Improving the students’ writing skill through feedback (A Classroom Action Research at the Second Grade of SMP Negeri 16 Surakarta, 2008/2009)

Oleh :
Riyani - K2205041 - Fak. KIP

ABSTRACT This research aims to find out how far teacher’s feedback improves the students’ writing skill and to find out how far teacher’s feedback improves the quality of teaching writing in SMP Negeri 16 Surakarta. The approach used in this research is classroom action research. The action research is conducted in two cycles. Each cycle consists of four steps: planning, action, observing and reflection. To collect the data, the researcher uses observation, field notes, photographs, interview, questionnaire and test. The tests were pre-test and post-test. Then, the researcher analyzes the mean scores of the tests. The test is used to find out the improvement of the students’ writing after the research is conducted. The result of the research shows that teacher’s feedback can improve the students’ writing skill. It can be seen from the numbers of the students who can make use of teacher’s feedback to improve the content and the language of their composition. In the first cycle, there are 23 students who can make use of teacher’s feedback to improve the content of their composition and 28 students who can make use of teacher’s feedback to improve the language of their composition. Those numbers are increasing in the second cycle. There are 29 students who can make use of teacher’s feedback to improve the content of their composition and 34 students who can make use of teacher’s feedback to improve the language of their composition. The improvement of the students’ writing is also reflected in the test scores. The mean score of the test result are 58.5 for pre-test, 72.6 for the post-test 1 and 74 for the post-test 2. The second point to be concluded is that the implementation of teacher’s feedback improves the quality of teaching writing and the students’ motivation in learning writing. as can be seen in their positive attitudes towards writing indicated by the numbers of students who show activeness and seriousness in performing the steps of writing are increasing, from 17 students or 42.5 % in the first cycle become 30 students or 75 % in the second cycle. It means a lot because it is not easy to make the students realize that writing is a process, all they have to do is practice and they have to be active learner; not afraid to ask and not afraid to try. Based on the result of the study above, the researcher suggests that English teacher is better implement teacher’s feedback in their class in order to help the students improve their writing skill. The teacher should also focus on the process not only on the product.