Using Picture Series to Improve Students’ Writing Ability (A Classroom Action Research at the Third Grade Students of MTS NW I  Kembang Kerang in the Academic Year of 2010/2011)

Zaini, Muhammad

ABSTRAK The research is aimed at: (1) finding whether or not picture series can improve the students’ ability in writing procedure texts; and (2) finding the strengths and the weaknesses of picture series used as media to improve the students’ ability in writing procedure texts. This research was a classroom action research. The research was conducted from January 2011 to May 2011 at MTs NW 1 Kembang Kerang, East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. The subjects of the research are thirty two students of Class IX A. Based on the problem statement, the research was conducted in two cycles that consisted of planning the action, implementing the action, observing and monitoring the action, evaluating and reflecting. Picture series (PS) are a set of parallel picture showing similar scene or story that offers guidance on vocabulary, structure, and organization. Its function is to tell steps or a sequence of events based on what the students see in the picture. There are at least five main activities involved in implementing picture series, they are: Sticking picture series on whiteboard and asking the students to describe the picture, asking the students to write based on the picture, discussing the result of all groups, making some correction to the students’ mistakes, and discussing the students’ difficulties. The data were collected quantitatively and qualitatively. To collect the quantitative data the researcher used students’ pre-test and post-test. To collect the qualitative data the researcher conducted the direct observation at the classroom, interviews, and questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and t-test of non independent variables are used to analyze quantitative data. Constant Comparative Method designed by Strauss and Glasser is used to analyze qualitative data. The research findings are described in line with the problem statements as follows: (1) Pictures series can improve the students’ ability in writing procedure texts. It was indicated by the score of each indicator of Post-test is higher than the score of each indicator of Pre-test. The scores between the Pre-test and the scores of the Post-test were analyzed by using t-test of non independent variables. It can be concluded that there was a significant difference between the result of the Pre-test and the result of the Post-test, because to(35.53227093) is higher than tt(1.960); (2) The strengths of using picture series used as media to improve the students’ ability in writing procedure texts are: (1) it could be helpful for the students in generating their ideas; (2) it could stimulate the students to participate in writing class and the activities in the writing class were students-centered and make them pay attention and take part in the teaching-learning. The researcher also realized that there were still some weaknesses of picture series as follows: (1) it needed much time to carry out teaching writing using picture series; and (2) it was not easy to find pictures for suitable topics. However, picture series media is one of the appropriate instructional media to improve the students’ ability in writing procedure texts.

Abstrak

Using Picture Series to Improve Students’ Writing Ability (A Classroom Action Research at the Third Grade Students of MTS NW I Kembang Kerang in the Academic Year of 2010/2011)