Improving students’ writing skill of narrative texts by using short videos
THESIS IMPROVING STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILL OF NARRATIVE TEXTS BY USING SHORT VIDEOS
(A Classroom Action Research at the Eighth Grade Students of SMP Negeri 2 Temanggung in the Academic Year of 2009/2010)
By: NUNUN INDRASARI NIM K2206027
This thesis is submitted to fulfill the requirement for Undergraduate Degree in
English Department Teacher Training and Education Faculty
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACULTY SEBELAS MARET UNIVERSITY SURAKARTA 2010
ABSTRACT
Nunun Indrasari. K2206027. IMPROVING STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILL
OF NARRATIVE TEXTS BY USING SHORT VIDEOS (A CLASSROOM ACTION RESEARCH AT THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS OF SMP
NEGERI 2 TEMANGGUNG IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF 2009/2010). Thesis, Surakarta: Teacher Training and Education Faculty of Sebelas Maret University, May 2010.
This research aims to find out whether short videos can improve students’ writing skill and how far the short videos can improve students’ writing skill at the eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 2 Temanggung. It is also aimed to find out the strengths and weakness of using short videos in the writing class.
The approach used in this research is a classroom action research. The action research was conducted in two cycles, in which in the first cycle there were
4 meetings and in the second cycle there were 3 meetings. Every cycle consisted of four steps; planning, implementing, evaluation, and reflection. In collecting the data, the researcher used observation, questionnaires, interviews, field notes, photographs, and tests. The tests were conducted before the action (pre-test) and after the action (post-test). The researcher analyzed the mean score of each test to find out the improvements of students’ writing skill after the action was conducted.
The result of the research shows that there are positive improvements in either students’ writing skill or the class situation during the teaching learning process. It can be seen from the result of the test which is improved, from the comparison between the pre-test conducted before the action and the post-test conducted after the action. The mean scores of the test result are 68.22 for the pre- test, 75.58 for the post-test in cycle 1, and 78.31 for the post-test in cycle 2. By watching the videos, the students get the stimulus about certain topics so that they can easily construct and generate the ideas into a narrative story based on the video given. They can also arrange better paragraphs based on the generic structure of narrative text. From the t-test computation in the students’ test score, it is showed that the improvement of the students writing skill by using short videos is significant. The t-test computation between the pre-test and the post-test
2 was 8.77. Meanwhile, the t table (t t ) for 34 students is 2.04. Since (t o ) 2 is higher than t t , it means that there is a significant difference between the score in the pre-
test and post-test 2. Some strengths of using short videos in teaching writing which could improve the students’ attitude towards writing in the writing class situation during the teaching learning process were: the students were more motivated in joining the writing class, the videos present the attractive moving pictures and sounds so that they got feeling of relax before they wrote their story, they paid much attention when the videos were played, they were also more confident when they were asked to write individually. However, a weakness of using short videos in writing class was a few students still got difficulties in finding appropriate words with the correct spelling.
This thesis has been approved to be examined by the board of the Thesis Examiners of the Teacher Training and Education Faculty of Sebelas Maret University as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Undergraduate Degree of Education in English.
On
By
Consultant I Consultant II
Dr. Abdul Asib, M.Pd Teguh Sarosa, S.S., M.Hum NIP 19520307 198003 1 005
NIP 19730205 200604 1 001
This thesis has been examined by the board of the Thesis Examiners of the Teacher Training and Education Faculty of Sebelas Maret University of Surakarta and has been accepted to be one of the Requirements for the Completion of Undergraduate Degree of Education in English on 2010
Board of Examiners:
1. Chairman
: Drs. Muh. Asrori, M.Pd.
NIP. 19601015 198702 1 001
2. Secretary
: Endang Setyaningsih, S.Pd, M.Hum
NIP. 19800513 200312 2 002
3. Examiner 1 : Dr. Abdul Asib, M.Pd
NIP. 19520307 198003 1 005
4. Examiner 2 : Teguh Sarosa, S.S, M.Hum
NIP. 19730205 200604 1 001
Teacher Training and Education Faculty Sebelas Maret University The Dean,
Prof. Dr. M. Furqon Hidayatullah, M.Pd NIP. 19600727 198503 1 002
MOTTO
And then a hero comes along With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside And you know you can survive So when you feel like hope is gone Look inside you and be strong And you'll finally see the truth That a hero lies in you
(picked up from “Hero” by Mariah Carey)
DEDICATION
This thesis is dedicated to:
1. My beloved Mom and Dad, thanks for your care and prayer for me every where and every time.
2. My elder sister and my little brother who give me cheers in my life.
3. My luphie who always motivate me to be a better person.
4. All my best friends in English Department, Marching Band UNS, and B-One House.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Praise be to Allah the Almighty who has given His blessing so that the writer can finally finish this thesis as a partial fulfillment in achieving the Undergraduate Degree of English Education.
