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Published online on the Journal’s Webpage: http://deejournal.org/index.php/dee

Datokarama English Education Journal

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2022) 56-61 E-ISSN: 2723-4967

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PICTURE SERIES IN TEACHING NARRATIVE

READING TEXT

Rifka S. Mbirongi1, Muhammad Ihsan2, Ana Kuliahana3

[email protected]
English Tadris Study Program, Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training
State Islamic University Datokarama Palu

ABSTRACT

This research aimed at finding out the implementation of picture series in

teaching narrative reading text to the eight grade students of MTs al-Khairaat
Uemalingku Ampana. This research was qualitative research, the subjects of
this research were teachers and students. The data collection methods
employed in this study were observation, interviews, and documentation.
The data sources used in this study were primary data and secondary data.
Data analysis techniques used were data reduction, data presentation, and
data verification. The result of this research showed that the implementation
of Picture Series in Teaching Narrative Reading Text to the Eight grade
Students of MTs al-Khairaat Uemalingku Ampana consists of the following
steps: firstly, the teacher trained the students to think and directed them to
find answer to problems by playing drawing games. Secondly, the teacher
explained the material deeply, such as the step to write narrative text.
Thirdly, the teacher distributed some random pictures to the students to
short the pictures into a logical sequence and to find out the difference in the
learning outcomes that had been achieved by students in learning narrative
text. The learning evaluation was carried out at the end of the lesson.

Keywords: Implementation; Narrative Reading Text; Picture Series

INTRODUCTION
Language is the most important aspect in human interaction. People communicate
and interact with others by using the language. One of the languages in the world is English.
In a big community, English has become an international language. Most of the community
in the world use English in order to communicate with others who have different language.
Therefore, English is very important to be taught and learned by students in learning
English. There are four skills and some components in learning English. The skills are
listening, speaking, reading, and writing while the components are vocabulary, grammar,
and pronunciation.
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In an effort to develop human beings towards optimal and better resources, it is

hoped that the potentials of a nation can develop. This is done through various educational
processes either at home, school, or in the community. National Education as regulated in
Educational Law No. 20 of 2003 concerning the Education System as a conscious and
planned effort to create a learning atmosphere and learning process so that students
actively develop their potential to have the necessary strength, self-control, personality,
intelligence, and skills.
The transformation from an ordinary school to an international standard school is a
great hope for the nation progress. Through the process, lies a road that full of difficulties
and challenges. For teachers as educators, one of the biggest challenges is how to improve
their competence in mastering English.
Reading is very important not only for the students but also for teachers. Reading is
believed as a required activity in learning most of all subjects since reading has been proved
in increasing students’ knowledge. Reading has a function as a means to access information
in the global era.
Reading is a process that readers combine the information from a text and their own
background knowledge to build meaning. Reading is an active skill, it constantly involves
guessing, predicting, checking, and asking oneself questions (Nunan, 2003:49). In reading,
the readers should be concentrated to the texts in order to get maximum comprehension.
Tarigan argued that reading is a process that is carried and used by readers who want to get
the message delivered by the writer through the medium of words in a written language
(Silalahi n.d).
Reading is a passive skill which requires interactive process in comprehending the
meaning in order to get information or ideas from written text. Understanding the meaning
of the reading skill including the ability in reading from many experts who have different
points of view is definitely important for the English teacher.
Teaching reading is an evolving process that works differently for each student.
Thus, the English teachers should create an interesting and effective technique in their
classes to attract the students’ attention and their interest towards the texts. Picture series
technique is one of the effective techniques that can be applied in the classroom.
However, in reality, the learning process in reading class carried out by the teacher
is not optimal yet. The causes of this problem are: teachers still use conventional methods
in the learning process, low utilization of learning media as supporting innovative learning,
and lack of students’ attention when teachers explain lessons during teaching and learning
activities.
In addition, the low ability of students in reading narrative texts needs attention.
Based on these conditions, there must be an effort to take action in applying teaching
strategies towards narrative reading skills learning process. This is known based on initial
reflection and experience during observations at MTs Al-Khairaat Uemalingku Ampana.
Learning to read narrative texts using picture series conducted by English teachers has
been very effective so that the students are more cheerful and active in reading narrative
texts.
The implementation of the picture series used by the English teacher at MTs Al-
Khairaat Uemalingku Ampana, is a means so that learning is not monotonous and creates a
classroom atmosphere with this media. It is expected that children are stimulated to use the
senses of sight and pronunciation to the fullest.
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This problem then became a separate motivation for the researcher to conduct
research at MTs Al-Khairaat Uemalingku Ampana, Tojo Una-una District, in Central
Sulawesi Province. And raised the title "The Implementation of Picture Series in Narrative
Reading Text to the Eighth Grade Students of MTs Al-Khairaat Uemalingku Ampana”
There have been several studies that related to this research. First, Rachmawati
conducted a study entitled “The implementation of picture series in Narrative writing for
Tenth Grades of SMAN 2 PONOROGO”. This was qualitative research. The instruments used
by the researcher were field notes, student writing assignments, and questionnaires. The
results showed that the implementation of a series of pictures applied by the teacher help
students in writing narrative texts (Rachmawati, 2021).
The first previous study is related to this study because it examines the same thing,
the implementation of picture series. The previous study focused its implementation on
writing skill while this study highlights the implementation of picture series in reading
narrative text.
Second, Widiantari employed a study entitled “The Implementation of picture series
to improve children speaking skills in An-Nasuha Kindergarten, Pabedilan District, Cirebon
Regency”. The researcher stated that the ability to speak in children is still low, this can be
seen in the aspects of children's fluency when speaking and telling stories in front of the
class. The majority of children have not dared to express the feelings and messages they
want to convey properly and correctly. One way to improve speaking skills is through
picture series. Through the picture series, it is hoped that children can read the illustrations
in the pictures so that they are able to speak.
The second previous study have a relation to this study. Both studies focused on the
implementation of picture series in teaching. The difference lies on the skill and research
method. The previous study focused on speaking skill and applied classroom action
research, while this study focused on reading skill and applied a qualitative research
method.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Narrative Text
Narrative is a form or product of written language whose contents express an idea,
experience, and knowledge of a person to be read by various groups. Alwi in Nurdjan and
Rustan states that an essay is a series of sentences related to connecting other propositions
so as to form a unity which is story, fruit, pen, creation, composition, made-up story and the
result of a series (Nurdjan & Rustan, 2010).
Based on some of these definitions, it can be concluded that an essay is the result of
composing consisting of a series of related sentences to form a single unit.
Narrative is an essay or story that presents an event or occurrence and how the
event took place based on the chronological order. The incident may actually happen, but it
may also be just an illusion. Narrative contains facts: Biography, autobiography, or stories
of experience while narratives in the form of fiction: Novels, short stories, or comics.
Expository narrative, is a form of narrative that aims to convey information about
the ongoing event or process. Narrative is broadening the reader's knowledge. The stages in
a process are conveyed in informative language with an emphasis on the use of denotative
words. Suggestive narrative, is a form of narrative whose purpose is to give meaning to
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events or events as an experience. The language used is more inclined to figurative

