A Student's Research Paper

Fairy Tale and Short Story are Exact Reading for English Beginners

By : Ummu Syahidah A.R Badar*

Reading is a kind of English that should be known or even mastered by English learners, especially for English foreigner. Because it very important to increase our knowledge and achievement in every part of life later.

Broughton, G at all (1980) comment that reading is an important skill in academic study because almost all usefull information are written in textual materials. Everyone should have ability ro read best, because there many knowledge which written in scientific books are in English.

English learners are divided in three levels, they are beginners, intermediate, and advance. Cause of the different level of learners, absolutly there are different way or method of learning which given to them. Reading also had different method about it. Before going to what method are equal with the learners grades, learners should had big motivation to study it. Motivation is one of crucial things in teaching and learning process. Everything isn’t done by motivation first, it won’t be mastered successfully later. There are two kinds of motivation namely :

1) Extrinsic motivation.

Gilmer (1975, 73) states that when we are extrinsically motivated to do something, we do it because it leads to an external rewards, such as money, Praise from someone, etc. Extrinsic motivation is working to obtain rewards from external sources.

2) Intrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation is the desire of someone to do something because he/she want to does it. (Cook, 1973) states that when a person intrinsically motivated to do activity, he does it because he lokes what he is doing.

(Harmer, 1991) consider some factors which may effect motivation as follows :

1) Physical condition. Physical condition has a great condition has a great effect of learning and can alter a student’s motivation either positively or negatively. Overcrowded classroom can be excessively demotivated.

2) Method. The method used by a teacher in teaching have some effect on student’s motivation.

3) The teacher. The teacher’s personality may have effect on students’ motivation. Therefore, a teacher needs to do everything possible to create a good rapport with the students.

4) Success. Success or failure may affect students’ motivation. It will be the teacher’s job to get goals and tasks which most of his/her students can achieve.

After the learners got their motivation either extrinsic or intrinsic, the next step is what method are equal with their motivation. This research paper will discused about the method of reading which given to the English beginners. So the suggestion reading to be read by them are fairy tale and short story. By reading fairy tale and short story, The English beginners will be motivated and like to try to learn how understand English text in high level. Because when the learners have been motivated and like, it can be a basic capital to understand English reading in scientific level.

Why we read short story? Why English learners reading are divided in fairy tale and short story? Why fairy tale is separated with short story? While as the structural, fairy tale is a part of short story.

There are three levels of reading, they are :

1) Independent reading level. This is the highest level at which the students can read easyly and fluently, without assistance, with few words recognition errors, and with word comprehension and recall.

2) The instructional reading level. In this level students can do satisfactory reading provided; he or she receives preparation and supervisison from the teacher. In this level, word recognition errors are not preventable,and comprehension and recall are satisfactory.

3) The frustation reading level. The level at which the students’ reading skill break down, fluency disappears, word recognition errors are numerous, comprehension is faulty, recall sketchy, and signs of emotional tendension and discomfort become evident.

There are three levels of reading, so there are also three levels method of reading. The English beginners is pertain to the third level of reading, The frustation reading level. Their skill still break down and need soft and easy reading as their first reading. And Fairy tale and short story consist in it.

Actually, fairy tale is a part of short story as the structural in narrative text. But the researcer divided fairy tale and short story because there are two types of English beginners. First is the pre-school beginner who learn English when they are still child. The second is adult beginner who learn English when they have been adult one. So, of course the kind of reading should equal with their ages.

The pre-school beginners are like to read fairy tale because most of fairy tale are tell about their world, their child imagination. While the adult beginners are like to read short story which more adult and more complex than fairy tale. That’s why fairy tale and short story are divided in this research paper. Let’s see the defenition of fairy tale and short story in order to differentiate it.

Fairy tale and short story are the kind of narrative. Fairy tale is a fanciful tale of legendary deeds and creatures. Usually intended for children. While short story is more than just a sequence of happening. Short story is a narration and one of fiction but more realistic than tale. Imran in Rimpai (2006, 14) states in short, a form more realistic than the tale and of modern origin the writer usually presents the main events, which are in greater fullness for the writers of short story. That’s give clue that fairy tale and short story have different reader such us in this discussion.

