A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING CIRCLE CHAIN GAME

IN TEACHING SIMPLE PAST TENSE

A. RESEARH BACKGROUND

Language is very important and crucial among human being.

Language is human and non instinctive method of communicating ideas,

feeling, and desires by means of a system of sound symbol.1 We know

that English as international language and a tool to communicate oral and

written has been taught at almost every level of education as the second

language or foreign language. The purpose of teaching English covers

four language skill; listening, speaking, reading and writing. In mastering

those skills, students also have to know the language component;

grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

As one of language component, grammar is important to be learnt

by student. Grammar is the system of rules governing the conventional and

relationship of words in a sentence. Grammar may be roughly defined as

the way a language manipulates and combines words ( in a bit words ) in

order to form longer unit of meaning. There is a set of rules which govern

how units of meaning may be constructed in any language.2 Victoria

Fromkin states that every grammar is complex, logical, and capable of

producing an infinite set of sentences to express any thought.3 In fact,

English grammar has many different and difficult rules of the language.

The simple past tense is one of English grammar topics that is

given to eigth grade students of junior high school. As we know that, the

students still have difficulty in mastering simple past tense since it also has

the rule of th changing of verb. For that reason, the teacher need a good

1 Hornby, Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1987),p.473

2 Penny Ur, Grammar Practice Activities; a Practical Guide for Teachers,(UK: Cambridge University Press,1988),p.4

3 Victoria Fromkin, an Introduction to Language, ( US: Thomson Heine, 2003)p.15

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media in helping their students understand and master grammar especially

simple past tense since teaching structure is not easy.

There are many media which can help the teacher to make the

students attracted to follow the lesson. Game are kinds of subtances that

are used by a teacher during teaching process to support the presentation

of the lesson and became a learning aid that make easier. The writer

intends to prove that circle chain game can be applied to teach simple past

tense. The writer hoped that by using such kind of teaching aid, the

students will not be bored and learn English with full of motivation

because language learning is hard work, games help and encourage many

learners to sustain their interest work. Games also help the teacher to

create context in which the language is useful and meaningful.4 Game play

an important role in teaching and learning process and can be alternative

media of language teaching. They can often help the students understand

something presented better than telling verbally.

Based on the background above, the writer want to research to

know how is the effectiveness of teaching simple past tense using circle

chain game in eight grader students in SMP N 1 Mejobo Kudus in The

Academic Year 2010/2011.

B. REASON FOR CHOOSING THE TOPIC

The reason for choosing the topic are as follow:

1) Every language has its own characteristics. We should understand each

system of language in order we could understand the language itself

2) Students usually have problem in understanding tenses especially

simple past tense

3) It is important to teach grammar effectively, beneficial and interesting

in the classroom

4) The English teacher still uses conventional methods who has never

used the media in teaching process4 Andrew Wright,et,al., Games for Language Learning, (USA: Cambridge University Press,

1984),p.1

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5) Circle Chain is one of interesting game in teaching to activate the

students in learning process

6) Most of Junior High School students think that English especially

grammar is one of the difficult and boring subject.

C. RESEARCH QUESTION

The research question on this study can be formulated as follow:

1) How is the effectiveness of using circle chain game in teaching simple

past tense with the eight graders of SMP N 1 Kudus in the academic

year of 2010/2011?

D. HYPOTHESIS

In conducting my study, I propose the working hypothesis of the

study can be formulated as follow:

(H1) Using circle chain game is more effective in the teaching simple past

tense to the eight grade students of SMP N 1 Mejobo Kudus in the

academic year of 2010/2011 than using conventional method.

(H0) Using circle chain game is not more effective in the teaching simple

past tense to the eight grade students of SMP N 1 Mejobo Kudus in

the academic year of 2010/2011 than using conventional method.

E. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1) To find out the effectiveness of using circle chain game in teaching

simple past tense with the eight grader students of SMP N 1 Mejobo

Kudus in the academic year of 2010/2011.

F. PEDAGOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The significance of the study are:

a) For the students

To motivate students to be more careful in understanding

English grammar as we know that English grammar has different rule

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to Indonesian grammar that make us usually have difficulty in

applying it even in written and spoken.

b) For the teacher

To motivate teacher in finding a new or good media to teach

English grammar and useful to give contribution of developing English

teaching

c) For the reader

To give readers a reference in conducting a research about

media of teaching simple past tense. Develop their knowledge and get

many experiences

d) For the writer

To motivate the writer in doing some research as the

contribution in developing English teaching. As a research and an

English teacher, the writer is supposed to conduct some activities or

research that can make a development in educational field especially in

English teaching.

G. LITERATUR REVIEW

1) Grammar

a. The meanings of grammar

Grammar has various meanings. Harmer states that grammar

is the description of the ways in which words can change in that

language. In addition, Thornburry asserts that grammar is the study of

the way words are chained together in a particular order, and also of

what kinds of words can slot into any one link in the chain.

The writer also gives her definition of grammar. According to

the writer, grammar is the study of words into a large order

( morphology and syntax) that relate each other so that the large order

can give information to the reader and listener. We must aware of

grammar since it deals with not only words but also the formation of

words into a large order and also its meaning.

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b. The Importance of Grammar

The importance of grammar are as follows:

1) Grammar is important to be taught because it affect students

performance in all four skill reading, listening, reading and writing.

2) Students are expected in comprehending English either written or

spoken, for that reason, they must know the system rule of

grammar of a target language fluently and acceptably since

grammar is a tool for making meaning as represented by

Thornburry.

2) Simple Past Tense

a. The Definition of Simple Past Tense

We use tense to show when the activity happen. We obviously

know that simple past tense is used to show an activity that is done in a

certain time in past.

Parrot gives more clear information of the use of past tense.

According to him, we can use simple past tense are as follows:

1) Finished periods of time.

Parrott assert that “The past simple is one of the tenses we

use to refer to completed events, states, or action. We choose the

past simple when we consider that the event, state or action took

place within a finished period of time.

2) Precise detail.

We also use the simple past tense when we provide precise

circumstantial detail about an event (e.g. we can say I’ve had my

appendix out but we have to use the simple past tense as soon as

we specify, for example, where or how do not say I’ve had my

appendix out in Warsawa but I had my appendix out in Warsawa).

3) Time anchor

In telling stories and describing what happened in the past

we use the past simple as a “time anchor” to establish the key “time

frame” of events. We also use the simple past to describe the key

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events that move the story forward. We use other tenses ( notably

the past perfect and the past continuous) to show the relationship of

other events to this “time frame”

b. The Pattern of Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense uses the form of past tense verb

(usually added by ed in regular verb).

Sentence Pattern

Affirmative Subject + past tense + object

Negative Subject + did not + infinitive +

object

Question Did + subject + infinitive + object

For example:

Affirmative

I walked to school yesterday

I bought a new car three days ago

Negative

I did not walk to school yesterday

I did not buy a new car three days ago

Interrogative

Did I walk to school yesterday?

Did I buy a new car three days ago?

The simple past tense also uses be; was and were

Sentence Pattern

Affirmative Subject + was/were + Complement

Negative Subject + was/were + not +

Complement

Question Was/were + Subject+ Complement

For example:

Affirmative

Sinta was sick yesterday.

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They were absent a week ago

Negative

Sinta was not sick yesterday

They were not absent a week ago.

Interrogative

Was sinta sick yesterday?

Were they absent a week ago?

3) Media

a. Definition of media

Media are necessary in order to have efficiency and

effectiveness in teaching learning. Based on Oxford Learner's

Pocket Dictionary, medium (plural media) is "something which is

used for a particular person."5 Education association defines media

as thing that can be manipulated, can be seen, can be heard, can be

read, and can be talked with instrument which is used well in the

teaching learning process, and can influence effectiveness of

instructional program.6 Audiovisual aids and teaching material are

other terms of media that are generally used in teaching learning

process.

