The document introduces a study that aims to improve students' understanding of modal verbs at a junior high school in Indonesia. It provides background on the importance of language and English education. The study will examine the effectiveness of using mind-mapping to teach modal verbs, as this method may make the lessons more enjoyable, easy to understand and memorable for students. The document outlines the research questions, objectives, significance, scope and definitions of key terms for the study.

1. CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1. Backround of The Study
Language is a system of communication by speaking, writing or
making signs in a way that can be understood or any of different system of
communication that is used in particular region1
. Language is a system of
arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication2
. Language is an
arbitrary system of speech sound which is used or can be used in interpersonal
communication by an aggregation of human beings, and which rather
exhaustively catalog things, processes, and events in the human environment3
.
From the definition of language above one can draw some basic characteristics
of human language, among others that language is systematic, arbitrary,
spoken and complete. Language contains two systems rather than one, a
system of sounds and a system of meaning. Nowdays, language as a tool of
communication and social control has many functions and advantages in the
daily life context, such as greeting, asking something, command, repport,
giving ideas, etc. Language has central role in the intelectual develepment,
social, and students’ emotional and as a key to be succesful all of material in
school. Language is expected can help to know their self, culture, and another
cultures, to express idea or feeling, to participate in society that use its
language, make a decision for their self and social, to find out and use analitic
and imaginative ability to their self. With the language we can communicate,
express our feeling and can share with other people around the world.
Language has two forms, written and spoken language. Both are used to
express our feeling by using sequence of words which is tried in to
understandable sentence. When it is conveyed writtenly, someone who read
1
Cambridge Dictionary of American English, (New York: Cambridge University Press,
2000), p. 486.
2
Ronald Wardhaugh, Introduction to Linguistics, (University of Michigan: Mc Graw- Hill
book company, 1972), p. 3.
3
Ramelan, Introduction to Linguistic Analysis, (Semarang, IKIP Semarang Press, 1992), p.
10.
1

2. the sentence can understand and it will respond it. While spoken language is
done by someone orally. Both written and spoken languages have different
roles and difficulty level.
There are many languages in the world. One of them is English. Quran
verse Ar Rum: 22 also say that:
     
       
‫)ا‬‫الر‬‫و‬:‫م‬22(
“And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and
the variations in your languages and your colours: verily in that are Signs
for those who know”4
English is a tool of communication orally and written.
Communication is defined understanding and expressing information,
mind, feeling also developing science and technology, and culture by
using the language. Communication ability is to understand and make
spoken and written text that to be realized in to four skills of language are
listening, speaking, writing and reading. English has been taught in many
levels of schools, kindergarten, elementary, junior high school, senior high
school even university. English has four skills that consist of reading,
listening, writing and speaking. Ideally, four of them have to be mastered
by someone who teach and learn English because it is a key to interact
with people in the world. English is still considered as one of the most
important school subjects and therefore beginning teachers can find the
responsibility of teaching it both exciting and challenging. Learning
English in school especially in the junior high school (SMP) is one of the
subjects in the curriculum that students have to learn because it has
important role and as a measurement of students’ graduation in national
examination (UN). Indonesian government always improve Indonesian
education in order to be equal level with world education standard such as
4
British Library. Cataloguing in Publication Data. The Quran. (R. J. Achford Ltd.
Chisester. Sussex: 1981), p. 398.
2

3. chance the curriculum and introducing new approaches (methods) of
teaching to the English teacher based on the KTSP (kurikulum satuan
tingkat pendidikan). KTSP is a curriculum that organized and
implemented in each institution of education5
.
Commonly, all learners in junior high school felt difficult to study
English, grammar is one of the problems. Usually the teacher explain the
material with classical or conventional method like explain in front of
class, asking and answering question, it makes students feel bored and
difficult to memorize the material. Grammar is a total set of signals which
given language expresses its meaning or the total of structure of the
language6
.
The teacher should give students new methods in order to make
them enjoyable, easy and memorable about the material especially
grammar. In this case, the writer wants to introduce the new method in
learning grammar (modal) by giving “mind-mapping”. The mind-mapping
method can synergize between left brain and right brain7
. The researcher
will introduce the method to students of SMP NU 05 AWWALUL
HIDAYAH Gemuh Kab. Kendal by conducting a research in title “MIND-
MAPPING TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING ON
MODAL” (An Experimental Research with The Eight Grade Students of
SMP NU 05 AWWALUL HIDAYAH GEMUH Kab. Kendal in the
Academic Year of 20009/2010).
2. Reasons For Choosing The Topic
5
Khaeruddin dan Mahfud Junaedi. Kurukulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan, konsep dan
implementasinya, (Semarang: MDJ Jateng dan Pilar Media, 2007), p. 79.
6
Robbert, P. Understanding Englis,( New York: Conell University Harper and Row
Publisher), p. 132.
7
Tony Busan, Gembira Belajar Dengan Mind-Mapping, (Jakarta: PT. Elex Media
Komputindo), p. 7.
3

