THE EFFECT OF USING PICTURE SERIES ON STUDENTS WRITING QUALITY OF THE SECOND YEAR STUDENTS OF SMA N 2 PEKANBARU. Rugaiyah

THE EFFECT OF USING PICTURE SERIES ON STUDENTS WRITING QUALITY OF THE SECOND YEAR STUDENTS OF SMA N 2 PEKANBARU Pengaruh Penggunaan Gambar Berseri Terhadap Kualitas Menulis Siswa Tahun Kedua SMAN 2 Pekanbaru Rugaiyah Faculty Of Teacher Training And Education Riau Islamic University Jl. Kaharuddin Nasution 113, Pekanbaru 28284 Riau Telp: 0761-72126 ext. 123, Fax: 0761-674681 E-mail : n.rugaiyah@yahoo.com [Diterima Febuari 2014; Disetujui Maret 2014] ABSTRAK Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui keefektifan penggunaan gambar berseri terhadap kualitas menulis siswa yang berbentuk naratif di SMA NEGERI 2 Pekanbaru kelas dua jurusan sosial. Jumlah sampel pada penelitian ini adalah 75 orang yang diseleksi melalui claster sampling. Pengambilan data dilakukan melalui tes yang diambil dari buku tex siswa. Penelitian ini berbentuk experimen dengan menggunakan faktor desain 2 X 2 yang dianalisa melalui rumus ANOVA dua jalur. Untuk mengetahui normalitas tes digunakan Liliefors formula, sedangkan untuk mengetahui homogenitas tes digunakan teknik barlet. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa gambar berseri memberikan efek yang lebih baik terhadap siswa dalam meningkatkan kualitas menulis siswa yang berbentuk naratif dari pada menggunakan tex bacaan yang berbahasa Indonesia. Gambar berseri ini lebih bermamfaat terhadap siswa yang memiliki IQ tinggi di banding dengan siswa yng mempunyai IQ rendah. Kata kunci: Kemampuan, Tes IQ, Gambar Berseri, Membaca Text, Kualitas, dan Menulis. BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM Based on the 2006 Standard of Content, English teaching in senior high schools covers four skills, namely listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Among the basic skills, writing is considered to be the most complicated skill because in writing, the writer shoud be able to combine and express his or her opinions in good written forms. In writing, the writer should not neglect the language components (structure, vocabulary, and spelling) because the content of writing can only be understood if those language components are written in correct forms. When the writing skill is taught in the classroom, the students are expected to be able to write in English using a correct structure. Writing is one of the skills studied by students of senior high schools. It is one of the efforts to train and develop the students thought to a problem. It needs a high motivation and continuous training to master it. To develop those skills, especially writing skill, there are 43 units of English subjects to be taught, and each unit is divided into three sub-themes. Each sub-theme contains reading, vocabulary, listening, conversation, and composition. English writing is taught for http://rat.uir.ac.id 481

90 minutes a week for the first up to the third year of SMA students. In this case, the aim of teaching writing is truly to enable the students to communicate in written English. Harries (1971) states that there are five general components in writing. They are content, form, grammar, style, and mechanics. It means that the students should use those components when they are writing. Bryne (1982:1) states that writing is how we can produce a sequence of sentences arranged in particular order and linked together in certain ways and it involves the encoding massage that both writer and reader can understand. It means that by learning how to write, the learners have an ability to write a composition which is arranged in good order and also contains a massage. Furthermore, writing is more than the production of the graphic symbols. It requires the conscious mental effort where it involves how to combine the ideas into a various ways and arrange them into a coherent text. In fact, it was found the weaknesses of students in mastering English writing skill in daily classroom activities. Based on the observation at SMA Negeri 2 Pekanbaru, it was found that some students often complained with difficulties how to organize ideas. The second, most students faced problems in choosing the diction. The third, problem is caused by the lack of ability in arranging the words in grammatical sentences. The fourth, this problem is caused by the lack of exercises given by teachers, or techniques of teaching used by the teacher that is not relevant to the material. On the other hand, the students need to possess competence in written communication. There are five components of writing: content, organization of ideas, diction, language use, and mechanic. Based on identification of the problem, this research is limited in organizing ideas, and choosing words in writing quality of short narrative paragraph of SMA Negeri 2 Pekanbaru. In this case, picture series is used to improve the students quality in writing. Through process of