Englisia MAY 2015 Vol. 2, No. 2, 119-136 APPLYING TEAM TEACING TO IMPROVE  STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN UNDERSTANDING  ENGLISH NARRATIVE TEXTS  Saiful Akmal Goethe University of Frankfurt, Germany saiful.akmal@gmail.com The title of this study is applying team teaching to improve students’ ability in under- standing English narrative texts. The purposes of this study are to identify the ad- vantages and to find out the strategies of applying team teaching to improve students’ ability in understanding English narrative texts. The population of this study is the first year students of SMAN 4 Banda Aceh, and the sample are an experi- mental class (X IA 2) and a control class (X IA 6). The total numbers of the samples are 66 students. According to data analysis, team teaching gave more advantages to improve students’ ability in understanding English narrative texts. Some advantages of team teaching to the first year students of SMAN 4 Banda Aceh; (1) Team teach- ing directed the students to focus on material, the method was not tedious and learning motivation had been increased by using it, so that their ability in understanding English narrative text had been increased. (2) The students who stud- ied by using team teaching obtained higher score than the students who studied without using team teaching. It means the students who studied by using team teach- ing could improve their abilities in understanding English narrative text. (3) The stu- dents should focus on the study because the teachers observed what they do in the class comprehensively. The student also could receive knowledge not only from the main teacher, but also from the co-teacher and they could ask both teachers if they found some problems. Some advantages of team teaching to the teachers of SMAN 4 Banda Aceh are; team teaching could be effective while teaching and learning process was underway because the teachers could remind each other and they also could plan good materials. In applying team teaching to improve students’ ability in understanding English narrative texts, the teachers used many strategies. One of the general strategies to apply team teaching in SMAN 4 Banda Aceh was by excercising the so called semi team teaching. The special strategies that conducted by teachers were; (1) Presenting an interesting and understandable topic in every meeting for students. (2) Making group discussion, reading the legend and translat- Abstract APPLYING TEAM TEACING TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN UNDERSTANDING ENGLISH NARRATIVE TEXTS 120 | Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 ing it, giving regularly the test and games. (3) Asking the students to comprehend the generic structure of the text before coming to the class. Keywords: team teaching; narrative text; high school students Introduction Nowadays, English, as the world most used language is taught comprehen- sively by putting four basic language skills which are listening, speaking, reading and writing from theory into practice. To teach those skills, there are many method- ologies used by English teachers. One of the methodologies is Team Teaching. Team Teaching is the method involving two or more teachers in teaching-learning process. (Soewalni, 2007) The teachers share their duty proportionately. Through the method, teachers are expected to be able to work collaboratively in teaching- learning process, and every problem arise can be solved together. One important skill in English is reading. Typically, in reading every students will find several kind of texts, such as narrative, poetic, dramatic, response, explana- tion, report, discussion, exposition, recount, description, procedure, and many more as suggested by Anderson (1998, p. 2). Texts are pieces of spoken or written lan- guage created for particular purpose. The purpose might be to persuade or inform or a combination of both. The context is influenced by our culture (beliefs, attitudes, values) and situation (what happening, who is involved and whether we are speaking or writing). There are two main categories of text: literary and non literary. Literary text, such as movie script, plays, novels, song lyrics and soap operas appeal to our imagination and emotions. On the other hand, non literary texts, such as advertise- ments, announcements, recipes, reports and internet web sites, present information and ideas in order to show, tell or persuade the readers. In the present day, because there are many types of texts, it is very likely that students feel confused in comprehending the texts. To be more specific, the re- searchers want to merely discuss narrative text. Through this research, it is aimed at exploring the effectiveness of applying team teaching to improve students’ ability, what the problems that still encountered in understanding English narrative text and what are the applicable methods that can be used by the teacher to overcome stu- Saiful Akmal Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 | 121 dents’ problems. In addition, it also can be a reference for lecturer and students who will teach and study reading subject, particularly English narrative text. Team teaching research had been done by many researchers. One of it could be found in Schwarz, Kahn, and Smart (2000). The research aimed to find out the teachers and students activities, and factors that influence students’ output in writing class by using team teaching method. The research was conducted at The University of Texas at Austin. The principle difference