Manusia Literat Merupakan Suatu Kebutuhan Bukan Hanya Sekedar Penghias Dunia Sastra

Chapter Review 1

Writing and Composition 4

            Setelah tugas sebelumnya saya telah dibuat terpukau oleh pentingnya kegunaan baca-tulis. Melalui kegunaan kedua dari aktivitas itu saya dapat memetik banyak manfaat di dalamnya, seperti untuk menambah ilmu pengetahuan yang jumlahnya tak terhingga dan untuk memproduksi ilmu pengetahuan  Namun, saya masih dibuat bingung dengan kegunaannya sendiri untuk negeri kita, untuk apa? Pertanyaan itu pula yang Pak Lala tanyakan pada saya. “Ria, kegunaan literasi untuk negeri kita sendiri untuk apa?” Pada saat itu juga saya bingung, terdiam cukup lama sambil berfikir, saya hanya menjawab, “sebagai modal awal agar kita dapat bersaing dengan negara lain.”

            Saya telah menyadari bahwa kegunaan literasi itu penting, tapi apabila kegunaan literasi itu sendiri tidak membawa dampak untuk kemajuan di negara kita sendiri, lantas untuk apa masih perlu untuk dilakukan? Kegunaannya seperti menambah ilmu pengetahuan serta memproduksi ilmu pengetahuan, apakah mereka masih penting untuk dilakukan? Karena pada intinya jika kita ingin bersaing dengan negara lain, maka pendapatan perkapita di negara kita sendiri mesti naik bukan? Ketika pendapatan perkapita dapat dinaikkan tentunya segala bidang-bidang bisa diperbaiki dan dikembangkan. Hal itu merupakan akar dari permasalahannya.

Apakah Literasi memang merupakan modal awal agar kita dapat bersaing dengan negara lainnya? Lalu seperti judul yang telah saya tuliskan untuk menamai artikel ini, apakah literasi merupakan suatu kebutuhan dan bukan hanya sekedar penghias dunia sastra negeri kita? Dalam artikel ini, saya akan membahas mengenai berbagai pertanyaan-pertanyaan di atas, disertai juga dengan makna literasi, kegunaan literasi, serta berbagai solusi-solusi yang digunakan untuk dapat menanamkan literasi pada generasi muda. Pokoknya segala hal akan saya kupas tuntas disini mengenai kegunaan literasai yang pada kesimpulannya merupakan suatu kebutuhan dan bukan hanya sekedar penghias dunia sastra negeri kita. Sumber artikel diambil dari berbagai opini-opini cemerlang dari Bapak Chaedar Alwasilah. Dear all my readers, happy reading.

1.    Definisi Literasi

       Dalam perbincangan metodologi pengajaran di kalangan guru bahasa saat ini adalah genre, wacana, literasi, teks, dan konteks. Definisi  literasi menurut kamus offord adalah kemampuan membaca dan menulis. Namun, dalam konteks persekolahan Indonesia istilah literasi jarang dipakai. Istilah yang sering dipakai adalah pengajaran bahasa atau pembelajaran bahasa. Di dalam kamus Bahasa Indonesia pun tidak dicantumkan kata literasi. Istilah yang ada di situ adalah literator dan leterer.

       Pada masa silam membaca dan menulis dianggap “cukup” sebagai pendidikan dasar (pendidikan umum) untuk membekali manusia kemampuan menghadapi zaman. Dapat dipahami jika literate kadang diartikan sebagai educated. Pendidikan dasar tidak cukup mengandalkan kemampuan membaca dan menulis. Literasi  selama bertahun-tahun dianggap sekedar persoalan psikologis, yang berkaitan dengan kemampuan mental dan keterampilan baca-tulis, padahal literasi dalah praktik kultural yan berkaitan dengan persoalan sosial dan politik. Karena itu, para pakar pendidikan dunia berpaling ke definisi baru yang menunjukkan paradigma baru dalam memaknai literasi dan pembelajarannya.

      

       Kini ada ungkapan literasi komputer, literasi virtual, literasi matematika, literasi IPA, dan sebagainya. Atas tantangan zaman seperti yang digambarkan di atas, lalu Freebody & Luke menawarkan model literasi sebagai berikut: memahami, melibati, menggunakan, menganalisis, dan mentransformasi teks. Itulah hakikat ber-literasi secara kritis dalam masyarakat demokratis.

