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THROUGH STUDENT TEXT AND COOPERATIVE LEARNING
Skripsi
Oleh:
Ari Makmuroh
NIM:K 2205026
FAKULTAS KEGURUAN DAN ILMU PENDIDIKAN
UNIVERSITAS SEBELAS MARET
commit to user CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A.Background of the Study
Language is the basis of humanity, especially in the communication need. We use language to achieve our purposes and goals in society. When we need information, we must read, listen, or ask others by using language. We extremely need language to ask or to provide information, to influence the action of others, to express feelings, and to arise feelings and attitudes in others. Without language we cannot do any important activities related to social purposes. Therefore, it is considered that language is a means of communication. It is stated in Grolier New Webster’s Dictionary (1992: 341) that language is the organized system of speech used by human beings as means of communication among themselves.
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English in Indonesia becomes the first foreign language which has to be taught in schools as a compulsory subject. Unlike Indonesian and Javanese, English is a new language for Indonesian students and most students consider it as a difficult subject. Therefore, the result of English learning should be given attention more and more. How far students succeed in learning is reflected in their achievement. Students usually want to get as high achievement as possible.
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Harmer (1998: 68) states that an English teacher has an important job that is teaching students to read English text. He says that it is important part of teacher’s job because many of the students want to be able to read texts in English either for their careers, study purposes, or simply pleasures. Reading texts also provides good models for English writing. When a teacher teaches the writing skill, he or she will need to show students a model of what she is encouraging them to do. Reading text also provides opportunities to study language including vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation, and to study the way of constructing sentences, paragraph, and texts.
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In line with the theories above, in the 2006 Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan
Pendidikan for SMP, the program of teaching and learning English as a foreign
language is focused on objectives to develop students’ skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. 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.
Generally teaching English is not easy. It acquires motivation and creativity in order to create good atmosphere during the learning process. The focus of learning English is to achieve the ability to communicate meaningful, purposeful within form of oral or written text. To raise the goal, the students must understand the text, its purpose and features.
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difficult to know the structures of the recount text they read. From those previous problems, the main problem found by the students is that they have difficulties in comprehending the text. The further explanation is as follow:
First, the students have difficulty in finding the main idea of the text. It means that the students do not understand the whole idea of the text. Second, the students have difficulty in finding the supporting ideas. Third, the students have difficulty in getting meaning of the word, phrase, and sentence. It causes students’ difficulty in getting the messages of the text so it is difficult for students to find the main idea of the text. Fourth, the students have difficulty in understanding the text organization.
Based on the problems above, the writer can predict the possible causes of the problems. It may be caused by the internal factor that is from the students themselves and from the external factors such as the differences between English as foreign language and Indonesia as students’ second language. The difficulty is because the structure of English and Indonesia is different. The other external factors come from the teacher and the teacher’ teaching technique used. They can be explained as follows:
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Second, the teacher still uses traditional teaching. It makes the teaching-learning process not interesting so the students become bored. The teacher tends to explain more without giving chance to the students to ask a question. Some of the students are only busy by themselves.
From the facts above, in this research, the writer proposes the way of teaching English texts especially recount text by using students’ text. Students’ text means that the text discussed in teaching process is coming from the students. The students are allowed to find their own favorite text to be a main discussion in the class; therefore they will be interested in the discussion.
The students will have good motivation to learn if their needs are fulfilled. Maslow in Elliot and friends (2000: 335) mentions that there are five basic needs. One of them is that people in this case students need for self-actualization. Tendency (in spite of the satisfaction of lower needs) feel restless unless we are being all that we can be. Encourage students to recognize their potential and guide them into activities that will enable them to feel both competent and fulfilled.
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writer tries to ask the students to choose their own texts. The students will be more motivated in the classroom activities if they are working with other friends.
Based on the description above, the writer is interested in using students’ text in order to improve the students’ recount text mastery. From this idea, the writer chooses and determines the topic of the thesis under the title:
IMPROVING THE STUDENTS’ RECOUNT TEXT MASTERY THROUGH
STUDENTS’ TEXT AND COOPERATIVE LEARNING (A Classroom Action
Research at the Eighth Grade Students of SMP N 7 Surakarta in the Academic
Year of 2008/2009)
B.The Statement of the Problem
Based on the background and limitation of the problem above, the writer formulates the problem as follows:
1. Can students’ text and cooperative learning improve the students’ recount text mastery of the eighth grade students of SMP N 7 Surakarta?
2. What happens when the students’ texts and cooperative learning are applied in teaching and learning process?
C.The Objective of the Study
Based on the problem statement, the objective of the study can be stated as follows:
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2. To describe what happens when the students’ texts and cooperative learning are applied in teaching and learning process.
D.The Benefit of the Study
The result of the study is expected to give some benefits for the teachers, students, and researcher. Some benefits are the following:
1. For the students
This study provides the students to study English through their own texts. The students are given a freedom to choose their own material to improve their own ability in reading a text. This study is expected to make the students more interested in engaging in teaching and learning process especially in reading.
2. For the teacher
commit to user 3. For the researcher
commit to user CHAPTER II
THEORITICAL REVIEW
A. The Review on Text
1. Definition of Genre
Before the writer proposes some theories about recount text, she wants to review the term of genre first. Genre is the variation of texts which has different features in its characteristics. It can be differentiated from other types by knowing the textual features of texts. Grabe and Kaplan (1996: 78) state that genre or text types refers to the variation to be found, more generally among different text types and the ways that textual features combine to define these types.
The term genre is also stated by Swales in Bhatia (1993: 13). He defines genre as follows:
Genre is a recognizable communicative event characterized by a set of communicative purpose(s) identified and mutually understood by the member of the professional or academic community in which it regularly occurs. Most often it is highly structured and conventionalized which constraint on allowable contributions in term of their intent, positioning, form, and functional value. These constraint, however, are often exploited by the expert members of the discourse community to achieve private intentions within the framework socially recognized purpose(s). Genre has a social function which is mutually understood by the reader.
