137 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. An Exploratory Interview Study About Teacher Strategies in Encouraging Secondary Students' Participation in EFL Writing Classroom Elya Kristian Fernando, elyakristian@gmail.com, University of Singaperbangsa Karawang, Jakarta, Indonesia This research paper explores teachers' strategies for encouraging EFL secondary students to participate in writing classes. The researcher conducted research in one of the public schools in district Karawang and appointed one of the teachers at the school as a participant. In this research, the researcher employed qualitative design with the research method of Interview Study. The researcher collects data using Semi-structured Interviews and documentation analysis. In addition, the data obtained were analyzed by the researcher in several stages so that the findings could be identified. The findings show that participant uses six strategies in encouraging EFL secondary students to participate in writing classes: Building Motivation and Confidence in Learning Writing, Using English as a Classroom Language, Using Technology in Learning Writing, Mandatory Using Dictionary, Interweaving Assessment, and Teaching, Proper Time Management. Keywords: EFL classroom, strategies, students’ participation, teacher’s role. 1. INTRODUCTION As the spearhead of learning, teachers also play an active role in overcoming learning problems with their strategic and management skills; communication and learning are two-way active processes, with learning requiring both teachers and students to be effective communicators (Edwards & Westgate, 2005). The classroom management carried out by the teacher during learning activities helps maintain the classroom situation so that it is always conducive; conducive classroom conditions can be created if there is a two-way interaction between students with teachers (Noviyanti & Setyaningtyas, 2017). The basic framework for building good habits in the learning environment is the strategies and rules teachers make. In designing a learning strategy, the teacher must manage the components of the learning process. These components are students, materials, strategies, methods, tools or media, and time (McDonald & Hershman, 2010). Planning and implementing learning strategies requires an ability from the teacher, knowledge of learning strategies will provide a scientific basis for organizing teaching and learning activities to make 138 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. learning more accessible for students to learn owned by teachers (Sormin & Rahma Rangkuti, 2018). Learning activities and student participation have a strong relationship in education. This strong relationship makes student participation one of the essential aspects of learning activities that need much attention. The intensity level of student participation dramatically affects student learning outcomes and maximizes student achievement, so student participation is essential to be considered by teachers and should not be underestimated (Iskandar, 2017). Participation in learning activities is essential because participation benefits both students and teachers. Participation provides students with opportunities to learn and practice new knowledge, explains their reasoning, examines their thinking processes, and recognizes the need to revise their thinking. On the other hand, participation also allows teachers to observe student thinking processes and learning, diagnose learning problems or evaluate student progress, and provide teachers an opportunity to scaffold or provide cognitive and affective support for students' understanding (Turner & Patrick, 2004). Several factors can change the intensity of the student's participation level when learning activities occur. These factors are: (1) the ability of students to formulate their ideas, (2) the courage of students in expressing their opinions, and (3) their habits in giving opinions related to the material being discussed (Sukidin et al., 2002). When faced with an exam-oriented curriculum or a classroom full of students, students may need more opportunity to participate actively in class. This phenomenon is through consideration of affective factors such as fear of communication and negative evaluation (Harper & Chen, 2018). In the context of an EFL language classroom, the factors that influence the participation of EFL students are similar to those of non-EFL students. Some EFL students may feel reluctant to participate because the influence of the mother tongue can be powerful. With little opportunity to practice the target language, the participation of EFL students in the EFL class is also influenced by the EFL students' anxiety factor (Correa et al., 2017). EFL students also often reveal the factors that influence their participation in EFL classes are feelings of restlessness and nervousness; furthermore, their inferior English skills