The use of journal in teaching Writing
Dariani
English Department
Gorontalo State University
December. 2012
Background
In teaching writing, teacher usually
uses different method or technique to improve students writing ability. Teacher
should consider the method that she or he use in class to achieve his or her
goals. However, the method that use by teacher in class, it sometimes is
ineffective in teaching writing.
Moreover, students can produce the good writing depend on the method
that use teacher in class. Teacher needed to consider his or her method in
teaching writing because writing includes the difficult skill in English.
Students should learn how to produce a good writing with consideration in
writing rules, such as grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and tenses. This
phenomenon seems to students of English Department. Although students had been
in the college, they still have some difficulty to compose a paragraph or an
essay in academic writing.
From the phenomenon above, this research
introduce the ones of method that can use in teaching writing. It is journal
writing method. Quain (2012) stated that by using personal journals, teacher
can evaluate students’ ability in writing skill; spelling, grammar, punctuation
and sentence structure. In this journal writing, students reflect the material
that they had learned. As faculty development and instructional design center,
(n.d), state that reflective journals are personal
records of students’ learning experiences. Students typically are asked by
their instructors to record learning related incidents, sometimes during the
learning process but it more often about they had learned. Moon, ( 2003) added
that journal writing that use in
class present in many shape such as notebook, diary, and electronic form.
However, the phenomenon that use in English Department is the jurnal in diary
form.
There are many researches that had been
conducted about the use of journal writing in teaching writing. Ones of them is
Wafa, et al (n.d) about keeping journal writing to improve the students writing
ability of the tenth grade students of SMAN 1 Jekulo Kudus. This research
focused how to improve writing ability of the students, as their treatment,
they use the journal as the method or technique in teaching writing of the
students. The result of this research showed keeping journal writing is
effective and works well in improving the writing ability of the tenth grade
students of SMAN 1 Jekulo
Kudus. Besides, Iliyanti (2009) in Wafa, et all (n.d) also in her research
about improving students’ writing ability through journal. As her treatment,
she gave the students some articles to be commented but she was not teaching
them directly. She only came to the class for three times to check give
articles and check the students’ journal. And the result of her research, the
journal can improve student’s writing ability.
The research previous showed that the use of journal
in teaching writing is effective. It was proved that the result of their
finding when journal writing would be a treatment to improve student’s ability
in writing. However, in their research, they only showed the effectiveness of
the use journal writing in teaching writing through do experiment with give the
treatment to students as result of their research. They did not show how the
process of the use journal that it can improve students’ writing ability.
While, it is very important to be
discussed how the teacher apply the journal in class, and the perception of students about the use journal in learning
process of writing, thus the method can know whether the use of journal is
effective in teaching writing. Therefore, the researcher will conduct
this research to complete the finding about this
research previous.
This research could use in educational
area, especially to develop writing ability. Besides, this research also can
help teacher to consider the good method in teaching writing and give some
solution in teaching writing.
Generally, this research also aim to
explore the applying of journal in teaching writing, and to know the role of
this method, especially, in improvement students writing ability. So, by this
research, the writer wants to know the using of journal in teaching
writing.
Research
Questions
1.
How the
teacher apply the journal writing method in class?
2.
How the
journal can improve students’ ability in writing?
3.
How the
students’ perception about the use of journal method in learning process of
writing?
Research
purpose
This research purposed to know how the
teacher apply or use journal in class especially
its using in teaching writing, and to show about students’ perception about the
use of journal writing that involve their perception in negative or positive
side thus, it can be know the disadvantage and advantage the use of journal
writing in class. Besides, this research also aim to know the role of journal
writing in teaching writing which it can improve the students’ ability in
writing.
