A study on the textual features of the narrative texts written by the students of SMU N 2 Klaten - USD Repository

  

A STUDY ON THE TEXTUAL FEATURES OF THE NARRATIVE TEXTS

WRITTEN BY THE STUDENTS OF SMU N 2 KLATEN

A THESIS

  Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education

  By Yuanita Dwi Indriawati

  Student Number: 031214019

  

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2008

  

A STUDY ON THE TEXTUAL FEATURES OF THE NARRATIVE TEXTS

WRITTEN BY THE STUDENTS OF SMU N 2 KLATEN

A THESIS

  Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education

  By Yuanita Dwi Indriawati

  Student Number: 031214019

  

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2008

  i A Sarjana Pendidikan Thesis on

  

A STUDY ON THE TEXTUAL FEATURES OF THE NARRATIVE TEXTS

WRITTEN BY THE STUDENTS OF SMU N 2 KLATEN

  Prepared by Yuanita Dwi Indriawati

  Student Number: 031214019 Approved by

  Date Drs. Concilianus Laos Mbato, M.A.

  12 September 2008 Sponsor Ch. Lhaksmita Anandari, S. Pd., M. Ed.

  12 September 2008 Co-sponsor

  

A STUDY ON THE TEXTUAL FEATURES OF THE NARRATIVE TEXTS

WRITTEN BY THE STUDENTS OF SMU N 2 KLATEN

  By YUANITA DWI INDRIAWATI

  Student Number: 031214019 Defended before the Board of Examiners on 24 September 2008 and Declared Acceptable

  

Board of Examiners

  Chairperson : A. Hardi Prasetyo, S.Pd., M.A. __________________ Secretary : Made Frida Yulia, S.Pd., M.Pd. __________________ Member : Drs. Concilianus Laos Mbato, M.A. __________________ Member : A. Hardi Prasetyo, S.Pd., M.A. __________________ Member : Made Frida Yulia, S.Pd., M.Pd. __________________

  Yogyakarta, 24 September 2008 Faculty of Teachers Training and Education

  Sanata Dharma University Dean

  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Firstly, I would like to address my gratitude to Jesus Christ for His grace, love, and guidance. I would accomplish nothing without His blessing. I would also like to thank my former major sponsor, Drs. P. G. Purba, M.Pd. for his time, suggestions, and jokes. I am also greatly indebted to my major sponsor, Drs.

  Concilianus Laos Mbato, M.A. for his time, suggestions, evaluation and assistance. I would also like to thank my co-sponsor, Ch. Lhaksmita Anandari, S.Pd., M.Ed. for her time, suggestions and corrections. I would also like to thank Made Frida Yulia, S.Pd., M.Pd. for her suggestions, comments and corrections.

  My appreciation also goes to all the lecturers of the English Language Education Study Program, to the secretariat staff, Mbak Tari and Mbak Dani, and to the entire librarian staff who assisted and helped my study in English Language Education Study Program.

  I thank SMU N 2 Klaten for giving me an opportunity to conduct this study. I would also like to thank the tenth grade English teachers of SMU N 2 Klaten, Ibu Tri Asrini W., Bapak Sudirman, and Ibu Arief for their help and cooperation. I also thank the students of X B of the 2007/2008 academic year of

  SMU N 2 Klaten.

  My thankfulness also goes to my family. I thank my father, whose financial support helped me through these years studying at Sanata Dharma University. I thank my mother, whose support helped me financially and encouraged me to finish this thesis. I also thank my elder sister, Yuyun, for the iv inspiration to graduate this year and for the grammar corrections. I also thank my younger sister, Yenni, for the love and jokes.

  I thank my great friends, Mathilda, Dewi and Emma, who are always there, and also Arum and Nila for their friendship. I am so lucky to get to know them. I also thank all my friends, whose name I could not mention one by one, in English Language Education Study Program for letting me have such a great and fun time in English Language Education Study Program.

  Yuanita Dwi Indriawati v

  

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY

  I honestly declared that the thesis, which I wrote, does not contain the works or part of the works of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the references, as a scientific paper should.

  Yogyakarta, 24 September 2008 The Writer

  Yuanita Dwi Indriawati 031214019

  

ABSTRACT

  Yuanita Dwi Indriawati. 2008. A Study on the Textual Features of the Narrative Texts Written by the Students of SMU N 2 KLATEN. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.

