Using Task-Based Activities to Improve Student’s Writing Ability (A Classroom Action Research at Class X-5 Students of SMA Negeri I Bojonegoro in The Academic Year of 2008/2009)

Oleh :
Ana Rochanah - S890208119 -

ABSTRACT Ana Rochanah. 2010. S 890208119. Using Task-based Activities to Improve Students’ Writing Ability (A Classroom Action Research in the tenth grade students of SMA Negeri I Bojonegoro). Thesis, Graduate Program in English Education, Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta. Advisors: (1) Dra. Dewi Rochsantiningsih, M. Ed, Ph.D, (II) Dr. Ngadiso, M.Pd. This research was set out in the attempt to overcome the writing problems of the students in tenth grade of SMA Negeri I Bojonegoro in the academic year 2008-2009. The Research is also aimed to (1) identify whether and to what extent task-based activity improve the students’ writing ability; and (2) describe the teaching and learning situation when task-based activity is implemented in writing class. The students were observed that they have poor ability in writing. The problems encountered were caused by two sides: the students and the teacher. They were as follows: (1) the students were less interested in writing: (2) the students lacked of interest in writing: (3) they lacked of vocabulary: (4) they lacked of model of how to start to write: (5) they lacked of grammar mastery: (6) the time to practice writing was so limited: (6) they also got difficulty in arranging sentence. The causes from the teacher were: (1) the teacher carried out the lesson conventionally: (2) the teacher gave no various teaching. To overcome those problems, the researcher designed an action research using task-based. The action research is a way of reflecting on teaching which is done systematically collecting data on everyday practice and analyzing it in order to come to some decisions about what the future practice should be. The research consisted of three cycles, with four meetings in every cycle; consisting of planning, action, observation and reflection in each cycle. In collecting data, the researcher used qualitative data which were collected by observation, interview, questionnaire, and test. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistic, finding out the mean of the scores in the test and the improvement of the scores. The qualitative data were analyzed using Constant Comparative Technique proposed by Strauss and Glasser consisting of the following steps: (1) comparing incidents applicable to each category; (2) integrating categories and their properties; (3) delimiting the theory; and (4) writing the theory. The result of the study showed that: (1) task-based can improve students’ writing ability. Being taught using task-based, the students’ interest in writing improved. They were also actively involved in the teaching and learning process. Most of them were able to organize the words through various tasks into a text of descriptive. Their group work also improved since the researcher gave them pair work project to finish their works, (2) Task-based is also improve the classroom situation, such as: the classroom situation more live, increasing students’ participation, reducing teachers’ domination, providing more chance for students to write, increasing teachers’ innovation and understanding students’ potential. Based on the result of the study, the researcher concluded that the students’ writing ability and improving classroom situation can be improved through task-based. Therefore, it is recommended that the teacher should apply task-based in teaching writing.