Significance
of study
Journal
is one of the teaching methods that can be applied in class. Teaching writing
through journal writing can facilitate the students to learn writing. The result
of this research is expected to be beneficial for English teaching, especially
in teaching writing. In addition, the result of this study is also expected to
be guidance for the teacher in constructing and using journal to teach writing
in college. Besides, it is expected that journal writing can help teacher to
make the teaching of writing subject is interesting. Teacher will be considered applying journal method in teaching
writing which can help them to find solution in improvement student’s ability
in writing and it can be helpful to increase students’ motivation and
interest in learning writing. Students
also can develop their skill by understanding the using journal method in
writing.
In
addition, this
research can help the writer to know the good method in teaching writing that
will be a teacher in the future. The researcher will be considered the use of
journal in teaching writing which it can help the teacher to improve student’s
ability by understanding the using journal method in writing.
Definition
of term
Tarigan
(2008: 37) journal is a media like a notes, book, pad, etc. It generally has
function as a diary that can be personal note.
Literature review
In this following section,
this research will explain about the using of journal writing by teacher in
class, the role of the using journal writing, and the students’ perception
about the use of journal writing.
The using
of journal by teacher in class
In using of journal,
teacher has a big role. Teacher will determine what should be doing when
teaching writing by using journal. As Baxter, (2009) suggested using journal in
three teaching situation. They are starting class, ending class, and focusing.
Firstly, starting class means that
teacher started class with five minutes for journal writing, and students are
asked by teacher to write about question that will be a subject of the lesson
today. Secondly, ending class means that teacher asked students to write
down or describe that they do not understand about what they learned at the end
of class. And, ending class with a journal activity, teacher asked students to
synthesize the course material in their books or notebook. Thirdly, focusing
means that a teacher asked students to take note about their opinion about
the topic.
Besides,
Campbell, (2012) also added the way of
using journal in teaching methods. Firstly, teachers give assignment daily
journal entries to students for next day in small group discussion. In this
case, students not only asked to reflect the topic, but they also required to
create their result of discussion with their friend. Secondly, Students
required writing journal entry clearly for every lecture to be grade every
period. Students also can use this journal entry as a guide for section exam.
Journal entry also involves daily review material to improve their
comprehension about the material and getting the high grade. Thirdly, teacher
asked students at the end of each class to write journal entry so that they
were could influence by the habit of writing journal.
In teaching writing,
teacher gives correction with students’ journal. Peyton (2004) stated that when
journal entries that do by student have some mistake, teacher will explain the
lesson that related with the students problem clearly. Journals in a
Facing History, (n.d) also stated there are ways to give a feedback for
students’ journal. Besides use traditional grade, teacher can comment or asking
question. Brown (n.d) added that after student finish their first journal
entry; students receive a feedback before next journal entry.
The role of journal writing
Muirhead
(2004) stated that journal writing is very effective, besides students forced
to review or reflect the material in their journal entry and so that they never
to forget the material, journal writing also can improve writing skill. Teacher also can measure the students’ comprehension about the
course material with the teacher already teach. Muirhead, (2004) also stated
that the benefit of journal of reflection the material about the topic. By
using reflective material, students can record the material in their mind
permanently, and it can improve writing skill.
In addition, Wafa (2010) found that besides keeping journal can increase
the students ‘ability in writing, keeping journal also have a big role to build
students’ vocabulary. Browman also says “One of the most challenging tasks with
journal writing is evaluating the student's written work.
stated that by using personal journals, teacher can evaluate and assets
the students’ writing skill; teacher also can evaluate spelling, grammar,
punctuation, and sentence structure, so that journal of writing is very
important to apply in educational area, particularly, using in teaching
writing. Besides, (Baxter, 2009) reported that
journal also can make personal connection with the course material because they
can engaged with the material when they writing and learning in their notebook.
According to Barkley, Cross and Major (2005), dialogue
journals “offer a formal medium for students to record their thoughts, connect
coursework to their personal lives, and ask each other questions” and that the
effectiveness of the dialogue journal is determined “when writers know that
someone who is also interested in the topic will read and respond to their
entries.” (p.236). When a learner writes in a journal, in away, the learner is
expressing his or her spoken viewpoints in writing. It can also minimize his
anxiety in using the language as he has time to think and express his ideas in
writing and it can indirectly encourage him to practice the language outside
his classrooms.