  The latest curriculum named KTSP (Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan

  

Pendidikan / Curriculum at the School Level) shows that senior high school

  students should be able to write many genres in English. A genre is the type of a text. There are many genres, each of which has its own characteristic.

  A narrative genre is important for high school students to master. To be able to write a narrative text, students should understand the narrative text’s characteristics shown in its textual features. Textual features include generic structure and linguistic features. The generic structure of a narrative text comprises orientation, complication and resolution. The linguistic features of a narrative text comprise relevant vocabulary, past tense, adjective, and time transition.

  This study investigated 1) what textual features the tenth grade students’ narrative texts have and 2) the possible causes of the most frequent errors in applying the textual features of the tenth grade students’ narrative texts. This study was a descriptive research. The writer used document analysis to reveal the narrative texts’ textual features and a survey using questionnaires and interview to reveal the possible causes of the most frequent errors in applying the textual features.

  The results of this study showed that almost all of the tenth grade students’ narrative texts had generic structure of a narrative text but did not have all linguistic features of a narrative text. Almost all (96%) of the tenth grade students’ narrative texts had orientation. There were 96% of the narrative texts that had complications and 92% of the narrative texts that had resolutions. The results of the research also showed that 36% of the narrative texts had vocabulary that was relevant to the subject matter. Almost all of the narrative texts (84%) had time transitions. There were 92% of the narrative texts that had adjectives to describe setting, characteristic and appearances. In the meantime, there were only 8% of the narrative texts without erroneous past tense sentences. Thus, the most frequent errors in applying textual features were errors in applying past tense.

  The results of this study also revealed the possible causes of the erroneous past tense sentences in the tenth grade students’ narrative texts. The tenth grade students made the errors because 1) there was interlingual transfer; 2) there was intralingual transfer; 3) the students did not know that they have to apply past tense; 4) the students did not do enough writing practice; 5) there was the students’ negative approach toward English; 6) there was the students’ negative approach toward writing; and 7) there was the students’ carelessness during developing narrative texts. vii

  

ABSTRAK

  Yuanita Dwi Indriawati. 2008. A Study on the Textual Features of the Narrative

  

Texts Written by the Students of SMU N 2 KLATEN. Yogyakarta: Program Studi

Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

  Kurikulum terbaru yang dinamakan KTSP (Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan/ Curriculum at the School Level), menunjukkan bahwa siswa SMU harus bisa menulis banyak genre dalam Bahasa Inggris. Genre adalah jenis karangan. Genre ada banyak jenis, tiap jenisnya mempunyai ciri masing-masing.

  Genre narratif penting untuk dikuasai siswa SMU. Agar dapat menulis

  teks naratif, siswa harus mengerti ciri dari karangan naratif yang terlihat pada ciri- ciri tektualnya. Ciri-ciri tekstual tersebut berupa struktur karangan dan ciri-ciri bahasa. Struktur karangan dari teks naratif teks teridiri atas pembukaan, konflik dan penyelesaian. Ciri-ciri bahasa karangan naratif terdiri atas penerapan kosakata yang relevan, past tense, kata sifat dan time transition.

  Studi ini meneliti 1) ciri-ciri tekstual yang ada dalam karangan naratif siswa kelas sepuluh dan 2) penyebab yang mungkin menyebabkan kesalahan terbanyak yang muncul dalam menerapkan ciri-ciri tekstual karangan naratif siswa kelas sepuluh tersebut. Studi ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif. Penulis menggunakan analisa dokumen untuk mengungkapkan ciri-ciri tekstual yang ada dan menggunakan survey dengan kuesioner dan wawancara untuk mengungkap kemungkinan penyebab kesalahan yang paling banyak muncul dalam menerapkan ciri-ciri tekstual.

