THE USE OF REALIA TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ DESCRIPTIVE WRITING

Andini, Sofian, Luwandi Suhartono

English Education Study Program of Teacher Training and Education Faculty
Tanjungpura University, Pontianak
Email: andininurdina@yahoo.com

Abstract
Students’ vocabulary mastery in writing descriptive text of class VIII A at SMP Jasa
Mulia Sungai Baru were still weak. This research was conducted to improve students’ in
writing descriptive text by using realia. This research used Classroom Action Research
(CAR) and the participants of this research were twenty one students of class VIII A at
SMP Jasa Mulia. The participants were taught to write descriptive text by using realia.
Field notes, observation checklist and writing test were used to gather the data. The
students’ score have improved significantly. The result on second cycle there was 28.6 %
students could write descriptive text well. The result on third cycle was 86 % students got
good score and could write descriptive text well. The process of students in the classroom
and students’ score reflected that the realia can help students’ problem in writing a
descriptive text. Otherwise, the realia need other help such as teacher’s explanation,
example and guided questions.

Key words: Descriptive Text, Realia, Writing.

INTRODUCTION of descriptive text had been taught was

In learning English, there are four skills describing thing.
that learners need to know namely, However, the problem of writing
listening, reading, speaking and writing. descriptive text often happens among
Writing as one of the language skills students especially at class VIII A SMP
needed to be develop by teacher because it Jasa Mulia Sungai Baru. The first problem
is viewed as one of the important skills that came from the school. The school did not
should be mastered by the students. Peha have any various facilities and
(2010, p.58) stated that, “Writing is the infrastructure to support teaching and
communication of content for a purpose to learning process. The facility in the school
an audiance”. It means that writing is the was only books. The second problem
one of tools or media to convey the concerned with the students. Based on the
information or to communicate with interview, first problem was some students
people. Writer could communicate with said that they were confused when they
readers in written form. By teaching want to describe something because they
writing, teacher unconsciously forces had difficulty in using appropriate verb
students to think and to imagine something form. The next problem was they did not
because in the process of writing, students master the use of adjective and the meaning
need to explore their mind to look up ideas of the words. In learning a descriptive text,
that make their writing meaningful. writing the students had difficulties in using
requires students do not only need to learn adjective. For example, they were confused
about structures and vocabularies, but to use the words “beautiful” and its
students also need to comprehend the ideas synonym and antonym. Moreover, the
and understand of parts of paragraph students also had difficulties in writing
writing as well as its purpose in writing. sentences to build a descriptive text
Descriptive text is one of type of writing correctly.
taught in school. In this research, the kind

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 Related to the facts above, a media in helps to make English language input as
teaching descriptive writing to the eighth comprehensible as possible and to build an
grade students of SMP Jasa Mulia was associative bridge between the classroom
needed on that school due to lack of and the world. The realia in the classroom
facilities. The students only learnt is using real items found in everyday life as
vocabulary from the teacher and their an aid to teach English. Using realia helps
books. Suyanto (2007) said that there were to make English lessons memorable by
some media in teaching writing which are creating link between the objects and the
commonly used. For instance, the teacher word or phrase they represent.
uses picture. She asks students to describe Realia can be used in teaching
someone or something based on picture. vocabulary. By observing real thing, it
Besides, the teacher uses videos or other could help students to connect their eye
relevant media. So, the researcher decided into their vocabulary building. They could
to use realia as an alternative media in know some vocabulary about the colour,
learning at SMP Jasa Mulia. Emine (2015, the shape, and the size by looking at the
p.44) stated that “Realia is a term a term for thing but the teacher need to consider how
real things-concrete objects- that are used much new vocabulary are in the material. If
in the classroom to build knowledge and the students are to cope with real material,
vocabulary.” She said that the use of realia they may have to learn and to deal with a
is one of the most appealing alternatives lot of unfamiliar vocabulary. Chiarantiono
that enable the learning process more (2015) stated that realia concretizes
comprehensible. By using realia, students vocabulary and language and places it in a
can see, touch, smell and taste the objects frame of reference. For example, to
to help in describe something better rather illustrate and to teach vocabulary for
than imagining objects. things, animal, fruit and so on. The teacher
Realia is a real object to support can use actual objects of things, doll, fruit.
teaching learning process. Herrell (2000) It is very useful tool in making the abstract
said, “Realia is a term any real, concrete concrete.
objects used in the classroom to create Realia can make the teaching and
connections with vocabulary words, learning process more memorable. Young
stimulate conversation, and build learners are perfect age to learn language.
background knowledge.” It is clear that real Most of them are still visual learners. By
objective must be real things form. using realia, students are required to
Realia is a kind of things that can be involve in teaching and learning directly so
brought in the classroom. Meanwhile, that the students could remember the
Richard (2002 p.445) stated that, “Realia is material better. Emine (2015, p.44), “In
an actual object or item which is brought order to make the learning more
into a classroom as an example or as aid to memorable and amusing, students should
be talked or written about and used in experience the tools which are arranged for
teaching.” So that, it is clear that realia ‘real life situations’.” Belward (1987) said
must be real things. In using realia, students that the realia used that should be real
also will have demonstration. The purpose materials from specific culture.
of demonstration is to show how to do Realia is one of medium that can be
something step by step in order to students used in teaching descriptive writing. Realia
can learn make it by theirselves. In also can help the teacher make students
demonstration, students are asked to invove in teaching and learning process
involve in learning process directly in order directly. By using realia, the students could
to students can get real experience then describe something better because students
students are expected to be able to write could see the real thing such as the colour,
their experience in the form of descriptive shape and the characteristic of the thing. By
text. looking at the real thing, the students seem
Saomes (2010) stated that by presenting like just transfer the visual information into
information through diverse media, realia written form. According to Nugroho (2010,

