THE USE OF SERIES PICTURE AS A TECHNIQUE TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ MASTERY SIMPLE PRESENT CONTINOUS TENSE OF SMP AL-HILAL

AMBON

Saidna Zulfiqar Bin Tahir

Abstract: this study aimed to find out whether the students of the eighth of SMP Al-Hilal Ambon master present continues tense by using series picture. And; what types of difficulty do the students at the eighth grades of SMP Al-Hilal Ambon in mastering present continues tense by using series picture.The researcher collecteddata and analyze the test of present continues tense by using series picture and the researcher use percentage of formula to know how many students that have influences in mastering simple present continues tense by using series picture. The scope of this research around the students at the eighth grades itself as the subject of this research in SMP Al-Hilal Ambon on October 11th 2008 in one class and the total students are 22, so the researcher take as sample in one class are 22 students.The most important goal of this research is to determine the principles which can be general or universal, to get the data accumulation in certain research activity.

INTRODUCTION

Human is the social creature that need interaction and socialize with each other and always live side by side and the interaction is necessarily when the human need their existence and it is admitted that this activities need a tool or media that is language, so since that time language have an important rules in daily live. Language is important to widen diplomacy affairs with any other language, it means language have meaning: the tool of communication neither written or orally, even as socialize language in daily life (Zainudin,1985).

Literature is predicted as a far from daily life, perhaps there is a prediction inside is not common, such as: discourse, news, newspaper, and society discourse. Perhaps that matter is caused of there is a prediction that literature is a discourse that if it is read will waste the readers’ time, because literature is guessed as the result of imagination, not have advantage for the human’s life. This prediction maybe right and it is real that there is the understandable literary both language usage or life world description that is planted inside it. But that matter does not mean that literature is strange thing from daily life. (Faruk and Sayuti Sumanto, 1998).

About the rules of education curriculum in 1945 basically language learning is study to communicate that is way language learning English or Indonesia are appointed to increase student’s capability in communicate in using English or any other language both orally or verbally (Tangsoe Tjahgono and Wawan Setiawan,1997/1998).

English has the important role as the tool of communication. English as the first foreign language in Indonesia is taught from junior high school until university. It is also as the compulsory subject at school. In education context the function of language beside as the means of communication it is also as the tool of building interpersonal relationship, sharing information and appreciating language as in the English culture in relation to above explanation in English there some aspects or skill that should be investigated.

The purpose of English teaching must be supported by the English teacher and must be an excellent teacher as their educational background, and also English learning is study to convey an opinion, thought and feeling either orally or written, but the most important thing is studying in using that language practically to the importance of communication in various situation. Personally learning English language will be useful to steadily us as absolutely human. The students will get more experience appreciation of English expression and most grow positive attitude toward English language.

Indonesian government endeavors the English language education for all levels in primarily school, secondary school, high school until at the university. The government hopes that it can give big function to the learners that it can be accepted by the students while the teaching learning process is held.

Freeman (1986:123) says that: when we communicate, we use the language to accomplish some function such as arguing, persuading, or promising, furthermore since the communication is a process; it is insufficient for the students to simply have knowledge of target language forms, meaning and function.

Betty Screamer Azar says in her book “Understanding and Using English Grammar” that there are 16 but most actively used are 12. Tense indicate about action and happening that occurred in the past, now or in the future, one of it present continues tense. The students in Indonesia should master tense so that can speak English well because that is way, the researcher is interested in doing this research how for the students of SMP Al-Hilal Ambon master present continues tense especially by using pictures.

GRAMMAR AND TENSES

According to Thorn Burry (1999:1) that grammar is “partly the study of what form (structure) is possible in language. Traditionally grammar has been concerned almost

exclusively with analyze at the level of the sentences, thus grammar is description of the rules that govern how language sentences are formed”. Also stated by Naser (1984:422) grammar is “The study and practice of the rules by which word change their form and are combined into sentences”.

Grammar is the study of language structure (John. Encols and Hasan Sadily,1975) also stated by Suryadi and Junaida, grammar is the study of rules to talk and write in certain language. Before we make a certain sentences we must study about grammar and generally there is eight parts of speech in English.

