Identification of The Problem

C. Limitation of The Problem

In reference to the problems above, it was impossible for the researcher to deal with all the problems because of limited time. Considering the urgency of the problems and the ability of the researcher, she focused on improving the students’ skills of writing explanation text especially in five aspects of writing namely content, organization, vocabulary, language use, and mechanic. Through this research, the researcher also focused to improve the students’ motivation and participation during the actions. By implementing the visual media in Grade XII Science 1 of SMA Negeri 2 Sleman, teachers and students were expected to achieve the goal of the teaching that was producing explanation text appropriately. In this study, the researcher intended to know how picture series as visual media could be used to improve the students’ skills of writing explanation text.

D. Formulation of The Problem

Based on the background of the study, identification of the problem, and limitation of the problem, the problem of this study could be formulated as follows: How can picture series be implemented in the teaching and learning writing explanation text to improve Grade XII students’ writing skills at SMA Negeri 2 Sleman in the academic year of 20132014?

E. Objective of The Research

Based on the formulation of the problem, the objective of this study was to improve Grade XII students’ writing skills in producing an explanation text at SMA Negeri 2 Sleman through picture series.

F. Significance of The Research Findings

This study is expected to be beneficial for: 1. English teachers in SMA N 2 Sleman that the findings of this study hopefully can be a valuable source of information to improve the quality of English teaching and learning process. 2. Other teachers in SMA N 2 Sleman that the findings of this study hopefully become one of useful references used to improve students’ learning achievement. 3. Other English teachers that the results of this study can be references for other English teachers in solving their problem on how to improve their students’ writing skills.. 4. English education students of Yogyakarta State University that the results of this study hopefully become one of considerable reading materials to enrich their reference in writing their thesis.

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This study focused on the implementation of picture series to improve the students’ writing ability in explanation text. To strengthen the framework of the study, the researcher discusses some relevant theories which are related to the study in this chapter. It is divided into theoretical description, relevant studies and conceptual framework. The theory of writing, teaching writing, media and picture series will be highlighted in this chapter.

A. Theoretical Description

1. Theory of Writing

a. The Nature of Writing

One of the most important skills that foreign language students need to develop is writing. It is the last stage in learning language after listening, speaking, and reading. In other words, it can be said that writing is an indicator of their achievement in learning language. Before they write, they should be able to listen, to speak, and to read. Writing skills are different from other skills like speaking and listening. Brown 2001: 334 states that trends in teaching writing of ESL and other foreign languages are integrated with teaching other skills, particularly listening and speaking. Writing belongs to productive skills rather than receptive one. It produces a message to communicate. Spratt, Pulverness, and Williams 2005: 26 state that writing and speaking belong to productive skills. They say that speaking and writing produce language rather than receive it. It means that in writing, an output will be needed as an indicator that students have learned and understood the skills. It is clear that the output of writing skills can be written stories, letters, or other text types. Another linguist states that writing is a complex skill because it is the last output after students learn several acts continuously. Wallace 2004: 15 states that writing is the final product after students learn several stages of writing separately before. Those stages are note-taking, identifying a central idea, outlining, drafting, and editing. Before the students can produce a good writing, they need to pass many subskills. If they do not master it, it will be difficult for them to share their ideas to their teacher or their friends in a written form. Writing becomes more complex because it does not only put the idea into a paper but how the written text can be understandable by paying attention to some aspects to create a good written text Westwood, 2008:56. The nature of writing can also be defined as physical and mental activity that is aimed to express and impress Nunan, 2003:88. It can be catagorized into physical activity because a writer is required to be able to do the act of committing words or ideas. As a mental activity, the activities of writing focus more on the act of inventing ideas, thinking about how to express and organize them into clear statements and paragraphs that a reader can understand easily about the ideas of the written works.