  Hasil studi ini menunjukkan bahwa hampir seluruh karangan siswa kelas sepuluh mempunyai struktur karangan naratif tetapi tidak mempunyai semua ciri- ciri bahasa karangan naratif. Hampir seluruh (96%) karangan naratif siswa kelas sepuluh mempunyai pembukaan. Ada 96% karangan naratif mempunyai konflik dan 92% karangan naratif mempunyai penyelesaian. Hasil penelitian juga menunjukkan bahwa 36% karangan naratif menerapkan kosakata yang relevan dengan pokok persoalan. Dapat juga dilihat bahwa hampir seluruh karangan naratif (84%) yang mempunyai time transition. Dan juga, ada 92% karangan naratif yang mempunyai kata sifat untuk menggambarkan setting, karakter dan penampilan. Sementara itu, hanya ada 8% karangan naratif tanpa kalimat past

  

tense yang salah. Sehingga, kesalahan yang paling banyak muncul dalam

menerapkan ciri-ciri tekstual dalah kesalahan dalam menerapkan past tense.

  Hasil studi ini juga menunjukkan kemungkinan penyebab kesalahan dalam kalimat past tense yang ada dalam karangan naratif para siswa kelas sepuluh. Para siswa kelas sepuluh membuat kesalahan karena 1) adanya interlingual transfer; 2) adanya intralingual transfer; 3) para siswa tidak mengetahui jika mereka harus menerapkan past tense; 4) para siswa kurang latihan menulis; 5) pendekatan negatif para siswa terhadap Bahasa Inggris; 6) pendekatan negatif para siswa terhadap pelajaran menulis; dan 7) Kekurangtelitian para siswa dalam membuat karangan naratif. viii

  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  page TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................... i APPROVAL PAGE .......................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................. iv STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ................................................. vi ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................... vii

  

ABSTRAK .......................................................................................................... viii

  TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................. ix LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................ xi LIST OF APPENDICES ................................................................................... xii

  CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study ...................................................................... 1 B. Problem Formulation ............................................................................ 3 C. Problem Limitation ............................................................................... 3 D. Objectives of the Study ......................................................................... 4 E. Benefits of the Study ............................................................................. 4 F. Definition of Terms ............................................................................... 4 CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Theoretical Description ......................................................................... 7

  1. Developing a Text ........................................................................... 7

  2. Applying Textual Features of a Narrative Text .............................. 13

  3. A Brief Review of Errors ................................................................ 18

  4. Sources of Errors ............................................................................. 20

  B. Theoretical Framework ......................................................................... 23

  CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY A. Research Method .................................................................................. 25 B. Research Participants ............................................................................ 26 C. Research Instruments ............................................................................ 27 ix

  D. Data Gathering Technique .................................................................... 29

  E. Data Analysis Technique ...................................................................... 29

  F. Research Procedure ............................................................................... 31

  CHAPTER IV: RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION A. The Textual Features of the Students’ Narrative Texts ........................ 34

  1. Generic Structure ............................................................................ 35

  2. Linguistic Features .......................................................................... 40

  B. The Possible Causes of the Errors in Applying Past Tense in Developing a Narrative Text ................................................................. 47

  C. Other Findings ...................................................................................... 60

  1. The Students’ and the Teachers’ Different Perception of the Possible Causes of the Most Frequent Errors in the Students’ Narrative Texts ................................................................................ 60

  2. Incomprehensible Sentences in the Students’ Narrative Texts ....... 63

  CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS A. Conclusions ........................................................................................... 66 B. Suggestions ........................................................................................... 67

  1. For Further Researchers .................................................................. 68

  2. For the Students .............................................................................. 68

  3. For the Teachers .............................................................................. 69 REFERENCES ................................................................................................. 70 APPENDICES .................................................................................................. 73 x

  

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1 Generic Structure Checklist .............................................................. 30Table 3.2 Linguistic Features Checklist ............................................................ 31Table 4.1 The Students’ Generic Structure of Narrative Texts.......................... 35Table 4.2 The Students’ Linguistic Features of Narrative Texts ....................... 40Table 4.3 The Results of the Questionnaire for Students and the

  Questionnaire for Teachers ................................................................ 48

Table 4.4 The Students’ and the Teachers’ Different Perception ..................... 61

