Writing Product ve rsus Writing Process Approaches

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2.1.1.2 Writing Product ve rsus Writing Process Approaches

One of the most controversial aspects of writing pedagogy has been the tension between product and process approaches to the teaching of writing Nunan, 1999: 273. The discussion of the writing product approach has always interrelated to the discussion of the writing process approach which emerges as the criticism to the first approach. Nunan 1999: 273 states that the writing product approach focuses on the final product, the coherent and error- free text. Similarly, Richards 1992: 106 defines the writing product approach as a writing approach which puts emphasis on the ability to produce correct texts. Supporting these two statements, Cohen 1990: 103 argues that product approach focuses on the finished product, which is sometimes not finished, and on the grade. In other words, this approach puts emphasis on the quality of the writing task without noticing the steps taken by students in achieving the expected final draft. The writing product approach often begins with a controlled writing exercise in which the learners imitate or adapt, copy and transform various models of written texts provided by the teacher andor the textbook Nunan, 1999: 272. The writing product approach expects the students to make a coherent and error- free text by following the model provided. The goal is to teach the students to master different kinds of written texts that they will have in educational, institutional and personal context. This approach also lets the teachers evaluate how the students’ compose their writing based on the models given. In evaluating, the teacher usually has a set of criteria including content, organization of idea, 10 vocabulary and grammatical use, also mechanical considerations like spelling and punctuation Brown, 2001: 335. The drawback of the writing product approach in the learning process is that this approach will discourage the students to do their writing assignments seriously since the focus of the writing product approach on the instant product and the grade Cohen, 1990: 105. The students will only consider the grade that they received and ignore the composing processes they go through. In contrast to the writing product approach, the writing process approach is seen as more effective than the writing product approach since it allows the students to explore and develop a personal approach to writing Richards, 1992: 114. The writing process approach puts emphasis on a process in which the finished products came after a series of drafts Cohen, 1990: 105. This statement is supported by Nunan 1999: 272 who states that the focus of process approach is on the steps involved in drafting and redrafting the piece of written work. In other words, the writing process approach is an approach which emphasizes on giving the students opportunities to shape their writing skills through a set of steps. This approach does not focus on the final product that the students performed, but it considers how the students reach their final output as the most important aspect. The students are encouraged to put their ideas onto paper without worrying too much about formal correctness e.g. grammar or mechanics in the initial stages. Then, they share their work with others, getting feedback on their ideas and how they are expressed, before revising Nunan, 1999: 272. Thus, it can be said that writing process is a process that can lead the students to make a good written final product which needs a good cooperation between teacher and students in 11 which teacher provide feedback needed by students. This statement is also supported by Shih in Brown 2001: 335 that teachers should give students feedback throughout the composing process as they try to make the closest intended writing. The kinds of feedback that the students can receive concerning their written work and what to do about this feedback and how to utilize it most effectively are the concern of this approach. Feedback is important in writing class because it can help the students investigate if their message can be conveyed as it is expected. By following the steps of the writing process previously, the writing process is believed to bring great advantages to the students in learning writing. The first benefit is that by having the writing process the students will have more opportunity for meaningful writing and become independent learners Richards, 1992: 110. The second benefit is proposed by Brown 2001: 335-336 who stated that writing process gives chances for the students to be more creative in using language but they still focus on content and message. In this process the students have more opportunity to think when they write. However, every writing process activity should lead to the final product Shih as cited in Brown 2001: 335. As stated by Brown 2001: 337 that the product is the ultimate goal which becomes the reason that students go through the process of pre-writing, drafting, revising and editing. If the aim of the writing class is to develop fluent writers; it is necessary to examine how fluent the student- writers compose and to re-examine the writing methodology. To sum up, both the teacher and students should realize that the process they go through will end up at the final product. Process is not the end; it is the means toward the end. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 12

2.1.2 Theory of Feedback