The particular dialect or language that a person chooses to use on any occasion is called a code

The Students’ Ability in Writing Descriptive Text Through Outdoor

Activity at Palopo Cokroaminoto University

Juwita Crestiani M

christianiputriroro01@gmail.com

Palopo Cokroaminoto University, Indonesia

Received : 4 February 2018; Accepted : 20 April 2019

URL : http://ejournal.iainpalopo.ac.id/index.php/ideas

Abstract

This research deals with the students’ ability in writing descriptive text through outdoor learning

activity at the sixth semester of English language education study program of Palopo

Cokroaminoto University. The population of this research is the sixth semester students of

English language education study program in Palopo Cokroaminoto University. The total

number of population was 100 students. The researcher applied the purposive sampling

technique and there is 30 students as sample. Writing test is the instrument of this research.

Based on the findings and discussion in the previous chapter, the researcher concludes the

students’ ability in writing descriptive text through outdoor learning activity is good. It can be

proven by the students’ mean score is 78 and it is categorized good.

Keywords: students’ ability, descriptive text, outdoor learning activity.

Introduction

English has been using all over the world and also it is used as the medium of
communication to convey information. Therefore, it makes people especially for
Indonesian learners have to learn and master English.

However, learn English is not easy and there are four skills in English that has to
be mastered by student. Besides speaking, listening and reading, writing becomes the
most important skill because through writing, the student can share the ideas, opinion to
the others and has a lot of time to think about what they want convey through writing.

By writing, the students can produce good writing because they have a lot of

Issued by English study program of IAIN Palopo

IDEAS
Journal of Language Teaching and Learning,
Linguistics and Literature

ISSN 2338-4778 (Print)
ISSN 2548-4129 (Online)

Volume 7, Number 1, June 2019
pp. 48 – 52

Juwita Crestiani M :

The Students’ Ability In Writing Descriptive Text through Outdoor Activity At

Palopo Cokroaminoto University

time to think and acquire ideas but in fact mastering writing especially finding idea is
not easy and need to think hardly. Harmer in Imran (2011:10) defines writing is a
productive skill which involves though and emotion. It is a medium of communication.
Writing cannot be mastered at one but it needs practice. The practice may include
imitating or copying words and sentences from the giving ideas or expressing free ideas
based on the writers’ knowledge, experience and point of view.

Meanwhile, Lindblom in Imran (2011:10) states that writing as a way of learning
to focus our mind on important matters and learning about them. By writing activity, a
person can find the solution of difficult problem, master the fact and even by writing a
person can also communicate through the way that is impossible.

In addition, Byrne in Hisasmaria (2012:11) states that writing is an activity to
produce a sequence of sentence arranged in a particular order and linked together in
certain ways. When people write, they use graphic symbols, which are letters or
combinations of letters that relate to the sounds they make when they speak.
Furthermore, he states that writing involves the encoding of message. Writing can be
defined as communicative act, a way of sharing observation, information, though, or
ideas with ourselves and others.

A lot of problem make students cannot master writing. They still confuse and
also lack of interest and motivation in writing, so they difficult acquire ideas and
produce good writing. So, they are still very low in writing. According to Donovan in
Karim (2013:24) there are some characteristics of good writing, they are: Clarity and
focus: in good writing, everything makes sense and reader does not get lost or have to
read passages to figure out what is going on. Focused writing sticks with the plot or core
idea without running off on too many tangents. Organization: a well-organized piece of
writing is not only clear; it is presented in a way that is logical and aesthetically
pleasing. Language (word choice): we writers can never underestimate or fail to
appreciate our most valuable tools-words. Good writing includes smart word choices
and well-crafted sentences. Grammar and style: many writers would wish this one away,
but for a piece of writing to be considered good (let alone great), it has to follow the
rules of grammar (and break those rules only when there is a good reason). Credibility
or believability: nothing says bad writing like getting the facts wrong or misrepresenting
oneself. In fiction, the story must be believable (even if it’s impossible), and in
nonfiction, accurate research can make or break a writer.

The low students’ ability in writing caused by the method or strategy that make
them bored and there is no good preparation in teaching so the condition and situation
cannot create good atmosphere in the class. It is a result of observation that has been
done at Palopo Cokroaminoto University when the researcher was doing teaching
process in their class. Therefore, it should be find out a good way to solve this problem.

Beside solve the problem, a teacher should attention the writing process.
According to Bouden in Karim (2013:25) before you write a single word you must: set

IDEAS, Vol. 7, No. 1, June 2019
ISSN 2338-4778 (Print)

ISSN 2548-4192 (Online)

your objective, assess your readership, decide what information you will need, prepare
your skeletal framework, test and revise your skeletal framework.

According to Hormazabal in Imran (2011:13) argues that writing process
represents a shift in emphasis in teaching writing from the product of writing activities
(the finished text) to ways in which text can be developed: from concern with questions
such as ‘what have you written?’ ‘What grade is it worth?’ to ‘how will you write it?’
‘how can it be improved?’. In addition, according to Widodo in Imran (2011:13) points
out a series of activities in writing. They are pre-writing, drafting, responding, revising
and editing, assessing, and post-writing.