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used to refer to a distinctive category of discourse of any type, spoken or written, with or without literary aspirations.
The types of genre can be identified from the social function. Genre is a purposeful text which has its own features. It is supported by Martin in Swales (1990: 41) that genre refers to the staged purposeful social processes through which a culture is realized in language. In line with Martin, Nunan also points that:
The term genre refers to a purposeful, socially constructed communicative event. Most event result in text (that is, pieces of oral or written communication). These are all different text types, which have different communicative function. Each has its own distinctive linguistic characteristics, and its own generic structure (that is, its own internal structure)
From this definition, genre is appreciated in a text (oral or written) which have different types and function. It has also different linguistic characteristics.
Based on the theories above, it can be concluded that genre is the variation of communicative event which results in text (oral or written), has different types and communicative function, and each has its own distinctive linguistic characteristics and its own generic structure.
2. Text and Context
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A text may be defined as a purposeful language which has communicative function. It can be spoken or written expression. Crystal in Nunan (1993: 6) defines a text as a piece of naturally occurring spoken, written, or signed discourse identified for purposes of analysis. It is often a language unit with a definable communicative function, such as a conversation, a poster.
Hyland (2004: 26) states that the relationship of texts and contexts is central to this framework, as interactions can only be understood by seeing them against their social setting. Each context is seen as having the possibility for a range of possible texts, or generic structure potential, which is verbal expression of the context. It means that a text can only be understood by knowing the context. The context means the social setting.
3. Text and Interpretation
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A text is interpreted by the readers based on their background knowledge and their experiences. It is stated by McCarthy as follows:
Procedural approach emphasizes the role of the reader in actively building the world of the text, based on his/her experience of the world and how states and events are characteristically manifested in it. The reader has to active such knowledge, make inferences and constantly assess his/her interpretation in the light of the situation and the aims and the goal of the text as the reader perceives them.
4. Kinds of Reading Comprehension Skill
De Boer and Dallmann (1964: 134) state that there are two specific skills of comprehension. They are:
a. According to the reader’s purpose 1) Reading to find main idea
2) Reading to select significant details 3) Reading to answer questions 4) Reading to arrive at generalizations 5) Reading to follow directions 6) Reading to predict outcome 7) Reading to evaluate critically
8) Reading graphs, tables, charts, and maps
commit to user 2) Getting sentence meaning
3) Getting paragraph meaning
4) Comprehension of longer selection
There are also three kinds of reading comprehension which is stated by Kennedy (1981: 199). They are literal comprehension, inferential comprehension, and evaluative comprehension. The further explanations of them are as follows:
a. Literal comprehension
It means reading to understand, remember or recall the information explicitly, contained in a passage such as identifying explicitly stated main ideas, details, sequence, cause-effect relationship, and patterns.
b. Inferential comprehension
It means reading in order to find information, which is not explicitly stated in passage. The readers use his experience and intuition. This activity includes inferring main ideas, details, comparison, cause-effect relationship which is not explicitly stated, drawing conclusions, or generalizations form a text, predicting outcome.
c. Evaluative comprehension
It means reading in order to compare information in a passage with the reader’s own knowledge and values; for examples, distinguishing between facts and opinions, reacting to a text’s content, characters, and use of language.
commit to user a. Reading for extracting main ideas
b. Reading for understanding text organization c. Reading for predicting
d. Reading for checking comprehension e. Reading for inferring
f. Reading for dealing with unfamiliar words g. Reading for understanding complex sentence h. Reading for understanding writer’s style i. Reading for evaluating the text
j. Reading for reacting to the text
Meanwhile, Richards (2002: 101) states the main purpose of reading is to understand what a text contains or to gain the specific information one intends to gain from the text. Understanding the text means to gain the main ideas of the texts, to be able to find the specific information related to the text, to draw the general idea from the text, and to gain the contextual reference from the text.
From the theories above, it can be concluded that understanding the text means: (1) to gain the main ideas of the text, (2) to select detail information of the text, (3) to identify the contextual reference from the text.
5. Reading Comprehension
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communications between the readers and the writer. In other word, the reader has a purpose in attempting to understand what they read. It is supported by De Boer and Dallman (1964: 22) who define reading as more than sounding letters, calling words, or responding to print. It is communication between an author and a reader, which culminates in a reader relating printed word forms to ideas or expression by an author. Reading is also said as an active skill in which readers search, predict, and think to get meaning of text. It is supported by Harmer (1998:70) who says that reading is an incredibly active occupation. It is not a passive skill. Readers have to understand what the words mean.
Kennedy (1981: 188) says that comprehension is the ability of one to find, interpret, and use ideas. Then, in oxford Advanced Learner’s dictionary, comprehension is defined as a power to understand something. According to these two definitions, it can be said that comprehension is the ability to understand something through finding interpreting, and using ideas.
commit to user 6. Recount Text
To get better understanding about recount text, the writer would like to propose some definitions of recount text. According to Pardiyono (2007: 63), recount is a text which retells events or experiences in the past. Its purpose is either to inform or to entertain the audience. He states the generic structure and language features of recount as follows:
a. The generic structure of recount is:
1) Orientation : Introducing the topic of an event, participants, place and time.
2) Record of events : Describing series of event that happened in the past. 3) Reorientation : It is optional. Stating personal comment of the writer
to the story b. The language features of recount text is:
1) Introducing personal participant 2) Using chronological connection 3) Using linking verb
4) Using adjective 5) Using action verb 6) Using simple past tense
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retelling events in the order in which they have occurred. (http://www.lmpc.edu.au/Resources/science/research projects/text types/2 recount. html)
Sugeng (2008: 47) defines recount text as a text which focuses on sequence of event, all of which relate to a particular person. Recount generally begins with orientation. It gives the reader the background of information needed to understand the text (who, where, when). Recount unfolds with a series of events (ordered in chronological sequence). At various stages there may be some personal comment on the incident that is called re-orientation.
