Students` perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eight grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu.

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE USE OF TEXT

MODELLING IN TEACHING WRITING TO THE EIGHTH

GRADE STUDENTS OF SMP BPK PENABUR INDRAMAYU

A THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

By

Florida Butar Butar Student Number: 011214099

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA

2008 i

“

I know some people search the world

To find something like what we have

I know people will try

Try to divide something so real”

(No One - Alicia Keys)

I dedicate this thesis to:

My beloved mother and my late father,

myself and my future

iv

ABSTRACT

Butar Butar, Florida. 2008. Students’ Perceptions on the Use of Text Modelling in Teaching Writing to the Eighth Grade Students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University.

This research investigated the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. There were two main reasons why the researcher conducted this research. The first reason was eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur found the difficulties of written communication in English when they would like to master it well. The second reason was the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur had possibility to affect the students in motivating to write a composition. The students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling could influence students’ behavior in learning writing, which then directed to the students’ achievement in learning writing.

This research attempted to answer two research questions. The research questions were (1) What are the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu? (2) What is the class procedure of the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK PenaburIndramayu?

To answer the research questions above, the researcher used qualitative method in the form of survey research. The researcher distributed a questionnaire in the form of 13 close-ended questions. Having gathered the questionnaire, the researcher analyzed them by putting the data in the table and discussed the students’ responses based on the first research question that the researcher had. Afterwards, the researcher conducted observations and an interview to the English teacher to obtain the second research questions and dig out more information.

From the data analysis, most of the students had positive perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. The first research finding was the students stated that they needed the teacher’s explanations on text modelling for the success in writing, so they could understand better how to make a recount composition by using the text modelling. The use of text modelling helped the processes in learning writing. Nevertheless, there were some students who considered the use of text modelling in a negative way. The use of text modelling did not encourage them to make a recount composition well. However, the use of text modelling helped the students to comprehend the generic features of the recount well. The second research finding was there were nine class procedures of the use of text modelling in teaching writing, especially recount with funny ending text type to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur, as follows: 1) The teacher gave a recount with funny ending, 2) the teacher explained the particular information of the text, 3) the students read the recount with funny ending text, 4) the teacher explained the purpose and generic structure of the recount text, 5) the teacher compared the recount text with other examples of text types briefly, 6) the students identified the linguistic features of the recount text, 7) the students answered the questions and wrote it in front of the class,

8) after getting all answers on the white board, the teacher and students discussed the correct answers together, and the last 9) the teacher reviewed the lesson about the recount with funny ending.

Since this research focused on how to use one stage of the literacy cycle, that was text modelling stage, it was suggested that future researchers investigated what the students’ perceptions in teaching writing to the other stages of literacy cycle and conducted to the other levels of learners.

ABSTRAK

Butar Butar, Florida. 2008. Students’ Perceptions on the Use of Text Modelling in Teaching Writing to the Eighth Grade Students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University.

Penelitian ini mempelajari persepsi siswa terhadap penggunaan text modelling pada pengajaran menulis di kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. Ada dua alasan utama penelitian ini dilaksanakan. Alasan pertama adalah ketika mereka ingin menguasai bahasa Inggris dengan baik, siswa kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur menemukan kesulitan-kesulitan komunikasi tertulis dalam bahasa Inggris. Alasan kedua adalah bahwa penggunaan text modelling pada pengajaran menulis di kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur dapat mempengaruhi motivasi siswa dalam menulis karangan. Hal ini terkait dengan persepsi siswa terhadap penggunaan text modelling yang dapat mempengaruhi belajar siswa yang kemudian berpengaruh terhadap pencapaian siswa pada pelajaran menulis.

Dalam skripsi ini ada dua pertanyaan penelitian yang perlu dijawab, yaitu (1) Bagaimanakah persepsi siswa terhadap penggunaan text modelling pada pengajaran menulis di kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu? (2) Bagaimanakah prosedur kelas dengan penggunaan text modelling pada pengajaran menulis di kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu?

Guna menjawab pertanyaan tersebut di atas, peneliti menggunakan metode kualitatif berbentuk penelitian survey. Peneliti membagikan kuesioner yang berbentuk 13 close-ended questions. Peneliti menganalisa jawaban kuesioner tersebut dengan memasukkan data kuesioner ke dalam tabel dan membahasnya sesuai dengan pertanyaan penelitian yang pertama. Setelah itu, peneliti melakukan wawancara dengan guru bahasa Inggris dan observasi kelas guna mendapat jawaban dari pertanyaan kedua dan informasi lebih lanjut.

Berdasarkan data yang diperoleh, secara umum siswa memiliki persepsi yang positif terhadap penggunaan text modelling pada pengajaran menulis di kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur. Jawaban penelitian yang pertama adalah siswa membutuhkan penjelasan guru tentang text modelling untuk kesuksesan mereka dalam menulis, sehingga mereka dapat mengerti bagaimana membuat karangan recount dengan penggunaan text modelling dengan lebih baik. Penggunaan text modelling membantu proses dalam pengajaran menulis. Akan tetapi, ada beberapa siswa yang menganggap negatif pada penggunaan text modelling. Siswa tidak termotivasi untuk menulis karangan recount dengan baik. Kesimpulannya, penggunaan text modelling membantu siswa memahami generic features pada teks recount dengan lebih baik. Jawaban penelitian yang kedua adalah ada sembilan prosedur kelas pada penggunaan text modelling pada pengajaran menulis, khususnya dalam teks recount with funny ending di kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur, sebagai berikut: 1) Guru memberikan teks recount with funny ending, 2) Guru menjelaskan informasi khusus dalam teks, 3) Para siswa membaca teks recount with funny ending text, 4) Guru menjelaskan tujuan dan generic structure dalam teks recount, 5) Guru membandingkan teks recount dengan teks yang lain secara singkat, 6) Siswa mengidentifikasi linguistic features pada teks recount, 7) Siswa menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan tersebut dan

menulis jawaban di depan kelas, 8) Setelah mendapatkan seluruh jawaban di papan tulis, guru dan siswa mendiskusikan jawaban yang benar bersama-sama, dan yang terakhir 9) Guru meninjau kembali pelajaran recount with funny ending.

Oleh karena penelitian ini hanya terbatas pada satu tahap pada literacy cycle saja, yaitu tahap text modelling, disarankan untuk peneliti berikutnya meneliti bagaimana persepsi siswa dalam pengajaran menulis dalam tahap literacy cycle yang lain dan diadakan pada tingkat yang lain.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to give my greatest gratitude to my dearest Lord, Jesus Christ, who has given me wonderful moments, health and sickness during the days of my life.

I would like to express my gratitude to Yohana Veniranda, S.Pd., M.Hum., my sponsor, for her great assistance, suggestions, guidance, and motivation that she gave to me during the completion of my thesis.

I would like to sincerely thank Hariman Hanugraha, S.Pd., the headmaster of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu, for the opportunity to do my research there. I am greatly indebted to Widyawati Agustien, S.Pd., for giving me the opportunity to observe her class and the permission to attach her materials. I also thank Grade VIII students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu, for their participation during my observations.

I dedicate this thesis to my beloved parents, my late father, Nelson Butar Butar, my mother, Watini for their everlasting affection, their praying, and their moral and financial support. I am really thankful to my late grandmother, my brothers, abang Are and Richard, my sister, de’ Guna, my sister in-law, ka Is, and my sweet niece, Maretha for their love, supports and their single way of showing their care.

My earnest thanks also go to all lecturers of Industrial Engineering Study Program at Atmajaya University Yogyakarta, and the big family of SMAN 3 Yogyakarta, to Dra. Lanny Anggawati and all of Columbia Edu-Center Klaten crews. I thank them for inviting and allowing me to teach there.

