Approximation Practice on Students' Writing

Approximation Practice on Students’ Writing Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics Vol. 3 No. 2, 2018 eISSN: 2503-4197, pISSN: 2527-5070 www. indonesian-efl-journal.org Approximation Practice on Students’ Writing Royana Mukorobin Yogyakarta State University, Indonesia e-mail: Agus Widyantoro English Education Department, Yogyakarta State University, Indonesia Abstract: The primary aim of this paper is to investigate students’ difficulty in the implementation of genre-based approach to teach English skills. It focuses on approximation exercise. The author reported the result of the study in the form of qualitative data. The practice revealed that the students faced difficulty to start writing their ideas. In this point, the students who have quite good English proficiency felt easy in constructing the text without employing elementary sentences. It happens although their text construction is somehow not grammatically correct. On the other hand, for those who have low English proficiency, the incorporation of elementary sentences and final realization help them a lot in constructing the text effectively. In a nutshell, the students in high and low English proficiency have their own difficulty in putting their ideas in the form of a text. Teacher’s assistance is crucial in developing students’ skill independently. Finally, this pedagogical practice might become the teacher’s guidance in practicing genrebased approached in the classroom. Keywords: genre-based approach, writing skill Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics, 3(2), 2018 99 Approximation Practice on Students’ Writing 1. INTRODUCTION Understanding language is not simply identify the meaning of the message. This statement owing to the language varies based on the context and situation (Gibbons, 2015). One cannot use language solely without noticing with whom he/she speaks to, when, in what situation and the like. The understanding of such thing delivers the interlocutor to achieved effective communication. As Cook (1989) argues that formal links only (the facts inside the language) are not enough to understanding the language. Further, one should also understand contextual meaning (the facts outside the language). In addition, Gibbon (2015) describes how Australian girl face difficulty learning English in her school. She was Juliana. Moreover, Gibbons (2015) mentions what makes Juliana an eleventh-years-old has difficulty in learning English in the school. However, she is an Australian girl who uses English daily since born. Indeed, the case is closely related to context and situation. She uses English daily in the form of informal conversation and also engage in the communication with people close to her like families, teachers, friends and the like. Conversely, English in school is in the form of formal situation such as academic work or school work. Furthermore, Juliana usually uses English with the people she knew. However, when she is starting a conversation with a stranger, the conversation held in the form of formal talk. As a result, she finds difficulty since it is unfamiliar to her. From this case, it clearly highlights the important of understanding context and situation in using the language. In addition, Derewianka (2012) states the important of students’ development on how language function to achieve particular purpose. In line with this, the way language is processed and organized is also necessary to be emphasized in order to deliver information clearly (Gee, 2011). Likewise, language mastery might be developed through genre-based teaching. Thus far, a number of studies already reported about genre (Bauman, 2001; Macaulay, 2001; Liu, 2013; Martin, 2009). Genre is part of language and social context (Martin, 2009). Martin also adds that genre developed as a figure of how language is used to live, organize the language, done things with language, endorse it over and over again, and finally drop unnecessary things. Text structure and several aspects of genre learning are equally significant to support students’ writing development (Johns, 2011). In addition, the spoken and written form are dissimilar. The language employs in both form is totally different. Someone might use less formal language in spoken context, yet it will be inappropriate apply in written one. The condition leads to the notion of language context and situation as has been mentioned earlier. Meaning that language varies based on context, situation even circumstance within the talk (Dijk, 2008). In spoken form, one should notice when the conversation happens, to whom the talk is held, when is it happen and so forth. By doing so, the intend meaning of the message will be successfully addressed (Gibbons, 2015). Writing is considered as the most difficult skill to learn (Widodo, 2006). It would be more difficult if one has not enough vocabulary since vocabulary is one of the important elements in writing. Furthermore, transferring idea from local language to target language is another challenge for students that make writing more difficult. In Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics, 3(2), 2018 100 Approximation Practice on Students’ Writing addition, establishing ideas, choosing the appropriate vocabulary, using grammar, selecting punctuation and transmitting it to the readable text are somewhat very frustrating (Richard & Renandya, 2002 in Tuan, 2011). Therefore, in assisting students to develop good writing skill, teacher might select an appropriate technique in teaching. The employment of genre-based approach might become one of the solutions (Paltridge, 2001). The use of different kinds of genre probably can help students to develop their writing ability effectively step by step. Further, teacher might employ real-life materials as learning sources. The presentation of materials using real-life context significantly increasing students’ interest toward the topic (Herrington & Oliver, 2000). By doing so, language learning will be more meaningful and remarkable. Moreover, it is not only writing, but also the other English skills such as listening, reading and speaking need to be taken into account as well. The teacher should be able to assist students’ learning English skills using suitable method. By doing so, the students will enjoy learning and be able attain learning goal maximally. Based on the reason above, the author intends to implement genre-based approach in teaching writing. This implementation focuses on elementary sentence to construct a discourse. This practice is important to see how the students’ difficulty in constructing the text with and without the employment of elementary sentences. Furthermore, the result of this practice might become consideration in applying genre-based approach in English learning process. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Discourse Analysis Discourse analysis attempts to show the relationship between language and context in use (McCarthy, 1991: 5). It studies the language use (...truncated)