       Seiring dengan berkembangnya zaman berakibat pada makna literasi yang terus berevolusi, dan kini maknanya semakin meluas dan kompleks. Literasi tetap berurusan dengan penggunaan bahasa, dan kini merupakan kajian lintas disiplin yang memiliki tujuh dimensi yang saling terkait.

2.      Kegunaan literasi

a.      Dimensi geografis (lokal, nasional, regional, internasional)

Literasi seseorang dapat dikatakan berdimensi lokal, nasional, regional, atau internasional bergantung pada tingkat pendidikan, jejaring sosial, dan vokasionalnya. Diplomat, misalnya lebih sering ditantang untuk memiliki literasi internasional daripada bupati. 

b.      Dimensi bidang

Literasi bangsa tampak di bidang pendidikan, komunikasi, administrasi, hiburan, militer, dan sebagainya. Tingkat dan efisiensi layanan publik dan militer, misalnya bergantung pada kecanggihan teknologi komunikasi dan persenjataan yang digunakan. “Pendidikan yang berkualitas tingkat tinggi menghasilkan literasi yang berkualitas tinggi pula,” Pasti !!!

c.       Dimensi keterampilan

Literasi seseorang tampak dalam kegiatan membaca, menulis, menghitung, dan berbicara. Setiap sarjana mampu membaca, tapi tidak semua sarjana mampu menulis. Kualitas tulisan bergantung pada “Gizi” bacaan yang disantapnya. “Gizi” itu kan tampak ketika dia berbicara. Untuk menjadi sarjana yang baik, orang tidak cukup dengan mengandalkan literasi, dia pun mesti melakukan numerasi (keterampilan menghitung). Keterampilan itu lazim disebut 3R, yaitu reading, writing, aritmetic.

e.       Dimensi media

Untuk menjadi literat pada zaman sekarang, orang tidak cukup mengandalkan kemampuan membaca dan menulis teks alfabetis, melainkan juga harus mengandalkan kemampuan membaca dan menulis teks cetak, visual, dan digital. Oleh sebab itu berkembanglah literasi visual, literasi digital, dan literasi virtual. Penguasaan IT (informatiof technology) sangat penting, sehingga kini kehebatan universitas lain diukur dari lewat sejauh mana universitas itu diperbincangkan dalam dunia maya (webometrics).

f.        Dimensi jumlah

Jumlah dapat merujuk pada banyak hal, misalnya bahasa, variasi bahasa, peristiwa tutur, bidang ilmu, media dan sebagainya. Orang multilaterat mampu berinteraksi dalam berbagai situasi. Kemampuan ini tumbuh karena proses pendidikan yang berkualitas tinggi.

g.      Dimensi bahasa (etnis, lokal, nasional, regional, internasional)

Ada literasi yang singular, ada literasi yang plural. Hal ini beranalogi ke dimensi monolingual, bilingual, dan multilingual. Bila Anda orang Sunda dan mahasiswa jurusan bahasa Inggris, Anda adalah orang multilingual dalam bahasa Sunda, Indonesia, dan Inggris. Artinya jika anda menguasai dua, atau lebih dari dua bahasa, maka Anda akan disebut dengan multiliterat.

3.    Manfaat Literasi

a.       Ketertiban lembaga-lembaga sosial

Hidup bermasyarakat ini difasilitasi lembaga-lembaga, misalya RT, RW, kelurahan sampai dengan DPR dan presiden, sebagai mesin birokrasi untuk menjamin ketertiban sosial. Lembaga-lembaga itu menjalankan perannya dengan fasilitas bahasa, sehingga muncul bahasa birokrat atau bahasa politik yang menunjukkan kekuasaan birokrat terhadap rakyat. Tidak ada literasi yang netral. Semua praktik literasi dan teks tulis memiliki ideologi, yakni didikte oleh lingkungan sosial dan politiknya.

b.      Tingkat kefasihan relatif

Setiap interaksi memerlukan kefasihan berbahasa dan literasi yang berbeda. Yang perlu dikuasai adalah kefasihan (literasi) minimal tau literasi yang diperlukan untuk memainkan peran fungsional dalam setiap interaksi. 

c.       Pengembangan potensi diri dan pengetahuan

“Literasi membekali orang kemampuan mengembangkan segala potensi dirinya.” Penguasaan bahasa ibu adalah alat untuk berekspresi dan mengapresiasi, serta memikirkan segala hal dalam lingkungan sosial budaya dan psikologisnya yang terdekat, yakni keluarganya. Pada tahap tinggi literasi membekali orang (baca: mahasiswa) kemampuan memproduksi dan mereproduksi ilmu pengetahuan. Menulis akademik adalah bagian dari literasi yang mesti dikuasai oleh para (calon) sarjana. Itulah literasi akademik.