My gratitude goes to PBI staff, Mbak Dani and Mbak Tari for their help in the administration. My deepest thankfulness goes to Niken, Dyah, Rita, Vanny, Rini, Jati, Harin, Emil, Septi, Widdy, Handy, Yanto, Dewi Tusil, and Lisa for their friendship. My deep gratitude also goes to my friends in Bugenville 4, especially to Tiwi and Lia who lent me their printers, to Ciplux, de’ Rita, Ika, and

Ririn for their supports and friendship, and to my landlady, Mbak Cicil for her kindness and supports.

My special gratitude goes to my boyfriend, Eko Kurniawan. I thank him for giving me support, endless love, affection, encouragement, and all wonderful moments. He has supported me with his great love and patience.

Finally, many thanks are addressed to those who helped me during the finishing process of my thesis in many special ways, whose names I cannot mention here one by one. May God bless them all.

Florida Butar Butar

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE ... i

APPROVAL PAGES ... ii

PAGE OF DEDICATION ... iv

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ... v

ABSTRACT ... vi

ABSTRAK ... viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... x

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... xii

LISTS OF TABLES ... xv

LISTS OF FIGURES ... xvi

LIST OF APENDICES ... xvii

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION A. Research Background ... 1

B. Problem Formulation ... 3

C. Problem Limitation ... 3

D. Research Objectives... 4

E. Research Benefits... 4

F. Definitions of Terms ... 5

CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Theoretical Description ... 8

1. Theory of Perception... 8

Page

a. Definition of Perception... 8

b. Factors Influencing Perception ... 9

c. Factors Creating Perceptual Difficulty ... 10

2. The Learning Stages in the Literacy Cycle ... 11

3. Modelling and Deconstructing the Text... 13

4. Recounts Text Type ... 16

a. Definition of Recounts ... 16

b. Purpose of Recount with Funny Ending ... 16

c. Generic Structure of Recount with Funny Ending ... 17

d. Linguistic Features of Recount with Funny Ending ... 17

e. Example of Recount with Funny Ending Text ... 18

f. Analysis Generic Features of Recount with Funny Ending ... 18

5. Competency Based Curriculum ... 20

6. Theoretical Bases in Competency-Based Curriculum ... 21

a. Language Model ... 21

b. Communicative Competence Model ... 22

c. Genre-Based Approach ... 24

B. Theoretical Framework ... 24

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY A. Research Method ... 26

B. Research Participants ... 27

C. Research Instruments ... 27

Page

D. Data Gathering Technique ... 29

E. Data Analysis Technique ... 30

F. Research Procedure ... 30

CHAPTER IV. RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION A. The Students’ Perceptions on the Use of Text Modelling in Teaching Writing to the Eighth Grade of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu ... 32

1. The Description of the Students’ Perceptions Based on the Questionnaire 32 2. The Description of the Students’ Perceptions Based on the Observation 37 3. The Description of Students’ Perceptions Based on the Interview... 38

4. Discussions ... 39

B. Class Procedure of the use of Text Modelling in Teaching Writing ... 41

CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS A. Conclusions ... 44

B. Suggestions ... 46

BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 47

APPENDICES ... 49

LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 3.1: Summary of Data Gathering Activity ... 29 Table 4.2: Result of the Questionnaire... 33

LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 2.1: The Relationship between Context, Meanings and Wordings .. 14 Figure 2.2: The Relation between Text and Context ... 21 Figure 2.3: Communicative Competence Model ... 22

LIST OF APPENDICES

Page

APPENDIX A: Lembar Kuesioner ... 50

APPENDIX B: Questionnaire Results... 52

APPENDIX C: The Observation Checklist... 54

APPENDIX D: Hasil Wawancara... 55

APPENDIX E: Interview Result ... 58

APPENDIX F: Rencana Pembelajaran... 60

APPENDIX G: TheMaterials of Teaching Recount... 68

1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1 presents the research background, the problem formulation, the problem limitation, the research objectives, the research benefits, and the definition of terms.

A. Research Background

Language has an important role in our life. We use it to communicate with each other. In education context, language is used as a communication tool to store and share information. To be able to communicate in a certain language, we have to learn it first. English is one of the foreign languages that is widely used in the world. Generally, many students who sit on the Junior High School are afraid of the word English because it is one of the difficult subjects that they meet in their school.

There were many curriculum changes in Indonesia. One of the curriculum in Indonesian education which is still used is 2004 curriculum, which is called Competency-Based-Curriculum or CBC. It seems to be an ideal curriculum to develop the quality of Indonesian education because every student has an opportunity to build up his or her abilities. The Competency Based Curriculum mentions that the final purpose of English learning is to develop students’ competencies to communicate in spoken and written language. The process of teaching and learning English must follow two cycles: spoken and written cycle (Sofyanda, Djamilah, Surtiyah, and Kurnia, 2006, p. 4). In addition, Alwasilah (2006) notes that for

English subject, this new curriculum is Literacy-Based Curriculum since it has two cycles: oracy and literacy cycles. Departemen Pendidikan Nasional (2004, p. 43) says that literacy means an ability to read and write, but then it is realized that writing ability cannot be developed without speaking ability, so the word literacy now means both oracy and literacy or the ability to speak and write. In view of that, although English curriculum for Junior High School students is designed to build spoken communication, Junior High School students are also introduced to the written communication step by step, especially written language (Alwasilah, 2006).

Junior High School students find the difficulties of written communication in English when they want to master it well, especially in written language. Davies (2000, p. 96) notes that writing is probably the language skill that is least used by most people in their native language. Walters (1983, p. 17) has the same opinion that writing is the last, and perhaps the most difficult skill. When the students have to make a composition or writing, they have many ideas in their mind that they want to write, but they are not able to put the ideas into a good writing. In other words, the students cannot make a good order composition, for example if they are asked to make a description of people composition, they should start to write the generic structure of describing people in a good order composition, such as the first paragraph is Introduction, Description of physical appearance, Description of

personal qualities,Description of hobbies and interests, and Conclusion.

The situation above can make students not interest to write English composition. Another reason is students do not have a technique to write a composition because some teachers lack writing mastery. For example, the teacher

only gives the topics and asks the students to write a composition directly. Therefore, as good English teachers, they always try to find more effective ways of teaching writing (Davies, 2000, p. 185). It means that English teachers should use various interesting materials, topics, types of texts, and techniques to make English teaching-learning easier and expose the process of composing written texts. In composing a written text, the English subject demands the generic structure and language features of the text types. Each purpose of written language has its own characteristics, for example the characteristics of newspaper would be different from those of poems (Nunan, 1999, p. 275). In order to overcome those problems, the researcher attempts to find out what the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu are.

B. Problem Formulation

The problems in this research are formulated as follows:

1. What are the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK PenaburIndramayu?

2. What is the class procedure of the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK PenaburIndramayu?

C. Problem Limitation

The problem presented is the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. As Feez and Helen (2002, p. 28) points out, the literacy cycle consists of

five stages, they are: building the context, modelling and deconstructing the text, joint construction of the text, independent construction of the text, and linking to the related texts. This study is only applied in writing skill, particularly the teaching recount with funny ending and then focused on one stage of the literacy cycle, namely the text modelling stage.

This study was done in SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. The students were eighth grade students of junior high school and they were in the second semester of the 2007/2008 academic year.

D. Research Objectives

The objectives of the study are to find out what the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu are and what the class procedure of the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu is.

E. Research Benefits

This research has some benefits that can be useful for the eighth grade students of junior high school students, English teachers, and also other researchers. 1. The eighth grade students of junior high school

It is expected that the result of this research can help the students to know their perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of Junior High School. Hopefully, this study will help the students to explore the generic features of a composition in order they can create a good recount composition by using the text modelling well.

2. The English teachers

The result of this study may facilitate the English teachers in SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu to be able to improve their teaching writing ability, especially related to the text modelling in teaching recount.

3. Future researchers

The researcher expects that the study will suggest some benefits to the other researchers to conduct to the other levels of learners by using this study and give another text-type of writing.

F. Definition of Terms

1. Perception

Robbins (2005, p. 134) notes that perception is a process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their surroundings. In this research, perception refers to the way or process by which students and the teachers do on the use of text modelling in teaching-learning writing.

