This thesis discussed the effectiveness of the little mermaid film to facilitate students’ understanding on simple past tense. The background of the study was based on the view that grammar was an important language component that should be mastered by the learners in learning a new language. Most of students in SMP N 23 Semarang got difficulty in studying grammar. They got difficulties in recognizing the regularity and structure of the words. They often made errors in forming words and making sentences. The theory of grammar helps the teachers to understand how texts work. As teachers, we need to know how texts work so we can explicitly help the learners learn how to understand and product the texts. It is also important for teachers to find and apply the interesting method or use media to teach grammar effectively. In this case, the researcher tried to use film as medium, entitled “the Little Mermaid” to facilitate their understanding on learning grammar, especially simple past tense.
The study was aimed at responding the question: Is The Little Mermaid Film effective to facilitate students’ understanding on simple past tense at eighth grade of SMP N 23 Semarang in the academic year of 2012/2013? and How effective is the Little Mermaid Film to facilitate students’ understanding on simple past tense at eighth grade of SMP N 23 Semarang in the academic year of 2012/2013?. The objective of this study was to know and to find out the effectiveness of The Little Mermaid Film to facilitate students’ understanding on simple past tense at eighth grade of SMP N 23 Semarang in the academic year of 2012/2013.
The population of this research was the eighth grade students of SMPN 23 Semarang. It was an experimental research and used quantitative method. The sample of this research conducted in two classes; Class VIII G as experimental class who are taught simple past tense using the little mermaid film and class VIII F as control class who are taught without using the film. Data of this research was gathered through test and documentation.
All data then was analyzed using t-test formula. It was used to determine whether there is significant difference between the average scores of the experimental class and the control class. After the data had been collected by using t-test, it was found that the pre-test average of the experimental group was 63.71 and control group was 65.28. While, the post-test average of the experimental group was 85.43 and control group was80.42. The obtained t-test was 2.710, whereas the t-table was 1.67 for α = 5%. The t-test score was higher than the t-table (2.710 > 1.67). It meant that Ha was accepted while Ho was rejected, so the little mermaid film was the effective media to improve students’ understanding on simple past tense.Based on the result of this research, the researcher suggested that the film might be used as alternative media in teaching grammar, especially teaching simple past tense in order that the students more understand the material and are interested in learning simple past tense.