From those theories above, it can be concluded that recount text is a text which retells the past event, has some features and it has a purpose to inform or to entertain the readers. Recount text has the language feature and generic structure. Those features are to make the readers understand easily.
7. Recount Text Mastery
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Based on some previous theories above, it can be concluded that recount mastery is the ability to implant and comprehend a text which retells the past event, has some features and it has a purpose to inform or to entertain the readers.
From the previous theories, it can be concluded that mastering recount text means to understand the text. Recount text mastery means to understand the main idea, detail information, contextual reference, social purpose, generic structures, and language features of the text.
8. Text Types
Pardiyono (2007: 63) divides the type of text as follows: a. Recount
Recount is a text which retells events or experiences in the past. Its purpose is either to inform or to entertain the audience. There is no complication among the participants that differentiates it from narrative.
The generic structure of recount is:
1) Orientation : Introducing the topic of an event, participants, place and time.
2) Record of events : Describing series of event that happened in the past. 3) Reorientation : It is optional. Stating personal comment of the writer
commit to user The language features of recount are: 1) Introducing personal participant 2) Using chronological connection 3) Using linking verb
4) Using adjective 5) Using action verb 6) Using simple past tense Example of recount text:
It was my grandpa’s birthday last Sunday. On Friday, my sister and I went shopping. We found a nice batik shirt. We bought it and wrapped it in a blue paper. Blue is my grandpa’s favorite color.
On Saturday morning, my brother and I helped our sister in the kitchen. We made a birthday cake. It was a big and beautiful cake. I wrote happy birthday on it. We put some chocolate and a big candle on top of it.
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blew out the candle. He cut the cake and gave it to everybody in that room.
He opened his present and he was very happy with the shirt. Finally, my grandma told us some stories about my grandpa.
Taken from “EOS” erlangga
The analysis of the text:
a. Social purpose: to retell the writer’s experience in celebrating her grandpa’s birthday party.
b. Generic structure of the text
1. Orientation: It was my grandpa’s birthday last Sunday. On Friday, my sister and I went shopping. We found a nice batik shirt. We bought it and wrapped it in a blue paper. Blue is my grandpa’s favorite color. 2. Event 1: On Saturday morning, my brother and I helped our sister in
the kitchen. We made a birthday cake. It was a big and beautiful cake. I wrote happy birthday on it. We put some chocolate and a big candle on top of it.
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prayer. Then, we sang “happy birthday” and my grandpa blew out the candle. He cut the cake and gave it to everybody in that room.
4. Re-orientation: He opened his present and he was very happy with the shirt. Finally, my grandma told us some stories about my grandpa. c. Language features of the text
1. Introducing personal participant: the participant is the writer self. 2. Using chronological connections: Finally, my grandma told us some
stories about my grandpa.
3. Using action verb: We bought it and wrapped it in a blue paper.
4. Using simple past tense: He opened his present and he was very happy with the shirt.
b. Description
Description is a type of written text, which has specific function to give description about an object (human or non human).
The structure of the text consists of:
1) The identification that identifies the phenomenon described
2) The description which describes parts, qualities, and characteristics The grammatical pattern which is used in description text is:
1) The use of simple present tense 2) The use of adjective
commit to user c. Narrative
Narrative is a text focusing specific participants. Its social function is to tell stories or past events and entertain the readers.
A narrative text consists of the following structure:
1) Orientation : Introducing the topic of and activity or event, participants and informing the time and the place 2) Complication : Describing the rising crises which the participants
have to do with. It consists of sequence of events that leads to conflict-climax.
(a) Resolution : Telling the problem solving and the end of the story. (b) Coda : Telling short message to gives moral lesson to
reader. It is optional. The language features of narrative are: 1) Using processes verbs
2) Using temporal conjunction 3) Using simple past tense 4) Using subjective pronoun d. Procedure
commit to user The text element of procedure is:
1) Topic and statement of purpose which show the job to be accomplished
2) Sequence of steps to accomplish the job stated in the topic which describes the steps to achieve the purpose
3) Closing (optional) which tells the conclusion or statement about other suggestions to do
The language features of procedure are: 1) Using temporal conjunction
2) Using action verb
3) Using imperative sentence e. Explanation
Explanation is a text which has function to explain why an object exists as it is and to describe how an object works.
The generic structure of explanation is:
1) Topic and general statement that states the phenomenon issues which are to be explained
2) Sequenced explanation which states a series of steps which explain the phenomena
commit to user 1) Featuring generic participant 2) Using chronological connection 3) Using passive voice pattern 4) Using simple present tense f. Discussion
Discussion is a text which presents a problematic discourse. This problem will be discussed from different viewpoints. Discussion is commonly found in philosophical, historic, and social text.
The text element of discussion is:
1) General statement of issue which states the issue which is to discussed 2) List of supporting points which presents the point in supporting the
presented issue
3) List of contrastive point which presents other points which disagree to the supporting point
4) Recommendation which states the writer’ recommendation of the discourse
The grammatical patterns of discussion are: 1) Introducing category or generic participant
2) Using thinking verb, such as feel, hope, believe, etc.
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4) Using modalities, such as must, should, could, may, etc. 5) Using adverbial of manner like deliberately, hopefully, etc. g. Exposition
1) Analytical Exposition
Analytical exposition is a text that elaborates the writer‘s idea about the phenomenon surrounding. Its social function is to argue that something is the case.