between this research and the previous research were the object of implementing team teaching. The previous re- search revealed application of team teaching to the entire skills of writing but this research focus very much on English narrative texts by using team teaching. Types of Text of Language Learning English Learning text types is presented as the main subject in English lesson for high school students. Most of the time, during their high school, students focus their at- tention to text types with each generic structure and what language types used to construct the texts varying to each other (Paltridge, 1996). These generic structure and language features which are commonly found different from one text to another is used based on the purpose of each genre. Based on generic structure and language feature dominantly used, texts are divided into several types such as narrative, recount, descriptive, report, analytical exposition, explanation, discussion, hortatory exposition, and anecdote. Narrative The purpose of narrative text is to amuse and entertain the readers and to tell a story. The generic structures of this kind of text are orientation, complication, reso- lution and reorientation. The dominant language features of these kinds of text are using past tense, action verb and chronologically arranged. Recount The purpose of recount text is to retell something that happened in the past and to tell a series of past event of generic structure such as in orientation, event(s), APPLYING TEAM TEACING TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN UNDERSTANDING ENGLISH NARRATIVE TEXTS 122 | Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 and reorientation. The dominant language features there are using past tense, ac- tion verb and adjectives. Narrative and recount in some ways are similar. Both are telling something in the past and usually apply in past tense; whether simple past tense, simple past con- tinuous tense or past perfect tense. The ways narrative and recount told are in chronological order using time or place. Commonly narrative text is found in story book like myth, fable, and folklore, while recount text is often found in biography. The thing that makes narrative and recount different is the structure in which they are constructed. Narrative uses conflicts among the participants whether natural conflict, social conflict or psychological conflict. In some ways narrative text com- bines all these conflicts. On the contrary, these conflicts can not be found inside re- count text. Recount applies series of event as the basic structure. Descriptive The purpose of descriptive text is to describe a particular person, place or thing in detail. The dominant generic structures of this kind of text are identification and de- scription. Language features of this kind text are very likely using simple present tense, action verb, adverb and special technical terms. Report The purpose of report text is to present information about something, and generic structure of this kind of text is general classification and description. The dominant language features of this kind text are introducing group or general aspect, using conditional logical connection and using simple present tense. Explanation The purpose of explanation text is to explain the processes involved in the formation or working of natural or socio-cultural phenomena. The generic structures of this text are general statement, explanation and closing. The dominant language features of this text are using simple present tense, action verbs, passive voice, noun phrase, adverbial phrase, technical terms, general and abstract noun and conjunction of time and cause-effect. Saiful Akmal Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 | 123 Analytical Exposition The purpose of analytical exposition text is to reveal the readers that something is important. The generic structures of this kind text are more likely to use lots of thesis, arguments and reiteration and conclusion. The dominant language features of text are using modals, action verbs, thinking verbs, adverbs, adjective, technical terms, general and abstract noun and connectives or transition. Hortatory Exposition The purpose of hortatory exposition is to persuade the readers that something should not be the case or be done. The generic structures of this kind text are more likely to use lots of thesis and arguments. The dominant language features of this kind of text are using simple present tense, modals, action verbs, thinking verbs, adverbs, adjec- tive, technical terms, general and abstract noun and connectives or transition. Then what is the basic difference between analytical and hortatory exposition. In simple word, analytical is the answer of "how is or will" while hortatory is the an- swer of ‘how should’. Analytical exposition will be best to describe "how will student do for his examination? The point is the important thing to do. But for the question ‘how should student do for his exam?’ will be good to be answered with hortatory. It is to convince that the thing should be done. Discussion The purpose of discussion text is to present information and opinions about issues in more one side of an issue (‘for/pros’ and ‘against/cons’). The generic structures of this kind of text are issue, arguments for and against and conclusion in a chronolog- ical order. The dominant language features of this kind of text are using simple pre- sent tense, relating verb/to be, thinking verb, general and abstract noun, conjunction/transition, modality and