Enhancing Eight Graders' Writing Skill Using POW+TREE Mnemonic Strategy and Picture Series (Action Research)

Abstract

Writing English recount text is not an easy skill to study for most eighth grade students to do since it is considered a foreign language in Indonesia. Many students are unable to generate, organize ideas and translate ideas into a written-text. Such a difficulty to write was also described to the eighth graders of SMPIT AL-MUMTAZ Pontianak, especially Class D female students. To improve their writing skill, the researcher did the classroom action research. It aimed at improving students’ writing skill at recount text through POW+TREE mnemonic strategy equipped with picture series in two cycles. The participants involved 27 students from the eighth grade of SMPIT AL-MUMTAZ. To collect the data the researcher used observations, interviews, and tests. The mean in pre-test and post-test showed in a different score. The pre-test was about 69 in which the mean was unable to reach the school minimum passing grade (KKM) since it is 75 of the KKM. As soon as the researcher conducted treatment and did a post-test then, the students’ result test improved into 80 of the mean score. Therefore, it is suggested that POW+TREE strategy and Picture series can be used by English teachers as an alternative strategy and material to improve students’ writing skill.Key Words: Writing Skill, POW Mnemonic, TREE Strategy, Picture Series, Classroom Action Research.