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LIST OF APPENDICES

  Appendix 1. Narrative Text “Snow White” ...................................................... 73 Appendix 2. Recapitulation of the Results of the Questionnaire for Students .................................................................................. 74 Appendix 3. The Answers to the Essay Part of the Questionnaire for Students ................................................................................... 77 Appendix 4. Recapitulation of the Results of the Questionnaire for Teachers................................................................................... 78 Appendix 5. The Answers to the Essay Part of the Questionnaire for Teachers .................................................................................. 80 Appendix 6. The Result of the Interview .......................................................... 81 Appendix 7. Student’s Text 1 “Golden Snail” .................................................. 82 Appendix 8. Student’s Text 5 “The Golden Snail” ........................................... 83 Appendix 9. Student’s Text 6 “Sumber Tetek Temple” ................................... 85 Appendix 10. Student’s Text 11 “Cinderella” .................................................. 88 Appendix 11. Student’s Text 12 “Lake Rawa Pening” ..................................... 91 Appendix 12. Student’s Text 13 “Ande-Ande Lumut” ..................................... 92 Appendix 13. Student’s Text 15 “Malin Kundang” .......................................... 94 Appendix 14. Student’s Text 16 “Cinderella” .................................................. 95 Appendix 15. Student’s Text 19 “Lara Jongrang” ............................................ 97 Appendix 16. Student’s Text 26 “Cinderella” .................................................. 98 xii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This chapter presents the background of the study, problem formulation,

  problem limitation, objectives of the study, benefits of the study and definition of terms.

A. Background of the Study

  Writing is important to master. Writing can be a means of improving students’ English, especially their reading skill, vocabulary, and grammar.

  Hughey, Worthmuth, Hartfiel and Jacobs (1983: 6) state that Writing is also a means of reinforcing other language skills. … For ESL students particularly, whose individual needs and goals are highly variable, writing is an efficient tool to facilitate and reinforce other language skills. Reading, vocabulary, and grammar skills are employed in the act of writing. It is clear that writing is an important skill for students to master as through writing the students will improve their reading skill, vocabulary, and grammar.

  There are many types of texts to write, one of which is narrative text. Vital concludes “that the genre of narrative should be an important stage in the process of teaching second languages” (http://www.tau.ac.il/2007). Furthermore, Barthes’ famous assertion in 1966, as cited by Mcquillan (2000: 2), states:

  The narratives of the world are numberless. Narrative is first and foremost a prodigious variety of genre. … Moreover, under this almost infinite diversity of forms, narrative is present in every age, in every place, in every society; … and there nowhere is nor has been a group of people without narrative. … it (narrative) simply there, like life itself.

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  2 Barthes’ assertion makes it clear that a narrative genre is everywhere and important and that everybody tells narration, reads narration, listens to narration and writes narration. Thus, writing a narrative genre is important.

  Furthermore, there is an interesting fact that, according to the latest curriculum named KTSP (Curriculum at the School Level), the narrative genre is taught in class X, XI, and XII of senior high school (SMU) in every semester. It is clear that narrative genre is important for high school students. It will be also good for the students to know their difficulties in their beginning semester to improve their narrative texts in the next semesters. This leads to the importance of the tenth grade students’ mastering a narrative genre.

  To master a narrative genre, the tenth grade students should be able to apply the textual features of a narrative genre. The Curriculum at the School Level states that the writing teaching material gradation appears in using vocabulary, grammar, and rhetorical steps (generic structure) to produce certain form of text.

  It means that to develop a good narrative text, the students should apply the right rhetorical steps or generic structure and linguistic features that comprise vocabulary and grammar. In this study, these generic structure and linguistic features are termed as textual features. Thus, the tenth grade student’s textual features of the narrative text became the focus of this study.

  While doing her teaching practice in SMA GAMA Yogyakarta, the writer found that developing a narrative text was a difficult activity for the tenth grade students. The writer was interested whether the other tenth grade students in other school had difficulties in developing a narrative text. Talking to some of the tenth

  3 grade English teachers of SMU N 2 Klaten, the writer found that the students often had difficulties in writing, including writing a narrative text. Moreover, SMU N 2 Klaten was accessible to the writer. Therefore, the writer conducted a study on the tenth grade students’ textual features of narrative texts in SMU N 2 Klaten.

  B. Problem Formulation

  In this study, the writer intended to answer these questions:

  1. What textual features do the tenth grade students’ narrative texts have?

  2. What are the possible causes of the most frequent errors in the textual features of the tenth grade students’ narrative texts?

  C. Problem Limitation

  The participants of this study are the tenth grade students of the 2007/2008 academic year of SMU N 2 Klaten. Therefore, the results of this study do not represent the textual features written by other students of any grade in the school.

