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THE IMPLEMENTATION OF “SMALL MOMENT” WRITING STRATEGY TO INCREASE STUDENTS’ WRITING ABILITY A T THE SEC ON D GR AD E STU DEN TS OF SMA N A SION A L
MA K A SSA R
Lilis Suganda1, Antonius Ali Wutun2, Nadya Nurhidayah3
1STKIP YPUP MAKASSAR, Email: [email protected]
2STKIP YPUP MAKASSAR, Email: [email protected]
3STKIP YPUP MAKASSAR, Email: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
The objective of this research is aimed to know whether the implementation of small moment strategy can increase students’ writing ability at the second grade students of SMA Nasioanal Makassar. This research employed a pre-experimental method with one class pre-test and post-test design. The population of this research was the second grade of SMA Nasional Makassar. The total sample was 20 students and it used purposive sampling. The result of the data showed that to the mean score of post- test was greater than the pre-test (78.5>59.5) and the t-test value was greater than the t-table value (13.46> 1.729) at the level of significant 0.05. It was also proven by the result of the five components of writing, where the post-test result was higher than the pre-test. Therefore, it can be concluded that the score of the five components of writing on post-test was greather than the score of the five components of writing on pre-test. So it can be concluded that small moment strategy increases the students’ writing ability at the second grade students of SMA Nasioanal Makassar.
Keywords: Small Moment Strategy, the students’ writing ability.
INTRODUCTION
In Indonesia, the people have to learn English because we know that the famous and modern book of science, knowledge, international business, and healthy are in English that is why people of Indonesia must master English to improve the quality of education because English as a foreign language which is considered important to be introduced in the field of education. Education in Indonesia takes English as one of the main subjects taught from elementary school up senior high school and also examined in the national examination to determine students’ graduation. English requires four skills which are integrated each other and have to be mastered well by the students. They are listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. As one of those four skills, writing is one of skills that students need to be mastered well because writing skill is important in some aspects of life. It means that when the students do the writing process, they are involved in producing language output rather than receiving it.
In writing, the students learn to express their minds, to convey information, to describe something, to tell a story, and so on. There are some cases that must be known by the students to master the writing ability, such as; the students must know about the important roles of writing, always practice to write something, always reading because from reading the students will learn about the grammar, vocabulary, spelling and etc.
In reality, the researchers' interview with the English teacher of SMA Nasional Makassar on March, 23rd 2019, the researcher found the students’ writing ability are relatively low. The students face some difficulties in writing ability; especially in sentences grammatical features, and organization of the paragraphs. Most of them could not express these variables well.
Thus, the researcher formulates a research under the title “The Implementation of Small Moment Writing Strategy to Increase Students’ Writing Ability at the Second Grade Students of SMA Nasional Makassar”. Calkins and Oxenhorn in Bleicher (2014) stated that “Small Moments” a writing strategy aimed at helping young children think about an experience, and then write a brief story about it. By focusing on a small moment, students are better able to harness their experiences into more manageable units. This research is aimed at finding out whether the implementation of Small Moment
35 Writing Strategy increases students’ writing ability at the second grade students of SMA Nasional Makassar. The scope of the research focused on using of Small Moment Strategy in teaching English writing recount text of the second grade students at SMA Nasional Makassar in 2019/2020 academic year. The researcher focused the scoring on five components of writing, they were; content, organization, language use, vocabulary, and mechanic.
RESEARCH METHOD
In this research used pre-experimental method. It aimed to find out the use of Small Moment Writing Strategy could improve the students’ writing ability at the second grade students of SMA Nasional Makassar. (Creswell, 2013:241). The population of this research was the second grade students at SMA Nasional Makassar in academic year 2019/2020 which consisted of 180 students that were devided of two departments they were MIA (Matematika dan Ilmu Alam) and IIS (Ilmu-ilmu Sosial). MIA consisted of MIA 1, MIA 2 and MIA 3.
