English Review: Journal of English Education
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IMPROVING THE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS’ ENGLISH SPEAKING ABILITY THROUGH STORYTELLING
Get PDFThe purposes of this research are to find out; 1) how to improve English speaking ability of the tenth grade students at Harapan-I Medan through the application of storytelling method, and 2) how the students’ responses to storytelling as a learning method. This research was a Classroom Action Research applying Kemmis McTaggart Model. The research was done in two cycles in which each cycle consists of four stages: plans, actions, observations, and reflections. The subjects in this research were students of Grade X-6 of Senior High School Harapan-I Medan. The object of this study was the application of the Storytelling method to improve the students’ English speaking ability. Based on the results of the research, it was found that the percentage of completeness from pre-action, Cycle-I, and Cycle-II increased at Senior High School Harapan-I Medan. The percentage of student’s completeness in pre-action was 27%, in the Cycle-I was 47%, and in the Cycle-II was 70%. There was a significant increase (43%) from pre-action, cycle-I, and cycle-II. In addition, students’ enthusiasm, courage, and activity have also increased. Thus, it can be concluded that storytelling method has improved the speaking ability of the tenth grade students of Senior High School Harapan-I Medan and increased their response, enthusiasm, courage, and activity to speak English.Keywords: speaking ability; English; storytelling; folklore; classroom action research
LANGUAGE EFFECTIVENESS AND FACTORS INFLUENCING SCIENTIFIC WRITING OF INDONESIAN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Get PDFThe linguistic feature distinction between written and spoken discourse, like scientific writing, narrative text, discussion text, oral speech, etc. has been a longstanding discussion among scholars. However, there is limited number of studies on Indonesian undergraduate thesis context. This article reports the language effectiveness, i.e. lexical density and grammatical complexity of undergraduate thesis using the Flesch’s Analysis of the Readability of Adult Reading Materials (1974) and the determinant factors influencing them. This descriptive study, applying online system application, was conducted in an Indonesian pseudonym university. Forty-two undergraduate theses were used as data source of lexical density and grammatical complexity, and four English lecturers participated on interview. Results showed that the average lexical density ratio was 42.14 and the grammatical complexity was 14.54. On the other hand, the determinant factors of academic writing holistically encompass; (1) psychological factors including identity awareness, motivation, and conceptual competency, (2) sociocultural factor covering personal experience, and (3) linguistic factors, namely linguistic awareness and application, and mechanical competency. To sum up, three important conclusions are drawn. Firstly, there is no exactly the same lexical density and grammatical complexity across chapters of the undergraduate theses. Secondly, the undergraduate theses are lexically acceptable, but grammatically are not as they are interpreted as American students’ slick fiction product. Finally, variables affecting academic writing are not only linguistic factors, but also psychological and sociocultural ones.Keywords: lexical density; grammatical complexity; undergraduate thesis; Indonesian context; academic writing; language effectiveness
E-LEARNING FOR LEARNERS’ COMPREHENSION IN LINGUISTICS : A NEED ANALYSIS
Get PDFThe study focuses a need analysis towards the use of ELENA basis on CALLA Approach as a media in enhancing learners’ comprehension in Introduction to Linguistics course. Universitas Negeri Semarang has website for e-learning that is named ELENA (electronic learning aids). Using e-learning by web to provide information of the course will be real time and interactive. The subjects of the study were learners in fifth semester in academic year of 2016-2017 in English Department in Universitas Negeri Semarang. The semi-structured interview, observation, and descriptive survey were done to gather the data. The data were transcribed, identified, classified, analyzed, and interpreted to gain the answer of the research problem. The problem posed in the research is “To analyze a need analysis towards the use of online learning: ELENA basis on CALLA Approach as a media enhance learners’ comprehension in Introduction to Linguistics course” Based on the overall data analysis and interpretation, a need analysis towards the implementation of ELENA basis on CALLA Approach as a media can provide learners’ comprehension in learning Linguistics concepts. The result showed that; 1) Learners need to gain knowledge at a glance about the scope of Linguistics; 2) Learners need to be stimulated to observe and analyze the development of the language around it; 3) Learners need media and means of communication forums and discussions both offline and online; 4) Learners need to be facilitated with adequate bandwidth and infrastructure for internet use; and 5) Learners are strengthened by e-learning and there are assessments in the use of e-learning. It can be conclude that need analysis is necessary in designing the instructional model, due to it is a process to determine the learners’ needs based on their wants, lacks, and necessities.Keywords: a need analysis, m e-learning, Introduction to Linguistic
