TABLE OF CONTENT
1.1. Background of the Research ………..………….…….……..13.3.4.2 Teacher Interview ...………. 41
3.3.4.3 Student Interview ..………..………..………. 42
3.4 Validity and Reliability ………..………. 43
3.4.1 Validity ………..………. 43
3.4.2 Reliability ………..……. 44
3.5 Stages of Research ………..……. 46
3.6 Data Analysis ……… 46
Chapter IV: Research Findings and Discussions 4.1 Data from observation and interview ………. 50
4.1.1 Teaching and learning activities regarding writing narrative text ………50
4.1.2 Students’ opinions and expectations on writing narrative text ………….55
4.2 Discussion ……….. 61
4.2.1 Teaching and learning activities ……….. 61
4.2.2 Students’ opinions and expectations on writing narrative text ……... 66
Chapter V: Conclusion and Suggestions 5.1. Conclusions ………...………. 74
5.2. Suggestions………. 78
BIBLIOGRAPHY.………...………..………. 82
APPENDICES ..……….……… 86
TABLE 2.1. The differences between Spoken and Written ………14
TABLE 3.1. Research schedule for each sessions ………. 39
TABLE 4.1 Summary of Research Questions Findings ……… 73
Figure 2.1 The draft of the 2004 English Curriculum ………….……… 8
Figure 2.2 The Teaching-Learning Cycle ……….………….. 11
Figure 2.3 Narrative Text Type ………... 22
Figure 2.4 Generic Structure of Narrative Text ……….. 23
Figure 3.1 Research Design ………. 38
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix 1:
Case Study Consent Form ………. 86
Appendix 2:
The Result of Classroom Observation. ………. 87
Appendix 4:
The Result of Interview for Teachers. ………... 99
Appendix 5:
Field notes on teaching writing narrative text. …101
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, I would like to discuss the point aspects related to the background
of the research, significance of the study, and the organization of thesis.
1.1 Background of the Research
Changes and innovations in English education in Indonesia has been most likely
reflected in the changes of curriculum. Suyanto (2001) argues that the curriculum
changes are driven by (i) some innovation in theories about the teaching of English and
(ii) the failures of implementing one after another curriculum. One of the aspects of the
curriculum that is subjected to change is teaching approach.
As an illustration, in the 1994 curriculum, it was stated that the students were
required to be able to communicate in English using the four English language skills
(listening, speaking, reading, and writing). The teaching approach to be adopted was “the
meaningful approach”, which was basically the communicative approach. The teachers
were expected to integrate the four language skills, the grammar, and the vocabulary
creatively, so that the teaching objectives could be reached in the time available.
Based on the government’s review and feedback from the practitioners and
scholars, the 1994 curriculum was changed. The change was also motivated by the
influence of political movements, one of which was the movement towards autonomous
provision for the provinces and regions. The new curriculum had to cater for, and be
suitable for, the needs of each province and region and, at the same time, it also had a
some basic competencies the students had to master. The new curriculum sought to fill
what was lacking in the previous ones. In the new curriculum it was stated that the
graduates were expected to have both a language competency and a general competency.
For the language competency, the students were expected to be able to understand
English texts, to communicate in English and to use English for enjoyment (Pusat
Kurikulum-Balitbang Departement Pendidikan Nasional, 2001). In the new curriculum,
in accordance with the underlying language principles and the description of teaching
and learning activities, even though it is not explicitly stated, a genre-based approach is
adopted.
English teachers are supposed to be able to teach their students both language
components and language skills. One of the language skills they are supposed to teach is
writing skill. Despite the emphasis of teaching on reading comprehension and the limited
time provided for writing activities, teachers should provide students with opportunities
to develop their writing skill.