writing, the students can develop their thinking, knowledge, and ability. Linguistically, Raimes (1983:12) states that writing can impose the grammatical structure, idioms, and vocabulary of the students. So, writing may fullfil desire of someone to communicate without direct oral communication. In writing, the teacher can help learners use grammatical structure, idioms, and vocabulary that they have learned. They are involved in the effect of expressing ideas. Based on the explanation above, it seems that writing and learning are integrative process, where through writing the students describe, argue, discover, create, interact with words and ideas that develop and change overtime. Through writing, understanding and development of those activities are provided all at the same time. It is why the students who can write well have a great advantage over the students who can not write well. In learning process, especially in language learning, the function of media are allow teacher to illustrates ideas and encourage or stimulate learning processes. Pictures series as one of the media use can motivate learner to practice their language in real context as initial stage of communicating ideas (Mora:1988 : 54). Therefore, pictures series can help students in the process of writing activity. If the teacher selects appropriate picture series for the subject, the teacher would become facilitator to guide students to develop their language skills. At last, picture series can indirectly give experience to the students before the teacher gives explanations. In writing, picture series play important role to guide writing process concerning giving ideas to be written down. Through pictures, learners can be shown people, places, http://rat.uir.ac.id 482

and things from area far outside their own experience. Pictures can also represent images from ancient times or portray the future. Pictures are visual materials that can be used to motivate students in learning language. Honeyfield (1981: 17) mentions that using language and picture are two ways of communicating the teaching learning. When we bring them together in certain way, we have some powerful ways to organize language learning. There are two kinds of pictures; they are single picture and picture series (picture sequences). In this research, the writer used picture series as a tool of teaching writing. Heaton (1975:9) believes that in addition to developing the students powers of observation, picture composition encourages clear and precise thinking while helping the pupil to talk and write freely upon a definite subject. He also says that pictures are great help in the teaching of new vocabulary and structures, and provide the students with the basic material for his composition, thus enabling him to give his attention to the correct use of language. A teacher should not provide pictures that he/she likes, but she should select pictures that are interesting to her students and can motivate them to write. Wright (1986:27) emphasizes that the teacher must present pictures in a way which is relevant to the interest and age of her students. In conclusion, picture series encourage students to write, and they provide students the basic material for their composition. Selection of picture is important to keep students motivation. Pictures to be selected are not only relevant with the students interest and age, but they should also be fun, a truly self motivating, and have much visual information. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This research was a quasi-experimental research. There were two groups involved: control and experimental groups. They got the same material, lesson plan, length of time, and were taught by the same English teacher. The treatment for each was different. The experimental group (A) was taught through technique of giving picture series, and the other group (B) was through technique of giving Indonesian reading passages. Research was carried out at SMA N 2 Pekanbaru, the treatment was conducted at th second year students of social program-first semester. This research, employed three variables, independent variable (A) that was the kind of technique called using picture series and reading text. Dependent variable (B1) was the skill of the second year students of SMA Negeri 2 in English Writing quality of short narrative paragraph, and the IQ scores of the students (B).In this research design, the writer used pre and post- test. Pre-test was used to understand the students basic skill in English writing quality. Meanwhile, the post-test was used to determine that is treated in writing process. Lastly, the post-test was a student s result of both of the teaching techniques which were applied at SMA Negeri 2 Pekanbaru. Instruments in this research were used in pre-test, treatment, and post-test. The instrument which were used were picture series and Indonesian reading text. Then, the instrument that was used in pre-test and posttest was writing test. In making the items of writing test, it was connected to the curriculum of the second academic year ( 2011). It was designed as well as possible in order that the students are able to understand when the test started. Beside that, items were constructed accordance with the content of items, authentic, reliability, and validity. In addition, she asked to the experts who have more experiences in making test. Not only to experts but also the first and the second advisors. The writing test is assumed to be valid when the test can measure what is supposed to be measured. To get the validity of the instrument, it used content validity. Criteria http://rat.uir.ac.id 483