The writer realizes that this thesis could not be achieved without the help and assistance from others. Therefore, in this occasion the writer would give her appreciation to the individuals and institutions who have given their help during the process of writing so that this thesis is finally finished. She would like to express her deepest gratitude to the following:
1. Prof. Dr. M. Furqon Hidayatullah, M.Pd, the Dean of Teacher Training and Education Faculty.
2. Drs. Suparno, M.Pd, the Head of the Art and Language Education Department.
3. Drs. Martono, M.A, the Head of the English Department of Teacher Training and Education Faculty.
4. Dr. Abdul Asib, M.Pd, as the writer’s first consultant for his guidance and advice.
5. Teguh Sarosa, S.S., M.Hum, as the writer’s second consultant for his guidance and advice.
6. Indrotomo, M.Pd, the Headmaster of SMP Negeri 2 Temanggung for facilitating the writer in doing the research.
7. Bening Angga Dita, SS, the English Teacher of class VIII F for his collaboration in doing this research.
8. All of the students in class VIII F SMP Negeri 2 Temanggung for participating well in this research.
9. Her beloved Mom and Dad for their caring, love, and sincerity; her elder sister and younger brother for this cheers and beautiful life; her special person for accompanying her to understand the real life and who always gives her spirit when she was down.
10. Her lovely friends in the English Dept’06. Thanks for accompanying her with this beautiful moment in this last four year.
11. Her dearest friends in Marching Band UNS who have given fun memories in her life and made her stronger. Thank you very much for this wonderful challenge. This would never be forgotten. UNS JAYA!!!
12. Her beloved friends in kost Barokah 1 who always accompany her in fun and sadness. Thanks for this friendship.
13. The last, thank you very much for every one who has ever played role in her story of life.
Surakarta, May 2010
Nunun Indrasari
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Nowadays, in modern society, English becomes more important as a means of communication. Thus, it has been taught to the students since they were in elementary school. Students have been introduced to English language in the earlier stages because it is considered that English is an important language in society as a part of knowledge and skills which can help in attaining of satisfactory professional life later on.
Teaching English in early stage of schooling is very important. Brewster (1992: 23-24) states the reasons of starting to learn a foreign language earlier. First, teaching English for children is aimed to increase the total number of years spent learning the language. Second, the indisputable fact that young child has a greater facility for understanding and imitating what they hear than adolescent. Third, the aim of early foreign language learning is to prepare children linguistically, psychologically, and culturally for language learning.
Based on ‘Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan’ (KTSP) that is declined in 2006, teaching and learning English in high school should be based on the stress of four language skills, those are listening, speaking, reading and writing. It is expected that students can use these skills to prepare them in the higher Based on ‘Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan’ (KTSP) that is declined in 2006, teaching and learning English in high school should be based on the stress of four language skills, those are listening, speaking, reading and writing. It is expected that students can use these skills to prepare them in the higher
In teaching learning English at school there should be language practice in each language skill, including writing skill. Writing will help students master the other skills and of course in mastering English completely. Sometimes students are afraid and shy to express their ideas in speaking but they can tell what they want to say by writing it down on a paper before speaking. Then, the students themselves or possibly the reader will understand it. While, there are still some English teachers who haven’t given attention to this case completely. However, English writing, as a basic language skill for students, should get close attention.
According to Elite Olshtain in Celce (2001:207), writing as a communicative activity needs to be encouraged and nurtured during the language learner’s course of study. This opinion is strengthened by Raimes who gave the reasons for teaching writing: “We frequently have to communicate with each other in writing” and “Writing reinforces grammatical structures, idioms, and vocabulary.” Teaching writing is “a unique way to reinforce learning” (1983:3). Reid also states that writing itself is a form of learning, and that writing processes and rhetorical context for writing are crucial (1993:49). So, it is obvious that writing is an essential language reinforcing skill and a crucial ability because it becomes a means of learning, discovering, developing, and refining language ability. Through writing, the students become involved with the new language, trying to express their ideas and use eyes, hand, brain constantly as a unique way to reinforce learning.
