Balla (2021) - Explicit Technique For Teaching Writing To Students With Sociological Learning Style
Balla (2021) - Explicit Technique For Teaching Writing To Students With Sociological Learning Style
Balla (2021) - Explicit Technique For Teaching Writing To Students With Sociological Learning Style
Abstract
The objective of this research was to find out the influence of explicit technique in
teaching writing to the students whose learning preference is sociological learning
style. This research was a pre-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test
conducted at English Education Department of UIN (Universitas Islam Negeri)
Alauddin with 30 students as respondents. They were divided into two groups:
individual sociological learning style (ISLS) and group sociological learning style
(GSLS). The data were collected through an essay test and Sociological Learning
Styles Inventory. The results of students’ essay tests were analyzed by using SPSS
version 20. The data analysis and interpretation indicated: 1) there was a
significant difference for students whose learning preference ISLS before and
after treatment. 2) there was a significant difference for students whose learning
preference GSLS before and after treatment. 3). there was a significant difference
for students whose learning preference between ISLS and GSLS before and after
treatment. In conclusion, there is no significant difference between students
whose learning preference ISLS and ISLS before and after treatment. Sociological
learning style does not have any influence on students’ achievement score in
teaching writing by using explicit technique. The achievement gained was
probably caused by the treatment by using explicit technique. In the end, explicit
technique can increase students’ writing ability for both ISLS and GSLS students.
Introduction
Most of the students still take writing as the most difficult skill in language teaching, especially
in English writing. This phenomenon also occurred in English Education Department at UIN
Alauddin. From some informal and unstructured interviews, the researcher found that most
students in English Education Department of Tarbiyah and Teaching Science Faculty at UIN
Alauddin Makassar are fully enthusiastic to learn about writing, but they cannot improve their
skill to the level as expected by enacted curriculum which expects the fifth semester students to
achieve certain level in writing essay. In writing, one of the main problems is coherence. The
lack of coherence makes readers unable to get the idea. By considering this, coherence should be
learnt and taught and given serious attention by giving proper method.
Related to achieving coherence in writing, explicit technique can be an effective technique
to solve students' coherence difficulty in writing. On the other hand, it is inseparable that the
success of certain technique is also supported by the other factors. One of the factors is learning
style.
Learning style influence in studying is also supported by Oxford in Pei-Shi (2012) who
determines learning style and strategies are the main factors helping determine how language
learners learn a second or foreign language. It seems that learning style plays a crucial impact in
teaching students.
It is necessity to find out certain technique that deal with certain preference. This research
aims at comparing explicit technique as one teaching writing technique to a particular learning
style.
Explicit techniques are defined a writing technique that focuses on clear markers in order to
identify the coherence. That technique employees transition signals/signposts to help the
coherence and cohesive in writing.
Meanwhile, Dunn (2009) defined sociological learning style a preference to receive,
analyze, and store information in social interaction by individual, team, pair, small group, varied
group. This learning style is divided into Individual Sociological Learning Style (ISLS)and
Group Sociological Learning Style (GSLS).
Mardiana (2012) stated that Individual Sociological Learning Style (ISLS) is defined as a
learning style individually that tend to be analytic, actual, and factual. The students who are ISLS
also think inductively, non-gestalt, more theoretic or less practice. They are more logic than and
put higher attention to the fact than feeling or intuitive in taking decision, less creative, clumsier
in working, formal and non-spontaneous, more competitive, and less cooperative and have
tendency to work by their own selves.
In addition, Mardiana (2012) also mentioned that Group Sociological Learning Style
(GSLS) is defined as a learning style involves peer more than 2 students. The students who have
this learning style tend to be more intuitive and sensitive than logic in taking decision. In
working, they are more creative and dynamic. They are more less discipline, spontaneous, social,
more cooperative, and less competitive. In brief they like to work in a team than individual.
In this research, the result of students’ writing score for coherence by using explicit
technique was compared between students with sociological learning style, which are divided
into both ISLS and GSLS. The higher score of either ISLS or GSLS will be assumed to be
matched with explicit technique.
Literature Review
Nowadays, we can find some cross-sectional studies between teaching technique and learning
style in case of teaching second or foreign language. Xu in Dastjerdi and Shizard (2010) applied
explicit technique (Xu called it as metadiscourse) and found interesting finding in a study of
metadiscourse used by 200 students across four years of an undergraduate course in English at a
Chinese university. In his research, students of final two years employed more formally complex
and precise interactive metadiscourse (consequently, therefore, as a result) than those the first
two years, who preferred form such as but, then, and and.