d.      Standar dunia

Dalam persaingan global sekarang ini rujuk mutu (bench marking) dikembangkan ke tingkat internasional sehingga tingkat literasi suatu bangsa (baca: kualitas pendidikannya) mudah dibandingkan dengan bangsa lainnya.

e.       Warga masyarakat demokratis

Pendidikan seyogyanya menghasilkan manusia literat, yakni manusia yang memiliki literasi memadai sebagai warga negara yang demokratis. Media merupakan salah satu pilar demokrasi. Dengan kata lain, pendidikan literasi harus mendukung terciptanya demokratisasi bangsa. Proses pendidikan itu sendiri harus demokratis agar para mahasiswa menjadi warga negara yang demokratis sehingga mereka munjunjung tinggi nilai-nilai demokrasi.

f.       Keragaman lokal

Manusia literat sadar mengenai keragaman bahasa dan budaya lokal atau cerlang budaya, dan manusia lokal membangun literasi dalam konteks nasional, regional, dan global.

g.      Hubungan global

Sebagai dampak teknologi komunikasi, kini semua orang adalah warga negara dunia, dan untuk bersaing tingkat dunia literasi tingkat ini bergantung pada dua hal, yaitu penguasaan teknologi informasi (ICT literacy) dan penguasaan konsep atau pengetahuan yang tinggi. Kita menyadari bahwa dari waktu ke waktu kita mengalami kaget budaya karena loncatan-loncatan inovasi teknologi selama ini.

h.      Kewarganegaraan yang efektif

Literasi membekali kemampuan warga negara yang efektif, yakni warga negara yang mampu mengubah diri, menggali potensi diri, serta berkontribusi bagi keluarga, lingkungan, dan negaranya. Warga negara yang efektif mengetahui hak dan kewajibannya.

i.        Bahasa inggris ragam dunia

Hubungan dan jejaring global memerlukan bahasa asing yang dapat diterima oleh semua pihak. Bahasa Inggris kini dipelajari oleh bangsa-bangsa di seluruh dunia. Namun, karena setiap bangsa membangun literasi dalam bahasa etnis dan budaya lokalnya, bahasa Inggris mereka kental dengan kelokalan sehingga muncul berbagai ragam bahasa Inggris. Pemahaman dan antisipasi atas ragam-ragam bahasa Inggris merupakan antisipasi dari literasi global.

j.        Kemampuan berpikir kritis

Literasi bukan hanya sekedar mampu membaca dan menulis, melainkan juga menggunakan bahasa itu secara fasih, efektif, dan kritis. Berbicara dan menulis adalah tindakan literasi dan merupakan keputusan politik. Pengajaran bahasa, dengan demikian harus mengajarkan keterampilan berpikir kritis. Bahasa termasuk matematika, adalah simbol (baca, tulis, hitung) untuk berkomunikasi dan berliterasi. Manuasia adalah makhluk pengguna simbol.

k.      Masyarakat semiotik

Budaya adalah sistem tanda (semiotik, dan untuk memaknai tanda manusia harus menguasai literasi semiotik. Dalam upaya mengkaji budaya, para ahli menggunakan istilah sintaksis, semantik, dan pragmatik. Sintaksis budaya mengkaji cara aspek-aspek budaya saling terkait dalam sistem budaya. Semantik budaya mengkaji hubungan tanda-tanda dengan rujukannya, dan pragmatik budaya mengkaji hubungan antara tanda dan pengirim dan penerima. Kita semua adalah praktisi semiotik. Setiap hari kita membaca dan bernegosiasi ihwal dengan dunia simbol, dan mengkonstruksi diri kita sendiri secara semiotik, dari cara kita berkomunikasi non-verbal sampai cara kita berpakaian.

4.     Hasil riset mengenai kegunaan literasi

Sejak tahun 1999 Indonesia ikut berpartisipasi dalam proyek penelitian PIRLS, PISA dan TIMSS untuk mengukur literasi membaca, matematika, dan ilmu pengetahuan alam. Dari PIRLS 2006 ditemukan temuan-temuan yang relevan dan penting yang berkaitan dengan literasi membaca siswa kelas IV Indonesia serta posisinya dibandingkan dengan siswa dari negara peserta lainnya. Dalam penelitian itu tujuan membaca meliputi literary purposes dan informational purposes, sedangkan proses membca meliputi interpreting, integrating, evaluating. Berikut adalah temuannya:

a.       Tingkat literasi Indonesia masih jauh tertinggal oleh siswa-siswa dari negara-negara lain. Artinya, pendidikan nasional kita belum berhasil menciptakan warga negara literat yang siap bersaing dengan sejawat dari negara lain. Ringkasnya, dalam skala internasional, literasi siswa kita belum kompetitif. Terlihat berbagai variabel yang terkait dengan pendidikan literasi, yakni pendapatan nasional perkapita, pendidikan orang tua, fasilitas belajar, lama belajar di sekolah, human development (HDI), dan sebagainya.