In fact, in some cases, writing tends to be a neglected area in English language teaching at school. It seems that competent writing was frequently accepted as being the last language skill to be acquired both for native speaker of the language and for foreign/second language learners at school. Teaching learning process held in a classroom is more concerned at acquiring the other skills.
The researcher did preliminary class observation to find the problem in class VIII F SMP N 2 Temanggung. Based on the observation, the researcher got the data of the students’ problem. The students had a problem in writing a text because they learnt writing without using a good approach and treatment. They were just asked to write a composition based on the topic that had been prepared in the text book. Sometimes, the students didn’t understand a certain instruction of
a text for example the generic structure of the text, purposes and the language feature of the text. Organization of the text, generating ideas, language use, content of writing, and vocabulary still become the difficulties faced by the students.
Some factors that cause the students to have low proficiency in writing are the students themselves rarely write in English and the teachers don’t facilitate them well to develop their writing skill in classroom activities.
The teachers tend to give the students tasks of making composition as homework to measure the students’ ability since writing is considered a learning activity which spends much time when it is conducted in a classroom. Teachers spent little or no time teaching the students how to write. They expected their The teachers tend to give the students tasks of making composition as homework to measure the students’ ability since writing is considered a learning activity which spends much time when it is conducted in a classroom. Teachers spent little or no time teaching the students how to write. They expected their
Another factor that causes the problem in students’ writing is the motivation and interest of the students. Writing seems to be a boring activity, indicated by the responses of the students when they have been asked to write a composition.
Based on the questionnaires which had been filled in by the eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 2 Temanggung, the researcher finds out some problems dealing with writing skill:
1. There were 23.5% students disliked English writing class, 3% students greatly disliked English writing, 64% said neutral, and only 8.8% students liked English writing.
2. There were 55.6% students who still found it difficult to generate ideas into composition. Only 8.8% students agreed that generating ideas was easy. The rest students said neutral.
3. No student agreed that making a composition needs a short time. 76.47% students still needed very long time in composing paragraphs. The rest students said neutral.
Based on the questionnaires, it can be seen that the low motivation in English class, especially English writing, still occurred in the eighth grade students in SMP Negeri 2 Temanggung. They also feel that English writing is a difficult lesson.
The varieties of teaching learning English writing accomplished by the teachers also influence the students’ achievements of writing. When the teachers use inappropriate or monotonous techniques in teaching writing, the students can
be bored and unmotivated to learn. It directly influences the product of students’ achievement of writing. Somehow, teachers play an important role in teaching learning process and responsible on the students’ achievements in English. To motivate the students to think critically and creatively in facing the learning problem is also the duty of teachers.
Considering that writing is an important role in language learning, it should be given primary attention in the instructional process. In this case, it is very beneficial for English teachers to develop their teaching learning process in such a way by helping students improve their writing skill. Here, the teachers are demanded to find an appropriate technique which is capable to meet the learner’s need to improve their writing skill. In KTSP, the teachers are recommended to use the teaching methods in which the students can use the language skills in communication actively and oblige the teachers to be facilitators. The roles of Considering that writing is an important role in language learning, it should be given primary attention in the instructional process. In this case, it is very beneficial for English teachers to develop their teaching learning process in such a way by helping students improve their writing skill. Here, the teachers are demanded to find an appropriate technique which is capable to meet the learner’s need to improve their writing skill. In KTSP, the teachers are recommended to use the teaching methods in which the students can use the language skills in communication actively and oblige the teachers to be facilitators. The roles of
There are many various techniques that can be used by the teachers to help the students in organizing the ideas and lessen their boredom in writing. The teaching learning process can be facilitated by some teaching media. Media are very important in teaching learning process. They help the teacher as a means of communication to convey the message more concretely and also motivate the students in learning English. One of the media that can be used in teaching English writing is video. The use of video in a classroom can guide the students’ activities in an interesting way. Video provides information to eyes and ears, so students can see communication in action (Edge, Julian.1993:58). Video can present language in a lively way. Thus, it can increase the interest and motivation of the students. Video can also be used as a means of communication. A video sequence used in class makes students more ready to communicate in the target language.
