By Khiaroh Mawardah Student Number: 073411040 TARBIYAH FACULTY WALISONGOSTATE INSTITUTE FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES SEMARANG 2011

  STUDY ON THE WRITINGSOF THE FIRST SEMESTER OF 7 ^th GRADE

STUDENTS OF SMP NEGERI 18 SEMARANG IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR

2011/2012 BASED ON THE WRITING EXERCISES OFENGLISH IN FOCUS,AN

ENGLISH TEXTBOOK FOR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADE VII PUBLISHED

  

BY BENGAWAN ILMU

A Final Project

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement

For the degree of Bachelor of Islamic Education

  

In English Language Education

By

  

Khiaroh Mawardah

Student Number: 073411040

TARBIYAH FACULTY

WALISONGOSTATE INSTITUTE FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES

SEMARANG

  

2011

  MOTTO

  _____“Where there is a will, there is a way”_____ ~ Einstein ~

  

DEDICATION

  I have the deepest excitement of dedicating this thesis to:

  1 My beloved mother (Siti Anifah) and father (Abdullah Khozin), thanks for giving me love, pray, support, advice, and everything, love you so much.

  2 My uncle (Drs. H. Musahadi, M.Ag) and my aunt (Dra. Hj. Mahmudah, M.Pd.), thanks for giving me love, pray, support, advice, guidance and everything during I stay in Semarang, love you so much.

  3 My brothers (mas Kholid, mas Ni’am, de’ Shofi and de’ Roni), thanks for your supports.

  4 My closed friend Wakhidudin (MbahQ_Sy9), thanks for your love, support, advice and motivation. Reach your best future, boy. Miss and love you so much.

  5 All of my friend in TBI 2007, especially they are in class B (Secha, Fany, Hanami, Zazak, Sokhi, Reens, De2p, Gus Ecy’, etc.), Love You Guys.

  You all are the best for me.

  6 M. Abdul Aziz and Mb Nur Laila Hafidhoh, thanks for your support and inspiration.

  7 All of my family and friends who give spirit and motivation to the writer to finish this thesis and everyone who helps the writer finishing this thesis.

  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Bismillahirrohmanirrohim

  The first of all, the writer would like to express his sincere thanks to almighty Allah SWT who has given health, blessing, inspirations, and guidance to the writer in

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  finishing this thesis with the title: “Study on the Writings of the First Semester of 7 Grade Students of SMP Negeri 18 Semarang in the Academic Year 2011/2012 Based on the Writing Exercises of English in Focus, an English Textbook for Junior High School Grade VII Published by Bengawan Ilmu”.

  This thesis is arranged or made to fulfill one of requirements to get the degree of Bachelor of Islamic Education in English Language Department of State Institute for Islamic Studies Walisongo Semarang (IAIN Walisongo). The aim of this study to

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  know and describe how the writings of the first semester of 7 grade students of SMP Negeri 18 Semarang in the academic year 2011/2012 based on the writing exercises of English in Focus, an English textbook for junior high school grade VII published by Bengawan Ilmu are.

  The writer realizes that she cannot complete this thesis the guidance, advice, suggestion, and encouragement for many people during the writing on thesis. In occasion, the writer would like to thank to:

1) The Dean of Tarbiyah Faculty of IAIN Walisongo Semarang Dr. Suja’i, M.Ag.

  2) Mr. Daviq Rizal, M.Pd. as the first advisor who always gives attention and good guidance in arranging this thesis.

  3) Mr. Dr. H. Ruswan, M.A. as the second advisor who also gives attention and good guidance in arranging this thesis.

  4) The lectures of the English Department of Tarbiyah Faculty IAIN Walisongo Semarang that have given knowledge and experiences to the writer.

  5) The headmaster of SMP Negeri 18 Semarang, Mr. Drs. Ringsung Suratno, M.Pd who permits the writer to do research in his school.

  6) The english teacher of SMP Negeri 18 Semarang, Mr. Subihandono who helps the writer during the research.

