UNDERSTANDING STUDENTS’ CHARACTERISTIC IN LEARNING ENGLISH:

CASE STUDY AT LANGUAGE INTENSIVE PROGRAMS (LIPS) OF NURUL JADID

Skripsi
Presented to
Undergraduate Program
English Education Program
Nurul Jadid University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Bachelor in English Education Program

By

MUHAMMAD ABU ZAINUR RIZAL

NIM: 1942300051

NURUL JADID UNIVERSITY

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

ENGLISH EDUCATION PROGRAM

2023
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background Of Study

Constitutions of Education System number 20, verse 1 (2013) conveyed that

education is the aware and planned effort to realize the situation of studying and

learning process to make the students feel active to develop their self-potency with

the aim of having religion spiritual power, self-control, characteristic, intelligence,

good behavior, and required creativity for themselves, society, and nation. Further,

education has an important role to be one of main components to enhance nation de-

velopment and develop its human resources (Zulvira, et al, 2021). Going the same

with Zulvira, Septiani & Afiani (2020) added that education is a means of strategy to

improve the nation quality because the development of nation and education be-

comes its determination. With this noble purpose of education, it feels important to

set for the proper and appropriate manner to implement the education itself. It is in

line with Nabila (2021) conveying that education is a system that must be imple-

mented in an integrated manner with existing systems to achieve the predetermined

goal of improving the quality of human life in all aspects of life through organiza-

tional institution, namely school. Moreover, according to (Eusden et al., 1990) and

(O’Mallet et al.,1997) since education position is replaced from product driven to

the market driven, it becomes essential for the marketers to get closer to their poten-

tial customer and there is an explicit need to understand the information processing

state of the potential student. It can be meant that the education nowadays is not de-

termined by the students, but by the situation, condition, and strategy of the educa-

tion institution to produce the promising result referring to the quality of the students

itself.
 Regretfully, related with the previous discussion, it cannot be denied that there

are still so many factors becoming the excuses for the low quality of education, such

as; first, unattractive learning activity toward the plurality of every individuals and

environment where the students live, it also goes to the problem caused by the vari-

ous and unique characteristics owned by every student making the learning activity

less effective and useful for the students itself (Septiani & Afiani, 2020). Riding &

Rayner (2012) added that students vary greatly in many ways. The physical differ-

ences, such as those in height, face features, and voice tonality, are the most notice-

able. However, there are other differences that stand out, especially in other students,

such as some who are quite while others are rowdy, some who speak clearly while

others are reluctant, and some who are outgoing while others are quite, and so on.

This implies that students in every learning activity have their own uniqueness of

characteristics which are different one another, where as it becomes one of influen-

tial things for the process of learning.

Here is where the intervention of teacher to understand the characteristic of

every student is required. The learning process is useless, to make useful, it is impor-

tant to be planned and developed due to the condition of students as the learning

subject (Septiani & Afnani, 2020). According to Vygotsky at 1994 cited in, (Septiani

& Afnani, 2020), to make the learning activity useful, it is important to firstly be

planned and developed based on the condition of students as the subject of learning

while also considering the socio-cultural environment the students live, it is also

strengthened by Waidl (2004) stated that the most important thing before stepping to

the learning strategy is to earlier know the students (Septiani & Afnani, 2020).

Furthermore, as becoming the factor influencing the flow of learning activity,

knowing and understanding students’ characteristics is importantly considered. Zul-

vira et al, (2021) confirmed that the importance of not knowing and understanding

students’ characteristics goes to the possibility of broken process of developing stu-

dents cognitive. The undergoing learning activity that doesn’t fit with the character-

istic of students might affect the goal or achievement of it. Also, this point might

cause the condition of broken students’ psychic affecting the students motivation to

learn, the degradation of students learning interest, and also the anxiety appearance

in every learning activity process that is conducted (Suardana and Simarmata; 2012,

Riwahyudi, 2015; Sabrina et al, 2017). Unexpectedly, if this problem is let to hap-

pen, it can probably affect students’ learning quality referring to nonsense activities

students do at school.

But not only that, the importance of knowing and understanding students’

characteristic also goes to the next step of the learning activity itself, because know-

ing and understanding students’ characteristics becomes the main matrix to be con-

sidered for continuing the learning strategy that is going to be implemented (Septiani

& Afnani, 2020). It goes to the procedure that, before implementing a learning strat-

egy that is used for sharpening students’ cognitive, we should earlier know what

types of students becoming the subjects, this is important as the determination of

used learning strategy. With all these facts, it is enough to prove that whatever the

learning strategy that is used to sharpen students’ cognitive is not going to work

properly if it is not supported by the process of knowing and understanding the stu-

dent’s characteristics at the beginning. It means that to create and finally gain the op-

timal learning activity, students’ characteristics should be firstly known by all educa-

tors.

In the context of English learning and teaching, as the focused subject belongs

to Language Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School (LIPS), the activ-
ity of knowing and understanding students’ characteristics is also required to do, be-

cause teaching English has its own difficulty that becomes teachers’ challenges.

Nabila (2021) In its implementation, stated that English language learning requires

learning methods that are fun for students and can also build confidence in students’

motivation and creativity. It is stated that in teaching English, teachers are required

to have fun methods for the students to build some aspects such as motivation and

creativity supporting their process of learning.

At this point, to teach students about English, teacher is supposed to create the

fun method, but to remember fun is relative, if one student considers the method is

fun, it cannot be ensured that the method is also fun for others. Therefore, the

teacher is firstly supposed to know and understand every characteristic owned by the

students to set the suitable method that is able to be implemented for them. It is con -

firmed by Astuti, Fauziati, & Marmanto (2019) stated that knowing and understand-

ing students’ characteristics will give benefit for the teachers to plan how to teach

students and to find out each student’s needs. If teachers are able to understand stu-

dents’ characteristics, they will be able to decide the suitable learning strategy and

material for the students so that the goal of learning can be achieved. Moreover, the

potentials of students also can be developed because they are given opportunities to

learn according to their capacities.

In another discussion, problems faced by the students to learn English, involv-

ing the lack of motivation, lack of self-confidence, and being afraid of making

mistakes still also often happens everywhere. This is supported by Goh who argued

that foreign learners of English face a number of challenges including a lack of stu-

dent motivation, inadequate preparation of teachers, and large class sizes.

Furthermore, There are several problems with teaching English, such as classes are
often too large, English teachers’ qualification is inadequate, and students lack of

vocabulary. Also, it is stated the problem faced by the teachers is that they had

difficulty in selecting activities and materials that would match the learners. In brief,

there are a lot of problems faced by both teachers and students in the teaching and

learning process.

But in fact, however, in the effort of knowing and understanding students’

characteristics, there are still some problems disturbing it as well. Firstly, according

to Noormawanti (2017) the minimal role of parents in providing, and fostering the

character education of their children. Secondly, based on the results of an interview

with LIPS teacher, students still have low proficiency in English, so The teacher

must find a solution to these problems for the success of LIPS students in English

subjects the teacher must understand the characteristics of students in learning

English to make it easier to deliver English lessons according to some of the

characters possessed by LIPS students.

Early to know, LIPS – Nurul Jadid Junior High School is an informal institu-

tion that focuses on the learning of foreign languages (Arabic – English) under the

auspices of Nurul Jadid Junior High School Paiton Probolinggo of the school cur-

riculum division which was established in 2002.the establishment of this institution

was initiated by the wish of MR. Najmuddin Zanky, who is an English teacher at

Nurul Jadid Senior High School. But another reason of LIPS to keep standing up to

now is caused by the awareness of Nurul Jadid officers thinking that it is important

to provide a space for Santries who are interested in learning foreign language, an-

other reason comes from people in Nurul Jadid thinking that English is such an im-

portant language to be learner. It is supported by Amelia (2021) that English is a

very important language because English has an important role in the development

of knowledge, technology, information, and the economy in the welfare of society.

In 2022, a graduation ceremony of 70 members of LIPS was held with the

amount details of 26 male graduations and 44 female graduations. LIPS, under the

auspices of Nurul Jadid Junior High School, always conduct graduation party every

year, it proves that even with the small amount of members, but there are always cer-

tain people who are still interested and having an intention to learn English as the

foreign language. For this reason, it is necessary for teachers to find solutions using

methods, models or by knowing each student’s characteristics to make it easier for

them to understand foreign languages, especially English. Knowing and understand-

ing characteristics of students certainly makes it easier for teachers to understand

students on the side of their characteristics and tendency to learn English.

