THE APPLICATION OF GRAMMAR GAME IN TEACHING COMPERATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES TO THE EIGHTH YEAR STUDENTS OF SMP N 2 PALEMBANG

Proposal Research by LEOVAN AGUSTINUS Students Registration Number 2007111081 English Education Study Program Language and Arts Education Department

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF PGRI PALEMBANG

2010
THE APPLICATION AND OF GRAMMAR GAME TO THE IN TEACHING YEAR

COMPERATIVES

SUPERLATIVES

EIGHTH

STUDENTS OF SMP N 2 PALEMBANG

1. Background English is an International language that is widely used all over the world. It is not only studied and taught in Indonesia, but also in all over the world. English is a foreign language which is taught to the first year of junior high up to the University level. According to the 1994 Curriculum, teaching English focuses on the four language skill namely: reading, speaking, listening, and writing. The curriculum also states the aspect of language such as grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and spelling may be taught to reinforce the development of the four language skill, not for the importance of the language of language themselves. One of the problems faced by the students is English grammar. Grammar is one of the aspects that the students should learn. Grammar is the possible form and the arrangement of words in phrases and sentences. Grammar refers to the study of words and their function which includes morphology (inflection form), Syntax (the relation of words in phrases, clauses and sentences) and semantic (meaning of words). According to Hornby (1987 : 375), grammar is a study or science of rules for the combination of words into sentences or syntax and the forms of words or

morphology. In this study, grammar refers to one of the items such as degrees of comparison especially comparatives and superlatives. In this case. The writer wants to introduce Comparatives and Superlatives as the topic of this study because comparatives and superlatives are included the degree of comparison and it is one of the smallest part of grammar. The writer interested in taking comparatives and superlatives as the topic in this study because based on the writers experience when the writer was doing the teaching practice to the junior high school, the writer found in learning comparatives and superlatives the students got some difficulties how to use comparatives and superlatives. Based on the fact above, the teachers of English should find effective ways, which solve the students problems in learning comparatives and superlatives through the use of interactive activities such as grammar games. There are three reasons why grammar games are useful to the students and teacher. According to Grambs and Carr (1979: 130), firstly, games break classroom routines on pleasant way, secondly, games provide an opportunity to see familiar material in a new relationship, and the last reason, the games can increase motivation for all students in learning grammar. The students can be interested and competitive in the games acts to improve their grammar mastery. However, this statement should be proved scientifically first. Because of that, in this research the writer wants to describe the effectiveness of the application of game in teaching comparatives and superlatives to the eighth

year students of SMP N 2 Palembang because she wants to match the material with the curriculum of the Junior High School. 2. Problems 2.1 Limitation of the Problems In this study, the writer limits the problems on : 1. Teaching comparatives and superlatives of adjective; 2. Teaching comparatives and superlatives through grammar games.

2.2 Formulation of the Problems From the limitation of the study, the formulation of the problem is as follows : is it effective to teach comparatives and superlatives by using grammar games?

3. Objective Based on the formulation of the problem above, the objective of this study is to find out whether or not it is effective to teach comparatives and superlatives by using grammar games.

4. Significances The significances of the result of this study can be stated as follows: 1. Improving the writers knowledge and experience and giving experience in doing scientific research; her more

2. Indirectly improving the knowledge of the students in the Junior high school in grammar especially comparatives and superlatives; 3. Giving the valuable information to the teachers of English about the effectiveness of grammar games in teaching English comparatives and superlatives, so they can apply it when they teach grammar.

5. Theoretical Framework 5.1 The concept of Games According to Hadfield (2003: 4), a game is an activity with rules, a goal and an element of fun. There are two kinds of games: competitive game, in which players or teams race to be the first to reach the goal, and co-operative game, in which players or team work together to words a common goal. Language can be divided into two categories: linguistic games and communicative games. In linguistic games, the goal of games is linguistic accuracy. In the case, of these games, using the correct grammatical forms. Communicative games have goal or aim that is not linguistic; successful completion of the game will involve solving a puzzle or completing a picture. Games can be used at any stage of the lesson once the target language has been introduced and explained. They, serve both as memory aid and repetition drill and as diagnostic tool for the teacher, who can note areas of difficulty and take appropriate remedial action.

