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Encounter: Volume 3 ,No. 2, 2012 | 67

ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING FOR AUTISTIC STUDENTS

Anik Wulandari ( IAIN Walisongo Semarang )

Abstract

Teaching autistic students is not as easy as teaching normal students. The teacher needs more patience and various creativities. This study is aimed to investigate the English Language Teaching Learning for autistic students at the eighth grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang in terms the English teaching material, teaching method, and learning assessment. This study uses qualitative approach because the data are described in written and spoken form. The data were collected by three techniques; observation, interview, and documentation. This research focused on teaching materials which consist of teaching materials, textbooks, and teaching sources; teaching methods with particular reference on the teaching method and teaching media; and learning assessments which cover the technique of learning assessment and feedback. The result of this study showed that the curriculum used in English language teaching and learning process at eighth grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang is PPI (Proses Pembelajaran Individu/Individual Learning Process) curriculum. There have been certain syllabus and Lesson Plan arranged in the previous year. Language materials and topics covered in English course

68 | English Language Teachinh[Anik Wulandari]

for autistic students at eighth grade are arranged based on PPI curriculum which consist of three themes for each semester. Several teaching and learning methods are Audio Lingual Method, Total Physical Response, and Direct Method. The English learning assessment is very limited which forms oral test and written test. The oral tests include the stimulating questions while written tests forms multiple choice type and short answer task.

Key words: Autistic, teaching materials, method, learning assessment.

Introduction

Autistic child is an integral part of extraordinary children. According to Sutadi in Abdul Hadis as cited at Agustinis thesis, autistic child is a child who experiences high development interference which influents the way someone communicates and relates to other people (Prihatini, 2009). Autistic children get difficulties in communication because they have disorder in producing language. Meanwhile language is the main medium in communication. Nowadays many autistic childrens parents try to improve their speech ability through speaking training. But actually the case is that speaking training is not always appropriate. It means that speaking training only coaches one of communication aspects. By demanding autistic children be able to speak fluently makes them tight and stress obstructs them to think freely (Imandala, 2008).


Teaching autistic students is not as easy as

teaching normal students. The teacher needs more patience and various creativities. Besides that, the teacher has to know the students characteristics. Autistic children have no many vocabularies. They often get difficulty to deliver their opinion in their mother tongue moreover when they speak English, the foreign language. It must be much more difficult. The teacher has to come from physiology expert. He must know their psychological condition, how to treat them, and how to control them so that he can decide the best method to teach the autistic student.

Not only the teacher has a big influence in improving the autistic childs skill but also the parents themselves. The parents have to motivate their children to practice speaking continually. They play role as a friend, teacher and guidance at home. Because the autistic children spend almost their whole days at home, the parents become the most influential aspect in their skill development.

Based on the background above, the researcher is interested to analyze English language teaching learning for autistic students. The decision that the autistic children will be the subject of this study is an exact choice to research English teaching learning process in different point of view. It will be very interesting to describe how the autistic children study English and how the teacher teaches them. Of course it is rather difficult and needs extra efforts to get the goal of English teaching learning itself.


Statement Of Problem

A. What are language materials and topics covered in English course for autistic students at eighth grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang in The Academic Year of 2011/2012?

B. How does the teacher use several teaching and learning methods for autistic students at eighth grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang in The Academic Year of 2011/2012?

C. How does the teacher assess the autistic students at eighth grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang in The Academic Year of 2011/2012?

Review Of Related Literature

The term Autism firstly was known by Leo Kanner in 1943. Kanner said that this interference is as an inability to interact to other people, language interference shown by postponed mastery of language, reversal sentences, repetitive playing system, strong route memory, and obsessive desire for defending orderliness in environment (Razhiyah, 1959). The term autism itself comes from the word auto that means alone. So the autistic children live as if they live in their own world. They are inclined to involve themselves from their environment and enjoy playing by them (Geniofam, 2010). According to Pusponegoro, autism is a disorder of growth child which includes in Pervasive Developmental Disorder group (PDD) (Pusponegoro, 2007). Dr. Faisal Yatim says that autism is a condition where children do everything just as they like in mindset or behavior. This condition has been appeared since they were childhood,


about 2-3 year old (Yatim, 2007). According to APA in Abdul Hadis, autism is a disorder of growth child pervasively. This development disorder occurs in childhood or teenager clearly. Autism is a development disorder which complex dealing with communication, social interaction, and imagination activities (Hadis, 2006).