The generic structure of analytical exposition is:
(a) Thesis : Introducing the topic and indicating the writer’s position.
(b) Arguments : Explaining the argument to support the writer’s position.
(c) Reiteration : Conclusion which affirms the explanation of arguments to prove that something is true.
The language features of analytical exposition are: (d) Using relational process,
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(h) Using verbs of being, verbs of having, and verbs of doing
2) Hortatory Exposition
Hortatory exposition is a text which represents the attempt of the writer to argue that something should be or ought to be.
The generic structure of hortatory exposition is: (a) thesis, (b) Arguments, and (c) Recommendation.
The grammatical patterns of hortatory exposition are: (a) Focusing on the writer
(b) Using abstract noun, such as policy, advantage, etc. (c) Using action verb.
(d) Using thinking verb.
(e) Using modal adverb like certainly, surely, etc.
(f) Using temporal connective for example firstly, secondly, etc.
(g) Using evaluative words, such as important, valuable, trustworthy, etc. (h) Using passive voice.
(i) Using simple present tense h. News Item
It is a type of written text that has the main function or communicative purpose to inform readers or listeners about events of the day that are considered newsworthy or important.
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1) Headline which tells the points will be reported 2) Summary of event
3) Background events (participant, time, place, detail of event) 4) Resource of information
The language features of news item are: 1) Focusing on circumstances
2) Using material process 3) Using reported speech i. Report
Report is a text which presents information about something (natural or non natural phenomena in the world). It is as a result of systematic observation and analysis.
The generic structure of report is:
1) Title in form of phrase that consists of topic to be informed.
2) General classification which states classification of general aspect of thing; animal, public place, plant, etc which will be discussed in general
3) Description that describe the thing which will be discussed in detail part per part, customs or deed for living creature and usage for materials.
commit to user 1) Introducing group or general aspect 2) Using conditional logical connection 3) Using simple present tense
4) Using conjunction j. Anecdote
Anecdote is a text which retells funny and unusual incidents in fact or imagination. Its purpose is to entertain the readers.
The generic structure of anecdote is:
1) Title informs phrase which consists of ridiculous event 2) Abstract which consists of rhetorical question or exclamation 3) Orientation that tells the introduction or setting of the scene 4) Crisis which tells the incidents
5) Reaction that shares the reaction or solution 6) Coda or ending
The language features of anecdote are:
1) Using exclamation words 2) Using imperative
3) Using rhetoric question 4) Using action verb
commit to user k. Review
Review is a text which is used to give criticism; evaluation resulted from scientific work, book, film, etc.
The generic structure of review is: 1) Title
2) Identification which consists of reviewer statement about something to do dealing with the title
3) Summary of the work and evaluation which consist of the summary of book or others and comment from reviewer
4) Author and publisher which tell the identity of the book The grammatical patterns for review are:
1) Using present tense 2) Using conjunction 3) Using adjectives
B. Review on Students’ Text
1. Definition of Text
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purposeful language which has communicative function. It can be spoken or written expression.
Crystal in Nunan (1993: 6) defines a text as a piece of naturally occurring spoken, written, or signed discourse identified for purposes of analysis. It is often a language unit with a definable communicative function, such as a conversation, a poster. Furthermore, Nuttal (1996: 24) also defines a text as a piece of language, complete in itself and written (or spoken) for a purpose.
From the definitions above, it can be concluded that a text is a piece of structural spoken and written language which has a communicative purpose.
2. Students’ Motivation
Motivation is one of the factors affecting the students’ interest in joining the class. The students are interested in joining the lesson if they are motivated. The teacher must be able to encourage the students’ motivation in the class. Elliot and friends (2000: 332) states that motivation is an internal state that arouses us to action, pushes us in particular directions, and keeps us engaged in certain activities. Brown (1994: 33) says that if the learners are motivated, they will learn and if not they won’t. The learners will do what they want and need. They will have higher motivation if they use something to be learned based on their need and want.
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a. Motivation increases an individual’s energy and activity level. It influences the extent to which an individual is likely to engage in a certain activity intensively or halfheartedly.
b. Motivation directs an individual toward certain goals. Motivation affects choices people make and the results they find rewarding.
c. Motivation promotes initiation of certain activities and persistence in those activities. It increases the livelihood that people will begin something on their own, persist in the face of difficulty, and resume a task after a temporary interruption.
d. Motivation affects the learning strategies and cognitive processes an individual employ. It increases the livelihood that people will pay attention to something, study and practices it, and tries to learn it in meaningful fashion. It also increases the likelihood that they will seek help when they encounter difficulty.
Elliot and friends (1999: 332) divides motivation into two. They are intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation.
a. Intrinsic motivation means desire of students themselves to learn in order to achieve specific objectives. The students themselves demonstrate the desire to learn without the need for external inducements.
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Motivation influences the students to do something in order to get the objective they need. In this case, a teacher must be able to give motivation to the students so that they will be successful in learning. Motivation has relation to success and failure. It is stated by Brown (1994: 33) that if they’re motivated, they’ll learn, and if not, they won’t. Motivation can be given to the students by paying attention to their need and interest, such as giving them opportunity to get their own texts in reading classroom activity.
3. Students’ Needs
Every student has his own needs in his life. It has been stated above that students need to be motivated in order to get their interest in learning process. The motivation can be reached by giving their need. Maslow in Elliot and friends (2000:335) states that there are five basic needs. They are:
a. Psychological needs. Psychological needs, such as hunger and sleep, are dominant and are basic to motivation. Unless they are satisfied, everything else recedes. For example, students who frequently do not eat breakfast or suffer from poor nutrition generally become lethargic and stop interacting; their learning potential is severely lowered.
