The Varieties of Homework Given by English Teachers of Vocational Schools

Abstract

Learning inside the classroom is never enough because there are various limitations, so it needs the non-school hour assignment called homework. This research aims to find out the varieties of homework given by English teachers of vocational schools. This research uses a qualitative descriptive method by involving eight English teachers of vocational schools in Yogyakarta. Open-ended questionnaires, interview, and document analysis are used to collect the data. In analyzing the obtained data, the researcher does three steps, namely data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. The research results showed that homework varieties given by English teachers serve three main objectives. Those objectives are to broaden knowledge, sharpen skills, and inculcate values. It is concluded that formal education in schools requires homework that improve students' English proficiency. Besides, the existence of State Examination is regarded as a special thing that effects on learning process.

The Impact of Implementing Homework on the Development of Japanese EFL Students’ Writing

“…As time spent in class is limited, complementary learning methods outside of the classroom may be required to ensure proper learning by students (Nunan & Richards, 2014). Homework has been shown to have numerous beneficial effects such as consolidating learning from the classroom, broadening and sharpening language skills, and fostering self-regulation and self-efficacy (Amiryousefi, 2016;Azizah, 2018;Kominato, 2016;MacDonald, 2017;Ramdass & Zimmerman, 2011). This is of particular importance to EFL students, who often lack a sense of security when they are required to write in a language other than their L1 (Abadikhah et al, 2018).…”

“…As a strategy for potentially mitigating writing anxiety among students, instructors at all levels of education have used homework as an out-of-class task to reinforce learning beyond the classroom (Azizah, 2018;Kominato, 2016;MacDonald, 2017). It has been reported that there is a strong, consistent positive correlation between students' academic achievement and the time they spend on homework (Carr, 2013).…”