The fundamental goal of any reading activity is to know enough scientific concepts and knowing the language. In Indonesia, students treat this as a bridge to understand scientific books written in English. As they lack knowledge of english, they often encounter difficulties when reading their compulsory books written in that language.

Scientific and tehnical texts contain a great deal of information, most of which consist of fact. Readers of such texts must be able not only extract information, but also to understand the material fully. Hence, careful and thorough reading is required. William (1991) states that the effective reader brings with him the ability to recognize the purpose of the text as whole, to see how the text is recognized and to understand the relationship between sentences.

As the first level in English learning, like I said at the beginning, the beginners should read fairy tale and short story. Why? There are three reasons to answer that question, they are:

1) Soft reading. Most of fairy tale and short story for the beginners, are written in soft words. And the beginners is suggested to read the soft one before going to read the hard one.

2) Easy reading. As same meaning with soft reading. But easy reading is more focus to the easy and familiar words which the beginners ever known before. According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Easy means not difficult; done and obtained without a lot of effort or problems. Cause of that, fairy tale and short story can be understood without a lot of effort.

3) Add english vocabulry. Everyone who wants to master English, of course he/she must learn a lot of vocabuly. It can lead the way to the succed of mastering the language skill such as speaking, reading, listening, and writing. Reading is one kind which receive vocabulary through visual channels. So, if they reading fairy tale and short story, it directly increase they vocabulary to master English later.

In the correlation with those reasons, reading fairy tale and short story can be the basic level to scientific reading, where the more knowledge is inside. As William (1991) states that the effective reader brings with him the ability to recognize the purpose of the text as whole,... so, if the beginners can understand and recognize the text, means here fairy tale and short story, it is easier them to understand and recognize scientific text too. Robert Anderson (1989) write about the parts of short story.

“What is a plot made up of? A plot consist of four parts, building blocks:

1) The first part of a plot is the introduction. This is like an entryway to the story. It tells us the basic situation : who the characters are and what they want. Usually this is where we find out about the conflict in the story. Conflict is a struggle. It gives the story it’s principal energy. An external conflict involves a caracter’s struggle with another person, or with a force of nature. An internal conflict take places in a character’s mind.....

2) In the second part of a plot, one or more of the caracters acts to resolve the conflict. We start to see complications develop, leading to the story climax.....

3) The third parts is The climax, is the story’s most emotional or suspenseful moment. This when the situation is altered and the conflict is decided one way or another....

4) The fourth and last part of a story is its resolution. This is when the loose ends of the story are tied up. The story is closed.” (188-190)

Parts of short story (fairy tale) explanation has relation with scientific reading. Short scientific reading often write in essay. Oshima and Hogue (1997, 118) states an essay is a group of paragraph about one topic and also has three main parts : the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The relation of short story and essay can be explained below :

1) First part of short story/fairy tale is introduction, while essay is also introduction. This part give the reader about the background and information the topic.

2) Second and third part of short story/fairy tale are conflict and the climax. The body is essay’s part after introduction. This part give the reader about the body of story like conflict and more description and narration which strong the plot. While in essay, there are some subtopics or supporting sentences to support the topic.

3) The last part of short story/fairy tale is resolution. And the last part of essay is named conclusion. Both two have different call, but actually the means of it is same. Resolution is the solution of conflict which happen in story. It is sign the end of that reading. While conclusion is final thought of problem which discuss in essay. It is sign the end of essay too.

Those are three relation of short story/fairy tale with scientific writing, in this case is essay. If the beginners who read short story or fairy tale can master the organization of it, they must be easily to understand the higher level of reading too. Because all writing method are written like that.

Everything in this life has negative and positive impact. Not except in fairy tale and short story. From this paper explanation, many advantages of fairy tale and short story have got by the learners. While the opposite of it is English beginners who read fairy tale, especially children, sometimes can’t leave the style of tale and continue to next level of the writing. They will only think that every writing is fairy tale. This is the teachers and parents job to clear it. Always control the learners’ growth. Have them leave it when their ages and mind are enough with reading fairy tale. Begin to give them scientific reading as the next reading to explore their mind as intelectual learners.