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c. Love and belongingness needs. This category refers to the human need for family and friends. Healthy, motivated people wish to avoid feelings of loneliness and isolation. Students who feel alone—not part of the group— or who lack any sense of belongingness usually have poor relationships with others, which can then affect their classroom learning.
d. Esteem needs. These needs encompass the reactions of others to us as individuals, and also our own opinions of ourselves. We want favorable judgments from others, which should be based on honest achievement. Our own sense of competence combines with the reactions of others to produce our sense of self-esteem. As a teacher, be sure to provide opportunities for students to satisfy this need: help the students to achieve and achieve deserved reinforcement.
e. Need for self-actualization. This is Maslow’s term for the tendency, in spite of the satisfaction of the lower needs, to feel restless unless we are doing what we think we are capable of doing. Encourage your students to recognize their potential, and guide them into activities that will enable them to feel both competent and fulfilled.
commit to user 4. Students’ Interest and Selected Text
Harmer (1998: 8) states that teachers must provoke interest and involvement in subject even students are not initially interested in it. It is done by their choice of topic, activity, and linguistic content that they may be able to turn a class around. It means that the teachers should find a good ways to encourage the students in accepting the goal of classroom activities. It is done by selecting topic of learning which is suitable with the students. To encourage the students, teacher should give something which is interesting for the students. Elliot and friends (2000: 349) state that interest is an enduring characteristic expressed by a relationship between a person and a particular activity or object. Furthermore, they state that interest occurs when students’ needs, capacities, and skills are good match for the demands offered by a particular activity.
Elliot and friends (2000: 349) also state
…to facilitate the development of interest, teacher should structure their classroom around goals such as (a) inviting students to participate in meaningful projects with connections to the world outside of the classroom, (b) providing activities that involve students needs and provide them developmentally appropriate challenges, (c) allowing students to have a major role in evaluating their own work and in monitoring progress, (d) facilitating the integration and use of knowledge, and (e) learning to work cooperatively with other students.
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be done by giving chance to the students to choose their own text to be discussed in a classroom. In line with Elliot and friends, Silberstein (1994: 103) says that activities should reflect the needs and desires of the students.
As what has been stated before, comprehending the recount text is difficult skill faced by the students. One of the factors is because the text is not interesting. The text cannot fulfill the students’ need. Silberstein (1994: 20) says that students will read material that is relevant to their communicative needs. Furthermore, Kennedy (1981: 195) also states some causes affecting the difficulties in comprehension. Some of the causes are lack of interest and unsuitable materials.
a. Inadequate instruction
Many teachers are poorly prepared to teach the basic reading skills. As a result, they may follow the general instructions given in teaching manual, without regard to the specific needs of their pupils. Or they may teach as they were taught when they were in grade school, or without any systematic plan.
b. Lack of interest
commit to user c. Unsuitable material
When reading materials are adopted for an entire school system and each teacher is expected to use them, regardless of whether they are appropriate for pupils in a particular classroom, difficulties in comprehension can result. Such required material may be too difficult or too easy, stress the wrong skills, have little relationship to pupil interests, or generally be of poor quality. If unsuitable materials are used exclusively, interest lags, skills development is unbalanced, and all forms of comprehension are discouraged.
The only ways to cope with inappropriate materials are to supplement or replace them. All reading materials should be selected only after ascertaining the needs, interests, and achievement levels of the pupils with whom they will be used.
d. Difficult concepts
commit to user e. Vocabulary difficulties
The vocabulary of upper-grade and high school reading materials is virtually uncontrolled. The text content many new terms that is difficult to understand.
5. Cooperative Learning
The students will be more motivated in the classroom activities if they are working with other friends. To make the technique of using students’ text more maximal, the writer also uses cooperative learning method in teaching. Roger, Olsen, and Kagan (in Kessler, 1992:8) say that cooperative learning is group learning activity organized so that learning is dependent on the socially structured exchange information between learners in groups and in which each learner is held accountable for his or her own learning and is motivated to increase the learning of others. From this definition, it can be said that by using cooperative learning, the students in group can exchange their knowledge to others. The interaction between students in group makes the students get high motivation in learning process.
a. Key elements and characteristics of cooperative learning
Lundgren (1994: 5) mentions that there are some basic elements of cooperative learning. They are:
1) Students must perceive that they “sink or swim together”.
2) Students are responsible for everyone else in the group, as well as for themselves, learning the assigned material.
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4) Students must divide up the tasks and share the responsibilities equally among group members.
5) Students will be given one evaluation or reward that will apply to all members of the group.
6) Students share leadership while they acquire skills for collaborating during learning.
7) Students will be held individually accountable for material worked on in cooperative group.
b. The kinds of cooperative learning tasks
There are three major types of cooperative learning stated by Kagan (in Kessler 1992: 131).
1) Team practice from common input: skills development and mastery of facts. a) All students work on the same material.
b) Practice could follow a traditional teacher-directed presentation of new material and for that reason is a good starting point for teachers and/or students new to group work.
c) The task is to make sure that everyone in group knows the answer to a question or understand the material. Because students want their team to do well, they coach and tutor each other to make sure that any member of the group could answer for all of them.
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e) This technique is good for review and for practice tests; the group takes the practice test together, but each student will eventually do an assignment or take a test individually.
f) This technique is effective in situation where the composition of the groups is unstable (in adult programs, for example). Students can form new groups every day.
2) Jigsaw: differentiated but predetermined input; evaluation any synthesis of facts and opinion.
3) Cooperative projects: topics/resources selected by students; discovery learning.
c. The benefits of cooperative learning
commit to user C. Rationale
Text becomes the most important thing to teach in formal education, especially in Junior High School. Teaching text means that teacher must be able to make the students understand the whole part of the text including the purpose, the generic structures, the language features, the information, and the main idea of the text. To make the students understand the text easily needs a certain technique.