The autism cannot be only defined as children who separate themselves out from the environment. That condition has not been enough to determine someone is included to autism categorize. The difficulties which occur in autistic students actually are much bigger than only the characteristic of inclining themselves. We need clear determinate or certain characteristic to define who the autistic children are. The autistic children as a part of integral from children and the normal children commonly need an education which is appropriate with their intention, need, and ability. By an education which is appropriate with their intention, need, and ability, the autistic students can develop in communication, social interaction, playing system, and attitude so that they can live independently in family, school, and society environment.

Autism is not like other illnesses which can be diagnosed easily. Autism has not surely known its causes yet. The indications of autism usually appear at one a half to two years old. When the children grow up normally, in the contrary autistic child does not have any progress, moreover they are getting decrease. What are the factors? Many researches are continually done to answer that question. Many factors are estimated as the factors of autism, such as poisonous pollution, the


ingredients which consist of mercury as a preservative ingredient, and many kinds of allergy. But these are still notion and need more research.

According to Prasetyono, here are some factors of autism and other medical diagnosis (Prastyono, 2008). The first is disorder of central nerve formation. The expert found that there is anomaly in the central nerve formation in autistic childs brain. There is decreasing of purkinje cell in their brain. It results less serotonin production and disturbs the process of information connecting inter-brain. They also found that there is anomaly structure in central emotion in autistic child brain so that their emotion often gets trouble. Then, disorder of metabolism system. There is relation between the disorder of metabolism system and the indication of autism. Secreting injection can help to decrease metabolism disorder. Next is enteritis. The autistic child generally has bad digestion and enteritis. It is presumed that enteritis is distempered by a virus. It may come from measles virus. Thats why many parents refuse MMR immunization (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) because it is presumed to become the factor of autism. And the last is genetic factor. The most famous factor of autism is genetic factor. There are several genes included autism. But the indicator of autism can appear if there are many genes combinations.

The Autistic Children have different characteristics. To diagnose autism, the criteria used by professional expert are criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical of Manual Mental Disorder (DSM) (Pusponegoro, 2007). These criteria explain some disorders which can be found in autistic students by


Pusponegoro (2007): First, Communication disorder: the autistic childrens language develop very slowly, they seem like deaf mute, sometimes the word they use is not appropriate, their language is not understandable, speaking is not used as communication tool, they like imitating what someone speaks, and some autistic children can memorize many words and songs without understanding the meaning. Furthermore, disorder in social communication: the autistic children like isolating themselves, there is no eyes contact, they avoid looking into other people, if they are invited to play by their friends, they will refuse it, there is no effort to do interaction with other people, and they will not glance toward if someone call them. Then, sensory disorder: they are very sensitive of touch or contact, if they listen to very load sound, they will close their ears, they like kissing and licking everything included their toys, and the autistic children are not sensitive feeling illness and anxiety. Moreover, disorder in playing system: generally, the autistic children do not know the way to play, if they like a certain toy, they do not want to play others, they prefer toys which have wheel such as fan and bicycle wheel, mostly they are not creative and imaginative, and they dislike play with their contemporary friends. Likewise, disorder in behavior: the autistic children can be hyperactive or hypoactive, they dislike any change, they like showing strength behavior such as moving around, flatting their hands like bird, beating around the bush, getting closer their eyes to TV, and moving their body continually. And, disorder in emotion: they often laugh, cry, and angry without any clear reason, they will go wild unrestrained, if they do not get what they want, sometimes they attack and destroy everything they see,


they also hurt themselves, and they have no empathy or do not care other people feeling.

Language Teaching And Learning For Autistic Students

Autistic children are inclined stolid because they have communication disorder. It generally can be divided into two parts; verbal and non verbal communication disorder. Verbal communication disorder is when children can speak up but cannot communicate to other people. For example, they only parrot and speak in wrong situation. On the other hand, non verbal communication disorder appears from simple thing such as less eyes contact, less concept of body language, moreover cannot speak at all (Widodo, 2003).

