Sebuah Kajian Pustaka: Parmawati, Santoso & Yana: Improving Students’Writing … 103 IMPROVING STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILL THROUGH ROUND TABLE TECHNIQUE Aseptiana Parmawati*1, Iman Santoso2, Yana3 aseptiana@ikipsiliwangi.ac.id, santoso@ikipsiliwangi.ac.id, yana@ikipsiliwangi.ac.id IKIP SILIWANGI ABSTRACT In Writing for General Communication course, students are expected to be able to write using several genres of text. In reality, most of the students in second semester at IKIP Siliwangi face some problems related to writing skill. To improve the students’ writing skill, the lecturers need to find out an appropriate technique for the students. This research used Classroom Action Research (CAR). The objectives of the study are: 1) finding out whether or not Round Table can improve the students’ writing skill 2) finding out classroom situation when Round Table implemented in writing for general communication course. The finding was supported by the result of students’ writing scores. The average score of pre test was 68.31. After the implementation of Round Table Technique in every cycle, the students’ speaking score were getting better. It can be seen from the result of students’ average score 75.15 in cycle 1 and 81.5 in cycle 2. It can be concluded that Round Table Technique can improve students’ speaking skill and improve speaking classroom into a better situation. Keywords: Writing Skill, Round Table Technique, CAR A. INTRODUCTION In learning English, there are 4 core components that must be mastered by students. The core components are listening (listening), speaking (speaking), reading (reading), and writing (writing). The ability to write is closely related to the ability to write a thesis, where a thesis is an output that must be produced by students before earning a bachelor's degree. Writing well is a major cognitive challenge, because it is at once a test of memory, language, and thinking ability. It demands rapid retrieval of domain-specific knowledge about the topic from long-term memory (Kellogg & Raulerson, 2007). Related to the writing for General Communication course, students are expected to be able to write using several genres of text. Based on observations while teaching the writing for general communication subject, we found that most of the 2nd semester students of the English Language Study Program at IKIP Siliwangi still have difficulties writing several genres of text in English. This is due to several factors, including 1) Difficulty in determining the theme or topic of writing, according to the genre of text they are going to write, 2) They do not know how to make paragraphs good, coherent, and have unity in their writing so that less focus; 3) Lack of motivation in learning to write because the learning techniques are still monotonous. ELTIN Journal, Volume 8/No 2, October 2020 104 Many students assume that they are competing with each other. This is a special note from us. Basically, through group work, they can find alternative ways of learning by expressing and exploring various ideas and experiences in a collaborative atmosphere. It is not about competing with fellow students and winning, but about using the various resources available in the group to deepen understanding, to sharpen assessments and broaden knowledge. One of the various kinds of collaborative learning technique that can be applied is the Round Table technique. Through this learning technique, it is expected to be able to help students improve their writing skills in teams/teams. Based on the background above, the objectives of the study are: 1) finding out whether or not Round Table can improve the students’ writing skill 2) finding out classroom situation when Round Table implemented in writing for general communication course. The urgency of this research is to be able to produce a learning theory that can be applied by lecturers without changing its main role but can optimize students' writing skills that are correct and good English writing rules. B. LITERATURE REVIEW 1. Writing skill If students learn to speak and read in a new language, they will be ready to start writing too. Students will find writing in English easy when they find a comfortable environment, such as a classroom. Raimes (1983) in Ghufron (2012) stated some of the differences between writing and speaking, as follows: a. Speech is universal; everyone acquires a native language in the first few years of life. Not everyone learns to read and write. b. The spoken language has dialect variations. The written language generally demands standard form of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. c. Speakers use their voice (pitch, stress, rhythm) and bodies (gestures and facial expressions) to help convey their ideas. Writers have to rely on the words on the page to express their meaning. d. Speakers use pauses and intonation. Writers use punctuation. e. Speakers pronounce. Writers spell. f. Speaking is usually spontaneous and unplanned. Most writing takes time, planned, can go back and change what we have written. g. A speaker speaks to a listener who is right there, nodding or frowning, interrupting, and questioning. For the writer, the reader’s response is either delayed or nonexistent. The writer has only that