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THE USE OF READING LOGS IN ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO GIVE
RESPONSE TOWARDS LITERATURE TEXTS
MARIANTI BINTI MOHD SUHAIMI
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA
PSZ 19:16 (Pind. 1/97)
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA
CATATAN: * Potong yang tidak berkenaan.
** Jika tesis ini SULIT atau TERHAD, sila lampirkan surat daripada pihak berkuasa/organisasi berkenaan dengan menyatakan sekali sebab dan tempoh tesis ini perlu dikelaskan sebagai SULIT atau TERHAD.
Tesis dimaksudkan sebagai tesis bagi Ijazah Doktor Falsafah dan Sarjana secara penyelidikan, atau disertasi bagi pengajian secara kerja kursus dan penyelidikan, atau Laporan Projek Sarjana Muda (PSM).
BORANG PENGESAHAN STATUS TESIS
JUDUL: THE USE OF READING LOGS IN ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO GIVE RESPONSE TOWARDS LITERATURE TEXTS
SESI PENGAJIAN: SEMESTER II SESI 2005/2006
Saya MARIANTI MOHD SUHAIMI (HURUF BESAR) mengaku membenarkan tesis (PSM/Sarjana/Doktor Falsafah)* ini disimpan di Perpustakaan Universiti Teknologi Malaysia dengan syarat-syarat kegunaan seperti berikut: 1. Tesis adalah hakmilik Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. 2. Perpustakaan Universiti Teknologi Malaysia dibenarkan membuat salinan untuk
tujuan pengajian sahaja. 3. Perpustakaan dibenarkan membuat salinan tesis ini sabagai pertukaran antara institusi
pengajian tinggi. 4. **Sila tandakan ( )
SULIT (Mengandungi maklumat yang berdarjah keselamatan atau
kepentingan Malaysia seperti yang termaktub di dalam (AKTA RAHSIA RASMI 1972) TERHAD (Mengandungi maklumat TERHAD yang telah ditentukan oleh
organisasi/badan di mana penyelidikan dijalankan) TIDAK TERHAD
Disahkan oleh
(TANDATANGAN PENULIS) (TANDATANGAN PENYELIA) Alamat tetap: LOT 152, JALAN SALOR, WAKAF CHE YEH, DR.FAIZAH MOHD NOR 15100, KOTA BHARU, Nama Penyelia KELANTAN DARUL NAIM.
“I hereby declare that I have read this thesis and in my
opinion this thesis is sufficient in terms of scope and quality for the
award of the degree of Bachelor of Science and Education (TESL)”
Signature : ………………………………..
Name of Supervisor : DR. FAIZAH BINTI MOHAMAD NOR
Date : APRIL 2006
THE USE OF READING LOGS IN ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO GIVE
RESPONSE TOWARDS LITERATURE TEXTS
MARIANTI BINTI MOHD SUHAIMI
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the
requirements for the award of the degree of
Bachelor of Science and Education (TESL)
Faculty of Education
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
APRIL 2006
ii
I declare that this thesis entitled “THE USE OF READING LOGS IN
ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO GIVE RESPONSE TOWARDS LITERATURE
TEXTS” is the result of my own research except as cited in the references. The thesis
has not been accepted for any degree and is not concurrently submitted in candidature
of any other degree
Signature : ………………………………..
Name : MARIANTI BINTI MOHD SUHAIMI
Date : APRIL 2006
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, I would like to extend my gratitude to Allah S.W.T for His
mercy and grace for allowing me to finally finish my thesis regardless of all the
obstacles that I had to go through.
I would also like to express my appreciation neither to my supportive
supervisor, Dr. Faizah Mohamad Nor for her help, advice, support and commitment
from the beginning until the final stage of this research. Without her guidance, I might
not be able to complete this research. Thank you so much for everything that you had
done for me.
I would also like to thank to my beloved family members especially Ma, Abah,
Kak Ina and Anje as well as my wonderful friends for their endless encouragement,
motivation and help. Not to forget, my sincere thanks to the English teacher and the
Form Four students from Sek.Men.Keb (Agama) Naim Lilbanat who had participated in
this research. Your cooperation was truly appreciated.
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ABSTRACT
Nowadays, literature has become one of the essential subjects taught at school.
However, many learners in Malaysia still have problems in understanding and
responding towards literature texts. Thus, this research focuses on an instrument that
may motivate the learners to react towards literature texts, which is reading log. This
research investigated the use of reading logs in encouraging both Low English
Proficiency (LEP) and High English Proficiency (HEP) learners to give response
towards literature texts. The learners’ responses to literature texts, based on the four
elements of response to literature were also analyzed. Eight Form Four learners, four
whom are LEP learners and four HEP learners participated in this study. The
instruments used in collecting data were the interview, the pre and post-tests as well as
the reading logs. The data collected were analyzed based on the scores obtained in the
pre and post-tests, number of main ideas, length of the answers and also the four
elements of response to literature as proposed by Benton and Fox (1985). The findings
show that the use of reading logs did motivate the LEP learners to give response
towards literature texts but it did not give any effect on the HEP learners’ responses as
they already have the ability to respond towards literature texts even before they started
to use reading logs. The findings also show that the most common elements of response
to literature used by the subjects were interacting and picturing. From the findings of
this research, it can be seen that reading logs are applicable to be implemented in
schools in order to help the learners to understand and respond towards literature texts.