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p.17), realia means using real items found Determining a research design is a
in everyday life as an aid to teaching crucial stage for investigating a research. In
English. It can be concluded that realia is this research, the writer conducted
real objects that can be used to support classroom action research (CAR) as the
teaching learning process. form of research. Through classroom action
In the application of realia in writing, research, the writer is able to describe and
teacher should consider of its procedures. It explain the problem that is chosen in this
is aimed to make the process of learning research. According to Mettetal (2001),
becomes much clearer and well structured. “Classroom Action Research (CAR) is a
In this research, the researcher used a method of finding out what works best in
theory from White (1986) “there are five the classroom so teacher can improve
stages of process of writing” namely students learning. Classroom action
invent, gather and plan, organize and research typically involves four broad
outline, write a first draft and revise. The phases in a cycle of research. They are,
researcher had modified several stage to fit planning, acting, observing, and reflecting.
in situation at that school. Activities The first cycle may become a continuing,
included in invent, organize and outline, or iterative, spiral of cycles which happen
write a first draft and revise. again until the action research has achieved
Before the media was implemented, it is a satisfactory outcome and feels it is time
necessary to review several previous to stop (Kemmis & McTaggart, 1988 as
researcher. There were several previous cited in Burns, 2010, p.20)
studies which have been done in relation to This study have been done in action
this topic. The first studies by an expert. research design. Cohen et al (2007, p.298)
Saomes (2010) stated that by presenting suggested that, “The aims of any action
information through diverse media, realia research project or programme are to bring
helps to make English language input as about practical improvement, innovation,
comprehensible as possible and to build in change or development of social practice
associative bridge between the classroom and the practitioners’ better understanding
and the world. The realia in the classroom of their practics’.” He added that, “one of
is using real items found in everyday life as the principles of action research is an
an aid to teach English. Using realia helps approach to improve education by changing
to make English lesson more memorable by it and learning from the consequences of
creating link between the object and the changes.” It can be concluded that by doing
word or phrase they represent. In line with action research, researcher should make
Saomes, research carried out by Alvin improvement and changes upon the
(2015) conducted his research about participants, in this case are the students
developing students’ descriptive writing by through the reflection in teaching. The
using realia on the eleventh grade students researcher was a collaborator and the
of SMK LKIA Pontianak . He said that teacher as the observer. During the teaching
realia is useful to teach descriptive text. and learning process, the teacher observed
Alvin (2015) also showed that teaching the teaching and learning process of
using realia is helpful. Realia can minimize teaching descriptive text by using realia.
students’ boredom. Also, it makes the The teacher wrote notes about researcher’s
learning experiences more memorable for performance, students’ performance and
the students. His research design was A the weakness of the teaching and learning
Quasi-Experimental Study. process on observation checklist and field
Considering the succes of notes. After the first cycle was done, the
implementation of realia to solve the researcher and teacher discussed to find the
students’ descriptive problem by using this solution to improve the previous plan.
media. Then, the researcher taught based on the
revised lesson plan on the next cycles. there
METHOD were four phases in doing action research
namely planning, acting, evaluating and

