"THE USING OF MIND-MAPPING TECHNIQUE WITH

ILLUSTRATIONS AND PICTURES IN WRITING DESCRIPTIVE

TEXT"

Norra Dilla
SMP Negeri 1 Sukadana
Email: norraalqadrie@gmail.com

ABSTRACT: This study aims to improve students 'ability in writing

descriptive texts for Grade VIII students of SMP Negeri 3 Simpang Hilir. "This
research is a classroom action research. This research aim is to enhance the
students' ability in writing descriptive text. The writer used Mind-Mapping
Technique using illustration and pictures through several stages: 1) The phase
of BKOF (Building Knowledge On The Field). 2) The stage of MOT (Modeling of
The Text). 3) The Phase of JCOT (Joint Construction of the Text). 4) The Phase
of ICOT (Individual Construction of the Text). The Students’ tests results in
Cycle 1 to Cycle 2 percentage is increasing from 75% to 89.2% The
improvement of Students’ Test Results in Cycle 1 and Cycle 2, the percentage
of Students Achieving Value KKM is (70) 35.7% 78.57%, students who exceed
KKM (> 70) 3.57% 21.42% and the average value of 67.5 Writing Test is
78.15.

Keywords: Mind-Mapping Techniques, Illustrations, Pictures, Descriptive

Text.
INTRODUCTION

T he Mastering of the English language in learning English for the junior students
are revolved in four aspects of skills, they are: Listening, Speaking, Reading and
Writing. All aspects of skills supported by other aspects such as; vocabulary building,
comprehension of grammar and proper and correct pronunciation in accordance with
the correct spelling of words as means to acquire the learning objectives. From all
aspects, Writing is one of the most difficult skills that students face many problems
during the process of learning English. It becomes interesting that the ability to write
is largely influenced by adding vocabulary, grammar, and the ability of students
weaving sentence altogether into a well-structured descriptive text that is
grammatically. There are a lot of differences in grammar between English as a
foreign language and Indonesian language as native language is a common problem
faced during the process of learning to write is in progress. The ability to express
meaning in steps rhetorical vignettes and simple by using a variety of written
expression accurately, fluently and correctly to interact with the context of everyday
life with the use of text in the form of descriptive and recount is one of the basic
competencies (KD) that the Junior Eight Graders students must earn.
In the main activities of learning, students are usually given some examples of
descriptive text, and they were asked to find the meaning of the text and then arrange
jumbled sentences in the right setting to form a well-structured descriptive text. It is
so often done, but the results were not as good as the teacher expected and the ability
of students was still below the Minimum Performance Criteria (KKM). Writers can
obtain data from observations through the process of reflection that students seem so
passive, bored, and even some students complained of feeling lack of confident in
expressing ideas or thoughts. They certainly have difficulty in performing tasks given
by their teachers. This raises the question and assumption that the teaching method
was unfortunately failed and largely ineffective.
According to Oshima and Hogue (1997:50), description is writing about
characteristics features of particular thing, while descriptive writing appeals to the
sense, so it tells on how something looks, feels, smells, tastes, and/or sounds. In
addition, a good description is like “a word picture”; the reader can imagine the
object, place, or person in his or her mind. Otong Setiawan Djuharie (2001) says that
a descriptive text is aimed to describe or expressing about people, places or certain
things to give in details. (2001), while according to Barnet & Stubb (1997) a
paragraph is a group of related sentences that expands a statement by explaining it,
illustrating it, or proving it. It is not easy in making a good paragraph because we
have to apply many components into the paragraph we make.
After the writer had a training teachers program through Cascading British
Counsil (Better Education Through Reformed Management and Universal Teachers
Upgrading) organized by the Education Department of West Kalimantan Province
and also based on the experiences the author had in taking part in various training and
educational background that the writer has, writer try to use contextual learning
method with Mind-mapping technique using illustrations and Pictures as a learning
media. According to http://www.thefreedictionary.com/picture, “picture is a visual
representation or image painted, drawn, photograph, or otherwise rendered on a flat
surface. A picture can also be defined as a visual representation of something such as
a person, scene, produced on a surface, as in a photograph and painting. Meanwhile,
according to James A. Reinking through his book (Strategies for Successful Writing,
2007) says that:
“Illustration refers to an example or anecdote used to explain, clarify, or justify a
point. "In writing an illustration," says James A. Reinking, "we try to show readers
something truthful about our understanding of the world. They wouldn't read what we
have written if they suspected we were unusually careless in our thinking, or if they
thought we were trying to deceive them by skewing our evidence or distorting our
examples. Furthermore, Reinking says that "Illustration is the use of examples to
make ideas more concrete and to make generalizations more specific and detailed.
Examples enable writers not just to tell but to show what they mean. For example, an
essay about recently developed alternative sources of energy becomes clear and
interesting with the use of some examples--say, solar energy or the heat from the
earth's core. The more specific the example, the more effective it is.”
The learning model of Mind-mapping is invented by Tony Buzan (1960s)
through his tutorial video entitled How to Use Mind-Mapping for studying and
Research, and his book entitled Modern Mind-Mapping for smarter Thinking says
that:
”Mind-Mapping is two dimensional diagrams like arranging pictures together
to visualize the structured, classified ideas. Mind-Mapping can be useful tools for
solving problems, outlining presentation on papers, and reviewing needs. It is
particularly powerful for visual learners. This technique is very useful to help to
discover new relationships between ideas. This technique can be combined with
pictures and color variations for each theme in making the mapping.”
One of the advantages of this technique is the students will have an
opportunity to develop the new ideas in developing a subject into more imaginative
but through well-organized process. Drawing the subject based on the illustration is
one advantage of this technique is that students will be have the opportunity to give
birth to new ideas in developing a subject, be more imaginative but the process will
be more organized. Drawing the subject based on illustrations and give color to the
subject will give birth to a sense of fun, besides the pictures will make students more
easily focus, keen, easy to concentrate, and stimulate the brain. Providing color in the
image or the notes stimulate the brain to work. The colors on the mind-mapping will
also add vibration and give the impression of living in mapping, providing great
energy for creative thinking and of course, fun. The Steps of application of mind
mapping method uses an image is as follows:
1) The teacher read out the illustration in the form paragraphs on a subject
(person, place or time), then repeat the illustrations several times.
2) Students listen with the eyes closed and try to visualize the subject in
their minds.
3) Students create a picture in the midst of a plain blank paper, giving the
colors and name the parts of the image.
 4) Students create a map, the pictures are in the middle, and then create
branches on the image with the adjectives that can be used to describe the
image.
5) Students add their branch of the map by creating sentences based on the
branches of the adjectives they write.
6) Students develop these sentences into a paragraph by copying the
sentences into a blank piece of paper and give the number on each of the
sentence.
7) Students arrange these sentences into a paragraph using the language
feature of the paragraph.
8) Students write the parts of descriptive text into other paper which consist
of identification, and description.
9) Students classify paragraph included into the identification and
paragraphs which are included into the description.
10) Students add an image that they created earlier into the text that they have
written.
METHOD OF RESEARCH