also make them afraid of negative feedback from their teachers (Bhatti et al., 2016). Liu (2001), in his book, categorizes the level of participation into four levels: Total Integration, Conditional Participation, Marginal Interaction, and Silent Observation. a. Total Integration Students are active participants in classrooms. They follow the flow of the class, knowing exactly when to speak up and what to say. Their classroom participation is usually spontaneous, appropriate, and natural. Total integration can be considered a high level of acculturation in classroom settings. Students with this level understand what constitutes normal classroom behavior in this culture, what is considered an appropriate role in-class discussion, and what a student should do to contribute to the success of a class. Moreover, they have adapted to the classroom participation modes this culture encourages. In a way, total integration liberates students from being stereotypically 139 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. considered reticent in class. It also indicates high motivation to achieve adaptive cultural transformation. b. Conditional Participation Students' classroom participation is constrained by several factors, such as sociocultural, cognitive, affective, linguistic, or environmental. They might be highly motivated, but their participation and interaction with classmates and teachers are limited. These students are still figuring out when to speak up in class and what to say. Their social identities and perceptions of appropriate classroom behavior in their home cultures often inhibit them. After each attempt, they carefully reflect on their classroom participation and slowly but surely find their way into their comfort zone in classroom communication. c. Marginal Interaction Refers to students who are attentive listeners but seldom speak up in class. Their peripheral participation is compensated for by listening, note-taking, and group discussion after class. These students are less adventurous and usually rely on familiar classroom communication strategies used in their home countries to fit into the target classroom culture. When they occasionally speak up in classes, they are usually poised and confident because each attempt results from careful thinking and internal rehearsal. d. Silent Observation The prototypical classroom communication pattern is characterized by students' withdrawal from oral classroom participation and seemingly unconditional acceptance of what is discussed in class. These students use various compensation strategies (e.g., tape recording, note-taking, or small group discussion after class) to help digest and confirm what has been communicated. The factors underlying their silence in class are incredibly complicated and often cause misinterpretation and misunderstanding. Jun Liu’s book, "classroom communication levels," refers to how students communicate their thoughts in the classroom setting. These levels are related to students' perceptions of classroom communication and their participation behaviors in classroom interaction Liu (2001). Furthermore, Liu (2001) explained that the level of class communication could be placed on a continuum from the most active to the least active according to the behavior of class participation. As a result of their changing perceptions of classroom communication and interaction due to increased or decreased self-confidence and positive or negative feedback, students dance along the continuum with various degrees of certainty and effort on their journey of adaptive cultural transformation. So, individual participation levels are sometimes dynamic (Liu, 2001). Seeing so many factors that affect student participation poses many challenges for teachers who teach writing in class, especially in EFL classes. Hence, teachers need a good strategy to encourage students to participate in class, especially writing class. Adapted from the theory written 140 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. by Lee (2011), there are seven strategies that the teacher can use to encourage student participation in the writing classroom. These strategies include a. Building motivation and Confidence in Learning Writing According to Lee (2011), it is crucial to establish a writing environment that provides incentives. So, students develop a real interest in writing, engage in writing at a more personal and meaningful level, experience writing as a vehicle for personal expression, and discover the joy of writing, creativity, and self-discovery. If writing can be integrated with other skills and made relevant to students' daily life experiences, it will be a much more rewarding and enjoyable experience. To build students' confidence in writing, it is important to immerse them in writing, provide opportunities for writing practice regularly, and help them build good writing habits. Writing should be more than just timed