  7) My beloved mother (Siti Anifah) and father (Abdullah Khozin), thanks for giving me love, pray, support, advice and everything, love you so much.

  8) My brothers (mas Kholid, mas Ni’am, de’ Shofi and de’ Roni), thanks for your supports.

  9) My uncle (Drs. H. Musahadi, M.Ag) and my aunt (Hj. Mahmudah, M.Pd.), thanks for giving me love, pray, support, advice, guidance and everything during I stay in

  Semarang, love you so much. 10)

  My closed friend Wakhidudin (MbahQ_Sy9), thanks for your love, support, advice and motivation. Reach your best future, boy. Miss and love you so much. 11)

  All of my friend in TBI 2007, especially they are in class B (Secha, Fany, Hanami, Zazak, Sokhi, Reens, De2p, Gus Ecy’, Aziz, etc.), Love You Guys. You all are the best for me.

  12) All of my family and friends who give spirit and motivation to the writer to finish this thesis and everyone who helps the writer finishing this thesis.

  Finally, the writer realizes that this thesis is still less perfect. The writer hopes any suggestions and criticisms to make it perfect. The writer hopes this thesis can be useful for the improvement of English teaching learning, especially for the writer herself and for the readers generally.

  The writer,

  Khiaroh Mawardah

  NIM: 073411040

  

ABSTRACT

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Title : “ Study on the Writings of the First Semester of 7 Grade

Students of SMP Negeri 18 Semarang in the Academic Year 2011/2012 Based on the Writing Exercises of English in Focus, an English Textbook for Junior High School Grade

  VII Published by Bengawan Ilmu” Writer : Khiaroh Mawardah Student’s Number : 073411040 th

  The thesis discusses the analysis of the writings of the first semester of 7

  grade students of SMP Negeri 18 Semarang in the academic year 2011/2012 based on the writing exercises of English in Focus, an English textbook for Junior High School students grade VII published by Bengawan Ilmu based on content, grammar and vocabulary aspects . The background of study is the importance of a good textbook for

  

a guide in teaching and learning process, and writing exercises are one of the content

of textbook to improve the students’ writing skill. This study is aimed at responding

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the following question: how are the writings of the first semester of 7 grade students

  of SMP Negeri 18 Semarang in the academic year 2011/2012 based on the writing exercises of English in Focus, an English textbook for junior high school grade VII published by Bengawan Ilmu?

  th The topic is discussed through the field research in 7 grade students at SMP

Negeri 18 Semarang. The data was gathered through a documentation study and a

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test. There were eight classes of 7 grade at SMP 18 Negeri Semarang but the writer

took 1 class to do the writing test. All data then were analyzed using the descriptive

analysis applying data reduction, data display and conclusion drawing.

  The study shows that there are 199 results of students’ writing based on the writing exercises of English in Focus. Students could do writing exercises on excellent to very good level in term of content, grammar and vocabulary aspects but not at all. It can be concluded that the students had more understanding in vocabulary and content aspects; however, in grammar aspect they tend to less concern on the English grammatical which little bit differs from grammar of their mother language. If they want to master writing, they should master three of aspects perfectly so that their writing will be more understandable.

  For teacher, how teachers are able to give an explanation, a material or method that is easily understood and easily learned by students both grammar and vocabulary. Teachers should consider other supplements to help them in teaching and learning process. And they can use the textbook for a guide in teaching and learning process. For students, how they are to be able to further develop their writing skill. They can use this textbook for a guide in learning English. To improve their writing skill, the students should practice their writing skill through exercises.

  TABLE OF CONTENT

  TITLE ………….....…………………………………………………………. i THESIS STATEMENT ………….…………………………………….......... ii RATIFICATION NOTE …………………………………………………….. iii ADVISOR NOTE ……………………………………………………………… iv MOTTO …………………………………………………………………………vi DEDICATION …………………………………………………………………vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ……………………………..……………………. viii ABSTRACT ……………………………………..…………………………... x TABLE OF CONTENT …………………………………………………………xi LIST OF TABLE ……………………………………………………………. xiv LIST OF APPENDICES ……………………………………………………. xv

  CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION A.

