Procedures of RAFT Strategy

4. The Advantages of RAFT Strategy

When using a certain strategy, the teacher has to know the advantages of the strategy before implementing it in the class. There are some advantages of RAFT strategy that teacher should know, as follows: a. Students give more thoughtful and often more extensive written responses as they demonstrate their learning. b. Students are more active in processing information rather than simply answer to questions. c. Students are given a clear structure for their writing; they know what point to assume, and they are provided with an organizational scheme. Furthermore, the purpose of the writing is outlined clearly. d. Students are more motivated to do a writing assignment because the task involves them personally and allows for more creative responses to learning the material. e. Students are encouraged to reread to examine a text from perspectives other than their own and to gain insights on concepts and ideas that may not have occurred them during the initial reading of an assignment. f. RAFT is a strategy that can be used to teach all content areas, including science, social studies, and math. 34 Based on the advantages of RAFT above, the writer concludes that RAFT strategy can make the learners develops their idea and imagination when they write and turn them to be more creative writer. Moreover, they can explore their role as a writer, determine their audience, use certain format, and write something based on a given topic. On the other hand, RAFT strategy is used not only in teaching literature but also for other content areas such as science, social studies, and math so all teachers can use this strategy to build a new refreshing learning atmosphere. 34 Buehl, op. cit., p. 176.

D. Previous Related Studies

The first journal is “The Effect of RAFT Strategy Toward Students’ Writing Achievement in the Eight Grade of SMP N 2 Lengayang” conducted by Yutrima Nengsih from English Department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatra. 35 The research had an aim to know the effect of RAFT Strategy combined with Interactive Writing Strategy to improve students’ ability in writing. The research design used in this journal was experimental study where there were two classes VIII E and VIII D used as the experimental class and the control, class and the treatment given to those classes were 8 times. The result of the research was there was a significant improvement from RAFT strategy; it was proved by the t- calculated 4.55 was higher that t-table 2.00. The difference between this research and the writer research was the research design, so it would affect the number of students, the treatment given in the class, and the analyzing of the research. Therefore, the aim of the study was either to improve the students ’ ability in writing. The second is “R.A.F.T as a Strategy for Teaching Writing Functional Text to Junior High School Students” this journal was written by Teza Peby Alisa and Rusdi Noor Rosa from English Department of State University of Padang. 36 The aim of the research is to motivate the students to write, and to give some benefits to the teacher in teaching writing skill. The result of the research is RAFT strategy could improve students ’ motivation in learning writing, and they could organize idea easier when they wrote functional text. The research design used by the researchers are not identified because they only explained the preparation and the steps pre-activity, whilst, and post-activity in teaching using RAFT strategy. The focus of the research is to improve students ’ ability in writing functional text, and it is different from the writer who focused on improving students’ descriptive writing skill. 35 Yutrima Nengsih, The Effect of RAFT Strategy Toward Students’ Writing Achievement in the Eight Grade of SMP N 2 Lengayang, e-journal English Department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatra, 2011. Retrieved from http:ejournal-s1.stkip-pgri-sumbar.ac.id. 36 Teza Peby Alisa, and Rusdi Noor Rosa, R.A.F.T as a Strategy for Teaching Writing Functional Text to Junior High School Students, Jurnal English Department of State University of Padang, Vol 1, 2013. Retrieved from http:ejournal.unp.ac.idindex.phpjeltarticleview1094. The third is journal of “The Effect of RAFT Strategy and Anxiety upon Writing Competency of the Seventh Grade Students of SMP Negeri 3 Mengwi in Academic Year 20132014 ”, an experimental study conducted by Ni Made Elis Parilasanti, I Wayan Surnajaya, Asril Marjohan from Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, Denpasar. The research had an aim to investigate the effect of RAFT strategy and anxiety upon writing competency. The result showed that a there was significant difference in writing competency between students taught by RAFT strategy and those taught by conventional strategy, b there was an interactional effect between the implementation of RAFT strategy and the students’ anxiety, c there was significant different in the writing competency between the students’ with high anxiety, taught by RAFT strategy and those who are taught by conventional technique, d there was significant difference in the writing competency between the student s’ low anxiety, taught by implementing RAFT strategy and those who are taught by conventional strategy. 37 Therefore, this research has different focus if it is compared with the writer research. The writer did not implement an experimental study but classroom action research, and there were two variables used in this research. 37 Ni Made Elis Parilasanti, I Wayan Surnajaya, Asril Marjohan, The Effect of RAFT Strategy and Anxiety upon Writing Competency of the Seventh Grade Students of SMP Negeri 3 Mengwi in Academic Year 20132014. e-Journal Program Pascasarjana Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris vol. 2, 2014. Retrieved from http:download.portalgaruda.orgarticle.php?article.