one chance to convey information and be interesting and accurate enough to hold the reader’s attention. h. Speech is usually informal and repetitive. We say things like, “What I mean is....” or “Let me start again.” Writing, on the other hand, is more formal, and compact. It progresses logically with fewer digressions and explanations. i. Speakers use simple sentences, with connecting words like however, who, and in addition Parmawati, Santoso & Yana: Improving Students’Writing … 105 Writing is very important in today's world. Hedge (2000) in Khadafi (2017)argues that writing is the result of employing strategies to manage the composing process, which is one of gradually developing a text. It involves a number of activities: settinggoals, generating ideas, organizing information, selecting appropriate language, making a draft, reading and reviewing it, then revising and editing. In line with this, Graham (2006) states that students have to struggle significantly with writing and if someone does not write well he will find difficulties in the process of learning, education, and work. So, it can be concluded tthat writing is a complex process which is neither easy nor spontaneous for many second language learners. Good writing must have a process. This process can be influenced by the subject matter, type, and media of writing. According to Manser (2014) the four stages in writing process are: a. Thinking and researching: in this first step, the writer plans what he will write, and decides what to disclose, including detailed notes. b. Planning: in this step, the writers plan what she orhe is going to write, and decide what will be expressed,included the detailed notes c. Writing: the third step is for writers to read what they have written and checked where it works and where it doesn't. d. Revising: in this fourth step the writers made thechanges they consider to be necessary and they producetheir final version. Besides that, there are many otherthings to be considered in order to be good at writing,such as grammar, words in use, punctuation. Henning (2005) in Sinaga (2017) stated that writing is not to be viewed as a representation of a writer’s thinking, but as a process of thinking that uses written language, and also as observable performance of what goes on in the mind of author (how the author uses knowledge for inquiry). 2. Collaborative Learning Collaborative-based learning is learning that requires students to be able to work with their teams. According to Barkley, Cross, & Major (2014), there are other terms of collaborative learning, such as cooperative learning, team learning, group learning, or peer-assisted learning. Mundriyah & Parmawati (2016) argued that cooperative learning is a learning activity in which students work together to achaieve learning goals. In cooperative learning, students work with their peers to achieve common goals. This goal is achieved through interdependence among all group members rather than working alone. Each member is responsible for the outcome of a common goal. A technique in collaborative learning and also in cooperative language learning called the Round Table technique can be used in the classroom. This technique is a form of academic discussion in which students have the same right to participate in discussing a particular problem. 3. Round Table Technique Indriani (2015) argued that the Roundtable teaching technique is a technique that requires groups or teams working in a teaching and learning process that requires all group members to be prepared to explain their group answers. This means that the answers are generated by the togetherness of the group. While the students gave their responses, they helped their ELTIN Journal, Volume 8/No 2, October 2020 106 groups and their partners indirectly. It can be concluded that the Roundtable teaching technique is a brainstorming technique, reviewing or practicing writing skills that are used to stimulate creativity and deeper thinking as values from various points of view and ideas as a result of teamwork. Lie (2010) in Khadafi (2017) propose the following steps to teach writing using a Round table: a. Students are formed into several groups, each group consisting of four to six students in heterogeneous. Each student sits in his group in a small circle around the table. b. Students discuss in groups about a theme and equate perceptions. Each group of members provides an idea related to a theme which in turn becomes a distributed paper. c. The first student, contributing ideas, continues tahe next student, and so on until the last student. Arrangement of ideas must be made in collaboration. d. The ideas collected are used as group members to write writing in essays individually, each student's story has been exchanged and discussed in groups for revision or editing. e. Each group asks to select and determine one of the stories or themes of the group to be presented in front of the class. f. The representation of each group must read the best writing that has been written by each group and to determine one to three of the best writings in each large group (class). g. Under the guidance of a lecturer, writing is best used as a large group discussion (class) C. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This research was conducted at IKIP Siliwangi which is located at Jl.Terusan Jenderal Sudirman no.3, Baros Cimahi Tengah. The research subjects were second semester students who took Writing for General Communication courses.This research used Collaborative Classroom Action Research and divided into stages of planning, implementation, observation, and analysis / reflection. The following is a brief overview of the CAR cycle adapted from Wiriaatmadja (2005) in Parmawati & Yugafiati (2017) Preparation : a. Identify the problem b. Problem analysis c. Formulate the problems Planning Reflecting Implementing Action Observing and Evaluating CYCLE 1 Planning Parmawati, Santoso & Yana: Improving Students’Writing … 107 N X M   CYCLE 2 The concept used in this classroom action research is the cycle process. Gustadevi, Ngadiso, & Asib (2012) mentioned action research as a four-step cyclic process, consisting of the following steps: planning for action research, acting on the plan, developing an action plan for the next cycle, and reflecting on the process. Data collection technique a. Test In the observation stage, the researchers collected the data through tests in the form of pre- tests and post-tests (in each cycle). Descriptive statistical analysis was addapted from Mertler (2019). M = Mean Score X = Total Score N = Number of Students b. Questionnaire The questionnaire sheet is shared with students, with the aim to find out student responses to the course of learning activities. This stage is analyzed using aspects of interest. Interest data taken at the end of each cycle then calculated the total score and converted it into percentages. D. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION The researchers use writing tests through pretest and posttest, pretest and posttest are given to find out the improvement of their writing skill after students follow all activities. The score criteria are based on several indicators such as content, organization, vocabulary, language, and mechanics. 1. Pre test The pre-test was carried out on April 9, 2020. The results of the pre-test can be seen in the following table: Reflecting Observing and Evaluating Implementing Evaluating Failed Success Stop ELTIN Journal, Volume 8/No 2, October 2020 108 Table 1 Pre-test scores of writing elements corrector No Writing element Average score 1 Content 68.47 2 Organization 68.07 3 Vocabulary 68.22 4 Language 68.43 5 Mechanics 68.35 Average score 68.31 Table 2 Pre-test scores No Explanations Scores 1. The highest score 75 2. The lowest score 66 3. The average score 70.5 Based on the pre-test results, it shows that students' writing skill is still low. This is influenced by several factors, including: Difficulty in determining the theme or topic of writing, according to the genre of text they are going to write,They do not know how to make paragraphs good, coherent, and have unity in their writing so that less focus, Lack of motivation in learning to write because the learning techniques are still monotonous. 2. Cycle 1 and Post Test 1 Cycle 1 has been held on April 15-18, 2020. Researchers provide teaching materials in accordance with lesson plan. During the learning process, the researcher observes each of the stages, and records important events or things while in the class. After the learning process is finished, the researchers conclude what things need to be developed, so that learning targets can be achieved properly. The post test was carried out on April 20, 2020. The results of the post test 1 can be seen in table below: Table 3 Post-test 1 scores of writing elements corrector No Writing element Average score 1 Content 75.16 2 Organization 75.23 3 Vocabulary 75.23 4 Language 74.80 5 Mechanics 75.25 Average score 75.15 Parmawati, Santoso & Yana: Improving Students’Writing … 109 Table 4 Post-test 1 scores No Explanations Scores 1. The highest score 78 2. The lowest score 72 3. The average score 75 From the results of post test 1 shows that there is a significant increase in the score of each criteria for writing skill. This can also be seen from the results of observations by a research team that students look so enthusiastic when Round Table technique is applied in writing for general communication class. 3. Cycle 2 and Post Test 2 Cycle 2 is carried out on April 22-25, 2020. In this cycle, researchers try to be more active in providing material related to writing for general communication course. The post test was carried out on April 27, 2019. The results of the post test can be seen in table below: Table 5 Post-test 2 scores of writing elements corrector No Writing element Average score 1 Content 81.23 2 Organization 81.02 3 Vocabulary 81.17 4 Language 80.95 5 Mechanics 80.85 Average score 81.04 Table 6 Post-test 2 scores No Explanations Scores 1. The highest score 85 2. The lowest score 78 3. The average score 81.5 From the results of the post test in cycle 2, it can be seen that the ability to write of students has increased when compared to the results of the post test in cycle 1. This certainly has proven that the use of Round Table technique greatly affects the level of achievement of students' writing skill. This result is in line with the research by Yusmanto, Soetjipto & Djatmika (2017) which stated that groups’ activities were carried out