Seen from its causes, communication disorder first can be brought on disorder in producing words. Then, auditory disorders in which they cannot hear word even less understand word meaning and associate a situation. Also an environment does not support children to be motivated and develop their ability (Widodo, 2003).

For the first cause, children should be given a speech therapy through certain approach which seen from childrens requirement. The approach includes blowing or other oral therapy. While the second cause, children should be inspected their auditory. Usually the children who have auditory disorder would rather study through visual learning style, then apply COMPIC or PECS solve communication problem. Children who get difficulties in understanding word meaning can be solved by ABA therapy which is exposed in various expressive


programs. Environment is the last factor but includes all previous factors. It can be settled through functional communication approach which is set up its situation and done by parents (Widodo, 2003).

Communication problem belonged to autistic children in learning simple words in repetition or parroting. They always repeat what they hear without understanding its meaning. Thats why speech therapy must be a crucial thing in their daily activity in order to be able to communicate and interact among society. Recognizing object, event, and people around their environment is more important than abstract object such as value, self-esteem, and divinity. They will be easier to memorize obvious object because they see it directly (Damayanti, 2010).

Firstly, a language enters to autistic children through eyes contact; they need to focus on someone who speaks to them. From eyes contact, we can know their attention to learn a language in sequence of meaningful words. The next step is physic contact through touch. They introduce an object and its names, situation, place, moreover everything around them. Physic touch and pronouncing word directly abridge them to memorize and increase their understanding.

Language learning to autistic children cannot learn a complete sentence directly. They need several steps in developing language. A language development step is begun with a simple sentence which reflects on conceptual relation. In writing aspect, language learning is started from introduction of alphabet then continuing to syllable of both vocal and consonant and finally recognizing word and punctuation. After finishing one


step, previous steps should be involved so they will not forget them. This method is continually learned to know the language learning progress.

A success of language learning for autistic children depends on their concentration level. The hardest training is maintaining their concentration. Good concentration can be built by making them aware of what they should learn and achieve. A therapist must call them over and over with loud voice when they begin losing concentration or pay attention to other object, show them toys they like, even force them.

Generally the language teaching learning can be viewed as a process. Seen as a process, language teaching learning turns out to have a beginning and the end, and to be promoted and impelled by particular elements. According to Peter Strevens, there are twelve essential elements of language teaching learning process. The elements are as follow: policy and aims; administration and organization; relevant professional disciplines; choice of language teaching learning types; teaching training; approach; pedagogy, methodology, instruction, teaching; syllabus design; materials construction; constraints on language teaching learning achievement; the learner; and evaluation (Streverns, 1977). Based on Delphie, learning activity for autistic students is an individual learning program. The learning program was initiated by Samuel Gridley Howe in 1871. This learning is focused on a final result. That is an independence of learners. This final result is conceptually directed to the autistic students thus they are able to interact and communicate to their environment (Delphie, 2006).


In teaching and learning process, a teaching media

is significant. The word media comes from Latin. Etymologically it means middle, mediator, or companion. Hamidjojo in Media Pembelajaran gives a limitation media as all of companions used by people to convey and deliver an idea, concept, or opinion to accepter or audition. Through media, the main goal of learning can be reached easily. Teaching media used for autistic students are adjusted to the level of education and material given. Several media used for autistic students as follow: toys, cards, mirror, and spoon (Arsyad, 2004). According to Prasetyono (2008), the teaching aids for autistic students should not endanger and hurt their physic, such as things with acute angled, sharp surface, flaking, nipping, flammable, and metalliferous. The teacher can use log carrier, ball, rope, paper, crayon, puzzles, flash cards, etc (Arsyad, 2004).

Research Method

This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach. This study is conducted in SLB Negeri Semarang, exactly at eighth grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang in academic year 2011/2012. The researcher will exploit all of data sources that can be used, such as learning materials, classroom process, students achievement, teachers perspectives, working sheets, paper based learning, syllabus, lesson plan, textbook, etc. Those data sources will be analyzed to answer three research questions above dealing with teaching methods, teaching and learning materials, and learning assessment. In collecting the data, the researcher needs some instruments to get information for this research. The


researcher uses three instruments for collecting the data. They are observation, interview, and document. The analysis of qualitative data can be done trough some stages. The researcher begins with collecting and comparing the data, coding the then begins to organize ideas which emerge from the data. For the next stage, the researcher moves from description of what is the case to an explanation of why is the case, is the case (Hitchcock, 1995).