  1 Background of the Study ……………………………….

  B.

  4 Reasons for Choosing the Topic ……………………….

  C.

  5 Statement of the Problem ……………………………….

  D.

  5 Objective of the Study ………………..………………… E.

  6 Significance of the Study ……………………………….

  CHAPTER II : REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Writing ………………………………………………….. 7 B. Writing Exercise ………………………………………... 13 C. Materials of English Writing …………………………… 21 D. Textbook of Writing ……………………………………. 26 1. Definition of textbook ………………………………. 26 2. The role of textbook ………………………………… 27 3. Different kinds of textbook …………………………. 28 4. Evaluating textbook …………………………………. 29

  E.

  The 2006 English Curriculum (KTSP) ………………… 30 F. Previous Research ……………………………………… 33

  CHAPTER III : RESEARCH METHOD A. Type of the Research ……...……............................... 35 B. Time and Place ……………………………...………. 36 C. Population and Sample ……………………………… 37 D. Technique of Data Collection ………………………. 37 E. Technique of Data Analysis ………………………… 41 1. Data reduction ……………………………………... 41 2. Data display ……………………………………….. 42 3. Conclusion drawing/verification …………………. 43 CHAPTER IV : RESULT AND ANALYSIS A. The Analysis of the Writings of the First Semester of th

  7 Grade Students of SMP Negeri 18 Semarang in the Academic Year 2011/2012 Based on the Writing Exercises of English in Focus, an English textbook

  44 for Junior High School Students Grade VII Published by Bengawan Ilmu in Term of Content, Grammar and Vocabulary Aspects ………………….…………......

  B.

  The Description of the Writings of the First Semester

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  of 7 Grade Students of SMP Negeri 18 Semarang in the Academic Year 2011/2012 Based on the Writing Exercises of English in Focus, an English Textbook for Junior High School Grade VII Published by

  89 Bengawan Ilmu in Term of Content, Grammar and Vocabulary Aspects ………..…………………......

CHAPTER V : CONCLUSIONS, SUGGESTIONS AND CLOSING A. Conclusions ……………………………………………. 92 B. Suggestions ……………………………………………. 93 C. Closing ………………………………………………… 94 BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDICES CURRICULUM VITAE

  

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.2 Scoring Guidance of Writing Aspect, 17Table 3.4 The Elements of Writing Assessment, 38Table 4.1 The Elements of Writing Assessment, 44Table 4.1.1 Analysis of the Writing Based on the Writing Exercise of Practice 3 on

  Page 15 Chapter 1, 49

Table 4.1.2 Analysis of the Writing Based on the Writing Exercise of Practice 4 on

  Page 15 Chapter 1, 55

Table 4.1.3 Analysis of the Writing Based on the Writing Exercise of Practice 2 on

  Page 36 Chapter 2, 58

Table 4.1.4 Analysis of the Writing Based on the Writing Exercise of Practice 3 on

  Page 36 Chapter 2, 67

Table 4.1.5 Analysis of the Writing Based on the Writing Exercise of Practice 4 on

  Page 36 Chapter 2, 76

Table 4.1.6 Analysis of the Writing Based on the Writing Exercise of Practice 3 on

  Page 54 Chapter 3, 80

Table 4.1.7 Analysis of the writing based on the writing exercise of practice 4 on page 55 Chapter 3, 84

