PROBLEMS IN THE ONLINE LEARNING OF ENGLISH SUBJECT

FACED BY TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OF SMP NEGERI 1

SEMARANG IN ACADEMIC YEAR 2020/2021

Submitted as an assignment of final exam

Arranged by:
Muthi’ah Nurul Izzati
A320180279

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION

UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH SURAKARTA
SURAKARTA
2021
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A. The Background of The Study

Since the spread of the Covid-19 virus to various countries in the world including
Indonesia, the government has begun to change the regulations in several systems that have
been running in their respective countries for the safety of their citizens. In Indonesia, the
education system has also begun to change the system of teaching and learning that were
previously compulsory in schools to be held in individual homes. This can be seen from
Surat Edaran no. 4 of 2020 from the Minister of Education and Culture, which requires all
activities related to education such as activities at school to be carried out in their individual.
Teddy Meilwansyah, Head of Education Office of the OKU Regency, explained
several learning methods that can be applied during the Covid-19 pandemic, including;
Daring Method, Luring Method, Home Visit Method, Integrated Curriculum, and Learning
via radio. These methods are innovations in learning that can be used by teachers and
students when carrying out teaching and learning activities in their respective homes (Ogan
Komering Ulu District Education Office, 2020).
However, on the other hand, from the methods offered above, there are several
problems that arise from the distance teaching and learning process as a result of this
pandemic. Wahid Wahyudi, Head of Education Agency of the East Java, said that with the
regulation of teaching and learning activities in their respective homes, many teachers and
students felt they were not ready to do it. This is because teachers and students need to set
new learning model so that educational goals can still be achieved properly (Wijayanto,
2020).
Some of the problems that teachers and students complain about include; many
families only have one gadget at home, so students have difficulty in implementing online
learning, lack of signal, especially for those living in remote areas, and students' low ability
to absorb information conveyed online. This applies especially to learning that requires
practicum (Wijayanto, 2020).
 In English class, students learn the ability of listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Therefore Video media is one of the learning media that is quite appropriate in training these
4 abilities. By using Video media, students can practice reading by including subtitles on the
video they watch. In addition, students can practice speaking skills as well as listening skills
by imitating and listening to what the speakers explain in the video (Huriati, 2020).
In connection with the problems above, the author is interested in analyzing what
difficulties teachers and students may face in learning English through online media. The
researcher chose SMP Negeri 1 Semarang as the research subject. Since 2002, the school is
one of the favorite schools in Semarang which has received accreditation A. Finally, the
researcher will conduct a research entitled “Problems in The Online Learning of English
Subject Faced by Teachers and Students of SMP Negeri 1 Semarang in Academic Year
2020/2021”

B. Problem Statement
1) What problems faced by teachers and students in the online teaching and learning of
English subject at SMP Negeri 1 Semarang academic year 2020/2021?
2) What factors cause the problems faced by teachers and students in the online teaching
and learning of English subject at SMP Negeri 1 Semarang academic year 2020/2021?

C. The Objective of The Study

1) To know the problems faced by teachers and students in the online teaching and learning
of English subject at SMP Negeri 1 Semarang academic year 2020/2021
2) To know the factors cause the problems faced by teachers and students in the online
teaching and learning of English subject at SMP Negeri 1 Semarang academic year
2020/2021?

D. The Significance of The Study

Theoretically
This research can be used as reference of information and knowledge about the phenomenon
of online teaching and learning process carried out by teachers and students, especially for
English subject during the pandemic in Indonesia.
Practically
a. For researchers
This study can be a form of dedication and application of the knowledge that has been
obtained
b. For teachers
This study will help teachers to evaluate their teaching strategies used in order to achieve
a better teaching and learning process during the pandemic.
c. For students
This study will motivate students, especially junior high school students in order to
minimize the difficulties faced in the online English learning to study harder.
d. For educational institutions
This research can be a reference for the phenomena that occur in the field of education
during the pandemic era to be studied more deeply and then provide solutions for any
problems that occur in it.
 CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW

A. Previous Study
Mauly, Y.K. (2020) in her research entitled “Metode Pembelajaran Daring
Menggunakan Aplikasi Online Pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19 di SMPIT Az - Zahra Sragen”,
revelead several applications used to carru out online learning at SMPIT Az - Zahra Sragen,
such as Zoom, Whatsapp Group , Google Forms, and Voice Notes. However, the school
considered WA to be the most suitable application applied in online learning. From the
results of the research, there are several problem caused by teachers and students during
online learning, for example; lack of signal, lack of personal learning facilities such HP,
laptop, etc., students’ habits when online learning, and student attendance. His research and
the author's research both discuss learning problems during the Covid-19 pandemic, but they
were carried out in different locations and different research subjects.
Setyawan, C. (2020) in his research entitled “Challenges on Teaching Online English
Subject in SMK Negeri 1 Nawangan”, concludes several problems that occur during online
learning, such as; poor internet access is experienced by students of SMK Negeri 1
Nawangan and teachers cannot measure students' abilities directly. In this study, internet
access is the main problem faced by students so that the school facilitates internet data
packages for teachers and students. This research was conducted at the home of one teacher
using online interview and questionnaire techniques to 1 other teacher through the WA
application. This research both discusses the problems of online learning during the Covid-
19 pandemic, but was carried out in different locations and different research subjects.
Apriliana, N.M.A.S. (2020) in her research entitled “Problematika Pembelajaran
Daring pada Siswa Kelas IV MI Bustanul Mubtadin Kecamatan Suruh Kabupaten Semarang
Tahun Pelajaran 2019/2020”, uses a descriptive approach in the qualitative research
conducted. In his research, he concluded that (1) by utilizing android media the online
learning process at MI Bustanul Mubtadin, Suruh Subdistrict, Semarang Regency, Academic
Year 2019/2020 could be carried out well, (2) the teacher encountered several problems in
the online learning process related to teacher competence , differences in the level of
 understanding of students, the lack of android to students' parents, cooperation between
parents and students, and limited learning facilities, (3) there are several solutions to the
problems faced, namely increasing teacher competence in utilizing technology, providing
guidance to students, conducting counseling for parents students, ordering photocopies of
textbooks.
Anugrahana, A. (2020) in his research entitled “Hambatan, Solusi dan Harapan:
Pembelajaran Daring Selama Masa Pandemi Covid-19 Oleh Guru Sekolah Dasar”, using
the online survey method in descriptive research. This research revealed that there are 9
online media used by elementary school teachers in Bantul in implementing online learning
activities, such as WA, Google Classroom, Google Group, TeamLink, Microsoft Teams,
Kaizala Microsoft, Zoom Meeting, Webinars, Youtube, Google Hangouts, and others. The
first choice of online media is WA which is used by 64 teachers, while 15% of teachers use
several WhatsApp supporting applications. Furthermore, the second choice is Google Class,
the third choice is Google Form which is used by 8 teachers, the fourth choice is Youtube
which is used by 5 teachers. Finally, the fifth option is Zoom Meeting which is used by 2
teachers.
Akhter, T. (2020) in his research entitled “Problems and Challenges Faced by EFL
Students of Saudi Arabia during COVID-19 Pandemic”, explained that listening skills are
one of the most difficult skills in the online learning process due to limited listening practice.
The study described the perceptions and reactions of students majoring in English at Saudi
Universities about the application of online learning. The online survey method was used in
this study. The researcher concluded that EFL students had difficulties during the online
learning process, especially listening activity, due to limited knowledge about technology,
loss of motivation, technical problems, and so on.

B. Theoretical Review
a. The Definition of Learning
Mayer & Clark (2011) defined “learning as a change in the learner’s knowledge
due to experience. This definition has three main elements: learning involves a change,
the change is in what the learner knows, and the change is caused by the learner’s
experience”. They also added “the description of how learning works: learning involves
 adding new information to your memory and making sense of the presented material by
attending to relevant information, mentally reorganizing it…” (p. 32-33).
Piaget (as cited in Adebiyi, A., 2019) stated that “learning is defined as a process
of individual construction of knowledge ‘from within’ through assimilation and
accommodation of ideas”.

b. The Overview of Learning English

According to Rita (2013), learning English for junior high school (SMP) students,
based on Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan (KTSP), it aims to improve students'
English language skills both orally and in writing. These abilities include listening,
reading, and writing. In learning, it uses several types of text such as transactional,
interpersonal, narrative, descriptive, recount, discussion, etc.
According to Kusumaningtri (as cited in Kusuma, D., 2017) English subject is one
of the language subjects studied in every formal educational institution. In Indonesia,
English has begun to be studied at the levels of Elementary Schools, Junior High Schools,
Senior High Schools, Colleges, and also in non-formal educational institutions. With the
teaching of English in schools, students are expected to be able to get to know cultures
other than their own, be able to provide ideas, be able think analytically and
imaginatively.
According to Azleen (as cited in Rita, 2013) most of the students feel reluctant and
don't like learning English. So that it affects the quality of learning English in schools,
causing a negative assumption that English is a language that is difficult to learn
compared to other languages.

c. The Definition of Online Learning

Mayer & Clark (2011, p. 7) defined e-learning as “training delivered on a digital
device such as a smart phone or a laptop computer that designed to support individual
learning or organizational performance goals”.
According to Bilfaqih & Qomarudin (2015, p. 1), “Pembelajaran Daring
merupakan program penyelenggaraan kelas pembelajaran dalam jaringan untuk
 menjangkau kelompok target yang massif dan luas. Melalui jaringan, pembelajaran
dapat diselenggarakan secara massif dengan peserta yang tidak terbatas”.
In addition, according to Joshua Stern, Ph. D.,
“Online learning is education that takes place over the internet. It is often referred to
as “e-learning” among other terms. However, online learning is just one type of
“distance learning” - the umbrella term for any learning that takes place across
distance and not in a traditional classroom” (Stern, n.d., p. 1).