and assessed writing that students submit for scores/grades. Instead, writing can take alternative forms. It could be something students put down at the beginning of a lesson - about their lesson expectations. They could also write something at the end of the lesson, where they reflect on the learning. b. Language-in-use and Genre Approach to Writing Instruction According to him, through learning explicitly about genres and generic structures, students learn to master grammar in connection with genres. Students will find the relevance of their learning to write with their experience under two conditions. The first is when genres provide an organizational principle for the writing syllabus. The other condition is when students are asked to write the genres they need to use and especially those they come across in daily life, students not only find the learning of writing much more relevant to their experience. They also develop reading (since they are provided with sample texts to read) and other language skills as they participate in the explicit instruction cycle that characterizes genre pedagogy. c. Using English as a Classroom Language and Monolingual Dictionary Frequent exposure to English should allow EFL learners to practice English grammar usage and help learners improve their vocabulary and learn new words. English should be used as a classroom language in EFL learning. By doing so, EFL learners can be obliged to learn a target language instead of depending on their native language. Moreover, EFL students should be encouraged to use an English / English dictionary to gain learners' understanding of the sense relation of a word and their correctness in selecting a word that truly conveys the intended meaning. Some EFL learners may strongly prefer bilingual dictionaries; however, their use should be minimized. d. Writing Teacher Education Lee (2011) explains that teachers should continue developing their self-competence. To develop themselves, teachers must be sensitive to many educational issues, including goals, educational and assessment methods, students, resources, and technology. Teachers 141 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. must also work through standards and reflect and critique their practice from different perspectives. They need the courage to make changes and make the right decisions to increase their competence and confidence in teaching. As a provider of knowledge, teachers need to look authoritative so that students see them as people who need to be respected; this can be improved by participating in activities designed to improve self-esteem. e. Technology in Writing Lee (2011) stated that one of the strategies for encouraging student participation, especially in writing class, is to include technology in learning. Since most students (as in some EFL contexts) use the computer and connect to the internet as a daily habit, writing teachers can use technology to help students see the relevance of writing, build a writing habit, and develop a stronger motivation for writing. For example, blogs can enable students to document individual experiences, keep in touch with friends, and, more importantly, discover meaning. Teachers can share their blogs with students and encourage them to post comments. Students can also start blogs, post personal writings, and engage in learning through interactions by responding to one another's posts. A social networking website can be used to arouse students' interest in the use of written English for social communication. These activities, which are relevant to student's daily lives, are more likely to arouse their intrinsic motivation for writing. Aside from leisure writing, technology can be exploited as a pedagogical tool for different purposes. For instance, collaborative writing can be carried out using wikis, feedback can be delivered online, and computer software can help students improve grammar and vocabulary in writing. f. Interweaving Assessment and Teaching Lee (2011) explains that the problem of a strict assessment culture can be overcome by emphasizing a balance between assessment and teaching provided by the teacher. According to him, teachers must dare to take steps to change the assessment culture. With a balance between assessment and teaching, the assessment will play its function well as an increase in the level of teaching. Lee thinks that an assessment that emphasizes aspects of grammar and vocabulary is an old-fashioned assessment for writing skills. According to him, the assessment of writing activities should emphasize the content and creativity aspects of students' ideas by sharing responsibility with students through peer evaluation. g. Proper Time Management and Classroom Environment According to Lee (2011), one solution to encourage student participation in the writing classroom is to focus explanations on topics that students are less able to master. In addition, teachers