Writing makes a special contribution to the way people think. A piece of writing
composes meanings. Alwasilah (2001: 15) in his longitudinal study of writing process
involving 29 graduate students revealed that 62.1 percent of the respondents believe that
Indonesian education-from elementary to college-has failed to provide them with writing
skills. Facts and ideas are put to make something new, whether in a letter home, in a
college essay, or in a report at work. In writing, meaning is created in which sentences
have special relationships to each other. Some sentences are general and some specific;
some expand a point and others qualify it; some define and others illustrate
Writing makes another important contribution to learning. Writing helps us to find
and establish our own network of information and ideas, as it is always a composing of
new meaning. It allows us to bring together and connect new and old ideas. Writing
enables us to clarify and deepen our understanding of a new concept and to find ways to
relate it to other ideas within a discipline. Thus, writing test, clarifies, and extends
understanding (Axelrod,1988:2). Learning to write is like learning to speak, involves the
gradual mastery of a complex series of language conventions for constructing meanings
at different levels of organizations for constructing meanings at different levels of
organizations, including letter formation, spelling, syntax, discourse and genre (Fox,
1993). He further states that the learner has to learn how to use, control, and understand
the writing process across a wide series of genres and contexts.
There are various reasons for significant writing. Firstly, a wonderful idea which
is not expressed clearly and logically, will not have benefit to anyone. Secondly, the act
of writing is a thinking and learning act. Learning to write means learning to think.
Thirdly, educated people need writing ability. Finally, from psycholinguistics viewpoint,
low reading interest among people at all age levels and educational levels may result
from the fact that writings-books, literature and other references-are not interesting, out
of readers’ interest, and do not attract readers to read (Rasyid,1999:2). Those writings are
poorly written and badly organized.
One of the most challenging tasks English teachers face nowadays is making their
students write different genres as required by the new competence-based curriculum
(CBC). To carry out this task, teachers need to have clear ideas regarding what micro and
This means that writing activities are no longer geared around what to write (topics), but
how to write (skills of writing). This is by no means saying that topics are not important;
they are still important, but they are used as a means of acquiring the writing skills.
Topics are always needed, but high school students do not need to address topics that are
not very relevant to their immediate needs. With limited time allotment, teachers need to
focus on the key issue, that is, teach and show students how to write.
It is important to note that at SMP (Junior High School) level students are not
expected to write in written style of English. For example, if they can write a narrative
text using “spoken English written down”, that would be acceptable as long as they can
produce simple grammatical sentences, well organized text or create a unified whole.
1.2 The significance of the Study
This study provided certain results about the effectiveness of learning in the
development of writing skill. The research findings intended to be highly valuable for
English learners, teachers, practitioners, and curriculum planners. Generally, the study is
to introduce and familiarize teaching narrative writing.
For English curriculum planners, the research findings may be used as
consideration in developing curriculum which includes teaching method. It accordingly
can enrich the English learning teaching method to come to the most effective and
efficient teaching method.
For English teachers, the study can also give a significant contribution towards
the writer’s institution. The study may improve the teaching and learning process of
For students, as English learners, this study can prove them that collaborative is
more effective in solving some learning problems. It may also develop their social
interdependence as stated by Deutsch (1949); Johnson & Johnson, 1989 cited in Johnson
& Johnson, 2000. they state that social interdependence exists when individuals share
common goals and each individual’s outcomes are affected by the actions of the others.
The findings of the study expected to supply the readers with a significant
difference in the achievement of writing, especially in the five stages of narrative, they
are (1) Orientation, (2) Complication, (3) Evaluation, (4) Resolution, and (5)
Reorientation or Coda the ideas into good paragraphs
The techniques and activities used by the English teachers from this study are also
expected to enrich the students’ motivation in learning English narrative writing. Briefly,
this investigation may enlarge the teachers’ view regarding the current issues, especially
on the techniques of teaching narrative writing.
1.3. The Organization of Thesis
The subsequent chapters will be organized as follows. Chapter II presents my own
perspective on relevant literature comprising the theories, which have given shape to this
study. The theories are to do with values of narrative writing and approach to teaching
Chapter III describes the research methodology and design of the study. The research
methodology and design of the study. The research methodology comprises the
participants, setting, data collection technique, data analysis, and narrative text as a tool
for analyzing students’ texts. Chapter IV will delineate the research findings concerning
taken in the process of data collection as well as analyses made for data collected,
particularly from observation and interview. Finally, the thesis will be concluded in
chapter V, elicited from the discussions in chapter IV. In this chapter, the writer will also
declare the limitations of the study and be closed with the recommendation for further
research.
1.4 Methodology
This study uses descriptive method. There are two techniques of data collection
that are used observation and interview. Regarding the function of observation and
interview, they were used to gather information relevant to answer the research questions
including the kinds of teaching and learning activities.
