An Analysis of Students’ Strategy In Learning Simple Past Tense At Tenth

This study aims to find students' strategies in learning the simple past tense at tenth grade of Senior High School 1 Jambi City. In this study, this research used mixed methods and used an explanatory sequential research design. The total population of this research was the X MIPA of Senior High School 1 Jambi City. The sample was taken by using cluster sampling. The number of the sample were 36 students in class X MIPA 3. In collecting data, this research used questionnaires and interviews. The results of the study indicate that students in class X MIPA 3 are classified as medium in using language learning strategies with the average use of SILL is 3.15. Data analysis shows that students use all six of the categories of learning strategies; memory strategy, cognitive strategy, compensation strategy, metacognitive strategy, affective strategy, and social strategy. However, metacognitive strategy is the strategy most often used by students with an average use of 3.68 or classified in the high category. From the interview results, it is known that in studying the simple past tense, students apply language learning strategies which include memory strategy, cognitive strategy, compensation strategy, metacognitive strategy, affective strategy, and social strategy. However, of the six strategies, the memory strategy is the least used. Students apply these strategies in learning the simple past tense to help them overcome difficulties in learning the simple past tense and to better understand the use of the simple past tense orally and in writing.


INTRODUCTION
In learning English, learning strategies are very necessary. Learning strategies have an important function in language learning. Oxford and Scarcella define that learning strategies are specific actions, behaviors, steps, or techniques used to improve student learning (Scarcella & Oxford, 1992, p. 63). Furthermore, learning strategies are related to students in determining and implementing several actions in their learning. Students perform these actions to assist in developing their language skills. The selection and use of appropriate learning strategies in learning English is a major factor for students in achieving success in learning. In addition, students will be motivated and have enthusiasm and perseverance to learn English. All aspects of English must be learned, even if you face difficulties in learning it. However, difficulties in learning English can be overcome by using appropriate and appropriate learning strategies.
The use of English learning strategies can be different and the same in every aspect of English, such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing, as well as other supporting aspects, namely vocabulary and grammar. This supporting aspect is very influential on language skills. Although in general the English learning strategies are the same and not much different for each aspect, each aspect has its own focus and pressure. Learning vocabulary is the first and basic step in learning a language. Likewise, grammar has an important role because it relates to the accuracy of sentence structure in its preparation.
Another important thing to learn in English is tenses. Tenses are part of grammar, which is a type of grammar that focuses on using verbs to express differences in time. Grammar and tenses are related and have the same goal, which is to make English sentences clearer. In grammar, the focus is on sentence structure patterns, namely subject, predicate, object, and description. While tenses focus on formulas in the preparation of sentences based on the time of occurrence.
There are sixteen tenses in English. Of the sixteen tenses, one of them is the simple past tense. Simple past tense is tense which is used to express events or events that have occurred in the past. The simple past tense is almost the same as the simple present tense in its use. However, there is a difference between the simple present tense and the simple past tense, namely in the simple present tense the verb used is the first form of verb, while in the simple past tense the verb used is the second form of the verb. The use of the second form of verbs in the simple past tense makes students have difficulty in making simple past tense sentences. In addition, two categories of verb changes, namely regular verbs and irregular verbs, must be known and understood how to write and pronounce them correctly.
Based on the experience and observations of this researchs at Senior High Negeri 1 Kota Jambi in 2021, this researchs found that students' understanding of the simple past tense was still lacking. This is because students experience difficulties and confusion in learning the simple past tense. The difficulties and confusion faced by students in learning the simple past tense were due to the lack of use of learning strategies and the selection of inappropriate learning strategies. Learning strategies really affect the achievement of student learning outcomes. Therefore, in every lesson, it is necessary to use good and appropriate strategies to make it easier for students to understand the lesson.