STUDENTS’ AND LECTURERS’ PERCEPTION ON ACADEMIC WRITING INSTRUCTION
Get PDFThe aim of this research is to gain the perception of students and lecturers toward academic writing instruction Indonesian language classes in Universitas Sriwijaya. This current research was a part of research and development study on Moodle-based teaching model for academic writing instruction in Indonesian language classes. The steps of research and development model was carried out using survey and content analysis. The research was conducted in Universitas Sriwijaya. Questionnaire, interview and focus-group discussion (FGD) were instruments to collect data. Meanwhile, both quantitative and qualitative data analysis was used to analyze the collected data. After analyzing data from questionnaire, both students and lecturers perceived that academic writing instruction in Indonesian language classes are good and proper. However, the data from interview and FGD showed that there were different views between students and lecturers regarding to academic writing instruction in Indonesian language classes.Keywords: perception, instruction, academic writin
DEVELOPING ENGLISH FOR TOURISM MATERIALS TROUGH STAKEHOLDERS’ NEEDS ANALYSIS
Get PDFBanyumas currently grows well in various aspects especially in tourism. Tourism plays an important role in this regency because it becomes one of the mainstays of Banyumas revenue sector. A phenomenon occurs today is the number of hotels in Banyumas arises every year. It is very important to prepare human resources; especially those who have good skills in tourism and English. This paper aims at explaining the stakeholders’ overview of skills needed, topic needed, and difficulties encountered. The stakeholders here are tour agencies, hotels, and Youth, Sports, Culture and Tourism Office of Banyumas Regency. This is a qualitative research method which has several research steps. First, library study is a method of collecting data and it is also used to compile research instruments. The second step is to share the questionnaires to the sampling and the last is analysing the results. The results of this study showed that; 1) the required skills are speaking (100%), listening (75%), writing (25%), and reading (25%), 2) 80% of the topics offered in the questionnaire are required by all stakeholders. The topics are about hotels and tourism materials, and 3) difficulties encountered in active cooperating with tourism industry, less practice in explaining tourism city map, and listening different accents such as English speakers from China, Japan, and India. In conclusion, these findings regarding the skills and topics needed can be used to develop English for Tourism materials.Keywords: English for tourism; English for specific purposes; needs analysis; developing materials; tourism; Banyumas
THE EFFECT OF COOPERATIVE LANGUAGE LEARNING AND PERSONALITY TYPES TOWARDS ESSAY WRITING
Get PDFThis study is aimed to find out the effect of Cooperative learning techniques and personality types on English essay writing skill. This study was conducted at STIBA – IEC Jakarta for the fourth semester in the academic year 2016/2017. It was an experimental study with the factorial design 2 x 2 at 0.05 significance level. The sample was 32 students and divided into two groups which each group was 16 students. The research reveals that: (1) students’ English essay writing skill taught with Think-Pair-Share (TPS) technique was higher than with Student Team Achievement Division (STAD) technique; (2) English essay writing skill on introvert personality type was higher than extrovert personality types; (3) there was interaction effect between learning techniques and personality type toward English essay writing skill; and (4) students with introvert type taught with TPS technique was higher than those taught with STAD technique. There is an interaction effect between learning techniques and personality types on English essay writing skills. Keywords: cooperative learning, essay writing skill, learning technique, personality typ
EXPLORING COGNITIVE PROCESS OF RESEARCH TOPIC SELECTION IN ACADEMIC WRITING