  SMU N

  2 Klaten is chosen because it is accessible for the writer. Meanwhile, the tenth grade students are chosen because it would be good for the students to know their difficulties in their beginning semester to improve their narrative texts in the next semesters.

  This study only focuses on the students’ textual features. The textual features that are described in this study do not take punctuation, spelling, handwriting, and paralinguistic features of the students’ text into account. This study only describes the textual features of a narrative text that characterize a

  4 narrative genre. The textual features that characterize a narrative genre comprise generic structure and linguistic features.

  D. Objectives of the Study

  The objectives of the study are: 1. investigating the tenth grade students’ textual features of a narrative text.

  2. investigating the possible causes of the most frequent errors in the textual features of the tenth grade students’ narrative texts.

  E. Benefits of the Study

  Teachers are expected to gain the benefit of this study as they will know the difficulties that occur in developing a narrative text among their students, so that they might adjust their teaching-learning activities to benefit more. Students are also expected to gain the benefit of this study as they will be aware of their mastery of textual features of a narrative text. This study presented the students’ textual features of narrative texts so that students might know their textual features errors and have the chance to correct them.

  F. Definition of Terms

  For the purpose of this study, it is necessary to define the terms that are used to avoid misinterpretation.

  1. A narrative text Bal (2000: 85) mentions that a narrative text is “a story that is told in language; that is, it is converted into language signs”. Mcmurray and Campman

  5 (1983: 256) mentions that “a narrative paragraph or work tells a story, either factual or fictional, and comes in a variety of forms, including the essay, the short story, the diary and journalistic and historical writing”. Narrative also deals with problematic events leading to a crisis which then find a resolution (Pusat

  

Kurikulum , 2003: 80). In this study, a narrative text is a written short story that

deals with problematic events leading to a crisis which then finds a resolution.

  2. Textual features The term “textual” means connected with or contained in a text (Oxford

  

Advanced Learner’s Dictionary , 2000: 1397). It is clear that textual features are

  the important parts that are connected with or contained in a text. Textual features are related to generic structure, vocabulary, and grammar, likely functions and associated grammar and vocabulary and other significant features (Hardy and Klarwein, 1990: 14). In this study, textual features refer to the generic structure and the linguistic features that are contained in a narrative text.

  3. Error

  Collins Cobuild English Dictionary for Advanced Learners (2001: 520)

  defines error as “something you have done which is considered to be incorrect or wrong, or which should not been done.” Dulay, Burt and Krashen (1982: 138) suggest that errors are those parts of composition that deviate from some selected norm of mature language performance. In this study, an error refers to the incompleteness in applying textual features (generic structure and linguistic features) and/or incorrectness in applying textual features (generic structure and linguistic features) of a narrative text.

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  4. Tenth grade students of SMU N 2 Klaten Tenth grade students of SMU N 2 Klaten refer to the tenth grade students of the 2007/2008 academic year of SMU N 2 Klaten. Those students have been taught how to write a narrative text. The tenth grade students are chosen as the participant of this study because it would be good for the students to know their difficulties in their beginning semester to improve their narrative texts in the next semesters.

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE This chapter discusses theories upon which this study is laid down. There

  are two major areas to be discussed here. They are theoretical description and theoretical framework.

A. Theoretical Description

  There are four major issues underlying this study. They include theories on developing a text, applying textual features of a narrative text, a brief review of errors and sources of errors.

1. Developing a Text

  According to the latest curriculum, KTSP (Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan

  

Pendidikan / Curriculum at the School Level), senior high school students should

be able to produce texts (Badan Standar Nasional Pendidikan, 2006: 135).

  Students should be able to produce any short functional texts, monologs, and essays in the form of many genres. In this section, the importance of a genre is described. A genre has textual features and contextual factors (Hardy and Klarwein, 1990: 14). This study is limited to textual features as it is too wide for the writer to discuss both textual features and contextual factors. However, there are theories on contextual factors in addition to theories on textual features.

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a. Developing a Text in KTSP

  Referring to the latest curriculum, KTSP (Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan

  

Pendidikan / Curriculum at the School Level), students should be able to

  communicate in English (Badan Standar Nasional Pendidikan, 2006: 134). What is meant by to communicate here is to communicate in verbal and in written form, to understand and convey information, thoughts, and feelings and to develop science, technology, and culture. The communication is realized through four language skills, i.e. listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.