adverb of manner. Anecdote The purpose of anecdote text is to share with others an account of an unusual or amusing incident. The generic structure of this kind of text is abstract, orientation, crisis, and reaction. The dominant language features of these kinds of text are using APPLYING TEAM TEACING TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN UNDERSTANDING ENGLISH NARRATIVE TEXTS 124 | Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 exclamations, rhetorical question or intensifiers, material process and temporal con- junctions. In addition to the above categories, there are several text types that are wide- ly recognized for the high school here. Text types in the three main genres which must be studied in high school specially designed for graduate competences stand- ard (SKL) are: 1. Narration: This narrative genre includes narrative, recount, and news item. All these text types in narrative genres composed to tell and inform. 2. Description: The texts which include in descriptive genres are report, descrip- tive, and explanation. These text genres are written to describe. They tend to use words with describing sense and not telling. 3. Argumentation: Argumentative genres will cover analytical exposition, horta- tory exposition and discussion. These text types explore reason to answer the question "why" and "how. English Narrative Text in Teaching (English) Reading People need to know how narrative texts work and how to read them be- cause stories are used for many important purposes of life. Advertisers and politi- cians use stories to persuade and win the votes. Writers of novels and memoirs weave often complicated stories through which they examine ideas and events. Nar- rative texts, which include both non-fiction (e.g., memoirs) and fiction (e.g., novels), also help people to understand how other texts work by contrasting the different types through the study of different texts and how they work and are made. Finally, narrative fiction often provides the only encounter with the imagination during the course of the school day; in this one respect, teaching such texts is vital. Purpose is central to the study of narrative texts, the writer’s, the reader’s, the teacher’s, and the characters’, because it directs how the text should be read and taught. People use texts to create a conversation between ourselves and others, in- cluding the authors of the texts we read. Teachers and readers focus more on design since he believes that ‘’form or structure’’ or what is called ’narrative design’ is of first and final importance to any work of fiction. That character drives stories be- Saiful Akmal Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 | 125 cause stories are about what people want most and are willing to do to get it. This idea challenges the more traditional approach described above. It creates openings for discussions and allows students to make connections between themselves and the characters that do not always seem ‘real’ to some readers who resist fiction. When you begin by looking at what a character wants most you find a powerful shared experience that can be very real for students. Other approaches are useful, even important. Narrative texts, for example, demand a sequence and can be described as a pattern, though not always an obvi- ous one. Using graphic organizers or other strategies described here to help students see these sequences, patterns, or relationships will help them read more effectively. Sketching out the sequence makes this structure more visible to them and even helps them understand why an author would want to use such a device. Benefits and Shortcomings of Using English Narrative Text Narrative is a text focusing on specific participants. Its social function is to tell stories or past events and entertain the readers. Narrative text is a text that tells a story and, in doing so, entertains the audience. The essential purpose of narrative is to tell a story, but the detailed purpose may vary according to genre. For example, the purpose of a myth is often to explain a natural phenomenon and a legend is of- ten intended to pass on cultural traditions or beliefs (Anderson, 1998, p. 3). Narra- tive is claimed to be a text to entertain, to gain and hold a readers' interest. However narratives can also be written to teach or inform, to change attitudes and social opinions e.g. soap operas and television dramas that are used to raise topical issues (Rotter & Bendl, 1978, pp. 91-102). A narrative text will also consist of the following structure: orientation: introducing the participants and informing the time and the place, complication: describing the rising crises which the participants have to do with, evaluation: reaction by characters to the complication, resolution: showing the way of participant to solve the crises, better or worse Included in the five main focuses of the English achievement objectives in the New Zealand Curriculum (2006) are: language features that enhance texts and the structure and organisation of texts. These refer to the characteristics or features of APPLYING TEAM TEACING TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN UNDERSTANDING ENGLISH NARRATIVE TEXTS 126 | Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 texts, and how those characteristics or features are arranged. The ability to visualise the features of a text type, and how those features are arranged, is vital to the con- struction of meaning when reading. When a student is able to visualise in this way, they understand texts at a much