Starting from the problems arising in teaching English writing and the students’ achievements of writing which are unsatisfactory, the researcher wants to conduct a research entitled “Improving Students’ Writing Skill of Narrative Texts by Using Short Videos”. This teaching learning uses integrated teaching with focuses on teaching writing. The researcher wants to investigate whether the teaching model by using video can achieve the goal of teaching writing better. The researcher in conducting the action put the target on the eighth grade students Starting from the problems arising in teaching English writing and the students’ achievements of writing which are unsatisfactory, the researcher wants to conduct a research entitled “Improving Students’ Writing Skill of Narrative Texts by Using Short Videos”. This teaching learning uses integrated teaching with focuses on teaching writing. The researcher wants to investigate whether the teaching model by using video can achieve the goal of teaching writing better. The researcher in conducting the action put the target on the eighth grade students
B. Limitation of the Problem
In avoiding deviation from the topic, the researcher focuses the study on improving writing skill of the eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 2 Temanggung by using short videos. The writing skill that is observed in this research is limited in generating ideas and organization of the text. The text type used is narrative text.
C. Problems Statement
Based on the background above, the problems that come up in this study are formulated as follows:
1. Can short videos improve writing skill of narrative texts at the eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 2 Temanggung?
2. To what extent do short videos improve writing skill of narrative texts at the eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 2 Temanggung?
3. What are the strengths and the weaknesses of using short videos in teaching writing?
D. Objective of the Research
The objectives of the research are:
1. To find out whether or not short videos can improve students’ writing skill.
2. To find out how far videos can improve students’ writing skill.
3. To find out the strengths and the weaknesses of using short videos in teaching writing.
E. Benefits of the Study
The result of the study is expected to be able to give some contributions for the teachers, the students, and the researcher. The following are the significant contributions of the study:
1. For the Teachers Through this study, it is expected that the teacher will get more information about writing and its problems during teaching and learning process in writing. Besides, this study is expected to give an alternative technique in teaching writing.
2. For the Students This study is expected to make the students aware about the importance of writing, both in the study at school and in the real life. It 2. For the Students This study is expected to make the students aware about the importance of writing, both in the study at school and in the real life. It
3. For the Researcher This study is expected to become a starting point to develop the teaching techniques in the future in order to create a better teaching learning process.
CHAPTER II REVIEW TO THE RELATED STUDY
A. Review on Writing
1. Writing Skill
Writing is one of important skills that language learners need to learn as an essential component not only for their academic practice but also later in their professional life. Writing can be defined in various ways. There are some definitions of writing proposed by experts.
Byrne (1997:1) says that on one level, writing can be said to be the act of forming symbols; making marks on a flat surface of some kind. Graphic symbols here include letters or combinations of letters that relate to the sound people make when they speak. The symbols have to be arranged, according to certain conventions, to form words, sentences, and/or paragraph. But actually writing is more than the production of graphic symbols. He also states that writing involves the encoding of a message of some kind; that is translating thoughts into language.
In addition, Hadfield (1990:v) says that writing is an artificial activity in a way that speech is not. While Enre (1988:13) defines that writing is a process of thinking systematically, so that what is being written can be easily understood.
Olshtain in Celce-Murcia (2001:207) defines writing as an act of communication which takes place between the writer and the reader via the text in an interactive process.
According to Olson (1982:4), someone is writing when she puts her thoughts and feeling into words and puts those words onto paper. Olson also states that writing is more than that; however, those thoughts on paper must make sense to someone else, in this case, the reader.
From the definitions of writing above, it can be concluded that writing is an act of putting the thoughts and feeling into a set of signs or symbols and putting them onto paper which can be understood by the reader.
Meanwhile, skill is defined by Hornby (1995:1109) as the ability to do something well. According to Webster (1981:2133) skill means technical competence without insight or understanding or the ability for further elaboration or development.
To conclude, writing skill is the ability to put the thoughts and feeling into a set of signs or symbols and put them onto paper which can be understood by the reader.
2. The Stages in Writing
Hamp-Lyons (1987:135) states that there are three stages in the process of writing, those are pre-writing, writing, and rewriting.
a. Pre-writing Pre-writing stage generally involves the writer in choosing a topic, or, if the topic has been assigned, in thinking about the topic and deciding a. Pre-writing Pre-writing stage generally involves the writer in choosing a topic, or, if the topic has been assigned, in thinking about the topic and deciding
In planning, students involve the activities, such as reading, viewing the video, mind mapping, discussing, fast writing, questioning, encourage them before they write their sentences in the first draft. In this stage the teacher can use some media to brainstorm the learners about a topic in order to integrate the ideas which will be drafted to their writing. By this way, students would get motivation to write because they feel that they have something matter to say.
b. Writing Writing is the stage where actually the writer makes a draft of their writing based on the pre-writing stage that they have done before. S/he finds the right words and concentrates more on what they want to say through paper. S/he also needs to arrange the draft in such way that the reader can follow his/her thought easily. The content might be written without considering the grammatical aspect first.
