Kudriyah Ahmad S. PTK Uas - 1
Kudriyah Ahmad S. PTK Uas - 1
Kudriyah Ahmad S. PTK Uas - 1
Arranged By:
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
SEKOLAH TINGGI KEGURUAN ILMU PENDIDIKAN
BANGKALAN
TAHUN AJARAN 2020 – 2021
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Theoritical Description
1. Listening
a. The Definition of Listening
Listening is one of the subjects studied in the field of language study
and in the discipline of conversation analysis. This skill can be improved by
practice and there are many rewards to develop your listening skill. It is the
active process of receiving and responding to spoken (and sometimes
unspoken) messages.
Helgesen (2003:24) states that listening is an active, purposeful process
of making sense of what we hear. More often we hear, more we can
understand something. Regarding that citation, although listening is receptive,
it is very active because listeners can think and understand things at higher
levels than what they have heard. As they listen, they process not only what
they hear but also connect it with other information they have already known.
Since listeners combine what they have listened to their existing knowledge
and experiences, in a very real sense, they are figuring or creating some kinds
of meaning in their own mind.
Rost (2002:177) defines listening, in its broadest sense, as a process of
receiving what the speaker actually says (receptive orientation); constructing
and representing meaning (constructive orientation); negotiating meaning with
the speaker and responding (collaborative orientation); and, creating meaning
through involvement, imagination and empathy (transformative orientation).
Listening, then, is a complex, active processes of interpretation in which
listeners match what they hear with what they have already known.
Rivers in Hasyuni (2006: 8) states that listening is a creative skill. It
means we comprehend the sound falling on our ears, and take the raw material
of words, arrangements of words, and the rise and fall the voice, and from this
material we create significance. So, we can say that listening is like a cooking
process, there is the recipe, and then we gather the ingredients, start to process
to cook and finally we eat that. The process will be successful if we prepare
the right dose, as well as listening, we can get the right words if we listen well
and know all of the sentences.
From the definition above, it can be concluded that listening is a
complex, active process of interpretation in which listeners match what they
have heard with what they have already known. It is a process to start mind.
We must pay attention first with the listening, then we can easily study the
other skills
b. The Teaching of Listening
Brown (2000:7) states that teaching is showing or helping someone to
learn how to do something, giving instructions, guiding in the study of
something, providing with knowledge, causing to know or understand.
Listening has also been considered from a further perspective in recent years
when it is examine in relation not only to comprehension, but also to language
learning. Teaching listening requires a bit more on the part of the teacher than
that of the learners. One of the main principle of teaching listening, should be
“Language material intended to used for training listening comprehension
should never be presented visually first.” Good listening lessons go beyond the
main listening task itself with related activities before and after the listening. It
means that the teaching of listening should beyond the understanding, then the
action. The importance of listening in language learning and teaching demand
the language teachers to help their students become effective listeners. (Maria,
1998), for instance, the school establishes one day in a week to use English
language, so the students will be familiar with listening process.
There are some principles of teaching listening skill that should be
known by the teacher (Brown, 2007). First, listening should receive primary
attention in the early stage of ESL instruction. It means that to learn English
language, students should be familiar first with the listening process. Second,
listening should maximize the use of material that is relevant to students’ real
life. It can make students know how important the material in the real life.
Third, listening should maximize the use of authentic language, because
students are difficult to understand if the teacher uses difficult word. Fourth,
listening should vary the materials in terms of speakers’ gender, age, dialect,
accent, topic, speed, noise, level, and genre. The purpose of that principle is to
make the students interested in the material given in every meeting. Fifth, the
teacher should always ask the students to listen to the purposes of listening
and ask them to show their comprehension in a task. It can drill their listening
skill. Sixth, the language material intended to be used for training listening
comprehension should never be presented visually first. The students have to
be familiar with the audio first.
We can conclude that teaching listening means delivering some
material by giving the understanding of language system. It also involves how
we apply this knowledge of the language system to understand or convey
meaning and how we apply particular skills to understand and convey
meaning. It must be practiced continuously so that we will be more familiar
with listening and finally we can master it.
2. Media in Teaching English
a. The Denifition of Media
The word media, plural of medium, is from the Latin word for middle
and describes which is stand between the receiver and the source of the
message. It is commonly used to describe ways to convey information and
entertainment. The term multimedia often describes highly sophisticated
technology, such as CD- ROM and Internet web sites, which incorporate text,
sound, vision and animation. In general, we understand technology to embrace
things like radio, TV, video, telephone, fax machines and computers (Terry,
2000). In this modern era, the word media have already been familiar for us in
the relation with teaching and learning process.
