Improving students’ writing recount text ability through project-based learning: a classroom action research in secondary junior high school at 48 junior high school Jakarta

Improving Students’ Writing Recount Text
Ability through Project-Based Learning
(A Classroom Action Research in secondary junior high school at48 Junior High
School Jakarta)

Skirpsi

Robiatul Adawiyah
1110014000019
ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF TARBIYAH AND TEACHERS’ TRAINING
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
JAKARTA
2014

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. All praises be to Allah, the
Lord of the world who has given the Mercy and Blessing upon the writer in completing
this Skripsi. Peace and salutation be upon the prophet Muhammad, her family and his
followers.

In this occasion, the writer would like to express her greatest appreciation,
honour and gratitude to her beloved big family especially to her parents, Drs. H. Caca
Priyatna and Hj. Hamidah for their valuable supports and moral encouragement in
motivating the writer to finish her study, and also her beloved brother drh.
Cholillurrahman and sister, Nabilah Priyatna, for their supports to the writer in writing
this Skripsi.
The writer also would like to express her deepest gratitude to Drs. Nasifuddin
Djalil, M.Ag and Maya Defianty, M.Pd for their advice, guidances, corrections, and
suggestions in finishing this Skripsi.
Her gratitude also goes to:
1. All lecturers of Department of English Education who have taught and educated
the writer during his study at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.
2. Drs. Syauki, M.Pd., The Head of Department of English Education.
3. Zaharil Anasy, M.Hum., The Secretary of Department of English Education.
4. Dra. Nurlena Rifa’i, MA., Ph. D The Dean of Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teachers`
Training.
5. All of SMPN 48 Jakarta teachers, especially Miss. Hj. Mulyaningsih, S. Pd and
Mr. Dediyono, S. Pd as the English teachers who helped and guided her during
the research and 8-8 students class as the participants for this research.
6. Her beloved friends in Department of English Education Academic Year 2010 for

giving cares and supports. Her beloved close friends, Siti Afifah, S.Pd, Nur
Pratiwi, S.Pd, Sari Febrianti, S.Pd, Listianty Ridayu Maksum, Sita Pradhita, S.Pd,
Nadia Saniyatul, S.Pd, Rani Junita Amalia, Ummu Salamah, S.Pd, Nur

i

Maw’izzatillah, Annisa Novita Marines, S.P , Suharyeni Meilya, S.Sci, Indah
Pratiwi, S.Kom, Citra Nopiani, S.E and Hadi Mulyadi for sharing knowledge,
cares, motivation, times, supports, laugh and happiness and also to Felya Gabi
Megan for giving supports and helps during the process of making Chapter II.

May Allah bless them for all of what they have done.

Finally, the writer feels that it is really pleasure for her to receive criticisms and
suggestions to make this Skripsi better. She also hopes that this Skripsi would be
beneficial, particularly for her and for those who are interested in it.

Jakarta,December 2014

The Researcher

Robiatul Adawiyah

ii

ABSTRACT
Robiatul Adawiyah (1110014000019) Improving Students’ Writing Recount
Text Ability through Project-Based Learning; A Classroom Action Research
at SMPN 48 Jakarta Selatan. Skripsi of English Education at Faculty of Tarbiyah
and Teacher’s Training of State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta,
2014.
The objective of this study is to investigate whether or not there is an
improvement of students’ writing recount text ability through Project-Based
Learning (PBL). This research is designed using Classroom Action Research
(CAR) in which cycle 1 and cycle 2 are conducted on August until September
2014 involved 36 SMPN 48 Jakarta Selatan students of the second grade as the
respondent. In order to collect data, three instruments used are questionnaire,
observations and document analysis. The findings of this research show that all
students claimed that Pop-Up Book Project improves their recount writing ability.
It is confirmed by the result of pre-test and the post test in cycle one and cycle two

that the mean score of each it gradually goes up from 62.88 to 79.55 and 88.05. In
addition, the document analysis’ mean score supports; the first cycle was 79.4 and
the second cycle was 86.8. Furthermore, all students state that Pop-Up Book
project helps them to develop their idea to be written. Based on the data, it can be
concluded that the implementation of PBL through Pop-Up Book improves
students’ recount writing ability of grade VIII-8 SMPN 48 Jakarta.

iii

ABSTRACT
Robiatul Adawiyah (1110014000019) Improving Students’ Writing Recount
Text Ability through Project-Based Learning; A Classroom Action Research at
SMPN 48 Jakarta Selatan. Skripsi, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Fakultas
Ilmu Tarbiyah dan Keguruan, Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah,
Jakarta, 2014.
Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui ada atau tidaknya peningkatan
dalam pembelajaran teks recount dengan menggunakan pendekatan Project-Based
Learning (PBL). Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah Penelitian
Tindakan Kelas (PTK) yang terdiri dari siklus 1 dan siklus 2 yang dilaksanakan
pada bulan Agustus sampai dengan Septe,ber 2014 terhadap 36 siswa SMPN 48