Finding And Discussion

a. English Language Materials and Topics Covered in English Course for Autistic Students at Eighth Grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang in The Academic Year of 2011/2012

The main purpose of education process for autistic students at eighth grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang is to give the provision of self building in order they can be independent children, have a special skill, and be able to socialize in their community. To achieve the goal of teaching and learning process, SMPLB Negeri Semarang uses special curriculum. It addresses to the students with autism in order to adapt to students condition which is various and different. This special curriculum is well-known as PPI (Proses Pembelajaran Individu/Individual Learning Process).

Considering that autistic students come from different types, they would better get different treatment to maximize their comprehension. In Individual Learning Process, teacher begins explaining lesson classically, then it is going to be divided based on students


comprehension. Teacher has to know clearly the students condition. High level students will get extensive explanation; on the contrary low level students learn general things.

Language Materials and Topics Covered in English Course for Autistic Students at Eighth Grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang in the Academic Year of 2011/2012 is arranged thematically. A semester consists of three themes. Each theme will be developed into several selected topics. Language Materials and Topics Covered in English Course for Autistic Students at Eighth Grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang are of course not as difficult as at eighth grade of Junior High School commonly. The teacher still gives priority to master vocabulary, then play it up to speaking, reading, conversation and grammar. The materials are put on a par to seventh grade of general Junior High School and mixed with materials of sixth grade of elementary school. For first semester, there are three themes; daily activity, events, and environment. Also, in second semester, students will get environment, experience, and event. Each theme will be played up into several topics which are appropriate for autistic students.

In the last semester, students learnt daily activities. The teacher introduced them several verbs of daily activities such as get up, take a bath, go to school, study, watch TV, listen to music, go to bed, etc. It was expected that students could identify names of their activities which are done every day. English language teaching and learning process did not only focus on vocabulary, but also grammar. Students learnt simple present tense then to tell their daily activities. The next theme was events. Students learnt days of week, date,


seasons and weather. It is important to analyze time of events, when an event occurs exactly. This material could be developed into understanding of date. The autistic students with high comprehension also learnt about seasons and weather as an enrichment. In the other hand, the autistic students with low comprehension did not learn it because they could not get many materials in a short time. They needed to process what they had already learnt slowly in order to understand it well. The third theme was environment. In the previous theme, students had already learnt ordinal number to read a date of event, then it was continued to learn cardinal number. In our environment, we can see or meet many things. By learning cardinal number, the students were expected to be able to account thing they looked at such as accounting animals or people; nine ducks, three ponies, six kittens, etc.

Besides learning many vocabularies, the students also learnt several common expressions of asking, ordering, imperative sentences and offering in the last theme. List of vocabularies are useful for their stock of insight and knowledge. Memorizing many vocabularies will help them to learn English because it is a foundation to create a conversation. But it is not enough to make a conversation. Thats why the students also learnt several common expressions as a daily conversation. In this occasion, they learnt how to ask someone through yes or no question, WH questions, and how to respond it. Then, the students learnt how to order something which consists of positive and negative orders. Offering something was also an important part of materials. The students learnt how to offer something such as; would


you like a cup of tea? Also they learnt how to respond it such as okay, no thanks, etc.

b. Teaching and Learning Methods for The Autistic Student at Eighth Grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang in The Academic Year of 2011/2012

The method selection in teaching and learning process influences the success of learning objective. Based on the interview with Mr. Bagus as the English teacher of eighth grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang, there are generally three methods in English language teaching and learning process. They are Audio Lingual Method, Total Physical Response, and Communicative Language Teaching.

Audio Lingual Method is one of suitable method for autistic students. In this method, the teacher likes presenting a new dialog then asks the students to repeat it. He expects the students eventually can pronounce it well and understand the meaning. Moreover they are able to memorize the dialog the teacher has introduced. Sometimes he uses actions to introduce the meaning of words or sentences. This repetition is done continually so that the students use to practice it automatically. For example: Through this step-by-step procedure, the students can note of where each word or phrase begins and ends in the sentence.

