BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Language is a tool of communication. People use language to describe, ask, and

explain their idea. In daily activity, people always have interaction with others by using
language. In addition, people can use language to express their idea and share their
experience to other people. According to Hester and Francis (2004:8), language is
fundamental to everything that is done in social life: as members of society we live our
social lives by talking to and with others. Hence, the language is crucial for people’s life
because without language people cannot interact in the society.
The problem arising in this contemporary education society is that learning today
has changed and its process somehow differs from that in the past. So where does the
difference lie? In the earlier years, the main focus of education is on the acquisition of the
basic skills as well as content knowledge ranging from reading, writing, calculating,
history and science. On the contrary, what accounts for a success in learning or education
today is the ability to use high order skills including the ability to think through, to solve
complex problems, and to interact critically through language. This, somehow, implies
that one is in need of mastering how to use language to communicate his or her own
thought effectively. On the other hand, one true fact about language learning is that it is
believed to be a difficult task which most of the time will trigger a frustration out of a
learner. The learner, at every moment, is required to accumulate and maintain constant
effort in order to understand and produce the target language. With a deliberate effort, it
has been noticed that games, which are regarded as task-based, do serve as effective
communicative activities that go beyond the production of correct speech. For all intents
and purposes, the aim of the games referred here, specifically the language learning
games, is to help students to not only use the target language, but also use that target
language to discuss and negotiate until they get the desirable results. As a matter of fact,
‘Games-in- Education’ is gaining its importance in both informal and formal education.
Moreover, according to Talak (2010:11) Games allow the student to show a little of their
true personalities, build relationship with others, and practice various skill. Even though
using game can increase the students’ ability, but the application of game itself can cause
some problems. Each game has its own problem, and every problem is different of each.
The problem can be purely come from the game or the teacher or even the students. Falah
(2014) found that there were two problems faced by the teacher in applying puzzle games;
difficulty in managing time; and classroom space. However, every game causes various
different problems.
Games are indeed intrinsically motivating. A great deal of educational research has
so long confirmed that intrinsic motivation contributes substantially to learning; therefore,
if considering an educational point of view, some issues are worth mentioning: what does a
learner learn through playing games, how does this kind of learning relate to helping the
learners achieve agreed upon goals of language learning, and what roles should teachers
play? Regarding the last question concerning teacher’s role in learning through games
environment, since it has been reported that the matter of student’s learning boils down to
eachers, it can be inferred that teachers are the most powerful individuals who make a
decision on what should be included in their language teaching classroom. Thus, it is very
important to start to look at actual perspectives of teachers on the inclusion of games in the
classroom. With the hope of obtaining better and more reliable answers to respond back to
the matter of learning language through games, the scope of this paper will be specifically
narrowed down to only learning English language through games. Therefore, the core
concern which will be addressed in this paper, which is actually developed from the issues
mentioned earlier, is going to be the primary purpose of language instructors or teachers in
using games in their classroom when they are teaching children English as the foreign
language.

LITERATURE REVIEW

GAME

Games can help the teacher to create contexts in which the language is useful and
meaningful. Brumfit (1991) stated that games are activities governed by rules, which set
up clearly defined goals. Furthermore, Hadfield (1998) defines game as an activity with
rules, a goal and an element of fun.
2.5.1 KINDS OF GAME

There are two kinds of games the first is competitive games in which players or team
race to be the first to reach the goal and the second is cooperative games. In cooperative
games students have to work together in order to achieve or win the game. Hadfield
(1998) distinction classifies language game into two types; linguistic games; and
communicative games. In linguistic games, the aim of the game is linguistic accuracy, for
example, producing correct structure. In contrast, communicative games are activities
with an aim that is not linguistic. Drawing route on a map or filling in a chart is involved
in successful completion of the game, rather than the correct production of a structure. In
addition, the emphasis in linguistic games is on accuracy, contrary to communicative
games, in which the emphasis falls on fluency.
Hadfield (1998) elaborates some examples of games activity in the classroom;
1. information gap games in which one or more people have information that
other people need to know to complete a task successfully. Information gap games can
involve a one-way information gap or a two-way information gap where both players
have information and they must solve their problem.
2. Guessing game in which the player with the information deliberately
withholds it, meanwhile others guess what it might be.
3. Secondly, there are search games that involve whole class because every
student has a piece of information. Students must find out as much information as they
can to filling a chart and solve the problem. Another kind of games, are matching games
that include transfer of information and they can be played in pairs or as a whole class. In
this game everyone have to find a partner with corresponding card or picture.
4. Labeling games are a form of matching. Students must match labels to items
in pictures. In exchanging games students barter cards, other objects, or ideas. Similar are
exchanging and collecting games.
5. Board games are based on articles, cards or ideas which students wish to
exchange for others. Most of these games are used for drilling students’ vocabulary.
6. The last kind of games are role play games in which players have names and
characteristics of a fictional character. The outcome of this game is open-ended and may
develop in any number of ways.
According to Titik (2003:7), games are able to be grouped based on the size of the
class. Here are the types of the games:
1. Pair work, this is involving two partners.

