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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
This chapter includes background of the study, problem formulation, problem limitation, objectives of the study, benefits of the study, and definition of terms that
are going to be discussed as follows.
A. Background of the Study
It goes without saying that in English Language Learning, among four language skills listening, speaking, reading, and writing, writing skill is considered
the most difficult to master Tiedt, 1989: 6. This idea is also supported by Sokolik 2003: 88. She argues that writing skill is considered the most difficult because it
involves many human aspects, such as mental and physical activities. It is no wonder that many students do not like writing Hughey, 1983. They are not well aware of
the importance of writing skill. Most of them consider that writing is boring, difficult and must be avoided. When the writer was in her Senior High School, writing was
considered as a deadly subject. Yet, writing skill is very crucial for students. Writing skill can be found and is needed in every field of study. Students dealing with ideas
and content in any subject will use writing skill as a way of expressing their ideas and thoughts Tiedt, 1989: 7. Expressing ideas through a good composition is
essential for the success of the students’ study. Considering the importance of writing skill, the government and curriculum designer put this skill as one skill that must be
learned by the students.
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Both in Competencies-based Curriculum KBK and Curriculum at the School Level KTSP, writing is considered as both a product as well as process.
Based on the teaching learning presented in the syllabus development, the students who deal with writing are assigned to follow the stages of writing process Model
Pengembangan Silabus dan RPP SMA, 2006: 18-19. The whole stages of writing process include brainstorming, drafting, writing, feedback and revising. It is
apparent, then, that the students must do some revision before coming to the final product. Accordingly, revision, in which ideas are emerged and clarified, has become
the heart of writing process Lehr as cited in Pujikurniawati, 2004: 7. In order to have effective revision, students certainly need feedback from
their audience. Many sources are available for the students to receive feedback for their writing. The students may gain feedback from their teachers or their peers.
Usually, the students receive feedback from their teacher. Unfortunately, based on Lewis 2002: 18, teacher usually spends more time on giving feedback. The work of
Cohen 1990: 71 cites that the teachers commonly give comments on grammar or mechanics rather than on content and organization. In fact, the students often expect
their teacher to give comment more on their content and organization. At this point, teachers may utilize peer feedback. One of the advantages of peer feedback,
proposed by Hyland 2003: 199, is that peer feedback could enhance active learner participation. Further, peer feedback is believed to create an authentic social context
for interaction and learning Mittan, 1989, as cited in Hyland, 2003: 198. It implies that the students could learn form each other and practice in how to get along with
others. The use of peer feedback, then, could create student-centered learning
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situation in which the students take part as independent learners. It is in line with the principle of Curriculum at the School Level. So, exposing the students to be
independent learners in writing class, the teacher should employ peer feedback. As the writer experienced when she was in the first semester of English
Language Education Study Program, her lecturer always provided feedback on her writing. It helped a lot to improve her writing. In semester three, the lecturer tried to
implement the use of peer feedback in the writer’s writing class. The writer did what the lecturer instructed. She gave feedback on her peer’s writing as well as revised her
writing based on the feedback from her peer. The writer, then, found out that her post-peer writing’s quality was better than her pre-peer writing’s. She had obtained
good perception toward the use of peer feedback in improving her writing. She perceived that peer feedback was a beneficial strategy to improve her writing.
A thesis entitled “Students’ Perception on Peer Feedback” and written by Rina 2007, a student of English Education Study Program reveals that on average
the students of English Education Study Program obtained good perception toward peer feedback. The students believed that peer feedback were at advantages. The
students of Senior High School may have different perception toward the use of peer feedback. The difference may be due to different expectation and needs as well as
past experiences. Frequently, different needs, expectation and past experiences lead to different perception. This notion is presented by Bootzin et al 1983: 119 as
quoted below: Perception is also substantially influenced by our needs. When in a
particular motivational state, we tend to notice stimuli that in the past have been associated with the satisfaction of that state… Our expectation,
past experiences, and psychological states combine, setting us to perceive the world in certain ways.
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Experiencing that the mastery of English skills was not necessary enough for the success of her study, the writer, when she was in the Senior High School, did not
consider the four language skills so essential to master. Yet, when she studies at English Education Study Program, becoming a candidate of English teacher, the
mastery of all language skills appears to be of the essence. It is not wondered that the use of peer feedback in writing, then, is perceived to be at advantages since writing
skill is as essential as other language skills. Further, interviewing the English teachers of SMU N.3 Yogyakarta, the writer comes to a conclusion that peer
feedback has not been implemented in the students’ writing activity yet. Teacher written feedback has become the most frequently used strategy of revisions. Even
sometimes, the teachers do not provide any feedback for the students. Owing the fact that the students of SMU N. 3 Yogyakarta have different expectation and needs and
that they have not been well-involved in the process of peer feedback before, they may perceive peer feedback differently from the way the students of English
Education Study Program do. Considering the idea above, the writer is determined to investigate what
perception the eleventh grade students of SMU N. 3 Yogyakarta will be and to what extent peer feedback contributes to the students’ improvement in their writing
quality. The eleventh grade students are chosen as population of interest due to the assumption that they have more English exposure, especially in writing, than the
tenth grade students do. The twelfth grade students are not chosen for they are no longer involved in academic activity.
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B. Problem Formulation
