Improving Students' Tenses Mastery Through Tenses Symbol Technique (TST) in Class X4 at SMA Negeri 1 Pekanbaru
Improving Students' Tenses Mastery Through Tenses Symbol Technique (TST) in Class X4 at SMA Negeri 1 Pekanbaru
Improving Students' Tenses Mastery Through Tenses Symbol Technique (TST) in Class X4 at SMA Negeri 1 Pekanbaru
Khairunnisah
SMA Negeri 1 Pekanbaru
email: [email protected]
Abstract
Student‟s Tenses mastery is an important competence to support the major
English skills, listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Beside, the tenses mastery
is also important to have another grammar materials that need Tenses mastery as
the basic knowledge. However, in reality, students‟ tenses mastery is very
minimal that they are not able to call out the names of the tenses, mention the
formulas, let alone to understand meaning and the usage in sentences. To solve
this problem the resercher has created a teaching technique, namely, Tenses
Symbols Technique (TST) that covers four steps of tenses mastery: memorizing
tenses names, formulating tenses patterns, understanding tenses meanings, dan
applying in context. Clasroom Action Research is the research method applied in
this research because the aim of this research merely to solve the problem the
researcher has in her own class. From the two cycles of Classroom Action
Research that consists of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting, and from
data analyzing , it was proven that Tenses Symbols Tecnique (TST) could
improve the students‟ tenses mastery as 81% in cycle 1 and 95% in cycle 2
because the application of symbols in this technique could simplify of the process
of decoding the meaning of each tenses. So, the result of this research is TST
could improve students‟ tenses mastery.
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penelitian ini karena hakikat penelitian ini adalah untuk memperbaiki masalah
yang dihadapi peneliti sebagai seorang guru di dalam kelasnya sendiri. Dari dua
siklus pengajaran yang terdiri dari tindakan merencanakan pengajaran (planning
& revising), melaksanakan proses belajar mengajar (acting), melakukan observasi
(observing), dan merefleksikan hasil pengajaran (reflecting), dan dari instrument
penelitian didapat hasil penelitian yaitu Tenses Symbols Technique (TST) dapat
meningkatkan penguasaan Tenses siswa mencapai 81% pada siklus 1 dan 95%
pada siklus 2 karena faktor-faktor penggunaan symbol dalam TST yang
mempermudah proses decoding dan pemaknaan pada siswa.Jadi hasil penelitian
ini adalah bahwa Tenses Symbols Technique (TST) dapat digunakan untuk
meningkatkan penguasaan tenses siswa.
: means ENDED
------ : is/am/are + V ing BEFORE...
-------- : means STARTED
BEFORE ...AND
: have/has + V3 CONTINUED
allow. Fifth, symbol system differ especially in the applying the tenses
with respect to the kinds of mental step (the fourth step). The writing test
processes they call on for recoding is assumed will be more suitable since
and elaboration. the grammar rules are applied mostly
In line with this Marqulies in written text.
also cited that using symbols make Tenses mastery is the stuff
ideas become more visible, help will be tested in this research that
communication, record ideas, and covers the mastery of the twelve
engage experience more memorable. tenses in English; The Present Tenses
As proposed by D. Hyerle (1996) are; Simple Present, Present
“The use of visual tools creates a shift Continous, Present Perfect, and
in classroom dynamics from passive Present Perfect Continous, The Past
to interactive learning for all to see.” Tenses are simple past, Past
In conclusion, it is very beneficial Continous, Past Perfect, and Past
using symbols in the process of Perfect Continous, and The Future
teaching and learning due to the Tenses are Simple Future, Future
mental processes happened while the Continous, Future Perect and Future
learning process in which the learners Perfect Continous. While the
will be able to visualize the principle combination of Perfect and
concepts to be planted in the students, Continous, we have Present perfect
in this case tenses mastery. continous, Past perfect continous, and
Future Perfect continous.
2. METHOD The indicators will be used is
The participants/subjects of as suggested by Nunan (2003) that
this research are the students of the tenses will be mastered if the students
second semester of class X at SMAN are able to memorize, understand, and
1 Pekanbaru. There are 33 students in apply the tenses rules in their
this class who will be investigated. communicative activities. The
This is the class in which the following table shows the relation
speaking problems has been identified between the variable to be tested and
and need solutions. its indicators:
The test will be used to
measure the tenses mastery of the
students in this research is writing test
teaching learning process. It was the way, teacher displayed the symbols,
2nd semester of class X4 of the mentioned the names, and asked
academic year of 2015-2016 in students to repeat. During the activity
SMAN 1 Pekanbaru. The researcher of drilling, students were very
started the class with some opening enthusiastic to repeat what the teacher
activities like praying, greeting, and mentioned and the process of
taking attendance of the class in about decoding was successfully done.
5 minutes. Warming up activity, then,
was done by asking the students about 3.2. The Findings
how far they know the 12 tenses in The participants/subjects of
English. The teacher asked; “Do you this research are the students of the
know tenses in English?” “Yeees...?” second semester of class X at SMAN
students answered in chorus. The 1 Pekanbaru. There are 33 students in
teacher then asked, “How many this class who will be investigated.
tenses do you know?” some said 12, This is the class in which the
others said 16. When the teacher problems has been identified and
asked three names of the tenses, need solutions.
nobody could answer correctlly; the The test was used to measure
answers such as simple perfect, the tenses mastery of the students in
present past, or continous simple this research is writing test especially
filled out the air. It showed that the in the applying the tenses step (the
students‟ background knowledge fourth step). The writing test is
about tenses is very minimal. assumed more suitable since the
And then, the teacher asked grammar rules are applied mostly in
again, “Do you think that studying written text.
tenses is difficult?” A student said Tenses mastery is the stuff
that it is the most difficult subject tested in this research that covers the
since he had English lesson. And the mastery of the twelve tenses in
teacher said that she would introduce English; The Present Tenses are;
a new way to master it. The teacher Simple Present, Present Continous,
asked the students to keep away all Present Perfect, and Present Perfect
the notes and only focused on her and Continous, The Past Tenses are
what she said because the activity of simple past, Past Continous, Past
drilling would be began. Perfect, and Past Perfect Continous,
It was started by displaying and The Future Tenses are Simple
the symbols of basic tenses; Past, Future, Future Continous, Future
Present, and Future. The teacher Perect and Future Perfect Continous.
mentioned the names of the three While the combination of Perfect and
symbols and the students repeated. It Continous, we have Present perfect
was easily mastered, nobody could continous, Past perfect continous, and
not answer when they were asked to Future Perfect continous.
mention the name of the symbols one The indicators used is as
by one. After several drillings, the suggested by Nunan (2003) that
teacher moved to the aspect symbos; tenses mastered if the students are
Simple, Continous, Perfect, and able to memorize, understand, and
Perfect Continous. With the same