Then Total Physical Response, it is believed in the effective of giving the students enjoy and relax their experience in learning English. This method can reduce the students stress and boredom. Remembering that several autistic students have less concentration, teacher


needs to make the teaching and learning more relax but serious. Besides reducing students stress, Total Physical Response allows them to speak when they are ready. Forcing them to speak before then will only create anxiety. When an autistic student has felt anxiety, their learning intention is getting weak. Then finally they can be uncontrolled and leave their learning activities. Total Physical Response is very effective to overcome the students boredom. In this method, vocabulary and grammatical structures are emphasized over other areas. It is embedded within imperative. It can be single word or multi-word. One reason of the use imperative is their frequency of occurrence in daily conversation. The point is that the students can practice speaking freely without any force. By enjoying the teaching and learning process, the teacher expects the students get much progress.

And Direct Method also gives good effect in English language teaching and learning process of autistic students. It includes communicative activities such as games, role play and problem solving. The students role is less passive. The teacher and the students are more like partners in teaching and learning process. The teacher introduced a new target language word or phrase. He demonstrated the lesson through the use of realia, pictures, flash card.

To create conducive English teaching and learning process, the teacher not only needs good methods but also an interesting teaching aids. Teaching media for autistic students is not so different from normal students because generally they like playing. Several teaching aids are flash card, picture, mirror, rope, ball, and everything in environment or classroom. It adjusts the condition and


topic. For example, the topic is animal. The teacher can use picture or flash card. The teaching aid can came from both the teacher and the students. When the teacher does not prepare any teaching aid, he can exploit things in the classroom. The point is that the teacher would better use media to help students understand the lesson. Each student of course has different learning style; teacher should pay attention on it and use suitable teaching aids.

The English learning assessment of autistic student of SMPLB Negeri Semarang is very finite. It only covers daily or weekly test, mid test and final test. Daily test is usually done every the end of learning. The teacher always gives exercise when one topic has been finished completely. It can measure the students comprehension. Mostly the students do not have any big problem in understanding teachers explanation. But teacher needs more time to ensure that students do understand it well. Assessment can form oral test and written test. The teacher gives a short answer task to assess the students writing comprehension. Writing is not easy for the autistic students, moreover writing English. Teacher holds mid test in the middle of semester while final test is held in the end of semester. There are three forms of test; written test, oral test, and practice test. If the students fault in mid or final test, they can get a remedial test. Then the result of assessment is written in a rapport which will be given to each student. So their parents are going to know their childrens progress during learning at SMPLB Negeri Semarang.

Considering the results above, type of assessments at English teaching and learning are less variety. The teacher only gives old types of assessment and does not


try to look for other innovation. The students needs more experience to learn English more what they have got from the teacher at the time. Although the students stand with their weakness, they need to know various assessments to measure if they are able to do those types of assessment or not. Moreover several autistic students of SMPLB Negeri Semarang have high intelligence such as Kharisma, Willy, and Andreas. The reseacher believes they can get more that what the teacher gives.

Conclusion

1. Language Materials and Topics Covered in English Course for Autistic Students at Eighth Grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang in the Academic Year of 2011/2012 are arranged thematically based on PPI curriculum. A semester consists of three themes. Each theme will be developed into several selected topics.

2. Several teaching and learning methods for autistic students at eighth grade of SMPLB Negeri Semarang in The Academic Year of 2011/2012 are Audio Lingual Method, Total Physical Response, and Direct Method. Then those methods are supported by several teaching media: flash card, picture, mirror, rope, ball, and everything in environment or classroom.

3. The English learning assessment of autistic student of SMPLB Negeri Semarang is very finite. It only covers daily or weekly test, mid test and final test. Daily test which forms oral test and written test is usually done every the end of learning. The oral tests include the stimulating questions and daily conversations. While written tests form multiple choices type and short answer task.


Reference

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Damanyati, Dewi. Perkembangan Bahasa pada Anak Autis dengan Terapi Wicara, in http://www.psb-psma.org, accessed on 20 June 2010.