Jakarta Selatan kelas VIII sebagai responden. Instrumen yang digunakan pada
penelitian ini adalah kuesioner, lembar observasi dan analisa dokumen. Kuesioner
digunakan untuk mengetahui pencapaian dan persepsi siswa dalam penggunaan
Pop-Up Book. Secara keseluruhan, hasil dari kuesioner, semua siswa menyatakan
bahwa Pop-Up Book proyek meningkatkan kemampuan menulis teks recount
mereka. Hal ini dikonfirmasi dari hasil nilai rata-rata pre-test dan post-test siklus
satu dan siklus dua yang secara bertahap meningkat masing-masing sejumlah
62.88, 79.55 dan 88.05. Selain itu, produk tulisan siswa mendukung bahwa di
siklus pertama jumlah nilai rata-rata 79.4 dan rata-rata nilai di sklus kedua adalah
86.8. Selain itu, seluruh siswa menyatakan bahwa Pop-Up Book proyek
membantu mereka dalam mengembangkan ide-ide yang akan ditulis. Berdasarkan
hasil temuan, dapat disimpulkan bahwa penerapan PBL melalui Pop-Up Book
meningkatkan kemampuan menulis siswa di kelas VIII-8 SMPN 48 Jakarta.

iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENT ........................................................................... i
ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………..

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................... v
CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study .............................................. 1
B. Identification of the Problems ....................................... 5
C. Limitation of the Problem ............................................ 5
D. Formulation of the Problem ......................................... 5
E. Objectives of the Study ................................................ 5
F. Significance of the Study .............................................. 5
CHAPTER II : THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Literature Review
1. Writing..................................................................... 7
2. Recount Text ........................................................... 8
a. Definition of Recount Text……………………. 7
b. Generic Structure of recount………………….. 8
1) Orientation………………………………… 8
2) Events……………………………………… 8
3) Re-Orientation or Conclusion…………….. 9

c. Language Features of Recount……………….. 9
3. Teaching Writing ................................................... 10
1) Planning (Pre-Writing)……………………….. 11
2) Drafting (Writing)…………………………….. 11
3) Revising (Re-Drafting)……………………….. 11
4) Editing………………………………………… 12

v

4. Project-Based Learning (PBL) ............................... 13
a. Definition of PBL……………………………... 12
b. Advantages and Disadvantages of PBL………. 14
5. Pop-Up Book ......................................................... 16
B. Previous Study ............................................................. 17
CHAPTER III : RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. Place and Time of teh Research .................................

19

B. Research Method ............................................... ……

19

C. Research Design ........................................................

20

D. Subject or Participants of the Study ..........................

21

E. The Writers’ Role on the Study ..................................

21

F. Class Action Research (CAR) Procedures ..................

21

1. Planning Phase……………………………………. 21

2. Acting Phase………………………………………. 21
3. Observing Phase…………………………………... 22
4. Reflecting Phase…………………………………... 22
G. Instrument of the Study……………………………….. 22
1. Class Observation…………………………………. 21
2. Questionnaire……………………………………… 22
3. Document Analysis……………………………….

23

4. Test………………………………………………..

23

5. Recorder Situation…………………………………. 23
H. Technique of Data Collection……………………….... 23
1. Questionnaire……………………………………… 23
2. Observation……………………………………….. 24
3. Document Analysis……………………………….. 24
4. Test………………………….…………………….. 24

I. Technique of Data Analysis……………………….....

vi

25

CHAPTER IV : FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
A. Research Findings ..................................................... 29
1. Data Description .................................................. 29
a.

The Result of Pre-Action Test .................... 29

b.

Cycle One………………………………….. 32
a) Planning Phase…………………………... 32
b) Acting Phase…………………………….. 33
c) Observing Phase………………………… 34
d) Reflecting Phase………………………… 35

c.

Cycle Two…………………………………. 43
a) Planning Phase………………………… 43
b) Acting Phase…………………………....

44

c) Observing Phase………………………..

44

d) Reflecting Phase………………………..

45

d.

The Result of Questionnaire………………

51

e.

The Result of Observation………………… 54

B. Discussion ................................................................... 56
CHAPTER V : CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
A.

Conclusion ................................................................... 59

B.

Suggestion ................................................................... 59

BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................... 61
APPENDICES ........................................................................................... 66

vii

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 Peer Responding Checklist .................................................. 11
Table 4.1 Pre-test Result ....................................................................... 29
Table 4.2 Document Analysis Cycle One Score …………….……….. 40
Table 4.3 Document Analysis Cycle One and Cycle Two ................... 49

viii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 3.1 Stephen Kemmis & Robin McTaggart Research Design ..... 20
Figure 4.1 Pre-Test and Post-Test 1 Mean Score Result ....................... 43
Figure 4.2 Pre-Test, Post-Test 1 and Post-test 2 Mean Score Result ..... 51

ix

LIST OF APPENDIXES

APPENDIX 1 Scoring Writing Rubric ............................................................. 67
APPENDIX 2 Lesson Plan Cycle One ............................................................. 69
APPENDIX 3 Lesson Plan Cycle Two ............................................................ 78
APPENDIX 4 Document Analysis One Score.................................................. 84
APPENDIX 5 Document Analysis Two Score ................................................. 85
APPENDIX 6 Pre-Test Score Result ................................................................ 86
APPENDIX 7 Post-Test Cycle One Result ....................................................... 87
APPENDIX 8 Post-Test Cycle Two Result ...................................................... 88
APPENDIX 9 Coding Questionnaire ................................................................ 89
APPENDIX 10 Questionnaire Result Recapitulation ......................................... 96
APPENDIX 11 Observation Description ............................................................ 104
APPENDIX 12 Observation Result Recapitulation ............................................ 108
APPENDIX 13 Photographs of Students’ Activities in CAR............................. 111
APPENDIX 14 Photographs of Students’ Pop-Up Book Samples ..................... 113
APPENDIX 15 Students’ Questionnaire ............................................................ 114
APPENDIX 16 Teacher’s Interview Transcription ............................................ 116
APPENDIX 17 The Instrument of Pre-Test........................................................ 119
APPENDIX 18 The Instrument of Post-Test One .............................................. 120
APPENDIX 19 The Instrument of Post-Test Two .............................................. 121

