have an enjoyable and satisfying activity to do, for
instance, practice to introducing yourself. Any betterment becomes
unobtainable for them. They lose their focus to learn their motivation and
finally abolish their own spirit to learn. At this point, nothing can be
expected from the introduction material taught to the first grade students
of senior high school.

Having known the senior high school students respond to this material,
the elementary students might show different. The nature of both
different ages, at least in this case, strongly affected their interest and
ways to learn something. After having discussion for this long in senior
high school area, the next one to be presented will be the discussion

27
presented after conducting interview to the fourth grade students of
elementary school.

TABLE 3.4 b

The data above were collected after the researchers try to conduct such
experiment by giving them introduction material. The result is totally
different with those from senior high school where almost all students
responded negatively on the questions given. The elementary school
students, on the other hand, gave positive respond to the questions. It is
along with one of the characteristics of young learners characterized by
Brumfit (1997: v) who stated that young learners tend to be keen and

28
enthusiastic learners (cited
fromhttp://peni.staff.uns.ac.id/2008/10/10/young-learner-characteristics/).
The surprising results occur when respondents answered the third and
fifth question. All of them said ‘yes’ in responding the two questions
indicating a high interest in learning English, the introduction material
particularly.

Showing the existence of motivation among students themselves,

according to Ball (ibid), motivated students refer to those who wish to do
things that teachers expect. Creating kinds of situation that can emerge
students motivations are often hard to do. However, the researchers
found any other situation supporting his statement. Students’
attractiveness to perform in front of the class introducing themselves and
to obey the teachers’ instructions is parts of this situation. The
elementary students’ performances in the class indicate their big
willingness to speak English better and better. By their eagerness to be
actively participating in the class activities when they were given the
introduction material, they feel nothing difficult with English. It’s going to
be greatly affecting their perspectives in viewing English as many people
consider it very hard to learn. Their motivation will transform to be a
continuity of speaking English as it is proven by the answers of fifth
question. Just as it was found in Song (2004) that elementary school
children indicated that they are motivated to study English because it is a
compulsory subject at school.

The situations the researchers underwent when implementing it to the

senior high school students were no longer happen in the elementary
school. All students seem to be focus on teacher instruction, and they
respond enthusiastically to every activity along the introduction material.
It again, proves that this material already touch the natures of children,
which are different from adults. The characteristics cover their ways of
thinking, their attitude, their aptitude, et cetera. They also prevail to the
children’s ways of learning language. This, of course, influences the ways
of teaching them. To give the best quality of teaching English to the

29
children, the teachers should know and understand them (cited
fromhttp://peni.staff.uns.ac.id/2008/10/10/young-learner-characteristics/).

CHAPTER IV

FINDINGS

4.1 Findings

Every time adult learners see a child who speaks a foreign language
fluently, the learners regret not having started learning the foreign
language earlier because the learners' speech necessarily involves a
foreign accent. It is widely believed that the earlier people start learning a
second language, the more successful they will be. If there is 'a period,
during which language can be acquired more easily than at any other time
(Richards, Platt and Platt 1992:92),' language learning after that period
should be more difficult.

It is related with the findings of the researcher through this mini research.
The researcher found that it is very essential to motivate children to learn
English since their children age. Giving material which is relevant with

30
their live is applicative for them. Applicative material is easy to be
implemented anywhere, anytime and with anyone. One of the applicative
materials found useful to be learnt since children age is “introduction
material” which is now given in the senior high school level.

It is also found that teaching introduction material to the fourth grade

students of elementary school brings many advantages to its students.
They are able to make people know who they are to say in English. Since
it is very applicative material, it is going to be hard for them to forget this
material. There are no longer the words of “English is hard” which make
students reluctant to learn English. Showing easier material makes them
have big enthusiasm to learn English which lead them to the betterment
of their English especially on the speaking ability that the researcher
concern from the very first beginning. The disadvantages also found in
this experimental research, after having an easy material, it is difficult to
move them to the next stage which is not interesting for them.

From the data collected, we found a very significant value (shown in

percentage) of motivation gained by the elementary and the senior high
school students. The children aged- students show that this introduction
material attracts them to learn English again and again. In contrast we
found less interest from the senior high school students. They tend to be
boring in the class which makes it run ineffectively. The result also shows
that most of them already recognize well “how to introduce”.

