THE USE OF CUBING TECHNIQUE TO TEACH WRITING RECOUNT TEXT

Resi, Sudarsono, Ikhsanudin

English Language Education Study Program of Languages and Arts Department
Teacher Training and Education Faculty
Tanjungpura University Pontianak
Email: [email protected]

Abstract
This research aimed to exercise whether or not the use of cubing technique was significant to
teach writing recount text to year-8 students of SMPN 8 Pontianak. This research was a pre-
experimental study. The sample was Class VIII D students who consisted of 34 students. The data
were collected from the pre-test and the post-test. The writing recount text test was used in this
research to collect the data. Based on the data, the students’ mean score of pre-test was 38,02 and
the students’ mean score of post-test was 66.1. It meant the score after administering the treatment
was higher than before administering the treatment. Then, this research was analyzed by t-test
which the t- value (13.1) was higher than the t-table (1.6909) in level 0.05.. The research finding
was computed with effect size formula. The effect size was 2.24, higher than 0.8. It was qualified
high. It meant that cubing technique is highly-effective to teach writing recount text. The cubing
technique also eased students to develop and organize their ideas
.
Keywords: Cubing Technique, Technique, Teaching Writing, Recount Text.

INTRODUCTION
One of the language skills that students need sentences connect to a topic.Writing
to learn English is writing. This characteristics are as a key to determine the
skillenableslearners to communicate their ideas, quality of writing such as good writing or bad
feelings, and thoughts.The writing can be writing. They can measure people writing.
defined not only transferring a message but it is The process of writing is the steps to making
also to grow the messages (Brown,2000, a good writing. According to Flower and Hayes
p.335).Hence, person can know about the (1981, pp. 372-374), “the third element in our
message who written by someone and they can model contains writing processes themselves,
transfer to people.Then, Harmer (2007, p.112) specifically the basic processes of Planning,
classifies reasons of writing into writing for Translating, and Reviewing, which are under the
learning means the students write the language control of a Monitor”.These writing processes
which was given by their teacher and writing for are described as follows: (1). planning is the
writing means to improve students’ ability and writers plan the topic and sentences that will be
skill in writing to be the better writers. written; (2). translating is the writers translate
Boardman (2008, p.18-25) characterizes a ideas in their mind in written text; and (3).
good writing into: (1) coherence that means reviewing is the writers review or revise their
when the main and supporting sentences are put sentences about grammar, punctuation, etc.
by ordering principle of the paragraph type in In addition, Brown (2000, p. 343-345)
one paragraph; (2) the cohesion that means when categorizes writing classroom performances in
the supporting sentences related to other in one teaching writing. There are as follows: (1)
paragraph; and(3) the unity that means every writing down is that the students write letters,
paragraph belongs to supporting and main words, and sentences, exactly in language
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orthographic or spelling; (2) Intensive writing is The recount text has the language features.
that the students write sentences or paragraph by Azhar (2015, p. 25-27)lists the language features
using grammar concept that had been learned; of recount text as follows: (1)focus on individual
(3) self - writing is that the students write participant/a group participant. The recount text
something to express their mind; (4) Display informs on the action that participant or the
writing is that the students write based on the group had done in the past. The participants can
curriculum that had been determined in school; be first person and third person. The recount text
and (5) Real writing is that the students write for never uses the second person as you, because it
delivering the real messages of communication tells about their own events or people events.
to people or audiences. The example of the first person is I went to the
Writinga text is considereddifficult for park. The example of the third person is Vera
Indonesian students because English is a foreign went to the park. she saw a pond near that park;
language for them. To write a text, students need (2)using simple past. The recount text is
to know sentences, punctuation, vocabulary, and informing the activities and situations in the past.
grammar in English. They also need to know and Hence, it always uses the simple past. The
to understand thegeneric structureof texts. example is I walked to school yesterday. The
Referring to Curriculum 2013, one of the texts material process is a process of event doing. It is
taught to students is a recount text. about how their events or experiences
Recount text is a genre to tell, inform or occurred;(3) using material process. The material
entertain the event (Azhar, 2015, p. 24). Wahidi process is a process of event doing. It is about
(2009, p.58) refers a recount text to written text how their events or experiences occurred; and
of recalling or retelling events based on (4)focus on temporal conjunction. Conjunction is
sequence, accuracy and detail information. the words or phrases to connect a sentence to
These definitions of recount text can be other sentences. The example is Last year, on the
summarized that a recount text is a genre or weekend, then, after that, etc.
written text which tells and entertains the events Writing a recount text is not easy. It is a text
or experiences.Bennet, Carter & Marino (2013, that tells the story of past experiences. It also
p.13)list types of recount text as the follows;(1) tells about people’s activities in their life. Many
personal recount is retelling activities and events students may fail to write recount texts properly
that happen to the writer personally; (2) factual because it is influenced by for example a
recount is retelling the factual events or incidents monotonous technique applied by some teachers
that happen in the past; (3) imaginative recount in delivering the material of recount text. The
is retelling the events by applying a factual monotonous technique may make the students
information as an imaginary role; (4) procedural get bored when they write a recount text. The
recount is reporting the results and finding to teachers need to applyeffective techniques to
retell the steps of the experiment or the enhance students’ interests in writing recount
investigation; and (5) literary recount is retelling text.
the events to entertain the readers. There are numbers of technique to teach
Government of South Australia (2012, p. 2) recount texts. One of them is cubing technique.
classify three generic structures of recount text According to Baroudy (2008,p.4), the subject or
into (1) orientation, the first structure of recount topic can be explored from six concepts, namely
text which tells or provides the background description, analysis, application, comparison,
information for understanding the text. It association, and persuasion. The cubing
describes the characters (who), the place technique concerns to solve the problems from
(where), the first activity and the time (when); six different angles (Kanner,2008, p.68). Then,
(2) the sequence of events, the series of Cahyono (2012, p.43) asserts, “Cubing is a
chronological events which had occurred; and technique in writing whose application was
(3) re-orientation, the summary statements or inspired by the shape of a cube which has six
evaluative comments. sides”.

