Research Site and Participants

Efrita Marthalena BR. Saragih Sumbayak, 2014 Implementation Of Genre-Based Approach In The Teaching Of Descriptive Text Writing Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu 3. 3.1 Classroom Observation Regarding the research questions, classroom observation was the main data source in this study. It plays an important role in AR Koshy, 2005; Burns, 2010. The classroom observation was chosen as it allows information to be recorded as it occurs in a particular setting and enables the actual behaviour of the teachers and the students. Mills 2007 asserts that “observation is considered a valid and true representation of the action”. Observation can be an effective means of identifying and reflecting on the classroom since it can take a number of forms. The classroom observations were carried out in this present research with the objectives to identify how GBA is implemented in the teaching and learning process. Apart from that, it also provided an insight on knowing how the students react or behave, specifically their attitude towards the implementation of GBA in teaching writing performed by the teacher. The classroom observations in this study comprised twelve observations over four weeks. The classroom observations were done in the second week of November to mid-December 2013. Each observation lasted for 80 minutes 2 x 40 minutes. The data from the classroom observations were collected by using observation notes and observation checklists by looking at the implementation of GBA in teaching and learning writing process and students’ attitude towards the implementation of the GBA. The researcher made the observation notes as soon as after each session of the observations finished when the memory of the observations was still fresh as proposed by van Lier 1988. While the observation checklists were filled in by the classroom teacher as the observer who observed the teacher-researcher activities during the implementation of GBA in the teaching process. In conducting the observation, a video camera was used to gain a record of the teaching and learning process. The reason for this activity was to avoid reactivity. Reactivity is when the participants do not behave normally because of the presence of the researcher Alwasilah, 2009. The video camera was also used to capture the pictures of the physical environment of the classroom. One of the advantages of video recording is that it allows the researcher to observe an activity