Using Mind Map Technique to Improve the Students Skill in Organizing Idea Using Mind Map Technique...

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Using Mind Map Technique to Improve theStudents Skill in Organizing Idea

By: Tri Astuti Ari Winarti Semarang State University

Mind Map for Organizing Idea 1

Using Mind Map Technique to Improve theStudents Skill in Organizing Idea to

Write Recount Text

Tri Astuti Ari WinartiEnglish Department of Graduate Program

Semarang State UniversityOctober 31th , 2014

Abstract

Those skills are trained to the students since they arein the elementary school, but in fact most studentsfind the difficulties when communicating both in oraland written form. English teacher as the facilitatorshould be able to design learning activity that canimprove the students’ skills and activate them toexplore their own skills. The effort to develop theEnglish skill especially writing skill still faces manyproblems. Some of them are the lack of vocabulary, thelow ability to arrange a grammatical sentence and alsothe low ability to organize good paragraph.Concerning about the problem, I proposed one way to bethe solution. It is by using mind map techniquedeveloped by Tony Buzan (2005). This solution should beproven in a class action research to know whether theuse of mind map technique can improve the students’ability in organizing idea to write recount text andhow high the improvement isThe research uses two cycles, that are the use of mindmap technique in pairs (first cycle); and the use ofmind map technique individually (second cycle). Theinstruments used to collect the data are testinstrument of writing daily assessment and questionarecontaining some questions to find out themotivation/interest and opinion of the students aboutthe implemented technique.


There is an improvement in the students’ activity whichis shown in the result of the questioner. The studentsbecome more enthusiastic and feel that by using mindmap technique, their creativity is more increased andthey can explore their imagine more to make a goodrecount text.The learning achievement of the students is alsoincreased. The first is about the individualachievement. There is an improvement from 74,24 in thepre action, 84,16 in the first cycle and finally become84,32 in the second cycle. However, for the classicalachievement that has been increased from 40 % in thepre action, to be 84 % in the second cycle, but thendecreased to be 76 % in the second cycle as the resultof the group system into individual one.

1

Using Mind Map Technique to Improve the Students Skill

in Organizing Idea to Write Recount Text

Background

English is a means of communication to prepare the

outstanding human resources who are ready to face the

competition in global era. The ability to communicate

in English is the skills of listening, speaking,

reading and writing. Those skills are trained to the

students since they are in the elementary school, but

in fact most students find the difficulties when


communicating both in oral and written form. For

example, the students usually find difficulties to

write in English according to the good grammar and

content. The difficulties are mostly in the way they

organize the idea.

This is a challenge for the teacher, as LouAnne

Johnson’s opinion (2009) that teaching gives us a never

ending challenge and opportunities to be developed.

English teacher as the facilitator should be able to

design learning activity that can improve the students’

skills and activate them to explore their own skills.

Teaching is not merely transferring knowledge but it

also focuses on how the teacher can explore and develop

the students’ potential. Wolfolk & Nicolich in Harsanto

(2007) says that the orientatin of teaching and

learning activities should be the students-centered

activities.

The effort to develop the English skill especially

writing skill still faces many problems. Some of them

are the lack of vocabulary, the low ability to arrange

a grammatical sentence and also the low ability to

organize good paragraph. Well-organized paragraph here

means that the paragraph contains one main idea written


in a main sentence and several supporting details. If

in a paragraph there are some different main ideas or

there is one main idea but supported by irrelevant

supporting details, so the writer’s message/idea is not

coherent. The problem is rarely realized by the

students when arranging a text that consists of several

paragraphs in writing assignments/test.

The result of writing daily test in Class VIII A

about recount text shows that in organization aspect

(the arrangement of main ideas and supporting details)

the classical achievement percentage is 66 %. Among all

of the aspect, i.e. ideas/content, organization,

diction, sentence and convention, this aspect has the

lowest percentage. It indicates that the students are

not quite able to arrange a text by organizing a main

idea supported by elaborating sentences. They are also

not quite able to arrange a good and coherent text. For

example, in the first text, when they talk about one’s

identity, they also talk about his or her career. The

idea is quite mixed up.