must also have the courage to make classroom changes or design lessons. The teachers can take advantage of these challenges (for example, the classroom setting must be arranged so that social interactions can be achieved because everyone can see each other in a face-to-face fashion). Several researchers have carried out several studies on student participation in EFL classes. For example, the research conducted in the EFL argumentative writing class. They found that EFL 142 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. students had problems participating in the argumentative writing class; this can happen due to a lack of courage (Lam et al., 2018; Peloghitis, 2016). There are also other studies being carried out in Bhutan. The study found that most EFL students preferred quiet listening to material explanations. The students also preferred taking notes on the material given to students, while students who actively participated (such as asking questions, responding to teachers, giving opinions, and asking for help) were classified as very low (Ghalley & Rai, 2019). Other researchers reported that the participation of students in class, one of which is the EFL class, is a highly complex process, and several factors influence it, but as long as students get motivated sufficiently, they will be happy to participate in creative ways (Harper & Chen, 2018; Aslan & Şahin, 2020). Based on several previous studies, encouraging students to be more willing to participate in class is a complicated process; previous research is limited to the context of student participation and the factors that influence it. Teacher strategies in encouraging students to participate have been left unrepresented in the literature. Thus, the present study seeks to fill this gap by exploring what and how their (teacher) strategies encourage students to participate. 2. METHOD The researcher used a qualitative research approach. By using the qualitative approach, the researcher collected various empirical materials needed by the researcher to compile. As stated by Creswell (2009) regarding the characteristics of a qualitative approach, this research ttook a "Natural Setting: where the Qualitative researcher tends to collect data in the field where participant experience the issue or problem study." The interview study was chosen as the research method by the researcher. An interview Study is a research method used to understand an issue or problem from the subject's point of view and reveal the meaning of their experience (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2014). This research took place in one of the public schools in the city of Karawang, and the researcher chose one teacher as a participant in this study. The researcher chose this participant because the participant had a unique teaching method. The researcher of this study uses semi- structured interviews and document analysis as instrumentation in this research. The interview was conducted in Indonesian (the mother tongue of the interviewer and the interviewee) so that the participant could express their thoughts freely. The researcher also used a voice recorder, and the recorded data was poured into written form. 3. RESULT In response to this study's research question, 'How do teachers overcome their challenges in encouraging student participation?' The researcher tried to find out the results by interviewing the participant in five interview meetings. a. Building Motivation and Confidence in Learning Writing Through interviews, participants revealed that learning was always integrated with other skills. The reason for the participant to do this is that monotonous learning cannot increase student participation in class and that students will lose interest in learning, leading to deteriorating grades. 143 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. “Mengintegrasikan keterampilan lain dalam pembelajaran menulis? Itu pastinya ya, tahun ajaran kemarin, saya membuat sebuah perlombaan membaca kecil- kecilan yang melibatkan beberapa kelas 8. Pada saat itu saya mengintergrasikan pembelajaran menulis dengan keterampilan membaca. Jadi waktu itu kalau tidak salah materi belajarnya itu adalah teks Recount ya, dan itu saya menugaskan murid di kelas yang saya ajar untuk membuat teks Recount. Saya bilang kemereka untuk buat semenarik mungkin dan saya jelaskan juga ke mereka bahwa nanti ada perlombaan membaca lah ya. Setelah mereka membuat (tugas) teks Recount, saya menyeleksi teks mana saja yang akan diikut kan lomba, setelah itu, saya menyuruh mereka untuk membaca sambil direkam. Hasil rekaman mereka juga saya simpan dan upload ke Youtube saya”. In addition to integrating learning to write with other skills, participants make learning to write relevant to students' personal lives, giving students the impression of meaningful learning. “Seperti sebelumnya saya bilang bahwa saya juga mengintegrasikan media dalam pengajaran menulis