THE STUDENTS` ABILITY IN UNDERSTANDING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT FACED BY THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS AT MTS MUHAMMADIYAH 1 MALANG

THE STUDENTS` ABILITY IN UNDERSTANDING

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT FACED BY THE EIGHTH

GRADE STUDENTS AT MTS

MUHAMMADIYAH 1

MALANG

THESIS

By:

ANIS RAHMAWATI

06360149

UNIVERSITY OF MUHMMADIYAH MALANG

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

This thesis was defended in front of examiners of the Faculty of Teacher

Training and Education of University of Muhammadiyah Malang

and accepted as one of the requirements to achieve

Sarjana Degree in English Education

on January 25, 2011

Approved by:

Faculty of Teacher Training and Education University of Muhammadiyah Malang

Dean,

Drs. Fauzan, M. Pd

Examiners:

1. Dra.Thathit Manon Andini, M. Hum 1……… 2. Drs. Mas’udi, M. Ed 2………

3. Drs. Jarum, M. Ed 3………

i

TABLE OF CONTENT

Approval………..………...i

Legalization………..……….ii

Motto and Dedication………..……….iii

Abstract………..………...iv

Acknowledgment……..……….v

Table of Content…..……….vi

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1Background of the Study…………..………...1

1.2Statement of Problem……….……….………4

1.3Purpose of the Study……….……….…….……4

1.4Significance of the Study……….……….………..4

1.5Scope and Limitation……..……….………5

1.6Definition of Keyterm………..………5

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.1 Ability………..………...……….6

2.2 General Definition of the Text………...………..……6

2.3 Kinds of the Text………..………...7

2.3.1 Narrative Text………..………...7

2.3.2 Recount Text……….….……….7

2.3.3 Anecdote Text………..…………...7

2.3.4 Procedure Text……….………..….8

ii

2.3.6 Descriptive text………...…………8

2. 4 Kinds of Descriptive Text………...9

2. 4. 1 Descriptive Informative Text………9

2. 4. 2 Descriptive Analytic Text………...10

2.4. 3 Descriptive Evocative Text ..……….…..………12

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY 3. 1 Research Design……….……..15

3. 2 Population and Sample………..…………...15

3. 3 Instruments of Data Collection……….16

3.3. 1 Try Out………...………..17

3.2.2 The Result of the Try out Test………..17

3. 3.3 Reliability and Validity of the Test……….18

3.3.4 Item Analysis………..………..19

3.3.4.1 Determining Item Difficulty and Item Discrimination………19

3. 4Data Collection……….………..…..20

3. 5 Data Analysis……….……….….…21

CHAPTER IV: RESULT AND DISCUSSION 4.1 Result……….………....22

4.1.1 Students` Ability in Understanding Descriptive Text……….……….22

4.1.1.1 Students` Ability in Understanding Descriptive Informative Text….23 4.1.1.2 Students` Ability in Understanding Descriptive Analytic Text……..24

4.1.1.3 Students` Ability in Understanding Descriptive Evocative Text……25

iii

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS

5.1 Conclusions……….………..28

5.2 Suggestions……….………..29

Referances Appendices

REFERENCES

Arianti, Poppy Eki. 2008. A Study on the 4th Semester Student’s Ability in Using Simple Present Tense in Writing Descriptive Paragraph of English. Unpublished Thesis. Malang : UMM Press.

Arikunto, Suharsimi. 2009. Dasar- Dasar Evaluasi Pendidikan. Edisi Revisi. Jakarta: Bumi Aksara.

Ary, Donald et. al. 2002. Introduction to Research in Education. 6th Edition. Wardsworth: Belmont. CA.

Departement Pendidikan Nasional. 2005. Materi Pelatihan Terintegrasi ; Bahasa Inggris Untuk SMP.

Djiwandono, M. Soenardi. 2008. Tes Bahasa: Pegangan bagi Pengajar Bahasa. First Edition. Jakarta: P.T Indeks.

Freeman, Donald. 1998. Doing Teacher-Research: From Inquiry to Understanding. Canada. Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

Haliday , M A K dan Ruqaiya, Hasan. 1992. Bahasa, Konteks & Teks: Aspek-aspek Bahasa Dalam Pandangan Semiotik Sosial. Yogyakarta: Gadjamada University Press.

Hartono. 2003. Belajar Menerjemahkan: Teori dan Praktek. Malang: UMM Press.

Jaidie, Muhammad. 2009. The Ability of Translation Student’s in Translating a Descriptive English Text into Indonesian. Unpublised Thesis. Malang: UMM Press.