4. The writer chooses this topic with the following reasons:
1. Grammar is one of the important English
components that is considered difficult to learn by the students especially
for junior high school.
2. To make understandable and memorable teaching of
grammar (modal), the writer uses mind-mapping as a method because it
can help students to understand the text.
3. Questions of The Study
The problem can be stated as follows:
How is the effectiveness of using mind-mapping to improve students’
understanding on modal in the eight grade students of SMP NU 05
Awwalul Hidayah Gemuh Kab. Kendal?
4. Objectives of The Study
The objectives of the study as follows:
To find out the effectiveness of using mind-mapping to improve students’
understanding on modal in the eight grade students of SMP NU 05
Awwalul Hidayah Gemuh Kab. Kendal
5. Significances of The Study
This study is important for five reasons as follows:
1. For Students
Students can use mind-mapping to memorize the lesson in their mind so
that they will study harder and can master the grammar well.
2. For Teachers
Teacher can use the result of this study as a reference when they want to
improve their ability in teaching grammar
3. For the writer itself
The writer can use this method to improve his skill in mastery grammar.
4. For the readers
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5. It is hoped can give more information and contributes the knowledge
5. For the school
It can be supported method to improve in teaching and learning process.
6. Scope of The Study
The writer limited this study in modal only by using mind-mapping to
improve students’ understanding not the whole of grammars. This study will
be conduct at the 8th
grade students of SMP NU 05 Awwalul Hidayah Gemuh
Kab. Kendal.
7. Definition of The Key Terms
1. Mind-mapping
Mind-mapping is a method of note-taking which has different from
conventional one. On the other hand, mind-mapping is a technique to
summarize the material that will be learned to project the problems that
faced in to a map and graphic technique so that it is easier to understand8
.
2. Improve
According to Webster’s dictionary improve is to bring into a more
desirable or excellent condition.9
3. Students
A person who was studying at the school, university or college. In this
research students who join at SMP NU 05 Awwalul Hidayah Gemuh Kab.
Kendal 8th
grades.
4. Understanding
Mental process of one who comprehends, comprehension, personal
interpretation10
.
5. Modal
8
Yovan P. Putra, Memori dan Pembelajaran Efektif, (Bandung: CV: Yrama Widya, 2008),p.
257.
9
David Yerkes, Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language,
(New York: Portland House, 1989), p. 717.
10
Ibid, p. 1545.
5

6. The verb can, may, might, will, would, shall (mainly British English),
should, and ought to are called “modal auxiliary verb”. They are used
before infinitives of other verbs, and add certain kinds of meaning
connected with certainty or with obligation and freedom to act. Need and
dare can sometimes be used like modal auxiliary verbs, and the expression
had better is also used like a modal auxiliary11
. Any of the auxiliary verbs
which indicate attitudes of the speakers/ writer towards the state or event
expressed by another verb, i.e. which indicate different types of
modality12
.
8. Outline of The Study
In order to make this research comprehends; the researcher will give the thesis
into five chapters as follows:
Chapter I is introduction. In this chapter consist of background of the study,
reason for choosing the topic, the research question, objectives of the study,
and outline of the thesis.
Chapter II is review of the related literature. In this chapter the writer
discusses about some theories which have relevant and supporting to the topic.
Chapter III is methodology of the research. In this chapter, the writer presents
subject of the study, technique of data collection, instrument of the research
and technique of data analysis.
Chapter IV is analysis of the research. In this chapter the writer discusses the
research of the study and discussion.
Chapter V is conclusion. In this chapter consist of conclusion of the research
and suggestion for the better future research.
11
Michael Swan, Practical English Usage, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995), p.
333.
12
Jack Richards and John Platt, Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics, (England:
Longman Group (FE) Ltd), p. 179.
6

7. The verb can, may, might, will, would, shall (mainly British English),
should, and ought to are called “modal auxiliary verb”. They are used
before infinitives of other verbs, and add certain kinds of meaning
connected with certainty or with obligation and freedom to act. Need and
dare can sometimes be used like modal auxiliary verbs, and the expression
had better is also used like a modal auxiliary11
. Any of the auxiliary verbs
which indicate attitudes of the speakers/ writer towards the state or event
expressed by another verb, i.e. which indicate different types of
modality12
.
8. Outline of The Study
In order to make this research comprehends; the researcher will give the thesis
into five chapters as follows:
Chapter I is introduction. In this chapter consist of background of the study,
reason for choosing the topic, the research question, objectives of the study,
and outline of the thesis.
Chapter II is review of the related literature. In this chapter the writer
discusses about some theories which have relevant and supporting to the topic.
Chapter III is methodology of the research. In this chapter, the writer presents
subject of the study, technique of data collection, instrument of the research
and technique of data analysis.
Chapter IV is analysis of the research. In this chapter the writer discusses the
research of the study and discussion.
Chapter V is conclusion. In this chapter consist of conclusion of the research
and suggestion for the better future research.
11
Michael Swan, Practical English Usage, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995), p.
333.
12
Jack Richards and John Platt, Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics, (England:
Longman Group (FE) Ltd), p. 179.
6