2. Text Modelling

Feez and Helen (2002, p. 28) note that text modelling is a stage of the teaching and learning cycle which helps the teacher to decide how much time to apply to particular language features. In this stage, the students investigate the structural pattern and language features of the model and compare the model with other examples of the text-type. Then, the teacher and students discuss the model to identify the purpose, its generic structure, and its linguistic or generic features.

3. Teaching Writing

Tiedt (1989, p. 1) says that teaching writing is a complex effort, for teachers never teach writing in separation. This means that the teaching writing has to involve the other language skills such as listening, speaking, and reading. In this study, teaching recount is emphasized on the use of text modelling stage of the literacy cycle and expected to assist the students to learn English writing skills appropriately. 4. SMP BPK PenaburIndramayu

Junior High School is an intermediate school between Elementary School and Senior High School. This school is a unit form of obligatory education since Indonesian government has a program which is called as an obligatory nine-year education. The students studying in this school are between eleven and fifteen years old.

SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu is located at Jalan Veteran No.73/V, Indramayu. There are three grades there; ninth grade consists of two classes, hence there are four classes in SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. To make the students feel comfortable during their learning process, all of the classrooms have many types of equipment: two big whiteboards, one small whiteboard for writing several information about the students’ absence or the tests for the following days, and a loud speaker which is connected to teachers’ office. For helping the students in increasing their language ability, this school has one language laboratory. There are eleven teachers in this school. Then, the total students of SMP BPK Penaburare 83 students.

The number of eighth grade students is 20 students, 13 males and 7 females. They are between twelve and fourteen years old. The eighth grade students have many characteristics, such as active, interactive, and talkative. Since they have studied English from the first grade of elementary school, their English background is quite good. The daily languages of the majority of the students are mostly Javanese (Indramayu language) and Indonesian.

8

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter is dedicated to present a theoretical description which shows the areas of this study which consist of many theories from the experts and theoretical framework.

A. Theoretical Description

In the theoretical description, the researcher will provide the basic theories of perception, the learning stages in the literacy cycle, modelling and deconstructing the text, recount text type, curriculum based competency, and theoretical bases in competency based curriculum.

1. Theory of Perception

a. Definition of Perception

Robbins (2005, p. 134) defines perception as a process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment. Kreitner and Kinicki (2007, p. 207) have the same opinion that perception is a cognitive process that enables people to interpret and understand the surroundings.

From those definitions, perception is viewed as the responses to a stimulus or to the surroundings. Those responses occur in people’s awareness to the stimuli for people get the incoming data from the stimuli through their sensory receptors. Then, these responses will be interpreted as meaningful information about the stimuli and so called perceptions.

b. Factors Influencing Perception

Altman, Valenzi, and Hodgetts (1985, p. 90) reveal thatthere are a number of factors influence a person’s perception. Four of the most important are:

1) Selection of stimuli

Selection is the process of focusing only on a small number of the stimuli. This is one reason why people perceive things differently, each person selects specific cues and filters or screens, out of others. For example, a student may be so intently doing a writing test that he or she is obvious to the noises caused by environment around. The distractions are screened out of his or her awareness and do not interfere with the students’ focusing. People have thresholds, which are different in the levels. A student can write or read and still be able to follow the plot of a television program, while the other student cannot.

2) Organization of stimuli

After information has undergone the screening process, it must be arranged to become meaningful. The mind tries to bring order out of the disorganized onslaught of sensory data by selecting particular items and putting the together in a meaningful way that is based on experiences.

3) The situation

A situation, as well as, his or her past experiences, affects what one person perceives. Perceiving a situation accurately is also related to how well a person organizes his or her behavior to situations.

Self-concept is the way we feel about and perceive ourselves. Students might see themselves as clever, honest, patient, or intelligent, or as all of the foregoing. This self concept is important because students’ mental pictures of themselves determine most of what we perceive and do.

c. Factors Creating Perceptual Difficulty

Altman (1985, p. 91-93) note that there are some factors which create students’ perceptual difficulties. They are as follows:

1) Hallo Effect

The Hallo Effect refers to the use of a known particular characteristic as the basis for an overall evaluation. For example, a student who attends a writing class and finds some interesting activity may decide that writing class is interesting.

2) Projection

Projection is the attribution of our own undesirable characteristics to others. It means that projection happens when we attribute our own feelings to others. Our perceptions may be distorted by emotions we are experiencing or by personality traits we may possess.

3) Stereotyping

Stereotyping is the process of categorizing people or things based on a limited amount of information. The bases for such stereotyping may be obtained from mass media or schoolbooks or from past experience. Stereotyping helps the decision maker simplify the situation and since most people lack either the ability or desire to deal with complex facts and alternatives, it is common to find individuals using it.

4) Perceptual Defense

Perceptual Defense refers to the screening out or distorting of information that is personally disturbing or that we do not care to acknowledge. People have a tendency to choose or attend to information that supports their perspective, and at the same time as, to ignore or fail to perceive information that is opposite to their opinions.

Luthans (1992, p. 147) says “motivation is a process that starts with a physiological or psychological deficiency or need that activates behavior”. Motivation can also affect students’ perception. Motivation and perception affect each other (Luthans, 1992, p. 67). It means that a good perception will direct to high motivation, and high motivation will also direct to a good perception.

2. The Learning Stages in the Literacy Cycle

According to Feez and Helen (2002, p. 27) the teaching and learning cycle activities in the text-type approach consists of a number of stages which the teacher and students go through so that students achieve independent control of a particular text-type progressively, the stages are building the context which is the students are introduced to the social context of an authentic model of the text-type; modelling and deconstructing the text, joint construction of the text, independent construction of the text, and linking to the related texts. Feez and Helen (2002, p. 28) reveal that it is possible to enter each stage of the cycle at any time during a lesson. For example, the students may previously be familiar with the context, thus the first stage can be left out. Then, the teacher can begin with activities from the modelling text stage.

Furthermore, it is also possible to return to activities from earlier stages of the cycle at any point. For instance, the students may face difficulties in the independent construction stage, thus the joint construction stage may be reentered.

Feez and Helen (2002, p. 28) st at e t hat in t he st age of building t he cont ext , t he st udent s are int roduced t o t he social cont ext of an aut hent i c model of t he t ext -t ype, t he st udent s discover f eat ures of t he general cult ural cont ext where t he t ext -t ype is used and t he social purposes t he t ext -t ype achieves, and t he last , t he st udent s have t o explore t he immediat e sit uat ional cont ext by examining t he regist er of a model t ext on t he basis of t he course obj ect ives.

In the modelling and deconstructing the text stage, students explore the structural pattern and language features of the model (Feez & Helen, 2002, p. 29). The explanation of text modelling will be presented in the next sub-topic.

Feez and Helen (2002, p. 30) note that in joint construction of the text stage, the students begin to contribute to the structure of whole examples of the text-type, as the teacher gradually decreases the contribution to the text construction, while the students move closer to being able to manage the text-type independently. Joint construction activities consist of teacher questioning and discussing.

In the independent construction of the text stage, students work independently with the text. Independent construction activities include writing tasks which demand that students draft and present whole texts (Feez & Helen, 2002, p. 31).

According to Feez and Helen (2002, p. 31) in linking to related texts stage students study how this teaching-learning cycle can be connected to other texts in the

same contexts and future or past cycles of teaching and learning. Activities which connect the text-type to related texts consist of evaluating the use of the text-type in different fields, investigating other text-types in the same field.

Since this study discussed about students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing, the stage of the teaching and learning cycle which is discussed is only the text modelling stage.

3. Modelling and Deconstructing the Text

Feez and Helen (2002, p. 29) reveal that text modelling is a stage of the teaching and learning cycle which helps the teacher to decide how much time to apply to particular language features. There are two major activities in the text modelling stage. First, the teacher gives information about the concept and types of literary text. This activity is the students explore the structural pattern and language features of the model. Then, the teacher distributes the models to the students and they discuss the purpose of the model, its generic structures and linguistic or generic features of the text type together. Second, the students compare the model with other examples of the text type.

