AN ANALYSIS OF DESCRIPTIVE TEXT PRODUCED BY THE SECOND YEAR STUDENTS OF SMA AL-ISLAM 3 SURAKARTA IN 2008-2009 ACADEMIC YEAR.

This research paper aims to describe descriptive text produced by the second year student of SMA Al-Islam 3 Surakarta in 2008-2009 academic year and to identify the problems faced by the students in writing descriptive text. Descriptive qualitative research is applied in this research. In collecting data, the writer uses observation, document, and interview. The data are analyzed by these steps (1) classifying the data of the observation, document and interview, (2) analyzing the data from the result of the observation, document and interview, and (3) concluding the result and giving suggestion. The results of the analysis show that there are some students who still confuse about generic structure of writing descriptive text. Besides, the students are lack of vocabulary, so the students use dictionary in writing descriptive text. Problems faced by the students are (a) background knowledge, (b) limitation of vocabulary, (c) the students have difficulties to express their ideas in writing descriptive text, (d) motivation, (e) students difficulties in developing paragraph in a descriptive text, and (f) lack of teaching media.