CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

The use of literary material as a major feature in English Language Teaching (ELT)

curriculum especially in the second and foreign language context has been significant over

the last two decades. Like in many English Second Language (ESL) and English Foreign

Language (EFL) context, in Malaysia too, the reliance on the use of literary materials in ELT

became apparent in the 1980s and 1990s with the appearance of literature-based reading

programs (Malachi Edwin, 2003). In the year of 2000 literature was formally and officially

introduced into the ELT syllabus in Malaysia as a taught and tested component. The moved

manifest the formal acknowledgement and appreciation of the role of literature in ELT in

Malaysia.

The literature component, which has been incorporated in English subject, will enable the

students to integrate their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in comprehending the

literary texts that are presented in different genres (novels, short story, poems, and dramas).

Eventually it will enhance student’s proficiency in English language through the study of

prescribed set of literary texts, contribute to the personal development and character building

and broaden student’s outlook through reading about other cultures and world views

(Curriculum Development Centre, 2000).

Literature is an art, and a selection of written works in different genres (poems, short story,

plays, or drama and novels), which is located in a continuum starting from the imaginary

ideas to the hard fact of real life. We may find certain literary text that are written only for
entertainment and pleasure, yet, other text are written to enable us in understanding our

problem, which occur in real world. By keeping literature in Malaysia’s education syllabus

for secondary schools, it may help to provide a better understanding to the students of the

target language, which is English.

“There is the awkward fact that many learners want and love literary text, as we have found

time and time again. Similarly, they often wish to become more familiar with patterns of

social interaction in the country which uses the target language” (Collie & Slatter, .1987)

In teaching literature to the secondary students, the teacher needs to have their own methods

of tackling and drawing the attention of the students to learn and understand the literary texts.

Conventional method, such as lecture or rote learning, is one of the common ways employed

by the teacher to teach literature. However, it may not help the students to fully understand

the ideas and literary elements such as theme, tone, point of view and others, as it based on

teacher-centred approach. Teachers tend to spoon-feed the students and apply the rote

learning activity in teaching literature. Hence this research will highlight the effectiveness of

applying animation as one of the methods in teaching literature, especially short story, in the

secondary schools.

1.2 Statement of the problem

The role of literature in English classroom is to enable students to be more critical with the

language by analyzing the literary text, to appreciate short stories and poems as a mean to

learn English and to empower their communicative skills by eliciting their opinions and

though through the use of literature components. However, this objective is seemed to be
impossible to accomplish due to the downfall of interest in learning literature among students.

The reason for the occurrence is due to the fact that teaching literature through lecture, chalk

and bored, and note taking method are no longer relevant to be used since they are ineffective

in grasp student’s attention and interest.

So here, the effectiveness of teaching literature in ESL situation is the issue that needs not to

be taken lightly. Furthermore, the survey conducted by MELTA shows that out of 78 students

interviewed, reveals that literature is the most troublesome subject that hinder them to enjoy

English classroom. They believe that literature class would put them in a boring and dull

situation where they have to listen to the complex incomprehensible explanation of the

literature texts by their teachers.

Additionally, cultural elements embedded in literary text may pose additional difficulties on

students, especially if they are geographically and socio culturally remote from the realities in

which the narrative is set. Those who do not possess the prior knowledge of the new elements

transcribed in their literary text will find that is hard for them to understand the story. Mario

Saraceni (2003) advocates that linguistic and cultural obstacles may not only remove much of

the enjoyment that should come with reading literature, but they can also cause students to

feel disheartened about reading literary text, with detrimental effects for their motivation.

Nevertheless, the requirement to read pages and pages of incomprehensible abstract meaning

of poetries, novel and short stories make them to simply disfavour the literature classroom.

Realizing on that issue, this study will sort out new methods that will bring enthusiasm to

both teacher and students. Many parties believe that incorporating technology is the best

solution that would make learning literature more appealing with the use of multimedia.

Teaching literature now should have shifted into a new perspective when technology is

widely used in all aspect of our daily life. Sometimes we keep thinking why cartoon and
animation series so easy to remember and can be memorized from the beginning until the

end. Hence this study will scrutinize on the effectiveness of using animated multimedia in

teaching literature for form 4 students.

1.3 Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study is to find a new method in teaching English as a second language to

the student. It is to create interest and understanding in learning English by using the

animation to attract students’ interaction in order to learn English better. This study, will take

a part of literature elements which is short story to convey this method.

1.4 The objectives for this study are:

1.4.1 To determine whether the use of animation in the English literature classroom helps

students to have complete and appropriate understanding of short story

1.4.2 To investigate the role of the animation methods as a mean to draw students attention

and interest

1.4.3 To provide an alternative for the conventional teaching method.

1.5 Research question

i. Does the animation effective in empowering students understanding about the

short story?

ii. Does the animation motivate students to actively participate in the activities in

the teaching and learning session?

 iii. What are the student’s responses in the teaching and learning session when

they are taught via animation?

1.6 Significance of the study

Almost every school in Malaysia, both rural an urban is now equipped with computer

laboratory, LCD projectors and CD courseware to teach Science, Math and English in more

convenient yet imaginatively to the students. Therefore, this study is seemed significant in

identifying whether or not utilizing the animated short story for form four students is

effective in consolidating student’s understanding on the literary elements such as

characterization, plots and setting and enable them to appreciate the short story as a whole. If

the findings of this study prove that animation is effective in shifting student’s attention and

interest and enable them understand better, it is prevailing issue that somehow would make

the secondary English teacher to be aware of the benefit embedded multimedia for

everyone’s beneficial.

1.7 Limitation of the study

In conducting this study, there are certain limitations that cannot be avoided. The limitations

are mostly due to the time constraint and limited financial support. The limitations of this

study, it is not presents the whole populations of Malaysian students. This study will take part

at one of area in the Sabah. This research also, only focusing on one literature genre which is

the short story.

1.8 Operational definition

a. Literature: is any text, “verbal and visual that offers the possibilities for

aesthetic reading or viewing or listening. (Wikipedia,2009)

b. Multimedia: A system, including hardware and software, which unites all

other media in one entity (Wikipedia.org,2009)

c. Short story: a short piece of fiction concerned with the vitally important

problem or goal of one character only. After overcoming various obstacles or

complications, the resolutions will be brought about by that character’s own

effort, by which time he will also have undergone an emotional or spiritual

change’

d. Animation: Moving diagram or cartoon that are made up of a sequence of

images displayed one after the other. (pcmag.com/encyclopedia)

1.9 Conclusion

In this chapter the researcher have discuss the introduction of the research, background of the

problem, statement of the problem, purpose, aim and objective of the research, research

question, research significance, limitation of the research, and defined the operational use in

the research.

In the following chapter, the researcher will discuss about available theory for this research.