Makalah Grammar Thinking Method

GRAMMAR THINKING METHOD

A.    The Definition of Grammar Thinking Method

Grammar Thinking Method is an effective comprehensible input-based method that will be focused on how to think by using grammar, build a response to the Grammar Thinking Method. It sought to immerse the learner in the same way as when a first language is learned. All teaching is done in the target language, grammar is taught inductively, there is a focus on speaking and listening, and only useful ‘everyday' language is taught.

Students are not only could express their feeling in learning language process but also how to be a critical thinking people by grammar using and mastering their target language in practice way. Grammar rules are learned deductively, students learn grammar rules by rote and then practice the rules by speaking in grammar drills. There is not usually any reading or writing practice but very attention is placed on pronunciation or any communicative aspects of the language. The skill exercised is speaking, and then only in the context of grammar.

Grammar is essential regarding bringing one's speaking proficiency to a higher level. In order to communicate artistically with a varied range of structures, a greater depth of grammatical understanding is necessary (Debata, 2013). Similarly, grammatical knowledge helps a speaker to organize and express the idea in his or her mind and thus improves the development of fluency (Hinkel&Fotos, 2002).

B.     The Significant Role of Spoken Grammar in the English Language Classroom

If you have never heard of spoken grammar, it could change the way you think about teaching speaking skills and even how you evaluate students’ speaking abilities. To see an example of spoken grammar, consider the two excerpts below and decide which one is from an English textbook and which one is from a real-life conversation.

Excerpt 1:

A: My little brother is a really good student.

B: Why do you say that?

A: Well, he is really smart, so he always gets good grades.

B: Maybe he gets good grades because he studies hard.

Excerpt 2:

A: Didn’t know you used boiling water.

B: Pardon?

A: Didn’t know you used boiling water.

B: Don’t have to but it’s um …

As you probably guessed, the first excerpt is from an English textbook, while the second excerpt is from a real-life conversation. But can you say why? Traditional, formal descriptions of English grammar are typically based on standards of written English; recently, though, particularly as a result of analysis of large corpora of spoken data and an emphasis on spoken communication, researchers and linguists have begun to focus on describing features of spoken grammar and to question the appropriateness of applying writing-based standards and grammatical descriptions to spoken English. Because of current trends emphasizing communicative language teaching and authenticity, recognizing the classroom role of spoken grammar is more important than ever before. Learning about characteristics of spoken grammar and ways to teach them empowers you to improve your students’ overall fluency and face-to-face conversation, increases the authenticity of your speaking lessons, and prevents your students from speaking English like a textbook.

Without good grammar, clear communication is nearly impossible. Proper grammar keeps you from being misunderstood while expressing your thoughts and ideas.

C.    Features of spoken English

Although many grammatical features of everyday, unplanned conversation are judged incorrect by standards of written English (Carter and McCarthy 1995; McCarthy and Carter 1995), these features of natural con - versation should not be considered incorrect deviations from standard English (Cullen and Kuo 2007). Unlike written English, spoken English is usually spontaneous and unplanned and produced in real time with no opportu - nity for editing (Cullen and Kuo 2007). This spontaneity produces some distinct features, as speakers deal with and adapt to the pres - sures of “real time processing,” resulting in a “step-by-step assembly” of speech (Cullen and Kuo 2007, 363). In addition, speech usually occurs face-to-face, resulting in highly interac - tive situations with a “shared context” (Cullen and Kuo 2007, 363). Thus, the nature and characteristics of conversational English itself lead to several distinct grammatical features of spoken English as speakers try to fulfill the interpersonal and interactive functions of spoken language in real time. Not learning features of spoken grammar can impede students’ ability to speak English fluently and appropriately (Mumford 2009). The following six features of spoken grammar will help language instructors to understand what spoken grammar is and to provide class - room instruction and activities that advance their students’ development of spoken gram - mar knowledge and overall English speaking skills.

D.    Purpose of Learning

There are two main goals to grammar-speaking classes. One is to develop a student's thinking ability to a level where they can speak according to the target language. The other is to develop students' general mental discipline. The users of a foreign language wanted simply to note things of their interest in foreign languages. Here in this method, the students will be able to speak by using grammar. Therefore, this method focuses on speaking and listening and has developed techniques that facilitate more or less the learning of speaking and listening only. As a result, reading and writing are overlooked.  

At present the focus of every language learner and speaker is based on fluency and not accuracy. Here are a few examples where language speakers lack accuracy.

1.      Make note my number…

2.      Cannot able to…

3.      Teachers are went for…

4.      When we can go?

5.      He is there..?

There are some of the grammatical errors which the learners commit while they communicate and they are unable to spot them because they lack proper grammatical knowledge. They translate what they are about to say directly from their mother tongue and the problem is they don’t think in English, they think in their mother tongue and use a sentence pattern which contradicts English grammar. Students are void of grammar, when to use a verb or an auxiliary verb, prepositions at its place etc.

E.     Level of Learner

This method is designed for advanced language learners especially for the students in the English department who enable them to interpret and share the idea through oral communication.