c. Rewriting Rewriting is the final stage and essential to successful writing. Rewrite draft includes editing and proofreading. The editing process is really an extension of the writing stage, involving the students in taking a c. Rewriting Rewriting is the final stage and essential to successful writing. Rewrite draft includes editing and proofreading. The editing process is really an extension of the writing stage, involving the students in taking a
In this stage, the students review a draft to check content and organization based on the feedback from him or herself and teacher or peers. The teacher helps the students through the revision to shape and reshape the text into final form, and it’s focused more on organization, content of writing, sentence structures.
Proofreading simply means re-reading the text and correcting minor errors such as miss-spelling, verb tense consistently and punctuations. The students check their final text for some mistakes they have made.
3. Techniques for Generating Ideas
It is necessary for the students to know the techniques for generating ideas before they start writing. In pre writing stage, the students are required to find out what topic that they would write down so that they have something to say through paper. Ruggiero (1981:24-28) states about three techniques for generating ideas. Those are as follows:
a. The Brainstorming Approach Brainstorming was developed by an American industrialist, Alex Osborn. The theory was that one idea would stimulate another, and those two ideas a third, and so on, eventually producing a valuable insight or solution to a problem that might not otherwise have been expressed.
b. Imaginary-Dialogue Approach The imaginary-dialogue approach requires that one see the subject through someone else’s eyes. Naturally, it is impossible to enter other people’s perspectives totally.
c. The Background-Reading Approach The background reading approach consists of getting factual information to stimulate and direct the writer’s thinking. This is what actually the students do in generating ideas in this research. The students would get the stimulus from what they watch in the video. They get a matter to think and then put their thinking into writing.
4. The Purpose of Writing
McMahan, et al. (1996: 8) mentions the purposes of writing as follows:
a. To express the writer’s feeling The writer wants to express his feeling and thought through the written form, as in a diary or a love letter. It is what is so called as expressive writing.
b. To entertain the readers The writer intends to entertain the reader through written form, and he usually uses authentic materials. It is called as literary writing.
c. To inform the readers It is used to give information or explain something to the readers. It is a kind of informative writing.
d. To persuade the readers The writer wants to persuade or convince the readers about his opinion or concept or idea. It is called as persuasive writing.
In addition, Byrne (1997:2) in his book “Teaching Writing Skill” said about the purpose of writing: “it is helpful to keep in mind some of the many uses we are likely to make of writing”. On a personal level, people use writing to make a note of something, for example shopping list, diaries, etc., and used to keep records of things to be remembered. Writing is also used to send messages in the forms of letters, memos, and many kinds of writing to deliver the messages from one to others.
5. The Aspects and Micro Skills of Writing
Writing involves many different aspects. According to Gower (1995), the aspects of writing are as follows:
a. Handwriting The writing should be easily read by the readers. The neatness and legibility is important in writing.
b. Spelling Spelling means the writing of a word accepted in standard order. In second language learning, errors spelling are often found.
c. Punctuation
A certain mark to clarify meaning by grouping grammatical units the written material.
d. Sentence construction The construction of sentences that is grammatically correct, using the correct word order.
e. Organizing a text and paragraphing It involves dividing the information into paragraphs, starting a new paragraph, and ordering the paragraphs to present a logical order.
f. Text cohesion The appropriate use of linking words and phrases so that the organization of the text is clear to the reader.
g. Register / style Using language (structures and vocabulary) appropriate to the formality and style of the text.
In addition, there are some micro skills involved in writing. The writer needs to:
a. Follow conventions of spelling, punctuation and capitalization.
b. Use an acceptable core vocabulary and appropriate word order.
c. Use acceptable grammatical systems (i.e. tense, agreement), patterns and rules.
d. Express a particular meaning in different grammatical forms, with a variety of sentence structures.
e. Use cohesive devices in written discourse.
f. Use the rhetorical forms and conventions of written discourse.
g. Appropriately accomplish the communicative functions of written texts according to form and purpose.
h. Convey links and connections between events. Communicate such relations as main ideas, supporting ideas, new information, given information, generalization and exemplification.
i. Correctly convey culturally specific references in the context of the written text. j. Develop and use a battery of writing strategies, such as accurately assessing the audience’s interpretation, using pre-writing devices, using paraphrases and synonyms, soliciting peer and instructor feedback and using feedback, for revising and editing (http://newterra.chemeketa.edu).
