SUCCESS IN LEARNING ENGLISH: THE STUDENTS’ DEFINITION

Abstract

Individual learner differences and success in learning English are not new topics.
Many researches were conducted to find out the personal characteristics of learner
that make one learner more successful than another. Defining success is a difficult,
but every student has their own definition of what success in learning English is.
Inspired by Mardiah (2015) research about success in second language learning, this
paper is aimed in describing the definition of success in learning English from
students’ point of view and their arguments behind it. The respondent of this
research is Public Health students of STIK Bina Husada Palembang who took
English subject. The definitions are classified into three categories; know the basic
rule of the language, speak fluently like native speaker, and use the language to
communicate. The definition and its argument reflect the students’ goal in learning
English.