According to writer, media are means that can be used to

deliver or receive something.

b. Types of media

According to Oemar Hamalik (cited from Asnawir, 2002:

29), there are four classifications of teaching media:

a. Visual media, such as filmstrip, transparency, micro projection,

bulletin board, pictures, illustration, chart, graphic, poster, map,

and globe.

5Oxford Universiy, Oxford Learner's Pocket Dictionary, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003), 3rd Ed, p. 268.

6 Asnawir and M. Basyirudin Usman, Media Pembelajaran, (Jakarta: Ciputat Pers, 2002), p. 11.

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b. Audited media, such as phonograph record, electric transcript,

radio, recorder of tape recorder.

c. Audio visual media, such as film, TV, and three dimensions things.

d. Dramatization, role play, socio drama, etc.

Those media can be used in teaching according to the materials

and students' level and interest.

c. The Functions of Teaching Media

Media in the classroom are appropriate for triggering ideas,

making difficult subjects more understandable, and for holding

attention on important ideas. It should lead students to remember ideas

by becoming more involved with them. What is not always obvious is

that students should first know what media is and ways to think about

it. Critical skills in understanding media are extremely important;

without them the film, video, record or slide presented in relation to a

subject is only one dimensional.

According to Levie and Lentz (cited from Arsyad, 2003: 16),

there are four functions of teaching media, especially visual media as

following:

a. Attention Function

Media can attract students’ attention to concentrate on

lesson content related to visual meaning showed. Sometimes in the

first lesson, students are not interested in lesson material. So, they

don’t pay attention to the lesson.

a. Affective Function

This function can be seen from students’ interest when they

learn or read pictured text. Picture or visual sign can endow

students’ attitude and emotion.

a. Cognitive Function

This function can be seen from research finding that states

that visual sign or picture can achieve the aim to understand and

remember information or message contained in picture smoothly.

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a. Compensatory Function

Compensatory function of teaching media are seen from

result of research that visual media, which give context to

understand the text help students who are weak in reading,

organize information of the text and remember it. In other words,

teaching media has function to accommodate students who are

weak and difficult to understand the lesson explained.7

4) Game

a. Definition of game

A Game is structured activity, usually undertaken for

enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are

distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration

and from art, which is more concerned with the expression of

ideas.8

English is different from our language. Therefore it is not

easy to learn it. One must make an effort to understand, to repeat

accurately, to manipulate newly understood language and to use

the whole range of known language in conversation or written

composition. Games help and encourage many learners to sustain

their interest work.

b. Circle Chain Game in Teaching Process

Game is one of media that can be applied in language teaching

and learning. All people are like games either young up to adult.

But different age are group requires various topic material,

competence, and model of game. For example, children like fun

game, then adult more like challenging game. So, as teacher should

choose the appropriate game for all students in order to be fun

learning and active class.

7 Azhar Arsyad, Media Pembelajaran, Jakarta : PT Raja Grafindo Persada, 2003, p. 16-17.8 HTTP://WWW.LINTASBERITA.COM/GO/742531

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Circle chain game is one method which is effective to be used

in foreign language learning especially in teaching grammar. It is

important for the teacher to be creative and innovative. There are

many aspects to be considered in playing this game. The following

steps in teaching simple past tense using circle chain game are:

Preparation:

1. Have students sit in a circle

2. Give students a minute to remember what they did yesterday

3. After giving instruction appoint one student to begin

Direction:

1. You will have one minute to remember what you did

yesterday

2. Then one player will be chosen to tell you what they did

3. The next player will repeat what the previous players

did using and I and add what he or she did

4. Each player will repeat all of the previous players

activities and add their own statement.