6. Criteria for Good Writing
Fachruddin Ambo (1988:8) in his book “Dasar-Dasar Ketrampilan Menulis” states about the good writing: “tulisan yang baik ialah tulisan yang dapat berkomunikasi secara efektif dengan pembaca kepada siapa tulisan itu ditujukan .”
Enre (1988:9-11) also states the criteria for good writing as follow:
a. Meaningful Good writing must be able to convey something in which it is meaningful to someone and can give the evidences about what it’s said.
b. Clear It can be said as a clear writing if the intended reader can read in constant speed and catch the meaning. Clear writing shouldn’t have been simple, but mustn’t be more difficult than the situation as it ought to be.
c. Coherent Other characteristic of good writing is coherent, it means that the information is clearly connected and arranged. It has been organized systematically so the reader can follow the composition easily.
d. Economic If the main purpose of the writer is giving information, s/he should avoid pleonasm. In a good writing, the words used are appropriate, and the sentences are clear, concise, emphatic, and correct. So, it doesn't waste the reader's time by veering away from focus without reason.
e. Cohesive It means that the writing doesn't contain tons of grammar or spelling errors. It uses appropriate grammatical patterns, substitution, elliptical construction, preposition, conjunctions to relate among the clauses within paragraphs.
7. The Problems of Writing
For most people, writing is considered as a difficult activity, both in the mother tongue and in a foreign language. There are three heading problems which are caused by writing according to Byrne (1997:4-5): For most people, writing is considered as a difficult activity, both in the mother tongue and in a foreign language. There are three heading problems which are caused by writing according to Byrne (1997:4-5):
b. Linguistics Problems Different from oral communication, the language used in written language is either simplified (list, telegram, note, etc.) or more elaborate, more formal. In a foreign language this process is all the more difficult as there may be interference on a cultural level, not just the linguistics, between mother tongue and the foreign language.
c. Cognitive Problems Writing is learned through process of instruction. The written form of the language and certain structures, which are less used in speech, should be mastered and learned. The way to organize the ideas is also important for effective communication which has to be learned in writing.
8. Teaching Writing
Writing is considered as the language skill which is least to be acquired. However, the teaching learning of writing skill in classroom has a Writing is considered as the language skill which is least to be acquired. However, the teaching learning of writing skill in classroom has a
a. Reason for Teaching Writing The most important reason for teaching writing is that it is a basic language skill. Byrne (1997:6-7) gave the reasons of teaching writing in the early stages. Writing serves a variety of pedagogical purposes as follows:
1) The introduction and practice of some forms of writing enables the learners to provide for different learning styles and needs. Some learners, especially those who do not learn easily through oral practice alone, feel more secure if they are allowed to read and write in the language. For such students, writing is likely to be an aid to retention, if only because they feel more at ease and relaxed.
2) Written work serves to provide the learners with some tangible evidences that they are making progress in the language. It is not likely to be a true index of their attainment, but it satisfied a psychological need.
3) Exposure to the foreign language through more than one medium appears to be more effective than relying on a single medium alone.
4) Writing provides variety in classroom activities. It increases the amount of language contact through work that can be set out of class.
5) Writing is often needed for formal and informal testing.
b. Approaches in Teaching Writing There are some varieties of approaches in teaching writing which can be conducted by the teacher in classroom.
1) The Controlled-to-Free Approach This approach stresses three features of grammar, syntax, and mechanics. It emphasizes accuracy rather than fluency or originality. The controlled-to-free approach in writing is sequential: students are first given sentence exercises, then paragraphs to copy or manipulate grammatically by, for instant, changing questions to statements, present to past, or plural to singular. They might also change words or clauses or combine sentences. They work on given material and perform strictly prescribed operations on it.
2) The Free-Writing Approach The emphasis in this approach is that intermediate-level students should put content and fluency first and no worry about form. Teachers begin by asking students to write freely on any topics without worrying about grammar and spelling. There is only minimal correction of error. Teachers just simply read the pieces of 2) The Free-Writing Approach The emphasis in this approach is that intermediate-level students should put content and fluency first and no worry about form. Teachers begin by asking students to write freely on any topics without worrying about grammar and spelling. There is only minimal correction of error. Teachers just simply read the pieces of
3) The Paragraph-Pattern Approach The paragraph-pattern approach stresses feature of organization. This approach is based on the principle that in different cultures people construct and organize their communication with each other in different ways. So even if students organize their ideas well in their first language, they still need to see, analyze, and practice the particularly “English” features of a piece of writing.
