Mini research: Research Method

ACQUISITION PLANNING AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

By: KANTY LESTARI 809111035 / LTBI (A-REGULAR)

POSTGRADUATED PROGRAM of STATE UNIVERSITY of MEDAN English Applied Linguistics 2009/2010

INTRODUCTION The successful key of Indonesia National Development is the society itself. If the society were thoughtful, Indonesia would go forward then. One of the ways to

succeed the society is that the language acquisition and acquisition planning (language spread) through education. Education itself consists of two fields, as formal education and informal one. The language acquisition is obtained start from the birth/ child up (innate) while language learning is obtained by the adult age through the educational ways. The process of spreading the language is intended to increase the number of speaker in the certain society. It is then called as acquisition planning. It is best applied in increasing the number of speaker in acquiring a certain language. In spreading the language and designing good acquisition planning, there are some components that should be considered such as: 1) Curriculum, 2) Competency, 3) Human resource, 4) Assessment, 5) Facilities, 6) Classroom management, 7) Cost, and 8) Materials. Those influence the successful process of acquisition planning.

PROBLEMS To make a clearly explanation about Acquisition planning and Language Acquisition, there are some questions that need to be answered: 1. What are the relationship between Acquisition planning and Language acquisition? 2. Based on the 8 components in spreading and designing good acquisition planning, which are mostly applied those 4 target schools? 3. From those 4 schools, which one is better in case of increasing the number of English speaker?

METHOD This mini research conducted the data by observed and interviewed the English teachers in those related schools about the acquisition planning that they have in school in case to increase the number of English speaker. Those four schools are:
1. SMK Swasta Jambi Medan (Jl. Pertiwi no 116, Medan) 2. SMK Swasta Krakatau (Jl.Brigjen Bejo/Cemara No. 32-34, Medan) 3. SMAN 15 Medan (Jl. Sekolah Pembangunan No. 7, Medan) 4. Yayasan As-Safi`iyah (Jl. Karya Wisata II, Medan Johor)

DISCUSSION 1. Acquisition Planning and Language Acquisition Acquisition planning is a type of language planning in which a national, state or local government system aims to influence aspects of language, such as language status, distribution and literacy through education. Acquisition planning can also be used by non-governmental organizations, but it is more commonly associated with government planning. In the other side, Language acquisition is defined as how one acquires a certain language start from the birth. Language acquisition is obtained from informal education (such kind of family and environment including neighbors and friends) and formal education including school. The chart of process of acquisition planning and language acquisition Language Acquisition Individual/societ y

Languag e planners

New words

Acquisition planning

The explanation of the chart above can be illustrated as Acquisition planning is designed by language planners in spreading a certain language in order to increase the number of speakers. Language planners plan the new words which are will be spread out through the acquisition planning to be absorbed by the individual/society. The language planners plan/create new words that are good, elegant, but interesting and ears catching, so the new words will be spread in the acquisition planning by using it through education (formal/informal). 2. The factors which influence in acquisition planning The factors that influence in the acquisition planning are: 1. Curriculum In formal education or schooling, a curriculum is the set of courses, course work, and content offered at a school or university. Curriculum and learning cannot be separated each other though both have different position. Curriculum functions as a guide/direction of education as well the contents which should be learnt whereas learning is the interaction of teachinglearning process among students and teacher. That`s why, one of the successful keys in acquisition planning is that curriculum. Curriculum must

be ideally applied for each school. In fact, it is difficult to achieve the ideal one. According to Sanjaya (2008), the factors in achieving ideal curriculum are: a) The completeness of facilities at school, b) Teachers` skill, and c) The policy of each related school itself. 2. Competency Every teacher should have competency in education (UU No.14 2005 of Teachers and Lectures) including: Pedagogy competency means the ability to manage the learning process. It includes the abilities in planning, interacting/managing and evaluating the teaching-learning program. Personality competence. It reveals the teacher`s attitude toward his/her students. The indicators of this competency are that attitude and exemplary. Professional competency means the ability of mastery the learning materials/ subject matter widely and deeply. Social Competence means the teacher`s ability to communicate and interact effectively and efficiently with his/her students, colleague, students` parents and society. 3. Human Resources Human resources is defined as people who are ready, willing, and able to contribute to organizational goals (Wherther and Davis, 1993:635). In this case, school as the formal education is the organization. It needs good education`s management and development in improving their performance to give the contribution of the goal. The acquisition planning in human resources is that the first step, the recruitment of new potential humans (in this case English teacher) and second is step is selection in order to define the qualified English teacher based on the learners` needs of the school. 4. Assessment Assessment in education is related to the progressing/ development and the obstacles in running the plan. It is used for seeing the set of plans whether the plan works well or not. Teacher needs to assess his/her activities in acquisition planning for students whether it`s successful or not. If they are done well, those can be used in the next acquisition planning. 5. Facilities Facilities are main instruments in acquisition planning. Those should be considered in planning the successful learning goal. Facilities at school support the process of acquiring English, for example in order to increase the number of speaker in English at the school. Facilities encompass audio-