  This study focuses on the students’ writing skill. The second of the three high school curriculum scopes states:

  kemampuan memahami dan menciptakan berbagai teks fungsional pendek dan monolog serta esei berbentuk procedure, descriptive, recount,

  narrative, report, news item, analytical exposition, spoof, explanation, discussion, review, public speaking. Gradasi bahan ajar tampak dalam

  penggunaan kosakata, tata bahasa, dan langkah-langkah retorika (Badan Standar Nasional Pendidikan , 2006: 135).

  It is clear that high school students should be able to write many genres in English. The students are expected to produce short texts, monologs, and essays in the form of a procedure, descriptive, recount, narrative, report, news item, analytical exposition, spoof, explanation, discussion, review, and public speaking. The curriculum also states that the teaching material gradation appears in using vocabulary, grammar, and rhetorical structure to produce certain form of text.

  Rhetorical structure refers to ‘the underlying structure which accounts for the organization of a TEXT or a DISCOURSE’ (Richards, Platt, and Weber, 1985:251). Thus, this study investigates the students’ vocabulary, grammar and rhetorical structure/generic structure.

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b. The Importance of a Genre in Developing a Text

  The latest curriculum, KTSP (Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan/ Curriculum at the School Level) implies that senior high school students should be able to write many genres in English (Badan Standar Nasional Pendidikan, 2006: 135). It means that to develop a text, students should know the genre of the text. Thus, a genre is important for students to understand. Similar to KTSP, Department of Education Training and the Arts of Queensland (http:// education.qld.gov.au/2007) states that a genre is important in developing a text as the department states that students “need lots of exposure to, and experience with, a wide range of written genres to be able to master them with relative ease”. To conclude, genres need to be taught to students to develop texts.

  Before going further, it would be better to know what a genre is. Mcquillan (2000: 319) mentions that a genre is “a literary type or style.” Furthermore, a genre is also “the name given to the type of the text” (Hardy and Klarwein, 1990: 14). Thus, a genre is a text type. Hardy and Klarwein (1990: 2) also state that every genre “has a number of obligatory parts – those parts have a characteristic order” and “has identifiable grammatical features.” It is clear that a genre has a number of obligatory patterns concerning the characteristic order and the grammatical features. In brief, a genre is a text type that has obligatory patterns concerning the characteristic order (generic structure) and the grammatical features (linguistic features).

  It is also important to know that one genre is different from another. The Certificate in Spoken and Written English (CSWE), the most widely used TESOL

  10 (Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages) curriculum in Australia has features of text types that highlight how one text-type is different from another (Feez, 2002: 84). For example, recounts tend to use the past tense and make more use of action verbs while descriptions tend to use the present tense and make more use of the verbs ‘to be’ and ‘to have’ (Feez, 2002: 84). It is clear that genre of recount is different from descriptive genre. The differences are comprised of each genre’s characteristic patterns. These characteristic patterns are actually the generic structure and linguistic elements, as Nunan (1999: 280) mentions “linguists are studying different text and discourse types in an effort to identify their underlying generic structure, and the linguistic elements that characterize them.” In brief, every genre has its features or characteristic patterns, which are the genre’s generic structure and linguistic elements, which make one genre differ from another.

c. Contextual Factors of a Text

  According to Hardy and Klarwein (1990: 7), contextual factors include: What is being spoken or The social roles and relationships of written about? the people involved (roles and relationship);

  Who is involved in the The choice of spoken or written interaction? channel and of print, sound, stage or screen media (mode)

  By what means is the message conveyed? The objects, people, events, ideas and feelings being referred to (subject matter);

  11 It is clear that contextual factors of a genre are 1) what is written or subject matter concerning the objects, people, events, ideas and feelings, 2) who are involved in the interaction or roles and relationship and 3) mode or by what means the message is conveyed.

  Department of Education, Training and the Arts of Queensland (http:// education.qld.gov.au/2007) also describes contextual factors, which are usually similar to Hardy and Klarwein’s theory, and some plain examples:

  The Context Contrasting Examples

  What is the purpose? to inform/to persuade Who or what is being people and their feelings/objectives facts written about? Who is being written to? a letter to the editor/a letter to your friend What medium is the a speech in a play/pamphlet writing for?