The same source also mentions that not all media involve technology,
of course. Books and newspapers do not conjure up images of technology,
although a good deal of technology goes into its creation. It means so many
media that we have from many sources.
Media refers to any communication method that conveys information,
or that allows interaction between teachers and students. According to Arsyad
(2003:15), in teaching and learning activities using the media, the teaching
was replaced by terms such as tool of view heard, teaching materials,
communication of view heard, educational teaching aids of view, educational
technology, teaching aids, and explanatory media. It can be concluded that
many things can define the media itself in the context of learning process.
From the definition above, we know that media are grown by
technology, and now we can find it in many sources. Media is an important
things in teaching and learning process. It can set the level of students’ interest
with a lesson.
b. The Advantages of Podcast
Podcasts are part of innovative online learning and can serve a number
of purposes: to enhance the range and register of English language listening
practice material available for the students to use in a variety of ways; to
provide increased connectivity between different elements of the course; to
increase the scope for discussion activity, etc. The podcasts online have given
the language teacher a wealth of materials for teaching listening skills. The
added advantage of a podcasts is that it can be downloaded by your students
and listened to for homework. Just provide the link for download and the
worksheet or comprehension questions, and assign. Pick an interesting
podcasts, and it'll be one assignment your students will be looking forward to.
Constantine in her journal (2007) covers the subject of podcasts on
several levels and deals with the questions of the advantages of podcasts,
selection of the most beneficial ones, and discusses how to maximize learning
from them. The advantages of podcasts are: 1) learners can benefit from global
listening, even if they only listen from three to five minutes a day; 2) students
will be exposed to the new language; 3) the intermediate learner has a need for
authentic texts and to be exposed to a variety of voices. Podcasts is not just
intended for listening. Often there is a transcript provided along with
worksheets. A number of websites interact with the students and ask them to
write in with questions or comments.
Podcasts may also accommodate a wide variety of learning strategies
for students. While some students learn most effectively by taking notes
during a lecture and reviewing these in their own study time, others learn more
effectively by active listening, without taking notes (Boulos, Maramba &
Wheeler, 2006). It makes them have better skill than the students who are not
listen trough podcasts.
According to Constantine’s journal (2007), one innovative usage of
podcasts is to have a student listen to a podcasts and read along its transcript.
Then the student will make a recording of the material on a cassette tape and
turn it into the teacher along with a written journal. The teacher then listens to
the student’s recording and gives appropriate feedback to the student. This
type of activity helps the students to develop fluency in reading, to improve
pronunciation, to acquire new vocabulary words, and to perfect listening
skills.
c. Podcast in Teaching of English
A podcasts is an audio file made available on internet. It is a
combination of two words broadcasting (the term used for the transmission of
television and radio and iPod (a well known portable media MP3 player
developed by Apple computer Inc.) (Anna: 2010). Podcasts has been
compared to radio broadcasting because it usually has a single producer (or
group of people producing it) and the audio transmission is sent to lots of
listeners. What’s different about podcasts is that, unlike radio, the person
listening doesn’t have to listen to it at the time of broadcasting. Instead of a
radio transmitter, a podcasts is stored on the web as a digital sound file and
this sound file can then be transferred to any computer or digital device, such
as an iPod or MP3 player. The listeners can then choose when they listen.
Podcasts do not differ fundamentally from texts spoken on cassettes or
CDs. Teachers have always recorded programmers from the radio or the
internet onto a cassette or a CD. With podcasts it is just easier. You subscribe
to a podcasts and each time an update (a new installment or a new
programmed) is available it is automatically downloaded to your computer. If
you think it is suitable you can keep it, or you just delete it. So you do not
have to be at home or program your recorder, it is all done automatically.
A podcasts may be used just to provide motivated students with
additional language input. However, if you wish to use them in class you need
to spend time on selecting suitable ones and develop tasks and activities to
guide your students in the listening process. These often involve activities to
mobilize the students’ prior knowledge of the subject of the podcasts (pre-
listening activity), some while-listening activities and some post-listening
activities. For the whilelistening activities some true-false questions the
students can check while listening also help them to concentrate on the text. In
the post-listening stage you can focus on specific vocabulary items and, if
available, hand out the transcript.
B. Previous Research Finding
There are some studies related with the use of podcasts in learning listening.