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 Meanwhile, Finch (2009, p.8), defines to find the component of a topic and explain the
“Cubingis when the learners consider the topic correlation of its component. After that, apply it,
from six angles: (1)describe it; (2) compare it; it is toexplain the way to use it. Finally, argue
(3) associate it; (4) analyse it; (5) apply it;(6) it,it is to list the comments, criticisms, and
argue for and against it”. Therefore, cubing evaluations.
technique is a technique that students consider, Baroudy (2008,p.4) introduces six concepts
learn, develop and write a subject from different in cubing, as follows: (1).describe it: it is telling
instruction in six angles of a cube, namely what the writers or people think about the topic;
describing, comparing, associating, analyzing, (2). compare it:it is finding the similarity and
applying and arguing for. differences between the topic or the objects to
Kanner (2008, p.68) proposes the concept of some others; (3). associate it: it is finding the
cubing technique. First, describe it, it is correlation between topic or object with others;
todescribe its physical attributes (size, shape, (4). analyze it: it is writing about how the topic
etc.) and its functional attributes. can be done or happen; (5). apply it: it is writing
Second,compare it,it is to find the similarity and about how to use and do the topic; and (6). argue
the reasons. Third, associate it, it is to find other for it or against it: it is giving justification for
ideas, products, topics, etc. that have relation to positive or negative stance on a topic.
the topic to remind writer. Fourth,analyze it, it is

Describe
it

Compare
it

Apply Associate Argue for

it it It

Analyze
it

Pictures created by Cahyono (2012, p.45)

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Example of cubing concept in recount text.

Megamall Ahmad Yani Pontianak

My cousin and I went holiday to Pontianak. We went to Megamall on Ahmad Yani last month. It is
located at Ahmad Yani 1 Street. We went there at 13.00. (describe it). Sunday afternoon. we saw many
kinds of food and things that we never saw before. One of them is JCo, donat that has many toppings.
(compare it)
When I walked around this mall, I remembered the mini market in my village. It was so clean and
crowded. (associate it). Then, we walked around the megamall. We saw many stalls. The stalls sold many
things from cosmetic, mobile phones, clothes, accessories to shoes.(analyze it). After that, we bought the
cute ribbons at an accessories stall. Then, we used them directly together. We were like funny girl because
of these ribbons.(apply it) We felt very excited. Finally, we went back home. (argue for it)

Teaching Procedure 2. The teacher explains the roles of six sides in a

Teaching procedure of cubing technique is cube. In the concept of this technique is
as follow. combined with the guided questions. Here is
1. The teacher introduces the cube to students. the concept of cubing technique.

The Concept of Cubing Technique

a) Describe it
You need to describe about whom, where and when you did holiday.
1. Whom did you go holiday?
2. Where did you go holiday?
3. When did you go holiday?
b) Compare it
You need to tell the differences of the place that you did holiday as the uniqueness of its place.
1. What was the uniqueness of the place that you did holiday with other places that you had
visited?
c) Associate it
You need to make correlation this place with other places or things.
1. What was the relationship of that place with other places that you had visited before or
other things?
d) Analyze it
You need to find or see the things in that place.
1. What were the things that you see or find in that place?
e) Apply it
You need to tell about what you did with the things that you found or saw in that place.
1. What did you do with the things in that place?
f) Argue for it
You need to tell about your feeling for your holiday.
1. What did you feel about your holiday in that place?