Peyton (2000) also states that students enjoy dialogue
journal writing as their teachers participate in genuine dialogues which
improve communicative aspects of writing. Dialogue journal writing allows
teachers and students to communicate more effectively and genuine feedback can
be produced. Peyton (1993) added “Dialogue journals not only open a new channel
of communication, but they also provide another context for language and
literacy development. Students have the opportunity to use English in a
non-threatening atmosphere, in interaction with a proficient English speaker.
Because the interaction is written, it allows students to use reading and
writing in purposeful ways and provides a natural, comfortable bridge to other kinds
of writing.” Barba, 1993 also stated that the use of dialog journal in foreign
language class can improve learners’ writing and speaking ability.
The students’ perception about journal writing
Ice (2004) in his
research, presented that the perspective of students about using journal
writing in class.
·
Students’
perception of benefit the use of journal writing.
Students agreed that
dialog journal writing is an effective that focused to individualized learning,
educate collaborative relationship between teacher and student, recommend about
reflection, help students make sense of their experience, student can share experience,
and journal build confidence.
·
Students’
perception of disadvantage of journal writing
Students regard the
problems that related to dialogue journals.
Several points were raised are first, lack of ideas, some student
thought that when journal writing was not always easy to come up with ideas.
Sometimes students did not have much idea to say and they forced their self to
think about their journal. Second, lack of time. Third,
difficulty to maintenance interest of student by using journal. In addition,
according to Hennings (1992)” where the undergraduate and graduate students did
not find dialogue journals useful in helping them understands the course
materials more better”.
Methodology
Method
This research will use qualitative method with the case study sort. It will
serve in describing form of the phenomenon or the real situation that will
observed. The describing can be in explanation form, opinion or notion that
collected by the writer from the sources conform technique of collecting data.
Qualitative approach
Qualitative approach concerns to explain, analyze, and understand the phenomenon or circumstance that happened
in surroundings. As Sugiyono (2008) stated that qualitative method is a
research method that used to analyze the condition of natural setting or object
where the researcher as the key instrument and the result of qualitative method
more emphasized on meaning or process. And this research intends to know about
the phenomenon that will be observed about how the use of journal in teaching
writing so that this research will appropriate with the qualitative method.
Case study
Gall, Borg, &Gall (1996)
defined in case study, a researcher describe, explain, or assess and evaluate a
phenomenon deeply that happened such as in event, person, program, institution,
and organization. Nawawi (2003 ) added in case study, the
data do not only have from the case that observed, but it can get from the other
sources that know and understand about the case. The phenomenon that happened
in this research concerns in an institution where in English Department is
found the use of journal in teaching writing, and this research will describe
and explain the phenomenon.
Site
This research will conduct in
Gorontalo State University, particularly, at English Department; English
department is ones of faculty in letters and culture faculty. The English
department is located in the back-west of the campus. It has five rooms, and two language lab. They
are R.11.25, R. 11.26, R. 11.27, R.11.28, N.N.1.2, Lab A, and Lab B. This
department has five classes. The average of numbers students in the class of
each grade is about more than thirty students. The first point is being
consideration in choosing this site as the research site is the lecturer’s
ability that uses some method in teaching writing, especially the use of
journal method, and the students ‘ability in writing is varied. The second
point is being considered is this site located in downtown, and this site is
the researcher’s department where taken for studying. Thus, it will be easy to research, and it
will minimize the cost of the research.
Participant
The participants of this research
is the lecturer and students that use journal in teaching writing process in
classroom, especially for those who are
in the third semester. The participants
are chosen based on several criteria which have been classified by the
researcher. The participant that will choose with the criteria that have an
experience and a gratifying knowledge about the use of journal. This
participant will helpful this research in the strength of the data when they
have an experience and the wide knowledge about the use of journal.