deeper level, and so they will have real control over them. This control comes about because a student who can visualise a text type understands how writers con- struct meaning through the features they choose to use and the way they arrange those features. It is this understanding that is fundamental to reading comprehen- sion. Crucially, when a student has this understanding, language is perceived not as a set of rules but as a set of options available for constructing a variety of mean- ings. Consequently, through learning about various types of text, students learn not about discrete and isolated forms of writing but instead about the construction of written texts in general: it is through the analysis of particular forms that students begin to learn about the writing system as a whole. Students who understand writing at the system-level are not deterred when they meet texts with typical features and or organization. Instead, they thrive – confidently exploring how the writer has made use of conventional and less conventional writing techniques in order to express ide- as. Students who understand the features and organisation of narrative texts will know that they have a main idea or theme, and will comprise a beginning section introducing the main characters, a middle section where some sort of connection and conflict arises between characters, developing to a crisis point, and an ending section where the connection comes to some kind of resolution. They will also know that the story will be set in a particular place(s), cover a period of time, and will probably contain dialogue. As they gain expertise, students, argued by Vellution F.R (2003, p. 30) will learn that writers of narratives make use of tools such as material processes (action verbs), mental processes (sensing verbs), verbal processes (saying verbs), metaphors, similes, allegory, and symbols. However, it is very often that narrative texts might cause a sense of psycho- logical resistance. To some degree, particularly when the text is long, boring, infor- Saiful Akmal Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 | 127 mational and too sophisticated, except for some ‘book worm students’ type’. In this case, Graesser et al. (1994) claimed that it has failed to make perspective specific inferences and meaning representations that are constructed during encoding pro- cess. This constructionist perspective, according to them, is believed no longer up- dated with the issues of familiarity and real life materials which might help the readers and or students to retrieve their memory storage due to its far, distances and sophisticated themes selection. The so called traditionalists – constructionist is not able to account for the generation if inferences when a reader constructs a situation model of what a text is about. Team Teaching Application Nowdays, along with modern progressively system of education and demand which expand, very little school still use the conventional study strategy in executing its study process. In course of study with the conventional strategy, process of study done by soliter, which means that study process started from planning, execution, until the evaluation of student study conducted by one teacher. Though in fact, this time education's curriculum in Indonesia have more to expand. A lot of demand have been addressed to teachers. In this time, teacher was claimed to be more inovative and creative in determining method of study that perhaps have to be adapted for a lesson items to be offered to student. In this era, teacher also was claimed to be more recognized each of student. Seeing some problems in education, in this case the school and teachers were claimed their creativity in chosing correct strategy so that all demand addressed to teacher specially can be fullfiled maximally. And it seems the strategy of team teaching represent this way of precisely, for method of study of team teaching is a teaching method where its educator more than one who is each having duty (Martiningsih, 2007) Team teaching is an instruction executed by some people. A team of instructors present the same instruction substance and the same target. All teachers are drawing up, executing, and evaluating result of study together. Execution, as APPLYING TEAM TEACING TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN UNDERSTANDING ENGLISH NARRATIVE TEXTS 128 | Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 pointed out by Ahmadi and Prasetya (2005, p.6) can be done by delivering method or together with discussion method. In line with this, there are the types of team teaching according to Soewalni (2007) 1. Semi Team Teaching Here, he divided this into three sub categories as follows:  Type 1= a number of teacher teach the same subject in different class. planning of items and method agreed on with.  Type 2a= one subject presented by a number of teacher by turns with the duty division of items, evaluated by each teacher.  