3. The teacher gives an example of using each 5. The teacher explains about the relationship of
side of the cube to write sentences. six cubing concepts with generic structure of
4. The teacher combines all sentences that have text.The teacher gives a rule that students
been written on every side to be a whole text. should follow.
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6. The teacher asks students to write their 8. The teacher collects writing that the students
paragraph by using the cube concepts. did.
7. The teacher controls the students in writing 9. The teacher gives scores to students’ writing.
recount text. 10. The cubing technique has some advantages

Table 1. Relationship Between Cubing Concepts and Generic Structure of Recount Text

Describe it Orientation
Compare it Events
Associate it
Analyze it
Apply it
Argue for it Reorientation

The cubing technique has some advantages research was to investigate the significance of
and disadvantages. According to Finch (2009, cubing technique to teach the writing of recount
p.8), the advantages are that the cubing is the texts to Year- 8 students of SMPN 8 Pontianak.
best means to understand topic deeply and it will
reveal about the understanding of the writers for METHOD
a topic and the disadvantages of this technique This research was quantitative research, an
are the writers will be difficult to write a topic experimental study. An experimental study is a
from unusual way and it cannot describe certain research type that one or more variables are
topic, such as the abortion. The certain topic influenced by other variables. In the
such as abortion cannot be used in all concepts experimental, there are three types of
of the cube, especially “apply it” because this experimental, namely pre-experimental, quasi-
topic cannot be done. Nation (2009, p.118) states experimental and true experimental. In this
that the six concepts in a cubing technique can study, the researcher uses pre-experimental
give a lot of ideas to learners to organize their study.
ideas. Masril (2014), studied cubing and This research was a pre- experimental study.
sentence combining strategies to teach writing. Apre-experimental study concerned in the one
She focused on constructing ideas in sentences group pre-test and post-test design. The
to build paragraph and having the coherence researcher chose this design to find out the effect
among paragraphs. She found that the students of cubing technique for all students in the class
could complete a paragraph and they could before and aftera treatment.The design involves
develop it into paragraphs. pre-test, treatment, and post-testas shown below:
The researcher conducts a model of cubing Cohen, Manion, and Morrison (2007, p. 282).
technique to writing recount text. The aim of this

Table 2. One Group Pre-test and Post-test Design.

Pre-test Treatment Post-test

O1 X O2
Taken from Cohen, Manion, and Morrison (2007, p. 282).

The population for this research was all of clusters. Out of five learning samples; that is
Year-8students in SMPN 8 Pontianak. They D. This cluster sampling consisted of 34
consisted of five learning groups. They are A, B, students. These learning groups share the same
C, D, E and F, the number is 195 students. The criteria as they use the same books, same time
data were calculated from the samples in the five allocation, and is thought by the same teacher.
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 In this study, the researcher used the test as a researcher gave post-test after treatment to
technique to measure students’ skill in writing measure students’ ability after using treatment.
recount text. The test is the means or exercises The instrument to measure students’ skill in
that are given to measure individual and groups’ writing recount text is a writing test. The test
ability, talent and knowledge. The test was used was used to measure student’s achievement
to measure student’s achievement before and before and after treatment. The writing test was
after treatment. The researcher gave the pre-test given the students in recount text with at least
before giving the treatment to students to eight sentences and maximal fifteen sentences.
measure the students’ ability. Then, the The score is done as referred to in scoring rubric.

Table 3. Scoring Rubric

Category Score
Very poor 4 -7
Poor 8 - 11
Average 12 - 15
Good 16 -20

The instrument to do the test is formulated The categories in content validity used the
in the specification table to have the content score in scoring rubric. Hence, the researcher has
validity.The content validity covers; (1) content, a writing qualification from Heaton
refers to the students’ ability inwriting recount (1988.p.146). The qualification divides into:
text with relevant anddetailed content;(2) (1)good to very good with score range 80 – 100;
orientation, gives information about the (2)average to good with score range 60 – 79,
peopleinvolved and the setting of place andtime; ;(3)poor to average with score range 50 – 59;
(3) events, gives information about and (4) poor with score range 0 – 49.
whathappened in the story and in whatsequence; To answer the research questions, t-test and
(4) reorientation, refers to the optional closure effect size (ES) are applied in analyzing data.
ofevent/ending; and (5) language features, refers The result of ES will be classified as defined
to the use of sentencestructure, lexicon, byArikunto (2002, p.280) as follows.
grammar, andmechanics
(capitalization,punctuation,and spelling).