Teaching through the game can motivate the students to learn and give an opportunity to see familiar materials in a new relationship in pleasant way, (Grambs and Carr, 1979:130). Games could help uninterested students to take part in the class. One of the most important contributions of games is that students who have not done the work because the lack of interest, ability, or some other reasons engrossed in the competitive situation and find themselves arguing about right or wrong answer as vociferously as those who did the work. The games are to be used as practice exercise to help students get used to and remember grammatical rules and patterns. They are designed as fun activities to help lighten the load of grammar learning. The games here are what could be called choice games. These games tend to be more analytic, based on the conscious application of grammar rule. In them the players have to choose the correct linguistic form, rather as in traditional grammar exercise types such as gap-fill, sentence completion, multiple choice, etc. the difference is not only that they are in game format, which means they are more fun and lighter-hearted, but also that in most cases there is a context is very often the students own exercise, tastes and preferences. Based on the Hadfields opinion (2003:4), they are six types of choice games: 1) Matching: e.g. matching to words or phrases, matching half-sentences

or matching word and pictures 2) Ordering: e.g. ordering words to make a sentence, or ordering pictures

and words to make a long sentence as possible

3) 4)

Completing: completing incomplete sentences or questions Competitions: e.g. see how many sentences you can make, how

quickly you can unmuddle sentences 5) Card games and other familiar game types: e.g. bingo, pelmanism,

happy families, consequences, board games, dominoes 6) remember Memory games: e.g. seeing how many sentences players can

5.2 The Concept of Teaching According to Saleh (1996:12-15), teaching is a profession conducted by using a combination of art, science, and skill. Besides that he also states that there are better concepts of teaching characterized by the activities performed by outstanding teachers of English as foreign language as follows: 1) Teaching is making an effort to help the students to accomplish: a. and, b. Procedural knowledge represented in the form of productions. Declarative knowledge reflected in the form of preparation

2) Teaching is trying to keep the students motivation high by using a variety of short activities. 3) Teaching is an interactive processes between the teacher and the students and among students themselves.

4) Teaching is learned-centered humanistic, that is the teacher who serves as a guide in the learning process, but it is the students who assume some responsibility for how much learning takes place.

5.3 The Rules and Pattern of the Comparatives and Superlatives According to Azar (1992 : 331) Comparatives compares this/these to that/those, form:-er or more, since the superlatives compares one of part of a whole group to all the best of the group form:-est or most. Comparatives and superlatives are included in the degrees of comparison. The degrees of comparison in Indonesia we called tingkat perbandingan. The degrees of comparison indicates degrees of difference with adjective and adverb and may be equal or unequal. Most descriptive adjective have three form, namely: 1) Positive Degree Positive degree shows no comparison. It describes only the simple quality of person, thing and group. 2) Comparative degree The comparatives degree involves two entities and shows a greater or lesser difference between them. 3) Superlative degree

The superlative degree has three or more entities which are compared, one of which is superior or inferior to the other.

5.3.1 The Rules a. If an adjective consists of one syllable, therefore, we use -er for comparative and est for superlative. Positive Big Large Long Short Small Tall Young comparative bigger larger longer shorter smaller taller younger superlative biggest largest longest shortest smallest tallest youngest

b. If an adjective consist of three syllable, therefore, we use more for comparative and the most for superlative. Positive Beautiful Expensive Famous Handsome Important Necessary Useful comparative more beautiful more expensive more famous more handsome more important more necessary more useful superlative the most beautiful the most expensive the most famous the most handsome the most important the most necessary the most useful

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c. If an adjective consist of two syllable and ends with consonant y therefore consonant y changed into I and then added with er or est. Positive busy dry easy happy lazy merry pretty wry Comparative busier drier easier happier lazier merrier prettier wrier laziest merriest prettiest wriest Superlative busiest driest easiest happiest

d. Irregular degrees of comparison Positive Bad Far Good Little Much/many Old Comparative worse farther/further better less more older/elder Superlative worst farthest/furthest best least most oldest/eldest

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5.3.2 The Pattern There are two kinds of comparison namely 1) Equal comparison is an equal comparison which indicates that the two entities are exactly the same. The following rules generally apply to this type of comparison. Subject+ Verb+as {adj} as + N/pron Examples :1. My book as complete as your. 2. Wina sings as well as a good singer. 3. My uncle house as big as that house. The same idea can also be conveyed in other way Subject +Verb +the same +N + as + N/Pron Examples : 1. My house is white. Indahs house is too. It means my house have the same color as Indahs. 2. Fitri is 23 years old. Maya is 23 years old too. It means Fitri is the same age as Maya. 2) Unequal comparison is type of comparative implies comparable in greater or lesser degree. There are three forms in this comparison namely: 1. Positive degree

Positive degree shows no comparison. The following rule apply; Subject + to be/ Verb + adj Examples; 1. She is fat. 2. That house is small.