LIST OF APPENDICES

  Appendic 1 Instruments of Research, 1 Appendic 2 Syllabus of the 7

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  Grade Students of SMP 18 Negeri Semarang, 8 Appendic 3 List of Students’ Name of 7F Class of SMP 18 Negeri Semarang, 10 Appendic 4 Students’ Writing of Practice 3 on Page 15 Chapter 1, 12 Appendic 5 Students’ Writing of Practice 4 on Page 15 Chapter 1, 15 Appendic 6 Students’ Writing of Practice 2 on Page 36 Chapter 2, 17 Appendic 7 Students’ Writing of Practice 3 on Page 36 Chapter 2, 20 Appendic 8 Students’ Writing of Practice 4 on Page 36 Chapter 2, 22 Appendic 9 Students’ Writing of Practice 3 on Page 54 Chapter 3, 24 Appendic 10 Students’ Writing of Practice 4 on Page 55 Chapter 3, 29 Appendic 11 Cover of Book, 32

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study According to Celce and Olshtain in their book, Discourse and Context in Language Teaching

  , explain that writing is production of the written word that results in a text but the text must be read and comprehended in order for

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  communication to take place. So, writing skill are specific abilities which help writers put their thoughts into words in a meaningful form and to mentally interact with the message.

  Ramelan says, “Like walking or cycling, writing is a matter of habit. The acquisition of any habit is accomplished through repeating and untiring practice

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  on the part of learning”. It means that the writing skill can be mastered through repeating action and practicing continually of the skill. However, Richards says that writing is “decontextualized” and must provide its own context, expressing

  3 meaning explicity. Writing is like drawing idea in the paper by means of letter.

  We can transfer our idea into writing work so that our idea will not be lost.

  Therefore, writing can be considered as a means of communication. Communication in writing tends to involve a thinking process. Finnochiaro said

  4

  that writing has been characterized as written thinking. It means that writing is a way to produce language that comes from our thought. It can be written on a paper, computer or other electronic media. ₁ Marianne Celce and Murcia Elite Olshtain, Discourse and Context in Language Teaching,

  (USA: Cambridge University Press, 2000), p. 142 _{2 3} Ramelan, English Phonetics, (Semarang: UNNES Press, 2003), p. 4 Jack C. Richards, The Language Teaching Matrix, (USA: Cambridge University Press, 1999), p. 101 ₄ Marry Finnochiaro, English as a Second Language: from Theory to Practice, (New York: Regents Publishing Company. Inc, 1974), p. 86

  Writing as one of four skills has always formed part of the syllabus in the teaching of English. “Writing has always been used as a means of reinforcing

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  language that has been taught”. In other words, writing is a good way for students who learn English. They can put their idea on paper be paying attention on grammar rule and vocabulary.

  Writing is an activity of developing ideas and feeling to produce an arrangement sentence that comes from thought. Writing as one of four language skills after listening, speaking and reading skills that is considered a difficult skill because the students should fulfill some aspects in writing including content, organization, purpose, vocabulary, punctuation, and spelling in a balance way. So, writing is not only a matter of expressing ideas in written form but also concerns with grammar, vocabulary, knowledge about punctuation, conjunction, preposition, and so on. However, writing is the activity or occupation of writing, for example books, stories, or articles. We can take more times to think and choose words in order to express our idea, thought, and feeling. We still can make revision if it is not so clear to express what we intend to write.

  When writing, students need more time to think. Teacher asks students to focus on accurate language used and what ideas they will write. It can provoke their language development. Teaching writing for junior high school is not easy job, because the range of age of junior high school students varies between thirteen to fifteen years old. They can be named teenagers. Therefore, we need to choose materials selectively such as textbook, appropriate media, teaching technique and soon inasmuch as teaching writing is not easy and complicated skill.

5 Jeremy Harmer, How to Teach Writing, (England: Pearson Education Limited, 2004), p. 31-

  32

  Because writing is the most complex skill to learn, teachers should take seriously the writing exercises in the textbook that they use in the classroom. The teachers should examine whether the writing exercises in the textbook could improve the writing skills and they should observe whether the writing exercises in the textbook could lead students to the goal as stated in curriculum or not. So the teachers should be selective in choosing the textbook that will be used in the classroom. The teachers should select the available textbook that is relevant to the curriculum.