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D. Action Hypothesis
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. The Setting and the Time of Research
In this study, the writer uses the eighth grade students of SMP N 7 Surakarta academic year 2008/2009 as the research. The school is located in Jl. Mr. Sartono no 34 Surakarta. SMPN 7 Surakarta is located in strategic place; therefore it is easy to find some facilities supporting the learning process, for example, photo copy service, internet café, and so on.
SMP Negeri 7 Surakarta has some facilities supporting the students’ activities in learning such as language laboratory, library, physical laboratory, biological laboratory, computer laboratory, sport place, mosque, and so on. The research is conducted through teaching and learning process in the classroom of VIII F. The research is carried out in September.
B. The Method of the Research
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Hopkins (1993: 44) considers action research as a form of self-reflective inquiry undertaken by participants in social (including educational) situation in order to improve the rationality and justice of (a) their own social or educational practices; (b) their understanding of these practices; and (c) the situations in which the practices are carried out.
According to Burns (1999: 30), there are four characteristics of the action research. They are:
1. Action research is contextual, small scale and localized. It identifies and investigates problems within a specific situation.
2. It is evaluating and reflecting as it aims to bring about change and improvement in practice.
3. It is participatory as it provides for collaborative investigation of team of colleagues, practitioners and researchers.
4. Changes in practice are based on the collection of information or data that is provides the impetus for change.
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systematic study to overcome the education problems or to change things related
to educational problem for improvement. Action research is conducted by
practitioners or teacher to gather information about the ways that their particular
schools operate how to teach, and how well the students learn.
In this study, the classroom action research that is conducted is an attempt
to improve the students’ recount text mastery. This classroom action research is
going to be carried out through the collaboration of the writer and the teacher. The
practical action is implemented by students’ text. The effects of the action can be
known after using students’ text in teaching recount text. The reflection shows
whether the students’ text can improve the students’ recount text mastery or not to
be higher than before.
C. The Model of Action research
The model of classroom action research used in this study is based on the
model developed by Kemmis and McTaggart in Burns (1999: 32). They state that
action research occurs through a dynamic and complementary process, which
consists of four essential moments: of planning, action, observation and reflection.
Each moment will be explained as follows:
1. Moment of planning is a process of developing a plan of critically
informed action to improve what is already happening.
2. Moment of acting is a process of taking the action to implement the
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critically informed action in the context in which it occurs.
4. Moment of reflection is a process of reflecting the effects as the basis
for the future planning, subsequent critically informed action and so
on, through a succession of stages.
Kemmis develops this model based on the Lewin’s original concept in
Sukidin et.al (2002: 48). Those steps can be illustrated as follow:
PLAN Change my questionaing? Settle on my questioning strategies?
Shift questioning strategy to encourage students to explore answer to their own questions probing their questions? What lessons help?
Tape-record questioning and control statements. Note in
diary effects on students
behaviour.
commit to user 1. Identifying problem
The teacher identifies the problem before planning the action. The problem
refers to the students’ difficulties in understanding the text. In this study, the
writer does the observation technique to find the problems. The writer observes
the learning activities during the lesson.
2. Implementing the action
a. Planning
In this step the researcher develops a plan of critically informed action to
improve what was already happening. In this step the researcher makes plan
to teach by making lesson plan and preparing the materials, pre and post
test.
b. Action
The researcher implements the plans that have been made before. In this
step the researcher implements her teaching by using students’ text.
c. Observing
The researcher observes the effects of the critically informed action in the
context in which it occurs. The researcher also observes how the process of
teaching runs, whether it is suitable with the plan or not. In this part the
researcher notes everything during the teaching process. In this step, the
researcher is also helped by the teacher as her collaborator. The teacher
notes events happening in the teaching learning process. The researcher also
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d. Reflection
Reflection is done to know the problems and an issue when the action is
implemented. If the researcher finds some weaknesses of the activities that
have been carried out in using the technique, the researcher revises it in the
next cycle. The researcher reflects on these effects as the basis for further
planning in the next cycle. If the progress has reached the standard
expected, the cycle will be stopped. The indicator of the standard
expectation is that if the students recount text mastery has improved.
3. Doing evaluation
In order to make sure whether there is an improvement of the students’ recount
text mastery or not, the researcher gives the test.
D. The Technique of Collecting Data
In this classroom action research, the sources of the data are in the form of
numbers and words. The data in numbers are from the tests that are carried out
before and after the cycles are implemented. The test is scored by looking for the
mean score. The instrument for test is tried out to find the validity and reliability.
Meanwhile, the data in words form are taken from the result of observation and
interview done by teacher and collaborator while the action is being carried out.
The observation is about the whole activities and the students’ behaviors during
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E. The Technique of Analysis Data
1. Qualitative data
The data analysis consists of five stages. Burns (1999: 157) states:
a. Assembling the data
In this step the researcher assembles the data that she/he has collected over
period the research. The data are from field note, research’s diaries, and
interviewing result.
b. Coding the data
Coding is a process attempting to reduce the large amount of data that may
be collected to more manageable categories of concept, themes or types.
Categories or codes can be developed to identify pattern more specifically.
c. Comparing the Data
The main aim at this stage is to describe and display the data rather than to
interpret or explain them. Comparison can be made to see whether themes
or patterns are repeated or develop across different data techniques.
d. Building interpretation
This stage demands a certain amount of creative thinking as it is concerned
with articulating underlying concept and developing the theories about
why particular pattern of behaviors, interaction or attitudes have emerged.
commit to user bigger picture underpinning the research.
e. Reporting Outcome
A final stage involves presenting an account of the research or others. A
major consideration is to ensure that the report sets out the major process
of the research, and that the finding and outcomes are well supported with
example from the data.
