Improving Students’ Writing Skill By Using Weblog (A Classroom Action Research At The Second Grade Of Sma N Colomadu In The Academic Year Of 2010 / 2011)

Oleh :
Azis Oka Setiawan - X2209010 - Fak. Sastra dan Seni Rupa

Azis Oka Setiawan. IMPROVING STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILL BY USING WEBLOG. A CLASSROOM ACTION RESEARCH AT THE SECOND GRADE OF SMA N COLOMADU IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF 2010/2011. Thesis, Surakarta: Teacher Training and Education Faculty. Sebelas Maret University, 2011. The second year students of SMU Negeri I Colomadu, Academic Year 2010/2011, had problems dealing with writing skill. First, they found it hard to express their idea in writing including expanding content and making a better organization of sentences. Second, they found it hard to make a better language use. Third, they lacked vocabulary mastery. Fourth, they lack of mechanics skill which make them unable to use it correctly. Fifth, their interest or motivation in learning English is low. To overcome the problems, the researcher designed an action research to teach writing skill by using weblog. The purpose of the research is to investigate whether or not weblog writing can improve students’ writing skill and class condition. The action research was conducted in two cycles. Each cycle consisted of four steps: planning, action, observation and reflection. To collect the qualitative data, the researcher used field notes, questionnaires, and interview. To collect the quantitative data, the researcher conducted tests. The tests were pre-test and post tests. To analyze the qualitative data, the researcher used Constant Comparative Method. There were five steps to analyze the qualitative data: (1) Assembling the data, (2) Coding the data, (3) Comparing the data, (4) Building interpretations, and reporting the outcomes. For the quantitative data, the researcher analyzed the mean scores of the tests to compare differences between pre-test and post-test. The result of the research shows that weblog writing could improve: (1) the students’ writing skill. The students could make a story with a good and well expanded content. Their ideas also had been better. Then, the students had the ability to construct sentences based on the grammar. They also used appropriate vocabularies dealing with the topic in their writing and their mechanics had also been improved. In general, students are encouraged to practice writing as much as possible. The improvements of the mean scores showed that there was an improvement on the students’ writing skill. Therefore, it could be concluded that weblog writing could improve the students’ writing skill. (2) Weblog could also improve the class condition. It is proven by the students’ attendance. They come on time in English class. They always pay attention and keep listening to the teacher’s explanation. Based on the result of the study above, the researcher suggests that English teachers had better implemented weblog writing in their class in order to help the students improve their writing skill.