Moreover, with students’ potencies which are dig up more inside the institu-

tion of Language Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School resulting

some achievement of students make this Institution require more attention in the im-

plementation. Some students’ achievements lately can be the indicator of LIPS suc-

cess, involving 1st and 3rd champion of English Speech Contest in Probolinggo

district at 2013, 2nd champion of English Olympics in secondary levels throughout

the Probolinggo district in 2013, 1st champion of English speech contest and

storytelling at a secondary level throughout the Probolinggo district 2014, 3rd

champion of English speech contest at a secondary level throughout East Java in

2015, 1st champion of English speech contest of junior high school level in East

Java in 2016, 1st champion of English Storytelling at the junior high school level in

East Java in 2016

 Regarding to the explanation above, the researchers feel enticed to conduct a

research on the phenomenon on the importance of knowing and understanding stu-

dents characteristics for the development of students who learning English at LIPS –

Nurul Jadid Junior High School, with the aim of finding the truth that knowing and

understanding students characteristics is really useful for the flow of learning foreign

language activity.

1.2. Problems Identification

Based on the background in the introduction above, the research focus in the

study of “Understanding Students Characteristics in Learning English: Case Study at

Language Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School (LIPS) Paiton

Probolinggo needs to be specifically decided. To ease the identification of problems,

it is necessary for the researcher to set the boundaries of discussion and supporting

facts, as follow:

1.2.1. Understanding the characteristics of students can optimize learning achieve-

ment in class

1.2.2. Helping teachers to have interaction with the aim of understanding students

learning style through understanding their characteristics

1.2.3. Providing convenience not only for teachers, but also students

1.2.4. English is not only needed in education, but also in work and career

1.2.5. English is an international language used in many countries

1.2.6. Understanding foreign language promises an easy path of gaining knowledge

from various sources

1.2.7. English is very important to learn and understand in order to gain knowledge

from several experts who communicate using English.

1.2.8.
1.3. Problems Of Study

With the aim of specifically setting the boundaries of discussion being dis-

cussed in this research, research has determined some problems formulation becom-

ing this research discussion focus, as follow:

1.3.1. How does the teacher understand the characteristics of students in learning

English studying the case of the LIPS Nurul Jadid students?

1.3.2. What are the characteristics of students in learning English in the case of LIPS

Nurul Jadid’s students?

1.4. Objectives Of Study

Based on the background of the research, the objectives of this study are:

1.4.1. To find out how the teacher understands the students’ characteristics in learn-

ing English studying the case of LIPS Nurul Jadid students

1.4.2. To find out the characteristics of students in learning English to study the case

of LIPS Nurul Jadid students

1.5. Significance Of Study

It is expected that the results of this research can provide comprehensive

benefits regarding to Understanding Student Characteristics in Learning English in

the LIPS Nurul Jadid Case Study. And the benefits of this research can be seen

from two perspectives, these are theoretically and practically.

1.5.1. Theoretically

1.5.1.1. Contributing academic contributions and scientific contributions to

the development of educational science, especially Understanding the

Characteristics of Students in Learning English LIPS Case Study Nurul Jadid.

1.5.1.2. As a reference for other researchers who will conduct similar

 research in the future.

1.5.2. Practically

1.5.2.1. For schools, as constructive input in managing and developing student

communication in foreign languages, especially in learning English at school.

1.5.2.2. Input materials for school principals, teachers, education staff, and

especially English teaching staffs at LIPS Nurul Jadid who are still actively

staying in the institutions.

1.5.2.3. The results of this study can be used as an input for educational

practitioners and researchers in the context of contributing to scientific studies

to improve the quality of English education for students.

1.6. Scope And Limitation Of Study

Based on those descriptions above, this study is to research the importance of

knowing and understanding students’ characteristics in learning English as their for-

eign language, this research takes a focus on the case happening at Language Inten-

sive Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School Paiton Probolinggo.

1.7. Definition Of Operational Key Terms

1.7.1. Characteristics of Students

Students characteristics is defined as individual quality and aspects including

several personal things belong to students, such as: possessed initial abilities,

learning styles, thinking abilities, motivation in learning, learning attitudes, and

learning interest (Uno, 2017).

1.7.2. English

English is known as international language that is used as a tool for communica-

tion in all countries in the world. English is not only used in terms of education
 but it can be also used in international economics, law, trade, and especially in

terms of education of all institutions (Aini, 2021).

1.7.3. LIPS Nurul Jadid

Language Intensive Programs of SMPNJ (LIPS) is the name of English and

Arabic programs created by SMP of Nurul Jadid. SMP Nurul Jadid is defined as

an educational government institution in the level of junior high school in Pe-

santren Nurul Jadid that is located in Paiton sub-district, Probolinggo regency

where the researcher will conduct the research

 CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. Previous Research

Research that is done on the problem of students’ characteristics in learning has

been many times carried out and discussed by the previous researchers. Here are some

researches which are relevant and having relation with the research done by the re-

search on this study, as follow:

Research conducted by Desi Antri Astuti, Endang Fauziati, & Sri Marmanto

(2019) entitled “Celebrating Students’ diversities through understanding Students’

characteristics” shows that the two participants believe in the importance of

understanding the characteristics of students teachers because it can help them to

develop their teaching- learning strategy and achieve learning objectives effectively.

This research also reveals the way the participants reflect their beliefs in teaching-

learning practices.

Further, this previous research done by Desi Antri Astuti, Endang Fauziati, &

Sri Marmanto (2019) has some similarities and differences with this current study, the

research has similar research approach and method, named as qualitative: with the

type of case study, it also discusses the same topic of student characteristics, while it

also focuses on the same variable (teaching English) being affected. Meanwhile, the

differences go to the different draft arrangement (Journal draft form), the data used in

the previous research were taken from a private school in Surakarta not in

conventional school meaning that the research has different samples.

Research conducted by Andriani Safitri, Mei Nur Rusmiati, Hafni Fauziyyah,

Prihantini (2022) entitled "Pentingnya Memahami Karakteristik Peserta Didik

Sekolah Dasar untuk Meningkatkan Efektivitas Belajar dalam Mata Pelajaran

Bahasa Indonesia." the results of this study are the characteristics of students in

elementary schools is one of the teachers’ references in determining to learn because

each student must carry out learning activities according to his age development in

order to achieve effective learning. Elementary students in general have

characteristics that can be seen when in the learning process, namely the tendency to

learn in a concrete, integrative, and hierarchical manner. The characteristics of

students at the elementary school level can be divided into two periods, namely in the

low class (grades 1-3 SD) and the high class (grades 4-6 SD) according to the trend of

students' thinking abilities.

Learning Indonesian has the aim of training students to be skilled in language,

namely speaking, listening, writing, and reading by expressing all ideas or thoughts

critically and creatively. Learning Indonesian in low grades and high grades has the

same goal, even so, the learning process must be adapted by the teacher to the

characteristics of the students. In the Indonesian language subject, there are

differences in subject matter and indicators that students in low and high classes must

achieve based on different student characteristics, for example in low grades they still

need guidance in reading, meanwhile, in high grades, they are able to think practically

and solve problems. In learning, the teacher acts as a facilitator so the teacher must

understand the characteristics of the students he is teaching. The teacher must be able

to create and carry out learning that is in accordance with the characteristics of

students at each elementary school level.

For the similarities and differences of this previous research with the current re-

search is in the aspect of similar approach (qualitative) that is used for the research

and its discussion focus on the important role of students’ characteristics in learning

language. While, the differences are in the form of different type of qualitative
research approach (descriptive), focusing on different subjects (Bahasa Indonesia) not

English, written with drafts of journals, and having different research samples

(elementary school students).

Research conducted by Fitri Hayati, Neviyarni, Irdamurni (2021) with the title

“Karakteristik Perkembangan Siswa Sekolah Dasar: Sebuah Kajian Literatur” the

result of this research is to know the kind of physical development student for the

teacher, such as physical development, cognitive and psychosocial. Physical

development is related to brain, muscle, and bone growth. Cognitive development is

related to mindset and psychosocial development is related to emotional changes.

The implementation of elementary school students seen from these three

developments raises the needs of students in the form of elementary school students

who like to play, elementary school students who like to move, elementary school

students who like group work, and school students who like direct demonstrations.

These needs form the basis for elementary school teachers in developing learning in

order to create quality learning.

In this research, the similarities with the current research is in the similar focus

on the context of students’ characteristics and it also strengthens the importance of

knowing and understanding the students’ characteristics itself as the current research

focuses on. Further, the differences is in different form of writing using the journal

writing drafts, it also has different research type of qualitative (literature study), has

different research sample due to the place that is used for conducting the research is

elementary school level, and at last the research is also associated with student

development while the current research is not.

Research conducted by Ali Dincer (2020) with the title “Understanding the

Characteristics of English Language Learners’ Out-of-Class Language Learning

through Digital Practices” while the results of this study areThe findings showed that

more autonomously engaged students tend to have greater language_learning

proficiency than the less autonomous group. The more autonomously engaged

students also spent more time daily and used various digital tools in comparison to

less autonomous technology users. While online websites and social media were the

most frequently used digital tools for both groups, the use of podcasts, blogs and

online language courses differed. According to the provided tool lists of learners,

students benefited significantly from social media, online websites, dictionaries, and

intelligent tutoring system applications (apps). Online games, YouTube, Instagram

and other smartphone apps, which allow students to practice vocabulary and speak

with foreigners, also had considerable influence on language development. The study

findings provide insights for language teachers aiming to extend learners’ in-class

language-learning experiences beyond the confines of the classroom.

