IMPROVING STUDENT’S WRITING SKILLS ON DESCRIPTIVE TEXTS THROUGH PROJECT-BASED LEARNING: A CLASSROOM ACTION RESEARCH

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of Project-Based Learning (PBL) in improving students’ writing skills on descriptive texts. The research employed Classroom Action Research (CAR) with a cyclical model consisting of planning, action, observation, and reflection, conducted in two cycles. The participants were 32 seventh-grade students of SMP Negeri 2 Banguntapan Bantul. Data were collected through writing tasks and tests, observation checklists, field notes, and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using a writing rubric adapted from Brown (2010), encompassing content, organization, vocabulary, language use, and mechanics, while qualitative data were analyzed descriptively to support the numerical findings.

The results demonstrated a significant improvement in students’ writing performance following the implementation of PBL. The pre-test revealed a low level of writing achievement, with a mean score of 58.88 and the majority of students failing to meet the minimum mastery criterion. After the intervention, the post-test mean score increased to 80.91, with 80% of students achieving the required mastery level. Improvements were observed across all writing components, particularly in grammar, content development, and text organization. Qualitative findings indicated that PBL fostered greater student engagement, collaboration, and motivation during the writing process.

In conclusion, Project-Based Learning proved to be an effective instructional approach for enhancing students’ writing skills in descriptive texts and promoting an active learning environment. The findings suggest that PBL can be considered a viable pedagogical strategy for teaching writing at the junior high school level.