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ABSTRACT

            YANTI YULIANTI. Improving Students’ Ability in Writing Descriptive Text through  Mind Mapping Technique; A Classroom Action Research in SMP N 1 Jember on the 2008/2009 Academic Year. English Teacher Certification Faculty Jember University 2008/2009

           

This classroom action research was intended to improve the 7^th year students’ writing achievement at SMP N 1 Jember in the 2008/2009 Academic Year by applying Mind-mapping Technique. The subject of this classroom action research (CAR) were class 7 G that was determined purposively. The class 7 G was chosen as the subjects of this research because the class had problem dealing with writing and their average score in writing was the lowest among four skills that was 63 in the preliminary study of the research. Its classical mastery level was also low, namely 48%.

Mind mapping was chosen as the technique in the teaching learning process of writing under the reasons that mind mapping is an excellent prewriting technique because it easily allows students to expand and explore their idea about the topics that are going to write. By using mind mapping, the students are likely encouraged to create as many ideas as they can. As students make mind mapping, their thoughts tumble out, enlarge their word bank for writing and its visual design enables them to see the patterns in their ideas.   

            This CAR consisted of two cycles, in which each cycle covered four main stages including: the planning of the action, the implementation of the action, classroom observation. The primary data were taken from the results of writing achievement tests. Meanwhile, the supporting data were gathered from questionnaire, interview and field notes.

            The result of the average score of the writing test in the first cycle was M= 66 that was classified in the fair category. This result achieved the target average score in this research that was M>65. Besides, the classical mastery level was 60% below the targeted classical mastery level which was determined at 85%. The results of the average score of the writing test in the second cycle was better M=70 that was classified in the good category. Besides, the classical mastery level got in the second cycle was 86% and the students’ involvement in the writing process improved from 71% in the first cycle up to 81%  in the second cycle. It means that both the students’ writing test and the students’ involvement in the writing process improved in the second cycle and fulfilled the target of this research.

            Based on the results, it could be concluded that the use of mind-mapping  technique could improve the 7^th year students’ Ability in writing at SMP N 1 Jember in the 2008/2009 Academic Year in two cycles. Then it is suggested to the English teacher to apply Mind-mapping Technique as the alternative way of English teaching technique, especially in teaching writing a descriptive text.

Keywords: mind-mapping, descriptive text, writing achievement test