The Mastery of Simple Past Tense of the Eighth Grade Students of MTs. Matholiul Ulum Banjaragung Bangsri Jepara in Academic Year 2011/2012 Taught by Using Mistake Buster Technique

Junior High School students are expected to master simple past tense to support their English skills to the next level. When the students have known enough grammar, it will help them to make their learning process go easier with the maximum result. However, the fact shows that many students have difficulties to master their grammar especially in simple past tense. Mistake buster technique is one of the technique of teaching that can make the students more interested and motivated. The purpose of this research is to find out whether there is significant difference of the mastery of simple past tense of the eighth grade students of MTs. Matholiul Ulum Banjaragung Bangsri Jepara in academic year 2011/2012 taught and without using mistake buster technique. The subject of the research is the eighth grade students of MTs. Matholiul Ulum Banjaragung Bangsri Jepara in academic year 2011/2012 with the number of students 40. The design of this research is experimental research by using test instrument (post test) and giving the treatment in two groups. The result showed that the mastery of simple past tense of the eighth grade students of MTs. Matholiul Ulum Banjaragung Bangsri Jepara in academic year 2011/2012 without using mistake buster technique is categorized sufficient. The score of mean and standard deviation are 60,8 and 6,70. Meanwhile, the mastery of simple past tense of the eighth grade students of MTs. Matholiul Ulum Banjaragung Bangsri Jepara in academic year 2011/2012 taught by using mistake buster technique is categorized good. The score of mean and standard deviation are 71,5 and 7,05. The calculation of t-test gets result 4,92 and the level of significance 5% and the degree of freedom (df) 38 which is gained N1 + N2 – 2, t-table is 2,03. It is concluded that there is significant difference of the mastery of simple past tense of the eighth grade students of MTs. Matholiul Ulum Banjaragung Bangsri Jepara in academic year 2011/2012 taught and without using mistake buster technique. Considering the process and the result of this research, the writer suggest that the teacher should use an interesting technique in teaching English, especially in simple past tense. One of them is mistake buster technique as an alternative technique in teaching simple past tense