CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1. The Background Of Study

As we know English has become an international language in the world. So many

fields use this language, such as: in science, economy, politics, culture, etc. In our daily

life we purse activities which often involve other people. During such activities we

communicate by using oral language or speaking that make us possible to convey our

message, information and expectation to other people.

The English language is regarded as the first a foreign language in Indonesia and it

should be learned by Indonesian students. The students have got this lesson since they

entered the elementary school until senior high school, even for the university level. But

yet students are not able to speak in English. As a means of communication this is due to

many factors to investigate. In fact, they are still hard and difficulty in spoken English

Brown (1994:369) cited that We now seem to have a healthy respect for place of

grammar and vocabulary, as the basic bits and pieces of a language in an interactive

curriculum.

If students want to be able to speak English, they have to have a lot of English

grammar. So, mastering English grammar has an important role, because if students have

a lot of English words, it will make them easier in mastering English. Having a lot of

English vocabulary is not enough. Students have to know English grammar. Brown

(1994:365) commented : In this days when grammar was the major center of attention
in language classes, while vocabulary is needed for drilling, exercising, and

memorizing.

However, the major difficulties faced by English learners derive from the

characteristic of speaking itself. Not only do they have to deal with difficult

pronunciation and various phonemes of English, but also the disagreement among

experts, practitioners, and teachers alike regarding the importance of accuracy and

fluency which often results in the unbalance of both aspects. Thornburry (1999:15) points

out learners need to take accuracy into account and if they fail, their speech will be barely

understandable. On the other hand, Brown (2001:268-269) suggests that good fluency

represents the main characteristic of natural communication, thus, it should be given

more weight in the teaching of speaking.

Regardless which practical aspect is more important, English teaching in Indonesia

seems to devalue fluency as grammar-based teaching is far more prevalent especially in

rural areas. Nguyen (2011:16) reveals that English teachers in Indonesia, in many

occasions, give lectures dealing with grammar. Students are deliberately directed to learn

grammar in order to pass the national examinations which basically derived from typical

reading and grammar tests. The impact of this way of teaching is huge. Numerous

students are fairly good at resolving grammatical problems or similar issues which

require a good mastery of passive English. On the other side, they look very lackluster

when they are required to perform their speaking skill Park in Nguyen, 2011:14).

Based on the explanation above, the writer would like to conduct her research

entitled, The Correlation Between Students' Grammar Ability And Students' Speaking

Ability in Seventh Grade at Junior High School 3 Langsa.

1.2. The Problem Of Study

Based on the background of the study, the problems of this research are:

a. Is there any significant correlation between students grammar ability and

students speaking ability?

b. Does students grammar ability affect in their speaking ability?

1.3. The Purpose Of Study

Based on the background and research problem of study, the purpose of this

research are:

a. To find out the correlation between students grammar ability and students

speaking ability.

b. To find out does students grammar ability affect in their speaking ability.

1.4. Hypothesis

Hypothesis is a powerful tool on scientific inquiry, because it is a tentative

answer. It enables us to find real answer by doing research and relating it to the

theory.

The hypothesis set forth the current study is worth considering. However, they

still need to be proved under the results of finding later. There are two kinds of

hypothesis: null hypothesis and alternative hypothesis.

Based on the theoretical of view, the hypothesis of this research can be

formulated as follows :
 a. The Alternative Hypothesis (Ha)

The seventh grade students of SMPN 3 Langsa are able in speaking.

b. For statistical analysis (Ho)

The seventh year students of SMPN 3 Langsa are not able in grammar.

1.5.The Scope Of Study

This study focuses on the correlation between students grammar ability and

students speaking ability. The writer focuses only in speaking skill of student. And

the subject absolutely in Seventh Grade at Junior High School 3 Langsa.

1.6. Basic Assumption

1.7. The Significant Of Study

Practical Benefit

It will give contribution to English teacher and can be a reference to improve their

ability in teaching English. Gives information about the relation between speaking

ability of student and the mastery of grammar of student, so the teacher can know the

where is the key of speaking ability of students.

Theoretical Benefit

It can be becomes the reference to the next research.

