13. DEE METHODS - BAHASA INGGERIS

DEVELOPING ESSAY WRITING SKILLS AMONG UPPER FORM STUDENTS:
DEE METHODS

Shahrani Marlinda Jaffar Sidek
Teh Nor Ayu Dahlan

Sekolah Menengah Holy Trinity
Tawau, Sabah.

ABSTRACT

English is one of three core subjects in upper secondary school and it is essential that
students receive a good education in this subject. Many upper secondary students in
SMHT are unable to produce well-developed paragraphs in essay writing. They are
producing surface level points/ideas which are not written in depth enough to support
the title of the essay. General objective is to develop paragraph writing skills among
upper secondary students and the specific objectives in this study is to develop writing
skills in essay writing among upper secondary students using DEE method. This
method is to identify the effectiveness of using DEE method in developing writing skills
and to analyse how DEE method helps overcome the difficulties of writing skills among
upper secondary students. This methods is based on various literary sources,
interviews with teachers and questionnaires with students and the background
information is the basis for the interview questions and the questionnaire with 30
students from Four Ixora as our targeted group. Test sample and students answer

feedbacks. They agree that although their students are able to use synonyms/antonym
and accurate grammatical structures in their essays, they sometimes struggle using
appropriate language. The students also often use Malay sentence patterns in their
sentences and writings. Students are also able to use SVO (Subject + Verb + Object),
SP (Subject + Predicate) and SVA (Subject + Verb + Adverbial) patterns with minimal
errors. Compared with the previous aspects of writing, it is seen that teachers report
more error occurrence in language use. To sum up, students the students showed
good progression in their paper 1 result after the implementation of DEE method in
their final exam. Therefore, teachers are suggested to deeply give attention to their

classes.

1.0 REFLECTION

The target students comes from the middle class that randomly get 28-30 marks for both

which have serious problem in organising ideas in paragraph. In detail, the students have
difficulty to write their elaboration. Students are unable to produce well-developed
paragraphs containing sufficient input to fulfill the tasks of the essay question.

Many upper secondary students in SMHT are unable to produce well-developed paragraphs
in essay writing. They are producing surface level points/ideas which are not written in depth
enough to support the title of the essay. They do not have a particular formula or method to
develop the point in each paragraph. This problem may give big impact to their English result

important to the students to get high marks in their paper 1 to enable them to get good grade
for English paper.

2.0 RESEARCH FOCUS
The problem students facing in writing essay essay have been identified through
examinations and past years results. The same problems keeps on persisting are:
- Writing elaborations and examples
- Organising ideas

3.0 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
The general objective is to develop paragraph writing skills among upper secondary students
and the specific objectives in this study is to develop writing skills in essay writing among
upper secondary students using DEE method. This method is to identify the effectiveness of
using DEE method in developing writing skills and to analyse how DEE method helps
overcome the difficulties of writing essay among upper secondary students.
3.1 Aim Of Research
Through this research, it is hoped the students are able to achieve what are expected of them
which are to:
- elaborate and develope the main ideas to produce paragraphs
-
4.0 TARGET GROUP
This research involved 30 Students from 4 Ixora batch 2019 in SM Holy Trinity Secondary
School in Tawau. This students achieved below 30 marks in paper 1. The purpose of this

research is help students to gain the required knowledge to be the kind of English teacher that
could help the pupils to develop their writing skills. This paper is aimed at pupils in Upper
Secondary School, which means that the main purpose is not to teach the pupils to write but
to help them write better than they used to, to improve their abilities. There are some
questions in this research:

- What kind of different exercises of writing and speaking should be used in class?

- How should these methods be evaluated?

- asing their confidence?

5.0 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESEARCH
The process of doing the research took a span of a year from the MId-term test result until
final exam results 2019. The process involves:
- Pre test English Language exam result
- Implementation of DEE - January - April
- Post Test - Final examination result

DATE TOPIC/FOCUS ACTIVITIES

February 2019 Distribution of questionnaires and Pre Test
(18 - 22) Introduction to the DEE Methods
- Distribute sample essay to students
Feb 2019 - Explanation on DEE- using sample essay
( 25 Feb - 1 Mac)
Implementation
April 2019 - Writing Introduction
( 1- 12 ) - Elaborate 4 main ideas
April 2019
(15 - 19) Implementation
May 2019 - Elaborate 8 main ideas
( 6 - 10)
Implementation
- Writing Conclusion

Practice 1
Drilling - Writing 4 paragraphs essay

June 2019 Reinforcement on :
(17 - 21) - Sentence organisation
July 2019
Practice 2
August - September 2019 Drilling - Writing 5 paragraphs essays