STUDENTS' STRATEGY
Learning strategies are very popular throughout the world of education in general. Under various names, such as learning skills, thinking skills, learning skills to learn, and problem solving skills. Learning strategies are a way for students to learn various subjects. In the field of language teaching, teachers discuss learning strategies with their students. In an effort to produce topics related to learning strategies, many this researchs are classifying, identifying, and evaluating language learning strategies. Thus, more and more language learners will be able to recognize the strengths of their respective strategies.
Thus, Kemp (1995), learning strategies are learning activities that must be carried out by teachers and students so that learning objectives can be achieved effectively and efficiently. According to Kozma in Gafur (1989), learning strategies are defined as all activities that are selected and can provide usefulness or assistance to students in achieving certain learning achievements.
Further, Ely and Gelrach (1980), learning strategies are a choice of ways to deliver learning materials. The learning strategy in question is the scope, nature and sequence of activities in learning.
According to Carey and Dick (1990), learning strategies include all components in learning materials and procedures as well as stages in learning activities used by teachers to assist students in achieving learning objectives.
Cropper in Wiryawan and Noorhadi (1990), learning strategy is a type of exercise that is in accordance with the learning objectives to be achieved. According to White (1999), Learning strategies are practices or processes that learners choose and use consciously or unconsciously to learn the target language or to promote language assignments.

LANGUAGE LEARNING
Learning strategies are ways for students to improve their learning. Strategy is very necessary in language learning because it is a tool to be active, involve yourself in developing communicative competence. The right language learning strategies result in increased proficiency and greater selfconfidence. Strategy involves optimal management of troops, ships, or aircraft in a planned campaign. Oxford defines learning strategies as steps or actions taken by language learners to improve every aspect of their learning (Oxford 1990a, p. 70). Oxford (1990) grouped language learning strategies into two classes, each class consisting of three groups of strategies. The two classes of language learning strategies are direct learning strategies and indirect learning strategies. Direct learning strategies consist of three groups, namely memory strategies, cognitive strategies and compensation strategies. Furthermore, indirect learning strategies are metacognitive strategies, affective strategies and social strategies.
Language learning strategies are directly related to the target language. The three direct strategies are memory strategy, cognitive strategy and compensation strategy. Each of these groups performs mental processing of language in a different way and for different purposes. In memory strategy, mental processing of language, including grouping or using images, has a very specific function. In cognitive strategy, mental processing of language, such as summarizing or deductive reasoning, allows the learner to understand and generate new language in a variety of ways. In a compensatory strategy, mental processing of language, i.e. using synonyms and guessing, allows the learner to use language even though there is often a lack of knowledge.
Indirect strategies are divided into three groups, namely; First, metacognitive strategies. In metacognitive strategies learners are possible to control their own cognition. Control is intended to coordinate the learning process by using functions such as concentration, regulation, planning, and evaluation. Second, affective strategy. Affective strategies help regulate emotions, motivations, and attitudes. Third, social strategy. Social strategies can help students learn through interactions with others. The three indirect strategies can support and manage language learning without directly involving the target language. Indirect strategies work in tandem with direct strategies and are useful in almost all language learning situations i.e. listening, reading, speaking, and writing.

SIMPLE PAST TENSE
Past tense indicates definite time terminating in the past, whether a time word is given or not (Marcella Frank, 1972: 73). Simple Past tense is a tense that is used to express actions that were completed in the past. Simple past tense is the time used explains an actions or events at the specific time in the past in the form of modestly (Rudy and Bryan, 2008: p. 433 -I studied English yesterday To make a negative sentence in the simple past form, use the auxiliary word "did" and then add the word "not". After using "did" then the verb must return to the infinitive verb (verb above or first form of verb Negative sentences in the form of the simple past tense are formed by adding the word "not" after "was" or were". S + Was/Were + Not + Not Verb Examples: -I was not very busy yesterday.

Interrogative Sentence (interrogative)
An interrogative sentence is made by placing "was" or "were" at the beginning of the sentence.
Was/Were + S + Not Verb Examples: -Was I very busy yesterday?