In this research, the similarities goes to the similar approach and method that is

used in the research (qualitative: case study), while it also focuses on the same subject

(English) that is taught to the students. The differences are, first, previous researchers

used journal draft writing, the research had a different case (conducted outside the

classroom through digital practice), while the previous research used a different de-

sign approach (a cross–sectional survey).

Research conducted by Nevi Septiani & Rara Afiani (2020) entitled “Pent-

ingnya Memahami Karakteristik Siswa Sekolah Dasar di SDN Cikokol 2” conveys

that the role of learning strategy is much more important rather than knowing and un-

derstanding students’ characteristics, it is caused by the condition of students skill,

achievement, tendency, and interest. This research also reports that students’ charac-

teristics are different in many aspects especially in the side of each person, including
 intelligence differences, language and cognitive ability, characteristics development,

and physical growth, thus, it reports that rather than knowing and understanding the

various characteristics of each students, the teacher had better to prepare for the ap-

propriate and most effective strategy of learning activity that will be conducted in the

school.

The similarities are, first, the previous research similarly focused on the

importance of knowing and understanding students’ characteristics, second, the re-

search also further explained the potential impact that can happen in the process of

learning activity. The differences are in the form of using different types of qualitative

research approaches (descriptive), using different samples of research (elementary

school students), and not focusing on any subject at school (too general).

2.2. Basic Concepts

2.2.1. Students’ Characteristics

The characteristics of students come from the word character, that is,

character, character, habits, or traits that are owned by someone and tend to

stay (Partanto & Dahlan, 1994). Characteristics also refer to a person's character

and lifestyle with regularly developed values that make a person more

consistent in behavior and easy to notice (Samrin, 2016). It is also explained by

Uno (2014) conveyed that student characteristics are also aspects that become

self-quality which are reflected through interests, learning motivation, attitudes,

learning styles, ability to think, and the first beginning of the ability possessed.

Student characteristics are a comprehensive pattern of behavior and

student abilities obtained from their social environment which influence the

purpose of life in achieving dreams and aspirations. Characteristics are also

natural characteristics that exist in a person consisting of gender, age,

knowledge, race, religion, and so on (Yurista, 2018).

2.2.1.1. Factors in analyzing students’ characteristics

In analyzing the characteristics of students, there are four things that

make it easier to find out how the characteristics of students, it includes:

2.2.1.1.1. General Characteristics

General characteristics usually describe the condition of

students such as class, age, gender, and also work. These

characteristics will greatly assist students in achieving learning

achievements (Hermawan, 2014).

Further, this general characteristic explains about the

general image and orientation belongs to the students tending to

differentiate the students generally, it can be understood from

some parts of it covering the class, age, and etc. In the analogy,

male student is truly different with the female student, seen

from the side of gender they have on their own.

2.2.1.1.2. Initial ability

Students' initial ability is an activity to know students

seen from their needs and characteristics to determine

qualifications as well as changing behavior specifications

(Dewi, 2021), from the statement above initial ability refers to

ability that the students early know about and become the deter-

mination on what they know later. It can be understood that ini-

tial ability is like background knowledge of the students.

 In line with the previous explanation, Hanum (2009)

also stated that initial ability is all competencies in the basic

level owned by students that must be firstly mastered before the

students start learning sequences. Therefore, initial ability is as-

sumed as the first and basic knowledge the students should

know before going to the higher level of the knowledge itself.

2.2.1.1.3. Learning Style

In learning, there are several ways loved by students

during the process of teaching and learning activities. Even

with the same method, the difference in subject matter is also

one that attracts students' attention to learn, of course, it also

influences students' understanding of learning (Juliani, Muda,

& Widiana, 2016).

In this case, learning style can be considered as various

paths students differentially have based on the characteristics

they have. For the example, some students might get the point

of learning when they are taught through communicative lan-

guage teaching, but other students not, other students tend to be

more attractive and understanding the materials given by using

the method of project based learning. Therefore, it can be stated

that learning styles of every student might be different one an-

other

2.2.1.1.4. Learning Motivation

Learning motivation determines the level of

achievement of children's learning outcomes. Motivation is a

 change of energy in a person's personality which is

characterized by the emergence of effectiveness (feelings) and

reactions to achieve goals (Hidayatullah, 2021).

Major, Turner, & Fletcher (2006) also explained that

motivation is an attitude that provides the power influencing in-

dividuals to achieve their goals and indicates a desire for and

willingness to put forth effort for training and development. In

relating with the process of learning, it can be understood that

learning motivation could be how the desire of students in

learning the materials, it includes the high rate of their attention

during the teaching-learning, and etc.

2.2.1.2. English

According to Kasihani (2001), he stated that English is the first foreign

language that is considered important to open and get access to information,

absurd and get knowledge, technology, culture, and guiding the relationship

of nations. It is in line with the statement of Wells (2006), he stated that

English is a tool to communicate in both oral and written communication.

Communication means understanding and expressing information, thought,

feeling, and developing knowledge, technology, and culture using the lan-

guage itself. In other words, English is able to be described as a language

for communication with the fundamental purpose of sharing many things

that involve the information, thought, feeling and the language develop-

ment.

English as an international language is needed to communicate

globally. In the 21st era and society 5.0, English is the most common and
most important language of communication. Therefore, English is learned

by all people in Indonesia. However, in fact, in Indonesia, English is a

language that is considered difficult to master or learn, even for young

children who are still at the advanced level of “golden age” (Amelia &

Nurmaily, 2020).
 CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHOD

3.1. Research Approach and Design

The approach for this research used qualitative research approach. In general,

qualitative research holds a more positivist view of the world where it suggests that

reality is something tangible that can be objectively measured with the help of

observational and experimental methods. Qualitative research is humanistic because

it focuses on the personal, subjective and experiential basis of knowledge and

practice. This approach also holistic because it seeks to situate the meaning of

particular behaviors and ways of doing things in a given context and method in

qualitative research are generally open-ended and in-depth, naturalistic where they

attempt to study things, people or events in a natural (non-experimental) setting

(Kielmann, Cataldo, & Seeley, 2012).

Further, the researcher uses case method to conduct the research, Nunan

(1992) conveyed that “Case Study” is a “Hybrid” in that generally utilize a range og

methods for collecting and analyzing data, rather than being restricted to a single

procedure. In another word, Case Study is one of types of qualitative research ap-

proach, the reason of the writer uses this method is simply caused by the suitability

of case study with the research done by the writer indicating that the writer focuses

on one program that is implemented in a specific place, moreover, according to some

procedures of research done for this research, it has indicated that the research is

classified into Qualitative: Case Study.

3.2. Research Location

The research done by the writer was located and conducted at Language Inten-

sive Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School located on Kyai Haji Mun’im
Street, Tanjung Lor Village, Karanganyar, Paiton District, Probolinggo Regency,

East Java, Indonesia.

The first reason of the researcher chooses this place of Language Intensive

Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School comes from the situation and condition

that the researcher is one of Santries of Pesantren Nurul Jadid who has to always

stayed inside the Pesantren and not able to do research outside Pesantren without

any permission. Moreover, with the position owned by the researcher as one of man-

agers in LIPS, also becoming the interest for the researcher to bring up the case of

understanding students’ characteristics of LIPS members to be further researched by

him.

The second reason goes to the uniqueness of Language Intensive Program of

Nurul Jadid Junior High School from the program of intensive language learning im-

plemented inside the institution itself. As shown in the name of the program, LIPS is

specifically reserved for junior high school students who are still identically imma-

ture to learn the foreign language. Moreover, from the program it has to suppose all

the students to speak English all the time, it has also made this institution worth to

be further researched.

The third and the last reason comes from the tendency of LIPS students to

learn English, in every generation, not a little amount of students who stop their

process of learning foreign language in this institution, this case might be caused by

the inappropriate manner of teaching used in Language Intensive Program of Nurul

Jadid Junior High School that tends to be less in providing some teaching and learn-

ing method used for the students to learn English as their foreign language, sup-

ported with the data that not all students are the similar, their characteristics also de-

termine their mentality and strength to keep learning in LIPS itself.

 Therefore, with these reasons above, the research has decided to do further re-

search in Language Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School with the

aim of adducing the case of students’ characteristics to learn English as their foreign

language in LIPS.

3.3. Research Subject

Research subject is the subjects that will be used to collect the data as data

source that is related with the focus of this research. The description involved in the

data that will be obtained from the subjects who are appropriate directly having par-

ticipation with this research. In this research, the subjects were taken at advance

level of Language Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School with the

amount 7 students.