di kelas, ketika pembelajaran menulis materi tentang Expressing di kelas 7 dan materi tentang Admiration di kelas 8, bisa kita integrasikan (pembelajarannya) dengan media sosial. Contohnya ya seperti yang Admiration, nah itu kita bisa menyuruh murid untuk mempraktekkan bagaimana menggambarkan kekaguman mereka terhadap sesuatu yang mereka suka, seperti penyanyi, actor atau olahragawan yang mereka suka, melalui sosial media, contohnya WhatsApp atau Instagram, nah itu kan mereka punya ya dan sosial media tersebut ternyata juga memiliki fitur yang dapat mendukung hal tersebut, sama halnya dengan Expressing juga, namun dengan catatan kita harus melihat juga kapasitas mereka, saya sendiri tidak menggunakan blog atau buku harian ya karena menurut saya sendiri untuk anak SMP mah itu tingkatnya ketinggian”. The participant also revealed that this should be done to encourage students to participate in class and motivate them to be highly interested in learning, especially writing skills. In addition, the participant explained that this strategy worked well; further, the participant explained that the positive response from the students was undoubtedly very high. “Tujuannya? Pastinya biar pembelajaran tidak monoton ya, itu sih sebenarnya yang memotivasi saya untuk melakukan pembelajaran tadi (mengintegrasikan penggunaan media sosial dan keterampilan lain). Faktanya, pembelajaran monoton itu kan pastinya akan membuat murid hilang minat ya Mr, nah jadi saya pun memutar otak agar hal tersebut tidak terjadi. Untuk respon dari para murid Alhamdullilah sangat banyak ya, mereka jadi pada tertarik gitu mengikuti pembelajaran”. 144 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Figure 1: Integration of Other Skills in Learning Writing Figure 2: Integration of Technology (social media) in Learning Writing Figure 3: Integration of Other Skills in Learning Writing (2) b. Using English as a Classroom Language Through interviews, participants revealed that they often experienced barriers related to their mother tongue disorder. Therefore, the participant emphasized that their strategy for overcoming these challenges was to make English the language that should be used in English classes. “Gangguan bahasa ibu? Kalau dikatakan tidak ada tentunya itu mustahil ya Mr hahaha… semua guru bahasa inggris pasti pernah mengalami hal ini, termasuk saya juga Mr. Yang namanya bahasa Inggris, itu bukanlah bahasa ibu kita, posisinya itu bahasa kedua atau bahkan ketiga, jadi pastinya murid kesulitan 145 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. dong dalam berbicara bahasa inggris apalagi merangkai kata-katanya, jangan sampai ke merangkai kata dulu deh, pengucapannya aja terkadang murid masih salah kan? Nah biasanya, untuk mengatasi hambatan seperti ini, saya itu menjadikan bahasa inggris sebagai bahasa yang harus dipakai di kelas. Mungkin kedengarannya kayak sulit ya bagi para murid, tapi saya tetap membatasi, disaat seperti apa saja murid harus menggunakan bahasa inggris”. The participant explained that the use of English in the classroom was not for all aspects, but the participant determined at what times students should use English. “Saya tentukan dong, ya biasanya saya mewajibkan pengguaan bahasa inggris dihal-hal yang kecil terlebih dahulu, seperti menyiapkan kelas atau saat memberi salam sebelum pelajaran dimulai, lalu saat izin mau ketoilet atau izin mau keluar kelas, kalau untuk bertanya kepada guru sih saya tidak mewajibkan ya, namun saya bilang ke mereka (murid) bahwa jika kalian mau mencoba bertanya menggunakan bahasa inggris saat bertanya ya tidak masalah juga, justru bagus dong kalo mereka punya kemauan seperti itu kan. Untuk mengajar sendiri, saya itu menggunakan bahasa Inggris dan bahasa Indonesia saat mengajar di kelas 7, sedangkan waktu saya mengajar kelas 8 dan kelas 9 saat tahun ajaran sebelumnya, saya lebih banyak menggunakan bahasa Inggris”. The participant revealed that she did this to familiarize her students and increase their willingness to use English. According to her, native language interference can occur because students rarely hear or use English in their daily lives, plus most public schools do not target students to be able to use English fluently. “Seperti yang saya bilang sebelumnya, kalau gangguan bahasa ibu dialami oleh setiap murid ya, hal ini pastinya tidak lepas dari jarangnya penggunaan bahasa Inggris dikehidupan sehari-hari para murid. Sekolah negeri juga tidak memasang target sebenarnya untuk para murid mereka fasih dalam berbahasa Inggris. Itulah kenapa saya tekankan kepada para murid, jika mereka ingin menggunakan bahasa Inggris, tidak perlu malu, ucapkan saja satu atau dua kalimat, walaupun yang mereka ucapkan juga sebenarnya itu adalah Broken English (bahasa Inggris yang acak-acakan) tapi ketika mereka mau mencoba dan mau berusaha mengucapkannya, itu sudah buat hati saya senang. Alhamdullilahnya, ada juga murid yang berani dan mau untuk berbicara bahasa Inggris dengan saya, ya walaupun tidak banyak tapi itu sudah bagus. Harapan saya sih, semoga teman- temannya jadi ikut terpengaruh ya sama murid yang berani berbicara bahasa inggris, karena biasanya kalo sama temannya itu kan gampang terpengaruh ya hahaha”. c. Using Technology in Learning Writing The use of technology also cannot be separated as one of the strategies used by a participant in writing lessons in class, according to him, the use of technology adds color to learning, so it does not look dull or monotonous. 