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APPENDIX 20 The Student’s Pre-Test Writing Result ..................................... 122
APPENDIX 21 The Student’s Post Test One Writing Result ............................ 123
APPENDIX 22 The Student’s Post Test Two Writing Result ............................ 124
APPENDIX 23 Surat Lembar Pengesahan Proposal .......................................... 125
APPENDIX 24 Surat Bimbingan Skripsi ........................................................... 126
APPENDIX 25 Surat Permohonan Izin Penelitian ............................................. 127
APPENDIX 26 Surat Keterangan Telah Melakukan Penelitian ......................... 128
APPENDIX 27 List of References ...................................................................... 129

xi

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A.

Background of the Study
English is a language which is used by most countries in the world as
Richards’ statement ―Latin was most widely studied as a foreign language five
hundred years ago. However, English has become the most widely studied
foreign language today.‖1 From that, it can be seen that English is considered
as one of languages that is used universally in the world.
In Indonesia, English is taught in any educational level. Specifically, in
junior high school, the purpose of teaching English is to develop basic four
communication skills; listening, speaking, reading, and writing. 2 Those skills
are divided into productive skills and receptive skills as Harmer stated,
―Speaking and writing involve language production and are therefore often
referred to as productive skills. Listening and reading, on the other hand,
involve receiving messages and are therefore often referred to as receptive
skills.‖3 By having more knowledge about language skills, we have much
better chance of understanding and being understood and getting what we want
and need from those around us.
In this section, writing, one of productive skills, is often considered as the
most difficult skill. It is also supported by Langan:
―But writing is seldom an easy, one-step journey in which a finished
paper comes out in a first draft. The truth is that writing is a process of
discovery involving a series of steps, and those steps are very often a

1

Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers, Approach and methods in Language Teaching,
(New York: Cambridge University Press, 1986), p.1
2
Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, Modul Pelatihan Implementasi Kurikulum 2013,
2014, pp. 23 – 24, unpublished.
3
Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of English Language Teaching: New Edition, (New York:
Longman, 1991), p.16.

1

2

zigzag journey. Very often, writers do not discover just what they want to
write about until they explore their thoughts in writing.‖4
Furthermore, Barnet & Stubbs added that writing was a mental activity
which was not as easy as people think in expressing their ideas.5 In addition,
Hedge believed, ―to have an effective writing, it required a high degree to
organize development of ideas or information, a great accuracy to avoid
ambiguity, a complexity grammatical use, and correctly in vocabulary
choosing.‖6
Despite of its difficulties, writing is important. As Halliday mentioned
(cited in Nunan, 1991), there were three functions of writing; (a) primarily for
action (public signs e.g. on roads, letters, etc); (b) primarily for information
(newspapers, magazines, etc); and (c) primarily for entertainment (comic,
poetry, film subtitles, etc)7. Moreover, if writing is included on language class
materials, it cannot be avoided that writing will be a reflection of educational
function such as writing essays in answering examination, taking notes and so
on.8 It is confirmed that writing has important role in this modern era.
In Indonesia curriculum, writing has many genres. One of the genres is
recount text which included in current school curriculum as its Kompetensi
Dasar (basic competence) in the second year level junior high school that
Indonesian students are expected to comprehend any kinds of writing genres
such as descriptive, recount, and narrative writing.9
Like any other writing genres, students commonly face difficulties on
their self-efficacy in writing recount text. It is based on the teacher’s interview
on August 18th, 2014 about teaching writing difficulties (see appendix 13).
The teacher said that there are many problems in writing that students
4

John Langan, College Writing Skills with Readings: 5th edition, (New York: McGraw-Hill
Higher Education, 2011), p.12.
5
Tricia Hedge, Writing; Resource Books for Teachers, (Oxford: Oxford University Press,
1988), p. 5.
6
Sylvan Barnet & Marcia Stubbs, Practical Guide to Writing; Fourth Edition, (New York:
Brown & Company, 1983), pp. 4 – 5.
7
David Nunan, Language Teaching Methodology, (London: Prentice Hall, 1991), p. 84.
8
Jo McDonough & Christopher Shaw, Materials and Method in ELT; A Teacher’s Guide,
(Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1993), p. 177.
9
Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, ibid.