Concerning about the problem, I proposed one way to

be the solution. It is by using mind map technique

developed by Tony Buzan (2005), who states that mind


map is the easiest way to place the information into

our brain and take it back again from the brain – mind

map is a creative way to take note and literally map

our minds. This technique will make the students be

more guided in arranging a good paragraph. In using

mind map for writing, the text topic will be the most

important idea, and the next branches represent the

main ideas of the paragraphs, then from the main ideas,

some supporting details can be derived which support

those main ideas.

This solution should be proven in a class action

research to know whether the use of mind map technique

can improve the students’ ability in organizing idea to

write recount text and how high the improvement is.

The advantage of this research is to improve the

students’ learning activities in the classroom.

Hopefully, the learning activities will be more

interesting and will not be monotonous for the

students. The goal is also aimed to improve the

students’ achievement in English subject especially in

the writing activity.

Review of related literature


Writing Skill

Writing skill is an ability to convey idea, opinion,

or message in written form. According to Pardiyono

(2006), writing is basically an activity to create a

text. A text may consists of one sentence, or a phrase

which represents a sentence, and it can also be a

series of sentences which are well-arranged, coherent

or work together to carry a communicative goal.

Another definition is given by Wiratno (2003) who

explains that a text is a language unit which express

the meaning contextually. The limitation of a text is

not measured from the number of sentences or pages but

from the meaning expressed and the context that

encompass it. Text has organization system, usually

called as text structure which is different among

others.

Recount Text

Recount text is simply defined as one kind of text

which is made to give information about the past event.

Recount text can be in the form of travelling or

activity experience story, daily note or journal,

magazine article, encyclopedia entry, nonfiction,

biography or letter.


When initiating to make a recount text, a teacher

should previously understand the rhetorical structure

of this kind of text: (1) making orientation, that is a

text element which contains the topic or something that

will be informed to the readers, then followed by (2)

record of events, and ended by (3) re-orientation

(Pardiyono, 2007: 63).

Students Learning Achievement and Learning Activity

Learning achievement is a competence shown by the

students after experiencing the learning process.

Degeng in Wena (2009) defines learning achievement as

everything that can be the indicator of mark from the

use of learning strategy under different condition.

Furthermore, Wena (2009) states the learning

achievement is influenced by some variables, i.e. the

ability of the teacher in opening the lesson, holding

the main activity of the learning, assessing and

closing the lesson, and also the other supporting

factors.

The success of the teacher in holding the main

activity of the learning can be measured from several

indicators. One of them is whether the learning


strategy used by the teacher can stimulate and

encourage the students to be active in the learning

activity according to the competence to be improved.

The implementation of proper learning strategy will

support the success of the teacher in holding the main

activity of the learning.

Besides the learning achievement, one more thing to

be concerned in the learning process is the activity of

the students. An interesting learning environment where

the students follow the lesson enthusiastically until

the time is over is another success in the learning

activity. It is related with the learning motivation of

the students in the classroom and also the role of the

teacher in arousing it.

According to Asmani (2009) teacher is also a

motivator for the students. If the students are

motivated, the learning achievement will be improved.

Wena (2009) describes it more specifically that

learning motivation can be observed from the

characteristic of the students’ behavior involving

interest, attention, concentration and diligence in

learning


Mind Map Technique

Mind Map is a technique to describe everything in

one’s mind systematically and comprehensively. Michalko

in Buzan (2005) defines Mind Map as the thinking

alternative of the whole brain toward the linear

thought (Mind Map) reaches every direction and catch

the thought from every corner.

The concept of mind map is found by Tony Buzan. It

is based on the way our brain work in storing the

information. Tony Buzan offers the learning strategy

using picture, symbol, and color which are believed to

be interesting for children all around the world. Every

picture, symbol, color, letter and words are closely

related as the explanation of one thing.

We can compare Mind map with the town center. The

center of mind map represents the most important idea.

The main roads spread from the center, represent the

main thought in our thinking process, the secondary

roads represent the secondary thought, and so on.

Pictures or special shapes can represent some

interesting areas or ideas.

The way mind map work and its benefit


In a seminar about “Effective Method in Learning”,

Susana Widyastuti states that in mind map we can see

the relationship between one idea and the other. It is

very easy for our brain to understand and absorb

information. Why? It is because the way it works is

similar with the way of our brain connection works.