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Imandala, Iim, Upaya Meningkatkan Kemampuan Komunikasi Anak Autis dengan Menggunakan PECS, available in

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THE USE OF

PRONUNCIATION SOFTWARE TO IMPROVE STUDENTS PRONUNCIATION

Faizul Muna ( IAIN Walisongo Semarang )

Abstract

The pronunciation software is medium to improve students pronunciation that provides fun and interesting activity. The study is aimed to find out the implementation of teaching pronunciation using pronunciation software and the improvement of students pronunciation after being taught through using pronunciation software is. This study is Classroom action research with the subject of 39 students of SMA Islam Al- Hikmah Mayong Jepara in the academic year of 2011/2012, 12 boys and 27 girls. The researcher collected the data from the observation and tests. There are three cycles; teacher gives different treatment in every cycle. The result shows that there was a significant difference of the students' achievement between the results scoring in every cycle was increasing. It was found that teaching pronunciation using pronunciation software is effective and helpful in improving students ability of pronunciation skill. As the result in the tests that the students improvement during the treatment through pronunciation software, the average of the tests scores increased from 69.1025 in the pre cycle, it was becoming 77.5641 in the


hierarchy of intervening variables. Crookall and Oxford (cited in Worde, 2003) states that serious language anxiety may cause other related problems with self-esteem, self-confidence, and risk-taking ability and ultimately hampers proficiency in the second language.

Because the destructive result of anxiety, some researchers have conducted studies in this area. Marwan (2008: 119), the previous researcher from Indonesia suggests that most of learners have experienced a certain degree of anxiety in their foreign language learning and there are 3 factors which learners believe to have contributed to their foreign language anxiety. The factors are lack of preparation, lack of confidence and fear of failing the class. Worde (2003) finds out that 73 % of the sample of 15 participants would be considered anxious learners with 34 % of these considered highly anxious. Worde suggests that awareness of foreign language anxiety be heightened and taken seriously by teachers and students alike. Worde states that more than half of foreign language learners experience some kinds of anxiety in their learning. It is not an unusual matter and in fact, most learners have experienced some kinds of anxiety in their learning.

According to Pennycook (2001: 151) women do not have power which will be reflected in their language or their silences. Then, according to Lakoff (1990: p. 205) that womens language developed as a way of surviving and even flourishing without control over economic, physical or social reality. In other word Pennycook (2001: 151) states that women are stereotyped as talkative while at the same time they are frequently silenced or ignored; many languages have a range of derogatory terms for

158 | The Anxiety Of Female Studemts[Nadiah Mamun]

women; women are relegated to the private rather than public language dominants; womens use language frequently bears signs of lower social status; womens ways of talking are not accorded respect; language systems themselves encode basic gender inequalities.

Language Anxiety

There are three approaches in learning anxiety. They are trait, state, and situation specific perspectives (Maclntyre and Gardner, 1991). Trait requires behavioral observation, whereas state includes such physiological assessment as heart rates or blood pressure test. The situation specific perspectives are (as cited in Zheng, 2008), inds of participants self-reports, in which internal feelings and reactions are measured (Casado & Dereshiwsky: Daly). This last approach is utilized most often in examining the anxiety phenomenon in educational studies.

Anxiety has become a central discussion among researchers. Some of them are noted by Von Worde (2003). They are Aida, 1994; Baley, 1983; Crookal and Oxford, 1991; Ely, 1986; Horwitz & Cope, 1986, Horwitz & Young, 1991; Ganschow & Sparks, 1996; Krashen, 1985; Maclntyre, 1995; Maclntyre & Gardner, 1988, 1989, 1991,; 1994; Muchnick & Wolfe, 1982 Price, 1988, 1991; Schlesinger, 1995; Trylong, 1987; Von Worde, 1998; Young, 1990,1991, 1992) has consistently revealed that anxiety can impede foreign language production and achievement. Indeed, Campbell & Critiz (1991) report perhaps one-half of all language students experience a starting level of anxiety. Language anxiety is experienced


by learners of both foreign and second language and process potential problems because it can interfere with acquisition, retention and production of the new language (Maclntyre & Gardner, 1991. P:86)

A studied by Marwan, language anxiety is experienced by many language learners in the world, especially Indonesian learners. Because of the destructive result of anxiety, some researchers have conducted studies in this area. Marwan (2008: 119), the previous researcher from Indonesia suggests that most of learners have experienced a certain degree of anxiety in their foreign language learning and there are 3 factors which learners believe to have contributed to their foreign language anxiety. The factors are lack of preparation, lack of confidence and fear of failing the class. Worde (2003) finds out that 73 % of the sample of 15 participants would be considered anxious learners with 34 % of these considered highly anxious. Worde suggests that awareness of foreign language anxiety be heightened and taken seriously by teachers and students alike. Worde states that more than half of foreign language learners experience some kinds of anxiety in their learning. It is not unusual matter and in fact, most learners have experienced some kind of anxiety in their learning.