3

concerned. First, they do not like reading, thus, they hard to find the ideas to
write. Second, they are difficult to compose writing that comprehensible
because they have limited vocabulary. Third, they are confused in making
sentences with correct grammar. The last, students have low motivation in
writing because the teacher still confuse about teaching technique and media
which suit to the current curriculum in writing. Consequently, students’
achievement is not equal; the smarter students got high rank, but for who do
not have well in English, they got score lower. It is also supported by the preaction test result that only four students passed the criterion minimum
completeness (KKM).
Sarkhoush also found some students admitted that they always showed
negative attitude and unmotivated regarding to the approaches and methods
they used.10 However teaching method is important in teaching learning
process because it can affect students’ motivation in teaching learning process.
Having a good teaching method is one of criteria of good teacher. One criterion
of good teachers was they supposed to have variety of instructional methods to
help learners understand the lesson better.
To overcome this problem, Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach was
introduced to change that methods to be more learner-centered learning
activities to help students comprehend in writing recount text with joyful
learning atmosphere, because, as Boaler (cited in Ocak & Uluyol) said that
PBL raised students’ motivation positively.11 Moreover, PBL challenged the
students to think critically in solving complex problems in group working.
In the current curriculum, Ministry of National Education and Culture in
Indonesia provided three kinds of learning models in implementing 2013

Hoda Sarkhoush, ‖Relationship among Iranian EFL Learners’ Self-Efficacy in Writing,
Attitude towards Writing, Writing Apprehension and Writing Performance‖, Journal of Language
Teaching and Research, Vol.4 No.5, September 2013, pp. 1126 –1132.
11
Mehmet Akif Ocak & Celebi Uluyol, ―Investigation of College Students’ Intrinsic
Motivation in Project-Based Learning‖, International Journal of Human Sciences, Vol. 7 No. 1,
2010, p. 1153. (http://www.j-humansciences.com/ojs/index.php/IJHS/article/viewFile/1222/543)
retrieved on June 24, 2014.
10

4

curriculum which Project-Based Learning is included.12 PBL is considered to
be a learning model which can lead the students in constructivist investigation
by doing exploration, assessment, interpretation, and synthesis to solve the
complex problem.13
Project-Based Learning, according to Thomas, is a model that organizes
learning around projects and it involves completing complex tasks that
typically result in a realistic product, event, or presentation to an audience.14
PBL cannot be said to be the best method in teaching-learning activity, since it
is not appropriate method for teaching certain basic skill such reading, yet it
enhances the quality of learning with project and leads to higher-level
cognitive development through students’ engagement with complex problems.
In this research, Pop-Up Book is used as the product of the project that
students will be done. Pop-Up Book is unique and familiar with children,
stimulates for product activities (writing) and gives students illustration on
what the students are going to write.15
This research intends to introduce Pop-Up Book as the media in giving
the project to the students to improve their writing skills according to
Gultekin’s finding16 and it is expected to reform teacher-centered writing
teaching approaches, to give the students more opportunities to share their
ideas; develop their leadership skill and help each other in facing the problem
in writing comprehension.

12

Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, op. cit, p. 2.
Ibid, p. 31
14
John W. Thomas, Ph. D, A Review of Research on Project-Based Learning, (California:
Autodest Foundation, 2000), pp. 1 – 8.
(http://www.bie.org/research/study/review_of_project_based_learning_2000 ) retrieved on June 29,
2014
15
Patrick Shannon & Barbara G. Samuels, ―Developing an Understanding of Literacy Through
Production of Pop-Up Books‖, Reading Horizons, Vol. 25 No. 3, 1985, p. 213.
(http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons/vol25/iss3/9) retrieved on June 23, 2014 at 9:30 am.
16
Mehmet Gultekin, ―The Effect of Project Based Learning on Learning Outcomes in the 5th
Grade Social Studies Course in Primary Education‖, Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, Vol. 5
No. 2, November 2005, p. 552.
13

5

B.

Identification of the Problem
Based on the background above, some problems are identified. They are
as follow:
 Students have low writing ability.
 Students’ motivation in doing writing task is low.
 Students are not feeling joyful when doing writing task is given.
 The teachers tend to apply the teacher-centered activities in the class.
 The variation of the teaching media in teaching writing is very low.
 The grammatical rules materials are too hard.

C.

Limitation of the Problem
As identifying the problems, one problem that is interested to be
investigated; teachers tend to apply the teacher-centered writing activities in
the class and as the result, students’ writing ability is low. Hence, the writer
will try to improve students’ writing recount skill by using Pop-Up Book as a
media in Project-Based Learning approach.

D.

Formulation of the Problem
After conducting the limitation of the problems, the research problem is
formulated into: ―Can PBL (i.e.) Pop-Up Book improve students writing
recount text skill?‖

E.

Objective of the Study
The objective of this research is to investigate whether or not Pop-Up
Book improves students’ ability in writing recount text.

F.

Significance of the Study
The significant of the research is addressed to:

6

a. The writer
This study is to fulfill one of the requirements of having
undergraduate

degree

from

State

Islamic

University

Syarif

Hidayatullah Jakarta of English Education Department.

b. English teachers
Through this observation, it will give an alternative in teaching
writing especially in recount text with an interesting and challenging
way.

c. The students
It can help them in comprehending their writing joyfully and be more
useful input for them to encourage themselves to improve their
achievement.

d. Further researchers
Other researchers who are interested in investigating on the students’
writing recount text ability can get basic information from this study,
do they can do their research deeper and better than this study.

CHAPTER II
THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK

A.