The adult beginners who read short story also find the bad impact of it if they just read it over and over without move to next reading level. To solve this problem is just back to their self. How can they solve and choose the best for them, they were adult and can provide what best and worse. But the English teacher should control and always give suggestion to them when the time to move to the next reading is come.

***

References

Anderson, Robert at all. 1989. Elements of Literature (first course). New York : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, inc.

Broughton, G at all.1980. Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Second edition. London : University of London Institute of Education.

Cook. 1991. SL and LT : A Sort Motivation for Language Learning. New York : Chapman and Hall, Inc.

Gilmer. 1975. Motivation in Second Language Learning. New york : McGrew Hill Company.

Halmer, Jeremy. 1991. The Practice of English Language Teaching. New Edition. London: Longman.

Oshima, Alice and Ann Hogue. 1997. Introduction to Acedemic writing. Second edition. London : Longman.

Oxford University. 2003. Oxford advanced learners dictionary. New edition. New York : Oxford University press.

Rimpai, Asis. 2006. The Student Motivation in Reading Narrative Essays (A study at the third years students of SMU Gunung Sari Makassar). A thesis S1 FKIP Unismuh Makassar.

William, Edie. 1991. Reading in the language classroom. London: Modern english publication.

*English Education and Letter Department 07

Muhammadiyah University of Makassar

Episode Kabut.

Untuk Kakak Tercinta Yang Telah Berpulang

“Almh. Nurafni Hi. Abdulbar”

-Aida Radar-

Kakak...

Aku tak pernah punya firasat

Apalagi menduga adanya gelagat

Bahwa kau kan pergi begitu cepat

Beranjak tinggaliku dalam pekat

Kakak...

Aku tahu di balik senyum itu

Kau menyimpan tangis sendu

Aku tahu di antara tawa jenaka itu

Kau menutup rapat rasa sakitmu

Kakak...

Kini derita yang kau pendam sendiri

Menemukan tempat bermuara abadi

Dalam balutan seragam sutra putih

Kau siap meraih pangkuan Illahi Rabbi

Kakak...

Riak tangis sanak kerabat menghantar

Kau yang terbaring kaku dalam keranda

Menuju rumah pembaringan terakhir

Ke asal mula kau, aku dan mereka ada

Kakak...

Sungguh tiada sanggup aku terima takdir ini

Jujur sulit kupahami ketentuan dari-Nya

Namun itulah kenyataan di depan mata

Maka Ikhlas dan sabar kucoba tanamkan di jiwa

Kakak...

Akan kutemui kau dalam imaji

Akan kurangkai betapa besarnya

Cintaku padamu dalam do’a

Salam rindu padamu juga akan kukirimi

Lewat sujud panjangku pada-Nya yang berkuasa

Maka kakak...

Hari ini selamat jalan kuucapkan padamu.

***

Makassar, 25 November 2009

Di Sore berkabut yang benar-benar mengabur pandangan.

Cerpen Qyu...

ENGKU BADAR*

Oleh : Aida Radar**

Badarudin Mahifa! Nama yang tertera di jadwal mata kuliahku. Pengajar salah satu mata kuliah yang aku programkan pada semester itu. Staf Dosen Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, tempat aku menitipkan nama di daftar absensi.

Meski namanya Badarudin Mahifa, orang-orang menyapanya Engku Badar. Engku sebutan hormat masyarakat untuk guru laki-laki pada masa itu. Aku tidak punya cukup informasi sampai tahun berapa sebutan Engku digunakan. Badar adalah nama kecilnya. Terkenallah dia Engku Badar.

Pertama kali bertatap muka di kelas, ia kutaksir berkepala tujuh. Itu terlihat dari uban yang mengganti rambutnya, keriput-keriput yang bertebaran di wajahnya, langkah kakinya juga sudah pelan siput.

Meski penampilan fisiknya menunjukkan tuanya, jangan kira ia seperti dosen-dosen tua kebanyakan. Kepalanya tidak botak seperti teman-teman se-profesinya, rambut putihnya lebat selalu mengilap. Langkah kakinya yang pelan, tidak pernah membuatnya lambat melakukan sesuatu, termasuk mengajar di kelas. Wajah keriputnya bercahaya setiap ia menengadahkannya. Aku tahu asal cahaya itu. Cahaya itu efek air yang selalu ia basuhkan pada anggota tubuhnya. Aku sering menjumpainya di Mesjid Kampus setiap aku waktu salat.