Suharsimi Arikunto (in Yadhik Muftiha Huda, 2014:67) stated that a class
room action research is an observation of learning activities which is conducted
through an action, by intention is emerging and happening in a classroom. The action
is given by a teacher and acted by the students in the teacher’s classroom. The
mistake done by the teacher in this process is solely a result of his own deed.
Therefore, this research is a classroom action research (Classroom Action
Research) carried out by following the procedure of research based on the principle
Kemmis and Taggart (1988) which includes planning activities (planning), action
(action), observations (observation), reflection (reflection) or evaluation , The fourth
of these activities take place repeatedly in the form of a cycle. The research was done
by collaborating with teachers MGMPs English Group who taught in class IX.
The writer planned the teaching English by selecting learning material of
writing text through two cycles in the 2nd half of the school year 2009-2010.
Allocation of time used in the first cycle consists of 2x40 minutes. In this learning
process, the authors conducted a four-steps learning techniques which includes
Building Knowledge of the Field (BKOF), Modeling of the Text (MOT), Joint
Construction of the text (JCOT) and Individual construction of the Text (ICOT). Such
measures are also implemented in the second cycle and beyond, if necessary in the
study.
Observations on a cycle-1 is the result of observation of the observer to the
learning process BKOF stage, MOT and JCOT performed using Audio Lingual
Method through mind-mapping learning model with picture. The observer who is an
English teacher who also teaches at SMP Negeri 3 Simpang Hilir made observations
using the observation sheet-shaped form check list. Indicators were observed during
the learning process includes three indicators, namely the students' attention to the
subject matter, the student's ability to make mind-mapping with picture and student
participation in activities.
 At its core activities (BKOF, MOT, JCOT) teachers explain the structure of
descriptive text by using the media in focus then the teacher asks the students to listen
to the illustration of a teacher of a subject, and the students visualize the image into
the form of an image and create a mind-mapping with image / picture mentioned
Based on the results of the assessment of the 21 students (75%) of students
actively participating in the learning process through learning model mind-mapping
with pictures Number of passive learners are smaller (7 people (25%).

