THE GROUPING METHOD AS A PEDAGOGICAL STRATEGY TO ENHANCE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS' PROFICIENCY IN CONSTRUCTING SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE SENTENCES [METODE PENGELOMPOKKAN SEBAGAI STRATEGI PEDAGOGIS UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KEMAMPUAN SISWA SMP DALAM MENYUSUN KALIMAT SINGKAT DALAM BENTUK PRESENT TENSE]
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.19166/pji.v22i1.10583Trefwoorden:
Affective impact, Cognitive load theory, Grouping method, Simple present tense, Subject-verb agreementSamenvatting
The simple present tense is a fundamental grammar structure in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning, yet it remains a source of difficulty for many junior high school students, particularly in relation to subject-verb agreement and sentence construction. This study investigates the effectiveness of the grouping method as a pedagogical strategy to improve students' proficiency in constructing simple present tense sentences. A mixed-methods research design was employed with 60 Grade 7 students from a junior high school in Indonesia. The intervention involved implementing the grouping method in three phases: teaching verbal sentences (Group A: plural/subjects other than third-person singular; Group B: third-person singular), teaching nominal sentences (Group C: to be constructions), and integrating both types of sentences. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests, classroom observations, student questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. Results indicated a significant improvement in students' accuracy in constructing simple present tense sentences, a reduction in cognitive load, and an increase in motivation and confidence. The findings suggest that the grouping method is a valuable strategy for EFL teachers to enhance students' grammar proficiency and engagement.
Abstrak Bahasa Indonesia
Simple Present Tense merupakan struktur tata bahasa fundamental dalam pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris sebagai Bahasa Asing (EFL), namun tetap menjadi sumber kesulitan bagi banyak siswa SMP, khususnya terkait dengan kesesuaian subjek-predikat dan konstruksi kalimat. Studi ini menyelidiki efektivitas metode pengelompokan sebagai strategi pedagogis untuk meningkatkan kemampuan siswa dalam menyusun kalimat Simple Present Tense. Desain penelitian metode campuran digunakan dengan 60 siswa kelas 7 dari sebuah SMP di Indonesia. Intervensi melibatkan penerapan metode pengelompokan dalam tiga fase: pengajaran kalimat verbal (Kelompok A: jamak/subjek selain orang ketiga tunggal; Kelompok B: orang ketiga tunggal), pengajaran kalimat nominal (Kelompok C: konstruksi "to be"), dan pengintegrasian kedua jenis kalimat tersebut. Data dikumpulkan melalui tes pra dan pasca, observasi kelas, kuesioner siswa, dan wawancara semi-terstruktur. Hasil menunjukkan peningkatan yang signifikan dalam akurasi siswa dalam menyusun kalimat Simple Present Tense, pengurangan beban kognitif, dan peningkatan motivasi serta kepercayaan diri. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa metode pengelompokan merupakan strategi yang berharga bagi guru EFL untuk meningkatkan kemampuan tata bahasa dan keterlibatan siswa.
Referenties
Avery, D. (2024). Understanding different ways of forming groups. British Council Teaching English. https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/understanding-different-ways-forming-groups
Altun, M. (2020). The effects of group work on students' grammatical proficiency. International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies, 7(3), 44-51. https://doi.org/10.23918/ijsses.v7i3p44
Benson-Goldberg, S., & Erickson, K. A. (2025). Praise and language intervention: Is "good job" helping us do a good job? A tutorial. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 10(1), 123-135. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_PERSP-24-00005
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2024). Thematic analysis: A practical guide (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2024). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Deji-Afuye, O. O., & Zhou, S. S. (2025). Interplay of ESL interaction patterns and student-centred pedagogy in multilingual classrooms in Nigeria. Africa Education Review, 22(2), 345-362. https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2025.2503139
Dönmez, O., Akbulut, Y., Zun, G. Z., & Köseoğlu, B. (2025). Effects of survey order on subjective measures of cognitive load: A randomized controlled trial. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 38(3), 567-589. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.70039
Education Endowment Foundation. (2025). Using examples to teach grammar to enhance writing in Year 7: Teacher choices trial. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-evaluation/projects/using-examples-to-teach-grammar-to-year-7
Idris, F., Said, N. E. M., & Sulaiman, N. A. (2025). Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) on the acquisition of writing skills in secondary education: A systematic literature review. Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn), 19(1), 56-73. https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v19i1.21974
Lespiau, F., & Tricot, A. (2024). Reasoning more efficiently with primary knowledge despite extraneous cognitive load. Journal of Cognitive Education and Psychology, 23(2), 123-145. https://doi.org/10.1177/14747049241252694
Quintero-Manes, R., & Vieira, C. (2025). Differentiated measurement of cognitive loads in computer programming. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 37(1), 112-129. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-024-09411-7
Retnowati, E., Ayres, P., & Sweller, J. (2017). Can collaborative learning reduce cognitive load when learning number laws? Instructional Science, 45, 313–331. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-017-9408-x
Riordan, J-P., Revell, L., Bowie, B., Hulbert, S., Woolley, M., & Thomas, C. (2025). Multimodal classroom interaction analysis using video-based methods of the pedagogical tactic of (un)grouping. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 10(2), 234-251. https://doi.org/10.1080/1554480X.2024.2313978
Rosita Dewi, P. W., Arim Bawa, G. P. A., Surya Putra, H., Oya, A., Can Diasa, I. M., & Susilawati, A. (2025). Cognitive load in English as a foreign language speaking competency of vocational high school students. International Journal of Language Education, 9(1), 45-62. https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v1i1.71702
Sorohiti, M., Nugraha, H. N. R., & Rahmawati, F. (2024). Teacher awareness, identification of learning difficulties, and effective teaching strategies for English grammar mastery. Indonesian EFL Journal, 10(1), 45-54. https://doi.org/10.25134/ieflj.v10i1.9330
Sweller, J., Roussel, S., & Tricot, A. (2024). Cognitive load theory and instructional design for language learning. In J. W. Schwieter & Z. E. Wen (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of working memory and language (2nd ed., pp. 859-880). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108955638.045
Wu, S. (2023). An analysis of errors in the use of simple present tense among EFL learners. Journal of Education and Educational Research, 4(2), 115-119. https://doi.org/10.54097/jeer.v4i2.11584
Zambrano, J., Kirschner, F., Kirschner, P. A., & Baize, J. H. (2019). Effects of group experience and information distribution on collaborative learning. Instructional Science, 47(5), 531-550. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-019-09495-0
##submission.downloads##
Gepubliceerd
Nummer
Sectie
Licentie
Copyright (c) 2026 edy Suseno, Dian Novita; Fika Megawati
Dit werk wordt verdeeld onder een Naamsvermelding-GelijkDelen 4.0 Internationaal licentie.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website). The final published PDF should be used and bibliographic details that credit the publication in this journal should be included.
Faculty of Education | Universitas Pelita Harapan | Lippo Karawaci, Tangerang, Indonesia, 15811 | Tel +62 21 5460901 | Fax +62 21 5460910 | 