I used field notes and during the observation I sat next to the teachers in the
classrooms to observe the teaching learning activities. Observation in this study is
intended to dig the whole data needed. It is the main technique used by researcher in this
study. To support data obtained through the observation, I used the research instruments.
The main instrument of this research was the researcher himself. I tried to be more
sensitive, responsive, and interactive to my research sites in order to gain data.
Nevertheless, I also used a video camera to help me gain more accurate data.
The videotaping took place at all of activities, more specifically, during the teaching and
learning activities. Through videotaping, I attained clearer conversation to the teachers
and captured the respondents’ facial expressions. By video recording, I knew whether
they enjoyed the activities or not. Since this was a qualitative study, I needed very
purposes in this study: ensuring the descriptive validity of my observations, and
stimulating recall and reflection as a component of the interviews with teachers and
students. Related to this, Maxwell also mentions that observation enables you to draw
inferences about someone’s meaning and perspective that you couldn’t obtain by relying
exclusively on interview data.
For more detail information and to cross-check information found in
observation, I felt that I needed to interview each respondent. I provided lists of questions
before the interview session began. The interviews were carried out after the class.
Therefore, I had to make an appointment to the respondents so they could spare their time
with me. In interviewing the teachers, I interviewed two English teachers. I interviewed
the teachers both informally after teaching learning activities and formally at the end of
the period. The teachers were interviewed formally and informally and the formal
interview was transcribed. The interviews occurred throughout the process as well as
after the activity of teaching and learning. In general, the interview questions were about
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter discusses aspects to do with the methodology of the study. Besides,
it includes the research questions, the objectives of the study.
3.1. The Objectives of the Study
In connection with the statement of the problems below, this study was
investigated the kinds of teaching and learning activities take place in writing narrative
text. The main objective of this research attempted to ascertain the effect of teaching
narrative writing; the effect of teaching method towards students’ writing achievement in
staging the writing narratives, they are: Orientation, complication, evaluation, resolution,
reorientation or coda.
3.2. The Statement of the Problems
To clarify the problems that investigated based on the description mentioned in
the background, some research questions can be formulated as follows. The main
problem of the research was whether developing writing skill through narrative writing
improves students’ writing skills in writing text narrative. This study was conducted to
address the following major questions:
1. What kinds of teaching and learning activities take place in writing
narrative text?
3.3. Research design
This study was a case study attempting to understand the subjects’ perception on a
certain issue. The design of the study will be qualitative since qualitative approach
provides an insight into what is happening and why it happens. It will be concerned more
with process of the outcome.
3.3.1 Research setting
This research would be conducted at SMP N 4 Pekanbaru, one of the junior high
school in Pekanbaru regency, Riau Province. This school is chosen for some reasons. It is
also considered one of the best junior high schools in Pekanbaru, which is proven by its
passing grade which is the first highest in Pekanbaru. This result’s in the school’s
popularity among students and parents. Furthermore, the researcher has been teaching at
this school for quite a long time so it is easy for him to get access to the observation as
well as to interview both teachers and students.
The population of the study was the third grade students of SMP Negeri 4
Pekanbaru. The samples were five students of 9.1 and 9.9. This school is the school
where the researcher is teaching. It implies that regarding relationships between
researcher and participants of the study that have been built so far, the research activities
will be very possible to be conducted in this place. Therefore, all data needed for the
study will be possibly collected, including the sincerity of information given by the
participants. This motive, all at once, will minimize the significance of data collected for
3.3.2 Preparation phase
In order to know what students write, we also need to know what they do
when they write and how they can be helped to do it better. This involves focusing
research more on the writers themselves than on their products. Obviously this type of
research requires a different set of questions and method and draws on a different
approach to research.
Since the study investigates the process of narrative writing, it uses a qualitative
method, which is appropriate in understanding process by which events and actions
take place (Maxwell, 1996, p.19). This is a case study as it is an examination of a
specific phenomenon such as a process. Merriam (1988, p.16) states that a qualitative
case study is an intensive, holistic description and analysis of a single instance,
phenomenon. Specifically, she conceptualizes the case study as a process which tries to
describe and analyze some entity in qualitative, complex and comprehensive terms not
infrequently as it unfolds over a period of time.