And language anxiety has been studied in many language learning contexts, including oral language use (Horwitz, 1986; Philips, 1992), reading (Horwitz & Garza, 1999), writing (Cheng, Horwitz & Schallert, 1999) and listening (Vogely, 1998). While most of these studies involved foreign language learners, language anxiety has also studied among ESL, students of Asia (Zhang, 2001) and secondary students in Singapore (Han, 2003). On the


whole, these studies how a strong relationship between language proficiency, self-confidence and language anxiety.

The Second Language Acquisition Theory

There are 2 points that explained in Second Language Acquisition Theory. The first is about Five Hypotheses about Second Language Acquisition and the second is The Causative Variable in SLA. One of the Five Hypotheses about Second Language is Affective Filter Hypothesis.

The Affective Hypothesis states that how Affective Factors relate to Second Language Acquisition process. Firstly is proposed by Dulay and Burt in 1977, this concept was discussed and developed by Krashen (1987) who mentioned that the researchers have found out that these affective factors contribute to the success in language learning and acquisition.

Krashen (1987: 31) states that there are three affective factors that can be responsible to the learning and acquisition success which include motivation, self-confidence, and anxiety. Motivation is important for someone to be a successful person. It makes the learners have some planning to do something. Learners who have a high motivation usually become the successful ones in foreign language. And for the learners who have a high self-confidence, they will become the successful ones in language learning. Meanwhile, the learners with low anxiety appear to experience similar success.


The Anxiety in Language Learning

As we know that at different time of our lives we experience anxiety. Its contains include feelings of tension (stressful situation) state, of apprehension (comprehension), nervousness and worry, as well as physical signs such as breaking out in cold sweat and nausea (boring). It has been argued by Arnold in Kathleen (2004: 190) that anxiety is possible the affective factor that most pervasively obstructs the learning process. In the world, Brown in Kathleen (2004: 191) suggests that anxiety is intricately intertwined with other affects such as self-esteem, inhibition, risk-taking, and it plays an important role in second language acquisition.

The Factors of Anxiety

According to Spielberger in Kathleen (2004: 191) that Anxiety can be found/separated in two forms: trait anxiety and state or situation-specific anxieties. Trait anxiety is defined as a persons possibility (likelihood) of becoming anxious in a wide range of situations; it is a stable personality characteristic. In other word, Horwitz in Kathleen (2004: 191) states that Situation-specific anxiety is anxiety that is triggered of by being in a particular situation; it is the type of anxiety that language learning researchers focus on. Such kinds of anxiety, commonly referred to as language anxiety, are a composite of self-perceptions, beliefs, feeling and behaviors related to the learning process and arising from the unique situation in the language classroom.

According to Han (2003) that in a questionnaire and Interview study among 56 secondary 3 students in a


Singapore government school, it was found that most of them experienced moderate levels of language anxiety, with one in ten experiencing high anxiety. The most anxiety-arousing aspect of English language learning was writing, followed by grammar, speaking, listening, and reading. On the whole, English language learning anxiety is mainly of the personal and interpersonal type. Five most common reasons cited were fear of negative social evaluation, fear of failure, self-perceived proficiency, communication apprehension and competitiveness.

The examples of five common reasons can be seen follows: the first reason, fear of negative social evaluation can happen when someone feels upset of being laughed at in class for poor performance. The second reason, fear of failure is reflected in some moments such as Failing or not performing well in the written and oral examinations and feel afraid at the thought of sitting for examinations. The third reason, negative perceptions of own proficiency occurs when someone is worried about having to use English or cant use English fluently or afraid. The fourth reason, communication apprehension is realized in several conditions, such as: not being able to catch what others say, cant use English fluently, and cannot express oneself clearly, afraid to talk to students who speak a different mother tongue and worried about group discussions in class/worry in delivering argument in discussion in class. And the last reason, competitiveness is usually felt when a person cannot communication as well as their peers, when she cannot doing as well as their classmates in examinations/have low achievement & ability as good as their friends and when she has full short of an idealized self-image.