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3. they are happy. 2. Comparative degree

The comparative degree involves two entities and shows a greater or lesser degree of difference between them. The following rules apply; subject + Verb + {adj + er} than + N, or subject + Verb + {more + adj} +than + N Examples; 1. My dog is fatter than yours 2. This bag is more expensive that this one 3. The man is taller than another man. 4. My father is more handsome than my uncle. it also possible to compare two entities without using than in this case the expression of the two will usually appear some place in the sentence. Subject + Verb + adj + of the two +N Examples; 1. Fadly is taller of the two boys. 2. This car is more expensive of the two cars. 3. Tia is smaller of two girls. 3. Superlative degree

Superlative degree has three or more entities which are compared one of which is superior or inferior to the other. Subject + Verb + the Most {adj} or

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Subject + Verb + {adj +est} Examples; 1. Sony is the most handsome boy in our class. 2. Desy is the tallest girl in her class. 3. The room is the darkest in house. 5.4 The teaching of Comparatives and Superlatives through Grammar Games In this research the writer uses the activities of Board Game. The procedure of teaching comparatives and superlatives at SMP N 2 Palembang is as follows : 1) Pre activities The teacher greets the students (good morning/ afternoon). The teacher checks the students attendance. The teacher motivates the students by asking some questions related to the lesson. 2) Whilst activities The teacher explains the lesson by using grammar games. The students ask the teacher if they have some problem. The students do some exercise. 3) Post activities The teacher summarizes the lessons. The teacher gives the students homework.

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Based on Hadfield opinion (2003:126) that all the above activities may include elements of rule sheets, these are the rules sheet of teaching comparatives and superlatives: 1) The teacher will have one copy of the Cue Board and eight sets of Difference Cards, plus counters and a dice. 2) Each takes two strips of Difference Card with the same number at the top and, keeping them hidden from the others, cut or tear them into individual cards. 3) All place teacher counters on Square 1 4) Player 1 begins. Shake the dice and move teachers counter the appropriate number of spaces on the board 5) When teacher lands on a picture square, selects a card from teachers hand that the players matches the object on that square and make a statement about it using a comparative and superlative. Teacher can either say my is the-est., e.g. my car is the biggest .,or teacher can compare the object with that of another player by saying my.is -er than yours., e.g. my house is smaller than yours., my ring is more expensive than yours, teacher can say this to any other player or to group as a whole, laying down the card fro teachers hand so everyone can see it. The other player(s) teacher is speaking to must lay their cards down too 6) If teachers statement was correct, teacher can throw away teachers card. If not, teacher must keep it. 7) Then it is the next players turn

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8) The winner is the player who gets rid of all their card first.

5.5 Related Previous Study In relation this research proposal, a research has been conducted by Fadhila Rahmi of a student of FKIP, University of PGRI Palembang in 2001. Her research was entitled The Application of Grammar Game in Teaching Relative Clauses to the Tenth Year Students of MAN Palembang. The result of her investigation shows that there were findings in her research. First, the students average score in the pretest was 6.47. Second, the students average score in the post-test was 80.49. third, the result of the matched t-test calculation between the students score in the pre-test and those in the post-test was 2.80 that exceeded its critical value (1.684). it means that the application of game in teaching Relative Clauses effective. There are three differences between Fadhila Rahmis study and this study in the aspects of: 1) the location and the time of investigation, 2) the purpose of study, 3) the theme of study and 4) method of research. But also there is similarity between Fadhila Rahmis study and this study that both studies are about games.

6. Hypotheses The hypotheses of this research are written in the form of the Null hypothesis (Ho) and the Alternative Hypothesis (Ha).

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1) Null Hypothesis (Ho): The students scores in the post-test are not significantly higher than those in the pre-test of comparatives and superlatives taught through grammar games. 2) Alternative Hypothesis (Ha): the students scores in the post-test are significantly higher than those in the pre-test of comparatives and superlatives through grammar games.

7. The Criteria for Testing the Hypotheses To test hypotheses at 95% level of significance (0.05) for one tailed test with the number of the sample is 40 students, the t-table is 1.684 Hatch and Farhady (1982:272). It means that if the t-obtained is less than 1.684 the Null Hypothesis (Ho) is accepted and the Alternative Hypothesis (Ha) is rejected. On the other hand, if tobtained is equal to or higher than the t-table, the Null Hypothesis (Ho) is rejected and the Alternative Hypothesis (Ha) is accepted.

8. Research Procedures This part presents (1) operational definitions, (2) population and sample, (3) method of research, (4) technique for collecting the data, (5) and technique for analyzing the data. 8.1 Operational Definitions

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In order to avoid misunderstanding it is necessary for the writer to define the term in this study. They are application, grammar games, teaching, comparatives and superlatives operationally.