The study of narrative writing process involves observation of writers at work
and systematic procedures for collecting and analyzing their perceptions of what they
are doing. I favored these strategies as a way of revealing the hidden process of
narrative writing. I used detailed ethnographic observations of behaviors together with
interviews to provide a fuller picture of what will be happening, although
questionnaires will also be used to collect this kind of data. Having the research design
is approved and got recommendation from the supervisors, then he continues to have
field research with any completeness of instruments that conducted. The nature of
Figure 3.1 : Research Design
Background
Theory Problem Fact
How students write a narrative text
Research Questions
• Validity • Reliability
Data Collection
• Observations • Interview
Data Analysis Finding & Discussions
3.3.3 Arranging Research Schedule
Basically, arranging research schedule in this study is in accordance with the
student’s schedule in teaching-learning activity. This study conducted from November
2006 up to March 2007 at two classes. After getting the consultation with English teacher
at Junior High School, then the research schedule can be seen on the table.
Table 3.1 : Research schedule for each sessions
Session Class Date Time Theme/sub-theme
1st 9.1
3.3.4 Data Collection Techniques
This study uses descriptive method. There are two techniques of data collection
that are used observation and interview.
3.3.4.1 Classroom Observation
The observation was conducted for the whole term in two classes at SMP Negeri
4 Pekanbaru. Both of them began on November 12th 2006 and finished on March3rd 2007
and the observations were conducted twenty times. The first class studying hour was
four hours. The second class began on November 12th 2007 and ended on March 2nd
2007. The observations were conducted twenty times, and the studying hour was two
hours.
I also used field notes and during the observation I sat next to the teachers in the
classrooms to observe the teaching learning activities. At the first class, I only wrote
memos at the first and second class. It was because I was fully occupied in operating the
camera.
Observation in this study is intended to dig the whole data needed. It is the main
technique used by researcher in this study. To support data obtained through the
observation, then he used the research instruments. The main instrument of this research
was the researcher himself. Guba and Lincoln (1981: 128-150 cited in Moleong, 2004:
121-123) elaborate some characteristics of human beings. They mention that human
beings have these characteristics: being responsive to the surroundings, being easily
adapted to the new surroundings, relying on the expanded knowledge, quickly processing
idiosyncratic phenomenon. Therefore, I tried to be more sensitive, responsive, and
interactive to my research sites in order to gain data.
Nevertheless, I also used a video camera to help me gain more accurate data. The
videotaping took place at all of activities, more specifically, during the teaching and
learning activities. Through videotaping, I attained clearer conversation to the teachers
and captured the respondents’ facial expressions. By video recording, I knew whether
they enjoyed the activities or not. Since this was a qualitative study, I needed very
detailed information that mostly occurred in the class. Video taping served two different
purposes in this study: ensuring the descriptive validity of my observations, and
stimulating recall and reflection as a component of the interviews with teachers and
students. Related to this, Maxwell also mentions that observation enables you to draw
inferences about someone’s meaning and perspective that you couldn’t obtain by relying
exclusively on interview data.
3.3.4.2 Teacher Interview
Regarding the function of interview, it was used to gather information relevant
to answer the research question number one including the kinds of teaching and learning
activities towards writing (particularly, a Narrative Text), description of their classroom
activities, their knowledge about writing narrative text covering generic structure.
For more detail information and to cross-check information found in
observation, I felt that I needed to interview each respondent. I provided lists of questions
Therefore, I had to make an appointment to the respondents so they could spare their time
with me.
In interviewing the teachers, I interviewed two English teachers. I interviewed
the teachers both informally after teaching learning activities and formally at the end of
the period. The teachers were interviewed formally and informally and the formal
interview was transcribed. The interviews occurred throughout the process as well as
after the activity of teaching and learning. In general, the interview questions were about
the issues of giving feedback/conferencing at the teaching and learning activity.
The aims of interview for the teachers were:
To obtain information about their experiences, opinions, goal expectations, and
knowledge about teaching writing narrative texts.
To obtain information about teachers’ efforts in improving students’ writing
narrative texts.
To allow them to describe their teaching procedures in writing narrative texts.