H. PREVIOUS RESEARCH

In making this thesis, the writer has some relevant previous

research that support her researcher this is:

Thesis entitled “ Stimulating Students Oral Use of Simple Past

Tense Through Story Telling ( An Experimental Research with 8 Grade

students of MTs Sumber Payung Batal Barat Gading Sumenep Madura in

The Academic Year of 2009/2010” written by Siti Fannah 053411204.

The research was quantitative which attempt how to motivate students in

stimulate students oral use of simple past tense. In this research shows that

using story telling can improve student’s motivation in stimulate students

oral use of simple past tense. Through story telling the students felt

interest and tried to speak English.

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Second, the thesis entitled The Teaching of Simple Past Tense For

Junior High School Through Task-Based-Learning by Dina Pratiwi of

English Department Language and Art Faculty Semarang State University

in her study she compared the teaching by using conventional method and

by using task-based-learning. The result of her study show that using task-

based-learning is more effective in teaching simple past tense.

In this research, the writer tries to offer one of teaching media

that is circle chain game to teach simple past tense with experimental

study. The writer need two classes, experiment group and control

group. There is any difference between experimental class and control

class in teaching and learning process. It means that experimental class

were taught using circle chain game and control class were taught

using conventional method. What I mean by using conventional

method is that the teacher explains orally to the students about simple

past tense.

I. RESEARCH APPROACH

In this research, the writer conducted an experimental study. An

experimental is a situation in which one observes the relationship between two

variables by deliberately producing a change in one and looking to see

whether this alteration produces a change in the other.9 In addition to that,

according to Western Michigan University, experimental research is scientific

investigation in which an investigator manipulates and controls one or more

independent variables to determine their effects on the outcome (dependent)

variable.10

Variable is the object of research or something that become the

concern of research.11 In this study there are two variable.

9 Rodgers and Brown, Doing Second Language Research, (Cambridge: Oxford Press 2002) p. 211.

10 Western Michigan University: The Evaluation Centre, “Glossary”, http://ec.wmich.edu/glossary/prog-glossary.htf, 3 August 2009.

11 Suharsimi Arikunto, Prosedur Penelitian: Suatu Pendekatan Praktek, Jakarta: PT. Rineka Cipta, 2006., p. 118

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1. Independent Variable

It is a variable that influences or causes of change or emergence of the

dependent variable.12 Independent variable in this research is the use of circle

chain game in teaching simple past tense.

2. Dependent Variable

It is variable that is affected resulting, because of the existence of the

independent variable.13 Dependent variable in this research is the achievement

of the eight grade students of SMP N 1 Mejobo Kudus in the academic year of

2010/2011 in simple past tense.

In this study, researcher used pretest-posttest control group design.

Two groups are employed in this design; one group, the experimental group,

receives a treatment (X) while the second group, does not. Both groups are

given a pretest and a posttest.

The pretest-posttest control group design can be diagrammed as shown

below:14

R O1 X O2

R O3 O4

The subjects of this research are divided into two groups: experimental

group, which were taught by using circle chain game and control group, which

were taught without using circle chain game.

In this study, the approach used by writer is quantitative approach. It is

quantitative because the data will be gained are numeric and will be analyzed

by using statistical computation. Quantitative approach is that stressed the

analysis to the numerical data that is processed by statistical method.15 It will

explain the result of pre - test and post – test.

J. SOURCE OF DATA/PARTICIPANT AND SETTING

12 Sugiyono, Statistika Untuk Penelitian, (Bandung : CV Alfabeta, 2005), p.313 Ibid.14 Bruce W. Tuckman, Conducting Educational Research, (USA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich,

1978), p. 131-132.15 Prasetya Irawan, Logika dan Prosedur Penelitian, (Jakarta: STIA-LAN Press, 1999), p. 92.

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a. Population

The population of this study is All of the eight grade students

of SMPN 1 Mejobo Kudus in the academic year of 2010/2011 has

seven classes.

b. Sample

The writer will take two classes from the eight grade students

of SMPN 1 Mejobo Kudus in the academic year of 2010/2011 as a

sample the writer uses V IIIA as an experimental class and VIII B as

control class.