In English, time have close relation with tense (verb change) different with Indonesia language. So, in English, time is very affect in verb. Tenses are important elements in English and tenses are hard to be understood by the Indonesian that study English that is way, there are no tenses in Indonesia. Tenses is the form of verb which its changes depend on time and the character of happening all sentences in English not release from tense, because all sentences does not release from time.

According to Martin (1995:427) tense is part of grammar which have to be learnt, tense is verb form that shows the time of the action, so tense is the rule of verb form that shows the time of the action, those are present, past and future.

In English, there are four fundamental tenses that is a topic of discussion in this research. Based on the time happened, tenses can be into four parts, they are: Present Tense for the time happening, Past Tense for the time occurred, Future Tense for the time will occur, and Past Future Tense for the time will occur in the past.

Based on the activity or occurrence can be grouped into four parts, they are: Simple Tense for time is not in process, Continues Tense for the time still in process, Perfect Tense for time has occurred, and Perfect Continues Tense for the time started before at the definite time when the activity is happening.

If it is combined that two factors that is time and character of happening, so it will get the 16 tenses in English, such as follow:

a. Present tense consists of: Present tense, Present continues tense, Present perfect tense, Present Perfect continues tense.

b. Past tense, consist of: Past tense, Past continues tense, Past Perfect tense, Past perfect continues tense.

c. Future tense consists of: Future tense, Future continues tense, Future perfect tense, Future perfect continues tense.

d. Past future tense consist of: Past future tense, Past future continues tense, Past future perfect tense, Past future perfect continues tense.

Present Continues Tense

The using of present continues tense according to A.J Thomson and A.V Martinet are:

a. The event and action happening now. E.g. : Jack is eating now

b. For action and event happening about this time but not necessary at the moment of speaking: E.g.: I am watching film by Carless Dickens. (This may mean “at the moment of speaking” but also mean “now” in more general sense).

c. Present continuous tense is expresses an activity that is in progress at the moment of speaking, it began in the recent past, is continuing at the present and will probably end at some point in the future. E.g.: She is writing another book this year. The sentences means that writing book is a generally activity, she is engaged in a presentbut it does not meant that at the moment of speaking she is sitting at her desk with pen in her hand.

d. Present continuous tense also means for definite arrangement in the near future (the most usual way expressing one’s immediate plan). E.g.; Are you finishing something tomorrow morning? (Notes: the time of the action must always be mentioned as otherwise there might be confusion between present and future meaning “come and go” however can be used in this way with a time expression).

According to Michael A. Pyle and Marry Munox stated that present continuous tense is “used to indicate present time (now) with all but the sativa verb listed previously”. E.g.: John is eating dinner now. It is also used to indicate the future time E.g.: we are leaving for the theater at seven o’clock.

Present continuous tense according to Betty Scrampher Azar (1993:50) make statements that it can express future time when the idea of the sentences concerns a planned event or definite intention. E.g.: Sam has made his plan. He is leaving at noon tomorrow.

From those statements about the meaning and usage of present continuous tense as follow is the form of present continuous tense. Subject + TO BE (am, is, are) + verb-ing + Object.

Teaching Structure through Picture

Picture is a painting, drawing or photograph, such as; a work of art (Oxford leaner’s pocket dictionary), from that meaning of picture, the researcher try to use series of pictures

in order to the student interested in English, especially in simple present continuous tense, and in this research, the researcher use EGRA method which its technique use the real object to teach.

EGRA is a method to teach structure communicatively, it is developed by teacher at secondary school and high school in Indonesia, it based on presentation, practiced and communication. Based on the meaning and aims of EGRA above, as follow are the detail aims of teaching method by using EGRA:

E = Experience: The structure is presented to the students before they learn the form of its rules. Example: the students read a dialogue a text that inside it, there are some examples of its structure.

G = Generalization: The students cooperate to find its rules or the usage of its rule;teacher must help and guide them in this step. Example: the students are asked to make generalization about the form of text or must fill the table with the relevant structure or same.

R = Reinforcement: The students do the controlled exercise that must them to use the structure. Example: the students are asked to describe a picture and arrange the irregular sentences.

A = Application: The students must use structure itself, at least or not is helped by teacher. Example: write a story by having a conversation, giving a demonstration on the map or describe a picture.