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 reflecting in which have been done in a also observe all emerging activities in the
cycle of research classroom during the teaching learning
Planning is the first activity of the cycle. process. In pre-activity, the researcher
In this stage, the focus of the researcher was prepared anything that needed to teach
to make a lesson plan after having some writing descriptive text based on
process. According to Burns (2009, p. 48), environment materials. In this part, teacher
“Action research starts by identifying a grabbed students’ attention and to get
broad area which fits with your interests, students’ interest by ask some general
passions, curiosity, or a pressing teaching questions related to the topic. And
need”. So after the researcher identified the researcher motivated students to study and
problem happening in the classrom, the what they are going to study.
researcher found out that the students’ need In whilst-activity, before the researcher
is writing skill. Based on the observation explained the material. The researcher
and interview with English teacher, there intoduced the topic will be taught. Next, the
were several problems confronted by the researcher showed two different examples
students namely using verb, using adjective, of descriptive text with the pictures. They
and writing descriptive text based on are about person and thing. The students
generic structure of the text. Futhermore, were asked to differentiate both of the text
Burns (2009, p.47), also stated that since by looking at adjective have been used on
action research is not a lock-step process so those texts. Then, the researcher asked the
that some changing will be needed during students if they found difficult words. Next,
the research. At this stage, it is a need to the researcher explained about definiton,
create plan that will be addressed to the generic structure and language features of
problem faced by the subject of the study descriptive text. The researcher also
that had been identified before. explained about verb and adjective that
Planning is also aimed to prepare all commonly used on descriptive text in
things needed to solve the problem on the describing thing. Then, the researcher
next activity. It is very important so that it explained example of descriptive text by
should be created as good as possible to using realia. The researcher asked
have a good remark in the end of the study. students to observe thing have been
On the way of doing this research, it is brought. The researcher showed the thing to
possible to revise the planning when it is the students. After the students observed
necessary. It means that planning is not appearance of the bag, the researcher asked
simply done before the research begin but students to collect the data about the bag.
also when the study is being conducted The The students collected the data about the
planning of activities are included in the thing such as the colour, the thing look like,
following points : Seeking and preparing the small or big and so on. After all the students
material which would be combined with collected the data about the thing, they
realia which could be appropriately used in evaluated which one appropriate ideas could
teaching descriptive writing to the eight be used to write descriptive text together
grade students of SMP Jasa Mulia and with the researcher. The researcher made a
Designed a lesson plan. The researcher descriptive text about the thing together
discussed the lesson plan with the English with the students based on the ideas have
teacher of class VIII A. been evaluated.
Acting is a second stage where the Last, the researcher discussed together
researcher acting out the strategy that has with the students about their work. After
been planned before. In the action stage, the getting material, the students were asked to
researcher implemented realia to teach choose correct verb and correct adjective in
descriptive text based on the lesson plan that a sentence to describe thing. Next, the
had been discussed with the teacher. The researcher asked students to rearrange the
researcher also collected the data by asking random words into correct arrangement.
the research collaborator to capture some After they finished their handout, the
pictures, do some observation checklist, and researcher asked them to write the answer
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on the board. In post-activity, the researcher writing because the class has the lowest
reviewed the students’ activity by average score among the VIII classes of
concluding what they have learnt and SMP Jasa Mulia.
discussed the difficulties faced by the In this research, the researcher gather
subjects during the teaching learning the data through observation checklist, field
process. To end the class, the students notes, and writing test. The observation
worked individually to do the assessment by checklist was used to know wheather the
arranging random sentences into a text research done this media by paying attention
based on the generic structure of descriptive to the students. The next one was the
text. researcher gathered the data of students’
The third one is observing. This stage writing test. Students’ writing test used to
involves the researcher in made an analyze the quantitative data. Meanwhile,
observation systematically in the effects of during the implementation of the actions,
the action referring to the data. Burns (2009, the researcher done observation by writing
p.103) said, “We turn to ways of analysing field notes in every meeting. The researcher
and synthesising your data and making discussed with the teacher before the action
sense of the various types of information of cycle one, in the reflection and after the
you have collected.” So that, the purpose of action. Then, the data was used to analyze in
doing observation was to see whether there order to find the succesful result of the
is a certain improvement or not toward the action and to make conclusion of the
subjects’ ability in writing skill. Besides, it research.
is also to know the feeling of the subjects
upon the media used during the action, or in FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
other words it would be also meant to see Findings
whether there are some positivies changing This research was classroom action
behavior, attitude, and motivation on the research (CAR). The research was
side of the students in learning and practice conducted in three cycles. One cycle
in the classroom activities or not. In the consisted of one meeting. On first cycle,
observation stage, the teacher as an observer The students’ difficulties in using adjective,
observed the implementation of realia in verb and writing descriptive text was still
classroom by writing the weakness of the weak. The realia could help students to
teaching and learning process on field note convey the thing physically but the
and observation checklist. The researcher researcher had to guide the students to
also checked the students’ assessment to improve their ideas such as how to write
know their difficulties in writing a adjective that they seen on thing well. Due
descriptive text and wrote it on the field to limited time, on this cycle, the researcher
note and observation checklist that would be did not focus on teach verb well. The
discussed with the English teacher. research only taught about using Simple
The last stage is reflecting. Referring to Present Tense. So that, most of students did
the observation, the researcher and not really understand in using verb. Based
collaborator made a reflection of the on the reflecting and students’ score, the
implementation of the action. The researcher concluded that the realia was not
researcher and the teacher discussed to find really helpful. The realia could help students
revision of the previous lesson plan in order to conduct about vocabulary physically.
to improve the next lesson plan. The But, realia was not really helpful in teaching
research was conducted in SMP Jasa Mulia the students to apply a vocabulary in a
Sungai Baru. The participant of this sentence. Thus, the teacher and guided
research was the students of VIII A class of questions were needed to support the
SMP Jasa Mulia. The class consists of 21 teaching and learning process as guidance
students. The researcher chose VIII A class for students. The guided questions were
as the research participant because the needed to help students in using verb in a
English teacher said that VIII A class sentence. On the second cycle, there was an
students need to improve their descriptive improvement of students’ progress in