Table 4. Classification of Effect Size

𝐸, ≤ 0,2 : Low
0,2 < 𝐸, ≤ 0,8: Moderate
E,> 0,8 : High

FINDING AND DISCUSSION test and post-test significance, 13.1. Then, the
Finding researcher checked the t-distribution of
There was a significant difference in significance (t-table) 5% with the degree of
students’ achievement before and after freedom (N= 34) was 1.6909. It meant t-value
treatment. It was shown by the gap of the was bigger than t-table (13.1 > 1.6909). The
students’ pre-test score and the students’ post- significance can be interpreted the students’
test score. The gap of pre-test and post-test score achievement in writing of recount text was
is 28.02. Computed with t-test, the gap of pre- significant after being taught by cubing
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technique. Based on t-test score, it can be by cubing technique in teaching writing of
concluded that the alternative hypothesis recount text by using effect size (ES) formula.
“cubing technique is significant to teach writing ES was 2.24. By referring to Arikunto’scriteria
recount text to Year- 8 students of SMP 8 (2002, p.280) in deciding effect size (see table 4,
Pontianak” is accepted, while the Null page 6), the result obtained was more than 0.8
hypothesis “cubing technique is not significant (2.24 > 0.8) which was considered as high effect
to teach writing recount text to Year- 8 students size. It means that the use of cubing technique
of SMP 8 Pontianak” is rejected. Hence, the gives a highly significant effect to increase
alternative hypothesis is accepted. students’ writing in recount text. Here is the
After obtaining the t-test, the researcher had mean score of pre-test and post-test can be seen
to find how significant the difference in graph 1.
betweenpre-test and post-test after being treated

70 66.1
60

50

40 38,02
30

20

10

0
Pre-test Post-test

Graph 1. Students’ mean score pre-test and post-test.

Discussion
Based on facts and findings, the students’ in writing. It is supported by theory from Finch
ability in writing recount text was influenced by (2009, p.8) about the advantages of cubing is to
cubing technique. explore the topic based on the six concepts
The researcher found that the cubing (describe it, compare it, associate it, analyze it,
technique helped students to develop their ideas apply it and argue for it) in a cube.
Through this research, the researcher found that cubing technique keeps and increases students’
the cubing technique helps students todetermine interest to write the recount text.
the generic structures of recount text.The Based on the findings and theoretical proved
concept of “describe it” referring orientation; the that the use of cubing technique was categorized
concept of “compare, associate, analyze and as highly effective and significantly to increase
apply it” referring to events; and the concept of students’ ability in teaching writing recount text
“argue for it” referring reorientation. Based on for the year- 8 students at SMPN 8 Pontianak. It
these concepts, the students were also determine is like calculated in t-test score and effect size
and know the language features of recount texts score. Therefore, the cubing technique is
happy and enthusiastic in writing because these recommended to be used for teaching writing
concepts guide them to write. Therefore, the recount text.

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 techniques. The International Journal of
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION language and society. 24. 1-10.
Conclusion Bennet, A., Carter, A., & Marino, D. (2013). The
Based on findings and discussions, it could Genre Handbook for Staff! London:
be concluded that the use of cubing technique Department of Education and Child
was highly significantly effective to teach Development.
writing recount text for the year - 8 students at Boardman, C. A. (2008). Writing to
SMPN 8 Pontianak. Communicate.New York: Pearson Education
Brown, D. H. (2000).Teaching by principles: an
Suggestion interactive approach to language pedagogy
Based on facts found, the researcher would (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Longman.
like to a give some suggestions. The researcher Cahyono, B. Y. (2012). Helping EFL learners to
suggests to English teacher to use the cubing develop ideas in writing using the cubing
technique to teach writing recount text. The technique.CahayaLingua, 1(1), 43-47.
cubing technique is a pre-writing technique to Cohen, L., Manion, L.,& Morrison, K. (2007).
help students in writing. This technique eases Finch, J. (2009).Brainstorming topic ideas.
students to develop and organize their ideas South Caroline: College of Charleston North
based on the six concepts of this technique. It and Lowcounty Graduate Center.
also encourages the students’ creativities and Flower, L. & Hayes, J. H. (1981).A cognitive
interests in the learning process. process theory of writing.College
Then, the researcher also recommends to composition and communication, 32(4), 365-
students to use the cubing concepts to write the 387.
recount text and determine its generic structure. Government of South Australia.(2012).
The cubing concepts guide them to write recount Engaging and exploring recount
text and determine its generic structure. writing.Adelaide: Department for Education
Therefore, the students can explore the topic and Child Development
deeply. In addition, the researcher hopes to the Heaton, J. B. 1988. Writing English Language
future researcher to use this research as a Tests.London:Longman.
reference for conducting more detail about the Kanner, C. (2008). A tutorial in
use of the cubing technique to teach writing exploratorytesting. California: QUEST
recount text. Masril, I. A. (2014).Teaching writing by cubing
and sentence combinin strategies at junior
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