  A textbook is the most important resource which teachers use in their teaching. Therefore, the available of text book is essential in education. The textbook has a great role in teaching and learning process. It is like a guide for teacher in teaching and it can be a reference for learners in learning. English language textbook is considered to be the course of the study, the guide on methods of instruction and the source of language. The choise of an English language textbook in language schools worldwide is often taken too lightly, which can lead to serious repercussions for both teacher and learners. The English language textbook should be able to adapt materials and exercises to be

  6

  suitable for the conditions. Thus, whatever the teaching method is used, a teacher must make a textbook as guidance in the instruction because, basically, other teaching resources, such as the internet, are originated from the role of the book.

  There are still some English senior high school textbooks which are not based on principle of school based curriculum. For example, the writing materials are not appropriate with the level and kind of education (level of difficulty). English in Focus an English course for junior high school is the compulsory textbook for seventh graders in teaching learning process. The ₆ Razia Fakir Muhammad, “Effective Use of Textbook: Neglected Aspect of Education in

  Pakistan “, Journal of Education for International Development, (31 September 2007), p. 66 textbook published by Bengawan Ilmu, consists of three volumes, English in

  Focus; an English course for junior high school

  for seventh graders, English in

  Focus; an English course for junior high school

  for eighth graders, and English

  in Focus; an English course for junior high school

  for ninth graders. The writer conducts a research English in Focus; an English course for junior high school for seventh graders because seventh graders are the first grade in junior high school after elementary school.

  The writer chooses SMP Negeri 18 Semarang because the school has national standard. It forces the school to have good curriculum and teaching learning facilities in all subjects taught. Basically, national standard school force students and teacher to have good ability in English so the writer has assumption that the students must be good in English. The other reason why the writer chooses the school because it is also near from the writer’s house so that she could run the research easily. It is also saving the time so the research could be finished on time.

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  In fact, the 7 grade of the school used textbook of English in Focus so that the writer can run the research. The textbook is used by the school to make students have good standard in English. The textbook also has many kinds of exercise to provide materials for students so the students will be able to develop their understanding in English. Besides that, we need textbook which is representative to involve skills in writing.

  Based on the reasons above, in this research the writer wants to describe

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  the writings of the first semester of 7 grade students of SMP Negeri 18 Semarang in the academic year 2011/2012 based on the writing exercises of

  English in Focus,

  an English textbook for junior high school grade VII published by Bengawan Ilmu.

  B. Reasons for Choosing the Topic

  A numbers of considerations are proposed to show the importance of conducting this study. The first, teaching foreign language is not easy for teacher. Many factors influence the success of teaching learning foreign language. One of the factors that affect it is the teaching materials including textbook. The second is that learning writing is very complex. It can only be mastered by having a lot of practice. Here, the writer wants to find out whether the textbook consists of enough and appropriate exercise. The third is that the textbook is used by the school to make students have good standard in English. The textbook also has many kinds of exercise to provide materials for students so the students will be able to develop their understanding in English. Besides that, we need textbook which is representative to involve skills in writing. Therefore, it is important to know whether the writing exercises in the textbook are appropriate with the students’ need to improve their writing ability. The fourth is that exercise or practice of the material is a something important to know the students’ ability in achieving the material which is given. And the fifth is that SMP Negeri 18 Semarang because the school has national standard. It forces the school to have good curriculum and teaching learning facilities in all subjects taught.

  C. Statement of the Problem

  This research guided though following major question:

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  “How are the writings of the first semester of 7 grade students of SMP Negeri

  18 Semarang in the academic year 2011/2012 based on the writing exercises of

  English in Focus,

  an English textbook for junior high school grade VII published by Bengawan Ilmu?”

  D. Objective of the Study

  This research is intended to meet the following objective: “to describe the

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  writings of the first semester of 7 grade students of SMP Negeri 18 Semarang in the academic year 2011/2012 based on the writing exercises of English in Focus, an English textbook for junior high school grade VII published by Bengawan Ilmu.” E.

   Significance of the Study The result of this study is expected to be able to give the following benefit.

