Computer-Mediated Communication in Vocational EFL Classrooms: Exploring the Effectiveness of HelloTalk on Speaking Competence
Keywords:
Tourism Brochure, Descriptive Writing, Authentic Media, Classroom Action ResearchAbstract
Writing descriptive texts remains a persistent challenge for EFL junior secondary students due to limited idea development, inadequate vocabulary mastery, and weak understanding of text structure. These difficulties indicate the need for instructional media that can provide concrete context and meaningful input to support writing development. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of tourism brochures as authentic visual media in improving students’ descriptive writing skills and to identify factors influencing the improvement. The research employed Classroom Action Research, involving 16 Grade VIII students of SMP Da’wah Pekanbaru. Data were collected through writing tests, classroom observations, field notes, and interviews, and were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The findings reveal a significant improvement in students’ writing achievement, as reflected in the increase of the mean score from 58.71 in the baseline assessment to 79.06 after the implementation cycle, exceeding the minimum mastery criterion. Qualitative data further indicate that tourism brochures facilitated idea generation, enhanced vocabulary use, and improved students’ understanding of the generic structure of descriptive texts through engaging and familiar content. In conclusion, tourism brochures are effective instructional media for enhancing descriptive writing skills in EFL classrooms. It is suggested that English teachers integrate authentic visual materials systematically to foster students’ writing competence and learning motivation.References
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