THE PROBLEMS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEACHING TRANSACTIONAL INTERPERSONAL DIALOGUES BASED ON SCHOOL BASED CURRICULUM (KTSP)

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

 1.1 General Background of the Study

Language as a means of communication has an important role in our daily life, in case of communicating to another.  English  as a second language in Indonesia has been taught from elementary school up to university.  For many years, learners have learnt it, but the facts show that many students who study English as a foreign language are unable to apply in oral practice and the result of teaching English is considered “far from satisfactory” (Ramelan 1992:3).  The general description of Indonesian students can be represented as follows:

“Most SMU graduates are still  very poor in their reading comprehension since they can not usually read or understand articles in English dailies magazines, which are now in circulation here; let alone there ability in writing which has mostly been over-looked in our schools.  In speaking skills is another linguistics skill of  our student which is least-developed.” Trying to catch up and improve the qualities of education especially in the field of language teaching, the governments of Indonesia and the linguistics have been doing some researches, but unfortunately, still no satisfactory improvement can be gained (Huda 1999:ix)

The unsatisfactory result of English teaching is not merely because of the students or the teachers themselves.  There are many factors, which affect the result of teaching such as time allotment, games, methodology, teaching material, the use of visual aid and also other aspects like curriculum. All factors mentioned above work together in affecting the result of teaching.

Now, our government has been applying the newest curriculum, namely School Based Curriculum (KTSP) as revision of curriculum 2004.  It is stated in Government’s Rule (Peraturan Pemerintah no 19/2005) which is also supported and issued in National Education Rule (Peraturan Menteri Pendidikan Nasional RI no 24/2006).

The change of curriculum is made with the hope that there will be changes in the teacher as the doers of curriculum, in the teaching and learning activities and also the student output to be better than previously.  To teach speaking using \the current curriculum proposed by government is not easy since teachers are accustomed to the old system and not easy to change, not to mention that the newest curriculum has not been completely fully understood by teachers.

The model of competence in newest  curriculum is to be based on the communicative competence, but it is also stated that teacher may use any kind of method, approach, and teaching technique.  Even so, the learning process must be directed to the purpose of competence acquisition in which students are able to use the language in communication.  The approach, method and the technique must be flexible.  As a teacher, if one approach seems to be failing, teacher must readily adopt another strategy.

The purpose of learning based on competence is to get the competence itself, therefore the approach, method and teaching activities depend on the instructional manager in line with the capacity and provided resource as long as the basic competencies can be reached (Depdiknas 2003:9). The fact says that some aspects like method of teaching, curriculum and others which have been supporting  teaching English skill especially in speaking, have not been again and again revised.  In other word, the success or????????????????????