Procedure of Error Analysis

2. The Types of Writing

There are a number of types of writing based on different kind of classification. Based on McDonough and Shaw there are three types of writing, they are free composition, controlled sentence construction and guided writing. 19

a. Free Composition

Free composition is writing without stopping. It is done through the way in which the writer writes whatever in their mind without worrying about the grammatical rules or coherence of the writing, and other rules of writing. The aim is to free up the mind so that the ideas can be connected and associated. Apparently at the other end of the spectrum, a ‘free writing’ task requires learners to create an essay on a given topic, often as part of a language examination. Sometimes students are simply invited to write on a personal topic- their hobbies, what they did on holiday, interesting experiences and the like. Other materials provide a reading passage as a stimulus for a piece of writing on a parallel topic, usually with comprehension questions interspersed between the two activities.

b. Controlled Sentence Construction

If the focus of a language program is on accuracy, then schemes for controlling learners’ writing output will obviously predominate. The learners will focus to practice on getting words down on their paper and they have to concentrate on one or two problems at the time. Controlled writing focuses the learners’ attention on specific features of the written language. It is a good method of reinforcing grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. The range of activity types is considerable, and the typical approaches include: 1. Providing a model sentence and asking to construct a parallel sentence with different lexical items. 19 Jo. McDonough and Christopher Shaw, Materials and Methods in ELT: A Teacher‟s Guide. Oxford: Blackwell Publisher, 1993, p. 178. 2. Inserting a missing grammatical form. 3. Composing sentence from tabular information, with a model provided. 4. Joining sentence to make a short paragraph, inserting supplied conjunctions but, and, however, because, although, etc..

c. Guided Writing

It is the extension of controlled writing; however, it is less controlled than the controlled writing. In using this kind of writing to teach writing skill, learners are given a first sentence, a last sentence, an outline to fill out, a series of question to respond to, or information to include in their piece of writing. Students should be able to discuss, make notes, and share finding together before they start to write. In guided writing, the students will not make serious errors if they follow the instruction, which are given by their teacher.

D. Types of Text

There are eight types of writing text taught in school; they are: narrative, descriptive, recount, news item, procedure, report, spoof, and exposition. 20 Here is the brief explanation: 1. Narrative Narrative text always deals with some problems which lead to the climax and then turn the readers with actual or imaginary experience in different ways. 21 2. Descriptive Descriptive text is a text used to describe a particular person, place or thing. Its purpose is to tell about the subject by describing its features without including personal opinions. 22 20 Anonymous, Silabus Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan KTSP 2006, Jakarta: Departemen Pendidikan Nasional, 2006, p. 35 21 Artono Wardiman, Masduki B. Jahur, and M. Sukirman Djusna, English Focus for Grade VIII Junior High School, Jakarta: Pusat Perbukuan Departemen Nasional, 2008, p. 116. 22 Ibid., p. 16. 3. Recount A recount is a piece of text that retells past events, usually in the order in which they happened. The purpose of a recount is to give the audience a description of what occurred and when it occurred. 23 4. News Item The function of news item is to inform readers or listeners about events of the day which are considered newsworthy or important. 5. Procedure Procedure text is a text having a function to help us do a task or make something. They can be a set of instructions or directions. 6. Report Report text is a text that describes the way things are, with reference to a range of natural, man-made and social phenomena in our environment. 7. Spoof Spoof text is a text containing a humorous twist in the end of the story to amuse the readers. 8. Exposition a. Analytical Exposition Analytical exposition has a function to persuade the readers or the listeners that something in the case, to analyze or to explain something. b. Hortatory Exposition Hortatory exposition is a text to persuade the readers or the listeners that something should or should not be the case. Hortatory exposition is more forceful than analytical exposition. 23 Ibid., p. 61.