Martinez (2004) also investigated the use of explicit technique or discourse marker in
expository composition of Spanish undergraduate. The students employed a variety of discourse
markers, with some types used more frequently than others. As conclusion, there was a
significant relationship between the number of discourse markers and the students' scores.
Dastjerdi and Shizard (2010) also applied this technique of University of Isfahan in EFL
students. There are 94 EFL students as the respondents and aged between 20-23 years old. There
were 32 elementary level. For intermediate and advanced students for each were 32 and 30
students. All the groups were exposed to the same explicit instruction of metadiscourse markers
in successive sessions. The result showed that elementary learners improved significantly after
explicit instruction of metadiscourse markers, intermediate learners had the highest
improvement. In other words, explicit instruction showed to be the most effective method for this
group of learners and advanced learners showed the least improvement after explicit instruction
of metadiscourse markers.
By looking at the findings above, it is clear that explicit technique can be used to improve
students’ writing ability. From some studies, it can be concluded that explicit technique has a
high contribution to improving students’ writing ability. Oshima and Hogue (1991) mentioned
four ways to achieve coherence. Those ways include repeating key nouns frequently in a
paragraph, using consistent pronoun, using transition signals, and arranging the sentences in a
logical order. Those techniques are defined as explicit technique (Ulfiati, 2011).
On the other hand, it is inseparable that the success of certain technique is also supported by
the other factor. One of the factors is learning style. Yaumi (2012) states learning style also can
influence process and learning result. He mentioned that learning style jointly with the other
aspects including general characteristics, prior knowledge, learning style and multiple
intelligences determine students’ characteristic.
Learning style influence in studying also is supported by Oxford in Pei-Shi (2012) who
determines learning style and strategies are the main factors helping determine how language
learners learn a second or foreign language. It seems that learning style plays a crucial impact in
teaching students. In addition, Dunn & Dunn (1978) adds that in every case, students who were
matching with method, resource, and environment that complemented their reported strong
preferences achieved statistically higher; they achieved statistically less when they were
mismatched with their preference.
Another positive result is backed up by De Bello study (1990). De Bello employed Learning
Styles Inventory that proved that students indicated better writing skills and attitude towards
writing tasks when their sociological learning style suited their tasks. In addition, a study by Cole
(1990) found that the appropriation between learning technique and learning style preference
could lead to the better quality of writing, the increasing self-confidence and decreasing anxiety
in completing writing tasks.
Furthermore, Mardiana had conducted a research on the influence of cooperative learning
(CWRG-SE and CS) and social learning style (GSLS and ISLS) to students’ writing ability
(2012). The result showed CWRG-SE (Cooperative Writing Response Group and Self-
Evaluation) is matched with Group Sociological Learning Style (GSLS). CS (Cooperative script)
is matching with Individual Sociological Learning Style (ISLS).
However, the research between explicit technique and learning style is still very limited.
From this point, the researcher conducted this research to examine the use of explicit technique
in writing related to ISLS and GSLS.
Therefore, the researcher formulated three research aims.
1. To find out students’ writing ability in ISLS by using explicit technique
2. To find out students’ writing ability in GSLS by using explicit technique; and
3. To find out comparison of students’ writing ability between in ISLS and GSLS by using
explicit technique.
Methodology
This research applied Pre-Experimental Design with pre-test and post-test group design (Setyadi,
2006). The researcher asked the students to write an essay and counted as a pre-test. Then, the
students were given treatment (X). After that, the students would be asked again to write an
essay and apply the explicit technique. The result was counted as post-test. The design can be
described as proposed by Arikunto (2010) below:
O1 X O2
There were 33 students involved, but 30 of them became respondents. Specifically, there
were 15 students whose preference ISLS and 15 students whose preference GSLS.
This research was conducted for six meetings. First meeting was introducing to the material
and spreading the students learning style questionnaire sheet. The second was conducted in order
to know students' writing ability before treatment as counted pre-test. The third to the fifth was
conducted to give students' treatment. The last meeting was conducted to get the final task and
counted as post-test.