1.8. Conceptual Framework

a) Grammar

Grammar means the ability to use sentence in general and structural use.

Grammar is important aspect in speaking. If we do not know the appropriate grammar

in sentence, the listener will be doubt for what we have said. Grammar is one of the

language components. Brown states that grammar is a system of rules governing the

conventional arrangement and relationship of words in sentences by using the correct

grammar the listener will know when the action happens, where the action takes

place, who is the audience, who is speaker etc, although for the beginners, they are

not forced to speak with the correct grammar. Using the correct grammar makes

someone know the real meaning of the sentences.

b) Speaking

Speaking is very important for us in learning a language, because the purpose of

learning a language is to be able to communicate by using the language. Speaking is

one of the capabilities to use a language. Brown (2003: 140 in Noravni Batavia) states

that is a productive skill that can be directly and empirically observed, those

observations are invariably colored by the accuracy and effectiveness or a test-takers

listening skill, which necessarily compromises reliability and validity of an oral

production test. In addition, Harris (1969:81 in Noravni Batavia) says that speaking is

complex factor that is requiring the simultaneous of number of different abilities

which often develop at different rate.

 Either four or five components are generally recognized in the analysis of

pronunciation, grammar, and fluency. Speaking is a way to express knowledge, share

feelings and show performance. Furthermore, learning to speak is not different from

learning other skills such as listening, reading, and writing. Students have to practice

a lot because no one can achieve a maximum goal without a process of eliminating,

errors and in consistencies. We can also say that learning to speak is more difficult

than learning to understand to spoken language, because more concern for

arrangement of speaking efforts is acquired in the part of the teacher. The entire

process needs a greater period of time to develop that it does in listening

comprehension.

From the definition above, it can be concluded that speaking is a skill to share

someones ideas, information, suggestion and feeling to another people in oral form.

1.9. Subject Of The Research

The subject in this research is the Seventh Grade Students At Junior High School

3 Langsa.

1.10. Research Design

This study deals with correlation of students speaking ability. Accordingly, the

writer needs to conduct an experimental research which used statistical method. The

writer is using experimental because this study, the writer is going to find out the

correlation of students grammar ability.

 The writer using the quantitative experimental, where in that there are two ways

for research. First, the writer chose two groups, one group its called experimental

class, and the second one its called the control class. In experimental class, the

students will be given test of grammar to know their grammar ability, and students

will be given a test of speaking and in control class the students will be not test of

grammar, but they use traditional method or textbook.

1.11. Data Collections Procedures

To collect data from sample on this research, the writer used two techniques as

follows:

a. Grammar Test

In order to get data of the students grammar ability, the writer used a set of test.

The test was used to know the students grammar ability.

b. Speaking test

To collect the data of the students ability in speaking, the writer used oral test to

know the students ability in speaking English.

1.12. Data Analysis Procedures

In this research, there are two variables; they are independent and dependent

variable. The data were analyzed by using the statistical analysis. In this research, the

correlation was computed as the correlation of the relationship between the students

grammar ability (X) and their speaking ability (Y) because of the consideration that
 this research consists of ordinal and interval variables. To find the correlation

coefficient, writer used SPSS 15.

Then to interpret the level of the students grammar ability toward speaking

ability, the scores were evaluated based on the following categories:

High is 76-100

Middle is 60-75

Low is 0-59

1.13. Time And Place Of Research

This research was conducted in Seventh grade at junior high school 3 Langsa.

And the time of this research was on July, 2017.

 REFERENCES

Noravni Batavia. 2009. The Activities Done by Students in Increasing Their Self-
Confidence in Speaking English of the Second Year of English Department State Islamic
University Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau. Pekanbaru: Unpublished Paper. p. 14

Winarno Surakhmad. 1985. Pengantar Penelitian Ilmiah: Dasar Metoda Teknik. Bandung:
Tarsito. p. 100.

Brown, H. Doughlas. (1994). Teaching by principles, An Integrated approach to Language

Pedagogy. Prentice-Hall Regents.

Risnadedi, (2001), Developing Students` Speaking Ability. Journal of SMP Negeri 17 Pekan
Baru.