146 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Figure 4: Technology in Learning Writing “Biasanya dari yang saya lihat selama saya jadi guru itu, pembelajaran yang monoton justru malah menghambat kelas menjadi hidup dan menghambat partisipasi murid di kelas. Kalo kita (guru) ngajar cuman ngambil dari satu sumber bahan ajar dan hanya menggunakan papan tulis sebagai media ajar, ya jangankan murid, orang dewasa juga bosen ngelihatnya kan? Guru sekalipun pernah menjadi murid, yang berarti kita juga pernah merasakan seperti apa bosennya kalau pelajaran cuman memakai media yang seadanya, jadi kita juga harus pengertian kepada para murid agar mereka mempunyai minat dan mau berpartisipasi di kelas”. The participant revealed that she always relied on technology regarding teaching resources and teaching media. According to her, the teaching resources provided by the school alone are not enough to support learning, so participant look for it on the internet. In addition, the use of technology as a learning medium can always be relied upon to increase student interest and participation in class. “Untuk sumber aja sendiri saya mengcombine ya dengan yang ada di internet, jadi kan biasanya guru itu punya grup ya di sosial media mereka yang mana itu juga sesama guru mata pelajaran, nah disitu kita bisa sharing terkait sumber ajar, video pembelajaran, video tutorial penggunaan media dan banyak lagi. Sekolah sebenarnya memberikan ya sumber ajar seperti buku pegangan, tapi menurut saya itu masih kurang, jadi saya pun mengcombine saja dengan berbagai sumber yang saya telusuri. Nah untuk media teknologi sendiri sih, saya biasanya menggunakan PowerPoint ya buat menyampaikan materi, itu benar-benar membantu banget, karena kita disitu kan bisa menaruh gambar, biasanya kan murid tuh kalo udah ngeliat gambar mereka tuh jadi pasti lebih tertarik dan minat untuk belajar”. Furthermore, the participant also shared that the students she taught gave a lot of positive responses when the learning was carried out, so this strategy became a strategy often used by participants when teaching writing and other skills. “Untuk respon sendiri Alhamdullilahnya banyak ya Mr, saya juga ikut senang tentunya kalau melihat murid jadi antusias, apalagi jika kita memberikan gambar sesuatu yang mereka sukai, misalnya kayak aktor atau aktris, penyanyi dan olahragawan favorit mereka tuh pasti mereka bakal seneng. Saya juga tidak mengintegrasikannya dipembelajaran menulis saja ya Mr, dipembelajaran keterampilan lain tentunya saya pakai juga”. 147 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Figure 5: Technology in Learning Writing (2) d. Mandatory Using Dictionary This strategy refers to the participant's strategy in overcoming the behavior of students who are not responsible for their tasks, such as looking for answers on the internet, preferring to play it safe, and being afraid of making mistakes. The participant revealed that the use of dictionaries is a must for every English language learning that takes place. “…ada beberapa murid, itu pasti, seperti sebelumnya saya bilang bahwa tidak semua murid akan bertanggung jawab terhadap tugas yang diberikan, pasti ada beberapa yang gamau berusaha, cari aman karena takut salah, dan akhirnya nyontek keteman atau gak nyontek (nyari dari) internet. Nah, karena saya melihat hal ini tentunya merugikan kita (guru) dan para murid itu sendiri, saya memutuskan untuk mengambil langkah pencegahan biar hal seperti ini tidak menjadi kebiasaan, dengan mewajibkan para murid untuk membawa kamus, ya walaupun masih ada aja terkadang murid yang seperti itu (melakukan perilaku buruk), sebenarnya sih kembali lagi ya seperti yang saya bilang, strategi ini adalah langkah pencegahan, itu berarti tidak akan menghilangkan (perilaku) keseluruhannya, hanya mengurangi”. Participant also shared that the use of a dictionary was required to train students to get used to using their ideas when doing writing assignments. In addition, participants also revealed that students who did not bring a dictionary were given a punishment, namely memorizing 20 vocabulary items in the Dictionary and mentioning them in front of their teacher. “Saya selalu bilang ke mereka (murid) kalau setiap pelajaran bawa kamus, tidak boleh tidak bawa kamus. Saya juga bilang, kalau memang kamu tidak sanggup dan kesulitan membuat kata-kata maka bawa kamus, jika memang otak kamu mampu maka tidak masalah