Then IIS consisted of IIS 1, IIS 2 and IIS 3. In this research, the researcher used purposive sampling. It meant that the researcher only took the students of class XI MIA 2 that consisted of 20 students. The researcher took this class because they had low ability in writing especially in writing recount text. The total number of sample consisted of 20 students.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Results
a. The Raw Data of Students’ Pre-Test and Post-Test
Table 4.1 The Raw Data of Students’ Pre-Test
No Name of Students Pre-Test Score
Cont. Organiz Voc L.use Mech Final
TOTAL SCORE 316 253 273 301 50 1191
MEAN SCORE 15.8 12.6 13.1 13.6 2.5 59.5
Based on the raw data above, students’ scores in five components in pre-test, the researcher presented in the following chart below. The researcher concluded that from 20 students of class MIA 2 was in low score level. There was detail classification of content in the pre-test, there were 13 students or 65,0% classified as very poor score, seven students or 35,0% classified as poor score and none of them classified as fairly, good and very good score.
Classification of organization in the pre-test, there were eight students or 40,0% classified as poor score, 10 students or 50,0% classified as fairly score, 1 student or 5,0% classified as good score and one student or 5,0% classified as very good score and none (0%) student classified as very poor.
Classification of vocabulary in the pre-test, there was one student or 5,0% classified as poor score, 12 students or 60,0% classified as fairly score, seven students or 35,0% classified as good score and none (0%) of both classified as very poor and very good score.
Classification of language use in the pre-test, it showed that the result of the students’
writing ability, it can be proved that there were 16 students or 80,0% classified as poor score, four students or 20,0% classified as fairly score and none (0%) of them classified as very poor, good and very good score.
Classification of mechanic in the pre-test result, there were none student (0%) got very poor, good and very good score, there were 10 students 50.0% got fair score and there were 10 students got 50.0% got poor score.
36 Table 4.2 The Raw Data of Students’ Post-test
No Name of Students
Post-Test Score
Cont Organiz Voc. L.use Mech. Final
TOTAL SCORE 384 344 383 390 69 1570
MEAN SCORE 19.2 17.2 19.1 19.5 3.4 78.5
According to the classification of students’ scores on five components in post-test, the researcher concluded that from 20 students of class XI MIA 2 was categorized improving their writing ability. There was detail classification of content, there were eight students or 40,0% classified as poor score, 12 students or 60,0% classified as fair score, and none of them classified as very poor, good and very good score.
Classification of organization in detail, there were four students or 20,0% classified as fairly score, four students or 20,0% classified as good score, 12 students or 60,0% classified as very good score and none (0%) students classified as very poor and poor core.
Classification of vocabulary in post-test, there was one student or 5,0% classified as good score, 19 students or 95,0% classified as very good score, and none (0%) of them classified as very poor, poor and fair score.
There was Classification of language in use, it showed that the result of the students’ writing ability in language use in post-test. It can be proved that there was one student or 5,0% classified as poor score, six students or 30,0% classified as fairly score and 12 students or 60,0% classified as good score, 1 student or 5,0% classified as very good score and none (0%) student classified as very poor score. Meanwhile, the score of mechanic in post-test result, there was none student (0%) got very poor, and very good score, there were two students or 10,0% got poor score, seven students or 35,0% got fairly score, and there were 11 students or 55,0% got good score.
The data on the table 4.3 and 4.4 showed that the frequency and rate percentage of students final score in five component of writing both of pre-test and post-test.
Table 4.3 Classification, Score, Level, Frequency, Percentage of the Students’ Writing Ability on five Components of Writing in Pre-Test Result
Classification Score Level Frequency Percentage (%)
Very Good 88 – 100 A 0 0
Good 74 – 87 B 0 0
Fair 60 – 73 C 11 55,0%
Poor <60 D 9 45,0%
Table 4.3 showed that the result of students’ writing ability on five components in pre-test.
There were nine students or 45,0% classified as poor, 11 students or 55,0% classified as fairly and none 0% of them classified as good and very good score.