Setiap bertemu, aku sekadar bertutur sapa. Aku tidak punya keberanian bercakap banyak, sampai berlama-lama mengupas topik. Aku tak pernah berani.

Aku sadar, aku mahasiswanya yang kurang menonjol di kelas. Walau otak tidak jongkok, intinya aku ini tidak menonjol. Karena aku takut tak bisa merespon apa yang disampaikan, maka cukup dengan sapa saja, aku puas. Tapi heran, dia hapal namaku. Selalu memanggilku dengan nama lengkap tanpa cacat.

“Faiz Abdul Rahman. Sudah sholat?” ia selalu bertanya seperti itu.

Ah! Bahagianya aku. Walau tidak terlalu aktif di kelas, ia mengenalku, tahu nama lengkapku. Sebagai murid aku merasa dihargai. Itu artinya ia mengenal semua mahasiswanya. Yang aktivis sampai fasivis kelas berat, semua Engku kenal. Satu lagi yang menurutku menarik darinya. Caranya berpakaian. Ia tidak pernah ketinggalan zaman, selalu modis, cara berfikirnya tidak kuno.

“Walau fisik sudah tua, gaya dan cara berfikir harus tetap muda dan sesuai dengan zaman agar kita tidak ketinggalan. Iya toh? Tapi ingat ikuti perkembangan zaman yang sesuai dengan kepribadian agama dan bangsa. Selain itu, tinggalkan! Karena lebih banyak mudharatnya.”

Begitu ia menjawab pertanyaan seorang teman di kelasku mengenai penampilannya.

“Seorang guru adalah panutan. Ia cermin bagi murid-muridnya. Setiap kali murid melihat gurunya, pertama kali yang mereka perhatikan penampilannya. Apakah gurunya berpenampilan baik ataukah awut-awutan? Kesan pertama sesuatu yang sulit dilupakan,” ujar Engku Badar mulai membagi ilmunya.

“Meski di kemudian hari mereka lebih mengenali dan mengetahui seberapa hebatnya guru mereka, mereka tetap selalu mengingat kesan pertama itu. Makanya, sebagai calon guru, penampilan kalian harus mendapat perhatian khusus disamping ilmu yang kalian miliki. Ingat itu baik-baik,” lanjutnya lagi.

Dia berhasil. Guruku yang berdiri di depan kelas itu berhasil membuatku terkesan dengan penampilan pertamanya. Waktu berjalan, ia telah menjadi dosen kesayangan teman-temanku, dan tentu saja aku.

***

Saban Sabtu ia mengajar di kelasku. Hari-hari lain ruang kelas sepi. Tapi tidak hari sabtu, mahasiswa-mahasiswa (bahkan baru pertama kulihat wajahnya) siaga di kelas. Seperti Sabtu itu.

Seseorang duduk di sampingku hari itu. Sebelumnya ia menyapaku lalu memperkenalkan diri.

“Hai…! Apakah tempat ini ada yang punya?” Tanya lelaki itu padaku.

“Oh…! Tidak ada. Tempat ini selalu kosong. Duduk saja!” Jawabku.

“Terima kasih. Saya Andi Fauzan. Panggil saja Uja. Mahasiswa konversi semester dua.”

“Saya Faiz Abdul Rahman. Panggil Faiz. Mahasiswa kelas ini.”

Dari perkenalan itu, aku tahu banyak hal tentang Engku Badar. Ternyata Uja juga pengagum Engku. Dosennya untuk mata kuliah ini bukan Engku Badar. Tapi ia tidak ikut kelasnya. Ia memilih ikut kelasku karena ia ingin Engku Badar yang mengajarnya.

Tidak hanya Fauzan saja yang aku kenal di kelas Engku. Sabtu berikutnya aku berkenalan dengan Doni, mahasiswa satu angkatan di atasku. Sabtu berikutnya lagi dengan Zulkifli, mahasiswa yang sedang menyusun skripsi.

