Improving Students’ Writing Skill In Recount Text Using Four Square Writing Method (A Classroom Action Research At The Eighth Grade Of Smp Negeri 2 Jatisrono In The Academic Year 2012/2013)

Oleh :
Arum Artha Pratiwi - K2209011 - Fak. KIP

The research aims at: (1) identifying and whether four square writing method can improve the writing skill, and (2) describing what happens to the classroom situation when four square writing method is used to teach writing. The method used in this research was a classroom action research, conducted in two cycles at the VIII B grade students of SMP Negeri 2 Jatisrono at the academic year 2012/2013, from May to June 6th 2013. The research data were collected using observation, interviews, field notes, questionnaire and test (pretest and post-test). The qualitative data were analyzed through some steps proposed by Burns: assembling the data, coding the data, comparing the data, building interpretation, and reporting the outcomes. For the quantitative data, the researcher analyzed the mean score of the test to compare differences between pre-test and post-test. The research findings show that the use of four square writing method could improve students’ writing skill and classroom situation of English class. The improvement of the students’ writing skill includes the following: (1) the students could use appropriate general structure; (2) the students could develop the idea easily; (3) the students made less mistakes in spelling and punctuation; (4) the students became more aware in grammatical aspect; (5) the students used more varied vocabulary. Meanwhile, the improvement of classroom situation includes the following: (1) the students paid attention to the teacher explanation; (2) the students keep focused on lesson; (3) the students found inspiration so they were not took much time to writing, (4) the students could finish their writing in one meeting; (5) the students did not do non academic activities. In addition, the final result of the test showed that the students score also improved. The mean score increases from 59.07 (pretest) to 65.73 (in cycle 1) and 75.26 (in cycle 2) which was above the passing grade of the school, (Kriteria Ketuntasan Minimum/ KKM); 75. From the result above, it could be concluded that Four Square writing method could improve students’ writing skill and classroom situation. Considering the result of this study, the researcher suggested that the teacher use Four Square writing method in teaching writing.