There were two kinds of data in this research, discrete data and continuum data. District data
which is information that can be categorized into a classification was sociological learning style
data, and continuum data was students' writing essay coherence assessment. District data was
collected by given students questionnaires. From this, students' preference was identified. They
were divided based on their preference into Individual Sociological Learning Style (GSLS) and
Group Sociological Learning Style (ISLS).
Continuum data was collected by using these below scoring classification. In this research,
the researcher proposed the scoring classification as suggested by Mardiana (2012) as below:
Table 1
Coherence Criteria in Writing
No Component Indicator Composition Score
1 Idea/ Theme Developing logic, systematic, and 30% 1–5
accurate idea
2 Organization Formation of internal structural writing 20% 1–5
which is included analysis-synthesis
writing followed by rational deductive
and factual inductive to draw conclusion.
3 Expression Concurrence between idea and or 10% 1–5
argument with theme and audience
4 Diction Concurrence of word or expression 10% 1–5
diction
5 Sentence fluency Formation of the cohesive and coherence 20% 1–5
sentence
6 Convention The usage of marks, spelling, and 10% 1–5
quotation
Percentage and maximal score 100% 30
Table 2
Quality of Writing Criteria
Ability
Rubrics 5 Strong 3 Maturing 1 Beginning
Ideas The paper is clear and The paper addresses an The writer has not yet
focused. It thoroughly identifiable key question by clarified an important
answers a well-defined key offering the reader general, question or issue that
question in understandable, basic information. this paper will address.
convincing, and expansive
terms.
Organization A strong internal structure The organizational The organizational
gives purpose and direction structure is strong enough structure needs a
to the main idea. The to move the reader through stronger sense of
organization propels the the text without undue purpose and direction.
reader toward the key confusion. The reader may feel
point(s) or logical confused about what to
conclusions the writer wants focus on or what
to emphasize through a set of conclusions to draw.
reasoning process,
deductively and inductively.
Voice The writer addresses the The writer projects a tone The writer seems
audience in a voice that is and voice that seem indifferent to either
lively, engaging, and wholly sincere, pleasant, and topic or audience, and
appropriate to the topic and generally appropriate for as a result, the tone
purpose of the paper. the topic and audience. may be distant, flat,
jargonistic, stilted, or
just inappropriate.
Word Choice Well-chosen words convey Words are reasonably The writer struggles
the writer’s message in a accurate and make the with a limited
clear, precise, and highly message clear on a general vocabulary that restricts
readable way, often taking level. what he or she is able
the reader to a new level of to convey, or the
understanding. writing is so technical
and difficult to
penetrate that the reader
feels shut out.
Sentence The writing has an easy flow The text hums along with a The reader has to
Fluency and rhythm when read aloud. steady beat, but is more practice in order to give
Sentences are well built, with pleasant or businesslike this paper a fair
strong and varied structure than musical, more interpretive reading.
that invites expressive mechanical than fluid.
reading.
Conventions The writer demonstrates a Errors in writing Numerous errors in
good grasp of standard conventions, while not writing conventions
writing conventions and uses overwhelming, begin to consistently distract the
specialized conventions impair readability. reader and make the
(titles and subtitles, footnotes, text difficult to read.
a table of contents, a One or more of the
bibliography) effectively to following problems
enhance layout and may be evident.
readability.
In order to analyze the data, the researcher used t-table and SPSS version 20 to find out
mean, standard deviation, and probability level with @= 0,05.
Findings
The gained data of this research result including students’ writing ability before and after
treatment by using explicit technique for students whose preference ISLS and GSLS. In detail,
the research result includes the score with respect to first, the students’ score writing ability
before and after treatment by using explicit technique for students whose preference ISLS.
Second, the students’ score writing ability before and after treatment by using explicit technique
for students’ whose preference GSLS. And third, the comparison students writing score before
and after treatment by using explicit technique for students’ whose preference ISLS and GSLS.
The results are shown in the following.
Table 3
The Students’ Score in Idea (30 %)
Pre-test Post-test
Level of Ability Total
No
ability point score F P (%) F P (%)
4 26.67 13 86.67
1. Strong 4-5 24-30
11 73.33 2 13.33
2. Maturing 2-3 12-18
- - - -
3. Beginning 1 6
Table 4
The Students’ Score in Organization (20%)
On Table 5 below, there was a little bit increasing number for strong level and decreasing
for maturing level that shown pre-test to post-test. It indicates there is an improvement.