Sofyanda et al. (2006, p. 6) also suggest that there are three teaching learning activities in the modelling of the text stage, namely the teacher presents exercises which ask students to identify particular information in the text (factual and ideational meanings), the teacher presents exercises which direct students to the awareness of features and text structures and also asks students to identify language elements (conjunctions, substitutions, etc) which direct students to the knowledge of

Context Text

Semantics Lexicogrammar (meaning) (wordings) Field Ideational Transitivity

(what’s going on) (Processes, Participants, Circumstances)

Tenor Interpersonal Mood and Modality (social (speech roles, attitudes)

relations)

Mode Textual Theme, Cohesion (contextual

coherence)

cohesion and coherence in a text, and the teacher presents exercises which compare text structure and other features of the model with other examples of the text type.

In deconstructing the text, the students should understand the text which is affected by a number of things as it is shown in Figure 2.1

Figure 2.1: The Relationship between Context, Meanings, and wording (from Gerot and Wignell, 1995, p. 15)

Gerot and Wignell (1995, p. 2) reveal that grammar is a theory of language, of how language is composed and how it works. More essentially, it is the learning of wordings. In several theories of grammar, lexicogrammar is called as syntax which is studied separately from semantics. A theory of grammar or language is required to recognize how text works. Teachers need to know how texts work so they are able to unambiguously help students to comprehend and create written texts in various contexts.

One is able to reconstruct the context of situation because there is a systematic connection between context and text. The wordings of texts simultaneously encode three sorts of meaning: ideational, personal, and textual (Gerot & Wignell, 1995, p. 12). Ideational meanings are sense about phenomena - about objects, people, events, what goings on and the circumstances. These meanings are comprehended in wordings throughout participants, processes and conditions; they are also influenced by the field of discourse; Interpersonal meanings are meanings which express a speaker’s manner and judgments. These are meanings for performing ahead and among others. Meanings are understood in wordings throughout mood and modality, they are also influenced by tenor at discourse; and Textual meanings state the relation of language to its surroundings, including both the verbal situation - what has been said or written before and the non-verbal, situational setting (context). These meanings are understood through patterns of theme and cohesion. Textual meanings are most influenced by mode of discourse.

According to Gerot and Wignell (1995, p. 103) in English, the theme can be recognized as those elements which appear first in the clause, while cohesion Halliday (1976, p. 6) is the grammatical and lexical relationship inside a text or sentence. Cohesion can be defined as the links that hold a text together and give it meaning. Gerot and Wignell (1995, p. 170) have expressed a similar view that refers to the resources inside language that present continuity in a text. It consists of references, lexical cohesion and conjunction.

Gerot and Wignell (1995, p. 170) say that reference refers to systems which establish the characteristics of participants through text. There are three main

distinctions: whether the participant is being stated for the first time in the text or whether it is a following mention, reference is to a general group or to a specific character and reference is comparative or not.

Gerot and Wignell (1995, p. 177) point out lexical cohesion refers to interaction between and among words in a text, while conjunction is the semantic organization where speakers tell clauses in terms of chronological order, comparison, and addition. It means that a word that connects parts of a sentence, for example little conjunction or coordinating conjunction, such as the acronyms FANBOYS: For-And-Nor-But-Or-Yet-So. Thus, the whole text also needs to be coherent, that is, various parts of the text have to work together conceptually in the particular rhetorical context (Schmitt, 2002, p. 257).

4. Recounts Text Type

a. Definition of Recounts Text Type

According to Doyle (2004, p. 57), recount is a text type which is spoken or written relating of events that happened in the past. There are two main kinds of recount, namely Personal recount which describes events that the writer was personally involved in, personal recount with funny ending is kind of personal recount usually retells an experience in which the writer was personally involved in;

and Factual recount which records particular event that the writer might or might not

have been involved, historical recountis a variant of the factual recount (biography).

b. Purpose of Recount with Funny Ending

Gerot and Wignell (1995, p. 194) and Mukarto, Sujatmiko, Josephine, and Kiswara (2007, p. 203) note that Recount with funny ending is used to retell events

or experiences for the purpose of informing and mainly to entertain the audience or readers.

c. Generic Structure of Recount with Funny Ending

Mukarto et al. (2007, p. 203) and Gerot and Wignell (1995, p. 194) note that the generic structure of Recount with Funny Ending is

• Orientation : sets the recounts in time and place

• Series of events: : It presents events chronologically

• Re-orientation : closure of writer’s opinion regarding events

described

d. Linguistic or Generic Features of Recount with Funny Ending

Personal Recount Text Type • The title of the text.

• The purpose of this text: to inform and mainly entertain by retelling past events/experiences.

Contextual factors

• Subject matter (Field) – focus on individual, event/s, place/s. • Roles and relationships between writer and reader (Tenor)

The nature of the relationship between the writer and the readers. • Mode

The mode for all these texts is written. Textual Features

• Generic structure

Orientation Series of events

Re-orientation – consist of humorous activity or situation

• Vocabulary

Associated with the subject matter or field.

The language used can be emotive to describe the events/experiences.

• Grammar

Verb type: Action or doing verbs; Verbal or saying verbs,

Mental – to do with thinking, feeling.

Verb form (tense): The tense of the verb that is past tense. • Likely functions and associated grammar and vocabulary

Language functions Signal/features

Telling about the past lived

Cause-effect due to, because of, as a result

Expressing sequence first, next, finally

e. Example of Recount with Funny Ending

GenericStructure Title

Orientation

Series of events

Re-orientation

f. Analysis Generic Features of Recount with Funny Ending

Contextual factors

• Subject matter (Field) – school, drama • Tenor - writer to unknown readers • Mode - written

Textual Features

• Generic structure

Orientation Series of events Re-orientation

• Vocabulary

Emotive e.g. performance, angry, loudly

• Grammar

Verb type: Action verbs e.g. sat, turned, went

Mental verb e.g. thought

Verb form (tense): past tense

• Likely functions and associated grammar and vocabulary

Language functions Signal/features

None of Your Business!

Last week I went to my sister’s school to see her performance in a drama. First, I looked for the best seat in the school hall. Then, I sat and waited patiently for the drama.

As soon as the drama started, I tried to concentrate on the performance. The drama was good but I did not enjoy it. Two children were sitting behind me and they were talking loudly. I got very angry because I could not hear the conversations. So, I turned my head and looked at them angrily. They did not pay any attention and kept on talking. Finally, I turned round again and said angrily that I could not hear a word.

To my surprise they told me that it was none of my business. I thought they did not understand. What I was trying to say was that I couldn’t hear the drama, not their conversation.

(Adapted from: A Private Conversation, Practice and Progress, L.G Alexander)

Telling about the past went, looked

Cause-effect because…

Expressing sequence first, finally, then

Expressing time last week

Giving addition and

In this recount with funny ending, we can see that each text type has its own distinctive text structure and language features. It means that linguistics features of the recounts text type will be different from other text types. Generic features can help students to construct a text because it covers generic structure which can make a composition easier.

In modelling and deconstructing the text stage, the students are asked to compare the recount with other examples of the text type and discuss its generic structure. The following is an example of describing people text which is quoted from (http://elcwebtest.byu.edu).

Generic Structure Title Introduction

Description of physical appearance

Description of personal qualities

Description of hobbies and interests

Conclusion My Mother

One of the most important people of my life is my mother. Her name is Silvia Edith Flores. She is very important to me because she teaches me to be better every day.

My mother is 45 years old, but she does not look like it. She is of average build. She is not tall but not short. She has curly brown hair. Her eyes are almond-shaped and brown. My mother has a broad nose but she is lucky to have regular teeth. She also has thin lips. Furthermore she has a beautiful smile.

She is a very kind person. She is very lovely, friendly, patient, and she loves to help people. I love my mother because she is a good example to me. For instance, she loves being in the Church.