Based on the research question number 2, data collection process were used
interview. They were:
3.3.4.3 Student Interview
Interview was used to answer the research question number two including the
students’ opinions and expectations on writing narrative text. I interviewed five students.
were conversational in an attempt to get the interviewee to discuss further details he/she
mentioned in an answer.
In interviewing the students, I used Indonesian. I used Indonesian language
since when I used English for interviewing the students, they had difficulties in
answering my questions and expressing their feelings so that I used Indonesian because I
did not want the students have difficulty in answering my questions, expressing their
feeling, and transferring the language and I also wanted to get the accurate data from the
students.
3.4 Validity and Reliability
3.4.1. Validity
Merriam states, “validity deals with the question of how one’s finding match reality.
Do the findings capture what is really there? Are investigators observing or
measuring what they think they are measuring?” {Merriam, 1988: 166}. She also
adds there are some strategies to ensure the validity of the investigation. Such as
triangulation, member checks, long term observation, providing a rich, thick
description. To ensure the validity of this study, I used some strategies as follows:
“Using multiple methods of gathering data and multiple sources of data to
confirm the emerging findings” {Merriam, 1988: 168). To ensure the validity
of this research, I applied two methods of collecting data : Observation and
narrative texts activities in the classroom or what teacher and students did in
the class. Interview was used to gain about students’ opinions and
expectations.
Long-term observation
At the research site – gathering data over a period of time in order to increase
the validity of the finding. Merriam (1988: 168) states “ by persistently
observing of the same phenomenon over a period of time, the researcher can
ensure the research findings to have increased validity”. I have observed
teaching writing narrative texts around twenty times continuously from one
meeting to another for one semester to observe what actually the teachers and
students did in writing classroom.
3.4.2. Reliability
According to Merriam (1988: 70), reliability refers to the extent to which
one’s findings can be replicated. In other words, if the study is repeated will it
yield the same results?
To ensure the reliability of this study, I used some techniques as
follows:
•••• The investigator’s position
Merriam (1988: 172) states that the investigator should explain the
group being studied to ensure the reliability. In order to ensure the
reliability of this study, I have explained and described my position
toward the group being studied and the theory behind the study in the
previous chapter.
•••• Audit trail
Guba and Licoln (1981 cited in Merriam, 1988) state just as an auditor
authenticates the accounts of a business, independent judges can
authenticate the findings of a study by following the trail of the
researcher, in order for an audit to take place, the investigator must
describe in detail how data were collected, how categories were derived,
and how decisions were made throughout the inquiry. Essentially,
researcher should present their methods in such detail “that other
researchers can use the original report as an operating manual by which
to replicate the study” (Goetz and LeCompte, 1984: 216 cited in
Merriem, 1988: 174). Furthermore, to ensure an audit to take place I
tried to describe in detail what the methods are, how the data are
collected, how categories are derived, and how decisions are made in
3.5 Stages of Research
The stages of research was discussed about the preliminary research and phase of
preparation. The purpose of preliminary study here is to see the nature of school’s
condition directly that related to the investigated problems in general. Besides, this
preliminary study is intended to get the nature of (1) teaching activities in the classroom,
especially on the teaching of narrative writing, (2) class condition such as facility,
language laboratory, and the like; and (3) the student’s responses to the teaching narrative
writing.
3.6 Data Analysis
The data obtained analyzed qualitatively. It means that the data are recorded,
summarized, and interpreted accordingly. In addition, the interpretation can be also
described in the numbers and then discussed accordingly.
In this study, I applied inductive analytical approach where I presented facts
or general statements from the obtained data to come to the conclusion. I used some
techniques for analyzing data.
In this study, I applied inductive analytical approach. Howard Becker (1958)
mentions that in analytic induction the data analysis begins while data is being gathered.
The analyses are tentative and provisional throughout the study and only become
comprehensive once the data is completely collected. Therefore, in this research, I began
by presenting facts or general statements from the obtained data to the conclusion. The
First of all, I observed the activities in the classroom, especially, the teaching
and learning activities by using a digital camera, tape and if possible I wrote some field
notes. Then, I watched and listened to the tapes repeatedly, and transcribed them. Then, I
distributed the interview sheet to the respondents. After distributing the interview sheets,
I interviewed them to cross-check their consistency in answering the questions.
