Definition of Technique The Concept of Clustering Technique

D. Clustering Technique

1. Definition of Technique

There are three terms that must be differentiated before knowing the definition of technique, because these terms used in teaching learning activity and people often confuse with these terms. They are approach, method, and technique. Edward Anthony in 1963 identified three levels of conceptualization and organization, which he termed approach, method, and technique. 34 An approach is a set of correlative assumption dealing with the nature of language teaching and learning. Method is an overall plan for the orderly presentation of language material. In other words, an approach is axiomatic and a method is procedural. Whereas, a technique is implementational this actually takes place in a classroom. It is a particular trick, stratagem, or contrivance used to accomplish an immediate objective. Technique must be consistent with a method and therefore in harmony with an approach as well. Anthony 1963

2. The Concept of Clustering Technique

Regardless of the type of writing task the teacher might favor assigning, a good place to begin class work is to explore the prewriting stage, the stage prior to actual production of a working text. because there is not one composing process, the goal of the teacher should be to expose students to a variety of strategies for getting started with a writing task and to encourage each student to try to discover which strategies in which circumstances work best for him or her. One of the heuristic devices or invention strategies which can be explored in class for the purpose of 34 Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers, Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1986, p.15. providing students with a repertoire of techniques for generating ideas is clustering technique. 35 Clustering technique is a good way to turn a broad subject into a limited and more manageable topic for short essay; it is also called mapping, webbing, looping, or diagramming. Clustering uses free association. To cluster ideas, begin with a blank sheet of paper. In the center, write and circle the word or phrase that expresses the broad subject you want to write about. 36 John Langan 2001 said in his book; English Skills, that clustering is also known as diagramming or mapping and another strategy that can be used to generate material for a paper. 37 Another expert said that clustering is a technique for developing rough outline for a topic by beginning with the most general ideas and moving to more and more specific details. It is beneficial in seeing the relationship between details, in organizing in formation in orderly fashion, and developing specific support for their main ideas. 38

3. Application of Clustering Technique in Teaching