IMPROVING STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILL USING A FOUR-PHASE TECHNIQUE

This article describes a classroom action research held in writing class using a four-phase technique to improve the eleventh grade students’ writing skill and improve classroom situation. The method used in the research is classroom action research was conducted in two cycles. Each cycle included four stages: planning, implementing, observing, and reflecting. The research data were collected by using observation, interview, document, photograph and test (pre-test and post-test). The data were analyzed through descriptive analysis which consists of assembling the data, coding the data, comparing the data, building interpretation, and reporting the outcomes for the qualitative data and descriptive statistics for the quantitative data. The research findings show that a four-phase technique is able to improve students’ wriitng skill and classroom situation. It shows that there was an improvement of the students’ writing skill before and after the research. Key words: classroom action research, writing skill, a four-phase techniqu

IMPROVING STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION USING JIGSAW

The objectives of the research are (1) to describe how jigsaw improves the students’ reading comprehension at the eighth grade of SMP Islam Diponegoro Surakarta and (2) to describe how jigsaw can improve class situation. In the pre research, the students had difficulties in identifying main idea, identifying supporting detail, guessing meaning of new words, and identifying communicative purpose of text, identifying cohesive device, and identifying reference. Because of those indicators, the researcher applied jigsaw technique. The research finding shows that jigsaw could overcome the students’ difficulties in reading comprehension; they could identify main idea, identify supporting details, guess meaning of new words, identify communicative purpose of text, identify cohesive device, and identify reference. The improvement could be seen from the mean score of posttest 1 (60.37) and it increased to 73.08 in posttest 2. Besides solving the students’ difficulties, jigsaw improved the class situation. Before conducting jigsaw technique in teaching process, the students’ motivation was low and after the implementation of jigsaw, their motivation improved. Based on the preobservation, most of students were passive. After taught jigsaw technique, the students became more active and interactive during the teaching learning process. There was improvement in the students’ attitude. Finally, it can be concluded that jigsaw can improve the students’ reading comprehension and improve the class situation.

IMPROVING THE STUDENTS’ GRAMMAR MASTERY THROUGH EGRA TECHNIQUE

This  classroom action research is aimed at  finding  out whether  EGRA can  improve the students’ grammar mastery and the strengths and weaknesses of EGRA to the class VIII of SMP N 1 Jaten Karanganyar.  It  was  conducted in two cycles. Quantitative and qualitative data gathered indicates  that  EGRA  effectively improve the students’ grammar mastery.  The mean score of the test result is 56.7 for pre-test, 68.8 for the post-test 1 and 91.8 for the post-test 2. On the one hand, the research proves that  (1) EGRA  enhance the students’ grammar concept, (2) Generalization stage  in EGRA steps  pump up the students’ discovery in learning structures of a sentence and (3) EGRA technique can be a tool of motivator to build the  students’awareness in learning grammar.  On the other hand,  it  is time consuming  in generalization stage and the students sometimes get bored with repeated explanation on structures.Keywords: Grammar mastery, EGR

THE USE OF TEAM-ACHIEVEMENT DIVISONS (STAD) TO IMPROVE STUDENT’S VOCABULARY MASTERY

This article describes a classroom action research held in vocabulary class by  using Student Team-Achievement Divisions to improve student’s vocabulary mastery. The implementation conducted within two cycles. Each cycle consists of four meeting. The data collected by observation, questionnaire, interview, and test. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistic method. The qualitative data were analyzed by using the method suggested by Burn as follows: assembling the data; coding the data; comparing the data; building interpretation; and reporting the outcomes. The results of the research show that STAD can improve student’s vocabulary mastery and class situation.Keywords: vocabulary mastery, STA

PICTURES FOR TEACHING WRITING

This research aims at finding out whether and how picture can improve  students‟ writing skill. This research uses the design of Action Research and was conducted in two cycles. The data are collected through observation, test, and interview. The research results show that the benefits of pictures i.e. focusing students attention, stimulate and provides ideas, and lessen anxiety help students to improve their writing in terms of content and, organization, and help teacher to work on students grammar and vocabulary, and mechanics (punctuation and spelling). These findings, however; are not to neglect the consideration on how and the execution of how pictures are used in the classroom activities by both teacher and students. As a media, pictures do need careful handling in selecting and using. Appropiate teaching method is also a key element for the success of the research.Keywords: pictures, class situation, guided writin

IMPROVING STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILLS OF DESCRIPTIVE TEXT USING FIELD TRIP

This classroom action research  study  was aimed at improving students’ writing skills of  descriptive texts by implementing field trip technique in the instruction. This study was  conducted at  eighth grade of SMP Negeri 3 Colomadu,  Surakarta.  The problems faced by the students  were  the difficulties  in exploring idea using correct spelling, grammar,  capitalizations, and arranging their writing in coherent paragraph. The study was conducted in two cycles. Each cycle  consisted  of four steps namely plan, action, observation, and reflection. The  quantitative and qualitative analyses show  that field trip  could  improve both  the  students’ writing skills  and the class situation.Keywords: writing skills, field tri

IMPROVING STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL USING SCAFFOLDING STRATEGY IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

This article describes a classroom action research held in speaking class through the implementation of scaffolding strategy to improve the Junior High School students’ speaking skill and improve classroom situation. The method  used in the research is collaborative action research which was conducted in two cycles. Each cycles included four stages namely planning, implementing, observing and reflecting. The data that were obtained qualitatively and quantitatively show that through scaffolding strategy could improve: (1) students’ speaking skill; (2) speaking classroom situation.Keywords: speaking skill, scaffolding strategy