Sabtunya lagi, aku berkenalan dengan orang-orang yang berbeda. Selalu orang yang berbeda seterusnya. Rata-rata memiliki alasan sama dengan Fauzan ketika kutanya mengapa mereka mengikuti kelasku.

Dari perkenalan-perkenalan itu, aku mengetahui lebih banyak tentang dosen kesayanganku.

“Engku Badar itu dosen yang cerdas. Beliau banyak mendapat penghargaan karena kecerdasannya. Beliau telah mengajar sejak berumur dua belas tahun.”

“Menurutku Engku badar diciptakan menjadi guru. Terbukti ia sangat hebat dalam urusan itu.”

“Engku Badar itu seorang duda. Istrinya meninggal karena sakit ketika Engku Badar mendapat tugas di luar daerah. Waktu itu pernikahan mereka baru lima tahun. Mereka tidak memiliki anak. Sepeninggal istrinya, Engku Badar tidak menikah lagi. Ia sangat mencintai istrinya dan merasa bersalah karena tidak bisa menemani di saat-saat terakhir. Jadi sekarang Engku Badar masih tetap sendiri.”

Masih banyak lagi yang aku tahu tentang prestasi-prestasinya. Bahkan kehidupan pribadinya.

***

Sebenarnya aku tidak pernah berpikir kuliah di Jurusan Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, apalagi menjadi guru. Aku hanya mengikuti kemauan orang tuaku yang menginginkan aku menjadi guru seperti mereka. Aku jauh-jauh dari kampung sekolah untuk obsesi itu, obsesi orang tuaku.

Karena setengah hati aku menuntut ilmu di Keguruan, aku kurang suka kuliah selama semester satu dan dua. Aku selalu membayar dan menyelesaikan keperluan administrasi sebelum perkuliahan dimulai, baik dan tepat waktu. Namun semua itu kulakukan agar namaku bisa tetap berada di absensi kelasku dan tentu saja guna menyenangkan hati kedua orang tuaku.

Itu sebelum aku jadi mahasiswa Engku Badar. Setelah aku berguru dan lulus dari mata kuliah Engku –dengan nilai lumayan untuk mahasiswa kurang menonjol sepertiku-, jadi guru telah tertanam dalam jiwa dan ragaku.

Meski sudah lulus dari mata kuliahnya, Engku tetap guruku. Bukan karena ia kembali menjadi dosen mata kuliah yang aku programkan di semester sesudahnya. Tapi sebagai guru tempatku bertukar pikiran. Di semester itu, aku telah menjadi mahasiswa yang sudah menonjol. Aku sudah memiliki keberanian dan rasa percaya diri yang tinggi. Ah ya! Satu lagi aku sudah rajin kuliah. Aku mulai tertarik jadi guru sepenuh hati. Semua itu anugerah Yang Kuasa melalui Engku Badar.

“Kamu tahu mengapa saya jadi guru Faiz?” Tanya Engku Badar padaku dalam suatu kesempatan usai duhur di Mesjid Kampus.

“Pasti karena panggilan jiwa kan Engku?” Jawabku kembali bertanya.

“Yah… itu salah satunya. Tapi ada yang lebih mendorong saya mencintai profesi ini. Kamu tahu apa itu?”

Aku menggelengkan kepala.

“Umur dua belas tahun, saya membaca sebuah buku. Saya sudah lupa judul buku dan pengarangnya. Tapi saya sangat ingat sepenggal kalimat yang begitu menginspirasi saya

“Hmmm….” Ia menarik napas

“Guru adalah pekerjaan yang dimuliakan Allah SWT setelah Nabi dan Rasul-Nya. Begitu bunyi kalimatnya.”

“Guru adalah pekerjaan yang dimuliakan Allah SWT setelah Nabi dan Rasul-Nya.” Ia kembali mengulang kalimat itu.

“Karena guru mempunyai tanggung jawab yang besar, memanusiakan manusia. Ia punya tanggung jawab mengubah watak buruk seseorang menjadi baik. Menjadi guru berarti kamu telah mempersiapkan pahala-pahala jariah yang akan terus mengalir walaupun kamu telah berpulang ke Rahmatullah. Maka Faiz, beruntunglah kamu terpanggil melaksanakan pekerjaan mulia ini.”

