CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

English is an international language, which is used by most people all over

the world, taught and learnt in many countries all over the world either as a

second language or a foreign language. Crystal in Eny argued that English is an

important language as it is spoken by many people in many countries. 1 Based in

the statements above, English is admitted by all countries and used to

communicate among countries. English is an important means of communication,

which is used by many countries in this world. It plays an important role as an

international language.

English language is taught at school and spoken as a foreign language in

Indonesia. English is introduced as a compulsory subject to be taught from the

seventh year of Junior High School up to the twelfth year of students and as a

local content subject in Elementary school. The English language is needed by

Indonesian people to effort and develop our country too.

The writer wants to discuss one of the many problems connected with

English learning. English learning problems can take place both at home and at

school. The teacher and the students are different, therefore, he might find

different motivations for learning as well. At school, the problems may appear

when the class consists of a big number of students. The noisy class does not only
1
Crystal, David. 1997. English as a Global Language. Cambridge: C. U. P.

1
 2

disturb the students who really want to study, but also influence the students’

concentration to the subject given in class. The condition like this can make the

students feel bored and do not like to study. At home, the problems may appear

when the recall the subjects from school and they still do not understand the

lesson and none of the people at home can help them. If this condition continues

they will feel very bored and not interested in studying English. In this case the

teacher’s role is very important, that is to encourage them to study harder and

better.

In addition, student’s problems are not only from the classroom

environment but also from the students themselves. The reality we often see is

that, in fact, many students master the theory better than practices. For examples,

in speaking, they may have the knowledge of how to speak, but in practice they

find difficulties. They are lack of self confidence. To build their confidence,

students need more practice so that teachers are suggested to create and use

interesting method.

Speaking skill very important for the students because it helps them to

communicate in English language. It is quite different with teaching monolog text

in speaking. Because the students must understand the text before speaking about

the topic given.

So the teacher should choose a good technique to interest the students. The

teacher should have alternative ways to teach spoof text in speaking, for example

in teaching spoof text the teacher using retelling technique. Retelling technique
 3

can improve the students speaking ability because they can develop their skill

using their own words.

One of such the methods is story retelling. Generally, story retelling is liked

by the students because they like stories. It is also an appropriate method for the

students at their age. In order to make story retelling more interesting, good media

are needed. Instructional media encompasses all the materials and physical means

an instructor might use to implement instruction and facilitate students’

achievement of instructional objectives.2 According to Gerlach and Elly, to select

the appropriate media, the teacher must consider the characteristics of the

students, which directly related to the learning process such as verbal abilities,

visual and audio perception skills.3 Other factors such which also ought to be

considered in media selection come from our instructional system model, that is,

the organization of groups, the time available and the space in which the media

will be used.4

Comic is one of the many media to teach story retelling. Comics are an art

form using a series of static images in fixed sequence. Using English comics as a

means for teaching story retelling can be very pleasing and interesting for the

students. By using English comics students will be more interested and more

active in learning. They will feel something new and different from what they

usually get in their class. The writer hopes that with the use of English comics

2
UMDNJ, Instructional Media, http://www.umdnj.edu/idsweb/idst5330/instructional_media.htm,
Accessed 24 December 2012.
3
Gerlach and Ely, 1980. Teaching and Media; a Systematic Approach, Prentice Halls, New Jersey,
P.245
4
Ibid., P.255
 4

they will be active as participants and they have more a chance to express their

minds, emotions, feelings and attitudes.

In this research, the writes takes a title “The Effect of Using Comics in

Teaching Speaking to the Students at SMP Negeri 2 Lhokseumawe in the

Academic Year 2013 – 2014”.

B. Identification of the Research Problem

Based on the problem above, the writer can identify some problems in this

research, there are :

1. The Students are not able to master speaking because less practicing

2. The students feel bored when the teaching learning process running

because the teacher just used the conventional method and strategy to

conduct the active teaching learning process

3. Less the motivation or the students because feel afraid with English

subject

C. Problem of the Research

According to the background of the study above, the writer has some

problems that are going to be answered as follows :

a. Is using a comic effective as a medium in teaching speaking?

b. How is the classroom atmosphere when the teacher uses the comic in

teaching speaking?
 5

D. Objective of the Research

Based on the statement of the problems above, the writer has some purposes :

a. To know the effectiveness of comics in teaching speaking

b. To know the classroom atmosphere when teaching speaking.

E. Significance of the Study

The result of this study can contribute some benefits to students and

teachers. Here are the benefits :

1. Theoritically

The result of the study will give the student to be able to apply speaking

with their teacher and their friend. It is hoped that, this study will be useful for

them to develop their competence in speaking, arouse their motivation and

interest in learning speaking.

2. Practically

The student get language as a means of communication in the real life. It

may motivate student to improve their interest in learning English since they

will find out that speaking, especially story retelling, not always difficult to

learn. Their improvement of interest in learning English will help them master

English well.

This study is expected to help to English teacher to apply and use

appropriate technique, materials, which is able to arouse the interest and

motivation of the student

 6

F. Scope of the Research

The writer is done with scope this study by the following limitation:
1. The comic used for this study is taken from edition Comic Strips of

Donald Duck Comics.

2. This research is only conducted to the 8th year students of SMP N 2

Lhokseumawe in the academic year of 2013/2014.

G. Operational Definition

To avoid misunderstanding, the writer would like to give the definition of the

key terms as follow :

Teaching : Teaching is the work of the teacher and process of transferring

knowledge from somebody known as a teacher to somebody

else who knows as a students.5

Speaking : a words that based on the based from “speak” and adds by-ing.

Speaking words used to talk to somebody about something,

this opinion means that capable of speech, express or telling to

that order.6

Comics : states that comic is books or magazines containing stories etc.

in the form of drawing.7

5
A.S Hornsby, The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English Oxford University, Press
Longman, 1974, P. 886
6
Ibid, P. 827
7
A.S Hornby , 1987, P. 168