THE RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

The Research Findings in Cycle 1
1. Identification Make sentences be patterned after an adj + and be + not + adj
In cycle one, only a small portion of students earning an "Excellent" in
making the sentence be patterned after an adj + and be + not + adj. Five (5) students
(28.57%) scored "Very Good", nine (9) students scored "Good" (32.1%), five (5)
students (17.9%) scored "Fair ", but none of the students achieved the E (Poor) and F
(very poor).

2. Developing descriptive sentences into paragraphs

In cycle 1, the was no one student who scored "Excellent" and 'very good', but
one (2) students (7.14%) scored "good", as many as twenty (20) students ( 71.40%)
scored "fair", six (6) students (21.4%) scored "poor" but no students who scored
"very poor".

3. Preparing a paragraph into a descriptive text

There was no one student who scored "Excellent" and 'very good', but one (1)
students (3.57%) scored "good", as many as ten (10) students (35 , 7%) scored "fair",
thirteen (13) students (46.4%) scored "poor" and two (2) students (7,14) which scored
"very poor".

The Results of the First Cycle Reflection

Tabel 1: The Result of Test performance on cycle 1

The Aspects
N of The Amount of
o Assessment Students The Precentage
A B C D E F A B C D E F
Making 32. 28.5 32.
1 sentences 9 5 9 5 1 7 1 17.9
Arranging 2 7.1
2 paragraph 2 0 6 4 71.4 21.4
Writing a
descriptive 1 1 3.5 7.14
3 text. 1 0 3 2 7 35.7 46.4 3
Note:
A: Excellent (10)
B: Very Good (8.0 - 9.9)
C: Good (8.0 – 8.9
D: Fair (7.0 – 7.9)
E: Poor (6.0 – 6.9)
F: Very Poor (5.0 – 5.9)

From the observation can be found as many as 25 people (71%) of students

are actively attend classes in line with expectations. While minority students, as many
as 7 students (25%) appeared passive in the learning process using mind mapping
learning model with picture. The values obtained for any student has not shown
significant results, even in the indicators make a paragraph none of student who
obtained an A (excellent). In the chart above we can conclude that none of student
who scored "Excellent" and 'very good', but one (1) student (7.14%) scored "good",
as many as twenty (20) students ( 71.40%) scored "fair", six (6) students (21.4%)
scored "poor" but no students who scored "very poor. At Indicators compiled into a
text descriptive paragraph individually students still have not produced the expected
value. No single one student who scored "Excellent" and 'very good', but one (1)
students (3.57%) scored "good", as many as ten (10) students (35.7%) scored "fair",
thirteen (13) students (46.4%) scored "poor" and two (2) students (7,14) which scored
"very poor".

The Research Findings in Cycle 2

1. Identification Make sentences be patterned after an adj + and be + not + adj

There were nine 9 (nine) students (32,1%) gained“Excellent” in making
sentences with pattern of be+an adj dan be+not+adj . There were 5 (five) students
(28,57%) gained “Very Good”, eleven (11) students gained “Good” (39,28%),
three (3) students (10,71 %) gained “Fair”, but none of them gained E (Poor) and
F (very poor). Based on the result of the assessment, in the cycle 2 we found that
only 25 students (89%) had been actively involved in the learning process using
mind-mapping technique with illustrations and pictures and the passive students
were getting smaller in numbers (only three students). The percentage of the
passive students are 10,7%.

2. Developing descriptive sentences into paragraphs

In this process, none of the students gained “Excellent”, but one (1)
students gained ‘very good’ (3,57%), twenty-three (23) students (82,1 %) gained
“good”, and there are four (4) students (14,28%) gained“fair”, but none of the
students gained grade “poor” and “very poor”. In this activity, the students had a
significant result at the rate of classroom achievement activity. In the first cycle,
student who achieved grade C (good) increasing from eleven students (39,28%)
and the students who achieved D (Fair) decreased into three students (10,71%).
3. Writing paragraphs into a descriptive text
In this activity, there was no student achieved “Excellent” grade, but one
(1) student (7,14%) achieved ‘very good’ , and four (4 ) students (14,28 %)
gained“good”, and twenty-two (22) students (78,57%) gained“fair”, but none of
them gained “poor” and “very poor”.

