The Effect of Using Environmental Observation Strategy on Students Writing Skills in Descriptive Text

Abstract

The Environmental Observation Strategy is the approach that separating students into groups and having them observe a specific topic for 10-15 minutes before putting to their ideas. Afterward, groups merge their thoughts to create a descriptive paragraph. This research study aims to investigate the significant effectiveness of utilizing the Environmental Observation strategy in enhancing the writing skills of seventh-grade students in the descriptive text at SMPN 10 Pontianak. Employing a pre-experimental research design with a one-group pre-test and post-test approach, the study selected a sample of 32 students through cluster sampling as the sampling technique. Data collection involved administering pre-tests and post-tests in descriptive writing assessments. Statistical analysis comprised t-tests and effect size calculations. The results unequivocally demonstrate the significant impact of the Environmental Observation Strategy on students' descriptive writing skills. The t-test analysis (8.244) surpassed the critical value (2.0395) with df = 31, indicating a strong effect (effect size = 1.428). These findings underscore the pivotal role of implementing the Environmental Observation Strategy to enhance descriptive writing skills, thereby warranting its recommendation for seventh-grade students. By providing students with opportunities to observe and engage with their environment, educators can foster a deeper understanding of descriptive language and encourage students to effectively communicate their observations and experiences through writing.