4) The Grammar-Syntax-Organization Approach This approach links the purpose of a piece of writing to the forms that are needed to convey the message. Writing task is devised in order to lead the students to pay attention to organization while they also work on the necessary grammar and syntax.
5) The Communicative Approach The communicative approach stresses the purpose of a piece of writing and the audience for it. Student writers are 5) The Communicative Approach The communicative approach stresses the purpose of a piece of writing and the audience for it. Student writers are
Teachers using the communicative approach, therefore, have extended the readership. They extend it to other students in the class, who not only read the piece but actually do something with it, such as respond, rewrite in another form, summarize, or make comments.
6) The Process Approach In the process approach, the students do not write on a given topic in a restricted time and hand in the composition for the teacher to “correct” which usually means to find the error. Rather, they explore a topic through writing, showing the teacher and each other their drafts, and using what they write to read over, think about, and move them on to new ideas. Teachers who use the process approach give their students two crucial supports time for the students to try out ideas and feedback on the content of what they write in their drafts. They find that then the writing process becomes a process of discovery for the students: discovery of new ideas and new language forms to express those ideas.
The teaching writing approach which is conducted in this research is based on teaching free writing approach. The students’ writing was emphasized in content of the story, and only little The teaching writing approach which is conducted in this research is based on teaching free writing approach. The students’ writing was emphasized in content of the story, and only little
c. Teaching Writing in SMP Based on the Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan 2006 for SMP and MTs, the program of teaching learning English as a foreign language focuses on the aims to develop students’ skill in four language skills. The students are expected to achieve competencies to communicate orally and written by using suitable language variation, fluently, and accurately in interaction or monologue in the form of descriptive, recount, narrative, procedure, and report.
The teaching purpose conducted by the teacher should be based on syllabus of Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan 2006 for SMP and MTs. The expected learning outcomes outlined for the students of the seventh, eighth, and ninth grade on the writing skill are as follows:
1) Seventh grade: the students are able to (1) write simple functional sentences, (2) write simple message, short and simple announcement, and card, (3) produce text in the form of a procedure and descriptive.
2) Eighth grade: the students are able to (1) write among others texts in the forms of a narrative, descriptive, and recount. (2) write personal letter, post card, invitation card, leaflet, and announcement.
3) Ninth grade: students are able to (1) write texts in the form of narrative, procedure, and report, (2) write short message, letter, advertisement, and announcement.
9. Overview of Narrative Writing
There are some approaches in teaching writing; one of them is genre based approach. The use of genre approach in solving the problem in students’ writing, particularly in generating ideas and organization is very effective way. According to Hartono (2005:4) the term “genre” is used to refer to particular text-types, not to traditional varieties of literature. It is a type or kind of text, defined in terms of its social purposes; also the level of context dealing with social purposes.
Based on the communicative purpose, Pardiyono (2007:93-98) classifies the text into eleven types, they are; description, recount, narration, procedure, explanation, discussion, exposition, news item, report, anecdote, and review. However in this study, the text will be focused on the narrative text.
Narrative text is a text which says the past activities or event which concerns on the problematic experience and resolution in order to amuse and even give the moral messages to the reader.
The generic structure of narrative text are orientation; stating the topic of an activity or event which will be told, sequence of events; presenting the story about the past activities or events which has the chronological of The generic structure of narrative text are orientation; stating the topic of an activity or event which will be told, sequence of events; presenting the story about the past activities or events which has the chronological of
According to Hartono (2005:7), the language features used in narrative text are:
a. Focus on specific participants. Narrative text focuses on the story of certain participant or character.
b. Use of past tense. Tenses used in narrative text is past tense, because it tells about a story happened in the past. The formula of past tense is
S+V 2… or S + to be (was/were)...
c. Use of temporal conjunction. The examples of temporal conjunction are: first, finally, then, when, next, last, before, etc.
d. Use of material (or action) processes. Material process relates to the physical action done by the participants. The examples of materials process are:
The water
flows.
Participant process
e. Use of mental process. Mental process relates to the verbs which indicate the participants’ feeling, thinking, and perceiving, for example: Mr. Setiawan is satisfied with his new car.
Senser
mental phenomenon
10. Construct of Writing Skill
Based on the explanation above, it can be concluded that writing is an act of putting the thoughts and feeling into a set of signs or symbols and putting them onto paper which can be understood by the reader.
Writing skill is the ability to put the thoughts and feeling into a set of signs or symbols and put them onto paper which can be understood by the reader.