Lowman, Rodney L. 1991. The Clinical Practice of Career Assessment: Interests, Abilities and Personality. Washington DC. American Physiological Association.

Margono, S. 2007. Metodologi Penelitian Pendidikan: Komponen MKDK. Cet. 6. Jakarta: Rineka Cipta.

Simatupang, Maurits D.S. 1999. Pengantar Teori Terjemahan. Universitas Indonesia. Jakarta: Dirjen Perguruan Tingi Depdiknas.

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1 of this research presents such topic as: background of the study, statement of the problem, significance of the study, scope and limitation and definition of key terms. Each season is presented as follows.

1.1 Background of the Study

English is an international language in this world. It is an important thing, because it is not only tool of communication, but it also becomes a media to transfer science and technology. Several countries use English as a national language. However, in our country, Indonesia, English is not used as a national language, but as a foreign language.

In Indonesia, English is the first foreign language to be taught at school. It is

compulsory subject from elementary school until higher education. It is expected that the students have good English mastery, in order to be able to survive in this globalization era.

The teaching of English as a foreign language is expected to enable students to listen, read, speak and write. Every skill has its own goal to be reached as the requirement of English ability. For example, in reading, the students learn how to get meaning or main idea of the text. In writing skill, the students are taught to express their mind in written text or words. Listening is one of the skills that are focused on listening to comprehend what the speaker says. Then, the last skill is speaking. It is the expression of someone in verbal communication. Each skill should be reached.

One of the skills, reading plays an important function because Indonesia has entered the era of science and technology. It means that Indonesian people need to know

scientific knowledge and technology books written in English from other countries. However, most of Indonesian people do not understand the scientific knowledge and technology books written in English.

To reach reading ability the reader should know first what the texts or books are talking about. Unfortunately, some people still difficult to understand it when they read the books or texts. Some people read it without understanding. It is because they are still difficult in mastering the language used in the text or the book. They do not understand it because they are still low in vocabulary and grammar.

The level of students` ability in understanding text can be identified with the test, whether their ability is excellent, good or poor. After knowing students` ability in understanding text, it is able to decide what steps to be taken.

Actually, there are many styles of English text are taught in Junior High School such as recount, narrative, procedure, report, anecdote and descriptive text (Depdiknas, 2005). Each text has own characteristics. First, recount text is a text which tells about events in the past time, such as tells about an accident and the report of the event. Second, narrative text is a text which tells about a story. In addition, Hartono also defined that narrative text is a text which talks about event or and incident (a story) in order to entertain the readers (2003). It can be fairy stories, mystery story, science fiction, romance, and horror. Third, procedure text is a text which tells about how something can be done. It is told in a series of the steps. Fourth, report text is a text which gives us the description of general

characteristics of something. It has function to provide factual information, to tell natural or non natural phenomena. Fifth, anecdote text is a text which tells about the past event, but this text has purpose to entertain the reader. It is a funny or unusual story. The last is

descriptive text. It is a text that gives the reader information about describing things, animals, or people in a specific way. In addition, “Descriptive text is a text about how people, animal or things are described” (Hartono, 2003: 41). It means that descriptive text has function to describe something or someone in a specific. And here, the writer is interested in descriptive text, because this text was already taught from the seventh grade level until the eighth grade level. Beside that, description text often uses simple tense form, the basic tense in English structure.

Based on the explanation above, the writer has assumption that this text is not difficult to the students. However, some previous research shown that students` ability in

understanding a text was still low. In Jaidi`s thesis, students` ability in translating

descriptive text made by the eighth semester of translation III from 39 sample students in UMM was still poor (2009). There was no student (0%) who got closely perfect in translating descriptive text. Next, only 1student (2.6%) who got good translation. Then, 10 students (25.6%) were moderate and the last, 28 students (71.8%) got the poor. In general, the ability of eighth semester students of academic year 2008/2009 who joined translation III at English department of University Muhammadiyah of Malang was poor in translating the descriptive English text into Indonesia with the average 43.7.

Arianti also stated about the students` ability in writing descriptive paragraph faced by the students of English department, 2006/2007 academic year at the UMM, did not successful (2008). They also still make several problems in writing it. The population is 186 students and 23 students as the sample. The students` final score range is between 5-25 and the total of the final score is 391. There was 21.74% of the students got the score between 22-25. It means that the score was excellent. Beside, 34.78% of the students got

the score 21-18, as a good score. Next, 30.43% of the students got the score 17-11. It was a fair or poor score. Moreover, 13.04% got score between 10-5. In brief, the result of the mean score shows that the students` ability in using simple present tense in writing descriptive paragraph was fair (17).