jika tidak membawa kamus. Sebenarnya tujuannya juga agar mereka bisa melatih kekreativitasan mereka Mr, dengan memakai kamus kan mereka bakal mencari satu per satu katanya kan, nah itu juga dapat menambah kosa kata bahasa Inggris mereka. Namun walaupun saya sudah mengatakan wajib, biasanya masih ada beberapa murid yang tidak membawa kamus, biasanya saya kasih hukuman tuh, ya gak perlu berat-berat lah ya, gak perlu dimarahin juga karena justru bisa membuat mental mereka turun banget, paling cuman saya suruh hafal 20 kosakata bahasa Inggris, jadi dalam membuat 148 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Figure 6: Mandatory of Using Dictionary hukuman juga harus hukuman yang membantu mereka meningkatkan kemampuan mereka”. Participants revealed that the student response was certainly positive. Many students also followed the rules. The participant also explained that she did not allow her student to use digital dictionaries or digital translators because using that tools would be distracted and train them to get instant results. “Respon yang diberikan tentunya positif ya Mr, karena saya tidak hanya main nyuruh (membawa kamus) saja, namun juga saya memberikan alasan kenapa mereka harus membawa kamus, selalu saya beri tahu alasan tersebut, agar mereka pun juga mengerti bahwa kamus itu penting bagi mereka yang masih belajar. Terkadan juga ada murid yang bertanya apakah boleh pake Google Translate, nah itu selalu saya larang ya, karena kalau begitu kan hasilnya instan banget gitu ya, ketika kata-kata bahasa Indonesianya langsung dah dapet bahasa Inggrisnya, selain itu, terjemahannya juga tidak sepenuhnya benar, jadi dari pada mereka merugi dalam dua hal, ya lebih baik mereka saya suruh menggunakan kamus, memang kata-kata yang mereka tulis, kalimat yang mereka tulis pastinya acak-acakan namun kan bisa kita berikan umpan balik, jadi tidak rugi menggunakan kamus”. 149 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Figure 7: Mandatory of Using Dictionary (2) e. Interweaving Assessment and Teaching This strategy refers to a participant strategy that equates the assessment with the teaching. The participant revealed that in terms of giving an assessment, she did not only assess one aspect but many aspects. Similar to the assessment, the learning provided is also not focused on one aspect only. “Tentunya kebanyak aspek ya, jenis teks juga kan beragam kan? Contohnya kita ambil Teks Descriptive, pasti kita (guru) menjelaskan definisinya terlebih dahulu, baru abis itu tujuannya, tujuan dari jenis teks tersebut, sehabis itu baru lah kita masuk ke Generic Structure nya. Begitu juga untuk penilaian, pastinya ada beberapa aspek yang akan dinilai, tidak hanya nanti kosakatanya, tapi juga kontennya dan masih banyak lagi”. Participants also revealed that, at the junior high school level, students were not targeted to be able to engage in writing activities directly. The participant explained that learning writing skills at the junior high school level only provides an understanding of what writing skills are and how they are applied, not targeted at being able to practice them. “Kalau misalnya dari keterampilan menulis, kalau misalnya keterampilan menulis itu bisa saya katakana lebih sulit ya dibandingkan dengan keterampilan membaca, berbicara, dan mendengar, karena kalau misalnya yang namanya menulis didalam bahasa Inggris mereka harus paham dulu dari nol, dari nol maksudnya seperti apa? Ya dari dasar, karena kalau misalnya tidak dari dasar kemungkinan si anak tersebut pasti ditengah-tengahnya akan mandet (terhambat) maka dari itu, target pembelajaran menulis di tingkat SMP, dari yang paling dasar dari kelas 7 ya, tidak ditekankan untuk kepada (praktek) menulis, melainkan mereka ditekankan dulu kepada pemahaman, nah ditingkat selanjutnya kelas 8 baru itu mulai (praktek) sedikit demi sedikit, karena mereka sudah memiliki dasar di kelas 7. Contohnya kita ambil materi Recount Text di kelas 8, nah para murid tentunya sudah punya bekal seperti (tenses) Simple Past”. 150 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Participants also revealed that the equalization of assessments and materials provided also aims to lighten the burden of the students. In addition, the applicable curriculum certainly has its assessment standards, which teachers must follow. “Kalau kita tidak menyetarakan penilaian dengan materi yang diberikan maka murid nanti bakalan terbebani, misalnya materinya baru sampai mana, tapi kita sudah kasih tugas yang susah, pasti mereka akan terbebani dan hasilnya malah buruk nantinya, terus juga kalo kita hanya menilai di satu aspek saja kita ambil contohnya cuman menilai tata bahasanya, ya murid nantinya justru tidak mau menuangkan ide-ide mereka dan lebih memilih bermain aman kan, sehingga nantinya mereka nyontek ke internet atau ke teman mereka”. f. Proper Time Management This strategy refers to how participants manage the time given by the school regarding providing