Type 2b= one subject presented by a number of teacher by designed student with team. 2. Full Team Teaching Soewalni refer this type as the type 3 where one team consisted of two people or more, class time is equal, subject study and certain items. Planning, execution, and evaluating agreed collectively. In full team teaching there will be some variations. The first is execution that one teacher as a presenter or explained the in- formation, and the other one conducted the discussion group or individual exercise. In the second variation members of team presented the subject and materials by turns where discussion was conducted by both of them and the teachers complement one another. The last variation one teacher (the senior one) presented steps of exer- cise, observation, practice and information to whatever extent necessary. The class divided into groups, each group was conducted by a teacher at the end of teaching each group presented the report (oral or written) and was concluded together. Advantages and Disadvantages of Team Teaching Advantages Students do not learn at the same rate. Periods of equal length are not ap- propriate for all learning situations. Educators are no longer dealing primarily with top-down transmission of the tried and true by the mature and experienced teacher Saiful Akmal Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 | 129 to the young, immature, and inexperienced pupil in the single-subject classroom. Schools are moving toward the inclusion of another whole dimension of learning, the lateral transmission to every sentient member of society of what has just been discovered, invented, created, manufactured, or marketed. For this, team members with different areas of expertise are invaluable. Of course, team teaching is not the only answer to all problems plaguing teachers, students, and administrators. It requires planning, skilled management, willingness to risk change and even failure, humility, open-mindedness, imagination, and creativity. But the results are worth it. Buckley (1998, p.8) believes that team- work improves the quality of teaching as various experts approach the same topic from different angles: theory and practice, past and present, different genders or ethnic backgrounds. He also asserted that teacher strengths are combined and weaknesses are remedied in teamwork teaching. Poor teachers can be observed, critiqued, and improved by the other team members in a non-threatening and sup- portive context. The evaluation done by a team of teachers will be more insightful and balanced than the introspection and self-evaluation of an individual teacher. Working in teams spreads responsibility, encourages creativity, deepens friendships, and builds community among teachers. Teachers complement one an- other. They share insights, propose new approaches, and challenge assumptions. They learn new perspectives and insights, techniques and values from watching one another. Students enter into conversations between them as they debate, disagree with premises or conclusions, raise new questions, and point out consequences. Contrasting viewpoints encourage more active class participation and independent thinking from students, especially if there is team balance for gender, race, culture, and age. Team teaching is particularly effective with older and under prepared stu- dents when it moves beyond communicating facts to tap into their life experience. The team cuts teaching burdens and boosts morale. The presence of another teacher reduces student-teacher personality problems. In an emergency one team member can attend to the problem while the class goes on. Sharing in decision- making bolsters self-confidence. As teachers see the quality of teaching and learning improve, their self-esteem and happiness grow. APPLYING TEAM TEACING TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN UNDERSTANDING ENGLISH NARRATIVE TEXTS 130 | Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 Disadvantages However as also criticized by Buckley (1998, p. 9), team teaching is not al- ways successful. Some teachers are rigid personality types or may be wedded to a single method. Some simply dislike the other teachers on the team. Some do not want to risk humiliation and discouragement at possible failures. Some fear they will be expected to do more work for the same salary. Others are unwilling to share the spotlight or their pet ideas or to lose total control. Team teaching makes more demands on time and energy. Members must ar- range mutually agreeable times for planning and evaluation. Discussions can be draining and group decisions take longer. Rethinking the courses to accommodate the team-teaching method is often inconvenient. Opposition may also come from students, parents, and administrators who may resist change of any sort. Some stu- dents flourish in a highly structured environment that favors repetition. Some are confused by conflicting opinions. Too much variety may hinder habit formation. Research Method The data collection was using field research and library research. The first method was useful in explaining the data and information of applying team teaching to improve students’ ability in understanding English narrative texts. All data would be collected from the first year students of SMAN 4 Banda Aceh. To carry out the field research, five considerable technique were used, they are; observation, experi- mental teaching, test, questionnaire and interview. Concerning the research work of this thesis, two classes as were selected as the sample of this study, namely ; X IA 2 and X IA 6. X IA 2 served as an experimental class and X IA 6 served as a control class. As mentioned earlier, observation was used to obtain information about con- dition when team teaching was exploited by teachers and experimental teaching was administered to know the improvement of students’s ability in understanding English narrative text by using team teaching. If students’ test scores in experimental class are better than in control class, it means that team teaching was advantageous for students. There are overall six meetings conducted in this