Secondly, I read the transcribed process, interview transcripts, field notes, and
other documents. The data were coded and categorized in general such as; Observation
data (Obs) and Interview data (I)
Data collection and data analysis are two activities but done simultaneously in
a qualitative research (Merriam, 1998: 150). The process of analysis is conducted
simultnously with ongoing activities related to the teaching and writing processes. First,
this study extracts the information from the data collected through the interview and
observation process. The observation process also takes part in supplying the information
to either students’ knowledge and ways of developing skill of writing a narrative text.
According to Glesne and Peshkin (1992:127):
Data analysis involves organizing what you have seen, heard, and read so that you can make sense of what you have learned. Working with the data, you create explanations, pose hypotheses, develop theories, and link your story to other story. To do so, you must categorize, synthesize, search for patterns, and interpret the data you have collected.
In this study, I applied inductive analytical approach where I presented facts
or general statements from the obtained data to come to the conclusion. I used some
to transcription and then I transcribed them. Secondly, I read the interview transcripts and
observational notes. Thirdly, I used classroom observation. Then, I observed the process
of teaching and learning activities in the classroom. I made notes or memos on what I
saw, heard, and read in my data and develop ideas about categories and relationship.
Related to that Maxwell (1996: 78) suggests as follows say, “You should regularly write
memos while you are doing data analysis; memos not only capture your analytic thinking
about your data, they facilitate such thinking, stimulating analytic insights”.
Meanwhile Glesne and Peshkin (1992: 128) state by writing memos to
yourself all keeping a reflective field log, you develop your thoughts; by getting your
thoughts down as they occur, no matter how preliminary or in what form, you begin the
analysis process.
Fourtly, I used categorizingstrategy that involved codingand sortingthe data.
Related to coding, Maxwell (1996: 78) states the goal of coding is to fracture the data and
rearrange it into categories that facilitate the comparison of data within and between these
categories. After coding and categorizing the data, I also sorted or reduced the data that
were not necessary. The first step, the data were coded and categorized in general such
as; Observation data (Obs) and Interview data (I).
I read the transcribed the process, interview transcripts, field notes, and other
documents. Finally, I categorized and coded the data. The coding and categorization are
The second step, the data were categorized into two main categories and then
the data were sub categorized as follows:
• Category # 1 : writing narrative text
a. Type of narrative text
b. Teaching and learning activities
c. Teaching material
d. Learning Task
• Category # 2 : Students’ opinions and expectations
a. On writing narrative text
b. On teaching and learning activities
c. On group work
d. On assignment
e. On their writing skills improvement
Finally, the data were displayed in thick description of the study. Related to data
displays, Maxwell states “displays constitute an additional analytic strategy; these include
matrices or tables, networks, and various other forms’. Meanwhile, Glesne & Peshkin
(1992: 137) say, “data display is another ongoing feature of qualitative inquiry that can
be a part of developing the problem statement, data collection, analysis, and final
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
This chapter consists of two parts, the conclusion of the present study and
suggestions both for further researches and practitioners. The conclusions of the research
conducted based on the research questions as raised and explained in the third chapter.
Second, the suggestions addressed to the researchers who are interested in doing further
research on narrative writing, especially the techniques of teaching narrative writing, and
for those who are interested in the application of the findings in teaching narrative
writing.
5.1 Conclusions
1. In line with the major problems in Chapter III, to clarify the problems that
investigated based on the description mentioned in the background, some research
questions can be formulated as follows. The main problem of the research would be
whether developing writing skill through narrative writing improves students’ writing
skills in writing the text of narrative. What are the teaching and learning activities in
writing a narrative text? What are the students’ opinions and expectations on writing
narrative text?
2. To introduce the teaching and learning activities, a teacher can make the class to
jointly construct an essay on the white board. The teacher can start with the first
sentence, and then let the students develop the sentence step by step, for example, to
create an orientation paragraph for the narrative genre they are writing. When this is
they can add more bits of information, and they can never stop writing. In short,
teachers can actually help build the micro competence in writing a paragraph. In this
way, teachers help the students’ self confidence and independence in writing narrative
text with different purposes.