The last, the researcher found that the students of elementary school
need this material more than the students of senior high school. According
to the condition above in the first paragraph, it is important for them to
learn English since children age. So, the introduction material, in term of
motivating children in the earlier age to speak English for the sake of
learning effectiveness, is more needed to be share in the fourth grade of
elementary school.

31
 Stimulation
(introductio
n material)

After completing this research, the researcher also found a cycle exists.
Based on the researchers’ observation, most of teachers come to the
classes without big plan on how they are going to teach. The big plan in
this case is not simply as the lesson plan. Teachers need to develop an
overall plan that covers the entire aspects of learning processes. In status
quo, teachers generalize the students’ capabilities and performances that
make them restricting students right to gain more knowledge in the class.
What teachers demanded is only the students understand what they have
explained in classrooms. Expecting students to obtain high scores in
his/her lesson is usual. No more educative practice. No wonder if the
education does not increase significantly. One thing that seldom to be
touched is to build students motivation; how to make the students
attractively involve in the English learning process. Students are
commonly forced to be active in the classroom without any stimulant
before. Stimulant to increase the students motivation to speak English are
rarely thought by teachers.

Then this research comes up with a new cycle above, motivation cannot
be built without the existence of the stimulant. The stimulant can be
everything. The ways teachers deliver the materials, even the materials
itself can be the stimulant to build students motivation. Why the
motivation becomes so important by the way, stated by Harmer 1998,
while real motivation comes from within each individual, young learners
rarely have clear motivation; they may come to class simply taking it for

32
granted, or because they like the teacher. So, through studying the
elementary students’ performances in the classroom, the researchers
determine that materials play important role in stimulating students’
motivations.

The introduction material is considered as an applicative and relevant

material for children and their lives. Then, implementing it in the
classroom, and providing appropriate method to improve it made the
students feel interested in learning this. This interest, then, leads them to
practice more and more since it is can be performed easily. This
motivation will encourage them to perceive the next materials for sure
with more enthusiasm perhaps.

The more practice done makes them has a good ability in speaking
English; it is then the next motivation for them. Added by the
compliments from others, just affect nicely to their motivation to speak
English.

CAHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

33
5.1 Conclusion
To sum up, it is very important for the Indonesia government to pay more
attention on how children learn language and how to meet the learner
needs. In accordance with the result, the researcher expects that the
government be willing to reconsider the education policy. Since the result
of this mini research prove to you that the English material given to the
students in various levels does not meet yet the need of the students.

Another thing which is important is that students should be able to use

the language since the earlier age. Then they will not have any barrier to
learn it in the adult age. Giving the easy material and motivate them from
the children age should be done well to increase their willingness in
learning language.

5.2 Recommendation

Based on the findings of the study, the researchers recommended it for

three parties who are taking part in the flow of education. Thus, it is
addressed for the government, teachers, and students.

First, the government is suggested to be more selective in deciding the

materials given from each level of education. The researchers suggest
that the material should touch the nature of learners in order to make
them eager to learn English better. The materials themselves are
emphasized as such kind of applicative materials which are appropriate to
be implemented not only in the teaching learning process but also in
students’ daily life. The students are hopefully able to apply it
everywhere, every time, and with everyone they deal with.

To English teachers, the researchers have a big expectation of the

betterment on their ways of teaching. They should be able to find an
effective ways of teaching certain materials in an attempt to raise
students’ motivation. In addition, teachers are expected to be able to
organize the intended materials into the useful one by giving them a

34
relevant method in delivering the material. Teacher education therefore
must urgently provide better models for teaching English. The students’
perceptions toward the materials given should be in positive ways, don’t
let the students perceive that the material being present means nothing
for them, for their lives, just because the teachers give no feedback to the
students. It is what we called as meaningful learning.

Regarding students as the main subject of this research, it is also

recommended for them not to be rebel in receiving the material.
Whatever the material given, they must be able to take more advantages.
They must enable themselves to engage well with any material they got.

Moreover, for the recommendation of further study, the researchers

suggest other researchers who have a big concern in enhancing students’
motivation to focus on more specific detail since this study has a limited
setting; it may not be appropriate to be implemented in other settings.

35
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