Besides, the mind map also makes us easy to explore our

idea since we can start from the main idea and then use

the connections in our brain to break it down into the

detail ideas.

Furthermore, it is stated that mind map gives us

many benefits such as:

Releasing our imagination and explore the ideas to

be more creative

More easily thinking about fact and number

Helping us to be more concentrate and save time

The best way to put information into our brain and

take them out of the brain which can be the creative

and effective way in taking note

Helping the brain to think systematically

The learning process will be done more easily

How to make mind map


Mind map can be made in a systematic way. Djohan

Yoga, from Indomindap® Learning Center explains the

process of making it step by step that can be divided

into four steps in sequence as the following.

1. Determining the Central Topic

2. Making the Basic Ordering Ideas – BOIs for the

chosen Central Topic

3. Providing each BOIs with branches which contain more

branches of supporting data related to the ideas

4. Providing every branch with the best image in the

form of picture, symbol, code, lists of things,

graphic and connecting line if there are some BOIs

which are related one another. The purpose is to

make it more interesting and easy to be understood

and remembered.

For more explanation about how to make it, it is

figured out in the following pictures.


Step 1 Step 2

Step 3 Step 4

Implementing mind map technique in writing

Susana Widyastuti, in her paper describes clearly

the steps in implementing mind map technique in

writing, as follow.

1. Make sure that the theme is placed in the center.

From the main theme, the derivative theme related

to the main one will appear

2. Find out the relationship among the themes and mark

with line, colour or symbol. From the first

derivative theme, the second one will appear, and

so on.

3. Use the capital letter which will encourage us to

write only the important points in the mind map.

4. Make the mind map in the plain paper and left out

the editing process.

5. Give space for the additional theme.

Research Method

The kind of research is the class action research

comprises 4 stages i.e. planning, action, observation


and reflection. The subject of the research is the

students of class VIII A Junior High School one Ungaran

which is located in Diponegoro street 197 Ungaran,

Semarang regency. It is held from January to April

2013. The number of the students are 24 consisting 19

female students dan 6 male students.

The research uses two cycles, that are the use of

mind map technique in pairs (first cycle); and the use

of mind map technique individually (second cycle). The

instruments used to collect the data are test

instrument of writing daily assessment and questionare

containing some questions to find out the

motivation/interest and opinion of the students about

the implemented technique. The other instrument is an

observation sheet which is used by the collaborator to

observe the classroom condition in the teaching and

learning process.

The data analysis of the research which belongs to

quantitative data is done in descriptive form

(Arikunto, et al, 2006). The analysis is done to

measure the individual and classical achievement,

according to the following formula.

Individual achievement:X 100 = individual


Total Score

Total maximum score

Classical achievement

Number of passed students

Number of all students

The analysis on the motivation/interest

questionnaire is also done descriptively using

percentage technique. Das Salirawati (2011) in her

paper presented in class action research workshop in

Sleman presents that the data of interest collected at

the end of each cycle then the total score is counted

for every students based on the scale which is used.

The score then converted into percentage (%). To find

out whether the students interest is increased or not,

then the interest percentage of each students is

compared between the first and the second cycle.

Whereas, to find out the overall increase of the

interest the average of the interest percentage is

counted in every cycle.

The data analysis of the observation result on the

student’s activity is done descriptively using

percentage technique on the level of activeness in the

X 100 % = Classical


teaching and learning process. The result then

categorized in the classification of good (76-100 %),

fair (56-75 %), poor (40-44 %), and bad (< 40 %)

Research result and discussion

The description of pre action

The pre action is held on Thursday, February 28th

2013, followed by 25 students. In the pre action, mind

map technique has not been implemented. The achievement

percentage of organizing the idea in paragraphs is only

66 % and become the lowest achievement among the other

four aspects, which are idea/content, diction, sentence

and convention. It happened because in the text made by

the students, there are many paragraphs that were not

focus on one main idea, or there is one main idea but

some irrelevant supporting details are found. Even

there are some paragraphs with unclear main idea.

The score in the daily test shows that the number of

students who got > 90 is 8 % from the number of all the

students. The score around 80-90 is 32 % while the

other 60 % students did not pass the passing grade. It

means that the classical achievement is 40 % and the

average of the score is 74, 24.


