Theme and Thematic Progression in a Recount Text by an Advanced Student

Muhammad Ibnu Mustofa; Eri Kurniawan

doi:10.21093/ijeltal.v7i2.1382

Theme and Thematic Progression in a Recount Text by an Advanced Student

Muhammad Ibnu Mustofa, Eri Kurniawan

Abstract

Recount text is included within the curriculum of English subjects in the Indonesian context, where students are expected to be well-informed and be able to compose a good recount text to express themselves. The current study aimed at analyzing the recount text written by an advanced (C1 level of English) student based on the concept of Systemic Functional Linguistics. Through a qualitative case study, the data on the text organization, language features, Theme system, and Theme progression of the text were obtained through systematic identification, calculation, and analysis. The findings show that the text fulfilled the text organization and language features of a recount text. Moreover, the types of Themes with the most occurrence were unmarked topical Themes (51,2%), followed by topical textual Themes (40%), marked topical Themes (8%), and interpersonal Themes (0,8%). Based on the Theme system, Theme reiteration occurred most frequently (88.20%), while the Zigzag Themes only represented 11,80% of the total. The dominant use of unmarked Themes demonstrates the writer’s skill in keeping the focus of the readers on the central topic of the text, while the huge number of textual Themes is the implication of the student to maintain the text’s cohesion and coherence.

Keywords

Recount text, systemic functional linguistics, thematic progression, theme system

Full Text:

Download PDF

References

Alyousef, H. S. (2015). A multimodal discourse analysis of international postgraduate business students’ finance texts: an investigation of theme and information value. Social Semiotics, 26(5), 486–504. https://doi.org/10.1080/10350330.2015.1124518

Anderson, M., & Anderson. (2003). Text Types in English 1-2. Macmillan Education Australia.

Arunsirot, S. (2013). An Analysis of Textual Metafunction in Thai EFL Students’ Writing. Novitas-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language), 7(2), 160-174. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1167263.pdf

Awasthy, R. (2019), "Nature of Qualitative Research. In Subudhi, R.N. and Mishra, S. (Eds.) Methodological Issues in Management Research: Advances, Challenges, and the Way Ahead (pp. 145-161). Emerald Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78973-973-220191010

Butt, D., Feez, S., Spinks., & S., Yallop, C. (2000). Using Functional Grammar: An Explorer’s Guide (2nd ed.). National Centre for English Teaching and Research.

Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating. Quantitative and Qualitative Research (4th ed.). Pearson.

Derewianka, B., & Jones, P. (2016). Teaching Language in Context. (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Derewianka, B. (1990). Exploring how texts work. Primary English Teaching Association.

Derewianka, B. (2003). Trends and issues in genre-based approaches. RELC Journal, 34(2), 133–154. https://doi.org/10.1177/003368820303400202

Doran, Y. J., & Martin, J. R. (2020a). Describing languages, understanding language: Systemic functional theory and description. In J. R. Martin, Y. J. Doran, & G. Figueredo (Eds.), Systemic functional language description: making meaning matter (pp. 1–32). Routledge.

Eggins, S. (2004). An Introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistics. Printer Publishers, Ltd.

Emilia, E. (2005). A critical genre-based approach to teaching academic writing in a tertiary EFL context in Indonesia. [A PhD thesis, The University of Melbourne].

Emilia, E. (2014). Introducing Functional Grammar. Bandung: Pustaka Jaya.

Emilia, E., & Hamied, F. A. (2015). SFL GP in a Tertiary EFL Writing Context. TEFLIN Journal, 26(2), 155-182. http://dx.doi.org/10.15639/teflinjournal.v26i2/155-182

Fitriati, S. W. & Gayatri, N. M. (2021). Thematic progression in EFL learners’ writing: A literature review. Lingua Cultura, 15(2), 257-262. https://doi.org/10.21512/lc.v15i2.7645

Gerot, L., & Wignell, P. (1995). Making Sense of Functional Grammar. Australia: An Introductory Workbook. Antipodean Educational Enterprises.

Gosden, H. (1992). Discourse functions of marked theme in scientific research articles. English for Specific Purposes, 11(3), 207–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0889-4906(05)80010-9

Gunawan, W., & Aziza, F. (2017). Theme and Thematic Progression of Undergraduate Thesis: Investigating Meaning Making in Academic Writing. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 7(2), 413-424. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v7i2.8350

Handayani, N. D., & Harha, K. (2016). Problems in Writing Spoof Texts. Studies In English Language and Education, 3(1), 12-25. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v3i1.3385

Hawes, T. (2015). Thematic progression in the writing of students and professionals. Ampersand, 2, 93–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amper.2015.06.002

Inayah, N., & Nanda, P. (2016). Efforts to Improve Writing Skills of High School Students. Studies in English Language and Education, 3(1), 50-64. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v3i1.3388.

Jing, W. (2014). Theme and thematic progression in learner English: A literature review. Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal, 16(1). 67-80. http://dx.doi.org/10.14483/udistrital.jour.calj.2014.1.a06

Jing, W. (2015). Theme and Thematic Progression in English Writing Teaching. Journal of Education and Practice, (6)21, 178-187. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1079122.pdf

Kress, G. (2005). Learning to Write. (2nd Ed.). Routledge.

Leong, A. (2022). Thematic and Rhematic Progression in Scientific Writing: A Pilot Study. Journal of Language and Literature, 22(1), 238-254. https://doi.org/10.24071/joll.v22i1.4117

Martin, J. R., & White, P. R. (2005). The language of evaluation (2nd ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.

Martin, J. R., Maton, K., & Doran, Y. J. (2020). Accessing Academic Discourse: Systemic Functional Linguistics and Legitimation Code Theory . (1st ed.). Routledge.

McCarthy, M. (1991). Discourse Analysis for Language Teachers. Cambridge University Press.

Mustika, R., Nurdin, N. E., & Sakina, R. (2021). ThemeTheme and Thematic Progression in Students’ Recount Texts: A Systemic Functional Linguistic Perspective. Proceedings of the First International Conference on Science, Technology, Engineering and Industrial Revolution, 536, 196-203. (ICSTEIR 2020). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210312.030

Muttaqin, M. Z, Saleh, M. & Hartono, R. (2021). The Realization of Thematic Progression in the Students’ Final Project Proposal. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Science, Education and Technology, 574, 422-427. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211125.078

Nagao, A. (2019). The SFL genre-based approach to writing in EFL contexts. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, (4)6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-019-0069-3

Nguyen, T. T. L. (2021). Learning EFL Writing in Vietnam: Voices from An Upper-Secondary School’s Students. The Journal of Asia TEFL, 18(4), 1195-1210. http://dx.doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2021.18.4.8.1195

Rakhman, A. N. (2013). An Analysis of Thematic Progression in High School Students’ Exposition Texts. Passage, 1(1), 65-74. https://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/psg/article/view/339/228

Starman A. B. (2013). The case study as a type of qualitative research. Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies, 1, 28–43. https://www.sodobna-pedagogika.net/en/archive/load-article/?id=899

Yin, R. (2009). Case Study Research: Design and Methods (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Yunita, S. (2018). ThemeTheme and thematic progression in students’ recount texts. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 7(3), 524-530. http://dx.doi.org/doi: 10.17509/ijal.v7i3.9797.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21093/ijeltal.v7i2.1382

Refbacks

There are currently no refbacks.

IJELTAL (Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics) by http://ijeltal.org is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.