Table 4.4 Classification, Score, Level, Frequency, Percentage of the Students’ Writing Ability on five Components of Writing in Post-Test
Classification Score Level Frequency Percentage (%)
Very Good 88 – 100 A 0 0
Good 74 – 87 B 16 80,0%
Fair 60 – 73 C 4 20,0%
Poor <60 D 0 0
To find the table above, it showed that the result of the students’ writing ability on five components in post-test. It can be proved that there were 4 students or 20,0% classified as fair score, 16 students or 80,0% classified as good score and none (0%) students classified as poor and very good score.
37 The following table showed the distribution of mean score in pre-test and post-test.
Table 4.5 The Mean Score of student’s pre-test and post-test Components Mean Score of Pre-test Mean Score of Post-Test
Content 15.8 19.2
Organization 12.7 17.2
Vocabulary 13.6 19.1
Language Use 15.0 19.5
Mechanics 2.5 3.4
Final Score 59.5 78.5
From the result of five components on the table 4.15, the final score from pre-test and post-test of the students writing ability, it described that the mean score in the pre-test is 59.5, it categorized as poor. Meanwhile, the mean score of post-test is 78.5, it categorized as good. It can be concluded that the mean score of students’ writing ability of final score in post-test is higher than pre-test.
Chart 4.1 The Comparison Between the Students’ Means Score in Pre-test and Post test In order to know whether or not the difference between pre-test and post-test is statically significant, the t-test statistical analysis for non independent sample is employed.
The test value of this research was 13.46
To know the level of significance of the pre-test and post-test, the researcher uses t-test analysis on the level of significance (p) = 0,05 with the degree of freedom (df) = N-1, where N=
number of subject (20 students) then the value of t-table is 1.729. The t-test statistical, analysis for independent sample is applied. The following table shows the result of t-test calculating:
To find out degree of freedom (df), the researcher used the following formula below:
Df = N-1 where (N=19) Df = 20-1
Df = 19
The level of significance (p) = 0.05 and degree of freedom (df) = 19 thus value of t-table is 1.729. Compared with the t-test value, it can discribed that the t-test value 13.46 was higher than the value of t-table 1.729. Therefore, it can be said that 13.46> 1.729. It means that the null hypothesis (HO) of this research is rejected and the alternative hypothesis (H1) is accapted because there is a significant difference between pre-test and post-test by using Small Moment strategy in teaching writing ability.
Based on the data analayze above, it can be concluded that the used of Small Moment strategy could increase the students’ writing ability.
Discussion
The discussion section deals with the interpretation of findings derived from the result of statistically data analysis through writing test. The researcher discussed the result of the Small Moment Strategy. By focusing on a small moment, students are better able to harness their
0 5 10 15 20 25
pre test post- test
38 experiences into more manageable units. In this research, the researcher only focused on five components of writing, those are; content, organization, vocabulary, language use and mechanic.
There were also some researchers who had conducted the research by using Small Moment Strategy.
It’s supported by the statement of Bleicher (2014), in his research “Using Small Moments Writing Strategy to help undergraduate students reflect on their service learning experiences”. As the result of his research, he concluded that Small Moments reflections allowed the constructivist nature of student learning in service learning setting to became visible and evident to both the students and the instructors. In his researcher, he found that students were able to affectively used small moment as a strategy for understanding and reflecting upon their service-learning experience. Five overarching themes emerged from the data. They were building insight, identifying discrepancies, increasing awareness of community, solving problems and nurturing confidence. Using small moments, the instructors learned more about how students were developing in their ability to reflect. In addition, they gained insight as teacher educators into students’ development toward a teaching career. In order to express their reflections within the small moment framework, students were required to provide a detailed context. In that context, instructors were able to glean their understandings in many areas of teacher development, such as home connections to school, learning, and teaching; and managing student behavior. Service learning instructors in other disciplines would also be able to gain analogous insights into their students’ career trajectories. Previously, the authors had focused on delineating student learning outcomes related to teacher preparation content areas.