2. Quantitative data
The students’ achievement data are the result of pretest and posttest. In
analyzing the test score of the written test, a statistical technique is used to find
the mean score of the students. The data from the written test are analyzed in
order to know whether the technique used can overcome the students’ problem
in understanding the text or not. The objective and the hypothesis of this
research are tested using the non-independent t-test. It is used to answer the
problem that claims that there is a significant difference between the students’
achievement before and after the action. The formula used as follows:
commit to user N= the number of sample
b. The t-value can be calculated with the formula as follows:
(
)
t = the t-value for non independent (correlated) means
D = the differences between the paired scores
D = the mean of the differences
å
D2 = the sum of the squared differencesN = the number of pairs
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THE RESULT OF THE STUDY
In chapter IV, the writer describes the actions that have been done for two
months. Those activities are used to show how students’ text in cooperative
learning can improve the recount text mastery of the eight grade students of
SMPN 7 Surakarta.
The main objective of this research is to find whether students’ text in
cooperative learning influences the students recount text mastery. It will be used
as evidence in answering the problem statements stated in chapter I.
E.Introduction
Pre-research was held before conducting the research. It was held to
identify the problems occurring during the teaching learning process in relation
with students’ recount text mastery before using new method, to identify the
teacher technique in teaching recount text, and also to identify the students’
learning activity during the teaching learning process. Pre-research here included
observing the teaching learning process.
The result of observation in pre-research reported that, first, the students
got difficulties in understanding the text which was given by the teacher. The text
was not related to their background knowledge, so they felt lazy to read the text.
The effect was that they were lazy to learn English. They did not have any
motivation to study. For the result, they got low achievement in doing the test
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background knowledge. They often did not understand the content of the texts. It
made them feel difficult to comprehend the text. They never read another English
texts except those found in module.
The pretest was held to the eight grade students in class F of SMPN 7
Surakarta which consisted of 40 students. The mean score of students’ pretest was
2.92. It indicates that the students had low mastery in comprehending recount text
since they got unsatisfying results in pretest.
There were some cases causing those problems. The cases came from the
teacher and the students. First, the teacher was less creative in delivering the
material. He only focused in teaching vocabulary. The teacher used to ask the
students to do the exercises in their module. Second, the students were not
motivated or interested in teaching and learning process because the texts which
were discussed were not interesting. Third, the students of class eight were
categorized as students which have low achievement in any subject matter.
Considering the problems which were found in classroom, the writer
decided to apply students’ text and cooperative learning in teaching recount text
through classroom action research in order to improve students’ recount text
mastery. The research was conducted to the eight grade students in class F. The
students were allowed to find their own texts for teaching material; therefore they
were interested in the teaching and learning process. Being interested in the text
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Table 1 Procedure of the Research
No Procedure activity Doer Specific activity
I Pre-research observation AM Observation to identify the problem in teacher MYD’ b. implementing AM Implementing the action in four
meetings and one meeting for
b. implementing AM Implementing the action in three meetings, two meetings for
III Result discussion discussion AM Discussing the result of the research as a conclusion
The implementation of teaching recount text using students’ text and
cooperative learning method through classroom action research included two
cycles. The first cycle was held in four meetings, while the second cycle was held
in two meetings. Each meeting took 80 minutes except the third meeting of cycle
one and second meeting of cycle two were held only 40 minutes. In all cycles, the
texts which were used were recount text. The implementation of cycle one was
held in October, 22nd until November 5th, 2009. Meanwhile, the second cycle was
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observing the action; and (4) reflecting the observation result.
1. Cycle 1
a. Planning the action
Based on the problems faced by the students that they had difficulty in
comprehending recount text, the researcher decided the way to solve problem by
asking students to find their own recount text from any sources.
To make the lesson effective, the class was divided into 5 groups. Each
group consisted of eight students. The aim of grouping the students was to make
them easier to find the texts and encourage them to work in a team. After each
group found their texts, they were asked to analyze the characteristics of the text
based on the researcher’s command.
Because there were five groups, it was impossible to discuss their texts in
one day, so the researcher decided the groups to present their texts randomly, one
group in one meeting. Because there was only one group presenting the text in
one meeting, the researcher asked the students to submit their text’ analyses in
written form together. Then, it would be presented the next meeting. The way in
presenting texts was that they discussed the text with other groups. They found the
characteristics of the text, main idea of the text, textual references, and answered
some questions dealing with their own text.
b. Implementing the action
The action plan was implemented by AM. In the first meeting, she
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them how to comprehend it. The implementation of students’ text in cooperative
learning is described for each meeting as follows.
1) First meeting
The first meeting was conducted on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009. The
lesson started at 09.55 a.m. The action was aimed to make the students understand
recount text. It was also aimed to know what kinds of text they wanted to learn.
AM came to the class and greeted the students. In this meeting, the
researcher has prepared the materials before she entered the class. Before the
researcher explained about recount text, she brought the students to the topic that
they were going to discuss by giving introduction about the topic. Most of the
students were responding enthusiastically. They gave good responses to any
questions which the researcher gave. The researcher then explained recount text to
them. She explained the social function, language features, and generic structures
of recount text. She also explained how to find the main idea of a text, contextual
reference, and how to find any information from a text. From her explanation,
there were some students that were still confused. Then, she divided the students
in a group. She asked the students to practice finding the main idea and language
features of the text. The students did the exercise with the researcher’s guidance.
After they practiced to find them, they looked better. From their expression, the
researcher knew that the students understood her explanation. After the discussion
had been over, the researcher reminded the students how to find the main idea, the
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this meeting, the researcher asked the students to choose any kind of recount text.
She asked the students to find recount text based on their interest. She gave them a
chance to find their own interesting text.
2) Second meeting
The second meeting was conducted on Thursday, October 29th, 2009. The
lesson started at 09.55 a.m. To help the students become easier to understand
recount text, the researcher asked them to discuss their text outside the class.
