AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ ABILITY AND DIFFICULTIES IN WRITING DESCRIPTIVE TEXTS : A Case Study of Tenth Graders in a Senior High School in Bandung.

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AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ ABILITY AND

DIFFICULTIES IN WRITING DESCRIPTIVE TEXTS

(A Case Study of Tenth Graders in a Senior High School in Bandung)

A Research Paper

Submitted to English Education Department in partial fulfillment for the requirement

for Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

JUNITA SIAHAAN (0808966)

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

INDONESIA UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION

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AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ ABILITY

AND DIFFICULTIES IN WRITING

DESCRIPTIVE TEXTS

Oleh Junita Siahaan

Sebuah skripsi yang diajukan untuk memenuhi salah satu syarat memperoleh gelar Sarjana pada Fakultas Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni

© Junita Siahaan 2013 Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

Juli 2013

Hak Cipta dilindungi undang-undang.

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dengan dicetak ulang, difoto kopi, atau cara lainnya tanpa ijin dari penulis.

PAGE OF APPROVAL

AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ ABILITY AND

DIFFICULTIES IN WRITING DESCRIPTIVE TEXTS

(A Case Study of Tenth Graders in a Senior High School in Bandung)

A Research Paper

By

JUNITA SIAHAAN 0808966

Approved by

Main Supervisor, Second Supervisor,

Emi Emilia, M.Ed., Ph.D NIP 196609161990012001

Rojab Siti Rodliyah, S.Pd., M.Ed. NIP 197308062002122001

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ABSTRACT

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ABSTRAK

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$ % & ' ' TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORIZATION ... i

PREFACE ... ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ... iii

ABSTRACT ... v

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... vi

LIST OF TABLES ... x

LIST OF FIGURE ... xi

LIST OF TEXTS ... xii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ... 1

1.1 Background of the Study ... 1

1.2 Research Questions ... 3

1.3 Aims of the Study ... 3

1.4 Scope of the study ... 3

1.5Significance of study... 3

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$ % & ' ' 1.7 Organization of Paper ... 4

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FOUNDATION ... 6

2.1 Writing ... 6

2.1.1 The Nature of Writing ... 6

2.1.2 The Importance of Writing ... 7

2.1.3 Criteria in Writing... 7

2.1.4 Process of Writing ... 8

2.2 Descriptive Text ... 9

2.2.1 Schematic Structure of Descriptive Text ... 9

2.2.2 Linguistic Features... 10

2.3 Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) ... 12

2.3.1 Metafunction of Language ... 13

2.3.2 Transitivity ... 14

2.3.2.1 Process ... 15

2.3.2.1.1 Material Processes ... 15

2.3.2.1.2 Mental Processes ... 17

2.3.2.1.3 Verbal Processes ... 18

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$ % & ' ' 2.3.2.1.5 Behavioural Processes ... 22

2.3.2.1.6 Existential Processes ... 23

2.3.2.2 Participant ... 23

2.3.2.3 Circumstance ... 25

2.4 Conclusion Remarks ... 27

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ... 28

3.1 Formulation of Problems ... 28

3.2 Research Design ... 28

3.3 Research Site ... 29

3.4 Participants ... 30

3.5 Research Procedures ... 30

3.6 Data Collection ... 30

3.7 Data Analysis ... 31

3.8 Conclusion Remark ... 32 CHAPTER IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ... 33

4.1 Texts Analysis from Low Achiever ... 34

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$ % & ' ' 4.3 Texts Analysis from High Achiever ... 57

CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ... 67

5.1 Conclusions ... 67

5.2 Suggestion ... 68

BIBLIOGHRAPHY ... 70

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents an introduction to the study. This chapter consists of seven sections: background of the study, research questions, aims of the research, scope of the research, significance of the study, clarification of terms, and include the ability and difficulties (Ren, et al, 2009).

In Indonesian school, students are required to learn to write different text types. According to Indonesian Curricula (2004), there are some types of text that should be learned by tenth graders in English subject, they are Recount, Narrative, Procedural, News Item and Descriptive. In this research, the text type will focus on Descriptive text.

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about analyzing students’ text is very important to do because by knowing the students’ difficulties, it can lead the teacher to solve the students’ problems.

Research about students’ ability and difficulties is important to do to help both teachers and students. However, in Indonesia, research about students’ ability and difficulties in writing each of type text is not many. So, in this research the researcher has a desire to find out the students’ ability and difficulties in writing, especially in Descriptive text.

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1.2 Research questions

In this research, the research questions are formulated into two: a. How is the tenth graders ability in writing Descriptive Texts? b. What difficulties are reflected in the tenth graders texts?

1.3 Aims of the study

The aims of the research are:

a. To find out the students’ ability in writing Descriptive Text. b. To find out the students’ difficulties in writing Descriptive Text.

1.4 Scope of the study

This study concerns the students’ ability and difficulties in writing descriptive text. The students’ ability and difficulties can be seen through the schematic structure and Linguistics features of the text.

1.5 Significance of the study

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Practically, this research is expected to give much help for both students and teachers. This research gives some information about how to identify students’ ability and difficulties in writing Descriptive Text.

1.6 Clarification of Terms

1. Descriptive Text

Descriptive text is a text which is intended to describe a particular person, place or thing, stated by Gerot & Wignell (1995); Derewianka (1990); Nafisah & Kurniawan (2007). The schematic structure of descriptive text is divided into two: 1) Identification, which explains about the meaning or definition of the topic that will be described in the text. It can be person, place, animal, event, etc. 2) Description, which contains information about the description of the topic. It can be the appereance, habit, etc. (Derewianka, 1990; Nafisah & Kurniawan, 2007; Gerot & Wignell, 1995; Butt, et al, 2000).

2. Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL)

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1.7 Organization of Paper

This paper was organized using a standardized pattern as follows:

CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION. In this chapter, it provides: background of the study, research questions, aims of the research, scope of the research, significance of the research, and organization of paper.

CHAPTER II : THEORETICAL FOUNDATION. This chapter includes theoretical frameworks which are relevant to this study.

CHAPTER III : RESEARCH METHODOLOGY. This chapter describes all the procedures and stages in conducting the research.

CHAPTER IV : FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION. This chapter describes the data of the research. It includes collecting, analyzing and interpreting all the data got from the participant, then discussing the data to get the result or finding.

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CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter explains the methodology used in this study. It covers formulation of problems, research design, the participants, the research site, data collection and data analysis.

3.1 Formulation of Problems

As stated in Chapter I, this study is aimed to address the following questions:

a. How is the tenth graders ability in writing Descriptive Texts? b. What difficulties are reflected in the tenth graders texts?

3.2 Research Design

This study used qualitative case study as the research designed. There are several reasons why this study uses case study as the research designed.

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Secondly, case study can be used to investigate an individual, a group, such

as family, an office, or a class; It also can be an institution, such as school

(Gillham, 2000). It is related with the study which is going to investigate a group of class; it is one class of tenth graders in one senior high school in Bandung.

Lastly, case study investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context (Yin, 2003:13; Yin, 2011:17). This study investigates the students’ ability and difficulties through real teaching and learning process in a real contemporary school community in Indonesia.

3.3 Research Site

This research was conducted in one senior high school in Bandung. There are some reasons why this school was chosen as the research site for this study.

The first reason is to do with the accessibility for the researcher. This senior high school was the place where the researcher did the teaching practice (PPL) in 2011/2012 academic year. Because the researcher did teaching practice in the school last year and the researcher also still has a good relationship with the school, it makes the researcher able to manage administrative matters about the research.

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findings of the study would be beneficial in improving the students capacity in writing and the students’ English comprehension.

Based on the agreement between the teacher and the researcher, the name of the school will not be revealed in the study.

3.4 Participants

The participants of this research were a class of tenth grader students of one high achiever senior high schools in Bandung.

The class consists of 37 students, 15 males and 22 females. From 37 students, nine of the students were chosen as the participants of this study. The nine students were selected based on the level of their English proficiency in writing Descriptive text they produced. The nine students were categorized into: low achiever, middle achiever, and high achiever. The three categories were identified by the English Teacher.

3.5 Research Procedures

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Table 3.1 below shows the tittle of descriptive texts that were written by the three students from each levels of achievement.

Table 3.1

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3.7 Data Analysis

The data analysis aimed to examine students’ ability and difficulties in writing descriptive texts. Nine students’ texts were analyzed in terms of schematic structure and linguistic features, as proposed by Derewianka (1990), Gerot & Wignell, (1995); Nafisah & Kurniawan (2007); Butt, et al, (2000); and also Emilia (2010).

There are some steps used for analyzing the data. The steps in analyzing the data will be presented in detail below.

The first step in data analysis was analyzing the students’ texts based on the schematic structure of Descriptive text: Identification and Description (Derewianka, 1990; Gerot & Wignell, 1995; Nafisah & Kurniawan, 2007; Butt, et al, 2000).

The next step was analyzing the texts based on the linguistic features as suggested by Derewianka (1990), Gerot & Wignell, (1995); Nafisah & Kurniawan (2007); Butt, et al, (2000); and also Emilia (2010), and transitivity process as suggested by Halliday (1985 and 1994), Gerot & Wignell (1994), Eggins (1994 and 2004); Butt, et al (2000), Halliday and Matthiessen (2004), Bloor and Bloor (2004), Emilia (2010).

The last step was describing or interpreting the result.

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! " # students’ capability and problems they faced in creating a descriptive text.

There are some conclusions got from this research. From the text analysis in Chapter IV, it is revealed that some students, especially middle achievers and high achievers, have good understanding about the schematic structure of descriptive text.

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Kurniawan (2007); and also Emilia (2010). In terms of transitivity process, all the students showed their good ability in applying it, but middle achievers and high achievers showed better ability in using processes.

On the other hand, the texts also bring the facts about the problems faced by students in writing. In low achievers category, it is revealed that the students were still confused in differentiating the schematic structure of descriptive text. Moreover, the low achievers seemed to have no sense about English Grammar. They made a lot of mistakes in the text they wrote, especially about singular and plural.

Moreover, there were some students who really needed attention because they didn’t know how to arrange the ideas to make a good sentence. Thus, how can they make a good text if they were not able to arrange their ideas?

5.2 Suggestions

Based on the text analysis in Chapter IV and conclusions above, the researcher has some suggestions for both the students and English teachers to ward off the students’ difficulties in writing text, especially Descriptive text.

1. The teacher should provide explicit teaching about schematic structure and the functions of each element.

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3. Teacher should give more attention and guidance to the low achiever students in teaching writing process.

4. It is needed to provide time for students for revision in writing.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Derewianka, Beverly. (1990). Exploring how texts work. Newton: PETA

Eggins, Suzzane. (1994). An Introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistics. London: Printer Publishers, Ltd.

Eggins, Suzzane. (2004). An Introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistics. (2nd Ed). London: Printer Publishers, Ltd.

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Emilia, Emi. (2010). Teaching Writing, Developing Critical Learners. Bandung: Rizqi Press

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Harmer, J. (2004). How to teach writing . England: Pearson Education limited. Kieft, Marleen., Rijlaarsdam, Gert., Galbraith, david., and Bergh, H.V.D. (2007).

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Lock, G. (1996). Functional English Grammar: An Introduction for Second Language Teachers. Cambridge University Press.

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