“manusia literat merupakan SDM yang memiliki potensi untuk membangun bangsa. Pendidikan literasi merupakan investasi jangka panjang yang berfungsi transformatif, untuk meningkatkan human development (HDI) dan menjamin kehidupan sosial ekonomi yang lebih baik. Dengan kata lain, pendidikan literasi pasti mengubah pendapat dan pendapatan”

5.    Solusi-solusi yang digunakan untuk dapat menanamkan literasi pada generasi muda.

a.       Ujung tombak pendidikan literasi adalah guru dengan langkah-langkah profesionalnya yang terlihat dalam enam hal, yaitu:

Ø  Komitmen profesional

Ø  Komitmen etis

Ø  Strategi analitis dan reflektif

Ø  Efikasi dari

Ø  Pengetahuan bidang studi

Ø  Keterampilan literasi dan numerasi

Dengan kata lain, membangun literasi bangsa harus diawali dengan membangun guru yang profesional, dan guru yang profesional hanya dihasilkan oleh lembaga pendidikan yang profesional juga.

b.      Penguasaan bahasa

orang literat adalah orang yang terdidik dan berbudaya. Rekayasa literasi merupakan upaya yang disengaja dan sistematis untuk menjadikan manusia terdidik dan berbudaya lewat penguasaan bahasa secara optimal. Penguasaan bahasa adalah pintu masuk menuju ke pendidikan dan pembudayaan. Sekolah, sebagai lembaga pendidikan formal adalah situs pertama untuk membangun literasi, situs kedua yakni keluarga dan masyarakat.

c.    Menjadi seorang literat

Literasi tidak sederhana sekedar menguasai alfabet atau sekedar mengerti hubungan antara bunyi dengan simbol tulisnya, tetapi simbol itu difungsikan secara bernalar dan konteks sosial.

“Kualitas literasi berkembang seiring dengan kematangan diri. Dan juga tingkat pendidikan sangat mempengaruhi tingkat literasi seseorang”

Bila pendidikan seseorang relatif tinggi, tetapi tingkat literasinya rendah maka (misalnya pada umumnya ilmuwan Indonesia kurang produktif menulis), bisa jadi karena pendidikan literasinya kurang maksimal, atau karena susdut pandang yang berbeda ihwal pendidikan literasi. Pada intinya, mengajarkan literasi menjadikan manusia secara fungsional mampu baca-tulis, terdidik, cerdas, dan menunjukkan apresiasi terhadap sastra.

In my conclusion:

     Manusia literat merupakan suatu kebutuhan di era modern saat ini. Dengan adanya manusia literat kita dapat menciptakan SDM yang memiliki potensi membangun bangsa. Peranan pendidikan literasi sangat diperlukan untuk dapat mencetak manusia literat dan juga peranan pendidikan literasi merupakan investasi jangka panjang untuk dapat menjamin kehidupan sosial yang lebih baik. Dengan kata lain, pendapatan literasi dapat mengubah pendapatan per-kapita, pasti! Dengan ini telah terbukti bahwa manusia literat bukan hanya berperan sebagai penghias dunia sastra, melainkan merupakan suatu kebutuhan pokok yang perannya selalu dibutuhkan oleh negeri kita ini. Peranan literasi akan menghasilkan manusia literat dan Indonesia yang lebih baik, oleh sebab itu literasi merupakan unit terpenting yang kegunaannya tidak bisa diabaikan.

Writing and Composition 3

Final Examination 

(Ria Nuralawiyah)

In this paper, I am going to analysis four types of text. They consist of descriptive text, opinion essay, contrast essay, and narrative text. Before starting to do the analysis, I want to remain my self about what I have to know to make a good text with consist of good paragraphs. First of all, I have to know about paragraph organization.  

Paragraph Organization, A typical paragraph has a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence.

•  The topic sentence introduces the topic and tells what the writer will say about the topic.
• The sentences that follow further explain and support the topic sentence. They are called supporting sentences.
• The concluding sentence often repeats the information in the topic sentence in different way.