The description of the first cycle

The research is held in two cycles. The first is

held on 19-20th February 2013 an the second one is on

12-13th March 2013.In the first cycle, creating recount

text in pairs is held based on the outline in the form

of main map that has been made before. During the

lesson, the students look happy and enthusiastic in

making an outline in mind map form using the provided

books or internet in the library to gather the data.

The test result in the first cycle shows in the

organization aspect, classically the students’

achievement is increased to be 78 % although it is

still the lowest achievement. The other aspects results

are 86 % for the content, 87 % for the diction, 87% for

the sentence and 82 % for the convention.


students who got > 90 is 16% from the number of all the

students. It means that it is increased twice than

before. The score around 80-90 is 68 % while the other

16 % students did not pass the passing grade. It means

that the classical achievement is 84 %. The students’

achievement is increased highly that is 44 %. It is


probably because of the pairs system which allows the

low skilled students were helped by the high skilled

one. The average of the score is also increased from

74,24 become 84,16.

The result of the learning motivation questioner in

the first cycle shows that eight from ten questions are

answered positively by the students. They think that

the technique can improve their creativity and make the

easier to create recount text.

Based on the observation of the teacher and the

collaborator about the activeness and the seriousness

of the students in the classroom, it can be said that

almost all the students are active and serious. The

analysis on the observation result comes to the

conclusion that the technique can activate the 86 % of

students in the learning process. While 84 % of the

students are motivated to do the activity seriously in

gathering the data for writing and 87 % of the students

are really serious in making the mind map. If it is

seen from the mind map itself, around 84 % students can

be categorized creative. This creativity is shown from

the mind map, the theme chosen and also the clear BOIs

and the branches of the supporting data.


However there is also a problem in the first cycle.

The main problem is that the individual skills cannot

be identified clearly because they work together in

doing the job. Thus, the smart one can influence their

partners.

The description of the second cycle

The second cycle is done on 12 – 13th March 2013.

Based on the reflection of the first cycle, then in the

second cycle the students are asked to make the mind

map and the text individually. In the learning process,

the condition is slightly different from the previous

one. The students seem to focus on their own

assignment. The discussion among the students only

happened when they find difficulties or borrow

stationers to each other. They are also enthusiastic

in find the data from the books and the internet in the

library.

The test result in the second cycle shows for the

organization aspect, classically the students’

achievement is increased to be 83 % and it is not the

lowest achievement any longer. The other aspects


results are 90 % for the content, 84 % for the diction,

82% for the sentence and 83 % for the convention.


students who got > 90 is 36% from the number of all the

students. It means that it is increased 20 % than

before. The score around 80-90 is 40 % while the other

24 % students did not pass the passing grade. It means

that the classical achievement is 76 %. The students’

achievement is decreased. It is probably because they

have to work individually.

The result of the learning motivation questioner in

the first cycle shows the positive result where the

students can enjoy the activity and become more

creative when the technique is implemented. In the

second cycle, most of the students feel that it is

better for them to work individually rather than in

pairs because they can explore more inspiration to make

the mind map and also the text.

Discussion

The discussion in this research comprises the

discussion on the action, the observation result and

the reflection.


The discussion on the action.

In the first cycle, the action which is implemented

is to ask the students to make a recount text about

someone’s biography in pairs. The aim is to minimize

the time and ease the students in the process of making

the mind map because it is not easy to make it. This

action is very important to improve the students’

creativity and their achievement in the writing daily

test especially in organizing the idea.

Nevertheless, the students are asked to finish their

assignment individually since it can measure or

identify their individual skills. It is also common in

English teaching process to do the independent

construction after the joint construction of the text.

The discussion on the observation result

Base on the observation done by the teacher and the

collaborator, the students generally become more

enthusiastic and have more spirit when making the mind

map because the can easily write their text in a well

organized way. Previously, they will be confused when

they have to make a text because in the middle of their


writing, they will get stuck and don not know what to

write.

Their mind map is also vary and interesting. They

made it in such a way that they can explore their

imagination. Moreover, they write the biography of

someone they like or their idol so they are happy to do

that.

The discussion on the reflection

In every cycle, there must be some weaknesses and

also the strength. In the first cycle, the strength is

that it is easier for the students to finish their

assignment because they have partner for discussion.