The Description of Action Report of the Cycle 2

The action plan to cycle 2 refers to the result of reflection conducted in the
first cycle. Planning the action starts from the planning stage of teaching programs
conducted by researchers in consultation with teachers guides and teachers joined in
MGMPs-grade English class group 3 with fixing RPP (Teaching Scenario) as the
second cycle of learning scenario. The allocation of time needed in the second cycle
consist of one meeting (2x40 minutes). Cycle 2 is held on November 3 in SMPN 3
Simpang Hilir.
Unlike the first cycle, the second cycle of this research was improved in MOT
stage. Researchers reading illustration of an object more slowly and repeat illustration
three (3) times. In the delivery of the material on the structure of the text, researcher
downloaded videos from you tube about descriptive text. This is done in an effort to
clarify the matter so it is expected that students can easily capture the material
displayed.
In step BKOF (Building Knowledge of the Field), the teacher started learning
by greetings and check the student’s attendances. Teachers do a question and answer
about the material that will be discussed according to the theme. Explaining the
syllabus and learning indicators also explained in this stage. This is done so that
students have a limit and purpose in learning. Researchers gave more training in
vocabulary and grammar to build a better BKOF stage. This step takes about 30
minutes.
In step MOT (Modeling of the Text), teachers are using video media in
transferring learning materials. Before the film started, the teacher gives some notes
on the board in the form of keywords and what should be done when the students see
the movie. Furthermore, students are given the opportunity to watch and see the film
contains an illustration of the object as well as measures compile descriptive text.
Students are asked to note the steps maker descriptive text and information between
the lines of the films they see and observe. In this step, students were enthusiastic and
focused on the film that is being played. They were seen busy with his friend discuss
what they see and they make some little notes. At this step the time limit is only 10
minutes.
Once students equipped BKOF material on stage, the next step is an
individual work create a mind-mapping with the picture. Students are re-read an
illustration of a subject, and then visualize it in the form of pictures, and then they
began to create a mind-mapping activity again. After that, they are asked to compose
paragraphs that will be developed into a descriptive text.
The Discussions

At the stage of observation, researcher assessed the process off to get around
to each group and observing the activity of student learning. Researcher using a check
list form (√) to measure students in learning activities. Assessment process is focused
on assessment indicators include the student's attention to the matter, concentration
and perseverance. This process is the assessment check list (√) which contains the
names of the students. Observations on cycle 2 can be seen in the assessment sheet
below.
In this activity, students experienced a significant increase in the average
achievement grade. In the table above shows that, rather than the previous cycle
students who get grade C (Good) increased to 11 people (39.28%) and D (fair)
decreased to only 3 votes (10.71%).
Students experienced an improvement in the results of the learning process
because of the learning situation is fun and not stuffy. Students are happy and enjoy
video learning media where students can focus on the learning process. In addition,
the provision of the task of finding more examples of adjectives and do a lot of
exercises on sentence patterns (grammar task) will make the students understand
better the language feature that is used in a descriptive text. As a result, the average
value of students increased up to 82.39% achievement. The explanation slides
manually with enable students the opportunity to record important information about
the form of descriptive text. In video playback, audio visual that engage students to
capture the material submitted, so understanding the material will be felt more
leverage.