Oktober 2019 Reinforcement on:
- Writing elaboration
- Writing example

Final examination - Post Test

5.1 Dee Methods Process

The targeted students know the basic of writing simple and compound sentences

STEP PROCESS
1 ( Introduction)
Students are given sample comprehension text, they are
2 ( Consultation) asked to:
3 (Implementation 1) - identify main ideas
- identify the elaborations and examples
- write the main ideas and the elaborations separately
Teacher explanation and give consultation

Sample question 1 ( Directed Writing)

- Writing introduction

4 (Implementation 2) Organising main ideas and paragraph
5 (Implementation 3) Organising main ideas and paragraph
6 (Implementation 4) Writing conclusion
5.2 Questionnaire And Pre Test

Questionnaires and Pre test results from the target students were used as the research early
data.

Table 1: The Questionnaires

NO ELEMENTS OF WRITINGS YES NO

1 I am able to write the elaboration for the main ideas

2 Writing elaboration is difficult

3 I am know what main ideas are

4 I am have problem to write elaboration for the main ideas
5 I am able to write 4 paragraphs essay
6 I able to write simple sentences
7 I able to write compound sentences
8 I usually write examples for my elaborations
9 I have problem in organising paragraphs in my essay
10 I always spend more time to write my elaborations

The samples showed the students were hardly able to get marks for content due to unclear
elaboration and examples. This evidence of the pre-
students do not know the skill on how to write their elaboration for the main ideas which is
the most important element in essay writing and contribute high marks for their essay.

Graf 1: Pre Test Data
6.0 RESEARCH FINDINGS

The post test was carried out after the students were guided using DEE methods in their final
exam for 2 months. The students showed good progression in their paper 1 result after the
implementation of DEE method.

Refer STUDENTS MID-TERM TEST FINAL TEST Table 2:
Analysis of Post
1 20 22 (Paper 1
Test 2 23 23 result)
exam 3 25 27
4 15 20
5 22 25
6 21 25
7 16 20
8 14 23
9 20 28
10 21 26
11 22 24
12 23 32
13 31 33
14 26 31
15 23 27
16 27 32
17 22 22
18 24 31
19 26 34
20 29 34
21 22 27
22 25 31
23 20 28
24 31 35
25 23 29
26 22 25
27 16 24
28 22 24
29 31 33
30 22 30

The students showed their progression in doing their elaboration for the main ideas. Most of
them were able to get marks for elaboration 7-10 out of 12 main ideas. This result showed
that the students would write a better essay using skills of DEE method.

7.0 REFLCTION OF THE RESEARCH
First and foremost, the implementation of DEE method in this research showed a great
progression especially in students writing. Most of the students showed their improvement in
writing their elaboration and organise their paragraph. However, there is no doubt, the

students could not avoid to have grammar errors in their directed writing essay. Teaching
writing need more time to enable the students to master every skill.

DEE method is the method to guide the students to master the writing skills step by step.
From constructing sentences, writing elaboration and organise the paragraphs, this method
leads the students to produce a better script besides to enhance their motivation to write an
essay. This method basically change my perspective in teaching writing. I learned to focus on
students problem and find the way to help them improve their proficiency level and not too
ambitious in teaching objective and maintain their progression not their grade.

It cannot be that teaching writing is a long term process. DEE method could not solve or help

about the most worst component in learning writing in English subject. This method slowly
leads students to think creatively and start writing without hesitation and independently.

8.0 SUGGESTION ON FURTHER RESEARCH

Throughout the DEE method research I would like to focus on the usage of correct tenses and
sentences construction for further research. These two elements are the key for a good script.
Furthermore, students need more guidance and drilling exercise to maintain their writing
progression. It is a known fact that, most of the students who not interested in reading is the
challenge to a teacher to teach writing. The students must be exposing to English reading
materials before the implementation of the next method.

REFERENCES
Carol J. Callinan. (2017). Developing essay writing skills: an evaluation of the

modelling behaviour method and the influence of students sel-efficiency

Deborah Dewit Marchant. Critical Writing Skills
https://uni.edu/~reineke/developi.htm

https://goldstarteachers.com/hone-esl-students-essay-writing-skills/#iLightbox

Oxbridge Essays. (2020) A complete guide to writing a reflective essay | Oxbridge Essays
https://www.oxbridgeessays.com/blog/complete-guide-to-writing-a-reflective-essay/

White, Ron and Valerie Arndt. (1991). Process writing. Harlow: Longman Article
https://goldstarteachers.com/hone-esl-students-essay-writing-skills

APPENDIX
Picture 1: Pre-

Picture 2: Sample Responses Of Post Test