In qualitative research, Cresswell (2012) conveyed that the subjects who are

appropriate of being the research subject were identified and recruited by using

purposive sampling. Purposive sampling is appropriate for this current research

because it is regarding to the place and people that helpful in understanding the

central phenomenon at the field. Then the types of purposive sampling that used in

this research was homogeneous sampling that this type was appropriate with the

phenomenon.

Based on the information above, this research used semi structured where it

was conducted through face to face. So, this research took 3 students of advance

level of Language Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School as the

research subject in conducting observation. Then 2 English teachers and 3 students

on advance level were recruited as the research subject to answer the interview. The

researcher determined the three students who were invited to interview based on 2

students who had the highest scores and 1 student who had scores below the average
so that the obtained interview result became more effective. Furthermore, the

researcher assumed that the research subjects who were capable to give the

information related to the importance of understanding students’ characteristics in

learning English at Language Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High school.

The subjects in this study are:

3.3.1. Two Teachers of LIPS

Mr. Ridwan and Mr. Agung were chosen to be the research subjects.

They were two active English teachers who have been staying in Language

Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School for so long time, they

also have faced various types of students in LIPS, therefore with the experi-

ence they have, the researcher decided to take both Mr. Ridwan and Mr.

Agung to be the research subject of gaining the data from the perspective of

teachers.

3.3.2. Three Students of Advance Level

From the students’ side, there were three students of Language Inten-

sive Program taken to be the research subjects to gain data from the students’

perspectives about the case of considering the importance of understanding

students’ characteristics in learning English, especially at Language Intensive

Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School. Those three students were

consisted of advanced level. The three students were chosen based on 2

students who had the highest scores and 1 student who had scores below the

average.
3.4. Data Collection Technique

The data collection technique used by researcher are as follows (Creswell, 2012):

3.4.1. Observation

Observation is process of gathering open-ended, firsthand information

by observing people and places at a research site. In observational roles,

there are two types of observation namely a participant observation and a

non-participant observation. A participant observation, is the action of ob-

serving by the researcher where the observational role adopted by researchers

when they take part in activities in the setting they observe. At the same time,

that researchers are participating in activities, they also record the

information. A non-participant observation, is an observation that just needs

the researcher as the observer to visits the site and records notes without be-

ing involved in the activities of the participants.

In the process of observation, the general process is outlined in the

following steps; first, select a site to be observed that can help you give the

best understand the central phenomenon. Second, easy to observe into the

site slowly by looking around the site first. Third, identify who or what to

observe, when to observe, and how long to observe at the site. Fourth,

determine, initially, your role as an observer. Fifth, conduct multiple

observations over time to obtain the best understanding of the site and

individuals. Sixth, design some means for recording notes during an

observation. Seventh, consider what information you will record during an

observation. Eighth, record descriptive and reflective field-notes. Ninth,

make yourself known, but remain unobtrusive. Tenth, after observing, slowly

withdraw from the site.

 In this research, the researcher chose the non-participant observation in

conducting the research. The researcher observes to obtain the data of stu-

dents’ characteristics in learning English at Language Intensive Program of

Nurul Jadid Junior High School by observing the situation of teaching and

learning done by the English teachers while also taking an attention to the

students’ participations.

3.4.2. Interview

A qualitative interview occurs when the researcher asks one or more

participants general, open-ended questions, and record their questions. In the

interviews, there are four types of interview as follows:

3.4.2.1. One-on-One Interviews

One-on-one interviews is a data collection process in

which the researcher asks questions to and records answer from

one participant in the study at a time. This type of interviews is

ideally for interviewing the participant who are not hesitant to

speak, are articulate, and who can share ideas comfortably.

3.4.2.2. Focus Group Interviews

A focus group interviews is a process of collecting data

through interviews with a group of people, typically four to six.

The researcher asks a small number of general questions and

elicits responses from all individuals in the group.

In conducting interviews, there are several general steps involved in as

follows; identify the interviews, determine the type of interview you used,

during the interviews, the audiotape the questions and responses, take brief

note during the interview, locate a quiet, suitable place to conducting the
 interview, obtain consent from the interviewee to participate in the study,

have a plan, but be flexible, use probes to obtain additional information, be

courteous and professional when the interview is over.

In this research, the interview that the researcher used is semi-

structured interview. Semi structure Interview where the interview naturally

happened to review questions for the students without disturbing their

convenience when the interview section is running. In brief, the researcher

distributed the questions on interview section naturally in order to make

students feel comfortable when they were asked some questions. The

researcher also used one-on-one interviews and focus group interviews. As

the explanation above, those interviews were appropriate with the

phenomenon in this current research. Furthermore, the entire research subject

who was involved in the interview section enjoyed it during the interview.

In this research, one-on-one interviews were conducted to the English

teachers of Language Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School

while the focus group interviews were conducted to the 3 students of advance

level at LIPS. The data obtained from the interview is focusing on both re-

search subjects’ perspectives about the importance of understanding students’

characteristics in learning English as their foreign language.

3.4.3. Documents Review

Documents review consists of public and private records that

qualitative researchers obtain about a site or participant in a study, and they

can include a newspaper, minutes of meetings, personal journal, and letters.

These sources provide valuable information in helping researches understand

central phenomena in qualitative research.

 In conducting documents in qualitative research, there are some useful

guidelines as follows; identify the types of documents that can provide useful

information to answer your qualitative questions, then considers both public

documents and private documents as sources information for your research,

once the documents are located, seek permission to use them from the

appropriate individuals in charge of the materials, after that if you ask

participants to keep a journal, next provide specific instruction about the

procedure, once you have permission to use documents, examine them for

accuracy, completeness and usefulness in answering the research focus in

your study, the last records information from the documents. The researcher

obtains the data from document review included both English teachers and

LIPS students perspectives about the importance of understanding students’

characteristics in learning English.

In this research, the data obtained to the documents were:

3.4.3.1. The profile of Language Intensive Program of Nurul Ja-

did Junior High School.

3.4.3.2. The vision and mission of Language Intensive Program

of Nurul Jadid Junior High School.

3.4.3.3. The teachers data of Language Intensive Program of

Nurul Jadid Junior High School,

3.4.3.4. The data of advance level students of Language Inten-

sive Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School,

3.4.3.5. Learning module that is used as the base book of learn-

ing English in Language Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid Ju-

nior High School.

3.5. Data Analysis

The data analysis in this research used the concept of qualitative data analysis

from Miles, Huberman and Saldaña (2014). They highlighted the analysis as three

concurrent flows of activity: data condensation, data display, and conclusion

drawing/verification.

3.5.1. Data Condensation

The activity in data condensation is the researcher begin to select,

focus, simplify, abstract, and/or transform the data from the topic that

would like to be researched as like written up field notes, interview

transcripts, documents, and other empirical materials by condensing that

can making data stronger. In this research, the researcher wrote summaries

of what had been obtained from the data collection involved both English

teachers and LIPS students about the importance of understanding stu-

dents’ characteristics in learning English at Language Intensive Program

of Nurul Jadid Junior High School. After that, the researcher simplified

the result of summary to be used in data display.

3.5.2. Data Display

The data display defines compress assembly organized information

that allows conclusion drawing and action (Miles, Huberman, & Saldaña,

2014). The data display is done in some form such as graphs, table, charts

and networks. Apart of those, the data presentation can be formed in brief

description. the activity in data display the researcher attempt to design

displays which it is deciding on the rows and columns of a matrix for

qualitative data and deciding which data, in which form, should be entered
 in the cells, so they can be called analytic activities. In this research, the

organizing data had been obtained in the descriptive form.

The data in this stage was organized through obtaining the data that

had been taken. Then the researcher described the results of the contents

of the data in drawing a verifying conclusion.

3.5.3. Drawing and Verifying Conclusion

The activities of drawing and verifying conclusions start with data

collection. Then, the qualitative analyst interprets what things mean by

noting patterns, explanations, causal flows, and propositions. The

competent researcher holds these conclusions lightly, maintaining

openness and skepticism, but if the conclusions are still there, vague at

first, then increasingly explicit and grounded. The “final” conclusions

may not appear until data collection is over, depending on the size of the

corpus of field notes; the coding, storage, and retrieval methods used; the

sophistication of the researcher; and any necessary deadlines to be met.

The conclusion was drawn after the collected data had been presented

and an in-depth understanding of the data had been faced, then the

researcher verified the data by checking the data correlation to what data

had been presented with new data to be used as conclusions of under-

standing students’ characteristics in learning English at Language Inten-

sive Program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School.

3.6. Triangulation of data

Triangulation of data sources was assessed to the credibility of the data by

checking the data obtained from several sources involved in the interview of the

English teacher and students at advance level of Language Intensive Programs of

 Nurul Jadid Junior High School. While the triangulation of technique was assessed

to the credibility of data that checked the same data by various methods. It can

involve observation and document review of the module.

