CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Problem

Reticence is a problem that usually occurs in teaching and learning

process. Especially, in Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign

Language, the students tend to be reticent in the classroom. In line with Zahra

Hashemi & Rezaeian (2013), the reticence of the students is a phenomenon

makes the students passive and furthermore makes the teacher/educator

frustrated. Students’ reticence is a major issue in teaching and learning a

language. Regarded to Chang (2011), students’ reticence is an obstacle when

it comes to language learning. Students’ participation in the classroom is

important to improve students’ ability. Students’ verbal communication is a

proof for their good performance in English.

Reticence frequently prevents the students from making progress

and accomplishing the result planned for the course. Regarded to S. & S.,

July (2013), students’ participation and engagement is very crucial in the

classroom. At the point when the students make an oral communication with

the teacher or among peers, they will automatically build up their ability.

Nevertheless, when they are passive, the progress will be slower.

The aim of teaching and learning a language is the students able to

utilize the language in communication inside and even outside the classroom

(Riasati, 2014). Means that the students learning English for their

communication purpose. In fact, in the classroom the students reluctant to

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participate in classroom activities. This kind of reluctant influences the

students to lose their eagerness to learn the language.

Pertaining to Witayarat (2015), he stated that the students could be

judged as a passive and reticent learner due to the following:

1. Not participate in classroom activities

2. Not confident when speaking in the classroom

3. Not able to questioning

4. Passive in the classroom

5. Over-dependent on the teacher

Senior High School 11 Pekanbaru is the one of schools located in

Sail, Pekanbaru. As the one of formal institutions, Senior High School 11

Pekanbaru uses thirteen curriculum (K13). This school provides English

lesson for the students. The students learn English once in a week, with 90

minutes for the meeting, means that it is 90 minutes in a week. According to

the principle of thirteen curriculum (PERMENDIKBUD, 2016), in designing

the lesson plan for K13 the students are expected to be active in teaching and

learning process. The teaching and learning process is student-centered. The

students also expected to be an enthusiast in learning. The students should be

motivated, interested, inspired, as well as creative, initiative. They can make

an innovation and be independent.

According to writer’s preliminary study in Senior High School 11

Pekanbaru, most of the tenth grade students still have problem in learning

English. The students are reticent and passive in the classroom. They tend to
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be silent and quiet in the learning process. The participation of the students is

not same with the expectation of thirteen curriculum. This problem can be

proved by the students’ activities and participation in the classroom.

As for the weakness mentioned above and based on writer’s

preliminary study at the tenth grade students of Senior High School 11

Pekanbaru, the writer finds some phenomena, as follows:

1. Some of the students are reticent in the classroom

2. Some of the students are not able to speak in the classroom

3. Some of the students are not participating in the classroom

activities

4. Some of the students are not joined in questioning

5. Some of the students are passive in the classroom

6. Most of the students are over-dependent on the teacher.

Based on the phenomena above the writer is interested in conducting

the problem above into a research entitled A Study on Students’ Reticence

in English Classroom at Senior High School 11 Pekanbaru.

B. Problem

1. Identification of the Problem

a. How is students’ reticence in English classroom?

b. How is students’ ability to speak in the classroom?

c. How is students’ participation in the classroom?

d. How is students’ involvement in questioning in the classroom?

e. How is students’ passivity in the classroom?

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f. How is students’ independence in the classroom?

2. Limitation of the Problem

After identifying the problem stated above, the writer needs to

limit and focus the problems of her research on the factors that make

students’ reticence in English classroom and the dominant factor that

makes the students reticent in English classroom at the tenth grade

students of Senior High School 11 Pekanbaru.

3. Formulation of the Problem

a. What are the factors that make students’ reticence in English

classroom at the tenth grade students of Senior High School 11

Pekanbaru?

b. What is the dominant factor that makes students’ reticence in

English classroom at the tenth grade students of Senior High

School 11 Pekanbaru?

C. Objective and Significance of the Research

1. Objective of the Research

a. To know the factors that make students’ reticence in English

classroom at the tenth grade students of Senior High School 11

Pekanbaru.

b. To know the dominant factor that makes students reticence in

English classroom at the tenth grade students of Senior High

School 11 Pekanbaru
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2. Significance of the Research

a. Hopefully, this research is able to benefit the writer as a novice

researcher, especially in learning how to conduct a research.

b. These research findings are expected to be useful and valuable,

especially for students and teachers of English at the tenth grade

students of Senior High School 11 Pekanbaru for their future

learning process.

c. Besides, these research findings are also expected to be positive

and valuable information, especially for those who are concerned in

the world of Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign Language

or Teaching and Learning English as a Second Language.

d. These research findings are also expected to be the practical and

theoretical information to development of theories on Language

Teaching.

e. Finally, to fulfill one of the requirements for undergraduate degree

of English Education Department of Education and Teacher

Training Faculty of State Islamic University of Sultan Syarif Kasim

Riau

D. Reason for Choosing the Tittle

There are some reasons why the writer is interested in carrying out

this research. The reasons are as follows:

1. The tittle of this research is relevant with the writer status as a student

of English Education Department.

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2. The tittle of this research is not yet investigated by other previous

researchers.

3. This title may contribute for solving the problem of English language

learning and teaching at Senior High School 11 Pekanbaru.

E. Definition of the Term

1. Study

According to Oxford dictionary, study is an activity that consume

our time and attention to obtaining knowledge for academic subject. It

means we are doing detailed investigation and an analysis for a subject.

However, in this research the term of study is referring to the design of this

research. This research is a descriptive quantitative consisting of one

variables.

2. Reticence

According to Meriam Webster dictionary, reticence is a noun that

shows a lack of willingness or desire to do or to accept something. Means

that reticence is an action of unwillingness and passive. In this case,

reticence means the situation of the students in learning English in the

classroom. The students are tend to be unwillingness and passive in

English classroom.

3. English Classroom

According to Longman dictionary, classroom is a room in a school

or college where a group of students is taught. Means that, English

classroom is the room in a school or college where a group of students are

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learning English. In this research, the English classroom is referring to a

classroom in Senior High School 11Pekanbaru when the students learning

English in the classroom.