writing.
17
In this way, Susan Anderson McElveen and Connie Campbell Dierking
‟s point of view can be accepted that picture books are also useful as mentor texts which can help students to find topic for their own writings and
practice organizing their ideas into a good and correct words. Additionally, in this term, mentor texts is defined as books, particularly picture books or other story
books which are choosed and matched with the target skills needed in developing effective writing.
18
The above statements mean that picture books can be selected as mentor text to teach students and provide real model for learning target skills
including brainstorming, organization, and focus which can develop effective writing.
More importantly, Introducing and inviting students to read picture books before they start to write an interesting story can help them to generate ideas for
their own writing because illustrations presented in picture books are visual description of a story. This is in line with Mary Jo Fresch and Peggy Harkins‟
point of view which explains that giving students opportunities to explore illustrations in picture books can inspire students to write since illustrations in
each page of a picture book give students more ideas.
19
D. Stages of Implementing Picture Books in Writing Narrative Text Instruction
In applying picture books in narrative writing instruction, teacher should combine the instruction with reading activity, particularly reading picture books.
This is similar with what Ken Hyland suggests in his book Second Language Writing. He proposes that second language writing skill needs to be supported
with extensive reading in order to provide students with the knowledge of written
17
Susan Anderson McElveen and Connie Campbell Dierking, Children‟s Books as Models to Teach Writing Skill: The Reading Teacher, 54, 2001, p. 362
18
Ibid
19
Mary Jo Fresch and Peggy Harkins, The Power of Picture Books Using Content Area Literature in Middle School, Urbana: National council of Teachers of English, 2011, p. 12
texts such as grammar, vocabulary, organization, and etc.
20
Due to the reason explained above, it can be concluded that reading is able to give
students‟ knowledge about correct grammatical pattern, writing organization, and suitable
vocabulary choice which are useful in creating a good writing. In addition to make teaching writing meaningful to students, it should be integrated with other
skills, for instance, reading which can help and support teaching and learning writing.
Similarly, to support Ken Hyland‟s suggestion above, Luu Trong Tuan
adds that writing classes are commonly started with reading text, analyze text, and using text to be a good example or model for writing.
21
Moreover, Barbara Z. Keifer also asserts that there are connection between reading and writing; a good
writer must be a good reader and vice versa.
22
She also argues that what students often write reflects books they have ever read.
23
These theorists‟ point of views can be understood that reading activity, especially reading picture books should
be included in writing instruction to make students familiar with the use of correct grammar, suitable vocabulary choices, and writing organization because reading
picture books give students a good model or example for writing a good narrative text.
Also, students‟ content of writing is probably influenced by their favorite books they often read.
Furthermore, there are four stages which the writer adopts from Kelly Br
oker‟s strategies in using picture books in writing instruction for implementing picture books in writing narrative text instruction as follows:
1. Engaging students to read picture books they like best Before beginning to write, students are engaged to read through
providing and introducing some picture books. There were eight picture books
20
Ken Hyland, Second Language Writing, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996, p. 17
21
Luu Trong Tuan, Teaching Writing through Reading Integration: Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 3, 2012, p. 489.
22
Barbara Z. Keifer, op-cit, p. 12
23
Ibid
