B.

Discussion

This section discusses the results of the research. It starts by exploring the

needs analysis results and explaining the results of the implementation. Both of them

are analyzed based on the six components of a task that is proposed by Nunan (1989:

48) namely goal, input, activities, setting, learner role, and teacher role.

From the needs analysis, it can be known that the students needed to master

English to help them to do English communication both in oral and written forms. This

is in line with the principle of task-based language teaching proposed by Nunan

(2004: 1) that is an emphasis on learning to communicate through interaction in the

target language. Meanwhile, kind of English materials they want to was the effective

one. It means that the materials which were well-sequenced, appropriate with their

characteristics, ability, interest, and importance, interpersonal and transactional in very

simple daily communications. Therefore, in order to be effective, the materials were

developed using the principle of pedagogical procedure recommended by Nunan (2004),

called task-based language teaching principle. Moreover, in this research, the material was

developed into three units. Each unit consists of 17 to 24 tasks which are divided in two

cycles, namely the spoken cycle (listening and speaking) and written cycle (reading and

writing). The model was considered effective since it was ordered sequentially from receptive

skills to productive skills.

Regarding the quality of unit design, based on the data, it is effective. The

effectiveness’ points of the developed materials are as following.

 The unit design parallels with the students’ learning characteristics as the

adolescent learners. It focused on functional target. It other words, the students should

communicate in very simple oral or written English in order to solve the daily life

problems which accommodates the teaching learning method of junior high school

students, such as role play, discussion, and observation. This is in line with the

principle formulated by Tomlinson (1998: 17), who states that the materials should

take into account that learners differ in learning styles which automatically

considering the learners’ age and learning style in language teaching learning process.

Moreover, every unit consist of three main parts that are warming up tasks

(lead-in), while-teaching tasks or can be called as main tasks (lesson proper), and

closing tasks. This is in line with Brown (2001: 151) who says that the materials

should be started from activity that aims to engage the students to the topic called

warming up activity.

The warming up section aims to attract and direct students’ attention and

arousing their motivation. It serves the introduction of the topic, the setting of the

context, and also the introduction of some of the key vocabulary and expressions

which are needed to complete the next tasks. It is in line with the theory of

developing units of work proposed by Nunan (2004: 31)) who suggests that the first

step in developing a unit is to develop a number of schema-building.

Meanwhile, in the while-teaching tasks, there are some activities that asked

the students to use or acquire the target language. They are listening section,

conversations between two persons, explanations, completing the conversation

activity, and producing short functional texts. It is supported by the theory of Nunan

(2004: 31) who argues that the next step of developing a unit is controlled practice.

This step aims at providing the students with controlled practice in using the target

language vocabulary, structures and functions.

The last part is closing tasks. This section consists of homework, evaluation,

summary, and learning reflection. It aims at making students aware of the usefulness

of the already learned expressions or texts in real life. This is in line with the

principles of second language acquisition proposed by Tomlinson (1998: 11) who

states that materials should require and facilitate learner self-investment.

Furthermore, the tasks in every unit are organized according to Nunan’s

principles of grading, sequencing, and integrating tasks. As mentioned earlier, a unit

is divided into two cycles, i.e. spoken and written cycle. The tasks in every cycle

were graded and sequenced by considering the complexity of the input, which were

arranged from the simple (easiest) input to the difficult (complex) one, students’

linguistic and background knowledge, and the procedures that learners are required to

perform on input data. This is in line with Nunan’s point of view who states that the

tasks should be sequenced according to their complexity which is determined by

input, learner, and procedural factors.

As mentioned earlier, the need analysis and the implementation results are

organized from the six task components as proposed by Nunan (1989). These

components are goal, input, activity, setting, learner role, and teacher role.
 Regarding task goal, based on the need analysis questionnaire result, the

students wanted to do English communication both in oral or written form better and

all at once comprehend the meaning and the using of every single word, sentence, and

expression in English. Meanwhile, in the implementation, the students were given

activities in such a way that they could negotiate meaning in a particular

conversation, for instance, asking for and giving information about a direction in a

school. This is in line with Clark’s theory (1987 in Nunan; 2004) who suggests that

language is used for “...exchange information, ideas, opinions, attitudes and

feelings...”.

Concerning task inputs, based on the need analysis questionnaire, the students

expected the existing of many pictures in every unit of the materials. Meanwhile, the

input used in the unit design is pictures followed with short description and

vocabulary related to the topic concern. This is in line with Harmer (2001: 134-136)

who says that pictures can be used in a multiplicity of ways, for instance, it is useful

for ‘drilling’ grammar items and practising vocabulary. In addition, it is also useful

for presenting and checking of meaning and it is important for engaging the students

to follow the task and also for predicting the next task.

In relation to the task activity, from the need analysis, it can be concluded that

the students wanted various activities. For the listening section, they wanted to listen

to the dialogue related to the topic and for the speaking section, they wanted to have a

short dialogue that is practiced in front of the class. Meanwhile, for reading and

writing, they wanted to have discussions for the activity.