1) Application Application is derived from the verb apply which means to bring or put into use or technique. 2) Grammar Games Grammar games are the games that use grammar as materials such as relative clause, passive voice, comparative and superlative, tenses, etc. 3) Teaching Teaching is an activity conducted by using a combination of art, science, and skill to transfer knowledge and skill to the students. 4) Comparatives and Superlatives Comparative degree is the form of an adjective or adverb which is used to show comparison between two things. In English, the comparative is formed with the suffix er, or with more. Superlative degree is the form of an adjective or adverb which shows the most or the least in quality, quantity, or intensity. In English, the superlative is formed with the suffix-est or with most.

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8.2 Method of Research The method of research that was used in this investigation is quasiexperimental method. According to Hatch and Farhady (1982 : 24), Quasiexperimental design is practical compromises between true experimental and the nature of human language behavior, which we wish to investigate. The writer should apply the quasi-experimental method because the writer wants to manipulate and controls the subjects of the research from only one class of students based on permission given by the headmaster. The following are the steps taken in doing the research: 1) Surveying the literature relating to the problem; 2) Identifying and defining the problem; 3) Constructing an experimental plan by writing the research design; 4) Conducting the experimental; 5) Collecting the data; 6) Analyzing the data; 7) Drawing conclusions and suggestions; 8) Proposing the suggestion; 9) Writing a report.

8.3 Population and Sample 8.3.1 Population

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Arikunto (1997:115) says that population is the total number of the subjects of the research. The population of this research was all of the eighth year students of SMP N 2 Palembang in the academic year of 2009/2010. They consist of six classes with 296 students.

TABLE 1 THE POPULATION OF THE RESEARCH No 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Class VIII.1 VIII.2 VIII.3 VIII.4 VIII.5 VIII.6 VIII.7 total Number of students 43 43 42 41 41 43 43 296

8.3.2 Sample Sample is part of representative of population investigated ( Sudjana, 1996:6). Next Arikunto (1997: 120) states that if the subject of the research is less than 100, it will be better if all the subjects are taken between 10-15% or 20-25% or more. As mentioned before, the total number of population in this study was 296 students. Therefore, by using cluster random sampling, the writer wrote six of classes on small pieces of paper. After that she rolled them. Put them into the glass, then she took one

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of them as the sample of this study. The result was class VIII.4 with the total of 41 students.

9. Technique for Collecting the Data In collecting the data the writer used two kinds of test, they are pre-test and post-test. The material of the test, pre-test and post-test which were given to the students are exactly the same. The test were in the form of multiple-choice test with 20(twenty) test items, with 45 minutes to do the test.

9.1 Validity of the test The validity of the test materials was checked through the content validity. It is a form of validity which based on the degree to which a test adequately and sufficiently measures the particular skills or behavior it sets out to measure (Richards, et al, 1985:61). In order to made the test material have high content validity, the writer will make test based on instructional objectives and then the test will do to find out the degrees of accomplishment of the objectives. TABLE 2 TEST SPECIFICATION No Material Tested 1 Comparative of adjective 1,8,13,16 4,10,17 2,12,18 2 Superlative of adjective 3.6,15 5,9,11,20 Test Items {Adj+er} More+adj Irreguler {adj+est} The most+ adj Total 4 4 3 3 3

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7,14,19 Total

irregular

3 20

9.2 Reliability of the Test The reliability of the test materials was evaluated through the KuderRichardson approach (Fraenkel and Wallen, 1993:149). It perhaps the most frequently employed method for determining internal consistency. In the KuderRichardson approach, particularly formula requires only three pieces of information: (1) the number of items in the test, (2) the mean of the raw scores and (3) the standard deviation. The formula of KR 21 can be used only if it can be assumed that the items are equally difficult. A frequently-used version of the KR 21 formula is the following: KR21 = Where:
M (K M ) K 1 K 1 K ( SD ) 2

KR21 : Kuder- Richardson Reliability Coefficient K M SD : Number of items in the test : Mean of the set of Raw Test Scores : Standard deviation of the Set of Test Scores, the formula :
2

SD =

( x x )
n

Dealing with it. Fraenkel and Wallen (1993:149) write the test materials are considerd if the reliable if it the reliability coefficient exceeds 0.7(KR 21>0.7) and unreliable if it less than 0.7 (KR 21<0.7).

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Before giving the test to the students, the writer did a try-out test to know the reliability of the questions, the test given to the class VIII.4 there were 41 students attending the try-out. The reliability of the test is presented in Table 3.

