MIND MAPPING AND GROUP INVESTIGATION IN WRITING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT (MIND MAPPING AND GROUP INVESTIGATON DI MENULIS TEKS DESKRIPTIF)

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1 MIND MAPPING AND GROUP INVESTIGATION IN WRITING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT (MIND MAPPING AND GROUP INVESTIGATON DI MENULIS TEKS DESKRIPTIF) Zilba Vara Dainy Yuanita Devy Kuspriyanti Sulistyaningsih STKIP PGRI Sidoarjo Jl. Jenggala Kotak Pos 149 Kemiri Sidoarjo Abstract This study analyzed Mind Mapping and Group Investigation techniques to teach writing descriptive text to the eighth grade students at SMP Negeri 2 Tanggulangin Sidoarjo. The writer used the qualitative descriptive as its approach. She classified the data from the students score to know the result. English teacher using combination of mind mapping and group investigation is to enhance the social interaction and develop their imagination in writing paragraph descriptive text. Data were collected by using many ethnographic techniques including: observation, doing interview, and students tasks. The result showed that Mind Mapping could be combined with Group Investigation in teaching writing descriptive text. Key words: mind mapping, group investigation, descriptive text Abstrak Studi ini menganalisis mind mapping dan grup investigasi teknik untuk mengajar menulis teks deskriptif pada siswa kelas delapan di SMP Negeri 2 Tanggulangin Sidoarjo. Penulis menggunakan deskripsi kualitatif sebagai pendekatan pembelajaran. Dia mengklasifikasikan data dari nilai siswa untuk mengetahui hasil. Guru mengkombinasikan mind mapping dan grup investigasi untuk meningkatkan interaksi sosial dan mengembanngkan imajinasinya saat menulis paragraf deskriptif. Data dikumpulkan dengan menggunakan beberapa teknik yaitu: observasi, interview, dan penugaan siswa. Hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa Mind Mapping dapat dikombinasikan dengan group investigasi pada pembelajaran menulis deskritif teks. Kata kunci: mind mapping, grup investigasi, teks deskriptif Introduction Writing is an act that takes place within a context, that accomplishes a particular purpose, and that is appropriately shaped for its intended audiences (2001:2). If students do not need the writing skill for communicative purposes, writing is a valuable asset in the classrooms as the second-language learner seeks to gain competence and to functionalize productive skill (Kenneth 2001: 363). We need regular practice to make easy to write. As stated by Blanchard and Root (1998:1), it is not easy to write, it needs regular

2 practice and special treatment as the most important way to develop writing ability. However, a social humanity, the student has cooperation each other. Slavin (1990: 3) states that all cooperative learning methods share the idea that students work together to learn and are responsible for their teammates learning as well as their own. The observation was done in English Class of the on the eighth graders at SMP Negeri 2 Tanggulangin Sidoarjo. There were 36 students. English Class of VII A class done on Sunday, December 2 nd 2013 and Sunday, December 19 th The topics are about: classroom, canteen, library, computer laboratory, and mosque. Data were collected and analyzed using Descriptive Qualitative in research. Among these techniques were observation, check list, structured interview, and students task. Observation will be used to answer the question. Observation is the selection and recording behavior of people in their environment (Wahyuni:2011,21). Besides that, Structured interview refers to a situation in which interviewers ask each respondent a series of pre-established question with limited set of response categories (Denzin and Lincoln, 1994:363 in Wahyuni:2011,53). Brown and Bailey s analytical Score (1994:39-41). They were focused, their organization, content, and grammar. Writing was the communicative effect of students productive and the purpose of the students when they write. Content was the real content of the writing, it is included the generic structure of descriptive text. Grammar was the structural grammatical used by the students when they write. This rubric was matched with the ability of eighth grade students. The tasks were investigated to know the extent of the technique implementation in the encouraging the eighth graders to create descriptive text. Findings and Discussion The combination of Mind Mapping and Group Investigation as a technique in the writing of descriptive text could help students to improve their ability and made better result of writing descriptive text. English teacher used combination of mind mapping and group investigation was to enhance the social interaction and develop their imagination in writing paragraph descriptive text. Alderson (2001:23) described the writing process in terms of the task environment, which is included the writing assignment and the text produced so far, the writer s long term memory. In this study had been showed that were active in activity. How we could use Mind Mapping effectively, there were some steps to use: Use Single Words or Simple Phrases Many words in normal writing were padding, as they ensured that facts were conveyed in the correct context, and in a format that was pleasant to read. In Mind Maps, single strong words and short, meaningful phrases could convey the same meaning more potently. Excess words just clutter the Mind Map. Print Words Joined up or indistinct writing was more difficult to read. Use Color to Separate Different