  For English teachers, hopefully this research can give a reference to select a suitable English textbook in term of writing exercises in the language teaching process. Besides that, it can help teachers to know the students’ ability in writing.

  For English textbook authors, it is hoped that in arranging a textbook, they will present materials and exercises which are suitable with the ideal of textbook materials.

  And for students, hopefully this research can help students to practice more their writing and choosing exercises to improve their writing ability.

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Writing Writing is a creative process in transforming knowledge, idea, though, or

  meaning into written language. Based on the writer’s view, it is one of the most difficult courses in English Department. It focuses on transforming something inside of mind into written language. Every student tends to have different written language style. Grammar of a language including its rules such as punctuation, capitalization, word order, and etc. is a part of written language elements. Different with consonant writing system, alphabetic writing system such as English concerns on presenting all kinds of humans’ language sounds. However, space in alphabetic writing system is used to vary each word within a

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  language Writing gives possibility to students to explore their idea inside their minds and transform it into real functional communication between her/him as writer

  2

  and her /his reader. It means that through writing, learners can express thought, feeling, ideas, experience, etc. to convey specific purpose. The purpose is to give someone information.

  Moreover, Ramelan declares that writing is very important as a part of man’s culture because it can be used it preserve thoughts, ideas, and speech

  3

  sound. From this statement, it can conclude that the people use writing as a means of recording what people want to store in the form of written language (e.g. a lot of great people or philosophers’ ideas in the past). It is so because of

  1 Victoria Fromkin, An Introduction to Language, (Boston: Heinle and Thomson, 2003), p.559 ₂ Richard Kern, Literacy and Language Teaching, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000), p.172 ₃ Ramelan, English Phonetics, (Semarang: UNNES Press, 2003), p. 5 our limited remembrance. Besides that, people can also bring about money from writing (e.g. authors, journalists, etc.).

  Usually if we want to write something or transform our idea into written language we have to understand process of writing. Process of writing has several which we have to do in order that our writing can be easy to understand and also well-structured. Process of writing is learning how to write by writing, or to note. This current emphasis in writing instruction focuses on the process of creating writing rather than the end product. The basic premise of process writing is that all students, regardless of age, can write. The initial focus is on creating quality content and learning writing skill. Whether we know it or not, there’s a process to writing – which many writers follow naturally. If we are just getting started as a writer, though, or if we always find it a struggle to produce an essay, short story or blog, following the writing process will help. When writing, students work through the stages of the writing process. The creation of writing occurs in basically five stages: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and

  4 publishing.

  Prewriting is the planning and idea-gathering stage. Drafting refers to time spent composing a rough draft. Revising is the process of improving the draft. Students reread their work and share it with a partner or small group; they then make changes in the writing based on the feedback from their peers. Editing is the process of correcting mechanical errors. Publishing, or sharing, is accomplished in a wide variety of ways when the work is in final form. Student of all ages move back and forth among these stages while writing; the stages are

  5 not lockstep or sequential.

  According to Meyers, another acts or process of writing includes six steps. The first action when we are going to write is exploring ideas. This action ₄ Ali Hale, ”The Writing Process”, http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-writing-process/ on

  Thursday 16 December 2010 ₅ Ali Hale, ”The Writing Process”, on Thursday 16 December 2010

  lets your mind explore freely about the topic you will write, but in exploring ideas, the writers should focus on the explorations, including something to write (subject), reason why you write (purpose), and also the person who will read the writing (audience). Just try to find the subject those are most interesting for the audiences. In choosing the subject, the writers must know and care about this subject. This can make the writing more clearly and the writer can explore the writing confidently in the paper. After determining the subject, the writers should know the purpose of writing. Usually, the writer’s purpose is to give information about the subject. When exploring ideas, the writers think about the audiences too. The subject and the purpose also depend on the audiences. The writers might need to explain a lot to readers who is never heard of your subject, but just

  6 explain much less to the readers who know about the subject well.