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This research uses mixed methods. Mixed research involves the mixing of quantitative and qualitative research method, approaches, or other paradigm characteristics. This research uses a mixture or combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, approaches and concepts in a single research study might be conducted concurrently or sequentially to address a research question or a set of related questions (Burke and Christensen, 2014).
This study uses an explanatory sequential research design. The explanatory sequential mixed methods approach is a design in mixed methods that appeals to individuals with a strong quantitative background or from fields relatively new to qualitative approaches. It involves a two-phase project in which this research collects quantitative data in the first phase, analyzes the results, and then uses the results to plan the second, qualitative phase. The quantitative results typically inform the types of participants to be purposefully selected for the qualitative phase and the types of questions that will be asked of the participants. The overall intent of this design is to have the qualitative data help explain in more detail the initial quantitative results. A typical procedure might involve collecting survey data in the first phase, analyzing the data, and then following up with qualitative interviews to help explain the survey responses (Creswell, 2014, p. 247).
The population of this research is the tenth grade students of Senior High School 1 Jambi City in academic year 2020/2021. There are 10 classes at the tenth grade which consist of 23-36 students for each classes. Sample is the group of participants in a study selected from the target population from which this research generalizes to target population (Creswell, 2008: 393). The sample of this research is students from X MIPA 3 in academic year 2021/2022. This research determines the sample by using cluster sampling. Cluster sampling is a form of sampling in which a cluster (a type of collective unit that includes multiple elements, such as schools, churches, classrooms, universities, households, and city blocks) rather than single-element units (such as individual students, teachers, counselors, and administrators) were randomly selected (Burke and Christensen, 2014: 359).
This study used questionnaires and interviews as research instruments to collect data. The results of the questionnaire showed the language learning strategies used by the students and the results of the interviews showed the language learning strategies applied by the students in learning the simple past tense.

FINDINGS
This researchs have conducted research and have obtained complete data from all research instruments, namely questionnaires and interview. The sample in this study amounted to 36 students of class X MIPA 3. In collecting data through a questionnaire, only 35 students participated and 1 student was not present when the research took place. Interview data were collected by this researchs to 5 students as class representatives. Interviews were conducted by telephone. This chapter presents the analyzed data taken from questionnaire and interview.

Questionnaire
Questionnaires were distributed to 36 tenth grade students of MIPA 3 Senior High School 1 Jambi City. Questionnaires were distributed on January 12, 2022 for the second shift class and on January 13, 2022 for the first shift class. To determine student learning strategies used a Likert scale consisting of Never or almost never true to me (1), Usually not true to me (2), Somewhat true to me (3), Usually true to me (4), Always or almost true about me (5). In the first shift class, one student did not come to class. So, the total number of students who filled out SILL from the first and second shift classes were 35 students.     In addition to the results of using each strategy, this research also analyzed the most frequently used strategies from 30 statements. The following table shows the categories of strategies that are often used.

a. The Result of Most Frequently Used
Individual Strategies

Interview
Data from interviews showed that the five students applied learning strategies in learning the simple past tense. The six learning strategies are memory strategy, cognitive strategy, compensation strategy, metacognitive strategy, affective strategy, and social strategy that are used by students to overcome their difficulties in learning the simple past tense material.
The first question regarding the application of one of the memory strategies is reviewing the lesson. This strategy is used by students in learning the simple past tense. There are 2 students who sometimes review simple past tense lessons. Meanwhile, 3 students did not review the simple past tense lesson. The three students did not use any of these memory strategies in studying the simple past tense.
The second question is about the application of one of the cognitive strategies, namely repeating words or sentences. There are 4 students who do this and apply it in learning the simple past tense. Meanwhile, 1 student did not repeat in learning the simple past tense.
The third question regarding the application of one of the compensation strategies is using gestures when forgetting the words to be used in conversation. There are 5 students who use gestures to help them in conveying messages. However, they use it with different frequencies, 2 students often use gestures and 3 students sometimes use gestures during conversation.
The fourth question regarding the application of one of the metacognitive strategies is paying attention when people are speaking in English. There are 5 students who really pay attention to other people who are talking. This strategy is applied by students in learning the simple past tense, namely in listening to the pronunciation when the verb is spoken in the past tense.
The fifth question regarding the application of one of the affective strategies is to encourage oneself to speak in English. Students in studying the simple past tense also use this strategy. There are 5 students who encourage and motivate themselves to dare to speak in English.
The sixth question regarding implementing one of the social strategies is asking the other person to slow down what is being said. From the answers of the five students in the interview, it can be seen that they have used this strategy when they did not understand what other people were saying.
From the results of interviews with the five students, it is known that 4 students have difficulty in learning the simple past tense. Of the four students, 1 student only had a little difficulty in learning the simple past tense. The difficulties they face in learning the simple past tense are regarding the use of changing verb forms and how to pronounce them correctly. Meanwhile, 1 student had no difficulty in learning the simple past tense.
From the results of interviews with the five students, it is known that students in overcoming difficulties in learning the simple past tense use a memory strategy that is doing repetition in learning the simple past tense. In addition, they memorize the simple past tense material and use it in daily conversation.