video

language

laboratory,

sorts

of

English

dictionary

in

any

interdisciplinary, English reading room provided such kind of readings of like novel, articles, jokes, magazines and newspaper. 6. Classroom management Arikunto (1990) states that classroom management is the effort done by one who has responsibility in teaching learning process which is intended to achieve the optimal condition of learning. So, before going to classroom, teacher should have prepared all the elements in the class such as, planning, organizing, leading and controlling the class and students.

7. Cost Cost relates with the realization of the acquisition planning. Everything which is planned will run well if the cost exists. The cost is obtained from the government or the school donators. The cost is used to stand the school purposes including facilities, materials, curriculum, training teachers, etc. 8. Materials Materials are almost same with facilities provided. The use of bilingual textbooks can be the acquisition planning of English. Some of bilingual school like Al-Ulum Medan (Jl. Bayangkara Medan) uses this strategy by using bilingual textbooks (Indonesian- English) for certain subjects as Science and Math and Social. Not all subjects (such as, Art, Sport and Religion) are provided by this strategy. The additional papers also could be best done to support the students` learning such as the use of researchbased paper, article-based paper, journals, etc. All those components are related each other and cannot be separated. One influences the other and vice versa. That`s why, to increase the number of student` speakers in English at school, those components are embroiled in acquisition planning. MINI RESEARCH OF ACQUISITION PLANNING of ENGLISH (INTERVIEW) Mini research for acquisition planning in order to increase the number of speaker in acquiring English. 1. SMK Swasta Jambi Medan (Jl. Pertiwi no 116, Medan) The condition of the school is explained as: 1. Courses after school 2 hours, twice a week.

2. Only 2 tutors are invited from outside aimed to make the students not to be boring. 3. Communication among English teachers is in English. 4. During the lesson times in classroom the students speak Indonesian dominantly. 5. Teacher explains the subject with mixing up the language. 6. Local subject use English (conversation subject), once a week for two hours, aimed to acquisition planning four times a week and only one teacher for this subject. Acquisition planning of English that planned by the teacher: 1. There should be English community for the students (speaking club) 2. English courses should be 4 times a week 3. During the English lesson both students and teacher use English fully 4. Make the teachers English speaking community for all other teacher subjects 5. School provides the textbook or other relevant book at the library 6. One table must have one dictionary for each 7. It must be taken the requirements and selection of the qualified conversation subject teacher more than 2 exactly. Facts in this school that constraint the acquisition planning of English: 1. Students ability is low in English start from the basic one. Students are now in Senior High School but their ability in Junior High School student grade 2 2. Family financial is low so that students` parents` are reluctant to spend more money for their courses. 3. Awareness to education from parents is low. 4. They have no English textbook

2. SMK Swasta Krakatau (Jl.Brigjen Bejo/Cemara No. 32-34, Medan) Facts of school condition: Tutor sebaya, means that if the students find difficulties in English they are allowed to ask their friends that more competence in English. Teachers prosperities and awards, such as giving cash or goods. This school has English community

English areas which mean: first, in headmasters room have to use English, to headmaster or the staffs. Second, students have to speak English to English teachers inside or outside the class. Third, English teachers have to speak to each others. The last is, if theres a meeting in English community, one has to use English.