  According to the Department of Education, Training and the Arts of Queensland, contextual factors include: 1) the purpose of the text, 2) what is written in the text, 3) to whom is the text is written and 4) the medium of the text.

  To conclude, referring to Hardy and Klarwein and the Department of Education, Training and Arts of Queensland, contextual factors include: 1) the purpose of the text, 2) what and/or who is written in the text (subject matter), 3) to whom the text is written and 4) by what means the message is conveyed.

d. Textual Features of a Text

  The term “textual” means connected with or contained in the text (Oxford

  

Advanced Learner’s Dictionary , 2000: 1397). Therefore, textual features refer to

  12 important parts that are connected with or contained in a text. According to Hardy and Klarwein (1990: 7), those important parts include:

   the selection and sequencing of subject matter (generic structure);  the linking words and phrases within and across sentences which make clear or imply the logical relationships amongst items of subject matter (cohesive ties);

   the words appropriate to the contextual factors and sentences, including forms of questions, command and statements, and placement of auxiliary verbs (grammar);  … the paragraph markers and punctuation;

   … the spelling and handwriting;

   … the illustrations, tables and photographs, screen images, print size and texture of paper (paralinguistic features). In brief, textual features are interrelated to a text’s generic structure, linking words and phrases that make the text cohesive, vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, spelling, handwriting and paralinguistic features.

  In this study, the writer would describe the textual features that characterize a genre. It is stated before under The Importance of a Genre in Developing a Text section that what characterized a genre are generic structure and linguistic features. Therefore, punctuation, spelling, handwriting and paralinguistic features of a text are not taken into account in this study. Thus, the textual features that are taken into account are generic structure, linking words and phrases that make the text cohesive, vocabulary and grammar. The linking words and phrases that make the text cohesive are included in the scope of grammar. Hence, the textual features that are taken into account are generic structure, vocabulary and grammar.

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2. Applying Textual Features of a Narrative Text

  In this study, textual features are classified into two parts: generic structure and linguistic features (vocabulary and grammar). Thus, there is a discussion about applying generic structure and applying linguistic features in this section. In the discussion, the writer refers to three theories presented by Hardy and Klarwein, by the Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand and by Certificates in Written and Spoken English (CSWE), which is the national ESL framework in Australia.

a. Applying Generic Structure of a Narrative Text

  Generic structure is the organization of a text or the obligatory elements of a genre (Hardy and Klarwein, 1990: 14). It is a must for a text to a have generic structure. According to Hardy and Klarwein (1990: 20), the generic structure of a narrative text comprises orientation, complication, and resolution.

  1) Orientation: Orientation is the setting in time and place and the characters of the story.

  2) Complication: Complication is the problem to be solved by the character of a story.

  3) Resolution: Resolution is the solution to the complication.

  Furthermore, the Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand (http:// english.unitecnology.ac.nz/2007) mentions that the following parts comprise the generic structure of a narrative text:

  14 1) Orientation (Introduction)

  In this part, the characters, setting, and the time of the story are established. This part usually answers the questions who, when, and where, e.g.

  Mr. Wolf went out hunting in the forest one dark gloomy night. 2) Complication or Problem

  The complication or problem involves characters. This complication part often mirrors the complication in real life.

  3) Resolution There must be resolution(s) of the complication(s). Complication should be resolved for better or worse or happily or unhappily. This resolution part adds and sustains interest and suspense for the reader.

  Basically, the Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand and Hardy and Klarwein have the similar idea of the generic structure of a narrative text.

  They suggest the same generic structure that includes orientation, complication and resolution. In conclusion, the generic structure that must present in students’ textual features of a narrative text comprises orientation, complication and resolution.

b. Applying Linguistic Features of a Narrative Text

  The linguistic features of a genre involve vocabulary and grammar of a genre. According to Hardy and Klarwein (1990: 14), beside vocabulary and grammar, there are two more important parts of linguistic features of a text. They are likely functions and associated grammar and vocabulary and other significant

  15 features. Thus, according to Hardy and Klarwein (1990: 20), the linguistic features of a narrative text are vocabulary, grammar, likely functions and associated grammar and vocabulary and other significant features.

  1) Vocabulary In a narrative text, the vocabulary should be relevant to the subject matter.