feedback and materials. The participant revealed that she arranged the time for giving materials, assessments, and feedback to overcome problems related to a large number of students. “Sebenarnya untuk hal seperti itu, guru harus punya dan bisa menschedule jadwalnya dengan bagus ya, kalau saya sendiri biasanya saya targetkan satu minggu setengah berarti 3 pertemuan, nah nanti kita tentukan pertemuan pertama kita membahas penjelasannya, lalu pertemuan kedua kita melakukan penilaian, dan di pertemuan ketiga kita membahas perbaikan yang perlu dilakukan oleh para murid”. Furthermore, participants also revealed that the students being taught were all required to follow the feedback given by their teacher so that they (students) understood where their mistakes were and how to correct the mistakes they usually made when doing assignments. “Kalau saya sendiri menuntut murid saya untuk wajib memperbaiki kesalahan mereka ya, dan tentunya saya membantu mereka juga dalam mengenali seperti apa saja kesalahan mereka dan bagaimana cara memperbaikinya. Dalam memberikan umpan balik, biasanya pertama saya bulet-buletin dulu (yang salah) dibukunya, lalu saya tulis deh note dibuku mereka, notenya yang saya berikan adalah letak kesalahan mereka, dengan begitu nantinya mereka tahu mana-mana saja yang salah. Nah, pertemuan selanjutnya itu saya berikan rangsangan kepada mereka, untuk mengetahui apakah mereka benar-benar menganalisis umpan balik yang saya berikan, biasanya tuh saya akan tulis kalimat yang salah dipapan tulis lalu menanyakan apakah tulisan tersebut benar atau salah, jika mereka bilang benar, maka (disimpulkan) mereka tidak memperhatikan umpan balik yang saya beri, jadi kayak menjebak gitu”. 151 | IJET| Volume. 11, Issue 2. December 2022 Copyright 2022 Elya Kristian Fernando, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Although the participant admitted that the time given by the school was sufficient, she did not deny that the large number of students being taught was also a problem for her. “Kalau untuk waktu (yang diberikan) cukup lah pastinya, tinggal pinta-pintarnya kita aja dalam mengatur waktu, dalam menschedule waktu. Murid yang saya aja juga tergolong banyak ya Mr, sekitar 40 anak, itu bener-bener tantangan banget gitu, kalau kita gak mengatur jadwal kita dengan baik, ya imbasnya nanti bukan kekita (guru) aja, tapi kasihan juga kemurid, gabisa dapat umpan balik, materi juga harus kejar-kejaran sama penilaian, itulah kenapa sebagai guru, harus pintar dalam memanajemenkan waktu”. 4. CONCLUSION This study also aims to provide an overview to novice teachers (especially those who teach English) regarding what challenges they will encounter and the strategies teachers should use to encourage students to participate in writing classes. In this research, the researcher uses a qualitative approach and uses the Interview Study method a research method. The researcher also considers the Interview Study method suitable for this research. As for the research instrument, the researcher used the Semi- Structure Interview and document analysis to strengthen the interview evidence. Based on the results of interviews and analysis of documents obtained, the researcher found that participants used six strategies to encourage students to participate in class. The first strategy, namely Building Motivation and Confidence in Learning Writing. The second strategy is to use English as a classroom language. Another strategy is using technology in writing. The fourth strategy is the mandatory of using dictionary. The fifth strategy is interweaving assessment and teaching. The sixth strategy is proper time management. From the research finding discussed in the previous chapter, the researcher gave some suggestions for the EFL teacher and the next researcher. The EFL teacher is advised to pay attention to the obstacles they face when carrying out learning activities, be considerate to students and take an approach to find out the personality and interests of students is an excellent step to anticipate obstacles that come from students. The inability of students to use the target language is a fact that teachers must face; therefore, motivating students by getting them used to the target language is one of the proper steps to get used to it. Besides that, a dictionary can also be the right spice to increase students' target language vocabulary. Balancing the material provided and the assessment that students receive can be a strategy to avoid burdening students so that students can follow the lesson to the maximum and have a positive perception of a lesson, especially in writing skills. Teachers are also advised to train and develop their ability to manage time and learning activities. Meanwhile, for further researcher, the researcher suggests researching at different levels, such as high school or college, and using more than one participant. 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