Get PDFThe purpose of this research is to explore and reconstruct the cognitive processes experienced by Indonesian scientific writers in selecting research topic in academic writing. By using grounded theory approach, this research explored the Indonesian scientific writers cognitive processes and revealed eleven ways or approaches in finding and selecting research topics, i.e: institutional research road map, literature review, search before research, research trends in the world, national topics of research, interpretation of regulations, court decisions, pros and cons of actual cases or topics, discussion and research sharing method, exposure of controlled data, and looking for possible space for existing papers. Each expertise background dicipline has its own ways and approaches in research topic selection, but there is red thread: the selection and determination of research topics rests on literature review. This research endorses practical approaches to find out research topics containing novelties and state of the art of the research in each discipline.Keywords: cognitive process; academic writing; research topic selection; Indonesian scientific writers; search before research
ITEM ANALYSIS OF READING COMPREHENSION TEST FOR POST-GRADUATE STUDENTS
Get PDFDeveloping a test is a complex and reiterative process which subject to revision even if the items were developed by skilful item writers. Many commercial test publishers need to conduct test analysis, rather than trusting the item writers’ judgement and skills to improve the quality of items that need to be proven statistically after trying out was performed. This study is a part of test development process which aims to analyse the reading comprehension test items. One hundred multiple choice questions were pilot tested to 50 postgraduate students in one university. The pilot testing was aimed to investigate item quality which can further be developed better. The responses were then analysed using Classical Test Theory and using psychometric software called Lertap. The results showed that item difficulty level was mostly average. In terms of item discrimination, more than half of the total items were categorized marginal which required further modifications. This study suggests some recommendation that can be useful to improve the quality of the developed items. Keywords: reading comprehension; item analysis; classical test theory; item difficulty; test development
THE USE OF WEB-BASED EXAM (WBE) TO OPTIMIZE STUDENTS’ TESTING RESULT
Get PDFThis research was conducted based on theproblems found during the mid and final test by using paper and pen test; those are the students tend to do cheating, the sleepy supervisors, the inconsistency of test time, and the risk of losing the answer sheet. Therefore, the goals of the research are; 1) to make an appropriate WBE testing system, 2) to know the cheating rate of the students, 3) to find out the effectiveness of the system, and 4) to inform the benefits that might be taken by the WBE testing system’s users. By applyingRnD research model, the researcher applies a concept called web-based exam system which uses three main tools to run the system (teacher’s laptop as the server, WBE software, and access point to communicate the server and the user). The results indicated that the system reduces the students’ cheating rate 100%. Then, from the questionnaire given, the teacherstend to likeusing WBE testing system because they can monitor the whole process of the test from his own laptop and the result of the test will be analyzed and be saved automatically in his laptop. Moreover, it reduces time consumption and paper use.Keywords: web-based exam, testing system, testing result, cheating, softwar
AN EVALUATION OF TECHNICAL REPORT WRITING SYLLABUS AT THE PREPARATORY YEAR PROGRAM
Get PDFThe current study aims to critically analyze the contents of the Technical Report Writing syllabus as well as identify whether the syllabus meets course objectives or not. The study also suggests some remedies to improve the contents of the syllabus. As part of the study, twenty EFL teachers from Preparatory Year Program were selected for this study. A quantitative questionnaire containing 10 statements was administered to gather data from the participants. In addition, an interview session with a set of 5 questions based on the key elements on the current syllabus was also conducted with the teachers to have their expert opinion and suggestions. The analysis of data revealed that textbook is appropriate for the students and needs not be replaced. However, syllabus should include some more activities that may address to the needs of weak students. The study also suggests teachers to exploit other resources (from internet or library) in order to give an extra push to the learners.Keywords: course objectives; syllabus analysis; technical report writing