Acquisition planning of English which is planned in this school is: 1. Make English familiar at school. 2. Empower students to take a part in extracurricular activities which is correlated with English ability. 3. Sending the English teachers to take apart in the training or seminar conducted by official government or university. 4. Communicating English fully spoken out at classroom 3. SMAN 15 Medan (Jl. Sekolah Pembangunan No. 7, Medan) The condition/ facts about the school: 1. In this school, they do not have Conversational lesson, they just have English lesson. 2. They have no English club. 3. English lesson 4 hours a week (mixed up with Indonesian). 4. They dont have Language laboratory. Acquisition planning suggested by the English teacher in this school are: 1. Material 2. Curriculum 3. Cost : text books more than two plus exercise book (work book). : all English materials are finished at the end of semester. : It is considered to get fund from the government or the

related institution whether it is credit or cash in building up the school facilities (English modern lab, audio-video equipments), and teachers prosperity in financial. 4. Assessment : After doing such activities for example the strategies/methods obtained from the training/ seminar which are used by the teacher, then s/he assess them whether they are successful or not. If they are success, they can be used in the next acquisition planning of new academic year. 5. H. Resources: Here all of the participants including teachers and staffs take a part in the training, whereas the students take a part in English community to improve their English. They also need the recruitment of new potential English teachers in the next academic year. This school provides

training especially for English teacher and generally for teachers of other subject about the importance of English. 6. Facilities : It is planned to build the English modern lab, audio-video cassette provided which can help students to improve their competence and performance in acquiring English. 7. Competence : Means teachers improve their skill in English in teaching including his/her contents mastery of materials/ linguistics, teaching method, knowledge of relevant materials. 8. Classroom management : Including how to manage the class and the students in the teaching-learning process such as, preparing and applying lesson plan based on the schedule, keep students more interesting and motivating them as well. 4. Yayasan As-Safi`iyah (Jl. Karya Wisata II, Medan Johor) This school is in the process of bilingualism (both English-Indonesian). These are the English teacher planning of acquisition planning. She said that all these plans are still in progress of headmaster`s decision now: 1. They used bilingual language (English and Indonesian) in Ceremony. 2. Used bilingual books. 3. In announcement used bilingual, but tend to use English. 4. English club once a week. 5. In teaching activity teachers explain in English (for English subject), and bilingual (for other subjects).

FINDINGS
1. SMK Swasta Jambi Medan (Jl. Pertiwi no 116, Medan) From those 8 components, this school is just provided four aspects: Curriculum that have to be run in this school. Competency (teachers competency). Human resources (English teachers), this schools recruited the potential English teachers. Classroom management, the teachers prepared the class for teaching/learning process. Those four elements above did not proportional enough to increase the number of English speaker in this school.

2. SMK Swasta Krakatau (Jl.Brigjen Bejo/Cemara No. 32-34, Medan) From those 8 components, this school is just provided four aspects: Curriculum that have to be run in this school. Competency (teachers competency). Human resources (English teachers), this schools recruited the potential English teachers. Classroom management, the teachers prepared the class for teaching/learning process. Those four elements above did not proportional enough to increase the number of English speaker in this school. 3. SMAN 15 Medan (Jl. Sekolah Pembangunan No. 7, Medan) From those 8 components, this school is just provided four aspects: Curriculum that have to be run in this school. Competency (teachers competency). Human resources (English teachers), this schools recruited the potential English teachers. Classroom management, the teachers prepared the class for teaching/learning process. Those four elements above did not proportional enough to increase the number of English speaker in this school. 4. Yayasan As-Safi`iyah (Jl. Karya Wisata II, Medan Johor) From those 8 components, this school is just provided three aspects: Curriculum that have to be run in this school. Competency (teachers competency). Human resources (English teachers), this schools recruited the potential English teachers. Sort of facilities in informal (microphone to announce something). Classroom management, the teachers prepared the class for teaching/learning process. Materials (bilingual books). From the data, it is clear that in case to increase the number of English speaker, Yayasan As-Safiiyah in better that other three schools; because in this school they tried to make the students familiar with English by using it outside the

classroom not only in class or while teaching /learning process, but also when held ceremony and make any announcements.

CONCLUSION Acquisition planning is designed by language planners in spreading a certain language in order to increase the number of speakers. Language planner plans the new words which are will be spread out through the acquisition planning in education (formal/informal) to be absorbed by the individual/society. There are eight factors which are involved in acquisition planning, namely, curriculum, competency, human resources, assessment, facilities, classroom management, materials, and cost. They are interconnected and influenced each other. That`s why to increase the big number of speaker in English, those all components must be planned/designed well.

REFERENCES Rastodio in Arikunto (1990) Pengelolaan Kelas . Grafindo. Bandung Sanjaya Wina ( 2008) Kurikulum dan Pembelajaran. Jakarta: Kencana UNDANG-UNDANG REPUBLIK INDONESIA NOMOR 14 TAHUN 2005 TENTANG GURU DAN DOSEN http://uharsputra.wordpress.com/pendidikan/manajemen-sdm-pendidikan/