Improving Grade VII Students’ Writing Skills Through the Use Of Dictogloss Technique at SMP N 2 Sentolo, Kulon Progo in the Academic Year of 2016/2017

Abstract

This research aimed to improve the writing skills of grade VII A students at SMP N 2 Sentolo, Kulon Progo through the use of dictogloss technique in the academic year of 2016/2017. The study was categorized as action research that consisted of two cycles. Both of the cycles consisted of three meetings. This research used the action research procedures proposed by Kemmis and McTaggart. The data collection technique used in this research were observations, interviews, survey, and tests while the instruments used in this research were an observation checklist, an interview guideline, a questionnaire, and tests (questions). The data were qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative data were collected through observing the teaching and learning process, interviewing the English teacher, the students, and the research collaborator. On the other hand, the quantitative data were collected through distributing questionnaires to the students and conducting tests to assess the students’ writing performance. The qualitative data were analysed by assembling the data, coding the data, building interpretations, and reporting the outcomes while the quantitative data were analysed using descriptive quantitative analysis. The results of the research proved that the implementation of dictogloss technique in the writing teaching and learning process was able to improve the students’ writing skills. The qualitative data suggested that the students were able to generate their ideas easily and subsequently they were able to produce well-organized texts with proper mechanics. In addition, they also gave positive responses towards the lessons.  During the teaching and learning process, the students showed their enthusiasm in joining the learning activities. Moreover, based on the quantitative data, the students’ writing mean scores showed improvements. The mean of the students’ writing scores improved from 9.16 in the pre-test to 13.06 in the progress-test, and to 16.81 in the post-test.

Keywords: Action research, improving, writing skills, dictogloss technique