Table 5
The Students’ Score in Voice (10%)
Pre-test Post-test
Ability Total
No Level of ability
point score
F P (%) F P (%)
Table 6
The Students’ Score in Diction (10%)
Table 7
The Students’ Score in Sentence Fluency (20%)
Table 8
The Students’ Score in Convention (10%)
Table 9
The Students’ Score in Idea (30%)
Table 10
The Students’ Score in Organization (20%)
Pre-test Post-test
Ability Total
No Level of ability
point score
F P (%) F P (%)
Table 10 shows a great number of increasing point from none to be majority for strong level
and even none of the students got score in beginning level in post-test.
Table 11
The Students’ Score in Voice (10%)
Pre-test Post-test
Ability Total
No Level of ability
point score
F P (%) F P (%)
Table 12
The Students’ Score in Diction (10%)
Pre-test Post-test
Ability Total
No Level of ability
point score
F P (%) F P (%)
8-10 - - 3 20
1. Strong 4-5
4-6 9 60 12 80
2. Maturing 2-3
2 6 40 - -
3. Beginning 1
Table 13
The Students’ Score in Sentence Fluency (20%)
Pre-test Post-test
Ability Total
No Level of ability
point score
F P (%) F P (%)
Table 14
The Students’ Score in Convention (10%)
Table 15
Mean Score of ISLS Pre and Post-test and GSLS Pre and Post-test.
Sociological learning style Mean Score
ISLS Pre-test 54.80
ISLS Post-test 75.73
GSLS Pre-test 43.60
GSLS Post-test 65.60
As shown on Table 15, there was a significant difference both ISLS Pre and Post-test and
GSLS Pre and Post-test. Even though there was a bit difference achievement both ISLS and
GSLS, but in general, both of these sociological learning styles were getting increased.
In the following in table 16, provides t-test value and probability level among ISLS and
GSLS Pre-test, ISLS and GSLS Post-test, ISLS Pre-test and ISLS Post-test, and GSLS Pre-test
and GSLS Post-test.
Table 16
Paired Sample Test Statistic
Category t-test value Probability level
ISLS and GSLS Pre-test 3.077 0.008
ISLS and GSLS Post-test 2.366 0.033
ISLS Pre-test and Post-test 7.200 0.000
GSLS Pre-test and Post-test 7.705 0.000
Where t-table value is 1.761 and @ is 0.05. The difference is significant if the t-test value is
higher than the t-table value and @ 0.05 is higher than probability level or probability level is
lower than @ 0.05.
Table 14 describes that among the paired sample test statistics are significant since all of t-
test value of each category is higher than t-table and @ 0.05 of each category is higher than
probability level.
Discussion
On this part, the researcher highlighted the data found in the Finding part concerning matters
during the research based on the six components as stated in the previous chapter. In the
following, the researcher analyzed the point found both ISLS and GSLS Students.
With respect to idea, idea plays main role in any kind of writing. Idea is the nuclear point
that the writer wants to deliver to the reads (Mardiana, 2012). Idea is the main topic that will be
developed in sentences. Therefore, coherent of idea plays the meaningful part of writing quality.
The ability as proposed in Mardiana (2012) from beginning to strong or grade of 1 to 5 could be
one measurement which takes 30 % of whole assessment. The total score from 6 to 30. For ISLS
students in pre-test, mostly students have proposed good enough idea as indicated most of them
got maturing score. It means that the paper addresses an identifiable key question by offering the
reader general and basic information. It is not surprised since the researcher has proposed the
topic will be elaborated in students' essay. However, mostly got satisfied result in post-test that
showed better score became strong level. However, even though the topic has been proposed by
the researcher, there was still one student got beginning level in GSLS Students’ pre-test. But in
post-test, there was no more students classified as beginning level even mostly classified as
strong level.
Regarding with organization, it is not only organization of structural aspect but also the
organization of idea. For many experts such as Oshima and Hogue (1991) put organization as
one important element in writing. The ability level from beginning to strong level or score 1 to 5
and takes 20 % of whole assessment or score from 4 to 20. For ISLS students, it was shown that
all students were in maturing level which meant the organizational structure is strong enough to
move the readers through the text without any confusion. Meanwhile, in the post-test, only two
students were at the maturing level and others were at a strong level. Meanwhile, for GSLS
students, mostly got maturing level in post-test and in post-test mostly got in strong level and
others were in maturing level. It means there was a significant difference.