The first, a study done by Galina Kavaliauskiene (2008) entitled “Podcasting: A Tool
for Improving Listening Skills”. The aims of this study are to examine the challenges
that students face in listening to various authentic English podcasts and analyze
learners’ self-assessment data on improving listening skills. The intended outcome of
study is to formulate the tips for good practice in perfecting listening skills. The
participants in this study are students of different specializations who study English
for Specific Purposes at the Faculty of Social Policy, Mykolas Romeris University,
Lithuania. The result of that study is there is an opportunity for raising language
awareness by employing podcasting which allows learners to carry out homework
assignments at their own pace and under non-threatening conditions.
The second study done by Palitha Edirisingha, Chiara Rizzi, Ming Nie and
Libby Rothwell (2007) entitled “Podcasting to Provide Teaching and Learning
Support for an Undergraduate Module on English Language and Communication”.
This study is aimed at report’s findings from research into the benefits of integrating
podcasts into a first year undergraduate module on English Language and
Communication at Kingston University. The study describes the teaching and learning
context and how the podcasts were integrated as part of the blended learning delivery.
The result of this study is podcasts can be a useful addition to the range of tools
available. Data analysis of the study showed that podcasts were successful in
supporting students’ preparation for assessed work, providing significant advice on
portfolio and presentations.
The third study done by Neil P Morris (2010) was entitled “Podcasts and
Mobile Assessment Enhance Student Learning Experience and Academic
Performance”. The aim of this study was to combine podcasts of lectures with mobile
assessments (completed via SMS on mobile telephones) to assess the effect on
examination performance. The trial group was given access to podcasts / mobile
formative assessments for lectures on the module. Towards the end of the module, all
students on the module completed a ‘mock’ examination on the material in the
lectures. The results of this study indicate that providing supporting resources does
have a positive impact on student performance.
From those previous studies, this research is different. The research will be
conduct to junior high school students grade VIII that have different background with
those previous researches. The research also has not to combine between podcast of
lectures with mobile assessments. The treatment does not used as homework.
Furthermore, the study of this research is using podcasts to improve students’
listening skill.
C. Conceptual Framework
Listening is perhaps the most critical element in language and language
learning, for it is the key to speaking, and beyond that, reading and writing.
Particularly in the workplace, that skill is used at least three times more than speaking,
and four to five times more than reading and writing. Listening and speaking are often
taught together, but beginners, especially non-literate ones, should be given more
listening practice than speaking practice. Listening skill is a complex active skill of
interpretation in which listeners matches what they hear and what they have already
known.
Considering with the importance of listening in language learning and
teaching, it is essential for language teachers to help their students become effective
listeners. Teaching listening means transferring some material by giving the
understanding of language system. It is better conducted continuously so that the
students are familiar with the material. Teaching listening process should be
appropriate with the purposes. Beside that, the process must be equipped with the
right materials so the teaching and learning process will be interesting. The materials
are usually equipped with some media to make the teaching and learning process
more interesting.
There were some problems found related to the listening activity. The first
problem was the students were seldom conducted the listening activity in the listening
laboratory. Second, they had lack of vocabulary. Third, they had lack of English
sound and spelling. To overcome those problems, the English teacher had just used
the LKS when conducted the listening activity. He was also use songs to checked
students’ vocabulary mastering.
Looking those situations, the researcher tried to improve students’ listening
skill through podcasts. Podcasts is an audio program on the Web which are usually
updated at regular intervals. It is easy to find and download in the internet. Sometimes
the audio are equipped with the transcript, so it can help students to understand what
they hear. Using podcasts in listening section are expected to improve students
listening skill.
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHOD
This chapter covers the type of research design, instruments of the research, data
collecting technique, data analysis technique, procedures of the research, and validity and
reliability of the research data.
A. Types of Research
This research was action research. It aimed to find and implement some
actions to improve the listening skills. The research procedure was adapted from a
model proposed by Kemmis and Mc Taggart in Burns (1999:32) that action research
occurs through a dynamic and complementary process, which consists of four
essential steps: planning, action, observation, and reflection. The researcher and the
other research team members collaboratively found obstacles and weaknesses of the
listening learning process, identified some problems, and planned and implemented
the proposed actions. After that, the researcher and other research team members
made evaluation, reflection and discussion related to the actions implemented.
B. Setting of the Research
The setting of the research was at SMPN 1 Tanjung Bumi. Related to English
teaching and learning activities, SMPN 1 Tanjung Bumi has two English teachers.
The English subject is taught twice a week for 90 minutes for each meeting.