After the data was collected from non-participant observation, interview on one-

on one-interview, focus group interviews, and document review, the researcher

needed to compare all the instruments. Then, in this research for example where the

data of interview gave agreement that understanding students’ characteristics in

learning English at Language Intensive Programs of Nurul Jadid Junior High School

is considered important and required to do for keeping the facile teaching and

learning process, supported by the result of the observation and validated by other

related data.

3.7. Research Procedure

The research procedure means the research implementation that is carried out

by the researcher, starting in preliminary research, designing development, actual

research and writing reports.

Regarding to the research procedure above, this research had three phases that

have been passed by researcher in the research procedure form as follows:

3.7.1 Pre-field stage

Pre-field stage was done before doing the field work.

3.7.1.1. Developing Research Design

In compiling the plan, the researcher established the

plan by follows the title of research, the reason of the research,

the focus of the research, the purpose of the research, the

benefits of research, the object of research and the strategy used

for the research.

 3.7.1.2. Choosing Research Field

The researcher chose the research field and the research

field for this research was at Language Intensive Program of

Nurul Jadid Junior High School located in Pondok Pesantren

Nurul Jadid Paiton Probolinggo.

3.7.1.3. Permitting Process

In permitting process, before conducting the research,

the researcher took license in advance to the campus and visited

the research field to get permission, then took a stage of

research.

3.7.1.4. Assessing the State of the Field

After getting the permission, the research began to

explore to know better the background of the research object in

order to make it easier for the researcher in digging up the data

3.7.1.5. Preparing Research Instrument

After the stages above done, the last stage was

preparing the instrument needed before conducting the

research.

3.7.2 Stage of Work Field

In this stage, the data of this research was carried out. In carrying out

the data, the researcher collected the data by three methods, they were

observation, interviews and document review.

3.7.3 Stage of Data Analysis

After the data was carried out and collected from the result of

observation, interview and document review, the data was analyzed with
Huberman and Saldaña’s (2014) model. Then, it was described to the form

of report and consulted with the advisor. After all, this research was tested

and revised for the very last time after the exam was done.
 CHAPTER IV
FINDING AND DISCUSSION

4.1. Description of the Research Object

4.1.1. Profile of Language Intensive Program of SMP Nurul Jadid (LIPS).

4.1.1.1. Institution History

Language intensive program of Nurul Jadid Junior High School that is

also known as LIPS is a language program under the name of Nurul Jadid

Junior High School in curriculum division.

This institution was built at 2002 firstly caused by the requirement

given by National Education that supposed all institution to have

uniqueness. Therefore, all the organizers agreed that school uniqueness

that wanted to be upheld and focused were language and religions devel-

opment, by first considering that the Nurul Jadid Junior High School is

located closed with Pantura, the second, Nurul Jadid Junior High School

is located near with the industry of Electric steam power (PLTU) that was

expectedly able to interest foreigners to come visiting.

With these considerations above, all organizers committed altogether

to build a language program called as Language Intensive Program of

SMP Nurul Jadid (LIPS). In the first period, students selection ran

difficult caused by students’ low desires and confidence in learning

foreign languages such as English and Arabic, but with the effort and

commitment owned by the organizers, started from the second period till

now on, the students of Language Intensive Program has developed

quickly. Either in selecting students or developing the program activities,

it is proven by the students’ development in which they are able to use

English and Arabic languages as their daily language in term of staying in

the dormitory of LIPS for only two months.

At the first building of this program, LIPS was just especially targeted

to the students staying in Sunan Drajat Dormitory (Male dormitory). And

for the female dormitory, it was just for the students staying in the area of

Az-Zainiyah (West Dorm), and the area of Al-Hasyimiyah (East Dorm). It

was fundamentally aimed to make the students able to practice and

actively communicate by using these two foreign languages; English and

Arabic.

In enhancing the students’ fluency to communicate by foreign

languages, the school had an initiative to gather the students in an only

dormitory (separated with other dormitories) at 2008, while the program

also had special dormitory, the students were also gathered in the same

classroom in their formal education. Thus, the implementation of student

program could be easier to be managed by the instructor.

With the existence of this language program, school had a hope to

make it be the uniqueness owned by Nurul Jadid Junior High School,

make it be the place of equipping the students to have soft skills of foreign

language, and prepare them to compete in many local, regional, and

national competitions.

In the side of directors, Language Intensive Program of SMP Nurul

Jadid (LIPS) had many times passed director changes, the first was Mr.

Najimuddin Zaky started at 2002 to 2004, the second was Mr. Moh.

Kholili who got the position of director in only three months, the third
 was Mr. Sulton Firdaus started at 2004 – 2005, Mr. Zainullah Ar-Rifa’i

started at 2005 till 2015, and Mr. Abdul Ghofur, S. Sy., started at 2015 till

2017, and Mr. Achmad Febrianto started at 2017 till 2020, and Mr.

Muhammad Ridwan, S.Pd. started at 2020 till 2023.

Meanwhile, at 2011 to 2012, school created a position of sub-director

for the female dormitory, Mam Hilyatul Hasanah, while the previous

structural organizer was held by only one director. It was aimed to make

the founding be more controlled and independent. But at 2014, LIPS

director went back to Mr. Zainullah Ar-Rifa’i as the sub-coordinator, Mam

Sundari as the west dorm sub-coordinator, and Mam Siti Maknunah as the

east dorm sub-coordinator. But further, at February 2015, the position of

sub-director was again changed into head director, and that position was

placed by Mr. Abdul Ghofur, S. Sy., while the west dorm sub-coordinator

is Mam Yuni Antika, and for the east dorm sub-coordinator is constantly

Mam Siti Maknunah.

4.1.1.2. Students

In the side of students focus, LIPS students are purely the students of

Nurul Jadid Junior High School at the first, second, and third grades. The

students of Nurul Jadid Junior High School are free to register to LIPS

when they are still at the first and second grade, and for the third grade

one, they have been not able to register due to the obligations of third

grade students who should prepare themselves to go through the final ex-

amination conducted before their graduation.

Further, LIPS students are divided into three levels, the first if elementary

level, the second is intermediate level, and the last is advanced level. Each
 level of LIPS students have their own focus on learning, as the example,

for the elementary students, they are supposed to firstly know how to

speak English and know some important points of English as foreign lan-

guage. For the intermediate students, they are supposed to learn deeper

about the materials of English, and be able to start deepening the skills

they tend to like in English, the skills are listening, speaking, reading, and

writing. Intermediate students are also able to join some competitions that

they want to try, including speech competition, storytelling competition,

news reading competition, spelling bee competition, and etc. and for the

advanced level, they focus on writing scientific and academic article for

their final assignment to be graduated from LIPS.

4.1.1.3. Goals and Targets

The arrangement of goals and targets owned by Language Intensive

Program of SMP Nurul Jadid is based on the vision and mission of the in-

stitution, as follow:

4.1.1.3.1. Vision

Creating qualified and superior generation who has glorious

and noble behaviors based on the trilogy of Nurul Jadid Islamic

Boarding College Paiton Probolinggo

4.1.1.3.2. Mission

 Developing qualified and superior generation who has profi-

ciency of competitive foreign languages.

 Developing qualified and superior generation who has profi-

ciency of good communication.

 4.1.1.3.3. Graduation Profile

 Becoming English generation who is qualified in English pro-

ficiency

 Becoming English generation who has high rate of competi-

tive feeling in globalization era

 Becoming facilitator of English development

4.1.1.3.4. Goals

 Being able to master English vocabularies and practice it daily

in school and Pesantren environment

 Being English skilled in daily life especially in school and Pe-

santren Environment

 Being skilled and confidence to use English in all events of

competitions, such as speech, storytelling, spelling bee, news

reading, and others by facilely using English in both school

and Pesantren Environment.

4.2. Data Presentation and Analysis

Data presentation and analysis contain the detail of obtained data description

and findings using the methods and procedures described in chapter 3. This descrip-

tion consists of data descriptions presented to the topic according to research ques-

tions. The results of the data analysis are the findings of research presented in the

form of patterns, themes, lessons, and motivations arising from the data. Besides, the

finding may be category, classification system and typology.

4.2.1. How the teachers understand the students’ characteristics in learning

English studying the case of LIPS Nurul Jadid students

 Researcher conducted interviews, observation, and document review to

obtain data from teacher perspective on how the teachers are able to know the

learning characteristics of different students in Language Intensive Program of

SMP Nurul Jadid. Researcher described, elaborated, and interpreted the data

so that became whole comprehensive description.

