THE EFFECT OF CONTEXTUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN WRITING RECOUNT TEX.

THE EFFECT OF CONTEXTUAL TEACHING AND
LEARNING ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT
IN WRITING RECOUNT TEXT

A THESIS
Submitted to Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of Sarjana Pendidikan

By:

ARINI AMANJA LUBIS
Registration Number: 209421003

ENGLISH AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
2016

ABSTRACT
Lubis, Arini Amanja. 209421003. The Effect of Contextual Teaching and
Learning on Students’ Achievement in Writing Recount Text. A Thesis. English

Department, Faculty of Languages and Arts, State University of Medan.
2016.
This study aims to discover the effect of contextual teaching and learning on
students’ achievement in writing recount text. It was conducted by using
experimental research design. The population of this research was eight (VIII)
grade students of SMP Swasta Bandung Deli Serdang. The samples of the
research were two classes divided into two groups, experimental and control
group which were chosen by using random sampling technique. The first group is
20 students (VIII-2) which was the experimental group and the second group is 20
students (VIII-1) which was the control group. The experimental group was taught
by using contextual teaching and learning; the control group was taught by using
lecture method. The instrument for collecting the data was a writing test which
only consists of one item. Inter-rater reliability formula was applied to obtain the
reliability of the test. Based on the calculation, it shows that the reliability of the
test was 0.99. Then, after analyzing the data, it was found that the value of to was
5.65 with the degree of freedom (df) = 38 at the level of significance p(0.05) =
2.024. It means that to is higher than tt (5.65 > 2.024). The result of this study
shows that contextual teaching and learning has a significant effect on students’
achievement in writing recount text.
Keywords: Contextual Teaching and Learning, Students’ Achievement, Writing,

Recount Text

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Thanks to the Majesty Lord, Allah SWT, for every uncountable blessing and
unconditional love that is given to the writer until this Thesis could be completed.
He is the only God who is always there to accompany, guard and teach the writer
all the way through every single life, that the writer can pass all the happy time
and sad time with full of gratitude.
The writer realizes that writing this Thesis is not a simple thing to do that
she has faced a lot of challenges and difficulties, but she knows that no gain
without pain. This Thesis may be not acquires the best, that some suggestions and
constructive critical comments will be needed for the better in the future.
Hopefully, this Thesis can grant good contribution for the scope of
language learning and as references for the next researches. There are lots of help
and support that the writer obtained in finishing this Thesis. Without those helps
and supports, it must be hard for the writer to finish this Thesis. For that, the
writer would like to thank:



Prof. Dr. H. Syawal Gultom, M.Pd, the Rector of State University of



Medan



Arts, State University of Medan

Dr. Isda Pramuniati, M.Hum, the Dean of Faculty of Languages and

Prof. Dr. Hj. Sumarsih, M.Pd, the Head of English Department, Faculty
of Languages and Arts, State University of Medan; and also her Thesis
Advisor who had given her valuable suggestions, advice, motivation,



guidance, and precious time in completing and correcting this Thesis.




Languages and Arts, State University of Medan



Program, Faculty of Languages and Arts, State University of Medan

Dra. Meisuri, M.A, the Secretary of English Department, Faculty of

Nora Ronita Dewi, S.S, M.Hum, the Head of Educational English

Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning, M.Pd., Dr. Siti Aisah Ginting, M.Pd., and
Dra. Masitowarni Siregar, M.Ed, the Reviewers who had given their
advices and suggestions in completing this Thesis.
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All the Lecturers who had given very valuable knowledge through



academic years.



Serdang for helping and allowing the writer to conduct her research.

Paisal Lubis, S.Pd., the Headmaster of SMP Swasta Bandung Deli

Her beloved father, Ahlannadi Lubis and lovely mother, Mujiati, the
deepest gratitude for their everlasting love, trust, greatest supports,



prayers, and caring to the writer.
Thanks and love to the writer’s brothers and sister Indra Atmaja Putra
Lubis, Amd, Sigit Aryawinata Lubis, and Nadiati Lubis and also to all

her family members for they are the reason why the writer keeps on



struggling.
Her appreciation to her best friends Dewi Sahfitri Tanjung, S.Pd., Emma
Fahriza

Lubis,

S.Pd.,

Dedek

R.