  The second action is pre-writing. After exploring the idea, it is time to write the thought on paper. In this step don’t worry about grammar, exact word choice, spelling or punctuation, because maybe there will be a changing of mind and wording later. This process includes 3 ways, brainstorming, clustering, and free-writing. You may use one way or more. One way to capture the thought is by brainstorming, or listing thought as they come to you. This brainstorming might happen for second or third time to generate more ideas. Besides brainstorming, the writers also can use clustering to generate ideas. This may looks like branches. Writing the subject in the middle of the paper and then circle it. Then, just write related ideas and connect then to the subject circled. To make the thought more complex, writers can enlarge the branches wider. And the last way of pre-writing is free-writing. In this way, the form of writing is like the spoken style. Ignoring the sentences structure, spelling, logic and grammar is allowed. Let the words and sentences flow naturally. This can make the ideas down fast from your mind. If ₆ Alan Meyers, Gateways to Academic Writing Effective Sentence, Paragraphs, and Essays,

  (NY: Longman,2005), p. 3 the writing in free-writing disorganized, it is understandable because later, like brainstorming and clustering, writers can look at, expand on, change or omit the

  7 words or sentences.

  After the writers do the three ways of pre-writing, now it is the time to start organizing the writing. Before organizing the writing, the writer should think again about the purpose and the audience, and then return to the pre-writing step. Start to select and subtract the best ideas in brainstorming, clustering or free- writing which have made before by underlining, highlighting or giving circle on it. Then, rewrite the list and putting the related idea together. Add those best ideas more complex with expanding the related ideas and focus more specifically on the subject and add more details. After deciding the best ideas, then make an outline about the ideas include some supporting details under each choices. Ignore the

  8 parts or ideas which not have correlation with the ideas chosen.

  After the writers do some pre-writing, selecting the best ideas, expanded them and arranged in some reasonable orders, now the writers can begin the first draft. Just write fast to record the thoughts. Write just like speak to the readers. The writers could say something aloud before write in order to remember the point. New ideas will come up later, and the writer may discover a better arrangement of new ideas. If an idea occurs that belongs earlier in the draft, make a note about it in the margin, write it in the second sheet of paper or if you use computer just click the mouse at the spot where you want to insert it. If using the paper, try to use only one side of paper and for other side used for space for new

  9 ideas. Or leave wide margins and double space to make room for changes. ₇ Alan Meyers, Gateways to Academic Writing Effective Sentence, Paragraphs, and Essays, p. 6 ₈ Alan Meyers, Gateways to Academic Writing Effective Sentence, Paragraphs, and Essays, p. 8 ₉ Alan Meyers, Gateways to Academic Writing Effective Sentence, Paragraphs, and Essays, p. 9 Every writer has to revise his/her writing after finished writing the first draft. Revising is among the most important steps of writing. After completing the first draft, just put it away for a while. Because it is hard to think about changing and correcting the work immediately after finished the first draft. Better ideas may come to you the day after you have done the first draft. You also will probably notice more things to change. Read the paragraph carefully and study its organization, word choice, and details. In this action the writers probably will find things to omit and think of some things to add. The writers are expected to add ideas, remove ideas that do not fit, rearrange sections, say sentences differently and substitute words. It is automatically that the writing is messy, so the writers should make a clean copy before going any further. The writers have to be sure about their writing. They must revise in many times until they are satisfied or even proud what they have produced. After the writers finished revising the paragraph, they can begin the final copy. First of all, the writers should edit their work. Check it carefully on the grammar, word choice, verb forms, punctuation and spelling. Writers can edit their paragraph by the help of dictionary and other related references. Read the paper more than once. This draft should be neat and should represent your best effort. Secondly, writers should proofread their writing. Proofreading means that carefully examining the final copy again. Check the corrections which have done. The writers can use tools to focus in reading, in example using ruler under each line to focus the

  10 eyes.