Now, after I have known the content of paragraph organization, I am ready to do the analysis in my paper.

Descriptive Organization

In descriptive essay, a writer uses details to tell how a subject looks, sounds, smells, tastes, or feels. The essay should make the reader feel like responding to what he or she is reading.

1. Introduction

•  The hook introduces the object or event of description.
•   The middle sentences provide the background.
• The thesis statement tells why the object or event of description is important to the writer.

      2. Body Paragraph

• Most of the description is in the body paragraphs.
• Adjectives and adverbs make the experience more vivid.
•  The scene is often described with prepositions and prepositional phrases the specify location or position in space.
• Comparisons, such as similes, can make the writing more descriptive, familiar, and expressive.

3. Conclusion

• The conclusion gives the writer’s final opinion about the description.

Descriptive Text

I  Prefer Indonesian Food

            I spent my holiday in Yogyakarta last year. I went to many places in the town together with my lovely sister. I enjoyed so much my times there. My sister invited me to go eating at all unique restaurants. One of the restaurants is ramen noodles. This was the first time I could eat Asian food. I was very excited to choose the foods which are available in book’s menu. When I read the menu, I was confuse, which one was the foods that had the taste was delicious, so I decided to ask my sister. After a few minutes ago my sister asked me to choose sushi. 

Her reason is the taste of sushi was so delicious. I immediately agreed her because on that time I felt so curious with the taste of Asian food. Unfortunately I was disappointed it. What a surprise, when the waiter put it on my table, I directly saw it and felt so shock. All the ingredients of sushi used raw fish and fresh vegetables. It made me did not want to eat it, but my sister forced me to eat it soon. In the first bite, I felt nausea then I threw up it. It tasted like rotten fish although it smelled so tasty.

Since at that time, I realized that the one and only the best food that has good taste is just Indonesian food. Certainly, in my opinion most of people prefer foods which are available in the country where they were born to foreign food. In this case everybody more familiar with the food that they have been eating since they were a child. Finally I prefer Indonesian food to Asian food.

My analysis:  Descriptive Text

I  Prefer Indonesian Food

            (Introduction). I spent my holiday in Yogyakarta last year. I went to many places in the town together with my lovely sister “Hook.” I enjoyed so much my times there. My sister invited me to go eating at all unique restaurants. One of the restaurants is ramen noodles. This was the first time I could eat Asian food “Provide the background.” I was very excited to choose the foods which are available in book’s menu. When I read the menu, I was confuse, which one was the foods that had the taste was delicious, so I decided to ask my sister. After a few minutes ago my sister asked me to choose sushi “Thesis statement.”

(Supporting Idea – Body Paragraph). Her reason is the taste of sushi was so delicious. I immediately agreed her, because on that time I felt so curious with the taste of Asian food. Unfortunately I was disappointed it. What a surprise, when the waiter put it on my table, I directly saw it and felt so shock. All the ingredients of sushi used raw fish and fresh vegetables. It made me did not want to eat it, but my sister forced me to eat it soon. In the first bite, I felt nausea and then I threw up it. It tasted like rotten fish, although it smelled so tasty. (In these paragraphs provided: adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, similes. They can make body paragraph more descriptive, so that here I can explain and support more detail about the introduction).

(Conclusion). Since at that time, I realized that the one and only the best food that has good taste is just Indonesian food. Certainly, in my opinion most of people prefer foods which are available in the country where they were born to foreign food. In this case everybody more familiar with the food that they have been eating since they were a child. Finally I prefer Indonesian food to Asian food. (In these pararagraph provided my conclusion. It can be my final opinion about the description).

Opinion organization

             In an opinion essay, the writer tries to convince the reader of a point of view on a controversial issue (something that people disagree about).

1. Introduction

• The hook introduces a controversial issue.
• The hook may be a short story or an anecdote, a question, or a surprising statement or fact that makes the reader want to know more.
•  The middle sentences explain why the issue is important by giving background information. This background information explains the issue with details about the story or the people involved what they want, or how it affects them.
• The thesis statement at the end and presents the writer’s point of view.

2. Body Paragraph

• The topic sentence has a controlling idea that supports the writer’s main argument in the thesis.
• The following sentences support the topic sentence with a reasons, facts, and explanations to help the reader understand the writer’s point of view.
• The body paragraph often includes a statement that describes the opposing opinion. This is called the counter argument. The writer then argues against the counter argument, and shows how is own argument is stronger.

