Structure and Written Expression Section on Paper-Based TOEFL : Perceived Difficulties by Nursing Students of Poltekes Solok, West Sumatera

Authors

  • Fitri Handayani Universitas Mahaputra Muhammad Yamin

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30983/educative.v4i2.2393

Keywords:

TOEFL, Structure and Written Expression Section, Nursing Students.

Abstract

English language ability is one of the skills that must be possessed by college students, including nursing students. Having good English skills will open broad opportunities for increasing the competency and expertise of nursing students. One form of recognition of good English skills is to have a high TOEFL score. However, getting a high TOEFL score is still a challenge for nursing students. Facts in the field show that many nursing students find it difficult to achieve high scores on the TOEFL test. The most common form of difficulty is the problem in answering questions related to the structure and written expression section in the Paper-Based TOEFL test. The purpose of this research is to investigate nursing students’ difficulties in the structure and written expressions section tested in the Paper-Based TOEFL. The population of this study was 80 nursing students of POLTEKES Solok, and the sample was selected by using cluster random sampling. Data of the research was collected through tests and interviews. The result of the research found that that there were 8 items considered as the most difficult elements met by nursing students in the TOEFL test. These items were word order, parallel structure, singular and plural nouns, missing and extra words, articles, comparative and superlative, word choice, and word form. In addition, the findings also show that several factors influence nursing students' difficulties in the structure and written expression section. The factors were unfamiliarity with the TOEFL test, lack of practice, and lack of grammatical competence.

Kemampuan berbahasa Inggris merupakan salah satu keterampilan yang harus dimiliki oleh mahasiswa perguruan tinggi, termasuk mahasiswa keperawatan. Dengan memiliki keterampilan bahasa Inggris yang baik akan membuka kesempatan yang luas terhadap peningkatan kompetensi dan keahlian mahasiswa keperawatan. Salah satu bentuk pengakuan dari kemampuan bahasa Inggris yang baik ialah memiliki skor TOEFL yang tinggi. Namun, mendapatkan nilai yang tinggi dalam test TOEFL masih menjadi tantangan tersendiri bagi mahasiswa keperawatan. Fakta di lapangan menunjukkan bahwa masih banyak mahasiswa keperawatan yang kesulitan untuk bisa mencapai skor tinggi dalam tes TOEFL. Bentuk kesulitan yang paling banyak ditemui adalah permasalahan dalam menjawab soal yang berkaitan dengan structure dan written expression section pada Paper-Based TOEFL test. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki kesulitan yang dihadapi oleh mahasiswa keperawatan POLTEKES Solok dalam menjawab structure dan written expression section yang diuji dalam Paper-Based TOEFL. Populasi penelitian ini adalah 80 orang mahasiswa keperawatan, dan sampel penelitian ini dipilih dengan menggunakan cluster random sampling. Data dari penelitian ini  dikumpulkan dengan menggunakan tes dan interview. Dari temuan penelitian, dapat disimpulkan bahwa ada 8 item yang dianggap sebagai elemen paling sulit yang ditemui mahasiswa keperawatan dalam tes TOEFL. Item-item tersebut adalah word order, parallel structure, singular and plural noun, missing dan extra words, article, comparative and superlative, word choice, dan word form.Selain itu, temuan ini juga menunjukkan bahwa ada beberapa faktor yang mempengaruhi kesulitan siswa dalam structure and written epression section. Faktor-faktor tersebut adalah tidak terbiasa dengan tes TOEFL, kurangnya latihan, dan kurangnya penguasaan tata bahasa.

Kata Kunci: TOEFL, Structure and Written Expression Section, Mahasiswa Keperawatan

Author Biography

Fitri Handayani, Universitas Mahaputra Muhammad Yamin

English Dwepartment

References

Abboud, Zaidoon Abdul Razaq, and Nagham Ja’far Hussein, ‘The Difficulties Faced by Advanced Iraqi Foreign Learners in Passing ITP TOEFL Test’, Journal of Basrah Researches, 36.4 (2011), 110–38

Ananda, Rizki, ‘Problems With Section Two ITP TOEFL Test’, Studies in English Language and Education, 3.1 (2016), 37 <https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v3i1.3387>

Hajri, Titin, Jufrizal, and Delvi Wahyuni, ‘An Analysis Of Difficulties In Answering Structure And Written Expression Of Toefl Made By English Students Of Universitas Negeri Padang’, Journal of English Language Teaching, 7.1 (2018), 93–105

Mahmud, Murni, ‘The EFL Students’ Problems in Answering the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): A Study in Indonesian Context’, Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 4.12 (2014), 2581–87 <https://doi.org/10.4304/tpls.4.12.2581-2587>

Pan, Yi-ching, ‘Test Impact: English Certification Exit Requirements in Taiwan’, TEFLIN Journal, 20.2 (2009), 119–39 <https://doi.org/10.15639/teflinjournal.v20i2/119-139>

Philips, Deborah, ‘Longman Complete Course For The TOEFL TEST With’ (New York: Addison-Wesley Longman, Inc, 2001)

Pyle, Michael A., TOEFL CBT, ed. by Joan Friedman (Foster City, CA: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc, 2001)

Rani, Yati Aisya, and Dinovia Fannil Kher, ‘Developing An Effective Model In Teaching Reading : What Would Work Best In a Large English Class?’, Jurnal Educative: Journal of Educational Studies, 4.1 (2019), 1–14

Robert Hilke, and Paul Wadden, ‘The Toefl and Its Imitators: Analyzing the Toefl and Evaluating Toefl-Prep Texts’, RELC, 28.1 (1997), 28–53

Rogers, Bruce, The Complete Guide to The TOEFL Test (Boston, Massachussetts: Sherrise Roehr, 2011)

Romadhon, Syaefani Arif, and Yuvita Yuvita, ‘Toefl Result of Politeknik Harapan Bersama Tegal Student’s Majoring Mechanical Engineering’, English Focus Journal, 1.2 (2018), 119–26 <https://doi.org/10.6009/jjrt.KJ00003534360>

Samad, Iskandar Abdul, Miftahul Jannah, and Siti Sarah Fitriani, ‘Efl Students’ Strategies Dealing With Common Difficulties in Toefl Reading Comprehension Section’, International Journal of Language Education, 1.1 (2017) <https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v1i1.2869>

Sharpe, Pamela J., How To Prepare For The Toefl, 11th edn (New York: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc., 2004)

Sudijono, Anas, Pengantar Statistik Pendidikan (Jakarta: Raja Grafindo Persada, 2008)

Syafitri, Widya, ‘Problems in Learning Reading (Case Study: Islamic Banking Students of IAIN Bukittinggi)’, Jurnal Educative: Journal of Educational Studies, 3.1 (2018), 39–43

Zhuang, Xin, ‘Practice on Assessing Grammar and Vocabulary: The Case of the TOEFL.’, US-China Education Review, 5.7 (2008), 46–57

Downloads

Additional Files

Submitted

2019-05-09

Accepted

2019-12-12

Published

2019-12-23