The Effect of Using Project-Based Learning on the Seventh grade Students’ Writing Narrative Text Achievement

Abstract

This research was carried out to investigate the effect of Project-Based Learning on students' writing narrative skill. The background of this research discusses the common writing difficulties faced by students, such as confusion about using grammar, generating ideas, using appropriate vocabulary, and writing anxiety, including a lack of written feedback. Therefore, Project-Based Learning was implemented in teaching writing, emphasizing active, creative, and collaborative learning. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of using Project-Based Learning on seventh-grade students' narrative text writing achievement. The present research employed a quasi-experimental using a post test only design that involved two groups, including an experimental class and a control class, each determined through purposive cluster sampling. The experimental class received instruction through the Project-Based Learning method, whereas the control class was taught by applying the assignment method. A total of 69 seventh grade students participated in the research during the 2025/2026 academic year. The instructional treatment for both groups was carried out over three meetings. The treatment was conducted during three meetings for both the experimental and control classes. The learning material was narrative text about folklore, personal experiences and imaginative stories, with the application of a combination of sociocultural theory by Vygotsky (1978) and cognitive process theory by Flower and Hayes (1981) in narrative text writing learning, which filled a gap in this research compared to previous research. Data were collected through a writing test administered at the post-test, then analyzed using an independent sample t-test. The result showed that students in the experimental group obtained higher post-test scores than the control group. Statistical analysis using the independent sample t-test showed a significance value (two-tailed) of <0.001, which was less than 0.05, meaning that the use of Project-Based Learning had a significant positive effect on students' narrative writing achievement. Since Project-Based Learning has a significant positive effect on students' writing achievement in narrative text, English teachers are advised to teach writing and utilize Project-Based Learning. Future researchers are also advised to carry out research on Project-Based Learning with larger samples and different writing genres. In addition, it is recommended to carry out research on the effect of Project Based Learning on various skills.