14 teaching media may
increase students’ attention and motivation in learning the writing skill. The writer’s statement is in accordance with statements of several
experts like Gerlach and Ely cited in Arsyad 2002, who state that media is human or equipment that can give knowledge or skill to the students.
The using of media such as photograph brings six benefits which are important in teaching news item texts to the tenth grade of SMA students.
1. Photographs are Useful in Teaching Writing News Item Texts
Canning-Wilson 2001 argues that learners prefers visual media that are colored, contain a story, relate to previous experiences and can be associated with
places, objects, persons, events or animal of which they are familiar.
The writer’s statement about the advantages of media in teaching is also supported by Siti 2012 in her thesis that discusses the use of picture to improve
studen ts’ writing skill. Besides, she concludes that the implementation of picture
series in the teaching and learning process of writing is believed to be effective to improve the students’ skills in writing p. 112.
Siti states that the use of picture series in writing enables the students to gain the ideas within their minds and express them into readable text. In addition,
the implementation of picture series and other supporting picture series-based activities are effectively proven to facilitate the students to improve their writing
skills as well as raise their interest and motivation to write 2012: 112. Derived from the explanation above, it can be inferred that photographs are
very useful and play an important role in supporting the teaching learning
15 process. It helps students to imagine, generate their ideas and write optimally.
In addition, Byrne 1993 also argues that the use of visual media in writing is potential to be used as media for writing activities as source of ideas.
Wright 1989, states that 2 the picture can interpret abstract concepts or ideas into more real concepts, so it can help to prevent and correct misconception; 3
the picture can increase the depth of understanding to the concepts and more effective compared to the theory; 4 the picture can help the students develop
their critical judgment and their interpretation about the events in the picture. Furthermore, Wright 1989 states that specifically photograph contribute
to some points, such as interest, motivation, a sense of the context of the language, and a specific reference point or stimulus.
2. Photographs Make the Writing Fun
Maulida 2008 proposes that colorful and funny photograph presented will come up student
s’ interest and stimulate them to think, talk and write upon a definite subject presented by photograph.
Additionally, the writer also finds that Brown 2001 states that by using picture as media, students would be active in learning and teacher would enjoy the
evidence of their progress. From the explanation above, the writer can conclude that the usage of picture is needed in explaining material; it also helps the students
to understand and increase their ability in comprehending the lesson. As the result the writing activity is not considered as their burden.
16 Moreover, Sudjana and Rivai 2009 also state that teaching learning
process will be more effective if the objects or events of the teaching materials are visualized realistically to be similar with the real condition. In this study,
photograph described
the real condition closest
with the student
s’ environment.
3. Helping to Attract Students’ Attention and Motivation
Reaiser and Dick 1996 give an explanation on the benefits of the media in teaching. They say that media can motivate students. Media can increase
student ’s motivation and interest in learning English by presenting the media in
interesting design. An interesting media, for example colorful pictures, motion pictures, interactive video, e
tc., will surely attract students’ interest and motivation because they never had such things in their class before.
Similarly with the use of photograph as media, Wright 1989 argues that using photograph as media can help to attract student
s’ attention and encourage their motivation in learning
. It is also strengthened by Siti’s research that argues the same thing 2012: 113.
Wright 1989 states that photograph should have criteria such as 3 photographs for teaching should be interesting, this point is very important
because the more students get interested in the picture, the bigger their motivation and willingness to learn. 4 Photographs for teaching should also be meaningful
and authentic. It means that the photographs should be familiar for all students and the picture are taken from the real things or incidents that are up to date.
17
4. Helping the Teachers in Supporting and Providing Teaching Materials
Media is very useful for teaching writing. As said before, the writer proposes the use of media in teaching writing because it is not only helping the
students to get the lesson more clearly and easily, but also it helps the teacher. The facts of the benefit of media, especially picture photograph is similar
with Siti’s research.
Therefore, the writer proposes photographs as media to improve writing skill of the tenth grade students of SMA. Photographs can be categorized as visual
media and it is very useful in teaching. This fact can is supported by Sudjana and Rivai. Sudjana and Rivai 2009 state that one of the techniques which are
considered effective as supporting means to achieve the objective in language learning process is the use of visual media as teaching media.
Sudjana and Rivai 2009 also support the writer’s statement. They say that
media can be defined as a tool that can help the teacher in teaching. Media are useful in the teaching learning process, it can help the teacher to convey the
material clearly and help the students in receiving the material. By using media during the teaching learning process, the students may obtain their experiences
and support them to understand the material. Reaiser and Dick also state that the media helping the teacher to explain the
objectives clearly through the media, as well as helping the students to get preliminary knowledge before the lesson starts. Media can remind students the
activities before starting the lesson. Such as reminder that is presented via whiteboard, in-focus or a written handout. Finally, Reiser and Dick 1996 also