3. To develop students’ competence in writing genres, there are at least three key issues
teachers need to address. The first issue is communicative purpose. Every time a
student starts to write, s/he needs to be clear about why s/he writes. For example, s/he
writes in order to entertain, to tell past events, to describe something and so on. Once
the communicative purpose is determined, a student needs to deal with the second
issue, that is, how to achieve the purpose. To have good knowledge of how successful
writers achieve the same or similar communicative purpose, a student needs to have
some ideas about some elements that characterize a particular genre and how those
elements are organized. The third issue is identifying what sentence patterns, tenses,
and other features that are often used in a particular genre. Armed with this
knowledge, a teacher can plan activities such as group discussions, reading model
passages, discussing sentence patterns including the tenses, all of which are geared
around writing a genre.
4. If, for example, a student wants to write a narrative text, s/he needs to understand that
the communicative purpose of a narrative genre is to entertain the readers. In order to
entertain the readers, a narrative genre needs to have at least three elements:
orientation, complication, and resolution. Linguistically, a narrative is often told in
4 One of the most challenging tasks English teachers face nowadays is making their
students write different genres as required by the new competence-based curriculum
(CBC). To carry out this task, teachers need to have clear ideas regarding what micro
and macro skills students need to develop so that they can develop essays of different
types. This means that writing activities are no longer geared around what to write
(topics), but how to write (skills of writing). This is by no means saying that topics
are not important; they are still important, but they are used as a means of acquiring
the writing skills. Topics are always needed, but high school students do not need to
address topics that are not very relevant to their immediate needs. With limited time
allotment, teachers need to focus on the key issue, that is, teach and show students
how to write.
6. It is important to note that at SMP (Junior High School) level students are not
expected to write in written style of English. For example, if they can write a
narrative text, that would be acceptable as long as they can produce simple
grammatical sentences, well organized text or create a unified whole. Students are
also expected to learn how to produce essays using written style of English. To
achieve this goal, it is important that teachers know what micro skills are involved in
writing English texts using written English style. However, many teachers think that
writing is complicated and they do not know where to start. A sensible way to start
would be examining the differences between spoken and written language.
7. The models of genre approaches is the Teaching Cycle or Wheel model. There are
consists of three main stages that include modeling, joint construction and
independent construction.
8. At the first stage, modeling refers to a stage where the genre in question is presented
and analysed by the teacher with the students in various activities. Modeling is an
important aspect of the genre approach. At this stage the social purpose, text structure
and language features of genre are investigated. The modeling stage focused on two
main aspects, building the students’ background knowledge about the topic and
introducing the students to a model of genre to be learned.
9. The students were introduced to model text (s) of a genre the students were supposed
to learn. Through this way the students learned the concept of genre and the
significant features of the genre. Reading the model text, the students investigated the
social purpose, the schematic structure and language features of the genre. In the
teaching cycle of the genre-based approach, this stage comes before the joint
construction. Teachers, however, may also came back to modeling at any stage if it is
necessary as the stages of a teaching cycle were not necessarily fix in sequence.
10.The techniques apply by an English teacher in teaching narrative writing, I can infer
that the respondent teacher made efforts to facilitate and help the students’ learning.
The teachers told the students to find the sources of data from various information
and the teachers themselves also tried to become one of the data sources. As a
facilitator, the teacher tried to make learning easier for students, help them clear away
roadblocks, to find shortcuts and to negotiate rough terrain. Besides as facilitators,
those teachers also played a role as a tutor. It can be seen that teaching writing
who works with students individually or in small-groups, guide those students on
their works and they also make learning easier for students such as helping students
face stumbling blocks, find shortcuts and negotiate rough terrain (Harmer, 2002:
57-63). In tutoring, those respondent teachers also provide feedbacks on the students’
writing narrative text.
11.Writing Narrative text is not a linear but a recursive process. It rarely proceeds neatly
from one phase to the next. Rather, the phases frequently overlap, making the process
often appear messy. The students, for example, revise what they have written as soon
as the word or the sentence appears on the page, they sometimes make outline after
they have finished their first or second drafts of the narrative text or they free write all
the time. Each student participates in the writing narrative process in a different way,
at a different pace, and with a different result.