From those explanation and the aims of EGRA above, that the most have relationship with the researcher thesis are reinforcement and application that is used the series of pictures.

Presenting the techniques of EGRA is using the real object to teach by showing the object in front of the class. The researcher explain to the students what is going on the picture, what is the object doing in the picture by hanging on the board and the teacher stand near the picture in order the student can see the picture and the specific aims of that presentation is to show the teacher do in the class, this mean that actually the students don’t know about the words, so the teacher must demonstrate the picture and present the vocabulary for them.

METHOD

Research need a certain method in order to get research finding empirically which is valid knowledge and done by using scientific method, to get a valid result, using

descriptive research design, this chapter describe about the step of research needed, they are research design, description of population, sample, data collection technique and the data analyze.

According Ary (1985:322) states that “descriptive design to obtain information concerning the current status phenomena”, so the researcher will do research to real condition of the students’ ability. In this research, the researcher will do research how far are their ability in present continuous tense by using “series picture” and for the population is the student at SMP Al-Hilal Ambon in eighth grades. The most important goal of this research is to determine the principles which can be general or universal, to get the data accumulation in certain research activity.

The researcher use criterion of qualification in this research based on David Haris testing language as the second language (1969) the scores is used to make prediction about probably class performance.

The criterion of qualification

Test Scores Probable Class Performance Qualification

80 – 90 Good and Excellent B – A

60 – 79 Average to good C – B

50 – 59 Poor to average D – C

0 – 49 Poor E – D

Data collection is one way that is used to get information or the important thing whish need in one research. To know how far the students understand the material of the lesson, the researcher uses some instrument of data collection, such as observation and test. Test is data-collecting method by giving a number of questions for measuring the students’ ability.

Dependent variable is the students and the teacher can master English especially simple present continuous tense. Independent variable will give an understanding about using “series pictures” especially simple present continuous tense. At this research, the researcher will choose test and observation, because by using test can measure the students’ ability and the test will be carried out multi choice and use qualitative research because of

this research there is numeric data and also according to Sudjana in his book “Metoda statistic” says that the numeric data and there are changes and variable is qualitative data.

An action research is considered successfully and can be stopped if the subjects of the students have achieved certain criteria, the criteria of success on this action research were the students have ability in mastering simple present continuous tense by using series of pictures through their test result (fill the test in form of simple present continuous tense by using series of picture in multi choice test). The relationship between the criteria of success, the data source and the instrument to collect data are shown in this table.

Criteria of Success

Source of Data Instrument for data Collection

Time in Collection Data

The students’ ability in mastering

simple present continuous tense by using series of

pictures

The result of the students’ fill the

test and observation of

present continuoustense

A test in the form of multi choices about present continuous

tense using series of picture

At the end of the meeting or after

applying the method

The students’ involvement in

studying process when the

researcher applied the method

Test sheet At the last meeting

The researcher decided to use non statistic analyze or descriptive analyzes. After data collection, the researcher has to analyze the data in order to get the research result, from the result of data analyze, the researcher is able to make conclusion about the hypothesis. The researcher also uses the percentage formula to know how many students in mastering present continuous tense by using series picture. The formula is as follow:

X = Σ X

n

Where :

X : Mean scores

Σ X : The sum of all scores

N : Total number of subjects

It can explain that the total scores are divided by the total observed scores x 100.

DISCUSSION AND FINDING

In this chapter presents the result of the research, because the researcher find some problem about the understanding the usage of present continuous tense by using series picture. The researcher uses the objectives and test to measure the eighth grades students of SMP Al-Hilal Ambon students’ ability in present continuous tense by using series pictures.