language by using connotative.

Reading

According to Urquhart and Weirt in William Grabe, reading is the process of

receiving interpreting information in language from via the medium of print (Grabe, 2009).
Reading is useful for language acquisition. Provided the students more or less understand
what they read, the more they read the better they get at it.

Intensive Reading
Intesive reading is type of reading that focus on idiom and vocabulary that taught by
the teacher in the classroom and that idiom and vocabulary is exist in poem, poetry, novel
or other source. For example : The students focus on linguistic or semantic details of a
reading anf focus on structure details such as grammar.

Extensive Reading

Extensive reading is type of reading involves learners reading texts for enjoyment
and to develop general reading skills. For example : The students read as many different
kinds of books such as journals, newspapers, and magazine as you can , specially for
pleasure, and only needing a general understanding of the contents.

Aloud Reading

Aloud reading are reading by using loud voice and clearly. For example : reading
poetry, dialogue, and other type of texts.

Silent Reading

Silent reading activity is mean to train the students to read without voice in order
that the students can concentrate their attention or though to comprehend the texts. For
example : The students reading a text by heart.

METHOD

The approach is the underlying assumption in using the mindset used to discuss the
object of research. In writing scientific papers, the researcher used a qualitative descriptive
research approach, which describes the aspects that are the target of the researcher. The
approach in question is a research that seeks to describe the current problem solving based
on the data, so that the authors can find certainty and authenticity of the data to be
described as accurate research results. Descriptive research according to Suharsimi
Arikunto "is more appropriate when using a qualitative approach" (Arikunto, 1993).
Qualitative research is a research aimed at describing and analyzing phenomena,
events, social activities, attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, thoughts of people individually and
in groups (Sukmadinata, 2012).
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According to Bogdan and Taylor as quoted by Lexy J. Moleong in a book entitled

"Qualitative research methodology" said that "qualitative methods are research procedures
that produce descriptive data in the form of written or spoken words from people and
observed behavior" (Moleong, 2002).

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

Through the implementation of picture series learning, it can improve the quality of
learning to make it more meaningful. Through picture series learning students are not only
required to master a number of information, but also how national education is to be
achieved which not only forms an intelligent humans, but also to form people who are pious
and have skills. In addition, having a noble attitude.
In the teaching and learning process, the teacher applied picture series learning
strategy to the VIII grade students at MTs Al-Khairaat Uemalingku, Ampana. According to
the English teacher, this strategy applied due to the students’ difficulties in finding the ideas
in reading passages. There were some steps that applied in this learning strategy. First, the
teacher conveyed the competencies to be achieved. Next, the teacher explained the material
deeply, such as the steps to write a narrative text. The teacher distributed ten pictures
randomly, then the students sort the pictures into a logical sequence. The picture sorted on
the students’ respective tables. Last, the students were asked to write a narrative text based
on the sequence of the image. At the end of the class, the teacher evaluated the students’
work, and asked the students to improve their writing at home. During the learning process,
the students seemed focus to the instruction given by the teacher. This strategy attracted
their interest in learning.
The implementation of picture series can improve students’ learning outcome and
students’ focus on learning activity in the classroom, especially in learning English. This was
stated by the English teacher at MTs Al-Khairaat Uemalingku, Ampana, during the
interview. In addition, there was another information obtained by the researcher during
the interview regarding the teacher’s obstacles in the implementation of picture series
learning strategies; time reduction of learning process and the students’ heterogenous
abilities in understanding the material. According to the English teacher, there are two
solutions that overcomes these obstacles; the first solution is improving the teachers’
quality in teaching and learning process by mastering some interesting techniques or
strategies, so the teacher can apply the picture series strategy in the classroom totally. The
second solution is collaboration. With the relevant to government (the education office) so
that the teaching and learning process can return to normal without reducing the number
of subject hours, so that teachers will be even more optimal in teaching students.
CONCLUSION
The picture series learning strategy was applied by the English teacher in teaching
narrative reading text at MTs Al-Khairaat Uemalingku, Ampana. The learning process was
done by arranging pictures as in the material taught by the teacher. However, there were
the inhibiting factors experienced by the teacher in implementing the strategies in teaching
English to the VIII grade students; limited time and the students’ heterogenous abilities in
understanding the material.
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