From the case above, it needs a trick to make them interest and can produce
good writing. Outdoor strategy is one of strategy that was offered by lecturer to
overcome these problems faced by the students at the sixth semester of English
language education study program.

Outdoor Learning is a broad term that includes: outdoor play in the early years,
school grounds projects, environmental education, recreational and adventure activities,
personal and social development programmers, expeditions, team building, leadership
training, management development, education. Not only does Outdoor Learning happen
in the natural environments where participants can see, hear, touch, and smell the real
thing.

Vera (2012:18) Teaching the students in outdoor classroom has important
meaning very wide. In fact, this is not available in the classroom. Activity to learn
outside the classroom to inspire students teaching and learning process.

After the students were learned by this strategy, the researcher is interested to
know the students’ ability. Thus, the researcher conducted this research which entittled
The Students’ Ability in Writing Descriptive Text through Outdoor Activity at Palopo
Cokroaminoto University. Descriptive paragraph is paragraph which expresses or
describes place, thing and person in such vivid detail that the readers can easily
visualize the described place, thing and person, or can feel that they involve in the
experience ( Hermawan in the web).

The objective of the research is to find out the students’ ability in writing
persuasive text through outdoor activity at Palopo Cokroaminoto University.

Method
This research applied quantitative method. It aimed to know the students ability in

writing descriptive text through outdoor learning strategy. The total number of
population was 100 students of the sixth semester of English education study program.
Purposive sampling technique is used in this research because the sample was the
students who had joined in outdoor learning activity. Therefore, the total number of
sample was 30 students. Writing test is the instrument of this research.

Juwita Crestiani M :

The Students’ Ability In Writing Descriptive Text through Outdoor Activity At

Palopo Cokroaminoto University

Results

The result of this study are elaborated and discussed based on the data collected
through writing test.

The result of students’ writing on the table 1 above shows that there are 1 student
acquired score 70, there are 8 students acquired score 75. There are 9 students acquired
score 76, there are 5 students acquired 80, there are 2 students acquired 85 and there are
2 students acquired 90. So, the mean score of the students’ result in writing is 78. It
means that the students’ ability in writing descriptive text through outdoor learning
activity.

The researcher gave more motivation to the students in order to be active in learning
process and did not get bored during learning process. The motivation could stimulate
and influence the students to study hard.

Besides that, the researcher gave more explanation about writing and giving
guidance to the students about how to produce a good composition through outdoor
learning activity.

The researcher also gave more chance to students in order to they could write easily
in a good composition because they wrote composition by using longer times. While the
researcher gave assignment to students, the researcher always observed students’
activity. The researcher also gave chance to students to give comments or question.

Through outdoor learning activity, students did not difficult to understand the
material and find idea because it can make students easier to receive the material.
Outdoor learning activity also makes them enjoyable in learning.

Besides that, the students’ participation in learning writing through outdoor learning
activity had good response. It can be seen by the students’ spirit and motivation in
learning and feedback from the students about the material. So, students active in
learning process.

Outdoor learning activity also could help the students better able to get ideas, retain,
remember, recall important information and made connection one idea with the other
ideas.

Based on the previous before, the students’ ability in writing descriptive text through
outdoor learning activity is good. It can be proven by the students’ mean score is 78 and
it is categorized good.

Conclusion

Based on the findings and discussion in the previous chapter, the researcher
concludes the students’ ability in writing persuasive text through outdoor learning
activity is good. It can be proven by the students’ mean score is 78 and it is categorized
good.

IDEAS, Vol. 7, No. 1, June 2019
ISSN 2338-4778 (Print)

ISSN 2548-4192 (Online)

References

Byrne, Donn. 1990. Teaching Writing Skills (Longman Handbooks for Language
Teachers). Longman Group UK Limited.

Donovan, Mellisa.2012. Eight Characteristics of Good Writing.
www.writingforward.com/better-writing/characteristics-of-good-
writing.posted on January 12, 2019.

Harmer, Jeremy. 1991. The Practice of English Language Teaching. London: Longman
Group UK Limited.

Imran, Muhammad Chairil.2011. Improving Students’ Writing Skill Through Clustering
Technique. A Thesis of State University of Makassar.

Lindblom, Peter. 1983. The Elements of Writing. New York: Micmillan Publishing co.,
Inc.

Vera, Adelia. 2005. Metode Mengajar Anak di Luar Kelas. 1th Edition. Diva Press.

Yogyakarta.

Widodo, P.H.2008. Process-Based Academic Essay Writing Instruction in An EFL
Context. Jurnal Bahasa dan Seni, tahun 36 nomor 1 Februari 2008.

http://www.writingforward.com/better-writing/characteristics-of-good-writing.posted%20on%20January%2012
http://www.writingforward.com/better-writing/characteristics-of-good-writing.posted%20on%20January%2012