Because of spoken grammar’s function in conversation and frequency in corpus data, a number of researchers recommend teaching it in all language classes.

F.     Suitable Media

In this method, the media that will be used are a projector, laptop and screen projector. It will help the students easier learn English structure then practice their speaking by using grammar in a conversation.

All the materials above will be used as the tools during the teaching learning process. First, the teacher will use their laptop to save whole the lesson. Second, make the projector being connected to the laptop and third, the teacher will explain the lesson by using the screen projector.

G.    Classroom Management

The classroom management is made by using the seating arrangements that are patterned in the shape of the letter "U", position the teacher in the middle with students lined up like the letter "U".

The seating position form "U" makes students easier to facilitate with all students. With the space in the middle, the teacher easily provides assistance for students.

H.    Way To Deliver The Material

1.      Pre 5 minutes

The teacher will explain the grammar lesson by giving the students an understanding of how to use grammar correctly in speaking drill. The lesson are consist of the definition and function of grammar.

2.      While 30 minutes

Give the students a question related to the English structure, furthermore, the teacher should give several examples of how to deliver something by grammar thinking. The teaching of grammar was a deductive one, students were presented with grammar rules and then given opportunities to practice them. Great attention to accurate mastery of grammar was stressed from the beginning stages of language learning. Methodologies known like the Aural oral method was implemented.

For example: Students first hear a model dialog, containing key structures that are the focus of the lesson. They repeat each line of the dialog, individually and in chorus. The teacher pays attention to pronunciation, intonation, and fluency and then corrects them. Some grammatical explanation may be offered at this point, but this is kept to an absolute minimum. Follow-up activities may take place in class where further dialog and drill work carried out.

3.      Post 15 minutes

At last, the teacher asks the students by making a group conversation to practice their skill in grammar thinking while observing the students in speaking correctly.

I.       Quistionnaire

Berikut dibawah ini hasil interview kepda mahasiswa jurusan Bahasa Inggris semester II, IV dan VI di IAIN Langsa berdasarkan questionnaire yang telah ditentukan:

·         Student Semester II : Muhammad Alfian Giffary

1.      Apakah anda benar-benar menyukai jurusan yang anda ambil?

Jawab: “Menyukinya namun tidak terlalu dikarenakan saya lebih menyukai Bahasa Arab”.

2.      Menurut anda materi apakah yang paling sulit untuk dipelajari dalam Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Yang sulit itu bagi saya adalah dalam hal pronunciation dan writing karena lebih untuk menggunakan Bahasa yang baku dan cukup menggunakan banyak grammar”.

3.      Metode seperti apakah yang anda sukai dalam pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Metode yang tidak terlalu serius, mengajar satu lawan satu, maksudnya satu pengajar satu murid gitu lebih biar cepat masuk”.

4.      Suasana kelas seperti apakah yang anda inginkan dalam mempelajari Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Suasana yang tenang, nyaman dan untuk mudah belajar di luar seperti taman-taman terbuka”.

5.      Menurut anda hal apakah yang menunjang keberhasilan seorang guru dalam mengajar?

Jawab: “Lebih dekat kepada muridnya sehingga murid lebih leluasa untuk bertanya”.

·         Student Semester II : Sekar Ayu Lestari

1.      Apakah anda benar-benar menyukai jurusan yang anda ambil?

Jawab: “Yaaa saya memang menyukai jurusan yang saya ambil sekarang, karena sebelum memilih jurusan saya sudah mencari tahu tentang apa yang saya suka”.

2.      Menurut anda materi apakah yang paling sulit untuk dipelajari dalam Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Materi yang paling sulit saya pelajari adalah writing, karena sebelumnya saya belum pernah mempelajari tentang grammar structure”.

3.      Metode seperti apakah yang anda sukai dalam pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Metode yang sangat saya sukai yaitu disaat belajar sambil mempraktikkannya”.

4.      Suasana kelas seperti apakah yang anda inginkan dalam mempelajari Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Suasana kelas yang tenang, menyenangkan dan tidak kaku tampa ada tekanan”.

5.      Menurut anda hal apakah yang menunjang keberhasilan seorang guru dalam mengajar?

Jawab: “Menurut saya hal-hal yang menunjang keberhasilan seorang guru dalam mengajar adalah keikhlasan dan kesiapan dalam menagajar”.

·         Student Semester IV : Indah Sartika

1.      Apakah anda benar-benar menyukai jurusan yang anda ambil?

Jawab: “Menyukainya tapi tidak terlalau suka, karena saya itu lebih cenderung suka ke kimia daripada Bahasa Inggris”.

2.      Menurut anda materi apakah yang paling sulit untuk dipelajari dalam Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Menurut saya yang paling sulit itu untuk saya adalah pronunciation, karena saya sendiri memiliki pronunciation yang buruk baik dalam Bahasa Indonesia apalagi Bahasa Inggris”.

3.      Metode seperti apakah yang anda sukai dalam pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Kalo menurut saya lebih bagus itu practice, jadi doen itu ngasih penjelasan kemudian ngasih kesempatan ke semua mahasiswa untuk practice, kemudian juga di kasih kesempatan setiap mahasiswa itu untuk bertanaya, ada Tanya jawab juga disitu setelah practicing”.