She always takes care of her family. She is a very organized person, and all things in the house are in the right place. She doesn't like messes. Moreover she loves singing and dancing, too.

All in all, she is a very good child, wife and mother. She wants good things for her family and it is good for me. I want to be like her with many goals in my life.

Analysis linguistic or generic features of describing people text

Contextual factors

Field : mother

Tenor : writer to unknown readers Mode : written

Textual Factors

Generic structure : Introduction

Description of physical appearance Description of personal qualities Description of hobbies and interests

Conclusion

Vocabulary : related to the field – curly, lips, broad, friendly, etc

Grammar : verb type : action verbs e.g. : teach, take care, and love verb form : simple present tense e.g. : is (to express generality)

Likely functions and associated grammar and vocabulary

Language functions Signal/features

Describing appearance (Adjective) curly, brown, thin

Expressing addition furthermore, moreover, too, and

In conclusion, we can see that each text type has own distinctive characteristics, such as generic structure of Recount is Orientation, Series of events,

Re-orientation different from description text type is introduction, series of

descriptions, and conclusion. Furthermore, the verb form of recount text type is past

tense, different from descriptive text type, which is simple present tense.

5. Competency Based Curriculum

A new curriculum, Competency Based Curriculum called CBC has been implemented in Indonesia since 2004. The CBC is designed to help students to develop English communicative competence as life skill, the skills to make students survive in the modern communication where English is used (Departemen Pendidikan Nasional, 2004, p. 43).

Curriculum itself is a general statement of goals and outcomes, learning arrangements, assessments, and documentations relating to the arrangement of

programs within an educational institution. According to Mulyasa (2005, p. 38) competency is knowledge, skill and ability mastered by someone with the intention of doing cognitive, affective and psychomotor behaviors well. To sum up, competency is someone’s ability to think and (or) to do something. It always deals with one’s intelligence, basic knowledge and other aspects: psychomotor, cognitive, and affective.

6. Theoretical Bases in Competency-Based Curriculum

a. Language Model

Departemen Pendidikan Nasional (2004, p. 6) notes that a model which is

used as theoretical basic in Competency-Based Curriculum 2004 is language model. This model points out language in cultural contexts and situational contexts.

Figure 2.2: The Relation between Text and Context (from Departemen Pendidikan Nasional, 2004, p. 7)

Cultural Context Genre Situational Context

Who is involved? (Tenor)

Subject Matter Channel

(Field) (Mode)

Register

The largest box in figure 2.2 represents cultural context. Hardy (1990, p. 7) points out that the purposeful cultural activity in which people are interacting that is called genre. Feez and Helen (2002, p. 6) have the same opinion that genre is cultural context develops particular patterns of structure and language inside texts. Then every genre or text type is characterized by its communicative purpose, generic structure, and linguistic features. The smaller box represents social context or situational context. This context has three elements: subject matter (field), roles and relationships (tenor), and mode. Feez and Helen (2002, p. 6) note that field refers to what is happening or what is being written about. Tenor refers to the social roles and relationships of the people involved. It means that the relationship between the reader and writer. Mode refers to the choice of spoken or written channel.

b. Communicative Competence Model

Figure 2.3: Communicative Competence Model (from

Departemen Pendidikan Nasional, 2004, p. 51) Socio-

cultural competence

Discourse competence

Linguistic competence

Actional competence

Strategic competence

In a curriculum, there is Communicative Competence Model which is proposed by Celce-Murcia et al. (as cited in Departemen Pendidikan Nasional, 2004, p. 50). This model is the latest model in language education. Communicative Competence is the ability to communicate using language in various contexts, spoken or written language.

As it is shown in Figure 2.3, discourse competence is positioned at the centre of the communicative competence showing that discourse competence is the main language competence. Discourse competence itself is the ability to communicate spoken or written in various communications. Socio-cultural competence is related to tenor, mode and field. This competence refers to the ability to convey or understand communication which is appropriate with sociocultural expectation, social contexts and English culture and linguistic competence is the ability to comprehend and apply structure, vocabulary, intonation, and spelling in the text correctly.

Actional competence is when a person says something, he or she does something, for instance asking for information, giving compliments, and so on. Strategic competence is the ability to maintain the flow of the communication process especially in spoken language, such as explaining, using other similar terms, and paraphrasing in English. For example, when a person has to explain the word

‘dimple’, he or she may say, “You know… something that small natural hollow…

which is in someone’s cheek…”

As a conclusion, all of the competences are related one another. For example, discourse competence is never achieved when the person involved do not have linguistic competence, such as intonation, writing, punctuation, pronunciation,

vocabulary, grammar, text arrangement, conjunction, and so on (Departemen

Pendidikan Nasional, 2004, p. 52). Thus, the students can achieve the discourse

competence only when they acquire other supporting competences such as socio- cultural, linguistic, actional, and strategic competences.

c. Genre-based Approach

The approach that can be considered in an application of English subject Curriculum 2004 is Genre-based Approach. Sofyanda et al. (2006, p. 4) say that genre-based approach is one of the approaches which is suggested in English subject curriculum implementation. This approach has two cycles, namely Oracy Cycle (focus on Listening and Speaking) and Literacy Cycle (focus on Reading and Writing). The purposes of a genre-based approach to language teaching are to increase students’ awareness of the schematic structure of a particular genre or text-type, to accomplish their communicative purpose, and to show students which linguistic features are available to understand these strategies.

B. Theoretical Framework

One of the purposes of a Competency Based Curriculum, especially in English subject is to enable the students to communicate using English in a real-world condition. According to Feez and Helen (2002, p. 27) note that the teaching and learning cycle which is used more frequently is the literacy cycle which consists of five stages: building the knowledge, modeling and deconstructing the text, joint construction of the text, independent construction of the text and linking to the related texts

Modelling the text stage can make students understand the structural pattern and linguistics features of the text type. Recount is the text type which is learnt in the second semester of the eighth grade students of Junior High School, particularly recount with funny ending is overwhelmingly the most widely experienced by the students in their school. It means that students spend a lot of time telling the story of what they did or found out in their daily life. Thus, it can also create students to understand the generic features of the recount with funny ending easier.

There are many things to comprehend in using of text modelling in teaching writing. Ideally, the teachers have to make the students aware about those things. Therefore, there are some theories that contribute to the use of text modelling, such as genre based approach that can make students understand and comprehend a written language well.

Based on some preliminary observations, this research intends to find out what the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu are and what the class procedure of the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu is.

26

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents research method, research participants, research instruments, data gathering techniques, data analysis technique, and research procedures.

A. Research Method

This research was a survey research. According to Ary, Jacobs, and Razavieh (2002, p. 27) there are two instruments that are usually used in a survey research, those are interviews and questionnaires. A survey research often took the form of a questionnaire that was sent out to a group of people about a particular topic. It was used to measure group’s attitudes, opinions, and perceptions (Wiersma, 2005, p. 169). For that reason, this research used those instruments to answer the problem formulation.

According to Ary, et al. (2002, p. 28) state that there are the advantage and disadvantage of using the survey research. The advantage of using the survey research is that substantial amounts of information can be collected in a relatively short time. One disadvantage, however, is that the number of people who response to questionnaires, especially when it is mailed, is often low. A low response rate raises the question on how much the information obtained actually represents the attitudes, opinions, and characteristics of the group as a whole. In obtaining the data, the researcher used qualitative method. Qualitative method was described as approaches

used to gather data systematically, but the data were purely descriptive, and therefore not numerical (Sprinthall, 1991, p. 100). Thus, in this research, the researcher would interpret the data in form of numbers into words.

B. Research Participants

Sprinthall et al. (1991, p. 27) reveal that the term population refers to the group of persons, things, or events that share at least one common characteristic. In this study, the population of this research was the eighth grade of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. There were 20 students, namely 13 males and 7 females. The participants of this research were the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu 2007/2008 academic year.

C. Research Instruments

There were three research instruments in this study, namely observation, interview, and questionnaire.