K. TECHNIQUE OF DATA COLLECTING

In gaining the data, the researcher attempts to employ these

following methods.

a) Documentation

The documentation method is used to look for the data

concerning matters or the variable that took the form of the note,

transcript, book, newspaper, magazine, inscription, ledger, agenda,

etc.16 It refers to the archival data that helps the researcher to collect

the data needed. In this research, this method was used to get the data

of students’ name list that become respondents, syllabus, lesson plan,

etc. The data was gained by the help of the English teacher.

b) Test

It is a set of questions and exercises used to measure the

achievement or capability of the individual or group.17 In this

research, the post-test will be given to the students as participant after

being taught and will be given to both groups, either experiment

group or control one. It is aimed to assess their achievement on the

grammar mastery. The test which is used to assess will be examined

16 Ibid., p. 158.17 Suharsimi Arikunto, Op.Cit., p. 158

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in advance to know the validity, reliability, degree of test difficulty,

and degree of question distinction.

Instrument Test

Measurement is said well if it has good validity, reliability,

degree of test difficult, and degree of question distinctive.

a) Validity

Is measurement that shows the validity of instrument. It

is counted using product moment formula.18

Notice:

Rxy : question correlation coefficient

N : number of students

X : number of each item score

Y : number of total score

Calculation result of rxy is compared with r table of product

moment by 5% degree of significance. If rxy is higher than r table,

the item of question is valid.

b) Reliability

It means can be believed. Besides having high validity, a

good test should have high reliability too. Alpha formula is used to

know reliability of test.19

R11 : correlation index

R ½ ½ : rxy that has been said as correlation index between

instrument.

c) Degree of test difficulty

18 Suharsimi Arikunto, Dasar-dasar Evaluasi Pendidikan, (Jakarta: PT. Bumi Aksara, 2002), p.65

19 Ibid, p. 170.

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A good question is a question that not really difficult and

not really easy. Formula for degree of test difficulty is:20

Notice:

P : difficulty’s index

B : number of students who has right answer

JS: number of students

The criteria are:

P = 0,00 too difficult question

0,00 < P ≤ 0,03 difficult question

0,00 < P ≤ 0,70 average question

0,70 < P ≤ 1,00 easy question

P = 1 too easy question

d) Degree of question distinctive

It is used to know how accurate the question differ higher

subject and lower subject is. The formula is:21

D = PH – PL

Notice

D : degree of question

PH : degree of difficulty from higher group

PL : degree of difficulty from lower group

The criteria are:

0,00 < D ≤ 0,20 bad degree of distinctive

0,21 < D ≤ 0,40 average degree of distinctive

0,41 < D ≤ 0,70 good degree of distinctive

0,71 < D ≤ 1,00 very good degree of distinctive

D < 0 question is not good and should be deleted

L. TECHNIQUE OF DATA ANALYSIS

20 Ibid., p. 20821 Ibid., p. 213

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a) Normality Test

It is used to know the normality of the data that is going to be

analyzed whether both groups have normal distribution or not.

Chi square is used here22

Notice:

: chi square

: frequency from observation

: expected frequency

Calculation result of is compared with x table by 5%

degree of significance. If is lower than x table so the distribution

list is normal.

b) Homogeneity Test

Is used to know whether experimental group and control

group, that are decided, come from population that has relatively

same variant or not. The formula is:23

Notice:

Vb : bigger varian

Vk : smaller varian

The hypotheses in homogeneity test are:

Ho : homogeny variant:

Ha : non homogeny variant:

If calculation result of F is lower than F table by 5% degree of

significance so HO is accepted, it means both groups have same

variant.