TABLE 3 THE RELIABILITY OF THE TEST Students 1. 2. 3 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. Number of the Questions 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 Number of the correct Answers (X) 12 20 19 18 17 16 17 14 10 11 7 20 15 18 18 10 17 18 17 16 16 15 11
X X

(X

X)
2

-2.90 5.10 4.10 3.10 2.10 1.10 2.10 -0.90 -4.90 -3.90 -7.90 5.10 0.10 3.10 3.10 -4.90 2.10 3.10 2.10 1.10 1.10 0.10 -3.90

8.41 26.01 16.81 9.61 4.41 1.21 4.41 0.81 24.01 15.21 62.41 26.01 0.01 9.61 9.61 24.01 4.41 9.61 4.41 1.21 1.21 0.01 15.21

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24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. TOTAL

20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

10 13 14 15 16 17 9 12 10 14 15 20 16 17 18 16 13 14 611/40 = 14.90

-4.90 -1.90 -0.90 0.10 1.10 2.10 -5.90 -2.90 -4.90 -0.90 0.10 5.10 1.10 2.10 3.10 1.10 -1.90 -0.90

24.01 3.61 0.81 0.01 1.21 4.41 34.81 8.41 24.01 0.81 0.01 26.01 1.21 4.41 9.61 1.21 3.61 0.81 427.61

SD =

( X
n

X)

= =

427 .61 41
1 .4 0 3

= 3.23

KR 21 = = =

M (K M ) K 1 K ( SD ) 2 K 1

20 20 1

14 .90 ( 20 14 .90 ) 1 20 (3.23 ) 2

20 14 .90 (5.1) 1 20 (10 .43 ) 19

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= 1.05 1

75 .99 208 .6

= 1.05 [1 0.36 ] = 0.70

10. Technique for analyzing the data There were three techniques was applied in analyzing the data obtained, they were (a) percentage analysis, (b) conversion of percentage ranges and (c) matched t-test. 10.1 Percentage Analysis The percentage analysis was applied to find out the students individual scores. The formula is as follows: X =
CA x 100 % N1

In which: X = students individual score CA = Number of Correct Answers N1 = Number of Test Items. 10.2 Conversion of Percentage Ranges To interpret the students scores, the conversion of percentage ranges needs to be presented TABLE 4 THE CONVERSION OF PERCENTAGE RANGES

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Score 91-10 81-90 71-80 61-70 51-60 41-50 31-40 0-30 10.3 Matched t-test

Explanation Excellent Very good Good Moderate Enough Low Poor Very Poor

To know the significant difference between the students achievement in the pretest and in the post test. The matched t-test was applied, the formula as follow: t obt =
X1 X 2 SD

(Hatch and Farhady, 1982 :116) Where : t = Value

X1 = The Average Score in Post-test X2 = The Average Score In Pre-test SD = Standard Deviation

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REFERENCES Arikunto, Suharmi. 1997. Prosedur penelitian: Suatu Pendeketan Praktis. Jakarta: Rineka Cipta. Azar, Betty Schamfer. 1992 . Fundamentals of English Grammar, Second Edition. Englewood Cliffs. New York: McGraw Hill. Inc Azar, Betty Schamfer. 1995. Basic English grammar, Second Edition. Englewood Clifffs New York: McGraw Hill. Inc Fraenkel, Jack R and Norman E. Wallen 1993. How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education. New York: McGraw Hill, Inc Grambs, Jean D and John C. Carr. 1979. Modern Methods in Secondary Education: Forth Edition. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Wiston, Inc. Hadfield, Jill. 2003. Intermediate grammar games. Kuala Lumpur: Longman. Hatch, Evelyn Hossein Farhady. 1982. Research Design and Statistics for Applied Linguistics. Cambridge. Newbury House Publishers. Hornby, A. S. 1987. Oxford Advanced learners Dictionary of Current English. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Marlina, Yeni. 2004. the Application of teaching degrees of Comparison Using Picture to the Second Year Students of SMP Negeri 2 Muara Enim. Unpublished undergraduared thesis Palembang: faculty of teacher training and education, PGRI university. Rahmi, Fadhila 2006. The Application of Grammar Games in the Teaching Relative Clauses to the Tenth year students of Man Palembang. Unpublished undergraduared thesis Palembang: faculty of teacher training and education, PGRI University. Ricards, Jack C, John Platt and Heidi Weber.1985. Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics. London: Longman and Group Limited. Saleh, Yuslizal. 1996. Methodology of TEFL. Palembang: Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Sriwijaya University. Sudjana, Nana. 1996. Methodology Statistika. Edisi ke-16. Bandung : Tristo.

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