Enhancing 7th-Grade Students’ Short Story Writing through Intercultural Learning and Visual Media
Keywords:
English language skills, visual media, writing short stories
Abstract
Writing short stories in English has been one of the difficult challenges at MTs Tarbiatul Islamiah. This research aims to improve short story writing skills in English by using visual media to enhance students' abilities to write short stories in English. This study employs a quantitative research method with a quasi-experimental design of the Non-equivalent Control Group type. In this study, there are two groups that are not randomly selected. Both groups were given a pretest to determine their initial condition. The experimental group was provided with visual media, while the control group was not given visual media. Data collection techniques included observation and short story writing test sheets. The assessment of short story writing skills focused on vocabulary, grammar, cohesion, and writing mechanics. The collected data will be analyzed. The results of the study indicate that writing short stories in English using visual media in the 7th grade at MTs Tarbiatul Islamiah inspires students to write short stories and helps them develop and express their ideas more fluently and coherently.
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Stein, S. (2023). The art of the short story: Structure, style, and substance. Creative Writing Studies Journal, 8(1), 14–29.
Takacs, C. G. (2020). Short stories: A gateway to language skills and cultural awareness. English Language Teaching Journal, 73(3), 342–350.
Taridi, M. (2022). The evaluation of enhancing instructional media for writing ability on students' descriptive text: An experimental study. International Journal of Language Teaching and Education, 6(2), 14–22.
Wang, X. (2014). Vocabulary knowledge and its impact on EFL writing performance. International Journal of English Language Education, 2(1), 1-10.
Winurati, S., Sulistyaningsih, S., & Vinola, O. R. (2022). Improving student's writing descriptive text competence using mapping. Proceedings of the International Conference on Digital Education and Social Science, 1(1), 15–23.
Ahmed, A., & Myhill, D. (2016). The impact of the socio-cultural context on L2 English writing of Egyptian university students. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 11, 117–129.
Al-Jarf, Reima, Enhancing Freshman Students’ Writing Skills with a Mind-Mapping Software (April 9, 2009). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3901075 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3901075.
Amalia, R., Yuliasri, I., & Sutopo, D. (2021). Intercultural language learning in Indonesian EFL classrooms: Teachers' and students' perceptions. Journal of English Language Teaching and Linguistics, 6(2), 431–443.
Anggrayani, M., Sofwan, A., & Saleh, M. (2015). Improving students’ organizing ideas in writing analytical exposition text with mind mapping technique. English Education Journal, 5(1). https://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/index.php/eej/article/view/6841
Appleman, D. (2023). Critical encounters in secondary English: Teaching literary theory to adolescents. Teachers College Press.
Arief, T. A., & Wiratman, A. (2023). Improving writing a descriptive paragraph of elementary school students through picture-based mind mapping. Jurnal Ilmiah Sekolah Dasar, 7(2).
Astika, G. (2016). The Effect of Vocabulary Size on Speaking Ability of EFL Students. Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pengajaran, 49(1), 24-30.
Barrett, M., Byram, M., Lazar, I., Mompoint-Gaillard, P., & Philippou, S. (2013). Developing intercultural competence through education. Council of Europe.
Burroway, J., Stuckey-French, E., & Stuckey-French, N. (2019). Writing fiction: A guide to narrative craft (10th ed.). University of Chicago Press.
Butković, M., & Vidović, E. (2021). Fostering intercultural dialogue through literature and creative writing: Examples of successful classroom practices. Pathways to Plurilingual Education (pp. 229–240).
Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Multilingual Matters.
Carey, P. (2012). Peter Carey: Making it up as he goes along. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/mar/16/peter-carey-rule-breaker-books
Chen, Y. (2022). The role of cultural context in EFL writing: A case study of Chinese students. Asian EFL Journal, 24(1), 45–62. https://www.asian-efl-journal.com
Chicho, K. Z. H., & Zrary, M. O. H. (2022). Using visual media for improving writing skills. Canadian Journal of Language and Literature Studies, 2(4), 23–31.