3. Conclusion

•  The restates the writer’s opinion, but often using different, more persuasive language.
• It may also offer a warning, a prediction, or other type of comment that reinforces the writer’s viewpoint.

Opinion Essay

Intercountry Marriage in My Ipinion

Marriage is a personal affair where two people were met because they feel there is a match between each other. Two people who claimed to live together because they feel there is a compatibility with one another and hope that someday could be complementary with each other. And then they can build a family according to what they want, what they dream. Love does not know the space, time and distance. Nowadays we often see married couples from different countries each other. Making love with a different partner country is not easy. It has considerable consequences challenging. 

Having love with different cultures and countries not only need a personal understanding of each other, but also cultural differences from partner countries. It is reasonable when love did not know geographical boundaries. However in reality, it is not easy for citizens of Indonesia have a different partner nation.

 

Many people imagine that intercountry marriage is a very complicated thing, because the problems are often accompanied. There are a long distance relationship, parental disapproval, child care and family responsibilities. Moreover the difference in language, culture, lifestyle, and mindset, but it all depends on both sides. If they can adapt and accept cultural differences each other, not a few people who succeed in doing intercountry marriage. Essentially both of them have to learn about his/her culture so they can understand one another.

My Analysis: Opimion Essay

Intercountry Marriage in My Ipinion

(Introduction). Marriage is a personal affair where two people were met because they feel there is a match between each other “Hook.” Two people who claimed to live together because they feel there is a compatibility with one another and hope that someday could be complementary with each other. And then they can build a family according to what they want, what they dream “Hook – short story.” Love does not know the space, time and distance. Nowadays we often see married couples from different countries each other. Making love with a different partner country is not easy. It has considerable consequences challenging “Thesis statement.”

 

(Supporting Idea – Body Paragraph). Having love with different cultures and countries not only need a personal understanding of each other, but also cultural differences from partner countries “ Topic sentence: it has supports my main argument in the thesis." It is reasonable when love did not know geographical boundaries. However in reality, it is not easy for citizens of Indonesia have a different partner nation “It Support the topic sentence with a reason.”  Many people imagine that intercountry marriage is a very complicated thing, because the problems are often accompanied “Counter Argument: a statement that describes the opposing opinion.”  There are a long distance relationship, parental disapproval, child care and family responsibilities. Moreover the difference in language, culture, lifestyle, and mindset, but it all depends on both sides. If they can adapt and accept cultural differences each other, not a few people who succeed in doing intercountry marriage “Argues against the counter argument. I show that the counter argument has weakness. I prove that my own argument is stronger”. (Conclusion) Essentially both of them have to learn about his or her culture so they can understand one another “In my conclusion, I show my viewpoint that reinforces my argument is the best.”

Contrast Essay

 Contrast essay will tell about comparison among two things or more than two things. It will tell the things from the differences and the similarities. 

1. Introduction

•  Presents the subject that is to be compared or contrasted.
•  Ends with a thesis statement that focuses the comparison or contrast.

2. Body Paragraph for Point-by-Point Essays       

• There are two body paragraphs, each with a clear topic sentence.
•  Each body paragraph presents one main point to be compared or contrasted between the two subjects.
• Within each body paragraph, the topic sentence states the point of comparison or contrast between the subjects. The supporting sentences that follow provide two or three examples.
•  The body paragraphs use sequence transitions, such as first, second, furthermore, etc, to connect the point-by-point analysis within the paragraph.

3. Body Paragraphs for similarities and Differences Essays

•  There are two body paragraphs, each with a clear topic sentence.
• One body paragraph is devoted to similarities between the two subjects, and one body paragraph is devoted to differences.

4. Conclusion

• This allows the writer to summarize the differences and similarities and state his or her feeling about the topic.

Contrast Essay

My Holiday in Two Different Cities

Two years ago, I spent my holiday at Yogyakarta and Bandung cities. Unfortunately I only had little times to enjoy my holiday there. I was getting my holiday’s times just two weeks. In first week, I went to Yogyakarta, and in the second week, I went to Bandung. I really enjoyed so much spending my times in both of the cities. In Yogyakarta, I went to many tourism objects. I really love all the things in the city especially with its culture. In Bandung also, I went to many tourism objects, but I do not know, I prefer Yogyakarta to Bandung. Yogyakarta and Bandung are similar but also different in some things, especially in culture.