According to the statement of Mr. Ridwan as one of experienced

teacher who has many times taught the class in all different levels of LIPS Nu-

rul Jadid, Mr. Ridwan stated that:

“Based on the experience I have passed in teaching the students of

LIPS. I can investigate whether the students’ characteristics fit with the
implementation of the teaching and learning is from the condition of
the students after learning, some students who fit their learning char-
acteristics with the implementation of LIPS teaching learning mostly
get more influence in English, they are more developed in English ei-
ther in the case of their understanding towards English materials or
their actions and behaviors in the dormitory. Simply, the students who
are suitable with the teaching and learning method of LIPS are able to
speak easier than those people whose the characteristics are not fitting
with the teaching and learning method implemented by LIPS”

It was also supported by another experienced teacher of LIPS, namely

Mr. Agung, he confirmed that:

“As mentioned by Mr. Ridwan, it is true that we can see whether the

implementation of teaching English conducted by LIPS is suitable with

the students’ characteristics or not from the results after the students

stay and learn English in this institution for at most two months, the

students characteristics which are suitable with the teaching and learn-

ing of English in LIPS will tend to be more developed in their English,

 they can speak more fluent, they are easy to have communication with

their friends, and etc. In contrast with that, the students who are not

suitable with the method of LIPS teaching learning, their improvement

in English is not as much as the other one.”

He also added:

“But not only that, we can see the different learning characteristics of

students from the behavior and action during the teaching and learn-

ing. For these students whose the learning characteristics fit with the

method of teaching and learning implemented by LIPS, they will tend

to be more active and attractive during the teaching and learning

process, they will more focus on the teacher explaining the materials,

while they will also question all things that they don’t understand about

the materials being taught. Different with the positive students, the stu-

dents whose the characteristics don’t fit with the teaching and learning

method implemented by LIPS, they will tend to be passive and not focus

on the teaching and learning, mostly they will tend to be like talking

with their friends or just playing with their pen, and not listen to what

the teacher explains to them.”

In line with the previous statements obtained from the teachers inter-

views. The focus group interviews from the students also result similar state-

ments, the first student, named as Yagra stated that:

“In LIPS, usually the teacher will conduct the teaching and learning

activity by using common method (communicative language teaching;

the teacher explains the materials while also attracting the students by

asking them some questions related with the materials), but when it has
 been 30 minutes of teaching and learning, the teacher will offer us

some methods of teaching that might interest our learning, it is usually

using game, I think that the teacher uses game for undergoing the

teaching and learning because he sees some students in the class feel

bored and not focus on the materials being taught during teaching and

learning. As the position of teacher in front of the class, teacher will

see the entire condition and situation in the classroom. Therefore, he

will know what happens to the students in the classroom itself.”

It was also added by Rafi as the second student in the focus group in-

terview, he stated:

“I agree with Yagra sir, the teacher after undergoing the teaching and

learning for some minutes, the teacher will see the entire students in

the classroom, and if the teacher sees one or two students are not fo-

cusing on the teaching and learning, the teacher will try to interact us

with the new method of learning, usually use game, with the aim of

making the boring students get the points of teaching-learning that is

conducted.”

Based on the interview from the teacher (using one-on-one interview)

and the students (using focus group interview) of LIPS Nurul Jadid regarding

on how the teacher understands students’ characteristics in learning English

showed that, the teachers are able to know the students’ characteristics in

learning English from two paths, the first is the teacher knows the students’

characteristics in learning from the result of their learning after staying in

LIPS dormitory for some times, the second is the teacher knows the students’

characteristics from the students’ actions and behaviors during the teaching
and learning process conducted by LIPS. It is supported with the statements

resulted from the interviews done for both teachers and students of Language

Intensive Program of SMP Nurul Jadid.

Further, the observation that was conducted by the researcher on Sun-

day at June 25 2023, also resulted the same facts happening in the research

field of LIPS Nurul Jadid. In the classroom, when the teaching and learning

process was conducted by the teacher, the researcher found that some students

during the teaching learning really focused on the materials being taught by

the teachers, they tended to be engaged with what the teacher explained them

in front of the class, the researcher assumed that these students whose the

learning characteristics are suitable with the method used in the teaching and

learning at that time (it was communicative language teaching). Meanwhile,

the researcher also found that some students tended not to focus on the teach-

ing and learning they underwent, they didn’t give attention to what the teacher

did and explained in front of the class, while they just randomly spoke and

talked with their friend who was not also focusing on the materials being

taught by the teacher, thus, the researcher assumed that these students whose

the learning characteristics are not suitable and fitting with the manner of

teaching done by the teacher.

Moreover, it was also approved in reviewing the document of the les-

son plan used in teaching and learning process of LIPS. It is stated that, the

teachers of LIPS mostly use the method of communicative language teaching

for the common method used in teaching the students, but sometimes, they

drive it differently to game-based learning when they think that the students
 have felt bored during the teaching-learning to make the students be interested

again to continuously follow the teaching-learning itself.

Therefore, based on the result of the observation, interview, and docu-

ment review explained before, the researcher conclude that the teachers of

LIPS could know and feel that the students have different learning characteris-

tics from their tendency in while and post-teaching and learning process con-

ducted by LIPS organizers, at this case, the research makes the points, as fol-

low: (1) teachers are able to know the students’ characteristics from the results

of students during teaching-learning process and from the results after getting

the materials from the teaching and learning, (2) teachers are able to identify

the student’s learning characteristics from the actions and behaviors of stu-

dents during the teaching and learning process.

4.2.2. The characteristics of students in learning English to study the case of

LIPS Nurul Jadid students.

In the case happening in LIPS Nurul Jadid, the learning characteristics

of students are various in type. In fact, students’ learning characteristics are

actually consisted of some points, such as (1) General Characteristics (class,

age, gender, and work), (2) Initial Ability, (3) Learning Style, and (4) Learning

Motivation.

Meanwhile, because the point of general characteristics is not suitable

for the circumstances of LIPS students in which the students class are deter-

mined as the same as in formal school meaning that they are learning with

their classmates (the same class), the students are also similar in age (the same

age), as the fact that the location of LIPS is on behalf of Islamic boarding col-

lege that means the male and female dormitories are separated (the same gen-
der), and the students are all students (the same work), the point of general

characteristics cannot be put in the discussion. Therefore, the topic of the in-

terview on students’ characteristics just involves three points of students’ char-

acteristics covering (1) Initial Ability, (2) Learning Style, and (3) Learning

Motivation. Here are the interviews:

 Initial Ability

At the point of Initial Ability, Mr. Ridwan said that:

“Due to my experience in teaching in LIPS Nurul Jadid, it is

easy to determine which students have ever studied the materi-

als being taught and the students haven’t anymore learned

about the materials. If the students are active during the teach-

ing-learning and they ask more specific and detailed questions,

it means that they have already learned about the materials, but

if the students are not so active during the teaching-learning

and they tend to be like confused about the materials being

taught while the questions they utter are just like basic ques-

tions, it means that they haven’t learned the materials anymore.

That is the case of initial ability or background knowledge of

students that usually happens in LIPS.”

Similar with the statements uttered by Mr. Ridwan, Mr. Agung

added that:

“Initial ability of the students can be identified from the action

and behaviors of student during the teaching and learning, if

they are active in the classroom means that they have the initial

ability on the materials being taught, but if they are not so ac-
 tive in the classroom, the possibility is that they never learn

about the material so they listen to the explanation well and try

to understand it. But these indicators I mentioned just now is

not that valid, so sometimes there are some students who

haven’t learned about the materials anymore but they are active

in the classroom due to their curiosity about the materials being

taught”

With the same topic of Initial Ability discussed in the focus

group interview of LIPS students, Marcel gave his argumentation, he

stated that:

“All right sir, LIPS students are indeed more active when they

are learning the materials that they have learned somewhere,

something like the material of present tense, at that time, all

students were so active and engaged with the undergoing class-

room, they also questioned some more specific questions that

they haven’t understood from the materials of present tense sir,

and yes it makes the classroom attractive and fun”

Rafi also added that:

“When we learn something that we have learned, it makes us

understand more about the materials sir, so we just need to re-

pair some misled understandings of us about the materials”

So, as the summary of the interviews on the Initial Ability of students

characteristics, it can be understood that students who have the initial ability

on the material being taught tend to be more active in the classroom, they also

tend to ask more specific questions about the materials, and they are also easy
to relate it with the next materials that will be taught later. Thus, the students’

characteristics of students with initial ability or not can be easily differentiated

by teacher, and it is able to be seen clearly when the teaching and learning is

conducted in Language Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid.

 Learning Style

At the point of Learning Style, Mr. Agung confirmed that:

“As long as I teach the students of LIPS, the major learning

characteristic of students that usually influence the process of

teaching and learning is in the side of learning style used by the

instructor to teach the students. I assume that some students

may have different comfort style of learning, the common style

of learning might be just visual and auditory as what happens

in the classroom usually, it seems like the students see and listen

to what the teachers explains in front of the class. But, there are

some students who need special learning style; some of them

may be easier to learn something when they are moving their

body (kinesthetic learning style), or when they are learning

through discussing with their friends (group learning style), or

when they are learning through Impulsive learning style (re-

sponding immediately on the material being taught, usually

happens in the game of continuing word “sambung kata”).

