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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents; (1) research context, (2) focus of research, (3) objective

of research, (4) significance of research, and (5) definition of key terms.

1.1 Research Context

Education, as a life-long process, is an effort of human beings to change their

lives and others. Human is given the right and is demanded to get education in

order to develop their capabilities, characters, and civilizations. Duflo (2001)

stated that the growth in developing country can be widely seen from its education.

Furthermore, education is regulated in Act on National Education System. It is

stated that education means conscious and well-planned effort in creating a

learning environment and learning process so that learners will be able to develop

their full potential for acquiring spiritual and religious strengths, develop self-

control, personality, intelligence, morals and noble character and skills.

Therefore, education becomes the basic need for all human beings.

Act of the Republic of Indonesia on National Education System year 2003

regulates that every citizen shall have the right to enhance his/her educational

ability in the process of life-long education. Furthermore, the Government is

responsible for the provision of a single national education system. Such a system

would enable individuals to become faithful and pious to God and to possess

morals and noble character. For this purpose, the nation as a whole shall engage in

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intellectual capacity and character building as one of the goals of Republic of

Indonesia.

Education has some types including; general, vocational, academic,

professional, vocational and technical, religious, and special education. Education

needed by human supposes to be more than academic or knowledge acquisition. It

has to cover some life skills. The balance between academic knowledge and skill

will make human being develop to be the better one. Nowadays, education is not

only focused on formal institution but also on non-formal institution. Formal

institution commonly has the same form and context for each unit, type, and grade

of education. Meanwhile, non-formal institution has variation in their form and

context.

Non-formal education, according to Law number 20 year 2003 article 1

subsection 12 about National Education System, means education which can be

implemented structurally, or in several levels outside formal education. It is

known that formal education has not been capable yet to develop personal or life

skill of learners. Along with the globalization era and the needs of citizens, non-

formal education becomes alternative choice to develop skill in addition to

academic knowledge.

Article 26 stated non-formal education is provided for community who need

education services which functions as a replacement, complement, and/or

supplement to formal education in the frame of supporting life-long education.

Furthermore, the aims of non-formal education are to develop learners potentials

with emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge and functional skills and to

develop personality and professional attitudes. In conclusion, non-formal

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education is capable of sufficing the needs which cannot be fulfilled by formal

education.

Training centers and colleges, study groups, community learning centers, and

other education units of the similar type are categorized as non-formal education.

Course centers become well-known non-formal education nowadays. Course

centers have been rapidly developed, especially English course. It is supported by

a recent report from Himpunan Pengusaha Kursus Indonesia (the Indonesian

Courses Asscoiation, 2004) cited in Hartono (2016), which shows that there are

about 25,000 registered courses in Indonesia and half of these courses are English

courses. They provide various knowledge and skills through learning process in a

short time.

English which has been used by most countries in the world becomes the first

foreign language learnt in Indonesia. It is known that English has been taught in

Indonesia as a first foreign language since the Dutch colonization more than a

century ago. Ramelan (1992:2) states that the reason why English is chosen as the

first foreign language in Indonesia is because of its importance role in the

international world. Strengthening relationship with all countries in the world

becomes main goal of Indonesia as a developing country. Therefore, English is

chosen for its wide usefulness in every factor of development.

Learning and teaching English in formal educationin Junior and Senior

High School, seems unsatisfying, considering that English is not one and only

subject should be learnt by the students. Small number of fresh-graduates can pass

the English test to enter the university. Reading comprehension and speaking skill

become troublesome for most of them. Nonetheless, speaking plays an important

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role to determine someones mastery in English. Therefore, English courses exist

to provide deeper training for those who want to improve their skill.

Spoken form of a language is primary. All human beings speak a language,

although they do not have writing system. Speaking is the process of building and

sharing meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, in a variety of

contexts (Chaney, 1998:13 in Teaching Methods and Games in Use). Speaking is

taught in English courses to improve learners communicative skills. It is taught

through some activities such as discussion, debate, presentation, interview, and etc.

Learners come to English courses with some problems which have to be fixed.