Then, in the term of voice, it reflects how the writer expresses what he wants to deliver. It is
related to the concurrence between idea and or argument with theme and audience. The ability
from beginning to strong level or score 1 to 5 and takes 10 % of whole assessment or score from
2 to 10 as proposed Mardiana (2012). Based on the data of ISLS students, it was shown that
voice was not a big trouble for students since they were maturing and strong. It was the same in
post-test, but there was an improvement of the number. Meanwhile, from GSLS data, it describes
that all students were in maturing level in pre-test and in post-test more than half of them were in
strong level.
In the sense of diction, it is related of word choice. The word should be appropriate and
accurately match with the topic. The appropriate word with the topic addresses in a clear point of
message. As proposed by Mardiana (2012), the ability level from beginning to strong level or
score 1 to 5 and takes 10 % of whole assessment or score from 2 to 10. As the data shown in the
pre-test for ISLS Students', there was a similar score of maturing level. However, in the pre-test,
there was one student still got beginning yet in the post-test, there was no student got beginning
level. On the contrary for GSLS Students, there were six students got in beginning level, and the
others were in maturing level. But in post-test, there was no student any more got in beginning
level and in most got in strong level.
Regarding with sentence fluency, this component concerns with the fluency of sentences
that support idea unity in paragraph. The sentence should be connected with clear meaning,
which is leading the readers to catch the points. Celce-Murcia and Olshtain in Cahyono and
Mukminatein (2011) stressed that incoherence idea in sentences will make the readers get
confusing. The ability level from beginning to strong level or score 1 to 5 and takes 20 % of
whole assessment or score from 4 to 20. Based on the data for ISLS Students, there was no
student got strong level and mostly got maturing level. In post-test, mostly they were in maturing
level and no one got beginning. Meanwhile, for GSLS students, both pre-test and post-test were
similar. However, there was a bit improvement where 13 students got in maturing level in post-
test compared within pre-test only were 12 students.
Finally, with respect to convention or mechanic, it is related to the use of marks, spelling
and quotation. It is external aspect but has an important role in writing. Basically, it is a basic
indicator in writing. However, it is still a big deal for most students even though they are
language students. In order to evaluate the convention, the research proposed the ability level
from beginning to strong level or score 1 to 5 and takes 10 % of whole assessment or score from
2 to 10 (Mardiana, 2012). For ISLS Students, even though more than a half students got
maturing level but there were still 3 students got beginning level. But there was a significant
difference in post-test where most students got strong level and other were in maturing level. In
contrast, there were 10 GSLS Students got in beginning level in the pre-test. it was a seriously
trouble since convention is one of the main element in writing. However, there was a significant
difference in achievement in post-test wherein majority got maturing level only two students
were in beginning level. Moreover, in table 13 and 14 lead the researcher in brief that both ISLS
and GSLS Students got a great achievement after giving explicit technique in treatment. It is in
line with the research result of Xu in Dastjerdi and Shizard who had conducted and applied
explicit technique in Chinese University and showed satisfied result. Besides, each category of
paired sample test statistics was significant. It means there was no significant influence of
sociological learning style in writing by using explicit technique. Therefore, explicit technique
may be used for ISLS and GSLS Students.
Based on the findings and discussion, the researcher concluded some points. First, there was a
significant difference for students whose learning preference ISLS before and after treatment.
Second, there was a significant difference for students whose learning preference GSLS before
and after treatment, and third, there was a significant difference for students whose learning
preference between ISLS and GSLS before and after treatment.
As shown on the data, it concluded that there is no significant difference between students
whose learning preference ISLS and ISLS before and after treatment. Sociological learning style
does not have any influence on students' achievement score in teaching writing by using explicit
technique. The achievement gained probably caused by the treatment by using explicit technique.
In the end, explicit technique can increase students' writing ability for both ISLS and GSLS
students.
Considering the findings of this research, the researcher offers three suggestions. Firstly,
explicit technique is recommended to apply in teaching writing for both ISLS and GSLS
students. Secondly, explicit technique may be used for the other skills of English. And thirdly,
there must be continued research with true experiment using 2 x 2 factorial design to dig more
the effect of explicit technique and sociological learning style in teaching writing since this
research only used pre-experimental design.
References