The Use of Mind Mapping Technique to Improve the Writing Skill of the Eighth Grade Students of SMP 1 Jati Kudus in the Academic Year 2011/2012

Language is means of communication which is used by human being in the entire world. English is an international that ease people from a country communicates with other people from different country who have different language also. Therefore, students are hope to be able to perform language skill such as listening, speaking, reading and writing. However, for the students, writing is the most difficult subject. It has complex steps and set of rules. The eighth grade students of SMP 1 Jati Kudus also argue that writing is not easy and not interesting. They are still confused to arrange sentences and use grammar correctly. Understanding the fact, the writer is eager to help them by using Mind Mapping Technique as technique to improve writing skill of the eighth grade students of SMP 1 Jati Kudus in academic year 2011/2012. The purpose of the research is to improve of students’ skill in writing by using Mind Mapping Technique. The research will give some useful information about teaching writing by using Mind Mapping Technique will be more interesting to students. This research applied a classroom action research. The research was conducted in the eighth grade students of SMP 1 Jati Kudus in the second semester of academic year 2011/2012. The number of the students in the classroom was 28 students; 21 female and 7 male. The data of this research was taken from the result of written test, the check list of observation and questionnaire sheets of those three cycles conducted. The findings of the research showed that: (1) on the first cycle, there were 14 (50.03%) students who had got scores under the criteria Minimal Score of 75. The mean score was 73.21 as fair categorized. The students’ response were not observable appear yet when being taught by using Mind Mapping Technique as new technique in writing. Teacher has difficulties to teaching writing by using Mind Mapping Technique. (2) On second cycle, the total students who had got scores under the Criteria Minimal Score got down from 14 (50.03%) as 2 (7.14%) and the mean score was 79.46 as good categorized. The students’ concentration is increase and students are more active and creative in writing activity. Teacher can control teaching learning well. (3) On third cycle, the numbers of students whose scores were under the Criteria Minimal Score got down from 2 (7.14%) on cycle 2 as 0 (0%) on cycle 3.The result of the third written test was optimal that the mean score got was 88.46 as excellent categorized. The students and the teacher are to be confidence, more enjoyable, interactive and creative on this cycle. This research comes to the conclusion that Mind Mapping Technique can improve the writing skill of the eighth grade students of SMP 1 Jati Kudus in academic year of 2011/2012. Thus, the writer suggests that a teacher should give short, clear and simple instructions in using Mind Mapping Technique as technique in teaching writing. The aim is to get the students’ respond to show the students’ understanding to what the teacher wants. Besides that, the teacher should more evaluate students’ worksheet through discussion, so they will feel happy and proud because their works are appreciated