Therefore, LIPS teachers usually use different teaching and

learning style for the students to make sure that they get the

points of material being taught in the classroom conducted by

LIPS.”
It is also strengthened by Mr. Ridwan, he conveyed that:

“Every student of LIPS has their own characteristic in learning,

in the side of learning style, the students have their own ten-

dency in catching what’s being taught by the teacher, some of

them might be comfort with the method of communicative lan-

guage teaching in which they are just supposed to see and listen

the materials explained by teachers, while also answering the

sudden given question. Meanwhile, it might not work to be im-

plemented to other students, because they prefer to learn by

themselves, or learn by having discussion with their friends.

Therefore, we as the instructor and educator sometimes provide

an innovation or new method to teach them, as the example:

once in a month, we conduct the audio visual activity in which

the activity is like the students watch an English movie (visual

and auditory), then we suppose them to write a summary about

the movie (teaching writing skill), or we order them to retell

what they have watched (teaching speaking skill), with the aim

of making the students not bored with the common teaching and

learning style used in the classroom. As what I said before,

LIPS teachers also usually conduct such game-based learning

in which we make a game inside of our teaching and learning

process, this is also aimed to make the students with special ten-

dency of learning style not bored to learn and still get the points

of material being taught by the instructors”

 Further, in the focus group interview with the students, two stu-

dents (Yagra and Rafi) also stated the similar things with the statements

resulted from the interviews of LIPS teacher. Yagra confirmed that:

“What makes us difficult to understand the materials is some-

times caused by the manner used by teacher in teaching us sir.

We usually feel bored when the teaching and learning is just

like we see and listen to what the teacher explains in front of the

class. Therefore, some students including me are not listening

and paying much attention to the teacher. It is different when

the teacher conducts such a game in studying; it interests us to

learn English. Moreover, in the morning activity, there is an ac-

tivity of listening music and we are supposed to fill in the blank

word in the lyric text of the music, it is also interesting for us.”

It is also supported with the statement of Rafi, he said that:

“Yes sir, I agree with Yagra, sometimes I feel bored to study

when the teacher just talks much explaining the material. I’m

also difficult to catch the materials when it is just like a com-

mon classroom. Moreover, I’m also sleepy sir when the teaching

learning is not interesting and suitable with me. For me and

many of my friends, we prefer to learn by using movie as what’s

conducted by the organizer of LIPS in every month (audio-vis-

ual activity), and then we are ordered to explain the movie or

write a synopsis of the movie that one. In the same with what

Yagra said just now, I also like when the teacher conducts game
 in the classroom sir, because it makes me and my friends be ac-

tive and interactive during the teaching and learning process.”

In the conclusion, the research summarize that the case of students’

characteristics in the side of Learning Style also exists in the teaching and

learning process of Language Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid. Every student

of LIPS might have their own tendency and preference in maximizing their

learning. It was told that some students are comfort with the learning style of

visual and auditory, but some students are not, they prefer the learning style of

kinesthetic or impulsive learning style, or they might also prefer the learning

style of visual and auditory in the new form (such an activity of Audio-Visual

of LIPS conducted every month).

 Learning Motivation

For the next point of students’ characteristics in the side of

learning motivation, both teachers Mr. Ridwan and Mr. Agung argued

the similar things about the different characteristic of students in learn-

ing motivation. Mr. Ridwan stated that:

“This also becomes one of influential things inside the students’

characteristic that affect their progress and their process of

learning English. I realized it when I became one of examiners

in the spoken test of registering to LIPS. I asked them like “why

do you want to enroll to LIPS?” and they uttered various an-

swers, there are some students enrolling to LIPS because they

do really want to learn English in which they think that knowing

and understanding English is going to be beneficial for them,

there are also students answering that they enroll to LIPS be-
 cause they just simply want to be able to speak English, but

there are also some students answering that they enroll to LIPS

because they just join their friends, and yes it influences their

motivation in learning English in LIPS. For the students who

really intend to learn English, their habit and tendency are re-

ally good in learning, they tend to study hard to understand all

English materials being taught by the teachers, and for the stu-

dents who just aim to sharpen their English skill, they might be

spirit and inspired to join the speaking class, but in other

classes like grammar and writing, they tend to underestimate it,

and for the students who are just following their friends without

having any purpose of enrolling in LIPS, they tend to be like

just joining the course as it is a formality without having any

target and willingness to learn harder and know the English

well, this type students mostly stop in the midst time of their en-

trance and go back to the regular dormitory existing in Nurul

Jadid”

As same as the statement of Mr. Ridwan, Mr. Agung added that:

“Student learning is also influenced by their motivation in en-

rolling to LIPS. Some students who really intend to learn Eng-

lish (having strong motivation to know English), they are really

serious in their effort of learning it, out of teaching and learn-

ing process conducted by the teacher, they themselves usually

relearn the materials that have been taught by the teacher, and

yes they usually get developed faster than others. In contrast

 with these intended students, the students who don’t have any

motivation to enroll and learn English in LIPS usually act like

everything is just a formality, they don’t have any target and

goal to achieve, they just undergo their journey of learning

English in LIPS with no effort of studying hard, and yes their

score of evaluation might be just standard.”

In the focus group interview of LIPS students becoming the

participants, at the point of learning motivation, Yagra said that:

“As I know, there are indeed some students who tend to be like

serious in learning, they also seem to be ambitious to learn

English, they always practice their language either it is in the

spoken and written form, they are also not lazy to join all the

activities of LIPS, I think that it might be caused by their learn-

ing motivation is high sir.”

Marcel added that:

“And there are also some students who are lazy to do every-

thing sir, they just join the activity randomly, it’s something like

they are not serious in learning, they are sometimes joking

when teaching and learning is conducted even the teacher ex-

plains the materials in front of the class, they consider every-

thing in LIPS is just like formality.”

It can be concluded that the case of learning motivation as one of fo-

cuses in students’ characteristics also exists and influences the flow of teach-

ing and learning activity conducted in LIPS. As uttered by the interview par-

ticipants, they stated that some students with high learning motivation tends to
be more active and intend to learn, they tend to always join all activities con-

ducted by LIPS, and they also become ambitious in learning English as the

target language they want to master. In contrast with that, students with low

learning motivation meaning that they are not anymore motivated to learn

English tend to be not serious in learning, they sometimes act randomly like

not joining LIPS activity, and they also tend not to have any target and goal to

achieve in learning English.

As the general conclusion of students’ characteristics and its points, it

can be assumed that the points of students’ characteristics covering initial abil-

ity, learning style, and learning motivation exist in LIPS especially in every

teaching and learning activity conducted by LIPS. As the result, people being

interviewed said the same things, they conveyed that every student character-

istic owned by the students of LIPS influences the tendency and the behaviors

of students in learning, and it also exactly affects and influences the students’

development toward their understanding on English. Some students having the

right characteristics might be more developed than other students having the

misled and wrong characteristics. And as stated by the people being the inter-

viewed, it becomes the obligation of LIPS organizers and teachers to bring the

students to the right path of learning with the way of providing them the

proper and suitable manner and method that is able to interest the students to

learn English well in Language Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid.

This data of interview explained above is supported by the observation

done by the researcher on Tuesday at June 27, 2023. The researcher observed

that the teaching and learning activity conducted by LIPS consisted of various

types of students. There were students who were really spirit to join the teach-
ing and learning while others looked so lazy for it, there were students who fo-

cused much on the materials being taught by the teacher while others seemed

to be bored on it, and there were also students who were so ambitious to learn

English by joining all activities conducted by LIPS while others seemed to just

consider LIPS activities as a formality. These field facts mentioned before

were the proof that every student of LIPS has different characteristics in learn-

ing English even the institution they are staying is truly a place to learn the

foreign language.

Moreover, it was also approved by the internal document of LIPS

teachers reviewed by the researcher in the form of students’ reflections on the

teaching and learning activity conducted by LIPS, the reflection text showed

the true feeling and experience of students during the teaching and learning.

On deeper document review done by the researcher, the researcher found and

summarized that LIPS students have various different types of learning char-

acteristic, in the reflection text, it was written that some students were fine

with the learning atmosphere of LIPS, but other students were in the opposite,

they were bothered with the common learning activity, they wrote that the

teaching and learning were not interested to them and they were so bored with

it. The students also wrote about the condition of their friends, some of them

wrote that there were certain students who made them feel uncomfortable in

learning due to the action done by the certain students itself. Thus, with the

data previously stated, the document review done by the researcher also con-

veyed that LIPS students have various different learning characteristics.