The situation is more active because of the group

discussion. The students can merge their idea in making

a good mind map and text. The weakness is that the

activity cannot identify the personal ability clearly.

As happen in the first cycle, some problems also

occur in the second cycle. The main problem is that it

is rather difficult for the students if they have to

finish all the assignment individually. The group

discussion becomes decreased because every student

thinks about their own assignment. However, the teacher


can identify the individual ability in this cycle. This

will ease the teacher to determine the follow-up

activity in the next learning process.

The result of the research

Based on the beginning hypothesis that is tried to

be proven in the research, the results can be explained

in two categories. The first is the change on the

condition of the learning activity and the second is

the comparison between the results in the pre action,

the first cycle and the second cycle.

The change on the learning achievement

From the discussion, it can be emphasized that there

is a change in the learning activity of the students

after the implementation of mind map technique to

improve the writing skill of the students. The change

is from passive into active in the learning process,

from unstructured activity into more organized one, and

from boring activity into more fun one.

The comparison of the result


The comparison among the results of the research can

be seen in the following table, which consists of

several aspects.

NO URAIANPRE

ACTION

FIRST

CYCLE

SECOND

CYCLE

1. Percentage of

idea/content aspect

78 86 90

2. Percentage of

organization aspect

66 78 83

3. Percentage of diction

aspect

82 87 84

4. Percentage of sentence

aspect

76 87 82

5. Percentage of

convention aspect

70 82 83

6. Highest score 92 92 96

7. Lowest score 56 72 72

8. Individual achievement 74,24 84,16 84,32

9. Classical achievement 40 84 76

10

.

Average of behavior

score

- 84,48 89,44


The table shows that there is an improvement in the

learning achievement in creating a recount text based

on the improvement of the organization aspects

percentage. The improvement also influences the score

of the other aspects although the classical achievement

is decreased in the second cycle. Finally it can be

concluded that the result of the research is match with

the hypothesis that the use of mind map technique can

improve the students’ achievement in organizing their

idea to write recount text.

Conclusion and suggestion

Conclusion

According to the result and the discussion of the

research, there is an improvement of the students’

ability in organizing their ideas to write a recount

text especially the students of Class VIII A in the

second semester of academic year 2012/2013. There is a

significant improvement from the pre action, the first

cycle and the second cycle that can be described as

follow.

a. There is an improvement in the students’ activity

which is shown in the result of the questioner. The


students become more enthusiastic and feel that by

using mind map technique, their creativity is more

increased and they can explore their imagine more to

make a good recount text.

b. The learning achievement of the students is also

increased. The increasing score from the pre action,

the first cycle and the second cycle indicates the

notion. The first is about the individual

achievement. There is an improvement from 74,24 in

the pre action, 84,16 in the first cycle and finally

become 84,32 in the second cycle. However, for the

classical achievement that has been increased from

40 % in the pre action, to be 84 % in the second

cycle, but then decreased to be 76 % in the second

cycle as the result of the group system into

individual one.

`

Suggestion

It is suggested especially for the students to use

mind map technique in making a text outline for the

other types of text. Furthermore, they can also use it

to enrich their vocabularies and to take a brief clear

note in every subject.


In general it is suggested to those who have any

relation with learning and teaching activities as

follow.

a. The students, as the subject of learning should keep

on practising themselves to write so that they are

accustomed to cenvey their message, ideas and

opinion through writing. When they are used to do

this, they can always think systematically,

critically and logically.

b. The teacher, as the facilitator, should always

improve their creativity in holding the learning and

teaching activity to create a meaningful anf fun

learning.


References

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Brown, H. Douglas. (2004). Language assessment:

principles and classroom practices. San Fransisco,

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Harsanto, Radno, Drs., M.Si., 2007, Pengelolaan kelas yang

dinamis: paradigma baru pembelajaran menuju kompetensi siswa.

Yogyakarta, Penerbit Kanisius.

Johnson, LouAnne, 2009, Pengajaran yang kreatif dan menarik:

cara membangkitkan minat siswa melalui pemikiran, Jakarta, PT

Indeks.

Pardiyono, M.Pd., 2006, 12 Writing clues for better writing

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