The Symptoms of Anxiety

I have assumed that during my observation there are many sign symptoms of anxiety. However, those symptoms of anxiety are realized in physical and psychological responses. It is line with the statement I get from an article which says that the symptoms of anxiety may include physical and psychological ones. The physical symptoms can appear as the faster heart beating or having stomachache. The psychological symptoms can be the forms of panic and frighten (http://www.chinesemadeedeeasier.com/anxiety.html).

Anxiety often happens when someone does a task. When she is very anxious, they develop negative emotional reactions which can have adverse effect on their learning. So what are the characteristics of anxious language learners and what cause their anxieties? Anxious learners are individuals who perceive second language as an uncomfortable experience. They tend to withdraw from voluntary participation, feel social pressures not to make mistakes and are less willing to try uncertain or novel linguistic forms. Anxious learners focus so narrowly on the task at hand and the way they are dealing with it that their reactions to it often excessive self-evaluation, worry over potential failure and concern over opinions of other (Maclntyre, Noels & Clement, 1997). Such pre-occupations make information, process it and retrieve it when required. Sources of their anxiety are both internal and external, relating to beliefs about themselves, what other people (peers and teachers) think, the language learning and assessment process and classroom procedures (Young, 1991).


The Effects of Anxiety

The effect of anxiety is reported to cause defective in the learners language learning. Krashen (cited in von Worde) notes that anxiety inhibits the learners ability to process incoming language and short-circuits the process of acquisition. Crookal and Oxford (cited in von Worde, 2003) mention that can result in serious problems with self-esteem, self confidence, and risk-taking ability. This might lead to the decrease in language proficiency. Hence, anxiety many influence the process of learning language as well as the achievement.

Conclusion

It can be explained that cause anxiety, it is the factors believed to cause of anxiety that can be experienced in various activities, such as: speaking activity, lack of preparation (in ability to comprehend), lack self-confidence, negative classroom experience (fear of evolution) and methodology and the teacher themselves, instructional practice (oral, testing, or listeners exercises), error correction, native speaker, etc. there are also some factors that reduce anxiety. It is the factors believed to reduce anxiety. It can be anticipated by role of the teacher, makes a sense of community between each students and the teacher themselves, and pedagogical practice and interesting classroom environment. There are some factors that manifest anxiety. It is the factor believed to manifest anxiety, there are physical symptoms: headaches, clammy hands, stomachache, cold finger, pounding heart, sweaty, avoidance, and internal & functional. And the last, there


are some students awareness anxiety. It is the factor of awareness anxiety, the students are uncomfortable or even distressed in class is hampered by any number of administration & time constraints about the class. As a good teachers/lectures must understand especially female students who sometimes feel nervous or uncomfortable in teaching-learning English process . He/she should motivate them all the time to reduce their anxiety in order teaching-learning of English process will run well.


References

Anxiety in Language Learning, Retrieved on June 29th 2009, from http://www.chinesemadeedeeasier.com/anxiety.html.

Goh, Christine C. M and Silver, Rita Elaine, 2004. Language Acquisition and Development, Longman: Prentice Hall.

Hornby, A.S. 1995. Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary of current English. Great Britain : Oxford University Press.

Koba, Naomi and Ogawa, Naoyoshi. 2009. Using the Community Language Learning Approach to Cope with Language Anxiety. Retrieved on December 27th 2009, from http://iteslj.org/Articles/Koba-CLL.html.

Krashen, Stephen D, 1987. Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition, Exeter: Pretice Hall.

Maclntyre, Peter D and Robert C. Gardner, 1991. Methods and Results in the study of Anxiety and Language Learning: A Review of the Literature. Retrieved on June 29th 2009, from http://www.eric.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmni.isp?_nfpb=true&_ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ421537&ERICExSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ421537.

Van Worde, Renee, 2003, Students perspective on Foreign Language anxiety. Retrieved on December 27th 2009, from http://www.vccaedu.org/inquiry-spring2003/i-81-Worde.html.

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