1. Observation

The first instrument was the observation. In this study, the researcher chose to be a complete observer, that was the researcher observed the activities of the class without in any way becoming a participant in those activities (Fraenkel, Jack, and Norman, 1993, p. 384). This observation had a purpose, namely to discover how the condition of the class was.

2. Interview

The next instrument was the interview. Fetterman in Fraenkel et al. (1993, p. 385) stated that the purpose of interviewing people was to find out what is on their

thinking or how they feel about a particular thing. The researcher asked about the teacher’s perception of the text modelling and how she implemented it. The respondent was open to reply in her own expressions, and to answer either in brief or at length. Then, the responses were recorded by taking notes during the interview and with a voice recorder.

3. Questionnaire

The last instrument was the questionnaire. In this study, a questionnaire was instrument of the study to gather information through the students’ written responses to a list of questions (Ary et al., 1990, p. 418). There were two types of questionnaires, namely structured, or closed, and unstructured, or opened-ended questions (Ary et al., 1990, p. 424). In order to gather the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling, the researcher employed the closed questionnaire. The closed questions allowed individual to pick the response that best represented his/her belief or opinion. It meant that the students could directly choose what they want and the opinions could directly be completed. On the closed questions, the researcher provided thirteen closed questions. In the closed questions, for positive statements, the students might choose a number between 4 until 1 in a Likert scale. The Likert scale indicated their level of agreement on a range from strongly agree to strongly

disagree (Ary et al., 1990, p. 425). Score or number 4 is strongly agree, 3 is for

agree, 2 is for disagree, and 1 is for strongly disagree.

D. Data Gathering Technique

This research was conducted when the class in progress of 2007/2008 academic year. The observation was conducted on February 7, 2008. Then, the

researcher distributed the questionnaire sheet to the eighth grade on June 7, 2008 and conducted the interview to the English teacher. This research used the observation checklist, the interview to the English teacher, and the questionnaire. In short, data gathered were shown in Table 3.1below:

Table 3.1 Summary of the Data Gathering

Activity Data Gathered Method

observation how the use of text modelling was implemented

Complete observer interview The teacher’s comprehension about

the text modelling and how she implemented it

open-ended interview

questionnaire A list of 13 closed questions Closed questionnaire

There was an observation in this study (see Appendix C). In the observation, the researcher took notes on how the use of text modelling stage was implemented, such as the arrangement of the text modelling, how the teacher did the text modelling clearly, and what activities occurred in this stage.

This study used an open-ended interview to the English teacher (see Appendices D and E) about the text modelling in teaching writing. The respondent was open to answer in her own expressions. The responses were recorded by taking notes during the interview and with a voice recorder.

This study also used a questionnaire to know the participants’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing, especially teaching recount. The researcher employed the 13 close questions to pick the response that best represented his/her belief or opinion.

E. Data Analysis Technique

The first step in analyzing the data gathered was recording the questionnaire results in a form of table (see Appendix B). The Likert scale was used to measure the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling. The range is from strongly agree

to strongly disagree. Score or number 4 is strongly agree, 3 is for agree, 2 is for

disagree, and 1 is for strongly disagree.

The second step in analyzing the data gathered was analyzing the observation checklist (see Appendix C). This was analyzed in order to find out the

implementation on the use of text modelling.

The last step was analyzing the interview results. Instead of using a tape recorder, the researcher also recorded the data in a note. The interview results would not specifically be discussed in a certain part, but it would be used to support the second research questions.

F. Research Procedure

In order to answer the research problem, the following procedures were applied in this research:

1. Conducting the survey research

The researcher conducted the survey research. It often took the form of a questionnaire that was sent out to a group of people about a particular topic. 2. Constructing the questionnaires

The researcher constructed the closed questionnaire. There were thirteen closed questions that would be given to the respondents.

3. Consulting the questionnaire to the sponsor

The researcher consulted the closed questions to the sponsor. 4. Observing the class

The researcher observed the class and wrote a note of what the teacher did in the modelling the text stage and the class activities.

5. Distributing questionnaire to the respondents

The closed questionnaire was given to the students. The researcher allowed the students to pick the response that best represented his/her belief or opinion. 6. Interviewing the English teacher

The researcher asked several questions to the teacher about the use of text modelling in her teaching writing to the eighth grade students.

7. Analyzing the result of the study

The researcher wrote the notes of the observing the class to know what the teacher did in the modeling the text stage and the class activities, interviewing the English teacher, and the questionnaire in readable form

8. Drawing conclusion from the analysis

The purpose of analyzing the data was to help the researcher to get the data into its shape and suggest how to interpret them into words.

32

CHAPTER IV

RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presented and discussed the findings of the research. This study was conducted to investigate two research problems as they were presented in the first chapter. They were what the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu were and what the class procedure of the use of text modelling in teaching writing to

the eighth grade students of SMP BPK PenaburIndramayu was

A. The Students’ Perceptions on the Use of Text Modelling in Teaching Writing

to the Eighth Grade Students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu

The researcher presented the description of the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu taken from the distributed questionnaire, the observation checklist, and the interview an English teacher.

1. The Description of the Students’ Perceptions Based on the Questionnaire

The researcher presented the description of the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu based on the questionnaire in data presentation and discussion.

In order to find out the perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu, the researcher distributed the questionnaire to the eighth grade students. In this research, the

questionnaire consisted of 13 close-ended questions and the questionnaire was distributed on June 7, 2008 to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu as the respondents and there were 20 students in that class. The students’ responses on the questionnaire represented the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu.

The following are the descriptions of the students’ responses for each statement were presented in the form of data frequency and data percentage. It was shown in table 4.1:

Table 4.1 : The Questionnaire Results of Students’ Perceptions

Frequency Percentage No Statement

SA A D SD SA A D SD

1. I am able to write well by using the text modelling.

9 11 0 0 45% 55% 0 0

2. Introducing the model in writing skill makes me easy to write a better composition.

7 11 2 0 35% 55% 10% 0

3. The teacher’s

explanations about text modelling are important for the success in writing.

10 8 2 0 50% 40% 10% 0

4. The teacher gives the spoken and written explanations of text modelling.

7 13 0 0 35% 65% 0 0

5. Generic structure is important to make English composition easier.

6 12 2 0 30% 60% 10% 0

6. The use of text

modelling helps the processes in learning writing.

7. The use of text modelling helps me to understand the better material of writing.

9 10 1 0 45% 50% 5% 0

8. The teacher gives the sample of texts models that are relevant to the topic.

12 8 0 0 60% 40% 0 0

9. The use of text

modelling encourages me to write a better composition.

6 10 4 0 30% 50% 20% 0

10. After getting the

teacher’s explanation of text modelling, I am motivated to write a composition.

5 9 6 0 25% 45% 30% 0

11 The use of dictionary is important to learn writing, especially in a writing composition.

10 6 3 1 50% 30% 15% 5%

12. I am glad to write an English composition.

5 11 3 1 25% 55% 15% 5%

13. I am able to write an English composition easily.

4 11 5 0 20% 55% 25% 0

Table 4.1 showed the respondents’ responses on the statements for the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing. The results of the students’ perceptions on the use of text modeling were only taken from the students’ perceptions on the use of text modeling in teaching writing, particularly teaching recount, as follows: statement number three concerned with the teacher’s explanations about text modelling were important for the success of the respondents’ writing. The result showed that for “Strongly Agree”, there were 50% or ten students who chose it. 40% or eight students chose “Agree”. For “Disagree”, there were 10% or two students who chose it. None of the students chose “Strongly Disagree”. The

result showed that most of the respondents needed the teacher’s explanations on the text modelling for the success in writing.

Statement number six asked about the respondents’ responses whether the use of text modelling helped the processes in learning writing. The result showed that 30% or six students who chose “Strongly Agree”. For “Agree”, there were 70% or fourteen students who chose it. None of the students chose “Disagree” and “Strongly Disagree”. The result showed that the use of text modelling helped the respondents in writing process.