This researcher had done the research by using Small Moment Strategy at SMA Nasional Makassar, the findings of this research, it derived from the result of statistically data analysis through writing test. By focusing on a small moment, students are better able to harness their experiences into more manageable units. In this research, the researcher only focused on five components of writing, those are; content, organization, vocabulary, language use and mechanic. Using small moments, the researcher learned more about how students were increasing in their writing ability. In addition, in the part of writing there are at least things that can be measured in connecting with the content, the composition should contain one central purpose, should have unity, should have coherence, and should be adequately developed. In fact, in content component, before giving the treatment to the students, they could not increase the idea and they didn’t know how to make a paragraph well, and the students faced difficulties to develop their idea. But after doing treatments six times and applied Small Moment Strategy, the students could understand even though not all of them but at least they could know how to start a good sentence. The next important aspect of writing is about organization component. The purpose of organizing material in writing involves coherence, general to specific, chronological order and spatial order of pattern. But in fact, before giving the treatments the students got difficulties at the time the researcher asked them to make a recount paragraph. They didn’t know how to connect the ideas and mostly the paragraph didn’t relate among others. But after doing the treatments six times and applied Small Moment Strategy, the students could make the idea clearly and somewhat copy loosely organized main idea, their idea was logical sequencing and development. The another important aspect is about vocabulary component, the effectiveness of using words will always give good result in writing both specific and technical writing. To express ideas we always deal with vocabulary and the lack of vocabulary makes it difficult to express ideas. In fact, the students got difficulties to develop their paragraph because of lack vocabularies. But after doing treatments and applied Small Moment Strategy, the students’ mean score was improved especially in vocabulary.
Next, the important aspect of writing is about language use component, in writing recount paragraph and other of writing involves correct languages and point of grammar. In this part, students didn’t know how to write with a good grammar. But after doing the treatments and applied Small Moment Strategy for six meetings, students got directions and could understand and wrote in a good paragraph. Meanwhile, in this mechanic in pre-test result, some of students still didn’t understand how to make capital letter after having full stop and the other mistakes about punctuation as well.
But after applied the treatments by using Small Moment Strategy, the students’ mean score was improved especially in mechanic. This is smilar with Bleicher (2014:48) who explained that by using Small Moment Writing Strategy can increase the students’ writing ability, the students’ awareness of community, solve problems, build confidence, and increase the students’ reflection. The findings are also supported by Sumarni (2018:58) who elaborated teaching writing by using CDO and COPS could
39 help the students to improve the students’ writing ability that covers content, organization, vocabulary, language use and mechanic. It can be concluded that the total mean score of students post-test as higher than pre-test. While Marwah (2018:60) stated that the implementation of the Cut and Grow Strategy is successful to increase the writing skills of the second grade students of SMK Kartika XXI Wirabuana Makassar.
Therefore, the researcher concluded that, Small Moment Strategy is one of the good technique in teaching writing to write their experience because they just focusing on a small moment in their experiences. The implementation of Small Moment Strategy in teaching writing at SMA Nasional Makassar can improve the students writing ability. This was proved by the t-test value was higher than t-table.
CONCLUSION
The aim of this research is to increase the students’ writing ability through the implementation of Small Moment writing strategy. This research was conducted at the second grade students of SMA Nasional Makassar. Based on the conclusions above, the implementation of the Small Moment Strategy is successful to improve the writing skills of the second grade students of SMA Nasional Makassar. It can be concluded that the implementation of “Small Moment Strategy” helped the students’ in generating ideas, organizing texts and could improve their vocabulary mastery. Small Moment Strategy also helps the students improve their skill in organizing the text because it helped them remembering the elements in recount text and the Small Moment Strategy also made the students to focus on the lesson. Thus, it meant the null hypothesis (H0) was rejected and the alternative hypothesis (H1) was accepted.
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