They may get nervous when they cannot express their ideas well because of lack

of vocabulary. However, it cannot be concluded that their less-confidence is

caused by limited vocabulary. Learners with rich vocabularies sometimes get

trouble in producing English words. It has to be admitted that English is difficult

to learn. Meanwhile, in this globalization era, being bilingual is a way of life.

English, as second language, demands us to be native-like. People think we

are good at English if we can speak like English. However, what most common

English learners afraid of is how to pronounce English words wellas native

speakers. English has its own sound pattern which differs from Bahasa Indonesia

sound pattern. Indonesian learners get difficulty in pronouncing English sounds

especially for the sounds which are not common in their first language. It happens

because of their different accents. An accent is the cumulative auditory effect of

those features of pronunciation that identify where a person is from, regionally or

socially (Crystal, 2003, p. 3). The common mistake made by learners is the

intonation and stress of English words.

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Teaching pronunciation should be concerned as it is a basic language skill

which effects speaking ability. Furthermore, Hinofotis and Baily (1980), cited in

Gilakjani (2011), notes that up to a certain proficiency standard the fault which

most severely impairs the communication process in EFL/ESL learners is

pronunciation, not vocabulary or grammar. Thus, although pronunciation becomes

one of the least favorite topics for teachers to address in the classroom, English

teachers should expect the learners to make strides in different areas of

pronunciation rather than expect them to speak like native lspeakers without

identifying, understanding, and overcoming their weaknesses first.

From the explanation above, it can be concluded that pronunciation should be

learnt by EFL learners in order to improve their English skill. Therefore, a

research related to pronunciation by the title The Teaching of Pronunciation at

Pronunciation 1 Program (A Case Study at Global English Course) is conducted.

1.2 Focus of Research

The focuses of research are formulated by the following questions:

1) How is the teaching of pronunciation 1 Program at Global English Course

(in the term of syllabus, lesson plan, method, technique, media, teaching

learning process, and evaluation)?

2) What is the problem faced by the students during learning process?

3) How to solve the problem faced by student during learning process?

4) How is the students perception towards the teaching of pronunciation at

Global English Course?

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1.3 Objective of Research

Based on the focuses of research above, the objectives of research can be

formulated as follows:

1) To describe the teaching of pronunciation at the ........ English Course (in

the term of syllabus, lesson plan, method, technique, media, teaching and

learning process, and evaluation).

2) To describe the difficulty faced by the teacher and the students during

teaching and learning process.

3) To describe how problem solutions to overcome those difficulties.

4) To describe the students perception towards the teaching of pronunciation

at the ..... English Course.

1.4 Significance of Research

The result of this research is expected to give contribution theoretically and

practically.

1. Theoretically

Theoretically, the result of this research can give knowledge and concept

related to the teaching of pronunciation.

2. Practically

a. To Course Organizer or Owner

The result of this research can be used as consideration and reference

to improve the teaching of pronunciation in his/her course.

b. Tutor
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The result of this research can be used; (1) as information to improve

their way in teaching Englishespecially pronunciation and (2) to

identify, to understand, and to overcome learners problems in learning

pronunciation.

c. Reader

The result of this research can be useful as the reference to teach or to

learn English pronunciation.

d. Further Researcher

The result of this research can be used as the reference to conduct

further research.

1.5 Definition of Key Terms

The terms used in this research might result confusion, unless they are briefly

and clearly described. To avoid misunderstanding, ambiguity and uncertainty of

this concept, the researcher provides the definition of key terms as follows:

1.5.1 Pronunciation

Pronunciation is the practice use of target language phonological

features in speaking. It is also considered as the basic knowledge and

skill that should be mastered by English as the Foreign Language (EFL)

learners. Stress and intonation patterns of words become concerned

problem faced by EFL learners in pronouncing English words.

Therefore, the importance of pronunciation learning cannot be

neglected as it can affect speaking skill.

1.5.2 Teaching Pronunciation

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Teaching pronunciation relates to how to teach English pronunciation,

the method, technique, media and material used, and how to evaluate

learners pronunciation. It should not be seen as fixing problems faced

by EFL learners but rather as teaching how to speak as acceptable

native-like pronunciation can be acquired when a word is pronounced

as its phonetic transcription.

1.5.3 .....English Course

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