Ia tersenyum dan menepuk pundakku. Aku meresapi setiap kata yang ia nasihatkan. Dalam hatiku, aku tanamkan kuat-kuat kata-kata itu.

***

Sudah seminggu aku tidak bertemu Engku Badar. Di mesjid dan tiap-tiap ruang kelas telah kujajaki. Aku ingin bertanya sesuatu padanya. Namun aku tak menemukannya. Ia menghilang.

Aku coba bertanya di ruangan jurusan. Nihil. Mereka juga tidak tahu. Pihak jurusan juga mencarinya. Engku tidak pernah mengajar seminggu belakangan.

Aku heran. Ada apa terjadi pada Engku? Tidak biasanya ia tidak mengajar tanpa konfirmasi. Jangankan seminggu, sekali absen dalam satu kelas hampir tidak pernah. Untuk menghilangkan rasa penasaranku, aku berencana ke rumahnya sepulang kuliah.

Ketika kembali ke kelas untuk mata kuliah selanjutnya, sebuah kabar meremuk redam hatiku. Tubuhku gemetar.

“Innalillahi Wa Innailahi Ra’jiun. Telah meninggal dunia dosen kita, guru kita, ayah kita, pemberi ilmu bagi kita, bapak Drs. Badarudin Mahifa, M.Pd. atau yang biasa dikenal dengan Engku Badar. Beliau berpulang hari ini di Rumah Sakit Umum dalam keadaan belum sadar dari koma akibat kecelakaan yang menimpanya satu minggu yang lalu. Semoga amal dan kebaikan beliau di terima di sisi Allah SWT. Amin.” Informasi itu disampaikan seseorang, tetangga beliau.

Apa…? Aku tidak percaya dengan semua ini. Ya Allah…! Engku Badar. Dosen kesayanganku telah meninggalkan dunia? Meninggalkan aku dan teman-temanku.

Butiran bening itu tak tertahankan lagi. Aku terdiam di tempat, wajahku pucat mata memerah. Semua kenangan bersama Engku tiba-tiba berkelebat dalam memori otakku Semua nasihatnya kembali terngiang.

“Ya Allah… terimalah Engku di sisimu yang paling baik ya Allah,” Lirihku. Mencoba mengikhlaskannya

Kelas awalnya riuh, kini hening. Semua tertunduk lesu. Kehilangan.

“Pak Faiz… sekarang jadwal mengajar bapak di kelas kami.”

Seseorang membuyarkanku dari lamunan masa lalu itu. Ia adalah Heriansyah. Mahasiswaku di Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan pada Perguruan Tinggi tempat aku mengajar kini.

“Oh…! Terima kasih Heri. Kamu duluan ya! Nanti Bapak menyusul,” kataku.

“Iya Pak.” ia berlalu.

Aku mengambil tas dan perlengkapan mengajarku. Dalam hati aku berjanji untuk memberikan segala pengetahuan yang kumiliki pada mahasiswa-mahasiswaku.

Aku berjalan menuju ke kelas Heriansyah. Ketika melewati sebuah kelas sebelum ruang kelas mengajarku, aku mendengar seseorang berbicara di kelas itu. Tiba-tiba langkahku terhenti.

“Guru adalah pekerjaan yang dimuliakan Allah SWT setelah Nabi dan Rasul-Nya. Begitu bunyi kalimat dalam buku tersebut. Guru adalah pekerjaan yang dimuliakan Allah SWT setelah Nabi dan Rasul-Nya.”

Aku tercekat. Kata-kata itu…?

“Engku Badar….”

***

Makassar, 16 Mei 2009.

Pukul 06.51 WITA

Selesai diedit 1 Juli 2009 Oleh Seorang kakak

*Juara pertama lomba penulisan Cerpen pada Pekan Nasional Pers Mahasiswa (PENA EMAS) Unit Kegiatan Pers Mahasiswa (UKPM)

Universitas Hasanuddin Makassar.

**Anggota FLP Sulawesi Selatan

.