Based on the explanation above, the researcher will do a research on the students` ability in understanding descriptive text faced by eighth grader in a thesis entitled “the students` ability in understanding descriptive text faced by the eighth grade students at MTs Muhammadiyah 1 Malang”.

1.2 Statement of Problem

Referring to the background of the study, the problem of the study is,” How is the student`s ability in understanding descriptive at the eighth grade of MTs Muhammadiyah 1 Malang?”

1.3 Purpose of the study

Based on the statement problems above, the purposes of this study is to know the students` ability in understanding descriptive text at the eight grade of MTs

Muhammadiyah 1 Malang.

1.4. Significance of the Study

Hopefully, this study will contribute something to the teachers in teaching learning English as a foreign language. By using the result of this research, the teacher will be able to identify the students` ability in understanding a text, especially a descriptive text. So, if the students` score is low, the teacher can improve the teaching strategy especially when teaching descriptive text. For the students, it is expected that the students who have high

score can share their experience, and for those who have low score can improve their ability.

1.5 Scope and Limitation

The scope of this research is the students` ability in understanding descriptive text. The researcher limits the research on descriptive text.

1.6 Definition of Key Terms

Ability refers to what one is able or potentially able to do rather than to what one has

interest in doing (Lowman,1991: 11)

Understanding is a the new or existing information, interpretation, insights and

perspectives on the question or puzzle that accumulate through the research process (Freeman, 1998: 36)

Descriptive text is a text which tells about how people, animals or things are described

REFERENCES

Arianti, Poppy Eki. 2008. A Study on the 4th Semester Student’s Ability in Using Simple Present Tense in Writing Descriptive Paragraph of English. Unpublished Thesis. Malang : UMM Press.

Arikunto, Suharsimi. 2009. Dasar- Dasar Evaluasi Pendidikan. Edisi Revisi. Jakarta: Bumi Aksara.

Ary, Donald et. al. 2002. Introduction to Research in Education. 6th Edition. Wardsworth: Belmont. CA.

Departement Pendidikan Nasional. 2005. Materi Pelatihan Terintegrasi ; Bahasa Inggris Untuk SMP.

Djiwandono, M. Soenardi. 2008. Tes Bahasa: Pegangan bagi Pengajar Bahasa. First Edition. Jakarta: P.T Indeks.

Freeman, Donald. 1998. Doing Teacher-Research: From Inquiry to Understanding. Canada. Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

Haliday , M A K dan Ruqaiya, Hasan. 1992. Bahasa, Konteks & Teks: Aspek-aspek Bahasa Dalam Pandangan Semiotik Sosial. Yogyakarta: Gadjamada University Press.

Hartono. 2003. Belajar Menerjemahkan: Teori dan Praktek. Malang: UMM Press.

Jaidie, Muhammad. 2009. The Ability of Translation Student’s in Translating a Descriptive English Text into Indonesian. Unpublised Thesis. Malang: UMM Press.

Lowman, Rodney L. 1991. The Clinical Practice of Career Assessment: Interests, Abilities and Personality. Washington DC. American Physiological Association.

Margono, S. 2007. Metodologi Penelitian Pendidikan: Komponen MKDK. Cet. 6. Jakarta: Rineka Cipta.

Simatupang, Maurits D.S. 1999. Pengantar Teori Terjemahan. Universitas Indonesia. Jakarta: Dirjen Perguruan Tingi Depdiknas.

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1 of this research presents such topic as: background of the study, statement of the problem, significance of the study, scope and limitation and definition of key terms. Each season is presented as follows.

1.1 Background of the Study

English is an international language in this world. It is an important thing, because it is not only tool of communication, but it also becomes a media to transfer science and technology. Several countries use English as a national language. However, in our country, Indonesia, English is not used as a national language, but as a foreign language.

In Indonesia, English is the first foreign language to be taught at school. It is

compulsory subject from elementary school until higher education. It is expected that the students have good English mastery, in order to be able to survive in this globalization era.

The teaching of English as a foreign language is expected to enable students to listen, read, speak and write. Every skill has its own goal to be reached as the requirement of English ability. For example, in reading, the students learn how to get meaning or main idea of the text. In writing skill, the students are taught to express their mind in written text or words. Listening is one of the skills that are focused on listening to comprehend what the speaker says. Then, the last skill is speaking. It is the expression of someone in verbal communication. Each skill should be reached.