Tanjung,

S.Pd.,


Ridayani

Simanjuntak, S.Pd., and Astuti. And also much appreciation to
Yoeanita, S.Pd., Wilda Hayati Nst., S.Pd., and Syamsiah Br.
Marpaung, S.Pd. for their support, encouragement, and all the precious
memories all these years. Also All members of Regular A 2009 and all
people that cannot be mentioned one by one. May Allah SWT reward you
all.
The writer admits that this Thesis is still far from being perfect. Therefore,
she would like to invite the readers to give some suggestions for the improvement
in the future. Overall, the writer hopes this Thesis can give a bit contribution to
the English Education students and further pedagogical research.

Medan,

April 2016

The Writer,

Arini Amanja Lubis

NIM. 209421003
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT …………………………………………………
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...............................................................................
LIST OF TABLES .........................................................................................
LIST OF APPENDICES …………………………………………………...

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ii
iv
vi
vii

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION...................................................................
A. The Background of the Study .............................................................
B. The Problem of the Study ...................................................................
C. The Objective of the Study .................................................................

D. The Scope of the Study.......................................................................
E. The Significance of the Study.............................................................

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3
3
4
4

CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE .......................... 5
A. Theoretical framework........................................................................ 5
1. Students’ Achievement in Writing................................................. 5
2. Writing Recount Text..................................................................... 8
a. Generic Structure of Recount Text ......................................... 14
b. Language Features of Recount Text ....................................... 14
c. Example of Recount Text........................................................ 14
3. Assessment of Writing Recount Text............................................. 15
4. Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) ..................................... 17
a. The Procedure of Using Contextual Teaching and Learning.. 21

b. The Advantage of Applying Contextual Teaching
and Learning ........................................................................... 22
c. The Disadvantages of Applying Contextual Teaching
and Learning ........................................................................... 23
B. Relevant Studies................................................................................. 23
C. Conceptual Framework....................................................................... 25
D. Hypothesis........................................................................................... 27
CHAPTER III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY........................................
A. Research Design..................................................................................
B. Population and Sample .......................................................................
C. The Instrument of Collecting Data .....................................................
1. Assessment and Scoring of Writing...............................................
D. The Procedure of Research..................................................................
1. Pre-Test ..........................................................................................
2. Treatment........................................................................................
a. The Procedure of Treatment....................................................
b. Controlling the Treatment.......................................................
3. Post-Test.........................................................................................
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35
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E. Validity and Reliability of the Test.....................................................
1. Validity of the Test.........................................................................
2. Reliability of the Test.....................................................................
F. The Technique for Analyzing Data ....................................................
G. The Statistical Hypothesis...................................................................

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CHAPTER IV. DATA ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH FINDING...........
A. The Description of Data.....................................................................
B. Data Analysis......................................................................................
1. Testing Reliability of the Test........................................................
2. Analyzing the Data using t-test......................................................
a. The Calculation of the t-table..................................................
b. The Calculation of the t-observed...........................................
3. Testing Hypothesis.........................................................................
C. Discussion............................................................................................

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CHAPTER V. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION..............

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A. Conclusion............................................................................................
B. Suggestion............................................................................................

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REFERENCE .................................................................................................

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APPENDICES.................................................................................................

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LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 Example of Recount Text ..............................................................
Table 2.2 Assessment Rubric for Writing Recount Text.............................
Table 3.1 Research Design .............................................................................
Table 3.2 Assessment Rubric for Writing Recount Text.............................
Table 3.3 The Procedure of Treatment .........................................................

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16
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LIST OF APPENDICES
APPENDIX
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J

Scores in the Experimental Group…………………..
Scores in the Control Group…………………………
The Calculation of t-Test……………………………..
The Reliability of the Test……………........................
Table of t Distribution: Critical t Value....…………..
Pre-Test and Post-Test Sheet……………....................
Teaching Media.................................……………….....
Students’ Writing Product (Experimental Group)....
Students’ Answer Sheets...............................................
Lesson Plan.....................................................................

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A. The Background of the Study
It is crystal clear that English holds an important role in the global society.
English is used as a means of international communication in practically all fields
of life: economics and business, international relations (diplomacy), the media,
and even education. Thus, the urge to learn and master English has become a
must. Since communications do not always happen orally, but it can also happen
in written way, it becomes essential to be skilled in writing.
The development of writing skill, like in speaking skill, needs an
understanding of how to put the linguistic components (knowledge of
vocabularies, grammar, and structure (genre)) altogether to be able to produce a
text. Recount text is one of the many texts students must learn in English class at
school. Recount text is a text which has the purpose to inform past activities.
In Indonesia, limited exposure to English in the context of English as a
Foreign Language (EFL) causes students to lack confidence to write in English.
When they are asked to write, they struggle with many problems in conveying
what they want to say: selecting proper words, using correct grammar, generating
ideas and developing them into a proper organizational pattern.
Based on the result of a preliminary observation which has been done in one
school in Deli Serdang, it was found that the eighth graders in SMP Swasta
Bandung Deli Serdang still have a low ability in writing. When their teacher
assigned the students to write, they found difficulties to put their ideas into the