The facilities supporting the English teaching and learning activities in the
listening laboratory are a whiteboard, board markers, 18 student tables, 36 student
chairs, a teacher table, a teacher chair, 3 air conditioners, 40 headsets, 5 audio
speakers, 37 computers and a set of main computer.
C. Subjects of the Research
The subjects of the research were the VIII A grade students of junior high.
There are 27 students on the class. The researcher chose that school because based on
the observation, she found some problems related to the listening class activities. She
decided to take the data from students of A class randomly, because based on the
interview with the English teacher that among three classes had the same quality in
mastering listening skill.
D. Time of the Research
The research was conducted in the first semester of the academic year. The
research would be conducted in 9 July 2020. The study took place according to the
class schedule in which the English subject was taught twice a week. The duration
was 90 minutes for each meeting.
E. Data Collecting Technique and Instruments of the Research
The data were collected in the form of qualitative and quantitative data. The
qualitative data were obtained by interviewing the students and teacher, doing
observation during the teaching-learning process and the implementation of the action
in the field. The data were in the form of field notes and interview transcript.
Meanwhile, the quantitative data were in the form of students’ listening
scores. The scores were collected through the listening assessments which were
conducted twice in this study. The first was pre-test. It was conducted to know the
students’ listening proficiency. The second was post-test. It was done to know
whether there was a significant improvement of the students’ listening skill or not
after a podcast activity applied.
There were three kinds of technique used by the researcher to collect the data.
They were interview, test and observation. Each technique was also followed by the
instruments. Furthermore the detail instruments of the research were presented on the
following table.
b. Planning
The researcher and the English teacher planned the solution based on
the problems. The solution should be in line with the nature of the problem
and based on the relevant theories. In this case the researcher identified the
problems related to the students’ English listening skill. After identifying the
problems, the researcher and the English teacher made a plan about what kind
of action would be carried out and prepared the instruments dealing with the
action research.
c. Action and Observation
After the lesson plans were agreed by both the teacher and researcher,
the actions would be implemented in the class. The teaching and learning
process was observed and recorded in the form of field notes and observation
sheets. In this stage the researcher also identified some problems found during
the teaching and learning process. During the teaching and learning process,
the implementations were observed by the teacher to give the researcher
feedbacks on her teaching technique. Based on the observations, notes, and
records of the students’ responses in the action, the research members
discussed the implementation. Then, they evaluated the implementation to
improve the next action.
d. Reflection
The reflection would be done to know what happened in the actions
and to know whether the objectives were achieved or not. If the actions carried
out were successful, they would be continued. The reflection was from the
observation and the interview with the English teacher and six students of
grade VIII A.
H. Validity and Reliability of the Data
To fulfill the validity of the research, five criteria proposed by Anderson cited
in Burns (1999:161) were employed. Those five criteria are namely democratic
validity, outcome validity, process validity, catalytic validity and dialogic validity.
Democratic validity is a process validity related to the extent to which the
research is truly collaborative. This study tried to fulfill this criterion by doing such
interviews with the students and having discussions with the English teacher in
finding and selecting problems to be solved.
Outcome validity is related to the notion of action leading to outcomes that are
“successful” within the research context. This research is expected to be able to solve
more than one problem in the teaching-learning process, for example those which are
related to speaking skills, motivation and involvement.
Process validity is related to the extent which raises questions about the
process of conducting the research. Observing classroom activities, making field notes
during the lessons, interviewing students and the teacher, and having discussions with
the headmaster in the scheduled time initiated the process of this study.
Catalytic validity is related to the extent to which the researcher allowed
participants to deepen their understanding of their social realities of the context and
their role and the action taken as a result of these changes. In this case, the students
and the teacher’s responses to the changes occurring to themselves were asked.
Dialogic validity is related to the extent that parallels the process of
collaborative enquiry or reflective dialog with “critical friends” or other participants.
Asking the teacher to act as an observer who observed and reported the students’
reaction during the teaching and learning process fulfilled this criterion.
Meanwhile to fulfill the reliability of the data the research involved more than
one source of data, namely the researcher, the English teacher, the headmaster, and
the students of VIII A class. The researcher triangulated the data by analyzing them
using field notes of the teaching-learning process, the interview transcript, some
experts’ theories and other notes that were related to the data such as notes of the
students’ improvement, achievements, and errors during the process. Field notes were
used to record the activities done in the class and keep the supporting documents such
as the lesson plan, and the students’ works. After that, the interview was conducted to
reveal the students’ feeling about the class activity and to get some comments,
perceptions, and suggestions about the actions from the researcher.
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