5
teaching and learning process. The guided questions to help students. Based on
weakness of the previous plan had been the students’ score, there were 18 students
minimized. The researcher could manage could achieve the minimum score. It
the time well. The researcher used 20 showed that realia could help students in
minutes to convey the material so that, the describing thing with the teacher’s
researcher could explain how to make explanation, example and guided questions.
descriptive text well, discussed the handouts
together and students could do the Discussions
assessment quietly. The difficult words have Based on the data of the observation,
been discussed together well in doing the students’ score was improved from cycle to
handouts. cycle. On the first cycle, the students’ score
It is very useful to overcome students in was categorized into 4.8 % average to good,
comprehending difficult words. The 9.5 % average, 9.5 % poor to average and
researcher not only used realia as a material. 76.1 % poor. It showed that most of students
But, the researcher also guided the students did not achieve better score. On the second
in using realia to help them in describing cycle, the students’ score was categorized
thing. The students’ mistakes in choosing into 28.6 % good to average, 47.7 %
appropriate verb and choosing appropriate average, 24 % poor. It showed that there is
had been overcame well. Therefore, the an improvement on second cycle. On the
students’ mistake in arranging random third cycle, the students’ score was
words into a sentence had been minimized. categorized into 86 % good to excellent, 9.6
Only some students could not arrange % average and 4.8 % poor. The
random words into a sentence. On the other improvement of students’ score on the third
hand, the students did not write the cycle 86 % of excellent category. The result
sentences based on generic structure of have proved that the realia can improve
descriptive text. Referring to the students in writing a descriptive text.
improvement from second cycle, the The realia helped students to overcome
researcher concluded that realia was not their problem in writing a descriptive text.
really helpful if that thing was not supported The design of task which was suitable with
by other explanation and guided question. students’ level. The realia provided an
Thus, the researcher used realia with opportunity to students to express their
example and guided question to support the knowledge and their ideas. The realia also
teaching and learning process on next cycle. enhanced students’ comprehension about
The aims of example is to show the students the topic. Students became more brave and
the form of correct descriptive text. The aim self-confident. The realia helped students to
of guided question is to guide the students to memorize the vocabulary by seeing real
convey their idea about general questions on objects.
a thing. The guided questions were needed On the first cycle, the students’ score
to help students in using verb in a sentence. was categorized poor. It showed that most
On the third cycle, Based on previous of students were still extremely difficult to
observation and reflecting on previous do the writing task. There are still several
cycle, the researcher had minimized several problems faced by students on the first cycle
problems such as students’ knowledge about namely choosing appropriate verb and
verb and adjective and students’ problem in adjective in a sentence, arranging the word
arranging the sentences into a text. The into a sentence and arranging sentences into
students could differentiate in choosing a text. On the second cycle, there was an
subject, verb and object but the students still improvement. On the second cycle,
had problem in arranging the sentences into students’ score improved from their score
a text, so that in this cycle, the researcher on the previous cycle. It showed that the
focused on arranging the sentences based on achievement of students’ assessment were
the generic structure. The students’ better than previous assessment. The
difficulties in using adjective and verb had students’ mistake in choosing appropriate
been minimized because the researcher used verb and adjective had been overcame. The