At last, it is proper to state that the data gathered from the interview,

observation, and document review showed the similar and in line case about
 students’ characteristics in learning English at Language Intensive Program of

Nurul Jadid. The points of student characteristics being touched at this case

were the Initial Ability, Learning Style, and Learning Motivation of LIPS stu-

dents with the additional facts that these characteristics were able to affect and

influence the students’ in learning English.

Data Presentation and Analysis

No. Focuses Findings

1. How does the teacher understand LIPS teachers are able to know the stu-

the characteristics of students in dents’ characteristics in learning by seeing the

learning English studying the case condition of the students when they have been

of LIPS Nurul Jadid students? staying in LIPS for some times. The teachers

tend to specifically know the students’ charac-

teristics in learning from two ways:

1) The first way is through seeing the develop-

ment of students after staying and learning Eng-

lish in LIPS for some time. If there is no any

development from certain student, one of the

causes will surely be caused by their different

characteristics in learning English.

2) The second one is through seeing students’

action and behaviors during the teaching and

learning activity is conducted. Teachers might

commonly see some students who seem so

spirit in learning, but others or not, this case

 might be also caused by their different charac-

teristics in learning belong to the students.

In the case happening in LIPS, students’

characteristics known and considered able to in-

fluence the students’ process of learning English

are classified into three types, these are:

1) Initial Ability, talking about the background

knowledge of the students about the materials

What are the characteristics of
being taught during teaching and learning activ-
students in learning English in the
ity.
2.
case of LIPS Nurul Jadid stu-
2) Learning style, talking about the difference
dents?
of students’ ways in getting the knowledge of

materials being taught.

3) Learning Motivation, talking about the rea-

sons, goals, and targets the students have when

they decided to enroll to and learning about

English in Language Intensive Program.

4.3. Discussion

At this stage, the researchers’ ideas on the relationship between categories and

dimensions, position of current findings with previous one, as well as interpretations

and explanations of the findings revealed from the field. In this part, the researcher

found that there are two things to discuss in this theme, these are: the ways and man-
ners used by LIPS teachers to understand the learning characteristics of students

studying the case of LIPS Nurul Jadid students and the characteristics of students in

learning English in the case of LIPS Nurul Jadid students. Here is the specific expla-

nation:

4.3.1. How the teachers understand the students’ characteristics in learn-

ing English studying the case of LIPS Nurul Jadid students

Fundamentally, in the consideration of understanding students’ characteristics

is a must to provide proper and suitable classroom environment for students’ learn-

ing process, teachers and all educational organizers are expectedly able to analyze

and identify students’ characteristics. This statement is also related with the state-

ment of Septiani & Afnana (2020), Vygotsky (1994) conveying that the learning

process is useless, and to make the learning activity useful, it is important to firstly

be planned and developed based on the condition of students as the subject of learn-

ing while also considering the socio-cultural environment the students live, it is also

strengthened by Waidl (2004) stated that the most important thing before stepping to

the learning strategy is to earlier know the students (Septiani & Afnani, 2020).

Therefore, this teacher obligation also becomes an important thing to do by

every teacher in the world before going to the next further step of teaching the stu -

dents, LIPS teachers are also involved at this case. As happened in the case of LIPS

students who stay and learn English, there are truly many types of students’ charac-

teristics influencing their process of learning. Thus, the teachers and educators of

LIPS have ever done some manners that they use in understanding the students char-

acteristics in learning.

According to the finding, LIPS teachers’ manners or ways in understanding

the learning characteristics of students are divided into two forms, the first way is
through seeing the development of students after staying and learning English in

LIPS for some time. If there is no any development from certain student, one of the

causes will surely be caused by their different characteristics in learning English.

The second one is through seeing students’ action and behaviors during the teaching

and learning activity is conducted. Teachers might commonly see some students who

seem so spirit in learning, but others or not, this case might be also caused by their

different characteristics in learning English.

Due to the above finding on the importance of knowing and understanding stu-

dents’ learning characterisics, it can be summarized that there are two ways of LIPS

teachers to know and understand the students’ learning characteristics, including (1)

analyzing students’ development after staying and learning English in LIPS for some

time and (2) analyzing students’ action and behaviors during the teaching and learn-

ing activity is conducted by LIPS, it is in the regard of the importance of knowing

and understanding students’ characteristics to conduct such proper and suitable

classroom environment for the students. This finding is relevant with the statement

of Astuti, Fauziati, & Marmanto (2019) that knowing and understanding students’

characteristics will give benefit for the teachers to plan how to teach students and to

find out each student’s needs.

In the conclusion, it can be implied that the activities of knowing and under-

standing students’ characteristics by analyzing their development after staying and

learning English in LIPS for some time and analyzing students’ action and behavior

during teaching and learning can be used to fill the importance of knowing and un-

derstanding students’ characteristics in learning English at the case happening in

Language Intensive Program of Nurul Jadid.

4.3.2. The students characteristics in learning English to study the case

of LIPS Nurul Jadid students

Student’ characteristics are a comprehensive pattern of behavior and

student abilities obtained from their social environment which influence the

purpose of life in achieving dreams and aspirations. Characteristics are also

natural characteristics that exist in a person consisting of gender, age,

knowledge, race, religion, and so on. Simply, it can be understood that student

characteristic is person different uniqueness owned by an individual, this pat-

tern cannot be changed but possibly able to be adapted to another thing.

In the finding on the students’ learning characteristics at the case of

LIPS Nurul Jadid students, there are three types of students’ learning charac-

teristics, these are initial ability, learning style, and learning motivation. (1)

The initial ability refers to the ability or knowledge students have early known

about the materials being taught in the teaching and learning activity con-

ducted in LIPS, (2) learning style means the mechanism used in teaching and

learning activity, and (3) learning motivation can be described as an interest of

students in learning based on certain target and goal the students have. As ex-

plained in the collected data, it stated that these three types of students’ charac-

teristics have much influence on the student process of learning English.

Regarding on the finding above, the explanation was in line with the

statement of Yurista (2018) stated that in understanding the students’ charac-

teristics, there are four types of learning characteristics that can be identified,

covering the general characteristics (class, age, gender, work), initial ability,

learning style, and learning motivation, revealing that these types of students’

characteristics are indeed becoming the influential factors influencing the stu-
dents process of learning proven by the case happening in LIPS Nurul Jadid,

except the point of general characteristics that cannot be considered due to the

circumstances of Language Intensive Program that is one of institutions inside

Islamic boarding college.

At last, it can be concluded that these three types of learning character-

istics covering initial ability, learning style, and learning motivation are truly

influential in affecting the students’ process of learning English. It is proven

by some cases in which students having the different characteristics in initial

ability, learning style, and learning motivation are also having different behav-

iors and achievement in learning English.

Apart from the findings above, the researcher found that understanding

student’ characteristics in learning English can be so important to do, due to its

position that is able to influence the process of students’ learning, therefore the

teachers must be ready for all possibilities of students’ different characteristics

that influence wither the behaviors and the development of students in learn-

ing English.
 CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
5.1. Conclusion

The conclusion of whole focuses that have been discussed and analyzed in

Chapter IV covering:

5.1.1. LIPS teachers are able to know the students’ characteristics in learning by see-

ing the condition of the students when they have been staying in LIPS for

some times. The teachers tend to specifically know the students’ characteris-

tics in learning from two ways, covering (1) the first way is through seeing the

development of students after staying and learning English in LIPS for some

time. If there is no any development from certain student, one of the causes

will surely be caused by their different characteristics in learning English. (2)

the second one is through seeing students’ action and behaviors during the

teaching and learning activity is conducted. Teachers might commonly see

some students who seem so spirit in learning, but others or not, this case might

be also caused by their different characteristics in learning belong to the stu-

dents.

5.1.2. As the case happening in LIPS, students’ characteristics known and considered

able to influence the students’ process of learning English are classified into

three types, these are: (1) Initial Ability, talking about the background knowl-

edge of the students about the materials being taught during teaching and

learning activity. (2) Learning style, talking about the difference of students’

ways in getting the knowledge of materials being taught. (3) Learning Motiva-

tion, talking about the reasons, goals, and targets the students have when they

decided to enroll to and learn about English in Language Intensive Program.

5.2. Suggestion

In this part of the research, the researcher would like to give some suggestions

after conducted the research about understanding students’ characteristics in learning

English: case study at Language Intensive Program (LIPS) Nurul Jadid, the sugges-

tions are for:

5.2.1. The teacher

In every teaching and learning process conducted by LIPS, the teacher

is expected to be more innovative, creative, and attractive to teach the students

with the aim of catching students’ attention and interest to keep up with the

classroom being conducted. Teacher must be aware on the students in case the

students lost control during the activities and bring them back concussively to

the circumstances of teaching and learning process.

5.2.2. The next researchers

For the next future researchers, the researcher expects that you all can

be more critical to dig up the case deeper with the aim of getting the new nov-

elty in the same theme, so it creates an innovation of truth about the same or

related variables with this research.