Literature Review

1. Writing
It is a common awareness that writing is considered as the hardest
skill to master. It requires a great intellectual capacity to produce a good
writing product.
Richards stated that writing is the most difficult skill for second
language learners.1 Consequently, writing has some aspects such as the use
of vocabulary, structure of the sentence, composition of the sentence, and
grammatical rules.2 Brown emphasized that writing is precisely a thinking
process.3
Langan claimed that writing was a skill.4 It means that writing is a
skill which anyone can learn with practice and hard work until they master
because this is not a natural gift which some people have and others do
not. Thus, in order to have a good writing, it needs a practice to develop
that skill.
In addition, Clouse claimed, ―… writing was a process… you cannot
expect to write a polished piece quickly anymore than you can expect to
plan a big event – such as a wedding – quickly.‖5 In educational field,
writing is evidence of successful learning outcomes because there are
feedbacks from the understanding of learning where the results of the

1

Jack C. Richard, Willy A. Renandya (ed.), Methodology in Language Teaching: An
Anthology of Current Practice, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002), p. 303.
2
Sara Cushing Weigle, Assesing Writing, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002),
p. 20.
3
H. Douglas Brown, Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language
Pedagogy 2nd Edition, (USA: Longman, 2001), p. 336.
4
John Langan, op. cit, p. 11.
5
Barbara Fine Clouse, The Student Writer: Editor and Critic, (New York: McGraw-Hill,
2004), p. 26.

7

8

writing can be analyzed directly.6 Kolker added, ―Writing is essential
when the second language is needed for academic or professional
purposes.‖7 Moreover, Raimes said that writing could help the students
learn because it improved the materials have been taught such as
grammatical structures, idioms, vocabulary, gave the students chance to
know more about the language, and of course, bridged the students in
expressing their ideas.8 However, beginner writers such as junior high
school students often find difficulties during writing. They consider that it
is hard to find the right topic to write. Therefore, as teachers, we have to be
able to direct them to find the right topic.
Hayes & Flower (cited in Sara Cushing, 2002) said, ―writing is
recursive and not a linear process: thus instruction in the writing process
may be more effective than providing models of particular rhetorical forms
and asking students to follow these models in their own writing.‖9
In addition, there are four basic principles to be given in order to have
students effective writing, they are; (1) start with a clearly started point;
(2) provide logical, detailed support for your point; (3) organize and edit
connect your supporting material; and (4) revise and edit so that your
sentences are effective and error-free.10

2. Recount Text
a. Definition of Recount Text
Writing has several types or genres. One of text types that junior
high schools learn is recount text. Anderson assumed, ―Recount is a
piece of writing that retells past events usually in order in which they

6

Jack C. Richards, Language Teaching Matrix, (New York: Cambridge University Press,
1990), p. 100.
7
Elaine Kolker Horwitz, Becoming a Language Teacher: A Practical Guide to Second
Language Learning and Teaching, (USA: Pearson Education Inc, 2008), p.136.
8
Ann Raimes. Techniques in Teaching Writing, (New York: Oxford University Press,
1983), p. 3.
9
Sara Cushing, op. cit., pp. 23 – 24.
10
John Langan, English Skills 8th Edition, (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006), p. 4.

9

happened and the purpose of a recount is to give the audience a
description of what occurred and when it occurred.‖11
In other source tells, ―Recount is used to retell events for the
purpose of informing or entertaining. Since its main purpose is to
retelling events, it uses Past Tense and focuses on a specific
participant.‖12 It means that recount text is writing text type which
retells the past events chronologically in order to describe what
happened in the past time through sequence of events entertainingly.

b. Generic Structure of Recount
The basic structure of recount text consists of three main parts; they
are orientation, events and re-orientation or conclusion (optional). 13

1) Orientation
The orientation tells the background information about
the story. It introduces the reader with who were involved in
the story, what, when and where the events take place.14 It
mostly often appears in the first paragraph.

2) Events
The orientation followed by the events. The function of
the events is telling the sequence events happened.15 Events are
the main important part of recount text because they are the
core of the story. Events written in series of paragraph which
telling all of the past events occurred.

11

Mark Anderson & Kathy Anderson, Text Types in English 3, (Australia: Macmillan
Education Australia, 1998), p. 24.
12
Hemalatha Jagannathan et al, Symphony 2 English Course Book For Junior High School
Grade VIII, (New Delhi: Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 2010). p. 15.
13
Hemalatha Jagannathan et al, loc. cit.
14
Mark Anderson, loc. cit.
15
Ibid.

10

3) Re-Orientation or Conclusion
In this part, the writer can choose whether to give the
reader conclusion or not. Re-orientation is a closure of the
events.16 It is optional because some recounts are only
consisting of orientation and the sequences of events. The
conclusion or comment of the story can be given in the last
paragraph after events are told.

c. Language Features of Recount
Anderson divided the language features of recount text into four,
they are: (1) proper nouns to identify those involve in the text, (2)
descriptive words to give details about who, what, when, where and
how, (3) the use of the past tense to retell the events, (4) words that
show the order of events.17 Another feature given by Zuraida is that
recount text contained past tense to talk about things that already
happened, and the using of adverbs of time were needed to tell those
things happened.18 In short, the key of recount text is the using of past
tense and order words which tells the past sequence events.