DISCUSSIONS
There are six categories of strategies stated by Oxford in language learning, namely memory strategies, cognitive strategies, compensation strategies, metacognitive strategies, affective strategies, and social strategies. The results of this study indicate that the students of class X MIPA 3 belong to the medium category in using this learning strategy with an average of 3.15. Metacognitive strategies are strategies that are most widely used by students among the other five strategies, namely memory strategies, cognitive strategies, compensation strategies, affective strategies, and social strategies.
The average use of metacognitive strategies is 3.68 which belongs to the high category in its use. Also, the individual strategies of metacognitive strategies, there are 4 strategies which are classified as high in use and 1 strategy in which their use is classified as medium. The four individual strategies of the metacognitive strategy are (1) pay attention when someone is speaking English, (2) look for people I can talk to in English, (3) I have clear goals for improving my English skills, and (4) i think about my progress in learning English. While one individual strategy of metacognitive strategy is "I look for opportunities to read as much as possible in English". However, there is one individual strategy that is most often used of all existing strategies, the strategy is "If I do not understand something in English, I ask the other person to slow down or say it again" which is included in the social strategy group with an average -average 5 and in the high category. From the use of strategies that are classified as moderate, they are quite successful in controlling and tent to monitor their learning process.
From the interviews, it is known that in studying the simple past tense, students apply language learning strategies. The strategies used include memory strategies (reviewing lessons), cognitive strategies (repeating words or sentences), compensation strategies (using gestures), metacognitive strategies (paying attention when other people are talking), affective strategies (encouraging yourself to dare to speak in a conversation). English), and social strategies (asking others to slow down what is being said). The students apply these strategies in learning the simple past tense.

CONCLUSIONS
After conducting research in class X MIPA 3 in Senior High School 1 Jambi City, this research concluded that the students were greatly helped in their learning process in English lessons on simple past tense material. From this, this research can know that: 1. In using language learning strategies consisting of memory strategy, cognitive strategy, compensation strategy, metacognitive strategy, affective strategy, and social strategy, students are classified as medium users. Students use language learning strategies with an average of 3.15 belonging to the medium category. Of the six strategies in language learning, the first level of strategy that is most widely used is the metacognitive strategy with an average of 3.68, the second is the cognitive strategy with an average of 3.62, the third is the social strategy with an average of 3.44, the fourth is compensation with an average of 3.00, the fifth is memory strategy with an average of 2.83, and the sixth is affective strategy with an average of 2.76. 2. The individual strategy most used by students with an average usage is 5, namely one of the social strategies "if I do not understand something in English, I ask the other person to slow down or say it again". This strategy is very often used by students during the learning process in class, students to other students and students with teachers. 3. From the interviews, it is known that in studying the simple past tense, students apply language learning strategies. The students apply these strategies in learning the simple past tense to help them overcome difficulties in learning the simple past tense and to better understand the use of the simple past tense orally and in writing.