2. Small group is involving groups which consist of three or four students.

3. Whole class is involving where everyone more freely around the room.

Additionally, Titik (2003) stated that the teacher can adjust the application ofthose
game types based on the materials being delivered. Before playing the
games, teachers should give attention to the number of the students, proficiency
levels, cultural context, timing, learning topic, and the classroom settings.
Hadfield (2003:4) further divides games into two kinds, they are:

a) Competitive games, in which players or team race to be the first to reach

the goal. It means that both players should defeat each other in order to be a winner. They
both should follow the rules of the games.
b) Cooperative games, in which players or team work together towards
common goal. This is a teamwork game, which means the players should collaborate with
their teammate to reach the purpose of the game. Both teams have to follow the rules
which are made.
Meanwhile Wright et al (2006:3) states that games have four types, namely:

1. Class, means that all students have to be participated

2. Individual, only certain students who play the games

3. Pair works. Pair work is easy and fast to organize. It provides opportunities
for intensive listening and speaking practice. Pair work is usually better than group work
if there are discipline problems
4. Group works. Some games require four to six players; in these cases group
work is essential.
From the wide variety of games above, every teacher ought to select an adequate
game for his/her students. The choice rests on the interests of learners or on skill teachers
would like to practice. Nevertheless, each child will find something attractive for himself
or herself.
Furthermore, from the explanation above it can be concluded that flashcard game
belongs cooperative game, since students have to work together to achieve
the goal of the game or in the other word flashcard is class game. Additionally,
according to types of games classifies by Hadfield (1998), flashcard can be categorized as
communicativebecause it is involved in successful completion of the game, rather than the
correct production of a structure. Then, according to example of games activity in the
classroom, flashcard can be classified as guessing game, since teacher plays a role as the
one with the information or picture, meanwhile students guess what it might be.
2.5.1.1 Flash Card

Pictures are most effective when their contents are familiar, realistic and depict a single
activity. Flashcard can be defined as a card that has words, numbers, or pictures on it and
that is used to help students learn about a subject (learnersdictionary.com). Flashcards
have been extremely useful media for teaching languages to all ages, and even more so
when teaching very young students who are yet to develop literacy skills. Additionally,
flashcards can be used to: revise, recall or introduce new vocabulary, provoke dialogue,
add meaning and check comprehension when using songs or stories provide a backdrop
for emotional intelligence activities and so on.
2.5.1.2 Matching Game

Rahmawati (2012) states that in matching game, students need to find a match for a
word, picture or card. For example, students place 30 words cards, composed of 15 pairs
and then face these down in random order. each student turn over two cards at a time,
with the goal of turning over a matching pair by using their memory. Another variation of
this
game is labeling game where the students have to match the labels and the pictures.
2.5.1.3 Drawing Game

According to Nyberg (2012), drawing game is a phenomenal way to get students

dragging a pencil across a surface. They get to practice mark-making; they are using their
little noggins to think beyond simply drawing something and have fun at the same time.
2.5.1.3Role-Play

Role play can involve students’ playing roles that they do not play in real life such as
dentist, farmer, etc. Meanwhile, stimulations can involve students performing roles that
they already play in real life or might be likely to play such as costumer at a restaurant.
Dramas are normally scripted performances, whereas in role-plays and stimulations,
students come up with their own words, although preparation is often useful.
There are a lot of options of game that teacher can choose to be applied in the class.
However, in choosing a game, teacher should match it with the material being delivered.
Therefore game could benefit maximally.
2.5.2 ADVANTAGES OF USING GAME

Game is one of the ways to involve students in teaching and learning process and
makes them have fun at the same time. Therefore, game has several advantages in
teaching and learning. Kim (1995) mentions several advantages of using game;
1. Games are a welcome break from the usual routine of the language class.
2. Games help student make and sustain the efforts of learning.