12.All students grapple with many of the same basic problems, they are unable to focus,
unable to express and develop ideas, unable to write the text, and so forth. They have
experienced it at one time or another, the dreaded writer’s block. It is that terrible
menacing mental block that prevents them from writing. The most common problems
in this study are procedural, physical, and psychological problems. Whereas
magnitude and unrealistic attitude shared by particular students, in addition, time
management and interruption tended to be individual. Fortunately, they can cope with
their problems by using helpful strategies for them.
5.2 Suggestions
1. Teachers must consider ways of engaging student writers by providing relevant topics
task manageable. Successful writing instruction requires an awareness of the
importance of cognitive and motivational factors, which means teachers should
provide relevant topics, encourage cooperation with peers in planning and writing
tasks, and incorporate group research activities of various kinds. A workshop
environment which provides peer support and opportunities for students to talk about
their writing-in-progress with teachers, attentive readers through writing conferences
is regarded as crucial to writing development.
2. Knowing more about the writing process will not guarantee that students will become
a better writer. They must after all, practice writing in order to improve. Still, they
greatly increase their chances of success if they follow steps that good writers agree
are important parts of the process. However, the most important thing is that the
students should become independent learners as they have learned phases in writing
instruction as a process. The instruction becomes individualized as students focus on
their own interests, perceptions, and background experiences.
3. More recently, teachers of composition have come to believe that students should
learn more about the process of writing, and that courses should teach them how to
compose papers successfully, rather than merely how to recognize good writing. The
teacher’s role should shift from whole class instructor to a facilitator and promoter of
writing. In addition, teachers need to do more than simply take students through a
process of producing a piece of writing. They also need to give their full attention to
them, to show them how to plan a piece of writing through prewriting activities, how
4. Students have problems related to procedure—what to write and how to write it.
The former related to content that should they write, whereas the latter related to
procedures or ways that are applied in the process of narrative writing stages.
Understanding the writing problems is important for teachers in order to help students
cope with their problems. In relation to the problems mentioned above, it is assumed
that teachers should provide opportunities for students to improve their writing skills.
They need to give students more of everything—more time; more opportunity to talk,
listen, read, and write; more instruction and practice in the skills students will use
most frequently in academic writing.
5. One of the popular models of genre approaches is the Curriculum Cycle or Wheel
model. There are some variations of this curriculum cycle model (e.g Callaghan and
Rothery 1989; Hammond 1990; and Callaghan, Knapp, and Noble 1993). Despite the
variations, this wheel model consists of three main stages that include modeling, joint
construction and independent construction.
6. At the first stage, modeling, refers to a stage where the genre in question is presented
and analysed by the teacher with the students in various activities. Modeling is an
important aspect of the genre approach. At this stage the social purpose, text structure
and language features of genre are investigated (Callaghan, Knapp, and Noble, 1993).
The modelling stage focused on two main aspects, building the students’ background
knowledge about the topic and introducing the students to a model of genre to be
learned (Feez and Joyce, 1998; Hammond, 1990; Paltridge 2001).
7. The students are introduced to model text (s) of a genre the students are supposed to
features of the genre. Reading the model text, the students investigate the social
purpose, the schematic structure and language features of the genre (Callaghan et al,
in Cope and Kalantzis, 1993; Christie, 1992; Gibbons, 2002; Martin, 1999). In the
curriculum cycle of the genre-based approach, this stage comes before the joint
construction. According to Hammond in Paltridge (2001), teachers, however, may
also come back to modelling at any stage if it is necessary as the stages of a
curriculum cycle are not necessarily fix in sequence.
8. Regarding writing as a process, English teachers and the participants, particularly
those involved in this research should apply many strategies which are more appeal
and meaningful to enhance the students’ competence in writing a narrative text.
Based on the data of this research, the researcher believes that Genre-Based
Approach (GBA) is still possible to be adopted in teaching English for junior high
schools, particularly in teaching writing, such as by implementing the teaching
cycles: the Building of the Field, the Deconstruction, the Joint and the Independent
construction of the text. Although are they not the only most effective ways to
choose, but at least those teaching cycles can lead to systematic steps. In addition, the
more systematic the teaching and learning processes are done, the researcher believes
the more satisfactory the results from them will be gained.
9. Finally, The researcher invites all English teachers, academic practices, researchers,
and all educational sympathizers to conduct similar research to enhance the quality of
the findings in this research. For the readers’ positive responses, critiques to this
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