have measured in students writing covered two components: form (organization of ideas), and vocabulary chosen. This research was conducted in four steps, they are: 1. IQ test : It was conducted by the psychologist The aim of this test was to know the students intelligent, or to differentiates students level of IQ before conducting pre-test. 2. Pre-test : The aim of this test is to know if the groups are essentially the same on the dependent variable at the start of the study. 3. Treatment : After giving IQ test and pretest, the students were given treatmentpost- test : The aim of this test is to know the effectiveness of the treatment. Table. 1. Research Design (The Basic 2X2 Factorial Design) IQ (B) Teaching Technique (A) Picture Series (A1) Indonesian Reading Text (A2) High IQ (B1) A1 B1 A2 B1 Low IQ (B2) A1 B2 A2 B2 The table above is a 2X2 factorial design. There are two factors. Teaching technique has two levels, picture series and Indonesian reading text, and IQ has two levels, high and low. Each of the groups in the four design cells represents a combination of a level of one factor and a level of the other factor. Where: A1 B1 : High IQ students who are taught through picture series. A2 B1 : High IQ students who are taught through Indonesian reading text technique. A1 B2 : Low IQ students who are taught through picture series A2 B2 : Low IQ students who are taught through Indonesian reading text technique. Data Analysis Based on objectives of this study, two classes of the second year students of social program SMA Negeri 2 Pekanbaru have been treated by applying two different techniques, they were picture series in experimental group (A1), and Indonesian reading text in control group (A2). Then, for the analysis, each group was classified into two groups based on the levels of IQ scores determined by average score of students IQ test. They were grouped into high IQ (B1) and low IQ (B2) groups. Therefore, there were four group analyses. Hypothesis Test The first, second, and third hypothesis are tested by using t test, while the fourth one is tested by F test through ANOVA technique. Basic statistics, mean and standard deviation for each group, have been analysed. The result can be seen in Table 2 below. Table 2. The Summary of Basic Statistics Group N Mean Sd A1 38 9.579 1.553 A2 37 8.622 1.587 B1 B2 A1B1 A1B2 A2B1 A2B2 31 44 16 22 15 22 10.484 8.136 11.063 8.500 9.867 7.773 1.262 1.069 0.772 0.964 1.407 1.066 A1 = All students that treated by picture series technique A2 = All students that treated by reading text technique B1 = All High IQ students B2 = All Low IQ students http://rat.uir.ac.id 484

A1B1 = High IQ students that treated by picture series technique A1B2 = Low IQ students that treated by picture series technique A2B1 = High IQ students that treated by reading text technique A2B2 = Low IQ students that treated by reading text technique N = Amount of students in the group Mean = Average of students achievement on the group Sd = Standard Deviation of students achievement on the group All hypotheses testing began with analysis of variances (ANOVA) technique, and continued by t test technique for each hypothesis. The result of ANOVA summarized in Table 15 below. Table 3. The Summary of Two Ways ANOVA Source df SS MSS F p Between A Between B Inter AB Residual 1 1 1 71 17.181 100.223 1.027 78.716 17.181 100.223 1.027 1.109 15,497 90.398 0.925 < 0.001 < 0.001 0.659 Total 74 197.147 From the analysis that shown in Table 3, it can be concluded that there is difference between A group significantly (A1><A2), where the score of F = 15.479 and p (error probability) was lower than significance level (α) = 0,05 or p < α. It means that the students writing Quality who treated through picture series (A1) was different from the students writing Quality who treated by Indonesian reading text technique (A2). Table 3 also shows that there was significantly difference between B group (B1><B2), where the score of F = 90.398 and p (error probability) is lower than significance level (α) = 0,05 or p < α. It s means that the students writing quality who have high IQ (B1) is different from the student who have low IQ (B2). Finally, Table 2 shows that there is no