The Nature of Writing

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CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

In this chapter, the researcher presents a discussion on some theories which become the bases of this research. The purpose of this chapter is to get understanding to answer the question of this research. This chapter is divided into two major parts. In the first major part, the researcher presents the theoretical description. Meanwhile, the second major part is about the theoretical framework.

A. Theoretical Description

In the theoretical description, the researcher discusses the theories related to this research. The theories are Writing Skill, Recount, Picture Series, and Classroom Action Research.

1. Writing Skill

This part discusses two things related to this research. They are the nature of writing and teaching writing. The nature of writing part presents the characteristics of writing. Meanwhile, teaching writing part elaborates the reasons why we teach writing and genre-based approach as one approach used in teaching writing.

a. The Nature of Writing

As one of the language skills, writing has its own characteristics which make it different from the other language skills. According to Harmer 1991, writing is a productive skill which requires students to produce or make a written PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 10 form of language. It means that the students actively produce written form of language which can be read. Many experts explain the nature of writing by comparing it with speaking skill. Both writing and speaking are productive skills which produce something rather than receiving something as listening and reading. Widdowson 1978: 57 argues “the same thing that speaking and writing are said to be active, or productive skills whereas listening and reading are said to be passive or receptive skills”. Meanwhile, writing is different from speaking. Writing is a much slower process than either speaking or reading Bismoko, 1976. Raimes provides some differences between writing and speaking. They are: 1. Speech is universal; everyone acquires a native language in the first few years of life. Not everyone learns to read and write. 2. The spoken language has dialect variations. The written language generally demands standard forms of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. 3. Speakers use their voices pitch, stress, and rhythm and bodies gestures and facial expressions to help convey their ideas. Writers have to rely on the words on the page to express their meaning. 4. Speakers use pauses and intonation. Writers use punctuation. 5. Speakers pronounce. Writers spell. 6. Speaking is usually spontaneous and unplanned. Most writing takes time and it is planned. We can go back and change what we have written. 7. A speaker speaks to a listener who is right there, nodding or frowning, interrupting or questioning. For the writer, the reader’s response is either delayed or nonexistent. The writer has only that one chance to convey information and be interesting and accurate enough to hold the reader’s attention. Raimes, 1983, pp. 4-5 It is clear that writing and speaking are productive skills which also have some differences. Writing and speaking have their own characteristics. It means that the technique used to teach writing and speaking is different. Having known the nature of writing, teachers should teach writing based on its nature. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 11

b. Teaching Writing