3. Creating a meaningful context for language use.

 4. Games encourage students’ interest and willingness to communicate.

5. Games provide language practice in various skills; speaking; writing;

listening and speaking.
Additionally, Jung (2005) elaborates several advantages of using games, they are;
promoting learner centered;promoting communicative competence; creating meaningful
context for language use; increasing learning motivation; reducing learning anxiety;
intergrating various linguistic skills; encouraging creative and spontaneous use of
language; constracting cooperative learning environtment; and fostering students’
participatory attitudes.
In a nutshell, game can give a lot of advantages in the teaching and learning process. It
can help students to be engaged in the classroom activity, learn the lesson better and enjoy
the process of learning. Additionally, it can stimulate the students’ creativity and also
promoting the culture of team work.
2.5.3 CRITERIA OF GAMES

In choosing game, teachers should pay attention on the criteria of a good game to be
applied in the classroom. Tyson (2000) stated that good games should at least have these
criteria:
1. Games must be more than just fun

2. Games should involve friendly competition

3. Games should keep all of the students involved and interested

4. Games should encourage students to focus on the use of language rather
than the language itself.
5. Games should give students a chance to learn, practice, or review specific
language materials
Furthermore, Ersoz (2000) points out some suggestion before applying games in class:
1. Games should be regarded as supplementary activities. The whole syllabus
should not be based on games only, even for young learners.
2. Teacher should be careful to choose an appropriate game for the class in
terms of language and type of participation.
3. Once the game has begun, teacher should not interrupt to correct mistakes
in language use.
4. Teacher should not compel an individual to participate. Some learners may
not want to participate due to personal reason.
2.5.4 PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS IN APPLYING GAMES

Using games in classroom may have a lot of advantages for students, but in the other
hands it can also cause several problems for the teaher. Wang (2010) has provided some
problems mostly occur in using games and the solution for each problem. The detail
explanation is presented as follows:
1. Discipline Problem

Learning English through activity often produces higher level of noise or discipline
problem. Thus, classroom should be managed well. to solve this problem, teacher may use
some signals to have students lower their voice or stop talking. It is also crucial to clearly
explain the rules
and the goals of the game in the beginning because students’ confusion and
misunderstanding may lead to chaos. Additionally, setting an exact time limit for
performing task is also needed in order not to bore the students.
2. Material

Matching the material and the game can cause problem for teacher. thus teacher should
prepare the material by searching in the internet, watching television, and any other
essential reference. Then, decide an adequate game for his/her students the appropriate
game to teach the material.
3. Place

Teaching English with high level of activity can cause space or place problem.
Students may need to move about the class, thus teacher should also consider about
having outdoor classroom or to have students rearranging the furniture beforehand so that
the precious minutes of language lesson will not be wasted for this purpose.

2.1 TEACHING ENGLISH USING GAMES

There is nothing that engages children more than teaching foreign language through
play. Using games in class has got to be one of the most exciting ways to teach children.
Games give young learners a reason to communicate and a context for speaking practise.
Additionally, Fletcher (2006) stated that games are a great way to break up the
monotony of long day learning
or a hard day’s work. Therefore, based on the characteristics of young learners, games
are appropriate teaching media to teach them.
Ersoz (2000) stated games are highly motivating since they are amusing and at the
same time challenging. Games also employ meaningful and and useful language in real
context and also encourage and increase cooperation.
In a nutshell, using games have positive impact to teach English to the young learner.
Since, young learners learn best when they can enjoy themselves and games can give
stimulus and motivation they need to. by using games students become happy and enjoy
the teaching and learning activity. Additionally, games also provide all bases of English
skills.
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter discusses the procedure in conducting the research. It covers the research
design, research subjects, techniques of collecting data, research instrument, steps in data
collection and data analysis.

3.1 Research Design

Simply, research design can be defined as overall strategy a researcher plan to use
in the process of answering the research problems. Ary (2010) states that research design
is the researcher’s plan on how to proceed to gain an understanding of some groups or
some phenomenon in its context. Cresswell (2012) defines research designs as plans and
procedures for research that span the decisions from broad assumptions to detailed
methods and data analysis. This research used descriptive as the design in which it is
designed to obtain information concerning the current status of phenomena and to provide
rich verbal description of settings, situations and participants (Ary, 2010). Descriptive
design is chosen because the researcher would like to describe and analyze the use of
game particularly flash card game, the problem faced by the teacher in applying game and
the solution towards the problem in SDN 3 Dinoyo Malang.
Additionally, Creswell (2012) explains that there are two research approaches used
in educational research; quantitative; and qualitative approach. Ary (2010) states that
quantitative research deals with questions that researcher can answer by gathering and
statistically analyzing numerical data. Meanwhile, qualitative research explores attitudes,
behaviors and experiences through such methods as interviews or focus groups’ (Dawson,
2002).Qualitative is used as the approach in this research since the researcher would like
to obtain an in-depth look at a particular individual or a specific situation by using
interview and observation in collecting the data. Likewise, the researcher needed a deep
understanding and a deep opinion from each respondent in order to interpret the data.
Fewer people take part in qualitative research, but the contact with these people tends to
last a lot longer (Dawson, 2002).
3.2 Research Subjects