interaction between the two techniques of measurement (A and B) on students writing quality, because the score of F = 0.925 and p (error probability) was higher than significant level (α) = 0,05 or p > α 1. First Hypothesis The first hypothesis is Picture series technique gives better result than Indonesian reading technique in writing quality of short narrative paragraph at SMA Negeri 2 Pekanbaru.. The hypothesis is written down on statistical symbol, as follows: H1 : μa1 > μa2 H0 : μa1 μ A2 The hypothesis was tested by using t test. The result of analysis can be seen in Table 4. Table 4. The Comparison of t Test between A1 and A2 Group N Mean Sd ttest p A1 A2 38 37 9.579 8.622 1.553 1.587 3.937 <0.001 Table 4. shows that the score of t test = 3.937, t table = 1,68 and p (0.05). score of t test is significant and positive. The research hypothesis ; H1 is that the students achievement in English writing skill who were taught through picture series get better result than teaching through Indonesian reading text technique. It means that there was found significant difference between teaching through picture series and Indonesian reading text technique. (mean score of A1 group is more than A2 group significantly). Therefore, H0 is rejected because different group of students who were taught by different technique will not get the same result (different result significantly). Meanwhile, H1 is accepted because the students (in experimental group) who were taught through picture series have better writing quality. It means that mean score of A1 group was higher than A2 group. Therefore, the first hypothesis was tested significantly at level of confidence 95%. http://rat.uir.ac.id 485

2. Second Hypothesis The second hypothesis is High IQ students that are taught through picture series have better writing quality of short narrative paragraph than those who are taught through Indonesian reading technique at SMA Negeri 2 Pekanbaru. The hypothesis test can be reported as follows: H1 : μa1b1 > μa2b1 H0 : μa1b1 μ A2B1 Above hypothesis tested by t test. The result of analysis can be seen in Table 5 Table 5. The Comparison of t Test between A1B1 and A2B1 Group N Mean Sd t test P A1B1 16 11.063 0.772 2.959 0.006 A2B1 15 9.867 1.407 Table 5 shows that the score of t test = 2.959, t table = 1. 75 and p < α(0.05). score of t test was significant and positive, and H0 is rejected. It means that mean score of A1B1 group was more than A2B1 group. Therefore, the second hypothesis was tested significantly at level of confidence 95%. Third Hypothesis The third hypothesis is Low IQ student that are taught through picture series have better writing quality of short narrative paragraph than those who are taught through reading technique at SMA Ngeri 2 Pekanbaru. The hypothesis test can be reported as follows. H1 : μa1b2 > μa2b2 H0 : μa1b2 μ A2B2 The hypothesis was tested by using t test. The result of analysis can be seen in Table 6. Table 6. T Test Comparison between A1B2 and A2B2 Group N Mean Sd ttest p A1B2 A2B2 Where: 22 22 8.500 7.773 0.964 1.066 2.374 0.021 N = Population SD = Standard Deviation. T test = T test. P = Error Probability. Table 6 shows that the score of t test = 2.374, t table = 1,75 and p < α(0.05). Score of t test was significant and positive, and H0 was rejected, because the result found that students who were taught through Indonesian reading text were lower than those who were in experimental group. While, H1 is accepted because the students who are taught through picture series have better writing quality than those who are taught through Indonesian reading text. It means that mean score of A1B2 group was more than A2B2 group significantly. Therefore, the third hypothesis was tested significantly at level of confidence 95%. 3. Fourth Hypothesis The fourth hypothesis is There are any interaction between strategies and students IQ in writing quality of short narrative paragraph at SMA N 2 Pekanbaru. The hypothesis is written down on statistical symbol, as follows. H1 : μa1b1 μ A1B2 μ A2B1 μ A2B2 H0 : μa1b1 = μa1b2 = μa2b1 = μa2b2 The hypothesis is tested by using F test through ANOVA. It shows that p > α(0.05). So that, H0 is accepted. The score of F was not significant. It means that there was no interaction between teaching strategy (picture series) and students writing quality in improving English writing skill at the second year students of social program of SMA Negeri 2 Pekanbaru. Therefore, the fourth hypothesis was not tested significantly at level of confidence 95%. This finding informs us that an approach of teaching (specially in writing quality of short narrative paragraph) gives special effect in specific students capacity (classified by their IQ). http://rat.uir.ac.id 486