Statement number seven concerned with the respondents’ responses whether the use of text modelling helped the students understand the better material of writing. The result showed that for “Strongly Agree”, there were 45% or nine students who chose it. 50% or ten students chose “Agree”. For “Disagree”, there were 5% or one student who chose it. None of the students chose “Strongly Disagree” as their responses on the statement seven. The result showed that most of the respondents understood the better material of writing by the implementation of text modelling.

Statement number eight asked about the respondents’ responses on whether the teacher gave the sample of texts models which were relevant to the topic. The result showed that 60% or twelve students chose “Strongly Agree”. For “Agree”, there were 40% or seven students who chose it. None of the students chose “Disagree” as well as “Strongly Disagree”. The result showed that the teacher gave the texts models which were appropriate with the topic.

Statement number nine concerned for the respondents’ responses on whether the use of text modelling encouraged the respondents to write a better composition. The result showed that for “Strongly Agree”, there were 30% or six students who chose it. 50% or ten students chose “Agree”. For “Disagree”, there were 20% or four students who chose it. None of the students chose “Strongly Disagree”. The result showed that most of the students were encouraged to write a better composition by the use of text modelling.

Nevertheless, there were also small number of students who had negative perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. There were 10% or two students who had negative perceptions on the statement number three, the respondents felt that the teacher’s explanations about text modelling were not important for the success in writing skill. Then, there were 5% or only one student who did not have positive perception with the statement number seven, the respondent stated that the use of text modelling did not help her understand the better material of writing. Moreover, there were 20% or four students who had not agreed with the statement number nine, the respondents stated that the use of text modelling did not encourage them to write a better composition.

Based on the data presentation and discussion on the result of the questionnaire, it can be concluded that generally, the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing are positive. Most of the students had experienced on the use of text modelling well, thus the students were familiar with the use of text modelling.

The students’ positive perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing were showed by the results of the statement number three, there were 90% or eighteen respondents stated that most of the students needed the teacher’s explanations on text modelling for the success in writing. Moreover, there were 100% or all students had positive perceptions on the statement number six, the students stated that the use of text modelling helped the processes in learning writing. There were 95% or nineteen students stated that they understood the better material of writing by the implementation of text modelling.

Furthermore, there were 100% or all students had positive perceptions on the statement number eight, they stated that the teacher gave the sample of texts models clearly which were relevant to the topic. As stated on statement number nine, sixteen students or 80% students stated that the use of text modelling encouraged them to write a better composition

2. The Description of Students’ Perceptions Based on the Observation

The researcher presented the data analysis of the use of text modelling in teaching writing into the data presentation and analysis. To answer the second problem, the researcher carried out an observation. The observation helped the researcher to get some descriptions on how the text modelling was being implemented. The following was the description of the text modeling was being implemented in the eighth grade of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu.

The observation was on February 7, 2008. The main focus of the observation was to get some descriptions on how the text modeling was being implemented in the

eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. From the observation (see Appendix C), it was discovered that the teacher gave the spoken and written explanations of text modelling clearly. When the teacher taught writing, she applied the text modelling stage well. The teacher presented exercises by using the text modelling, which asked students to identify the features and generic structure of the recount with funny ending text. Then, students explored the structural pattern and language features of the recount with funny ending text.

3. The Description of Students’ Perceptions Based on the Interview

To answer the second problem, the researcher also conducted an interview. The researcher had an English teacher as the interview and asked about the use of text modelling in the literacy cycle. Then, she answered that as she knew that text modelling is one stage in the literacy cycle which helps the teacher to be able to give information about structural pattern and language features of the model. Also, it was effective since the texts models that were given to the students were appropriate with backgrounds of the students and their everyday experiences. Next, the researcher asked about the problems that the teacher faced in her teaching writing. The teacher said that her students sometimes felt difficult to start to write a composition, they still felt difficult to arrange words into a good sentence, and they lack vocabulary mastery. Then, the researcher asked about her suggestions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing, the teacher answered that the text modelling should relate the topic to everyday experiences and the students’ backgrounds, what were in our close surroundings where the students studied.

4. Discussions

After presenting the data from the questionnaire, observation, and interview above, the researcher then discussed the students’ perceptions in the light of the theories elaborated in Chapter II.

a. The students considered that most of the respondents needed the teacher’s

explanations on the text modelling for the success in writing.

The students felt that they needed the teacher’s explanations on the text modelling for the success in writing. There were 90% students who had positive perceptions that they needed the teacher’s explanations on the text modelling for the success in writing. In writing class, the teacher gave the recount text without explanations of the text modelling stage; consequently the students did not understand the generic features of the recount with funny ending and they were not able to write a recount composition well. In contrast, the students who were taught by the teacher’s explanations on the text modelling, they were able to write a recount composition well. In other words, the teacher’s explanation on the text modelling was very important for their success in writing.

b. The students considered that the use of text modelling helped the processes

in learning writing.

There were 100% or all students had positive perceptions that the use of text modelling helped them in the processes of learning writing. The activities of the text modelling stage were the teacher presents exercises which asked students to identify particular information in the text (factual and ideational meanings), the teacher presented exercises which directed students to the awareness of

features and text structures and also asked students to identify language elements (conjunctions, substitutions, etc) which directed students to the knowledge of cohesion and coherence in a text (Sofyanda et al., 2006: 6). In writing class, if the use of text modelling stage had taught well, consequently, it could help the students in the processes of learning writing, such as they understood the better language features of the recount with funny ending text.

c. The students considered that the use of text modelling helped them to

understand the better material of writing.

There were 95% students stated that they understood the better material of writing by the implementation of text modelling. The students stated that the use of text modelling helped them understand the better material of writing, so they had positive perception on the use of text modelling. Feez and Helen (2002, p. 29) reveal that the text modelling is a stage of the teaching and learning cycle which helps the teacher to decide how much time to apply to particular language features. The activities of the text modelling stage were the students explored the structural pattern and language features of the model. Because of exploring it in detail, the students understood the better material of writing. For instance, when they were asked to make a recount composition, they had been able to make a recount composition well.

d. The students considered that the teacher gave the sample of text models that

were relevant to the topic was important.

In their teaching learning process, the students would know the writing skill well if they understood that the material or lesson was related to their

individual needs. Alman et al. (1985, p. 90) explain that self concept is important because students’ mental pictures of themselves determine most of what we perceive and do. It meant that the students were able to write when they were given the sample of texts models that were relevant to the topic. The text models should relate the topic to the everyday experiences and backgrounds of the students because they would understand the topic easier.

e. The students considered that the use of text modelling encouraged them to

write a better composition.

As stated on the statement number nine, sixteen students or 80% students stated that the use of text modelling encouraged them to write a better composition. Feez and Helen (2002, p. 29) say that in the text modelling stage, the teacher gives information about the concept and types of the literary text. This activity was the students explored the structural pattern and generic structure of the recount text. Gerot and Wignell (1995, p. 194) and Mukarto, et al. (2007, p. 203) stated that the generic structure of recount with funny ending text is orientation, series of events, and re-orientation (consists of humorous activity or situation). For example, the teacher asked the students to read the recount with funny ending text and explored the generic structure of the text. Since the students were taught the text modelling in detail, the students were able to do the exercises and moreover, easy to write a recount composition well.

B. Class Procedure of the Use of Text Modelling in Teaching Writing

Basic competence:

Express nuance of meanings in rhet orical move in writ t en t ext s in t he f orms of recount

Achievement Indicator:

St udent s can make a recount wit h f unny ending t ext .

Read and Learn.

Generic St ruct ure of recount wit h f unny ending: • Title (optional)

• Orientation or setting

It provides t he background inf ormat ion. It answers t he quest ions: Who? When? Where? Why? What experience? e. g. Iwent t o t he shop….

• Series of events

Some personal recount s may have a f unny ending. Like ot her personal recount s, recount wit h f unny ending, t his kind of personal recount s usually

ret el l an experience or event in which t he writ er was personal l y invol ved. This t ext t ype list s and describes past experiences or event s by ret elling event s. It present s t he event s chronologically (based on t he order in which t hey happened).

