Based on the data obtained from the fourth question, it can be inferred that all students experienced that through dialogue journals, they felt improved in
learning English. It showed by the presented data of table 4.2.
Table 4.2
Students’ Perceptions on the Implication of Dialogue Journals Related to English Skills
Question Answers
Vocabulary Writing
Reading The use of grammar
The use of words Are there English skills that you feel
improved because of dialogue journals?
Ability in translating
Most students wrote that by the implementation of dialogue journals, they could enrich their vocabulary in English. Then, they also stated that dialogue
journals helped them in practicing writing that related to the ability in arranging sentences, the use of grammar, and the use of words diction. Other students
argued that their reading also improved because of dialogue journals. These data showed that the implementation of dialogue journals did not merely give positive
implication on communication, yet they could also help students to improve their English skills.
3. Data Presentation Based on the Interview
The interview was conducted to obtain further information and to verify the questionnaire’s result. The interview was conducted on July 16
th
, 2009 and July 17
th
, 2009. The interviewees were eight tenth grade students of SMAN 1 Depok. The interview was conducted individually and in an informal situation in order to
create a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere for the students. The researcher asked eight guiding questions that cover three aspects. There were process, implication,
and suggestion. This part would report the process and the implication. The first question asked about students’ perceptions on the implementation
of dialogue journals in learning English. All interviewees stated that they agreed and supported the implementation of dialogue journals in learning English
subject. They stated that through dialogue journals they could deliver their opinion to the teacher and it also helped them in practice writing in English. One
of them shared: In my opinion, I do agree to the implementation of dialogue journals. We
are able to write our feeling in English and we can also learn English through the dialogue journals.
R5, Interview Result
The second question asked about the difficulty the students’ find in writing dialogue journals. Seven students stated that they faced difficulty in the
vocabulary and in arranging the words into sentences since they were written in English. While one student claimed she did not find any difficulties in writing
dialogue journals. Though many students found difficulty in vocabulary, they could overcome it by consulting the dictionary or by asking their friends.
The third question asked about their perceptions about dialogue journals whether they can be media to make the teacher and the students close. All the
interviewees agreed that dialogue journals make them close to their teacher. They PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
argued that through dialogue journals, they would not be shy in delivering their feeling or their opinion to the teacher. One of them shared:
Yes, because if the student is shy in the class, he will be quiet, but in dialogue journals, he can write anything... Share his feeling and his
difficulty in learning. R5, Interview Result
The fourth question asked about positive implication from dialogue journals that students obtained. The students claimed that they obtained positive
implications from dialogue journals in both academic side and personal side. Academically, the students felt that through dialogue journals, they could improve
their skill in English especially in vocabulary and writing. One of them shared:
... We are able to arrange good sentences and we can enrich our vocabulary. Then, the relation with the teacher is closer. In the class, we
are only silent if we do not understand about the material but in dialogue journals, we are forced to write so it makes us close to the teacher.
R2, Interview Result
Furthermore, students personally also felt that dialogue journals gave them motivation in improving their learning. One of them shared:
...It becomes motivation for us and... we could know... improve our learning if we do not study.
R1, Interview Result
The fifth question asked about whether teacher’s reply in dialogue journals gave solution to student’s difficulty. All interviewees answered that teacher’s
reply gave them solution. However, the teacher’s reply could not give all the solution to overcome their problems in learning. They thought that it was not
optimal yet. The sixth question asked the students further whether the teacher’s reply in
dialogue journals gave them motivation on learning. All the interviewees agreed that the teacher’s reply in dialogue journals gave them motivation in learning. One
of them shared: The teacher’s writing besides giving suggestion to the students also giving
motivation words to the students. So, the students are motivated by the teacher’s writing in dialogue journals.
R1, Interview Result
The seventh question asked about implication of dialogue journals on the improvement of English skills. All interviewees stated that they experienced some
improvements in their English especially in writing and vocabulary. Moreover, there were two interviewees who stated that dialogue journals also helped them in
reading and speaking. One of them shared:
...Writing, reading, speaking. All skills alhamdulilah were improved though it was not so significant but I felt it improved because of dialogue
journals… R5, Interview Result
B. Students’ Suggestions on the Implementation of Dialogue Journals
In finding out the students’ suggestions, the researcher used open-ended questions of the questionnaire and the interview. These instruments allowed