3. Teaching Writing
Writing is considered to be the most difficult skill among other
language skills, as Richards stated that ―Learning to write in either a first
or second language is one of the most difficult tasks a learner encounters
and one that few people can be said to fully master.‖19
Thus Harmer mentioned that there was a basic model for teaching
writing as a productive skill which provides five stages; (a) lead-in, engage
students with the topic; (b) set the task, students’ assignment that should
16

Ibid.
Mark Anderson, loc.cit.
18
Nur Zaida, Bright: An English for Junior High School Students, (Jakarta: Penerbit
Erlangga, 2014), pp. 199 – 210.
19
Jack C. Richards, Willy A. Renandya (ed.), loc. cit.
17

11

be completed; (c) monitor the task, responding and directing students’
work; (d) give feedback, give input advice to the students’ work result; and
(e) follow-up
Richards added that there were four basic writing stages which the
teachers are required in teaching writing, they are planning, drafting
(writing), revising (re-drafting), and editing.20

1) Planning (Pre-Writing)
Planning is also called pre-writing. Pre-writing is any activity
that supports and stimulates students’ thoughts for getting started to
think about their writing topic.21 Sometimes students face the
problem that they are hard to generate their ideas, but how to deal
with this problem is facilitate the students with small-group tasks,
debates, discussion or brainstorming.22

2) Drafting (Writing)
After planning what the writers are going to write, the next
step is drafting. Smallet et al said, ―Drafting is the actual writing of
the paragraph or essay. ―23 At this stage, students should ignore the
grammatical rules and stay focus on the fluency of writing as it has
been planned.24

3) Revising (Re-Drafting)
Revising is an activity of writing to improve the whole
content and the organization of ideas in order to have a good

20

Jack C. Richard & Willy A. Renandya (ed.), op.cit., p. 316.
Ibid.
22
Don Snow, From Language Learner to Language Teacher: An Introduction to Teaching
English as a Foreign Language, (USA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages,
2007), p. 160.
23
Regina L. Smalley et al, Refining Composition Skills: Academic Writing and Grammar,
(New York: Heinle Cengage Learning, 2012), p. 8.
24
Jack C. Richard, Willy A. Renandya (ed.), op.cit., p. 317.
21

12

structure and easy to understand.25 In other words, revising can be
an evaluation of the students writing after they planned and drafted
to avoid words errors or ambiguity.26
Revising can be done by peer-assessment with classmates.
Anthony Seow (cited from Richards and Renandya) gave example
of Peer Responding Checklist table.
Table 2.1
Peer Responding Checklist27
When responding to your peer’s draft, ask yourself these questions:
What is the greatest strength of this composition?
What is the greatest weakness?
What is the central idea of this composition?
Which are the ideas which need more elaboration?
Where should more details and examples be added? Why?
What are some of the questions that the writer has not answered?
At which point does this composition fail to hold the reader’s interest?
Where is the organization confusing?
Where is the writing unclear or vague?
(Adopted from Jack C. Richards & Willy A. Renandya, Methodology in Language Teaching: An
Anthology of Current Practice, 2000)

4) Editing
Editing is the final stage of writing. At this stage, the teacher
will examine the students writing if their writings are settled and
prepared as the final drafts which are to be collected.28 Teacher can
enhance students’ editing process by giving them this list of
questions:





25

Is there anything that I don’t understand?
Is there anyplace where I want to know more?
Is there anyplace where I wanted on example?
Is there anything that seems out of place?
Is that anything that seems unnecessary? 29

Ibid.
Regina L. Smalley et al, loc. cit.
27
Jack C. Richard, Willy A. Renandya (ed.), op.cit., p. 318.
28
Ibid., p. 319.
29
Don Snow, op.cit., pp. 161 – 162.

26

13

4. Project – Based Learning (PBL)
a. Definition of PBL
Project-Based Learning (PBL) is known as an active methods since
twentieth century pioneered by John Dewey.30 Similar to Bell, ―PBL is
an innovative approach to learning that teaches a multitude of strategies
critical for success in the twenty-first century.‖31 Furthermore, Thomas
mentioned:
―PBL is a model that organizes learning around projects. It is
based on challenging questions or problems, that involves students
in design, problem-solving, decision making, or investigative
activities; gives students the opportunity to work relatively
autonomously over extended periods of time…‖32
PBL involves students completing authentic project by working in
small and collaborative groups, student-centered where they can
investigate questions that raise their curiosities while still achieving
academic goals.33 Students develop a question and are guided through
research or project under the teacher’s supervision.34 It can be inferred
that PBL is not only do the project collaboratively, but also foster
natural curiosity of real issues that enable students to rely on strategies
to resolve complex problems.
Blumenfeld et al stated, ―project-based learning is a comprehensive
approach to classroom teaching and learning that is designed to engage

30

Ilknur Guven, Mehtap Yurdatapan & Fatma Sahin, The Effect of Project-Based Learning
Educational Applications on the Scientific Literacy of 2nd Grade Elementary School Pupils,
International Journal of Education and Research, Vol. 2 No. 1, January 2014, p. 1.
31
Stephanie Bell, Project-Based Learning for the 21st Century: Skills for the Future, The
Clearing House, Vol. 83 No. 2, 2010, p. 39.
32
John W. Thomas, op. cit., p. 1
33
Pamela J. Beres, ―Project-Based Learning and its Effect on Motivation In the Adolescent
Mathematics Classroom‖, Education and Human Development Master’s Thesis State University of
New York, New York, 2011, p. 3. (http://www.brockport.edu/ehd/) retrieved on July 2, 2014 at
17:54.
34
Stephanie Bell, loc. cit.