6
students’ mistake in arranging words into problem in rearranging the sentences into a
sentence have been minimized. Although, text based on generic stucture of descriptive
the students’ mistake in arranging the text. They were still confused in choosing
sentence into a text based on the generic sentences about identification and
structure were still available. On the third description. The level of students’
cycle, the students’ score was categorized assessment had been revised into the simple
into good to excellent. The students’ ability one. The allocation of time between the
in writing sentence into a text improved and reseacher explain the mateial and the
the mistake have been minimized. In students done the assessment were effective.
addition, there were some limitations of On this cycle, the researcher also used other
realia need to be considered by the teacher helps same as first cycle such as
before using this media to teach. The explanation, example and guided question to
teacher need to use additional helps by the help the students in conveying their idea
teacher such as explanation, example and about general information about the thing.
guided questions. Realia may be too large, On the third cycle, the students’ result
to small, too heavy or even potential hazards were satisfactory. The problems faced by
for learners use. They may be rare or the students on the first and second cycle
important and thus costly expensive. the had been minimized namely using verb,
students might be noisy in conveying their using adjective, rearranging the word into a
idea when discussing together. The sentence, and rearranging the sentences into
researcher might use easy things and the a text based on generic structure of
things around students which was not heavy descriptive text. The improvement of
and not harmful for students such as the students’ score helped by other helps
things in the classroom and so on. The because the realia was only a medium. So
researcher used one thing to explain the that, the researcher needed explanation,
material briefly. The researcher asked example and guided question to help
students to raise their hand to convey their students in understanding the material.
idea rather than shouted. The realia could help students to
On the first cycle, the students’ score construct their ideas to produce a descriptive
was categorized poor. Most of students text. Reffering to the limitation of realia, the
could not write a descriptive text correctly. researcher need other helps such as
There were several weakness on first cycle teacher’s explanation, example and guided
namely, the example of descriptive text was questions. The completeness of sentences
too hard to be understood by the students. using a correct verb and the arrangement of
The tests were too difficult for students’ words into a sentence helped students to
level and the process of teaching and construct ideas and minimized their
learning process was not effective. Students difficulties in using simple present tense.
vocabulary mastery was weak. The students The arrangement of sentences into a
were still confused in using verb and descriptive text based on the generic
adjective. The solution of first cycle was the structure helped students to compose a
researcher used simple and short example of
descriptive text. The test will be used on CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS
next cycle was using simple sentences. The Conclusion
researcher also used other helps to supoort Reffering to the action from cycle one,
the limitation of realia such as teacher’s two and three, it can concluded that the use
explanation, example and guided questions. of realia can improve writing a descriptive
On the second cycle, the students’ score text. The improvement can be seen from
was still categorized poor but there were students’ knowledge about using verb and
several students could write a descriptive adjective in descriptive text. The score of
text correctly. Most of students could made students’ work coulf reflect of the process
sentence and could differentiate about wheather there is an improvement in using
subject, verb and object in rearranging the of realia in teaching writing. The
words. Eventhough, the students still had improvement of students’ writing

7
 assessment was influenced by the process of Harmer, J. (2004). How to teach writing.
teaching and learning activities of using England : Pearson Educational Limited.
realia on each cycle descriptive text.
Pardiyono. (2007). Writing clues for better
Suggestions writing competence. Yogyakarta : Andi
Based on the limitation of the research, Press.
the researcher provided several suggestions:
When students did not have any prior Peha, S. (2010). Writing teacher’s strategy
knowledge about the material. Realia are guide. Carrboro : Teaching That Makes
not really work if there is no any help. Thus, Sense, Inc.
the teacher should help students to use realia Richard, J., & Schmidt, R. (2002). Language
in order to help them in describing things. teaching and applied linguistics. England
Realia may too large, to osmall, too heavy : Pearson Education Limited.
or potential hazards for learners use. They
maybe rare or importat and thus costly Roza, Z. (2011). An analysis on the ability of the
expensive. Thus, the teacher may use easy fourth year English department students
things and the things around students which of Bung Hatta university in writing
was not heacy, not harmful for students such chronological order essay. Padang : Bung
as the things in the classroom and so on. Hatta Uni.

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