One of the skills, reading plays an important function because Indonesia has entered the era of science and technology. It means that Indonesian people need to know

scientific knowledge and technology books written in English from other countries. However, most of Indonesian people do not understand the scientific knowledge and technology books written in English.

To reach reading ability the reader should know first what the texts or books are talking about. Unfortunately, some people still difficult to understand it when they read the books or texts. Some people read it without understanding. It is because they are still difficult in mastering the language used in the text or the book. They do not understand it because they are still low in vocabulary and grammar.

The level of students` ability in understanding text can be identified with the test, whether their ability is excellent, good or poor. After knowing students` ability in understanding text, it is able to decide what steps to be taken.

Actually, there are many styles of English text are taught in Junior High School such as recount, narrative, procedure, report, anecdote and descriptive text (Depdiknas, 2005). Each text has own characteristics. First, recount text is a text which tells about events in the past time, such as tells about an accident and the report of the event. Second, narrative text is a text which tells about a story. In addition, Hartono also defined that narrative text is a text which talks about event or and incident (a story) in order to entertain the readers (2003). It can be fairy stories, mystery story, science fiction, romance, and horror. Third, procedure text is a text which tells about how something can be done. It is told in a series of the steps. Fourth, report text is a text which gives us the description of general

characteristics of something. It has function to provide factual information, to tell natural or non natural phenomena. Fifth, anecdote text is a text which tells about the past event, but this text has purpose to entertain the reader. It is a funny or unusual story. The last is

descriptive text. It is a text that gives the reader information about describing things, animals, or people in a specific way. In addition, “Descriptive text is a text about how people, animal or things are described” (Hartono, 2003: 41). It means that descriptive text has function to describe something or someone in a specific. And here, the writer is interested in descriptive text, because this text was already taught from the seventh grade level until the eighth grade level. Beside that, description text often uses simple tense form, the basic tense in English structure.

Based on the explanation above, the writer has assumption that this text is not difficult to the students. However, some previous research shown that students` ability in

understanding a text was still low. In Jaidi`s thesis, students` ability in translating

descriptive text made by the eighth semester of translation III from 39 sample students in UMM was still poor (2009). There was no student (0%) who got closely perfect in translating descriptive text. Next, only 1student (2.6%) who got good translation. Then, 10 students (25.6%) were moderate and the last, 28 students (71.8%) got the poor. In general, the ability of eighth semester students of academic year 2008/2009 who joined translation III at English department of University Muhammadiyah of Malang was poor in translating the descriptive English text into Indonesia with the average 43.7.

Arianti also stated about the students` ability in writing descriptive paragraph faced by the students of English department, 2006/2007 academic year at the UMM, did not successful (2008). They also still make several problems in writing it. The population is 186 students and 23 students as the sample. The students` final score range is between 5-25 and the total of the final score is 391. There was 21.74% of the students got the score between 22-25. It means that the score was excellent. Beside, 34.78% of the students got

the score 21-18, as a good score. Next, 30.43% of the students got the score 17-11. It was a fair or poor score. Moreover, 13.04% got score between 10-5. In brief, the result of the mean score shows that the students` ability in using simple present tense in writing descriptive paragraph was fair (17).

Based on the explanation above, the researcher will do a research on the students` ability in understanding descriptive text faced by eighth grader in a thesis entitled “the students` ability in understanding descriptive text faced by the eighth grade students at MTs Muhammadiyah 1 Malang”.

1.2 Statement of Problem

Referring to the background of the study, the problem of the study is,” How is the student`s ability in understanding descriptive at the eighth grade of MTs Muhammadiyah 1 Malang?”

1.3 Purpose of the study

Based on the statement problems above, the purposes of this study is to know the students` ability in understanding descriptive text at the eight grade of MTs

Muhammadiyah 1 Malang. 1.4. Significance of the Study

Hopefully, this study will contribute something to the teachers in teaching learning English as a foreign language. By using the result of this research, the teacher will be able to identify the students` ability in understanding a text, especially a descriptive text. So, if the students` score is low, the teacher can improve the teaching strategy especially when teaching descriptive text. For the students, it is expected that the students who have high

score can share their experience, and for those who have low score can improve their ability.

1.5 Scope and Limitation

The scope of this research is the students` ability in understanding descriptive text. The researcher limits the research on descriptive text.

1.6 Definition of Key Terms

Ability refers to what one is able or potentially able to do rather than to what one has interest in doing (Lowman,1991: 11)

Understanding is a the new or existing information, interpretation, insights and

perspectives on the question or puzzle that accumulate through the research process (Freeman, 1998: 36)

Descriptive text is a text which tells about how people, animals or things are described