The Example of Picture series:
Taken from www.google.com
Based on the types of the pictures, the research focused on the use of single pictures. Single pictures are simple and appropriate for the beginner to practice
writing a descriptive text. White and Arndt 1995:35 argue that although single picture may be used as a prompt, each student will bring a different perception
and interpretation. A simplest picture is expected to be helpful for them in generating ideas. Finally, it is assumed that the students were able to produce a
descriptive text based on the picture given.
2.6 Single Pictures for Teaching Writing a Descriptive Text
Pictures work really well as spurs to written production Harmer, 2004: 67. Moreover, he states that the ability of pictures to transport students to different
world meaning that they can also be used to incite students to be creative flights of fancy. Yunus 1981: 53 mentions that pictorial material can provide stimulus for
using the language at the reproduction which provides information with a quick and clear concept of language and to incite students to be creative.
2.6.1 The Procedures of Teaching Writing by Using Single Pictures
There are some points that must be considered by the teacher before teaching writing a descriptive text by using the single pictures. The teacher should
present pictures or other materials that are relevant to the interest and the level of
the students. Furthermore, the teacher has to follow some steps to teach writing in order to make the teaching learning activities run well.
According to Wright 1989: 41-42, the ways of teaching writing by using single pictures are as follows.
1. The teacher shows a single picture in class 2. Students write down any words they can think of related to the picture
3. Students combine the words into phrases. In this research, the researcher adapted those ways from Wright 1989: 24-25,
41 in teaching learning process as follows. 1. Teacher showed a single picture in the class.
2. The teacher asked the students to write down any words they can think of related to the single picture given by the teacher.
3. The teacher asked the students to combine the words into sentences. 4. The teacher asked the students to arrange the sentences into a good
descriptive text. 5. The teacher gave other single pictures, and asked the students to write a
descriptive text by themselves.
2.6.2 The advantages of using single pictures
The use of single picture in the English teaching learning process especially in teaching writing a descriptive text has some advantages. Raimes
1983: 27 states that pictures provide a shared experience for students in the class, a common base that leads to a variety of language activities. Picture can be
a valuable tool that they provide for the use of common language forms. In addition, pictures can be a basis for multiple tasks because everybody likes to look
at pictures. Their use in the classroom provides a stimulating focus on the students’ attention.
Moreover, Gerlach et al. in Yulianto 2011: 7 say that pictures as media have some advantages as follows:
1. Pictures are inexpensive and widely available, 2. Pictures provides common experiences for an entire group,
3. The visual detail makes it possible to study subject which would otherwise be impossible,
4. Picture can help to prevent and correct misconceptions, 5. Pictures help to focus attention and to develop critical judgment, and
6. Pictures are easily manipulated. Based on the above explanations, it is clear that single pictures have many
advantages since they can give good contribution to the students and the teacher in the teaching learning process. In this research, hopefully single pictures were
useful to help the junior high school students develop their writing and help the teacher in teaching descriptive text writing. In addition, the researcher took the
single picture from the internet that related to the material. The single pictures used in this research were kinds of room at home. The researcher showed the
singles picture by the using power point presentation, so that the students could see the picture clearly.
2.7 The Research Hypothesis