Then, she asked them to present their text in front of the students. In this meeting,
the researcher asked the first group to present their text. Although there was only
one group which was presenting the text, another group must submit their text and
its analyses to her. It was aimed to know the students’ improvement in analyzing
their recount text. The first group took ten minutes in presenting their text. In this
presentation, the researcher asked the students to discuss the text together. She
asked other groups to give question if they hadn’t understood yet. In this time,
there were only two students who asked the question to the group. The question
was about the language features of recount text. One of the student’s questions
was, “kalimat manakah yang termasuk oreientation nya?” the first group could
answer the question after they discussed it first. There was also student asking
about detail information of the text “who is sweeping and picking up the dags?”
The leader of first group also could answer this question. The researcher, then,
checked the students’ understanding by giving questions dealing with the first
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asked, “Miss, klo action verb tu yang gimana? Klo enjoy ini termasuk action verb
bukan?” After she had explained, most of students said, “oooo…ternyata
gampang”.
3) Third meeting
The third meeting was held on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009. The
lesson started at 08.20 a.m. The aim of this activity was to know the students’
improvement in analyzing their recount text. The researcher wanted to know how
the students presented their text that they had found and how far they could
understand it. Before she asked the students to present their text, she reminded the
students that the discussion might run better. She asked the students to sit in their
group. After one of the members in second group distributed the text, one of
students said, “miss, ko ini teks nya bagus gini ya”. It indicated that the students
like the text. After the presentation had been over, the researcher asked the
students to ask question. One of the students asked about reorientation. The
researcher felt that the students were still confused with the generic structure of
recount text especially reorientation. To give better understanding about
reorientation of the text, she reminded the students about reorientation of the text.
She explained that reorientation is optional. There can be a reorientation or not.
“Students, reorientation states personal comment of the writer to the story. It
usually consists of the writer’s feeling”. She, then, explained it in bahasa
Indonesia. Most of the students said “ooo ni brarti teks nya ga ada reorientation
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The fourth meeting was conducted on Thursday, November 5th, 2009. As
usual the English lesson started at 09.55 a.m. Before the presentation was started,
the researcher checked the students’ understanding about recount text by asking
some students to answer her questions. Some students were able to answer her
questions. After she had reminded the students about the recount text, she asked
the students to start discussion. The last presentation was group 3, they discussed
the text entitled “Spent My Holiday Abroad”. Like the previous group, group 3
also distributed their text to other groups. They read the text, then found main
idea, language features, social purpose, and contextual references of the text.
There were many questions from other groups. The class was very noisy during
the discussion. Although there was a discussion, there were some students who
were only busy with themselves. They didn’t pay full attention to the discussion.
5) The fifth meeting
In the fifth meeting, post test 1 was conducted. This test was conducted to
know the students’ achievement in comprehending recount text after she has
implemented the action plan.
c. Observing the Action
When the researcher (AM) implemented the students’ texts in cooperative
learning in teaching recount text, it had been observed and the result can be
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In the first meeting, the teaching learning process ran slowly. The students
were still busy with themselves. They seemed strange with the situation. When the
researcher gave explanation about every thing was done, the students responded
enthusiastically. The students were still confused of the materials, but they gave
good responses to learn the material.
2) The second meeting
In the second meeting, the teaching learning process ran better than the
previous meeting. Most of the students had sat properly in their group. The
discussion ran well. The students with the researcher’s guidance were active
during the discussion. There was such kind of competition in each group. The
students in different groups tried to ask question to the group. Another group also
gave their opinion. The class was very noisy but the researcher felt that the
students were enjoy with the teaching learning process.
3) The third meeting
In this meeting, the students said that the text which was discussed was
easy to understand. They could find the main idea easily. From their analysis
which was submitted to the researcher, it could be seen that the students had better
work than the second meting. In this meeting, the researcher checked the students’
understanding by giving some questions related to the text. Sometimes the
researcher pointed the student to answer the question about the text; the students
were able to answer her question. After she had checked the students’
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discussion, there were some students who were busy with themselves and didn’t
pay attention to the presentation.
4) The fourth meeting
In this meeting, as usual the researcher reminded the students about
recount text. She reminded the students of how to find the orientation,
reorientation, events of the text. Sometimes she pointed the student to answer her
question. There were still some students in each group who didn’t know what the
researcher asked.
5) The fifth meeting
In the fifth meeting, post test 1 was conducted. This test was held to know
the students’ achievement in mastering recount text after the action plan was
implemented. The result of the post test 1 showed good improvement of students’
mean score. The mean score increased from 2.92 in pre test to 5.02 in post test.
d. Reflecting the Observation Result
In reflecting the result of the implementation in the first cycle, there are
some strengths and weaknesses and also the problems which must be solved in the
second cycle. The strength means the success of the implementation of the action,
while the weaknesses are regarded as problems that need to be solved. The results
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a) The students’ motivation to join the English class has improved
Given freedom to find their own texts, the students feel involved in
learning process. This makes them have more spirit.
b) The students had desire to look for their favorite texts. They like to find
the text from internet.
c) The students enjoy working in group. By working in group, they can share
their idea and opinion. They can also ask their friends’ help in solving
their difficulty.
d) Most of the students pay attention to the lesson. They pay attention to the
presentation and the researcher’s explanation. They tried to understand
another friends’ text by concerning and understanding on the text.
e) The scores increased. The implementation of the first cycle seems that it
has improved the students’ score. The researcher compared the result of
pre test in which the mean was 2.92 and the result of post test in the first
cycle was 5.02, it can be concluded that there is a progress. It means that
there is an improvement of the students’ ability.
2) The weaknesses of the action
a) Time used
In presenting their texts, the students didn’t pay attention to the time given.
They could not manage the time effectively. Sometimes they used the time
