CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents background of study, statement of problem, purpose

of study, significance of study, scope and limitation and definition of key terms.

1.1 Background of the Study

One of the most important skills to be mastered by English language

learners is writing. According to Cole & Feng (2015), writing is an important skill

in the acquisition of the English language. Writing has always been seen as an

important skill in English language acquisition. This importance is because of the

way that it strengthens grammatical structures and vocabulary that the teachers

attempt to teach their students. However, teaching writing is not an easy task, it

takes patience and dexterity of a teacher to ensure that the learning target can be

achieved. In addition, the teacher is also endeavored to be creative and ensure that

the teachings delivered can be implemented properly by the students. According to

Virdyna (2016), teachers must make certain to choose resources and support

materials when teaching writing. The materials should not merely an instruction,

however, the materials that will be the best in helping the students learn to write.

However, according to Thi, Thao, & Anh (2017), writing is the most

troublesome skill to be aced for language learners in general. Furthermore, a

research conducted by Huy (2015) found out the students were facing a lot of

difficulties in writing the English language due to lack of vocabulary, not focused

on learning grammar, difficult topics, limitation of correction in students’ written

works and lack of material sources to improve their writing skill. The finding

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showed that writing is still considered as difficult. Thus, the students need to find

out the way to overcome this problem.

The solution also possibly came from the teacher, the teacher may find the

best teaching method to solve the difficulties of their students. A research conducted

by Auriyani (2018) found that the teacher employed brainstorming strategy, give

more exercises, told the students that they are responsible for themselves, re-

explains the material if the students have not understood and keep motivating the

students.

Teaching techniques is important in the teaching learning process. As stated

in Harris et al (2017), teachers are able to increase the students’ ability to write

tremendously by understanding the challenges that are faced by the students and by

mastering a spesific teaching techniques. A teacher must understand well the

students’ learning skills and how to maximize the implementation of their

knowledge. In addition, Harris et al (2017) state that helping the students increase

their knowledge about writing and how to plan keenly, screen advance toward their

objectives, assess their writing, and manage the writing process will motivate them

to write a text effectively that can convey ideas in a logical, organized, reader-

friendly style and elaborated.

There are many challenges that must be faced in teaching writing. The

challenges are not only from the teachers to prepare themself, but also from the

students. Hapsari, Santosa & Asib (2018) posits that students are encountered with

numerous difficulties. For example poor vocabulary, inability to make simple

sentences, lack of ideas, and poor language competence. Moreover, they considered

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writing as product that could be done instantly, but it is hard to acquire. Hence, the

students most of the time use an automatic language translator such as google

translate that could be easily found in internet to solve their difficulties. This

situation is a great opportunity for the teacher to apply various teaching techniques

for the students. According to Susilowati & Rahayu (2016), in case that the teachers

have a lot of problems in teaching learning process, they must implement different

techniques in teaching the students. The knowledge of various learning techniques

will greatly help a teacher accelerate the teaching learning process in the classroom.

A research conducted by Hermilah (2016) found that there were two

techniques that the teacher use in teaching writing. They are the techniques in using

pictures and in using controlled writing. The first technique that using pictures

purposed to help the students in elaborating their ideas into the text easier. The

second technique was using controlled writing. In this case, the teacher asked the

students to check the result of their writing, such as connecting words, grammar,

spelling and punctuation before submitting their writing result. These techniques

are worth to try because based on this research, the students generally had positive

response toward the teaching techniques used by the teacher. The teaching

techniques used by the teachers were effective to increase the writing ability of the

students, to understand the materials quickly, and to help them write well. Also, the

techniques could improve the students’ vocabulary and grammar, and could

increase the students’ activity to write a text.

Other effective teaching technique also found by Megawati (2014), the

researcher found that the students generally had positive response toward the

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teaching technique used by teacher. The result is the students became easier to write

descriptive text.

When compared with previous studies that also relate to learning techniques

in teaching writing skills, this study discusses various learning techniques,

problems and solutions related to the teaching of writing skill. The previous

researcher Megawati (2014) studied teaching techniques in SMP 1 Kepanjen and

Hermilah (2016) researched teaching techniques in SMP 8 Muhammadiyah Batu.

However, this study discusses the teaching techniques, problems and solution in

teaching writing that exist in Teacher Man memoir written by Frank McCourt.

Nowadays, we have been provided with massive exposure to learn English.