  The subject matter refers to the events, setting and characters and/or issues and themes, e.g. Snow White, Doc, America, dwarves, castle, ran away, little cottage (this vocabulary are taken from a narrative text titled “Snow White” (see Appendix 1) telling the story of Snow White who ran away from home and met the 7 dwarves).

  2) Grammar The grammar is related to the verb type and the verb form (tense). The verb type might be action, relational or mental. The tense of the verb should be appropriate to the meaning behind expressed, which it might be present, past, and active or passive form. In a narrative text, the relational verb (to be and have) and action verbs are usually used. Past tense is usually applied in a narrative text. 3) Likely functions and associated grammar and vocabulary

  In a narrative text, the language functions are to describe characteristics and appearance. In describing characteristics and appearances, adjectives are used in a narrative text. 4) Other significant features

  Using direct speech in a narrative text is common. Direct speeches or dialogs among characters are common in a narrative text. It means that it is not a

  16 must for a narrative text to have. Thus, direct speech is not taken into account in this study.

  Another theory on linguistic features of a narrative text is suggested in Certificates in Written and Spoken English (CSWE) in Feez’s Text-based Syllabus

  

Design . In the CSWE, there are three learning focus area in learning ESL (Feez,

  2002: 108). They are learning for community access, for further study, and for vocational English. High school students learn ESL for their further study. Thus, the CSWE framework for further study is used. In the framework, the significant linguistic features of a narrative text comprise (Feez, 2002: 99): series of clauses in past tense linked with conjunctions, main ideas across the text, specific information in clauses, clauses with range of past tenses, direct/indirect speech, etc., and vocabulary for characters, contexts and events.

  Hardy and Klarwein and CSWE actually have the similar idea of linguistic features of a narrative text. Both theories presented by Hardy and Klarwein and CSWE agree that the linguistic features include a) vocabulary that is relevant to the subject matter, b) past tense, c) adjectives to give specific information on characteristic and appearance of the characters in the story.

  Besides the vocabulary, past tense, and adjectives, the CSWE also mentions “series of clauses in past tense linked with conjunctions” and “main ideas across the text”. The “ideas across the text” are not taken into account in this study as they are included in the scope of contextual factors of a narrative text.

  Meanwhile, the conjunctions or transitions are taken into account in this study. Transitions are important in a narrative text as Mcmurrey and Campman (1983:

  259) state that without transition, readers often get lost in a story. Mcmurrey and Campman (1983: 259) also mention that transitions that are used in a narrative text indicate the passage of time, e.g. ‘then’, ‘next’, ‘a week later’, ‘years later’, ‘soon’, ‘when’, ‘meanwhile’. In brief, time transition is included in the linguistic features of a narrative text.

  To conclude, a student should carefully apply: a) vocabulary that is relevant to the subject matter, b) past tense, c) adjectives to give specific information on characteristic and appearance of the characters in the story, and d) time transitions in developing a narrative text.

  The following is an example of a narrative text taken from Panduan

  

Materi Ujian Sekolah Tahun Pelajaran 2004/2005 SMA/MA and the explanation

of the textual features of the narrative text.

  

The Man and the Bees

  Orientation The man felt very weak. He hadn’t got spirit to work the day before. His wife felt weak too and so told him to go and look for honey to drink for making anergy. The man searched for honey in the forest. Complication After many hours he still hadn’t found any sign of hive. Resolution He looked up and saw a bee hive dripping with honey. Complication He tried to climb the tree but he was too heavy so he decided to cut the tree over. Resolution He cut and cut then the tree came down. He saw the hive tangled in the branches. He searched into it for the honey. Complication Suddenly the bees began to attack him. The man started to run. But the bees buzzed after him. They were stinging him as he ran. Resolution At last he saw a river. He ran and dived into the water.

  At last he had escaped the bees. He stayed in the water of the river for hours and went home to his wife.

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  18 The narrative text titled “The Man and the Bees” applies the generic structure, which comprises orientation, complications and resolutions. “The Man and the Bees” also has the vocabulary that is relevant to the subject matter (i.e. the man, the wife, weak, work, honey, bees, run, buzzed after, stinging, dived, river, etc.).

  The past tense sentences are also used in the story. “The Man and the Bees” also uses time transitions like ‘after many hours’, ‘then’, and ‘at last’. Adjectives are also applied, for example ‘heavy’ and ‘weak’ to describe the character of the man in the story.