22 Sujana, Metode Statistika, (Bandung: Tarsito, 1996), p. 273. 23 Ibid., p. 250.

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c) Test of the average

Is used to examine average whether experimental and control

group that has been decided having significant different average from

the mark grammar in previous time before the treatment.

(has same variant), the formula is:24

: average of experimental group

: average of control group

N1 : number of experimental group

N2 : number of control group

: standard deviation of experimental group

: standard deviation of both groups

If (has no some variant), the formula is:

The hypotheses are:

: average data of experimental group

: average data of control group

24 Ibid., p.239

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Ho is accepted if calculation result of t is lower than .

Degree of freedom for data t is (n1 + n2-2) with probability . IF

Ho is refused and Ha is accepted, so the average of first group is

better than the second one.

d) Test of Research Result

To examine the hypothesis that have been stated, these

following steps are used.

a. normality test

The steps are same with the steps on data analysis technique.

b. Homogeneity test

The steps are same with the steps on data analysis technique.

c. Hypothesis test

The steps are same with the steps on data analysis

technique that is to prove the researcher hypothesis about the

difference of students’ achievement on the grammar mastery

between the students taught using circle chain game from those

taught using non circle chain game. Here, the t-test formula is

used.

M. PROCEDUR AND TIMELINE

In collecting data, there are some steps was taken by the researcher,

they are as follow:

No Task description Time Schedule week

1st 2nd 3th 4th

1. Asking permission to the headmaster to do

research and getting familiar with the school

situation.

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2. Contact the English teacher

3. Doing pre test

4. Giving treatment for both groups. The

experimental group will taught by using circle

chain game. Otherwise, the control group will

taught by using conventional method.

5. Doing Observation

6. Doing post test

N. OUTLINE OF THE THESIS

In order to make this research comprehends; the researcher will give

the thesis into five chapters as follows:

Chapter I is introduction. In this chapter consist of background of the

study, reason for choosing the topic, the research question, objectives of

the study, and outline of the thesis.

Chapter II is review of the related literature. In this chapter, the writer

discusses about some theories which have relevant and supporting to the

topic.

Chapter III is methodology of the research. In this chapter, the writer

presents subject of the study, technique of data collection, instruments of

the research and technique of data analysis.

Chapter IV is analysis of the research. In this chapter the writer

discuss the research of the study and discussion.

Chapter V is conclusion. In this chapter consist of conclusion of the

research and suggestion for the better future research.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Arikunto, Suharsimi, Prosedur Penelitian: Suatu Pendekatan Praktek, Jakarta: PT. Rineka Cipta, 2006.

Arikunto, Suharsimi, Dasar-dasar Evaluasi Pendidikan, Jakarta: PT. Bumi Aksara, 2002

Arsyad, Azhar, Media Pembelajaran, Jakarta : PT Raja Grafindo Persada, 2003

Asnawir and Usman, Media Pembelajaran, Jakarta: Ciputat Pers, 2002

20

Fromkin,Victoria, an Introduction to Language, US: Thomson Heine, 2003

Hornby, Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, New York: Oxford University Press, 1987

Irawan, Prasetya, Logika dan Prosedur Penelitian, Jakarta: STIA-LAN Press, 1999

Oxford Universiy, Oxford Learner's Pocket Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003

Rodgers and Brown, Doing Second Language Research, Cambridge: Oxford Press 2002

Sugiyono, Statistika Untuk Penelitian, Bandung : CV Alfabeta, 2005

Sujana, Metode Statistika, Bandung: Tarsito, 1996

Tuckman, Bruce W, Conducting Educational Research, USA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publisher, 1978, 2nd Edition.

Ur, Penny, Grammar Practice Activities; a Practical Guide for Teachers, UK: Cambridge University Press,1988

Western Michigan University: The Evaluation Centre, “Glossary”, http://ec.wmich.edu/glossary/prog-glossary.htf, 3 August 2009.

Wright, Andrew, et, al. , Games for Language Learning, Cambridge: Cambridge university press, 1993, New Edition.

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