Writing has some micro skills that should be comprehended by the students in learning writing. These are some of them:
a. Reasoning In their writing, the students should communicate such relations as main ideas, supporting ideas, new information, given information, generalization and exemplification.
b. Communication The students should appropriately accomplish the communicative functions of written texts according to form and purpose. They should also use an acceptable core vocabulary and appropriate word order.
c. Organization The students should convey links and connections between events. They should write a composition in logical order (beginning, middle, and ending) according to a certain function of text.
d. Convention In writing a composition, the students should follow conventions of spelling, punctuation and capitalization and use acceptable grammatical systems (i.e. tense, agreement), patterns and rules.
The following are the criteria of scoring writing:
Table 1. The Scoring Writing Narrative Rubric Aspects
Reasoning Only a few
Developed ideas well developed, simple ideas
Use simple
interesting ideas very few
ideas
many descriptive supporting
some
sufficient
supporting details details details
supporting
details
Communi- Unclear
Clear purpose cation
The purpose is Clear purpose
purpose somewhat clear and engaged the reader
a wide variety of extensive vocabulary
Limited
some
vocabulary Simple
vocabulary
vocabulary
a wide variety of sentences
a limited
a variety of
variety of
Organization Has no clear
flows smoothly, beginning,
Shows some
has a clear
progressing middle, or
evidence of a
beginning,
logically from the ending
beginning,
middle, and
middle, and
ending
beginning to the beginning to the
middle to the ending
unconnected
has sentences that has sentences that ideas
includes ideas
are clearly details
and and details that are linked
organized in have
and are somewhat
together in
paragraphs paragraph
no connected with paragraphs
paragraphs
structure Convention Several
practically no grammar,
several minor
Only a few
grammar, spelling and
grammar,
grammar,
spelling or punctuation
spelling or
spelling
punctuation errors or
punctuation
or punctuation
errors omissions
errors
errors or
and omissions
omissions
or omissions
excellent visual visual
unsatisfactory
satisfactory
good visual
presentation presentation
(www.durham.edu.on.ca )
B. Review on Video
1. The Nature of Media
a. The Definition of Media
According to Sumantri (2001:153), “Media Pengajaran atau Pembelajaran adalah segala alat pengajaran yang digunakan oleh guru sebagai perantara untuk menyampaikan bahan – bahan instruksional dalam proses belajar mengajar sehingga memudahkan mencapai tujuan pengajaran tersebut.” So, media is used in teaching learning as a means to convey the instructional materials to reach the objectives more easily.
Furthermore, Sadiman (2002:6) says his opinion about media: “Media berarti perantara atau pengantar pesan dari pengirim pesan kepada penerima pesan.” Media can be regarded as a mean to deliver the message from the giver to the receiver.
From the definition above, media can be defined as a means of communication used to convey the information from the giver to the receiver. Related to teaching and learning, media is meant by a means of communication used in the teaching learning process to convey the information such as teaching materials from the teacher to the students so that the students will be more interested in taking part in the lesson.
b. Kinds of Media So many kinds of media have been invented in this modern life. They can be used for helping the teacher convey the materials easier to the students in teaching learning process.
Arsyad (2004:29) says that media is instructional component including message, person, and tool. In its development, teaching media have been influenced by the development of technology. Arsyad differs the teaching media based on technology development into some kinds.
“Berdasarkan perkembangan teknologi tersebut, media pembelajaran dapat dikelompokkan ke dalam empat kelompok, yaitu (1) media hasil teknologi cetak, (2) media hasil teknologi audio-visual, (3) media hasil teknologi yang berdasarkan komputer,(4) dan media hasil gabungan teknologi cetak dan komputer” (Arsyad, 2004:29)
According to Arsyad, it can be concluded that teaching media can
be classified into four kinds; those are printed media, audio-visual media, computer media, and printed-computer media. In addition, Seels and Glasgow in Arsyad (2004:33-34) classified media into two categories:
1) Traditional Media a.) Projected Visual (OHP, slides, filmstrips) b.) Un projected Visual (picture, poster, photograph, chart,graphic,
diagram) c.) Audio d.) Multimedia presentation (slide with audio, multi-image) e.) Dynamic Projected Visual (film, television, video) f.) Printed media (text book, module, workbook, magazine, hand-
out) g.) Games (crossword, board) out) g.) Games (crossword, board)
2) Technology Media a.) Telecommunication-Based Media b.) Microprocessor-Based Media