Francis, K. (2018) mentioned certain goals in implementing online learning, including:

 to improve the quality of teaching and learning
 to improve the quality of student learning styles and student needs
 to increase efficiency and effectiveness
 to improve time flexibility and user-accessibility

d. The Characteristic of Online Learning

According to Bilfaqih & Qomarudin (2015, p. 5), online learning has the following
characteristics:
 Online
Through the web network, online learning can be carried out by providing
teaching materials in the form of video, audio, and slideshows. In addition, like
students in schools in general, they are also given assignments that must be done
within the specified time limit as an assessment.
 Massive
Online learning can be followed by an unlimited number of participants. As of
November 2012, Coursera has more than 1.7 million students which is faster than
Facebook.
 Open
Following online learning is very easy, because it is open, that is, it can be
followed by everyone from various circles and without any specific requirements

e. The Advantage and Disadvantage of Online Learning

The advantages and disadvantages of online learning according to Kurniawati, B.
(2020) are as follows:
 a) The advantages of online learning
 the effectiveness of time and place in learning
 students may do independent learning via the internet so they do not always
depend on the teacher
 increase students' awareness of the positive uses of smartphone, which is not
only for playing social media and games, but also for learning
 train students in mastering information technology
b) The disadvantages of online learning
 difficult to control the seriousness of students in participating in learning
activities
 lack of practice in learning and theoretical
 difficulty in accessing the internet for students who live in areas with poor
communication infrastructure
 limited ability of students in accessing learning facilities
 the number of distractions that affect student concentration in learning

C. Theoretical Framework
Learning is a process of finding or getting something that was not previously known.
Therefore, in learning there must be a change, namely a change in the addition of knowledge
or new ideas. One type of learning that will be analyzed in this study is distance learning or
online learning. Online learning is the process of adding knowledge or new ideas through
the internet network. This type of learning is being applied in Indonesia due to the Covid-19
pandemic. Students and teachers continue to have the learning like in school but it is done
in their respective homes. Online learning is facilitated with online media for learning that
will help teachers and students learn in the online meetings.
Online learning is defined for every school subject, and English is no exception.
English is a foreign language in Indonesia which is required to be studied at every level of
education, including junior high school education. In learning English, there are several
practices such as listening, speaking, and writing that require direct guidance from the
teacher. This may cause some problems for teachers and students when online learning is
applied.
 CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHOD

A. Type and Research Design

This research method used is qualitative research with phenomenological approach.
The phenomenological approach describes a phenomenon that occurs to a person or group.
With this approach, the researcher wants to examine a phenomenon that is happening,
namely online learning during the pandemic, by describing the problems faced by teachers
and students during the online teaching and learning of English subject.

B. Setting of Research
This research is carried out in each house via video call and online meeting
applications to conduct online research due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The implementation
time is from February to March.

C. Object and Subject of The Research

The object of this study is the problems faced by teachers and students in the online
teaching and learning of English subject during the Covid-19 pandemic at SMP Negeri 1
Semarang in the academic year 2020/2021.
While the subjects of this study are the 8th grade junior high school students and
English teachers at SMP Negeri 1 Semarang. The number of students in the school is 796
students which includes 394 male students and 402 female students and 45 teachers.

D. Data and Data Source

The data of this research are the interview transcript containing information about the
problems and its factors faced by teachers and students in the online teaching and learning
of English subject during the Covid-19 pandemic at SMP Negeri 1 Semarang.
While the data sources are as follows:
1. Human/Informant: the 8th grade junior high school students and of English teachers at
SMP Negeri 1 Semarang.
 2. Event: online teaching and learning process of English subject during the Covid-19
pandemic at SMP Negeri 1 Semarang.

E. Technique of Data Collection

The data of this study are collected in the following techniques:
1. Interview. The researcher uses an online structured interview by selecting the population
through random sampling technique. The interview will be conducted via video call app
WA.
2. Observation. The observation will be conducted during online teaching and learning
process via online meeting app Zoom. The researcher are non-participant observations
where the researcher is not part of the population so that the research results are objective
in accordance with conditions in the field.

F. Credibility of Data
In order to make data credible, the researcher uses the theory of Triangulation in which
the resources of data comes from oral and written, the writer uses the theory in order to get
data from different sources and used questionnaire which can give evidence if the
participants are the students that is proper to be used as the subject of the research.

G. Technique of Data Analysis

The data is analyzed through the following stages:
1. Data reduction
This step is beneficial for summarizing and simplifying the data obtained from data
collection techniques into relevant, concise and in accordance with the research
objectives.
2. Data display
In this step, the data that have been compiled briefly and systematically in the previous
step are presented in the form of narrative text, matrices, and charts. In this research, the
researcher describes the data in the form of narrative text.
3. Conclusion and verification
 The last one is to conclude and verify the data by testing the suitability of the data with
the basic concepts of the study

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