Dabiri, D., & Pourhosein Gilakjani, A. (2019). The Impact of Using Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) on EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Learning in Iran. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 8(1), 1-10.
Chun, D. M. (2016). The role of technology in fostering intercultural competence. Routledge.
Deardorff, D. K. (2006). Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization. Journal of Studies in International Education, 10(3), 241–266.
Deacon, S. H., Mimeau, C., Lévesque, M., & Ricketts, J. (2024). Testing mechanisms underlying children's reading development: The power of learning lexical representations. Journal of Educational Psychology, 116(4), 509–524.
Draha, L. D. M. (2020). The use of visual video as media to improve students' ability in writing procedure text at the eleventh grade of SMK Negeri 1 Toma. Jurnal Education and Development, 8(3), 193.
Espinoza-Celi, V., & Pintado, C. M. (2020). Writing in English in higher education: Challenges and needs of EFL learners. Revista de Lenguas Modernas, 33, 19–37.
Ferris, D. R. (2012). Teaching ESL Composition: Purpose, Process, and Practice (2nd ed.). Parlor Press.
Husna, M. (2022). Application of the picture and picture learning model to improve students' writing ability. Proceedings of the Annual International Conference on Islamic Education, 6(1), 536–550.
Katemba, C. V. (2022). Vocabulary enhancement through multimedia learning among grade 7th EFL students. MEXTESOL Journal, 46(1).
Kress, G. R., & Van Leeuwen, T. (2006). Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Muthoharoh, N. B. (2021). Integrating blended learning and peer feedback in teaching writing recount text and vocabulary. Journal of English Language Teaching and Cultural Studies, 2(1), 1–10. https://jurnal.untirta.ac.id/index.php/JELTS/article/view/14656/0
Pegrum, M., Bartle, E., & Long, S. (2018). Global Englishes for Global Citizens: Technology, Identity, and Plurilingualism in a Mobile World. System, 72, 145-155.
Pramilaga, N. M., Putra, I. N. A. J., & Suprianti, G. A. P. (2023). Improving students' writing skill by using pictures in vocational high schools. Journal of Education Action Research, 7(4), 588–602.
Rohaniyah, J., & Mari, I. H. (2022). The use of digital picture series as media of improving writing skill through recount text paragraphs in English writing class. Grand Academic Portal Research Journals, 5(1), 16–19.
Sembiring, F. (2022). Improving students' learning outcomes by using wallchart media in writing narrative at Grade VII SMP Negeri 4 Stabat Academic Year 2021/2022. SKYLANDSEA Profesional Jurnal Ekonomi, Bisnis dan Teknologi, 2(2), 129–135.
Seraphin, K. D. (2014). Where are you from? Writing toward science literacy by connecting culture, person, and place. Journal of Geoscience Education, 62(1), 11–18.
Stein, S. (2023). The art of the short story: Structure, style, and substance. Creative Writing Studies Journal, 8(1), 14–29.
Takacs, C. G. (2020). Short stories: A gateway to language skills and cultural awareness. English Language Teaching Journal, 73(3), 342–350.
Taridi, M. (2022). The evaluation of enhancing instructional media for writing ability on students' descriptive text: An experimental study. International Journal of Language Teaching and Education, 6(2), 14–22.
Wang, X. (2014). Vocabulary knowledge and its impact on EFL writing performance. International Journal of English Language Education, 2(1), 1-10.
Winurati, S., Sulistyaningsih, S., & Vinola, O. R. (2022). Improving student's writing descriptive text competence using mapping. Proceedings of the International Conference on Digital Education and Social Science, 1(1), 15–23.
Published
2025-06-01
How to Cite
Milawati, M., Mayang, M., & Rohmah, D. (2025). Enhancing 7th-Grade Students’ Short Story Writing through Intercultural Learning and Visual Media. Dinamika Ilmu, 25(1), 69-79. https://doi.org/10.21093/di.v25i1.10255
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