The Understanding of Narrative Text

5. The Types of Narrative Text

There are many different types of narrative, such as humour, romance, crime, real-life fiction, historical fiction, mystery, fantasy, science-fiction, diary- novels, and adventure. 19 One type can be combined with others. For instance, a mystery novel could also include romance and crime, etc. Here are some types of narrative explained by Anderson: a. Humour A humorous narrative tells a story that aims to make the readers laugh while reading the story. Some characteristics of humorous narrative are: using funny names, making fun of serious situation, something crazy happened, etc. b. Romance A romance narrative usually tells the story of two lovers who struggle to end up together. Some characteristics of this type of narrative are: there are male and female who looking for love, boy meets girl, using exotic setting, marry and live happily ever after, etc. c. Historical fiction Some characteristics of historical fiction are: using setting in the past, good meets evil, characters‟ lives affected by the events of history, etc. d. Fantasy Some characteristics of fantasy narrative are: hero who may have magical powers, setting may be in another dimension with gods or witches and wizards, imaginative description, etc. e. Science fiction Science fiction narrative use science and technology as setting of the story. Some characteristics of science fiction narrative are: using a future setting, there are aliens or strange creatures, a world with technology, etc. Thus, every types of narrative text have its own difficulties to comprehend and its own characteristics, like the names of the characters, the setting, the plot, 19 Mark Anderson and Kathy Anderson, Text Type in English 2, South Yarra: McMillan Education, 2003, p. 18. the conflict, etc. Since two or more types can be included in one work, it‟s quite challenging to comprehend the story in chronological order.

C. Storyboard Technique

1. The Understanding of Storyboard Technique

Storyboard technique is a prewriting activity which emphasized on students‟ elaboration, prediction, brainstorming, and sequencing. 20 Even it is usually used as prewriting strategy, storyboard likely can be adapted to several others classroom activities. David stated that storyboard can be used in reading activity in the classroom, especially in reading works of fiction, because while students create storyboards, they are reading them too. 21 Storyboard is actually not a new concept. Historically, it has been used as a beginning strategy in producing video, film, or animation. As Glebas on his book, Directing the Story, stated that: A script is a verbal plan for a story. A storyboard is a plan for the visualization of that story. A storyboard is the inspirational heart, mind, and soul of a movie. We have all seen storyboards; everyday in the newspapers there are lots of three- or four-panel storyboards showing short, usually funny, stories . 22 As a reading activity, storyboards can help the students to visualize a print text. This technique allows students to interpret the materials, such as narrative text, into series of thumbnail sketches after reading the text. 23 Students‟ storyboarding could show their understanding of the text, because it is not easy to make sketches without really understand the story in chronological. Therefore, storyboard is a technique in language learning which facilitates the students to represent a narrative through visual images. It facilitates the students to decode the text and then to encode their comprehension through 20 Katherine D. Wiesandanger, Strategies for Literacy Education, Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall, 2015, p. 161. 21 David L. Bruce, “Using Storyboard to Engage Students with Reading”, The English Journal, 100, 2011, p. 78. Retrieved from http:www.jstor.org.vlib.interchange.ataction . 22 Francis Glebas, Directing the Story: Professional Storytelling and Storyboarding Technique for Live Action and Animation, Oxford: Elsevier Inc., 2009, p. 46. 23 Sharon E. Smaldino et al., Instructional Media and Technologies for Learning, New Jersey: Pearson Education Hall, 2002, p. 98.