The purpose of personal recount wit h f unny ending is t o inf orm and mainly ent ert ain t he audience (list eners or readers).

A Funny T hing H a ppe ne d!

Writing

It present s event s chronologically. It uses conj unct ion or connect ives like f irst , next , second, t hen, f inal l y, et c. They show t he sequence of event s. The f inal event is humorous or a sit uat ion t hat makes t he readers smile or laugh.

• Reorientation

It present s a closing st at ement . It expresses t he aut hor’ s personal opinion regarding t he event s described, e. g. t his t ime we didn’ t t ry t o hel p it .

Text ual or Language f eat ures

• Writ t en in t he past t ense, e. g. I went t o t he shop…

• In chronological order, using connect ives t hat signal t ime, e. g. f irst,

t hen, next , af t er.

• Focus on individual part icipant or personal pronouns (I or we).

• Personal recount describes event s, so t here are many verbs (act ion words) and adverbs (which describe or add more det ail t o verbs)

• The f inal event of personal recount wit h f unny ending consist s of humorous act ivit y or sit uat ion. This makes t he reader smile or laugh. • The passive voice may be used, e. g. t he bot t l e was f il l ed wit h ink.

Modelling and Deconstructing the Text

Put the verbs in the correct form

One day, my brot her and I (1) ____________ (play) badmint on behind our house when I saw a cat on our mango t ree. It (2) _______ (look) scared and we (3) ________ (t hink) it could not get down. So, we (4) _______ (decide) t o do somet hing. First , I (5) _______ (help) my brot her began t o come down, a branch broke. He could not move up or down. I (6) _______ (go) inside t he house and (7) _______ (ask) dad t o help my brot her down. As soon as my f at her (8) _______ (leave), t he cat (9) ________ (climb) t he t ree again. This t ime we (10) ___________ (not , t ry) t o help it .

(Source f rom: Engl ish on Sky f or Junior High School St udent s Year VII, Mukart o, et aI)

Answer t hese quest ions.

1. What is t he purpose of t he t ext above: t o describe somet hing or ent ert ain t he audience?

2. Read t he t ext caref ully. Then complet e t he inf ormat ion below. • Who : _________, __________

• When : ____________________ • Where : ____________________ • What : ____________________ 3. List t he act ion verbs.

4. What words are used t o show t he sequence of event s?

5. Underline the vocabularies – emotive to describe the events/experiences. 6. Write the generic structure of the text above.

ABSTRACT

Butar Butar, Florida. 2008. Students’ Perceptions on the Use of Text Modelling in Teaching Writing to the Eighth Grade Students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University.

This research investigated the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. There were two main reasons why the researcher conducted this research. The first reason was eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur found the difficulties of written communication in English when they would like to master it well. The second reason was the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur had possibility to affect the students in motivating to write a composition. The students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling could influence students’ behavior in learning writing, which then directed to the students’ achievement in learning writing.

This research attempted to answer two research questions. The research questions were (1) What are the students’ perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu? (2) What is the class procedure of the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu?

To answer the research questions above, the researcher used qualitative method in the form of survey research. The researcher distributed a questionnaire in the form of 13 close-ended questions. Having gathered the questionnaire, the researcher analyzed them by putting the data in the table and discussed the students’ responses based on the first research question that the researcher had. Afterwards, the researcher conducted observations and an interview to the English teacher to obtain the second research questions and dig out more information.

From the data analysis, most of the students had positive perceptions on the use of text modelling in teaching writing to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. The first research finding was the students stated that they needed the teacher’s explanations on text modelling for the success in writing, so they could understand better how to make a recount composition by using the text modelling. The use of text modelling helped the processes in learning writing. Nevertheless, there were some students who considered the use of text modelling in a negative way. The use of text modelling did not encourage them to make a recount composition well. However, the use of text modelling helped the students to comprehend the generic features of the recount well. The second research finding was there were nine class procedures of the use of text modelling in teaching writing, especially recount with funny ending text type to the eighth grade students of SMP BPK Penabur, as follows: 1) The teacher gave a recount with funny ending, 2) the teacher explained the particular information of the text, 3) the students read the recount with funny ending text, 4) the teacher explained the purpose and generic structure of the recount text, 5) the teacher compared the recount text with other examples of text types briefly, 6) the students identified the linguistic features of the recount text, 7) the students answered the questions and wrote it in front of the class,

8) after getting all answers on the white board, the teacher and students discussed the correct answers together, and the last 9) the teacher reviewed the lesson about the recount with funny ending.

Since this research focused on how to use one stage of the literacy cycle, that was text modelling stage, it was suggested that future researchers investigated what the students’ perceptions in teaching writing to the other stages of literacy cycle and conducted to the other levels of learners.

ABSTRAK

Butar Butar, Florida. 2008. Students’ Perceptions on the Use of Text Modelling in Teaching Writing to the Eighth Grade Students of SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University.

Penelitian ini mempelajari persepsi siswa terhadap penggunaan text modelling pada pengajaran menulis di kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu. Ada dua alasan utama penelitian ini dilaksanakan. Alasan pertama adalah ketika mereka ingin menguasai bahasa Inggris dengan baik, siswa kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur menemukan kesulitan-kesulitan komunikasi tertulis dalam bahasa Inggris. Alasan kedua adalah bahwa penggunaan text modelling pada pengajaran menulis di kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur dapat mempengaruhi motivasi siswa dalam menulis karangan. Hal ini terkait dengan persepsi siswa terhadap penggunaan text modelling yang dapat mempengaruhi belajar siswa yang kemudian berpengaruh terhadap pencapaian siswa pada pelajaran menulis.

Dalam skripsi ini ada dua pertanyaan penelitian yang perlu dijawab, yaitu (1) Bagaimanakah persepsi siswa terhadap penggunaan text modelling pada pengajaran menulis di kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu? (2) Bagaimanakah prosedur kelas dengan penggunaan text modelling pada pengajaran menulis di kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur Indramayu?

Guna menjawab pertanyaan tersebut di atas, peneliti menggunakan metode kualitatif berbentuk penelitian survey. Peneliti membagikan kuesioner yang berbentuk 13 close-ended questions. Peneliti menganalisa jawaban kuesioner tersebut dengan memasukkan data kuesioner ke dalam tabel dan membahasnya sesuai dengan pertanyaan penelitian yang pertama. Setelah itu, peneliti melakukan wawancara dengan guru bahasa Inggris dan observasi kelas guna mendapat jawaban dari pertanyaan kedua dan informasi lebih lanjut.

Berdasarkan data yang diperoleh, secara umum siswa memiliki persepsi yang positif terhadap penggunaan text modelling pada pengajaran menulis di kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur. Jawaban penelitian yang pertama adalah siswa membutuhkan

penjelasan guru tentang text modelling untuk kesuksesan mereka dalam menulis,

sehingga mereka dapat mengerti bagaimana membuat karangan recount dengan penggunaan text modelling dengan lebih baik. Penggunaan text modelling membantu proses dalam pengajaran menulis. Akan tetapi, ada beberapa siswa yang menganggap negatif pada penggunaan text modelling. Siswa tidak termotivasi untuk menulis

karangan recount dengan baik. Kesimpulannya, penggunaan text modelling

membantu siswa memahami generic features pada teks recount dengan lebih baik. Jawaban penelitian yang kedua adalah ada sembilan prosedur kelas pada penggunaan text modelling pada pengajaran menulis, khususnya dalam teks recount with funny ending di kelas delapan SMP BPK Penabur, sebagai berikut: 1) Guru memberikan teks recount with funny ending, 2) Guru menjelaskan informasi khusus dalam teks, 3) Para siswa membaca teks recount with funny ending text, 4) Guru menjelaskan tujuan dan generic structure dalam teks recount, 5) Guru membandingkan teks recount dengan teks yang lain secara singkat, 6) Siswa mengidentifikasi linguistic features pada teks recount, 7) Siswa menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan tersebut dan