Student Performance Test Results

The results of student evaluations on test board focused on the student's ability
to write a descriptive text. Students are given the opportunity to listen to those
illustrations that are read by teachers and a longer time to write.
The result is there are 9 (nine) students (32.1%) scored "Excellent" in making
the sentence be patterned after an adj + and be + not + adj. Five (5) students (28.57%)
scored "Very Good", nine (11) students scored "Good" (39.28%), three (3) students
(10.71%) obtained a value of "Fair ", but none of the students achieved the E (Poor)
and F (very poor).
There was no student who scored "Excellent", but one (1) student reached the
'very good' (3.57%), twenty-three (23) students (82.1%) scored "good", as many as
four (4) students (14.28%) scored "fair", but none of the students got a grade of
"poor" and "very poor".
There was no one student who scored "Excellent", but one (1) student (7.14%)
achieved and 'very good', four (4) students (14.28%) scored "good", as many as
twenty-two (22) students (78.57%) scored "fair", but none of the students scored
"poor" and "very poor".
The Results of Reflection
After analyzing the data from the observation made through the assessment
process and the writing test, the researcher observes the reflection process. Reflection
was held on 12 November 2014 held at SMPN 3 Simpang Hilir. The reflection is
intended to determine the extent of learning conducted by researchers after an action
cycle 2. Final data results from data processing and analysis showed a significant
increase that 25 of the 28 students (89.2%) were active in the learning process. The
value of the results of the evaluation test students wrote none of the students who do
not reach KKM. The result can be concluded that the study uses a model of Mind
Mapping using illustrations and pictures can overcome the problem of students in the
form of descriptive text and can make students participate actively in the learning
process. This proves that the implementation of measures at cycle 2 received a
positive response and cycle 2 is a closure classroom action research that has been
carried out.
The Data from the analysis of the assessment process and test written as an
evaluation instrument that has been reflected can be seen that in the cycle to one
study compiled descriptive paragraphs and write descriptive text using model Mind-
Mapping with pictures did not work optimally because of the test results and the
process does not reach a value which are expected. It can be found as many as 21
people (89.2%) of students already actively attend classes in line with expectations
values obtained for any student has not shown significant results, even in the
indicator compose and write descriptive paragraphs of descriptive text has not
achieved satisfactory results. First cycle indicates only two (2) students who have a
grade of "Good" no one any student who obtained an A (excellent). The majority of
students, or as many as 20 people (71.4) got D (Fair), six (6) persons achieve
(21.24%) gets the value of E (Poor), In other words, the implementation of actions in
cycle 1 was less successful and it can be said that learning failure will be improved in
cycle 2.
The results of the implementation of measuring in cycle 2, has experienced a
significant increase, although researchers have not been satisfied with the results that
have been found. The increase in student learning outcomes can be seen in the table
below.
Tabel 2. The Result of The Learning Process

Students’ Activity Cycle 1 Cycle 2

The Activeness of Students in the Learning Process. 75% 89,2%

 Tabel 3. The Increasing of Students’ Test Results

Students’ Activity Cycle 1 Cycle 2

The Percentage of Students Achieving KKM (70) 35,7% 78,57%

The Percentage of Students Who Exceed KKM (>
3,57% 21,42%
70)
The Average Value of Writing Test 67,5 78,15

Results of Learning Process Improvement of Student Activity Cycle 1 to

Cycle 2 is the Percentage of students' activity in learning 75% 89.2% The
improvement of Student Test Results in Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 that the Percentage of
Students Achieving Value KKM (70) 35.7% 78.57%, the percentage of students who
exceed KKM (> 70) 3.57% 21.42% and the average value of 67.5 Writing Test is
78.15
Based on the discussion above explanation can be concluded that the purpose
of research which has been carried out having a success. In other words,
implementation of learning through action learning model mind-mapping with
pictures can improve students' skills in the form of descriptive text and increase the
activity of students in the learning process.

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

Conclusion
The Use of Mind-Mapping Technique with Illustrations and Pictures is able to
increase the ability of Eight Graders of SMPN 3 Simpang Hilir especially in VIII A at
the First Academic Year of 2013/2014. This is proved by the written test score results
which the average scores on the first cycle is 67,5 increasing on the second cycle at
78,12.
The Use of Mind-Mapping Technique with Illustrations and Pictures and
video is able to increase the students’ learning activity excitement. This is proved by
the increasing of students’ excitements in learning activity percentage 75% on the
first cycle is increasing on the second cycle into 89,2%.

Suggestions
The exciting and fun learning process has to be created by teacher in teaching
and reinforcing students in the classroom. As a teacher must have a strong
willingness in order that the students understand well and be able to achieve what the
learning objectives are. The teacher as suggests to use the individual learning model
with illustrations and pictures so the students learning process is more organized in a
writing activity. Furthermore, the mind-mapping technique is very useful in
developing students’ ideas either in arranging the paragraphs or in writing a
descriptive text. Based on the second cycle result, the researcher had noted in using
video to help her students to be more attached in doing a mind-mapping process, so
the process will be easier to be applied in the classroom.

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