DISCUSSION From the first hypothesis test that picture series give better effect to students in improving their English writing skill than Indonesian reading text technique. It caused by picture series can give motivation to the students in studying English writing. Based on the second and third hypothesis indicated that both high and low IQ students who were taught through picture series get better writing quality than those who were taught through Indonesian reading text technique. Therefore, picture series is more beneficial for high IQ students while, low IQ can not be trained in a short time, but should be given repetitive explanation. Then, the fourth hypothesis testing shows that there is no interaction between teaching strategies with students interesting in English writing skill. On the other hands, students interest in English writing are leak. It is caused of their own motivation and intelligence, and abilities. Another factor is teacher s technique in teaching. Good technique is shared by teacher that makes the students enthuses and active to join the course, the students may get a lot of comprehension and easier for them to express their own ideas/ opinions, especially, in English writing skill In experimental group, students interaction in group working should be considered by English teacher. Students can study to practice English writing skill freely, not tailored as the students who are taught through reading text one. Beside that, students who are taught through picture series have better writing quality of short narrative paragraph. CONCLUSIONS According to the experts that Picture series is an instrument or media that can help students to write and increases students motivation, and also provides students with basic material from their composition. Nevertheless, based on this research, it was found that picture series is more beneficial for high IQ students than those of low IQ students. Meanwhile, the form of picture series for low IQ students should be considered. In other words, the pictures that are used should be based on the students IQ level. In this research two ways ANOVA was used in analysing the data in order to know whether the quality of writing written by the two groups of students differ significantly. Seeing to those different results, it will be described the summarizing of hypothesis test as follows: 1. Picture series improve students writing quality for both high and low IQ levels students, but it is more beneficial for high IQ students. It can be seen from the first hypothesis test where t test = 3,937, an p= 0,001. It means that the score of t test is different significantly between teaching through picture series than Indonesian reading text. 2. In the line with the second hypothesis test, high IQ students who were taught through picture series have better writing quality of short narrative paragraph. It can be seen from t test = 2,959, p = 0.006. It means that the score of t test was significantly and positive. In other words, the second hypothesis was tested significantly at the level of confidence 95%. 3. In the line with t test that found in the third hypothesis test. Where t test = 2,374 and p = 0,021 the score of t test was significant and positive. It means that low IQ students who were taught through picture series have better writing quality than those who were taught through Indonesian reading text technique. 4. In the line with ANOVA summarizing on score of f = 15, 479, p = 0,001. It means that there was no interaction between http://rat.uir.ac.id 487

strategies toward students writing quality in writing skill whether in high and low IQ students. The percentage of the four groups analyses are as follow : 5. The writing quality of high IQ students treated through picture series technique (A1B1) classified as excellence that indicated by the percentage of the score = 92,19%. 6. The writing quality of low IQ students treated through picture series technique (A1B2) classified as fairly good which indicated by the percentage of the score = 70, 83%. 7. The writing quality of high IQ students treated through Indonesian reading text technique (A2B1) classified as good which indicated by the percentage of the score = 82,22%. 8. The writing quality of low IQ students treated through Indonsian reading text technique (A2B2) classified as fair with indicated by the percentage of the score = 64,78%. REFERENCES Byrne, Donn. 1980. Teaching Writing Skills. Singapore: Longman. Byrne, Donn. 1983. Teaching English Perspective. London. Longman. Harries, David P. 1979. Teaching English as a Second Language. Bombai. Tata Mc. Grow-Hill Publishing Company. Ltd. Heaton. J. B. 1975. writing English Language Test. London : Longman. Honey Field, John. 1981. Menggunakan Media. English Departement. FPBS IKIP Padang. Mora, J. Edmundo. 1988. Using Picture Creatively. English Teaching Forum.October. Vol. XXVI. No. 4:87. Wright, Andrew. 1986. Picture for language Learning: New York : Cambridge University Press.. 2006. Kurikulum 2006 KTSP. Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Inggris SMU. Jakarta. Depdiknas. http://rat.uir.ac.id 488