4.      Suasana kelas seperti apakah yang anda inginkan dalam mempelajari Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Suasana kelas yang aktif enggak pasif, jadi maksudnya itu suasana yang dimana mahasiswanya itu ada kesempatan untuk bertanya dan menjawab, enggak cuma dosen gituh yang jelasin gituh jadinya kan mahasiswanya pasif kalo mahasiswanya diem, tapi lebih baiknya itu mahasiswanya ikut serta dalam berbicara”.

5.      Menurut anda hal apakah yang menunjang keberhasilan seorang guru dalam mengajar?

Jawab: “Yang paling menunjang keberhasilan guru dalam mengajar itu kepribadian guru itu sendiri, bagaimana gurunya itu bisa menghidupkan suasana kelas, percuma kalo sarana prasarananya bagus tapi guru nggak bisa menghendel kelas saya pikir itu gak bakalan bagus gituh”.

·         Student Semester IV: Anggun Santoso

1.      Apakah anda benar-benar menyukai jurusan yang anda ambil?

Jawab: “Tentu saja saya benar-benar menyukai jurusan yang saya ambil, karena yaaa dengan begitu saya bisa mempermudah segala sesuatunya nanti. Pokoknya saya tuh yakin saya gak salah ambil jurusan gituh”.

2.      Menurut anda materi apakah yang paling sulit untuk dipelajari dalam Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Emmm.. menuluis essai, karena ya menulis essai itu tidak semudah yang kita bayangkan”.

3.      Metode seperti apakah yang anda sukai dalam pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Lebih ke diskusi ya, karena.. tapi bukan kayak diskusi yang sesama mahasiswa aja, misalnya sama dosen juga, jadi kayak nentuin contoh pun dibahas sama-sama juga, jadi ngertinya tuh menurut saya ya semua bisa ngerti dengan cara seperti itu”.

4.      Suasana kelas seperti apakah yang anda inginkan dalam mempelajari Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Intinya tidak terlalu monoton maksudnya yaaa jangan diem kali gitu yang cerialah suasana kelasnya yaa kayak metodenya kayak diskusi kan nggak diem semua merhatiin gurunya”.

5.      Menurut anda hal apakah yang menunjang keberhasilan seorang guru dalam mengajar?

Jawab: “Kalo menurut saya ya sebagaimana dia bisa mengambil hati muridnya, karena jangan salah lo guru galak itu okke dia ditakutin, tapi bisa saja murid itu mengerjakan tugasnya dengan gimana yaa.. memang sih berusaha cuma kadang kan ah nggak iklas kek gitu, pasti ada gitu rasa kek gitu, karena ahhh gurunya aja kek gini, udahlah kerjain aja gitu, coba kalo missal gurunya tu ya ceria pastikan kita suka dan ngerjain tugasnya itu dengan senang hati”.  

   

·         Student Semester VI : Liza Anggy Mz

1.      Apakah anda benar-benar menyukai jurusan yang anda ambil?

Jawab: “Yaaa menyukainya karena saya memang sudah suka Bahasa Inggris dari sejak dulu”.

2.      Menurut anda materi apakah yang paling sulit untuk dipelajari dalam Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Materi listening, karena kan kita  mendengar langsung dari native speaker, jadi ada banyak vocabulary yang kita nggak negrti ataupun bahkan kita nggak dengar apa yang diucapkan”.

3.      Metode seperti apakah yang anda sukai dalam pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Metode diskusi karena pembelajaran jadi lebih hidup suasananya”.

4.      Suasana kelas seperti apakah yang anda inginkan dalam mempelajari Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Suasana yang menyenangkan seperti dalam suasana speaking class”.

5.      Menurut anda hal apakah yang menunjang keberhasilan seorang guru dalam mengajar?

Jawab: “Fasilitas pembelajaran yang lengkap”.

·         Student Semester VI : Nahda Mulya

1.      Apakah anda benar-benar menyukai jurusan yang anda ambil?

Jawab: “Nggak terlalu karena sukanya lebih ke ilmu pasti”.

2.      Menurut anda materi apakah yang paling sulit untuk dipelajari dalam Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Listening karena accent nya beda-beda”.

3.      Metode seperti apakah yang anda sukai dalam pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Metode kompetitif karena kita bakal tau kita ada di urutan yang ke berapa”.

4.      Suasana kelas seperti apakah yang anda inginkan dalam mempelajari Bahasa Inggris?

Jawab: “Tenang tidak rebut”.

5.      Menurut anda hal apakah yang menunjang keberhasilan seorang guru dalam mengajar?

Jawab: “Kemampuannya dalam menyampaikan materi”.

J.      Conclusion

According to the interview results, it has been found that there are so many students who want to get an active class such as talking to practical activities. Based on the results of the interviews, they are also still low in grammatical structures and get confused in how to make sentences correctly. Therefore, this method is deeply suitable to be used in English major. As a result, the students will be able to speak by using grammar and get an improvement in their English skills.