A. First Cycle

Table 1 showed the result of students’ ability in mastering simple present continuous tense by using pictures in form of test in multi choice, in overall most of the students got “poor” and “poor to average”. As we can see in the table some students also could not understand about language use (noun, verb, tenses). The result was described as follow:

Table 1

The Tabulation Scores and Qualification of The Students’ Ability in Mastering Simple Present Continuous Tense by Using Series Pictures Method at The Eighth Grade Students

Of SMP AL-HILAL AMBON

STUDENTS

PROBABLE CLASS PERFORMANCE LANGUAGE USAGE

Noun(Scores)

Verb(Scores)

Tenses(Scores)

TotalScores Qualification

10/20/30/40/50

10/20/30/40/50

10/20/30/40/50

AKBAR WALI 20 20 20 60 BALI SYAIFUL BAHAR 10 10 10 30 D

ARIYANTO 10 10 10 30 DAFRIZAL 10 10 10 30 DBARDAN 20 10 10 40 DDARWIS NIANPARI 10 10 10 30 DELFIRA LAHARENG 20 20 20 60 BFAISAL MADAUL 10 10 10 30 DFITRIA NINGGRUM 30 30 20 80 AHADI BORUT 20 20 10 50 CHELMI. ABUBAKAR 10 10 10 30 DISMAIL SUNETH 20 20 10 50 CISRAN RAHMAN 10 10 10 30 DINGGRA JAYA 20 20 20 60 BINDAH FATAYATI 20 20 20 60 BLINDA WATI 30 30 20 80 ALISDA SAULATU 10 20 20 50 CMIRNAWATI GIMALAMA 10 10 10 30 DMULYONO RAHMAT 10 10 10 30 DNOVITA SARI SAUPALA 20 20 10 50 CRIFALDI SIA 10 10 10 30 DRITA SANGADJI 30 30 20 80 A

After applying the method, the researcher evaluate or analyze the result and the researcher found that there so many problem in the first cycle, it shown on the result of their test about noun, verb, and tenses get “poor” score almost all aspects is language usage.

Based on the criteria of success previously mentioned in table 1 showed significant information that the criterion of success was not fulfilled in the first cycle, most of the students got “poor” level based on the total scores. It indicate that they still don’t understand about vocabulary, verb, and tenses, the result showed that there were 11 students in poor to average, and 8 of the students got average to good level, and 3 of them got good level. So the researcher continues to second cycle, because the result was far from the indicator of success (70% - 80% in good level).

B. Second Cycle

Table 2 showed the result of the students’ ability in mastering simple present continuous tense, this cycle consist of two meeting. It was done on March 6th and March 20th 2008, in the first meeting of the cycle, the researcher focused on teaching in the students’ problem at the first cycle, than continue to apply the method in the class, in the second meeting the researcher gave the test for the students, in the test, the students have to fill the multi choice test in form of simple present continuous tense by using picture. In the

cycle generally students showed some improvement in each aspects of the criteria, even thought, it was not fulfilling yet the indicator of the success. In the second cycle, some students have already understood about language usage (noun, verb, tenses). The result describe as follow:

Table 2

The Tabulation Scores and Qualification of The Students’ Ability in Mastering Simple Present Continuous Tense by Using Series Pictures Method at The Eighth Grade Students

Of SMP AL-HILAL AMBON

STUDENTS

PROBABLE CLASS PERFORMANCE LANGUAGE USAGE

Noun(Scores)

Verb(Scores)

Tenses(Scores)

TotalScores Qualification

10/20/30/40/50

10/20/30/40/50

10/20/30/40/50

AKBAR WALI 20 30 20 70 BALI SYAIFUL BAHAR 10 20 10 40 DARIYANTO 10 20 20 50 CAFRIZAL 10 20 10 40 DBARDAN 20 30 20 70 BDARWIS NIANPARI 10 10 10 30 DELFIRA LAHARENG 20 30 20 70 BFAISAL MADAUL 10 10 10 30 DFITRIA NINGGRUM 30 30 30 90 AHADI BORUT 20 30 10 60 CHELMI. ABUBAKAR 20 20 20 60 CISMAIL SUNETH 20 20 20 60 CISRAN RAHMAN 10 20 10 40 DINGGRA JAYA 30 30 30 90 AINDAH FATAYATI 30 20 30 80 ALINDA WATI 30 30 30 90 ALISDA SAULATU 30 30 30 90 AMIRNAWATI GIMALAMA 20 20 20 60 CMULYONO RAHMAT 20 20 20 60 CNOVITA SARI SAUPALA 20 30 20 70 BRIFALDI SIA 10 10 10 30 DRITA SANGADJI 30 30 30 90 A

In this cycle, the students more understand about the language usage and the implemented method because in this method accentuated in grammar but there were some

students have a problem in simple present continuous tense, based on the problem above, the researcher planned to do the third cycle, it was because the students result test of simple present continuous tense by using picture and its evaluation points are noun, verb, and tenses was not fulfilled the indicator of success yet. So the next cycle was focused on the students’ problem got the second problem, that is language usage.