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writing. They even had it hard just to produce a sentence. They lack vocabularies
and the understanding of how to use past tense. While to write a recount text, the
students are demanded to use verbs and to be in their past form. During the
teaching-learning process, it was also seen that the whole class put the center only
on the teacher. The students did not participate actively in the learning process,
but only sat and heard the teacher’s explanation, then did the exercises. The
lecture method which was used by teacher is actually a good method to transfer
knowledge, but for middle school students, a method that engages them in more
activities can motivate them to be more active during classes and hopefully
increase their achievement.
This matter about the low ability to write does not happen only in Indonesia.
This also happens globally as in Thailand, the problem found by Kitchakarn
(2012: 111) was that students could not choose the right words and did not know
how to start writing. As the result, it affected students’ achievement in English
subject. Students got a low achievement. This problem really needs a concern.
In today’s teaching-learning process, contextual teaching and learning
(CTL) can be useful to solve that problem. In CTL, teachers relates the subject
matter content to real world situations or to students’ life experiences or prior
knowledge that enables students to discover meaning of a subject matter on their
own. The procedures of applying CTL are based on the scientific approach that
guides students to be more active, creative, and productive.
In line with writing recount text, CTL is very helpful. Teachers relate
learning materials with students’ life experiences or prior knowledge by orally

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giving an example of a recount text and interactively involve students to discover
the meaning of recount text by themselves. Through this relating process, students
will understand the generic structures of recount text and its other characteristics.
Not only that, teachers would also engage students in a group work for them to
learn by doing until finally they can put the concepts they have newly found in
use and be able to write a recount text.
Based on the explanation, the writer expects to find the effect of contextual
teaching and learning (CTL) on students’ achievement in writing recount text for
the eighth graders in SMP Swasta Bandung Deli Serdang year of academic of
2015/2016. Choosing recount text as the research material refers to the curriculum
and the syllabus used by the school. Recount text is taught in the English subject
to the eight graders of this school.

B. The Problem of the Study
As related to the background of the study, the problem is formulated as
follows:
“Is students’ achievement in writing recount text taught by using contextual
teaching and learning higher than the students’ taught by using lecture method?”

C. The Objective of the Study
The objective of this study is to investigate whether the writing achievement
of the eighth graders in SMP Swasta Bandung Deli Serdang year of academic of
2015/2016 taught by using contextual teaching and learning is higher than the
students’ taught by using lecture method.

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D. The Scope of the Study
This study focuses on the using of contextual teaching and learning that
aims to improve the writing achievement of the eighth graders in SMP Swasta
Bandung Deli Serdang year of academic of 2015/2016, mainly in writing recount
text.

E. The Significance of the Study
1. Theoretical significance
The findings of the study may give information that contextual teaching
and learning has an important role for the successful learning process to
improve students’ achievement in writing, especially recount text.
2. Practical Significance
a. For teachers, as guidance and to give information that contextual
teaching and learning can be applied by teachers to teach English
writing, especially recount text.
b. For students, they can be motivated to be more active in class and be
able to write recount text well.
c. For other researchers, the findings of this study can be an idea donation
and be useful for science development.

CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
A. Conclusion
Based on the result of the study, the conclusions were drawn as followed:
1. Students’ Achievement in writing recount text taught by using contextual
teaching and learning was higher than that taught by using lecture method.
So, contextual teaching and learning is better used to improve the students’
writing achievement in recount text than lecture method.
2. The ability of the students in class VIII-2 of SMP Bandung Deli Serdang in
writing recount text was improved.
3. The students were more active and enthusiastic in writing recount text.

B. Suggestion
Based on the finding, it is suggested that:
1. English teacher to apply contextual teaching and learning in teaching writing
because it enables students to grasp the relationship between the experiences
of learning in school to real life to help them to get better understanding, be
active, and productive.
2. The textbook writer to introduce and suggest the reader to use contextual
teaching and learning in solving students’ problem in writing recount text.
3. The readers who are interested for further study related to this research to
explore the knowledge to enlarge their understanding about how to improve
students’ achievement in writing recount text by using contextual teaching
and learning.
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