  Widdowson says that in the case of writing, the movements of the arm and

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  fingers produce marks which are perceived by the eye. To make the writing well-organized, every writings must have the characteristic of coherence, cohesion and unity. The paragraph has coherence when the sentences are put in ₁₀ Alan Meyers, Gateway to Academic Writing Effective Sentence, Paragraphs, and Essays, p.

  11 ₁₁ H. G. Widdowson, Teaching Language as Communication, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1978), p. 62 together so that the reader can understand the ideas easily. Then, cohesion is when all the supporting sentences in the paragraph connect to each other and support their topic sentence. In connecting one sentence with others, writer can use cohesive devices. Cohesive devices mean the method of connecting sentences to each other. They are connectors, definite articles, personal pronouns and demonstrative pronouns. The last is unity. Unity here means that all supporting sentences should relate to topic sentence. If readers find one or more sentences which do not belong to the paragraph, it can be called as irrelevant

  12 sentence.

  From the explanations above show that writing is a creative process in transforming either knowledge, idea, though, or meaning into written language. Based on the writer’s view, it is one of the most difficult courses in English Department. It focuses on transforming something inside of mind into written language. Every student tends to have different written language style. Writing is the series of lesson which writing becomes a subject study. It is aimed at preparing knowledge about basic principle of writing. Teacher gives writing knowledge, showing how to do it, and instructing students as the teacher’s idea. Teacher’s idea is related with the teaching process, especially at teaching model.

  The writing skill meets the growing need for writer with training in application of the theoretical frame work to writing performance. The skill links the development of expertise in intermediate or advanced writing skills with critical discussion of theoretical frame work of writing. In addition, the teacher encourages the development of extensive understanding of notion integration. Meanwhile, writing is as solution for getting new information from the original language. It happens because students in our country are second language writing students of English. It means that English as major in our writing course is not our mother language. It is the teacher’s problem when teaching writing skill. ₁₂ I n

  Cynthia A. Boardman and Jia Frydenberg, Writing to Communicate 2: Paragraphs and Essays, (United States of America: Pearson Education, 2008), p. 18 learning foreign language, the most complicated skill that has to be mastered by learner of language. Because of the differences between first language and foreign language, especially English, Indonesian students often find problems in writing using English. It is because writing needs more considerations rather than three other skills because of the different rules in the way of ordering word into understandable sentences. It is because writing perquisites students to master the grammar of language. Without grammar, it is hard for people to understand what we write because grammar makes a string of words meaningful.

  Students are expected to create written product that demonstrates the mastery of all elements. To be successful, students have to write in some steps. They will write a phrase, a clause, and sentences correctly when they know the words order. Afterwards, by using sentences, they are able to communicate a message using writing system for some purposes, i.e. to give or respond to information, to record a piece of information, etc.

B. Writing Exercise

  Learning English is directed to the development of communication competence in four language skills; listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Speaking and listening are said to relate to language expressed through the aural medium and reading and writing are said to relate to language expressed through the visual medium. Another way of representing these skills is by reference not to the medium but to the activity of the language user. Thus speaking and writing are said to be active, or productive skills whereas listening and reading are said to

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  be passive, or receptive skills. All the skills that we learn must be supported by appropriate exercises.

13 H. G. Widdowson, Teaching Language as Communication, (Oxford: Oxford University

  Press, 1978), p. 57

  14 In practice of exercise, there are two kinds of the practice exercise , they

  are: controlled exercise, and guided exercises. Controlled exercise is a practice exercise in which the learners are told exactly what to do and how to do it. It is hoped that nearly all the learners will get nearly all the exercise right and will therefore develop correct habits and gain useful knowledge about the language. And guided exercise is practice exercise and which the learners are told what to do and then are given advice on how to do it. The learners have to make same decisions of their own and to create some of their own expressions. For example:

  “Write a paragraph saying which towns you have visited since coming to Britain. Remember to use the present perfect when you do not refer to a particular time and the simple past when you do refer to a particular time.

  E.g. I have been to Stratford twice. I went there during my first weekend in England and I went again last weekend.” Besides that, there are three main approaches to arrange a task in term of

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