repeatedly to stimulate students to improve their learning outcomes. ELTIN Journal, Volume 8/No 2, October 2020 110 4. Results of questionnaires From the results of questionnaire showed that students are very aware of the importance of the ability to write in English. Related to Round Table technique, they gave an opinion that the technique really helped them in the learning process. The following is an excerpt from the conversation / interview of the research with students related to learning activities that have been carried out using Round Table technique. Table 7 The result of questionnaire QUESTIONS ANSWER How interesting did you find your work in the group? very interesting (95.84%) not interesting (4.16%) Did you understand exactly what the group was supposed to do? I knew exactly what to do (97.92%) I didn’t understand (2.08%) How many times approximately did you have the chance to talk during group work today? a lot (97.92%) none (2.08%) If you talked less than you wanted to, what were the main reasons? I felt afraid to give my opinion (93.75%) somebody kept interrupting me (6.25%) Did you help each other with the task? always (89.58%) Never (10.42%) Based on the data from table 7, it can be concluded that the students gave positive response during teaching and learning process. The students more interested in writing because they can share some ideas to each other. E. CONCLUSION Having conducted the research in using Round Table Technique to improve students’ writing skill, it can be drawn some conclusions as follows: In general, Round Table Technique makes the learning more effective, attractive, meaningful, and successful. Round Table Technique can also improve students’ critical thinking. Round Table Technique becomes especially important for some reasons. Firstly, using Round Table Technique makes the students work cooperatively with their partner in the class. They can share each other about their ideas. Secondly by working collaboratively with their friends, the students will try to analyze their friends’ work in writing. They can correct the mistakes made by their friends. Round Table Technique helps students develop conceptual understanding of a topic, develop the skill to filter information, and write conclusions, and develop the skill to consider other points of view. The last, they were motivated in joining writing for general communication Parmawati, Santoso & Yana: Improving Students’Writing … 111 class. The atmosphere of the class more was more live as there are many interesting activities. The student gave attention to the lessons they were very active to conduct the activities. It means that Round Table Technique is applicable for teaching writing. Round Table Technique can improve classroom situation into a better situation. F. REFERENCES Barkley, E. F., Cross, K. P., & Major, C. H. (n.d.). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty. John Wiley & Sons. Ghufron, M. A. (n.d.). The Effectiveness of Dyadic Essay Technique in Teaching Writing Viewed from Students’ Creativity (An Experimental Research at The Second Semester Students of English Education Department, IKIP PGRI Bojonegoro, in the Academic Year of 2011/2012) (Doctoral . Graham, S. (n.d.). P. Alexander & P. Winne (Eds.), Handbook of Educational Psychology (pp. 457-478). Gustadevi, A. S., Ngadiso, N., & Asib, A. (n.d.). Improving Students’ Reading Skill Through Numbered Heads Together Technique. English Education: Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Universitas Sebelas Maret, 2((2),), 59973. Indriani, E. (n.d.). Improving Students’writing Narrative Texts By Using The Combination Of Story Sequencing Cards And Round Table Technique (The Case Of Eighth Grade Of Junior High School 19 Semarang In The Academic Year Of 2014/2015) (Doctoral Dissertation, Universitas Nege. Kellogg, R. T., & Raulerson, B. A. (2007). Improving the writing skills of college students. Psychonomic bulletin & review, 14(2), 237-242. Khadafi, M. (2017). Teaching Narrative Writing By Using Roundtable Strategy To Islamic Junior High School Students. Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Pengajaran, 4((2)), 57–65. Lie, A. (2010). Practicing Cooperative Learning in Classrooms. Jakarta: Grasindo. Manser, M. H. (2014). The Facts on File Guide to Good Writing. Infobase Publishing. Mertler, C. A. (2019). Action research: Improving schools and empowering educators. SAGE Publications, Incorporated. Mundriyah, M., & Parmawati, A. (2016). Using Think-Pair-Share (Tps) To Improve Students’writing Creativity (A Classroom Action Research In The Second Semester Students Of Stkip Siliwangi Bandung). Jurnal Ilmiah P2m Stkip Siliwangi, 3(2), 84-91. Parmawati, A., & Yugafiati, R. (2017). Using Authentic Material To Improve Students’reading Interest (A Classroom Action Research In The Second Semester Students Of Stkip Siliwangi Bandung). Eltin Journal, Journal Of English Language Teaching In Indonesia, 5(1), 1–8. Sinaga, M. (2017). The Effect of Roundtable and Clustering Teaching Techniques and Students’ Personal Traits on Students’ Achievement in Descriptive Writing. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 8(6), 69–75. Wiriaatmadja, R. (2009). Metode Penelitian Kelas, Untuk Meningkatkan Kinerja Guru dan Dosen. Bandung: PT Remaja Rosda Karya.