3 Ideas This would help you to separate ideas where necessary. It also helped you to visualize the Mind Map for recall. Color helped to show the organization of the subject. Use Symbols and Images Pictures helped you to remember information more effectively than words, so, where a symbol or picture meant something to you, used it. Using Cross-Linkages Information in one part of a Mind Map might relate to another part. Here you could draw lines to show the cross-linkages. This helped you to see how one part of the subject affects another. In this first meeting, the teacher asked students opinion about their ideas in writing. Almost all the students said that writing were difficult, confused, and rather easy. To solve this problem, the teacher gave a solution based on students needs, by showing their opinion again, that writing lesson needs: a concentration, a comfortable situation, new methodology, and interest topic. After students stated their opinion, the teacher gave pre-test in 5 minutes to the students, to write paragraph description about their school. the students felt too hard to do it. The teacher evaluated the students writing. The results were almost the students could not integrate their idea into the paragraph writing. Then, the teacher introduced a mind mapping to the students. A video showed to the students. How to Create a Mind Mapping is the title of the video. The students have an enthusiast in watching the video. The video showed about how to integrate an idea in producing a description. Because mind mapping leads us to make good idea from the main topic to sub topics, general to narrow topic. The topic of the video is about family. After showing the video, the teacher led the student make another topic. It s about their school environment. That consisted of situation, teaching learning activity, building, and people. From that main topic, it made a sub topic. After that, the teacher explained about descriptive text. In order to give the students background knowledge about descriptive text, the generic structure, and language feature of descriptive text. Next, the teacher made a mind mapping based on discussion together. To make a descriptive text, every main topic was combined in sub topic to build good sentences. By making that, it s needed to generate the idea. In writing organization, the time signal and punctuation was important things. The teacher led the student, how to make paragraph writing well. After created writing, the teacher divided the students into five groups. Every group consist of seven and six students. It was directly divided based on count 1 till 5 randomly. Every group has a leader. For next meeting, every group was given duties. The groups brought papers and markers in various color. Those things are for making the mind mapping picture. The teaching and learning process in this meeting could run well. The students paid attention seriously when the lesson was presented. The second meeting was conducted on Sunday, 19 September It was followed by 30 students. Before the lesson started, the students prayed first and filled attendant list. After that, the teacher explained again to the students about the same method would be used like the activities before. In this occasion, the

4 students were getting adaptable with the activities. Students sit on their group before. In every group, the leader discussed together to find the topics will be used. The topics are about: classroom, canteen, library, computer laboratory, and mosque. In Group investigation, the students chose their topics. The leader backed to their group. They created and integrated the topic into some sub topics. To make the exercise easy, they continue created a mind mapping. Following the last activity, mind mapping they created a descriptive text. Every member of group had an activity her/himself which consisting of drawing mind mapping; then developing the topic into sub topics. The last step was making a descriptive text. In the next stage, Group Investigation was presented. This opportunity is to observe how the group organized their findings and made a presentation. The next stage was evaluation. Evaluation was focused on the knowledge acquired in the course of investigation as well as on the experience of investigating. Both these aspects of evaluation are conducted on an individual, group, and class basic. The activities process in this meeting could run better than the previous meeting. The students had become accustomed with the activities given by the teacher. Therefore, they were not afraid and ashamed any more in performing any command even though they made mistake. Conclusion After doing the research, it can be concluded that the combination of Mind Mapping and Group Investigation is expected to be an appropriate technique in learning writing to create descriptive text product, especially to eighth grade students of SMPN 2 Tanggulangin. Thus, the students need to know a learning technique that dealt with creative and flexible thinking process and could improve their writing ability in descriptive text. References Brown, H. Douglas. (2007). Teaching by Principles: an Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy. U.S America:Longman. Chastain, Kenneth.(1976). Developing Second Language Skill: Theory to Practice. U.S.A: Rand MGNally College Publishing Company. Kang Guru Indonesia ( u.org). English Framework Based On Content Standard for SMP VIII A Descriptive Text Lestari, Eka Febri. (2010). The Combination of Mind Mapping and Group in Teaching Speaking to Eighth Graders. Unpublished Thesis : UNESA. Investigation as a Technique Orr, Fred. (1992). Study Skill for Successful Students. Australia: Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd. Rachmawati, Nur.(2011). The Implementation of Group Investigation technique to teach writing of descriptive text to seventh graders of SMP Negeri 1 Sukorame Lamongan. Unpublished Thesis UNESA.

5 Sharan, Shlomo. (1992). Expanding cooperative Learning Through Group Investigation. U.S.A: Teacher College, Columbia University. Suharsimi Arikunto, (2006). Prosedur Penelitian: Suatu Pendekatan Praktik. Jakarta: Rineka Cipta. Wahyuni, Sari. (2011). Qualitative Research Method. Depok: Salemba Empat. Wardiman, Artono; Jahur, Masduki B.; Djusma, M. Sukirman. (2008). English in Focus for Grade VIII Junior High School. Adi Perkasa (hal 22-23) Weigle, Sara Chusing, (2001). Assesing Writing. Cambridge: University Press. Wiersma, William. Research Method in Education. U.S America: A Simon and Schuster Company.