Data collection
Instrumentation
The research
instrument that is being used in this research is observation, interviewing and
documentation. The researcher will use observation of this research.
Observation is used to observe the phenomenon directly which about the use of
journal writing in class. In this observation, the researcher will use passive
participative observation. Sugiono (2008) reported that passive participative
observation means that the research is present at the scene of action but it
does not participate in participant’s activity.
This observation aim to know how the teacher apply journal in class, and
also the researcher can know how the journal improve students’ ability in
writing. This research also will use interviewing. The researcher attempts to
use the semi structure interview. Esterberg (2002) in Sugiono (2008) categorized semi structure interview includes in-depth interview
where the source is asked his or her opinion, or some idea about the
phenomenon. This interview will describe
the result of this research on how the students’ perception of journal writing
and the use of journal writing that use the lecturer in classroom as a method
to teach writing subject, and the teacher who use the journal writing in class.
Besides, this research also uses documentation. Hancock (2002) stated that
documentation can be a wide range of written materials that can produce
qualitative information. Documentation can be a diary form that use students as
their journal. The use of multiple sources of instruments in collecting data to
strength the data or information of this research.
Procedures
There are several
procedures that will use in conducting this research. First, conducting a class observation. In class observation, the researcher
will observe directly the situational or the conditional teaching and learning
process through the using of journal method that use in learning process of
writing subject. In this case, the researcher will come to the class with her
notebook to jot some phenomenon that found which related to the phenomenon in
using of journal. The researcher only come to the class without participate
with their learning process activity of the participant. The researcher only
will sit down on the back or in front of class to do this observation. After
class observation, a semi structure interview will be conducted. In the interview,
the students will be interviewed on how their perception about the using of
journal in learning process of writing subject. Some of students will be
interviewed about the same questions. After interviewing the students, the
teacher also will be interviewed. The teacher will interview about their points of view to the role of the
using of journal in teaching writing process in class, and the researcher also
interview the other teacher who know the use of journal writing in class. And then, documentation will be conducted. The
researcher will collect students’ diary that use in writing of journal. It will
be as written evidence if in learning process of teaching writing use journal.
And also, by collecting students’ journal as documentation, the researcher can see the student’s ability in writing when they use journal
method.
Data analysis
This
research will use data analysis base on the case study approach. As Gall, Borg,
&Gall, (1996) reported about there are three approaches to case data
analysis as follow:
a. Interpretational
Analysis: when employing this strategy, the researcher is looking for patterns
(threads, constructs, commonalities, etc.) within the data to explain the
phenomenon.
b. Structural
Analysis: investigating patterns which may be found in conversations, text,
activities, etc., with little or no explication as to pattern meaning.
c. Reflective
Analysis: the description and evaluation of the studied phenomenon based on
judgment and intuition by a highly qualified expert.
Base on the three approach of
data analysis above, the data that will be collected. The data will explain
base on phenomenon that found by the researcher. The researcher will explain the
students’ perception of the using journal in class, and the role of journal
which can improve students’ ability in
writing. The researcher also will
investigate the activity when the use of journal in teaching and learning
process in class that found in class observation. After that, the researcher
will describe and evaluate the result of this research by related the
information or the data that found by the researcher with the data that found
the researcher pervious.
Validity
The validity of the research is very important. The data will
be accurate through validity test. This research will use triangulation in
validity test because the gathering data of this research will use multiple
sources. They are observation, interviewing, and documenting. Creswell & Miller, (2000) defined
triangulation is a validity procedure where researchers search for a gathering
among multiple and different sources of information to form themes or categories
in a study. Johson (1997) also added “engaging multiple methods, such as,
observation, interviews and recordings will lead to be more valid....” This
research will engage the data that get from observation, interviewing, and
documenting with the phenomenon that will be founded. Thus, by using multiple
sources or triangulation, it will evidence that the data that will be founded
and the data that will be reported is similarity.
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