The subject of this research is the English teacher of fifth grader at SDN 3 Dinoyo.
She was the only English teacher in this school and taught first grade until the sixth grade
students. The researcher focused on the fifth grade class because based on the preliminary
observation; the teacher often used games as the media of teaching English in the fifth
grade class. Therefore, the researcher was interested in investigating the problems and the
solutions of the teacher in applying games in the classroom.
3.3 Techniques of Collecting Data

Qualitative researchers use three main techniques to collect and analyze their data:
observing people as they go about their daily activities and recording what they do;
conducting in-depth interviews with people about their ideas, their opinions, and their
experiences; and analyzing documents or other forms of communication (Fraenkel, 2009).
In this research, the researcher used interview and observation as the techniques of
collecting data.
3.3.1 Observation

First of all, the researcher conducted observation to see the situation of teaching and
learning English including the problems teacher faced and the solutions toward the
problems firsthand. According to Fraenkel (2009), certain kinds of research questions can
best be answered by observing how people act or how things look. Further, Ary (2010)
states that observation is a basic method for obtaining data in qualitative research and is
more than just “hanging out”.The observation is carried out by means of observation and
recording of the object under study, then recording conducted necessary to obtain the
corresponding data to the research. In this research, the observation was conducted to see
directly the teacher’s problems and solutions in applying game in teaching English at
SDN 3 Dinoyo. In order to help during observation, an observation checklist was
designed. For detailed sample of observation checklist, see appendix II.
 According to Ary (2010), the qualitative researcher may be a participant or a
nonparticipant in the situation being observed. In participant observation study,
researchers participate in the situation or setting they are observing. In contrast, a non-
participant observation studyresearchers do not participate in the activity being observed
but rather “sit on the sidelines” and watch; they are not directly involved in the situation
they are observing (Fraenkel, 2009). In this research, the researcher was a nonparticipant
because she just observed the the teacher’s problems and solutions in teaching English by
using game at SDN 3 Dinoyo.
3.3.2 Interview

After conducting the observation, the researcher interviewed the teacher to get in
depth data about the teacher‘s problems and solutions in teaching English
by using games. Interview is one of the most widely used and basic methods for
obtaining qualitative data (Ary, 2010). Dowson (2002) classifies three parts of interview,
namely unstructured, semi-structured and structured interviews. Unstructured or in-depth
interviews are sometimes called life history interviews. It is a conversational type of
interview in which the questions arise from the situation. The second is structured
interview, which is scheduled for the specific purpose of getting certain information from
the subjects. Each participant will get the same questions. Third is semi structured
interview, in which the interviewer has more freedom to ask and improvise with the
questions.
Further, Creswell (2009) states that there are many types of interview in social
research such asone-on-one interview, focus group interview, telephone interview and
email interview.One-on-one interview is a data collection process where the researcher
asks questions from only one participant in the study at a time. A focus group interview is
the process of collecting data through interviews with a group of people,typically four to
six.Conducting a telephone interviewis the process of gathering data using the
telephone.E-mail interviews consist of collecting data through interviews with individuals
using computers and the internetto do so. In this research, the researcher used one-on-one
interview as the process of collecting the data in order to get the data from the teacher
accurately.
In this research, the researcher used semi-structured interview for it was the most
common type of interview used in qualitative social research (Dowson, 2002). The
researcher listed the specific questions or topics to be discussed in regard to ensure
continuity in the form of interview guide. In this case, the researcher conducted the
interview in order to gain the data about the teacher
 problem and solution in applying game as the media in teaching English. The
detailed sample of interview guide can be accessed in appendix III.
3.4 Steps in Data Collection

The data were collected based on the result of observation and interview from the
respondents. The data were elicited by using the following steps:
1. The researcher observed the classroom activity in order to collect the data about
the teacher’s problems and solutions in applying game as the media in teaching English at
SDN 3 Dinoyo.
2. The researcher interviewed the teacher regarding her problems and solutions in
applying game in teaching English at SDN 3 Dinoyo.
3. The researcher collected data that were gained from the observation
andinterview.
3.5 Data Analysis

The data analysis was done in order to analyze the data gathered from the interview
and observation. The steps were as follows:
1. Classifying the teacher’s answers based on the problem they faced and the
solutions they had to solve the problem.
2. Arranging the data in the form of tables based on the problem they faced and
the solutions they had to solve the problem.
Table 3.1 Problem and Solution classification

N Problems Solutions
o
1
2
3
After conducting these series of data analysis, the researcher drew conclusion
about the teacher’s problems in teaching English by using games atfifth grade of SDN
3 Dinoyoand the solutions she employed toward the problems.