study. Saiful Akmal Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 | 131 The test is intended to measure the students’ ability in understanding English narrative text. Both classes were given the test. In control class, the writer gave test to 32 students without applying team teaching. On the contrary, the writer gave test to 34 students and at the same time implementing team teaching application in the experimental class. The test consist of 10 questions, each question has four possible answers (A, B, C and D) about English narrative text. The students should answer the tests in one and half hours. Each question worth 10 points, so if they could answer all the question correctly, they would achieve 100 points. To support this research, the use of questionnaire to obtain the answer of research question is crucial. Questionnaire was given to the students to know the advantages and the strategies of applying team teaching to improve students’ ability in understanding English narrative texts. There are 10 prepared questions handed out to the students in experimental class with 34 students. Questionnaire was distributed to the students in the sixth meeting, after the test was accomplished. Interview was used to know the advantages of applying team teaching and the teacher’s strategies to make team teaching become effective to improve students’ ability in understanding English narrative text . The writer interviewed two English teachers. The questions were about the advantages of team teaching, especially in understanding English narrative texts, and about the strategies that was applied by teachers to make team teaching become more effective to improve students’ ability, especially in understanding English narrative texts. The interview took place at the end of teaching and learning process (after the sixth meeting). Research Limitation The focus of study in this study were to identify the advantages and to find out the strategies of applying team teaching to improve students’ ability in understanding English narrative texts for the first year students of SMAN 4 Banda Aceh. Since then, only two classes are taken as samples that are to say, experimental and control class. It means, this study couldn’t be generalized for the second and the third year students of SMAN 4 Banda Aceh. APPLYING TEAM TEACING TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN UNDERSTANDING ENGLISH NARRATIVE TEXTS 132 | Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 The research was conducted for six meetings because of the time that was given by the headmaster could not exceed more than six meetings. Normally, apply- ing team teaching would take at least between 12-16 meetings. Nevertheless, this study could be used for the readers, especially the teachers in improving teaching method by using team teaching. Based on the test, questionnaire, and interview analysis, it could be argued that the first hypothesis is accepted. The first hypothesis are: ‘there are some ad- vantages of applying team teaching to improve students’ ability in understanding English narrative texts’. This could be seen based on the mean of test. The mean score in experimental class was 70, 5 and 57,5 in control class. It could be summed up that test score in experimental class was higher than that of control class. It means that students’ ability in understanding English narrative text have increased after using team teaching. In addition, the result of questionnaire showed that the students were interest- ed in studying English because English as an international language is one main subject for students in Indonesian schools. Then, the students said that studying Eng- lish narrative text is important. It happened because English narrative text was a compulsory item in senior high school’s curriculum of English in SMAN 4 Banda Aceh. The students also said that they were interested in studying English narrative text because the greater part of English workbooks discussed about English narrative text. Those English workbooks consisted of interesting story such as legend, horror, myth, and the likes. The students added that their motivation to improve their abili- ties in understanding English narrative text is to obtain knowledge from the book that written in English language. As mentioned above, English narrative text was a com- pulsory item in senior high school’s curriculum of English. Therefore, the students need to study more on English narrative text in order to be expert in English subject. All this time, the students had difficulties in understanding English narrative text because insufficiency of teacher’s explanation and improper level of material. Most students were interested in studying English narrative texts by using team teaching because it was a good method and appropriate for them. Team teaching also could improve students’ ability in understanding English narrative text. Some advantages of Saiful Akmal Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 | 133 team teaching based on questionnaire were team teaching directed the students to focus on material, the method was not dull and their learning motivation had been increased by using it, and thus, their ability in understanding English narrative text could be increased as well. The result of interview also showed that team teaching gave advantages for teachers and students. For teachers, it could be effective while teaching and learning process was taking place because the teachers could remind each other. Then, the teachers could plan good materials to