            For me Yogyakarta and Bandung are same to make me feel happy, relax, and fresh, because those cities provide many tourism objects. In Yogyakarta, I visited to Malioboro,Yogyakarta Palace, Baron Beach, Gadjah Mada University. After that In Bandung, I visited to Rancaekek Trade Center, Cihampelas Walk, Sate Building, Bandung Institute of Technology. I do love those cities, because their educations have good quality. 

Despite from their similarities, Yogyakarta and Bandung have different things especially in culture. Yogyakarta has good culture. All people there have good personality for example they have humble nature. I can see everyone look so simple, not at all glamour in appearance thing. In Bandung all people are friendly, but I can not see humble nature there. In Bandung average people do not look so simple. Their appearances look so glamour. 

It is so wonderful to see how people, places, and culture from different cities can be similar and different at the same thing. Yogyakarta and Bandung are very similar in provide many tourism objects and have good education, but they are also different in culture. It might is caused, because I do not like the culture like Bandung. I prefer people who have humble nature to glamour nature. So, in my holiday, I spent my holiday happily, but I prefer visit Yogyakarta to Bandung.

           

           

My analysis: Contrast Essay

My Holiday in Two Different Cities

(Introduction). Two years ago, I spent my holiday at Yogyakarta and Bandung cities. Unfortunately I only had little time to enjoy my holiday there. I was getting my holiday’s time just two weeks. In first week, I went to Yogyakarta, and in the second week, I went to Bandung. I really enjoyed so much spending my times in both of the cities. In Yogyakarta, I went to many tourism objects. I really love all the things in the city especially with its culture. In Bandung also, I went to many tourism objects, but I do not know, I prefer Yogyakarta to Bandung “I present the subject that is to be compared and contrasted.” Yogyakarta and Bandung are similar but also different in some things, especially in culture “I show my thesis statement that focuses the comparison or contrast.”

            (Supporting Idea – Body Paragraph). For me Yogyakarta and Bandung are same to make me feel happy, relax, and fresh, because those cities provide many tourism objects. In Yogyakarta, I visited to Malioboro, Yogyakarta Palace, Baron Beach, Gadjah Mada University. After that In Bandung, I visited to Rancaekek Trade Center, Cihampelas Walk, Sate Building, Bandung Institute of Technology. And then I do love those cities, because their educations have good quality “I show the similarities between Yogyakarta and Bandung.” 

(Supporting Idea – Body Paragraph). Despite from their similarities, Yogyakarta and Bandung have different things especially in culture. Yogyakarta has good culture. All people there have good personality for example they have humble nature. I can see everyone look so simple, not at all glamour in appearance thing. In Bandung all people are friendly, but I can not see humble nature there. In Bandung average people do not look so simple. Their appearances look so glamour “I show the difference between Yogyakarta and Bandung.”  

(Conclusion). It is so wonderful to see how people, places, and culture from different cities can be similar and different at the same thing. Yogyakarta and Bandung are very similar in provide many tourism objects and have good education, but they are also different in culture. It might is caused, because I do not like the culture like Bandung. I prefer people who have humble nature to glamour nature. So, in my holiday, I spent my holiday happily, but I prefer visit Yogyakarta to Bandung “In my conclusion, I summarize the differences and similarities between Yogyakarta and Bandung with using different languages.”

Narrative Organization

            A narrative is a story. It has an introduction that engages the reader’s interest, a body that gives details about the main event or action in the story, and a conclusion that describes the outcome.

1. Introduction

• The hook gets the reader’s attention.
• The middle sentences introduce an event (the action of the story) by providing background information about the people, the place, and the time.
•  The thesis statement prepares the reader for the action that follows.

2. Body Paragraphs

• The body paragraphs describe what happened in the story.
• They include details that bring the story to life.
•  They often use time order to explain the event.

3. Conclusion

• A conclusion describes the outcome of the event.
• It often ends with a comment by the writer about what the event showed or taught.

Narrative Text

The Friendship Had Changed Her Mind

One day there was a girl. Her name was Cimul. Her father had passed away a few years ago. Sometimes she felt alone lived in this world. Every day she spent her time with have no spirit.  She did not have purpose to fill her life. She often thought that Her God was not fair on her. She still did not accept the destiny that had happened to her. Every time she always cried, because she loved her father so much more than everything. Once upon a time when she studied in senior high school, everything had changed, especially about her mind in her God.