One of the ways to learn English is by literature. Learning by literature may have a

lot of advantages such as giving sight into human nature in general or into the ways

of fate in society. In other words, literature is a mirror of society. The readers can

learn about human personality and solve the problem that they face in their life.

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt is the memoir based on the real-life story of a man

named Frank McCourt. Frank McCourt won the annual Pulitzer Prize for

Biography or Autobiography in 1997 and one of the annual National Book Critics

Circle Awards in 1996 for his bestselling 1996 memoir, Angela's Ashes, which

details his impoverished childhood from Brooklyn to Limerick.

Teacher Man memoir tells about the experiences of Mr. McCourt, the writer

of the memoir when teaching in several high schools in New York City for 30 years.

This memoir contains experiences, difficulties, and struggles of a teacher with a

minimum basic of being a teacher as he was not focusing into being a teacher in his

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previous stage of life. That makes this memoir worth analyzing. In fact, this memoir

could inspire people especially for teachers who have difficulties in teaching

writing.

The explanation above is the reason why the writer wants to analyze

Mr. McCourt’s techniques in teaching writing, the kind of problems he faced in

teaching writing, and the way he solved his problem in teaching writing in the

memoir Teacher Man by Frank McCourt. It is expected to give a new insight and

an important lesson to the readers about teaching techniques in high school,

especially in teaching writing.

1.2 Statements of the Problems

According to the background of study, the research question are stated as

follows:

1. What kind of teaching techniques does Mr. McCourt use to teach the students

writing in Stuyvesant High School in the memoir Teacher Man by Frank

McCourt?

2. What problems does Mr. McCourt face in applying the teaching techniques of

writing in Stuyvesant High School in the memoir Teacher Man by Frank

McCourt?

3. How does Mr. McCourt deal with his problems in applying the teaching

techniques of writing in Stuyvesant High School in the memoir Teacher Man

by Frank McCourt?

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1.3 Purposes of the Study

In line with the research question, the purposes of this research are stated as

follows:

1. To describe the kinds of teaching techniques Mr. McCourt use to teach the

students writing in Stuyvesant High School in the memoir Teacher Man by

Frank McCourt.

2. To describe the problems that Mr. McCourt face in applying the teaching

techniques of writing in Stuyvesant High School in the memoir Teacher Man

by Frank McCourt.

3. To describe the way Mr. McCourt solve his problems in applying the teaching

techniques of writing in Stuyvesant High School in the memoir Teacher Man

by Frank McCourt.

1.4 Significance of the Study

It is expected that this research will make contributions to the reader. Firstly,

the result of this study can be useful for students of English Department to

understand other implementation of English teaching techniques in the education

institution. Secondly, the result of the study is expected to help English teachers

apply it to their students in the teaching-learning process of teaching writing. For

students of English Department, they can also apply it further during their teaching

practice at school. Thirdly, the further researchers can do classroom action research

on the techniques carried out by Mr. McCourt, and perform it to check the

effectiveness of the techniques in different class settings.

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1.5 Scope and Limitation

The scope of this study is to describe the teaching techniques used by Mr.

McCourt in teaching writing, the problems faced by Mr. McCourt in teaching

writing and the way Mr. McCourt solved his problem in applying the teaching

techniques of writing in Stuyvesant High School on the memoir Teacher Man by

Frank McCourt. This study is limited only in teaching technique of writing used by

Mr. McCourt and the implementation to his students in Stuyvesant High School on

the memoir Teacher Man by Frank McCourt.

1.6 Definition of the Key Terms

In order to avoid misinterpretation in understanding the terms related to the

study, the researcher provides the classification of the key terms:

1. “Analysis is evaluation, examination, study, test, review, explication,

interpretation, inquiry, breakdown, dissection and investigation.” (Lutz, 1994)

2. “Memoir is a work of sustained narrative prose controlled by an idea of the

self under obligation to lift from the raw material of life, a tale that will shape

experience, transform events and deliver wisdom.” (Gornick, 2002).

3. ”Writing is a process of putting ideas down on paper to transform thought

into words, to sharp main ideas and to give structure and coherent organization into

writing.” (Brown, 2007).

4. “Teaching technique is any of a wide variety of exercise, activities, or

devices, used in language classroom for realizing lesson objectives (Brown, 2007)”.

5. Teacher Man is the title of the memoir, written by Frank McCourt.

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6. Mr. McCourt is one of the teachers in the memoir titled “Teacher Man”

written by Frank McCourt. The memoir is a real-life experience of the writer

himself that written in the form of a memoir.