Secondary School Students' Perceptions of Grammar Teaching: A Case Study

The study aims to find out the perceptions of the students toward two grammar teaching methods: Situational Presentation and Grammar Translation Method. The research is an experimental teaching to seventy-two students of SMPN 127, Jakarta, Indonesia. The data are collected from a questionnaire and interview with the students after they are taught using the two teaching methods. The result of the study shows thirty-nine students prefer Situational Presentation, while other thirty-two students prefer Grammar Translation Method. Compared to Situational Presentation Method, Grammar Translation Method is preferred by students who have higher academic competence since the method is perceived as identical to serious learning styles. Moreover, the students do not seem familiar with Situational Presentation Method. The study concludes that both teaching methods are still needed in a language class.