14

students in investigation of authentic problems.‖35 In addition, in PBL
students will have learning experiences that result in in-depth
understanding of important ideas in the content.36 Duffy & Cunningham
(cited by Tamim & Grant, 2013) stated:
―PBL is an instructional model that is based in the constructivist
approach to learning, which entails the construction of knowledge
with multiple perspectives, within a social activity, and allows for
self-awareness of learning and knowing while being context
dependent.‖37
Krajcik and Blumenfeld supported that PBL was based on
constructivist finding that students gain a deeper understanding of
material and it engages students in real and meaningful problem.38 By
using PBL method in class, it teaches students in constructing their
ideas in problem solving which means that they are learning contextual
materials.

b. Advantages and Disadvantages of PBL
There are many advantages of PBL. Gultekin found that PBL gave
enjoyable learning atmosphere and improved the research skills of
science students.39 Panasan & Nuangchalerm claimed that PBL was
efficient and effective in students’ process skills and critical thinking.40

35

Phylis C. Blumenfeld et al, Motivating Project-Based Learning: Sustaining the Doing,
Supporting the Learning, Educational Psychologist, Vol. 26 No. 3&4, 1991, p. 369.
36
Joel I. Klein, et al, Project-Based Learning Inspiring Middle School Students to Engage
in Deep and Active Learning, (New York: New York City Department of Education, 2009), p. 8.
37
Suha R. Tamim & Michael M. Grant, Definitions and Uses: Case Study of Teachers
Implementing Project-based Learning, Interdiciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning, Vol. 7
No. 2, Fall 2013, p. 73.
38
Joseph S. Krajcik and Phyllis C. Blumenfeld, Project-Based Learning, (Cambridge
Books Online, 2013), p. 318. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511816833.020) retrieved on
July 7, 2014 at 14:37
39
Mehmet Gultekin, ―The Effect of Project Based Learning on Learning Outcomes in the
5th Grade Social Studies Course in Primary Education‖, Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice,
Vol. 5 No. 2, November 2005, p. 552.
40
Mookdaporn Pansan & Prasart Nuangchalerm, Learning Outcomes of Project-Based
Learning and Inquiry-Based Learning Activities, Journal of Social Science, Vol. 6 No. 2, 2010, p.
253.

15

In addition, PBL raised elementary students’ IOWA Test of Basic
Skills scores from ―well below average‖ to ―well above the district
average‖.41 Thomas also noted that PBL increased students’ critical
thinking, problem-solving skills and impacted lifelong learning
positively.42 Noe & Neo (cited by Tamim & Grant, 2013) added,
besides

critical

thinking,

PBL

can

foster

presentation

and

communication skills because they work effectively on a team.43
There is a list of advantages in implementing PBL based on
Indonesia curriculum, they are:









It improves students learning motivation, encourages the students
to perform essential job and encourages their self-esteem.
It increases problem-solving skill.
It creates active learning class.
It fosters collaborative learning.
It stimulates students to learn, to develop and to practice the
communicative skills.
It gives students team management experiences.
It drives students in learning authenticity.
It makes fun learning.44 (Translated from Kementrian Pendidikan
dan Kebudayaan)
Nevertheless, Project-based learning is not affective when the

classroom management and the implementation are not well-prepared.45
There are many disadvantages of PBL as follows:






41

It has high time spent in solving the problem.
It costs much in making the project.
Some teachers stay in comfort zone where traditional approach is
believed as the best in the classroom.
It needs plenty of instruments provided.
The low-skilled students in doing research and collecting data will
be neglected.

John W. Thomas, op.cit., p. 9
Ibid. pp. 3 – 4.
43
Suha R. Tamim & Michael M. Grant, loc. cit.
44
Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, op. cit., p. 32.
45
Mark Richards, Disadvantages of Project-Based Learning,
(http://www.horton.ednet.ns.ca/staff/richards/MEd/DisseminationPlan/Disadvantages.html)
retrieved on July 12, 2014 at 3:38 pm
42

16




The possibility of unmotivated students on the participation is
considered.
When various topics addressed to different groups of students,
students’ understanding of each topic entirely is concerned. 46
(Translated from Kementrian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan)

5. Pop – Up Book
Pop-up book was not known who was the first inventor, but one of the
earliest examples was produced in the 13th century by Catalan mystic and
poet Ramon Lull of Majorca.47 The first name of Pop-up book was
―metamorphoses‖ books and be changed to be ―pop-up books‖ in 1929 by
British book publisher, S. Louis Giraud.48
Pop-up books or also known as movable books are kind of lift-the-flap
book, as Dean & Son claimed, ―pop-up book is a book which characters
can be made to move and act in accordance with the incidents described in
each story.‖49 Pop-up book is unusual book because it is made by
craftsmen or even paper engineers who used cut-out scenes aligned one
behind the other to give 3D effects as a movable book and each layer was
fixed to the next by a piece of ribbon that emerged behind the uppermost
portion, and when this was pulled, the whole scene sprang up into
perspective.50
As define by the Web pages of the University of Virginia’s Web site
for its Brenda Forman Collection exhibit, the term ―pop-up books‖
includes formats of ―mechanical, movable books, [that] unfold and rise
from the page to our surprise and delight. Through the use of rivets flaps,
tabs, folds and cut paper, these books perform before our eyes.‖51
46

Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, op. cit., p. 33.
Ann Montanaro, A Concise History of Pop-up and Movable Books, 2009,
(http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/scua/montanar/p-intro.htm) retrieved June 15, 2014 at
17:31.
48
Ibid.
49
Ibid.
50
Ibid.
51
University of Virginia, Pop Goes the Page:Movable and Mechanical Books From the
Brenda Forman Collections Library, (2000)
(http://www2.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/popup/theme.html) retrieved on July 10, 2014 at 5:08 pm
47

17

From those statements above, as a three-dimension book, movable
books or pop-up books are unique because they give illustrations that
could be viewed from all sides. Pop-up book can be considered as a ―living
model‖.52
According to Shannon & Samuels, pop-up books provide some unique
features. First, they are popular with children. Second, pop-up books are
engaging, and they hold children’s attention. Moreover, these books
present interesting cognitive challenges for students. They also provide
useful tools with which children can develop and practice their literacy and
begin to understand its nature – the production of meaning.53
Regarding to its uniqueness, pop-up books are trusted to engage
students in understanding their literacy interestingly.

B.

Previous Study
There are three previous researches in implementing PBL. First, Ocak and

Uluyol investigated the impact of PBL on the students’ intrinsic motivation in
Computer Hardware students of Gazi University. The writers used a case study
design for their research and based on the results, Ocak and Uluyol found that
PBL positively affected engagement and interest in class. Students felt positive
pressure to complete their assignments and PBL increased communication
between group members.54
Second, quasi-experimental study conducted to the pre-service teachers of
science education in Uludag University by Ozer and Ozkan. They observed
whether or not the pre-service teachers’ learning the biology topics through PBL
was effective on their scientific process skills; estimating, hypothesizing and
examining, measuring, test designing, numeral and spatial correlating, data
recording and interpreting, and if it was, on which of them it was effective. As the

52

Ann Montanaro, loc. cit.
Patrick Shannon & Barbara G. Samuels, loc. cit.
54
Ocak & Uluyol, op. cit, p. 1166.

53

18

result, the pre-service teachers were positively affected by the PBL Method while
learning biology topics in developing their process skills. However, there were
some skills which not showed its improvement on the test group. It is indicated
caused by their lack of pre-knowledge of biology, whereas, the knowledge of
biology affects the scientific process skills acquisition directly.55
The last is Gultekin’s research. It aimed to investigate the effects of projectbased learning on learning outcomes of students in fifth-grade Social Studies in
primary education and to know students’ opinion regarding PBL approach in
Turkey. As Gultekin observed with semi-structured interview and experimented
by using students’ achievement test, the result is positive that PBL effected to
students’ academic outcomes. Research findings claimed that PBL improves
students’ skills, makes learning enjoyable, meaningful, and leads them to be more
cooperative also develops a variety of abilities.56

Dilek Zeren Ozer & Muhlis Ozkan, ―The Effect of Project Based Learning Method on
Science Process Skills of Prospective Teachers of Science Education in Biology Lessons‖,
Internastional Online Journal of Educational Science, Vol. 5 No.3, 2013, pp. 635 – 645.
56
Mehmet Gultekin, op.cit, pp. 548 – 556.
55

CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A. Place and Time of the Study
This study took place at the second grade junior high school students in
SMP 48 Kebayoran Lama, Jakarta.
This research started on August 29th, until September 17th, 2014. The
action in cycle 1 was conducted in three meetings started from August 29th,
2014. Meanwhile, the action in cycle 2 was conducted on September 12th,
2014.

B. Research Method
The method used in this research was Class Action Research (CAR). CAR
was a type of classroom research carried out by the teacher in order to improve
their competence about what future practice should be.1 Burns believed that
CAR was a way for teachers to improve their teaching skills and for students to
increase their understanding in order to bring better changes or improvements
in practice at the class.2 Similar to Curry, ―One principle of action research is
that the end goal of any investigation of one’s teaching is change—which may
lead to future investigations about the effects of such change.‖3
In addition, Kember assumed:
―… action research deals with social practice. Education is social
practice… In most cases it involves the direct interaction of
teachers and groups of students… Action research is portrayed as a
cyclical or spiral process involving steps of planning, acting,

1

Michael J. Wallace, Action Research for Language Teachers, (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1998), pp. 4 – 12.
2
Anne Burns, Doing Action Research in English Language Teaching: A Guide for
Practitioners, (New York: Routledge, 2010), pp. 1 – 2.
3
Marry Jane Curry, ―Action Research for Preparing Reflective Language Teachers",
TESOL. Inc, 2007, (https://lib.atmajaya.ac.id/)

19

20

observing and reflecting. It is normal for a project to go through
two or more cycles in an iterative process.‖4
These four phases (planning, acting, observing and reflecting) must be done to
obtain the result of this research.
Furthermore, the researcher used descriptive analysis

C. Research Design
The CAR procedure used in this research was Stephen Kemmis & Robin
McTaggart’s design which consisted of four phases within one cycle, those
were planning, acting, observing, and then reflecting in a spiral system which
are interrilated.5 After finishing the first cycle, it would probably be found
some new problems or the previous unfinished problems, yet. Therefore it was
necessary to continue to the second cycle which had the same concept as it was
done in the first cycle.
ACTION
PLAN

Reflection

Cycle I
Observation

Action

ACTION
PLAN

Reflection

Cycle II
Observation

Action

(Adapted from Syamsuddin AR & Vismaia S. Damaianti, 2009)

Figure 3.1
Stephen Kemmis & Robin