Table 2 showed that some students have achieved to the “average to good” but some of students were still in difficult to understand the language usage. The result showed that there were 5 students got D scores or “poor” and there were 6 students got C scores or “poor to average”, there were 6 students got B or “good to average” and there were 5 students got A scores or “good and excellent. That showed that the students almost get the indicator of success and they started to understand about the language usage (noun, verb, tenses) even thought the criteria of success intended is 70% - 80% of the students should achieved “good an excellent” level. So the researcher will continue the third cycle.

C. Third Cycle

The table 3 showed the students result of mastering the simple present continuoustense by using picture at the third cycle. In this cycle, the students have achieved the indicator of success. It showed that almost the 66,7% of the students have achieved the “good and excellent” by getting scores level according to the criteria of success, it means that implementation of using series picture have done successfully in order to master their English especially in simple present continuous tense, so the researcher stopped to study this cycle and reported it. The students’ ability in mastering simple present continuous tense has improved much more on this cycle. The completed result was described as follow:

Table 3

The Tabulation Scores and Qualification of the Students’ Ability in Mastering Simple Present Continuous Tense by Using Series Pictures Method at the Eighth Grade Students of

SMP AL-HILAL AMBON

STUDENTS

PROBABLE CLASS PERFORMANCE LANGUAGE USAGE

Noun(Scores)

Verb(Scores)

Tenses(Scores)

TotalScores Qualification

10/20/30/40/50

10/20/30/40/50

10/20/30/40/50

AKBAR WALI 30 30 30 90 AALI SYAIFUL BAHAR 20 30 30 80 AARIYANTO 20 30 30 80 AAFRIZAL 20 20 30 70 B

BARDAN 30 30 30 90 ADARWIS NIANPARI 10 10 10 30 DELFIRA LAHARENG 30 30 30 90 AFAISAL MADAUL 10 10 10 30 DFITRIA NINGGRUM 30 30 30 90 AHADI BORUT 20 30 30 80 AHELMI. ABUBAKAR 20 20 20 60 CISMAIL SUNETH 20 20 20 60 CISRAN RAHMAN 20 20 20 60 CINGGRA JAYA 30 30 30 90 AINDAH FATAYATI 30 30 30 90 ALINDA WATI 30 30 30 90 ALISDA SAULATU 30 30 30 90 AMIRNAWATI GIMALAMA 30 30 30 90 AMULYONO RAHMAT 20 30 20 70 BNOVITA SARI SAUPALA 30 30 30 90 ARIFALDI SIA 10 10 10 30 DRITA SANGADJI 30 30 30 90 A

This cycle consist of two times, the first meeting was done on March 28, 2008, in this meeting, the researcher tried to focused on students mistake at the second cycle, they were noun and tense by teaching them. In the second meeting was done on March 29, 2008, in this meeting the researcher conducted test for the students, they had to fill the test sheet and the test were about simple present continuous tense by using pictures with the point of scores taken from the language use (noun, verb, tenses). Finally on this cycle, they have achieved the indicator of success in getting the total scores from the language usage (noun, verb, tenses) so the researcher ended the research at the third cycle.

Based on the indicator of success shown in table 3 that significant information, it means the criteria of success were fulfilled in the third cycle. The result shown that in this cycle, there where 15 students or 72% on the “excellent” level and 4 students or 27% on the “good” level, because the indicator of success are 70% - 80% the students gets the scores from the test. It means, from those percentage, the students at the eighth grades of SMP Al-Hilal Ambon mastered in English especially in simple present continuous tense by using series of pictures with the point of getting scores taken from the language usage (noun, verb, tenses) and the implementation of the method is successfully and the researcher can stopped and report the result.

The second criterion of success is the students gave the positive responses to the technique during teaching and learning process, there was two ways used in this study to find the data of students’ positive responses during the implementation of technique, they