make students understand about English narrative text. Besides, the advantages for students were the students could focus on the study because the teachers observed what they did in the class comprehensively. Then, the students could receive knowledge not only from the main teacher, but also from the co-teacher. They also could ask both teachers if they found some problems. It is assumed that the aim of applying team teaching in SMAN 4 Banda Aceh is not fully to apply team teaching programmed. In fact, as has been widely and publicly disclosed, it was focusing more on teachers’ certification. This is a short- coming of applying team teaching in SMAN 4 Banda Aceh, although it did help stu- dents in teaching and learning process. In short, from the test, questionnaire, and interview analysis that showed above, it could be said that the first hypothesis of this thesis was accepted. Based on observation, questionnaire and interview analysis, the writer could prove the truth of second hypothesis: there are many strategies of applying team teaching to improve students’ ability in understanding English narrative texts. During observation, the writer found that in SMAN 4 Banda Aceh applied semi team teaching. It is one of the general strategies to apply team teaching. Then, it is also found that there are other strategies exercised by teachers in applying team teaching to improve students’ ability in understanding English narrative text. There were; pre- senting an interesting and understandable topic in every meeting for students. In addition, the result of questionnaire showed that the students said that the teachers often used particular strategies in teaching English narrative text, like mak- ing group discussion, reading the legend and translating it, giving regularly the test and games. The students also said that reading English narrative text is a relatively APPLYING TEAM TEACING TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN UNDERSTANDING ENGLISH NARRATIVE TEXTS 134 | Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 simple strategy to understand the generic structure of it. The result of interview has also revealed that there are some special strategies done by teachers in applying team teaching, such as asking the students to form groups’ discussion or little circle and requesting the students to comprehend the generic structure of the text before coming to the class. In short, from observation, questionnaire and interview analysis analyzed above, it can be said that the second hypothesis of this thesis was accept- ed. Conclusions As already mentioned in the first part of this paper, the aim of this study was to iden- tify the advantages and to find out the strategies of applying team teaching to im- prove students’ ability in understanding English narrative texts. This study had shown the result that applying team teaching gave more advantages to improve students’ ability in understanding English narrative texts. Some advantages of team teaching to the first year students of SMAN 4 Banda Aceh; (1) team teaching directed the students to focus on the material, the method quite interesting and learning motivation had been increased by using it, so that their ability in understanding English narrative text had also been improved. (2) The stu- dents who studied by using team teaching obtained higher score than the students who studied without using team teaching. It means that the students who studied by using team teaching have improved their abilities in understanding English narrative text. (3) The students should focus on the study because the teachers observed what they do in the class comprehensively. (4)The student also received knowledge not only from the main teacher, but also from the co-teacher and they could ask both teachers if there are some problems. Also central in this research, that some advantages of team teaching to the teachers of SMAN 4 Banda Aceh have also been revealed. One of them is that team teaching could be effective while teaching and learning process was in progress because the teachers could remind each other and they also could provide, plan and prepare good materials for the class. The study also had shown fascinating fact Saiful Akmal Englisia Vol. 2 No. 2, May 2015 | 135 that the teacher used many strategies in applying team teaching to improve students’ ability in understanding English narrative texts. One of the general team teaching models applied in SMAN 4 Banda Aceh applied is the semi team teaching. The special and more specific strategies that had been conducted by the teachers in applying team teaching to improve students’ abil- ity in understanding English narrative text were; (1) presenting an interesting and un- derstandable, familiar and real life topics in every meeting for students. (2) Creating group discussion and providing regularly test and games. (3) And last but not least, asking the students to comprehend the generic structure of the text before coming to the class. References Ahmadi, A., & Prasetya. (2005). Strategi Belajar Mengajar. Bandung: CV Pustaka Setia. Anderson, M & Kathy, A. (1998). Text Types in English 3, Macmillan Education Aus- tralia, 1998 Beggs, David W, Singer., III. (1964). Team Teaching: Bold New Venture. Blooming- ton: Indiana University Press. Buckley, Francis J. (1998). Team Teaching: What, Why, and How? Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Carter V. Good. (1959) Dictionary of Education, New York: Mc. Graw Hill. Graesser et al. 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