            At the first time when she started to study in the senior high school, she did not have something that changed her mind. Someday her sister asked her to join in PMR’s extracurricular. Without thinking, she agreed it. There she met many new friends. Her friends were so kind. They always made her to be smile. Now her day was so colorful. Day by day she spent her time with her friends happily. She did many things together with them such as, joining competition, walking on, traveling, holiday, learning about lesson’s school, learning about life, feeling love and so on. And the important thing was her mind had changed instantly at the time. Her friends taught her many things about Islam. They taught her that God is always fair to his servants. God gives what we need, not what we want. God always loves his servants so much. God is near us every time. God never lets you walk alone. God will always help and keep you wherever you are. 

            Her mind really had changed, she believed in GOD. She obeyed her religion until she wore Hijab. Every day she spent her time happily, because she never felt alone. She realized that God will always beside her. She was very grateful, because God had met her with her friends. Her friendship really looked so wonderful. From them, she could learn many things about Islam. Now, she always filled her life with have big spirit to reach all her dreams. It would be unforgettable moment for her. The friendship had changed her mind about the important thing in this world.

My analysis: Narrative Text

The Friendship Had Changed Her Mind

(Introduction). One day there was a girl. Her name was Cimul. Her father had passed away a few years ago. Sometimes she felt lived alone in this world “My effort to get reader’s attention.” Every day she spent her time with have no spirit. She did not have purpose to fill her life. She often thought that Her God was not fair on her. She still did not accept the destiny that had happened to her “Introduce my story by providing background information.” Every time she always cried, because she loved her father so much more than everything. Once upon a time when she studied in senior high school, everything had changed, especially about her mind in her God “My thesis statement: I prepare the reader for the action that follows.”

            (Supporting Idea – Body Paragraph). At the first time when she started to study in the senior high school, she did not have something that changed her mind “I describe what happened in my own story.” Someday her sister asked her to join in PMR’s extracurricular. Without thinking, she agreed it. There she met many new friends. Her friends were so kind. They always made her to be smile. Now her day was so colorful. Day by day she spent her time with her friends happily “I describe more detail about what happened, so that it brings the story to life.” She did many things together with them such as, joining competition, walking on, traveling, holiday, learning about lesson’s school, learning about life, feeling love and so on. And the important thing was her mind had changed instantly at the time “I use time order to explain the event.” Her friends taught her many things about Islam. They taught her that God is always fair to his servants. God gives what we need, not what we want. God always loves his servants so much. God is near us every time. God never lets you walk alone. God will always help and keep you wherever you are. 

            Her mind really had changed, she believed in GOD “In my conclusion, I show the outcome of the event.” She obeyed her religion until she wore Hijab. Every day she spent her time happily, because she never felt alone. She realized that God will always beside her. She was very grateful, because God had met her with her friends. Her friendship really looked so wonderful. From them, she could learn many things about Islam. Now, she always filled her life with have big spirit to reach all her dreams. It would be unforgettable moment for her. The friendship had changed her mind about the important thing in this world “At the end in my conclusion, I show my comment what the event taught.”

My Learning Experience English looked Like A Nightmare

This is real. This is very true. This is so right from my deepest thinking. My experience for learning English at senior high school looked like a nightmare.  My teacher used a method that was very scary. So that it made me very lazy to learn it seriously. Many factors were who didn’t support me to be master on the lesson. The first factor was I didn’t have passion of  English lesson.  The second only had little times to learn it. At Every week was just two hours my chance to learn it at school. The third factor was environment. The environment didn’t support me to make a conducive condition to learn it more because I had the other lessons which must be learned also. The fourth factor was I didn’t follow English course because I didn’t have much money. Then all my sisters were not master on the lesson, as well as my parents and my best friends. So I didn’t have the other ways to improve and repair my English skill.

After those factors were my teacher’s method looked so scary. Especially for me who couldn’t English well. Every student who could not speak English well would give a punishment thats so shame. The punishment was they would ask to stand up in front of their friends, in front of the class. I think it will make the students feel down. It’s not the best way to repair their students skill.

And then my teacher was only focus on development her all smartest students. The evidence was when the remedial test came to every student who gave bad score, my teacher didn’t give us the right answer or some study guidance. So how to their students know what the right answer was, what were the best ways to understand how to fill the question with use the right answer?

It will be possible to be master by read some English’s books or learn with her smart friends. But I guess those are not the best way.  Learning English without have much times to practice it, it’s like fly without have no definite direction. It will make us hesitate that what we have learned are right or no. Without have an amazing teacher and have no much times to practice English, I think it’s not effective to be master of  English. According to me to get an  effective learn English are have a teacher who have brilliant methods of teaching,  always practice every time,  and the last have a very supporting environment on learning process. With practice makes all skills of English be perfect. Keep on learning everybody.