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ABSTRAK
Pada masa kini, Sastera telah menjadi salah satu daripada subjek penting yang
diajar di sekolah. Walaubagaimanapun, ramai pelajar yang masih bermasalah dalam
memahami dan memberi respon terhadap teks-teks sastera. Oleh sebab itu, kajian ini
memberi fokus kepada satu kaedah yang mungkin dapat memotivasikan pelajar untuk
memberi respon terhadap teks sastera, iaitu buku log. Kajian ini mengkaji tentang
penggunaan buku log dalam membantu pelajar yang lemah dan cemerlang dalam
Bahasa Inggeris untuk memberi respon terhadap teks-teks sastera. Respon para pelajar
terhadap teks sastera berdasarkan empat elemen tindakbalas terhadap sastera juga
dikaji. Lapan pelajar tingkatan empat yang lemah serta cemerlang dalam Bahasa
Inggeris telah terlibat dalam kajian ini. Kaedah-kaedah yang digunakan untuk
mengumpul data adalah temubual, ujian pra dan pos serta buku log. Data dianalisis
berdasarkan markah yang diperolehi untuk kedua-dua ujian, jumlah isi-isi penting,
kepanjangan jawapan ujian dan juga empat elemen tindakbalas terhadap sastera seperti
yang dicadangkan oleh Benton dan Fox (1985). Hasil kajian ini menunjukkan
penggunaan buku log dapat memotivasikan para pelajar yang lemah dalam penguasaan
Bahasa Inggeris untuk memberi respon terhadap teks sastera tetapi ia tidak memberi
sebarang kesan terhadap respon para pelajar yang cemerlang dalam Bahasa Inggeris
kerana mereka sememangnya berkeupayaan untuk memberi respon terhadap teks
sastera walaupun sebelum mereka menggunakan buku log. Hasil kajian ini juga
menunjukkan elemen tindakbalas terhadap sastera yang paling kerap digunakan adalah
elemen berinteraksi dan memberikan gambaran. Oleh sebab itu, daripada hasil kajian ini
menunjukkan bahawa buku log sesuai digunakan di sekolah untuk membantu para
pelajar dalam memberi respon terhadap teks-teks sastera.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER TITLE PAGE
Thesis Status Declaration
Supervisor’s Declaration
Title Page i
Declaration (Author) ii
Acknowledgement iii
Abstract iv
Abstrak v
Table of Content vi
List of Tables x
List of Abbreviations xi
List of Appendices xii
vii
1 INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Background of the Research 2
1.2 Statement of the Problem 4
1.3 Objectives of the Research 5
1.4 Research Questions 6
1.5 Significance of the Research 6
1.6 Scope of the Research 7
1.7 Definition of Terms 8
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction 10
2.1 Reading logs 11
2.2 The Reader-Response Theory 12
2.3 Reader-Response Theory in 14
Literature Teaching
2.4 The Transactional Theory 15
2.5 Past Research related to the 18
Study
2.5.1 Past Research based on the 18
Reader-response Theory
2.5.2 Past Research based on the 21
Transactional Theory
2.5.3 Past Research on the Relations 21
between Stance and Critical Thinking
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3 METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction 23
3.1 Research Subjects 24
3.2 The Research Design 24
3.3 Research Procedure 25
3.4 Instruments and Treatments 26
3.4.1 Interview 26
3.4.2 Pre-test 26
3.4.3 Reading logs 27
3.4.4 Post-test 28
3.5 Pilot test 28
3.6 Analysis of Data 29
3.7 Reliability and Validity of the Research 30
4 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
4.0 Introduction 32
4.1 Findings 33
4.1.1 Effectiveness of Reading logs in Helping 33
Readers to Respond to Literature Texts
4.1.1.1 Comparison of Pre-Test and 33
Post-Test Scores
4.1.1.2 Comparison of Main ideas in 40
Pre-Test and Post-Test
4.1.1.3 Comparison of Length of Responses 42
in Pre-Test and Post-Test
4.1.2 Elements of Response to Literature used 44
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by the Subjects in the Reading logs
4.1.3 The Most Common Elements 50
of Response to Literature
4.2 Discussions 51
5 CONCLUSION
5.0 Introduction 58
5.1 Conclusion 59
5.2 Pedagogical Implications of the Research 60
5.3 Limitations of the Research 61
5.4 Recommendations of the Research 62
5.5 Suggestions for Future Research 63
REFERENCES 65
Appendices A - H 68-82
x
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE
4.1 Comparison of Pre-test and Post-test 36
scores of LEP subjects
4.2 Comparison of Pre-test and Post-test 39
scores of HEP subjects
4.3 Comparison of main ideas given by LEP subjects 40
4.4 Comparison of main ideas given by LEP subjects 41
4.5 Comparison of length of responses of LEP subjects 42
4.6 Comparison of length of responses of LEP subjects 43
4.7 Elements of responses to literature used by 50
the subjects
xi
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
LEP - Low English Proficiency
HEP - High English Proficiency
xii
LIST OF APPENDICES
APPENDIX TITLE PAGE
A Questions for the Interview 68
B Instructions for the Pre-Test 69
C Instructions for Reading logs 70
D Instructions for the Post-Test 71
E Instructions for the Pilot-Test 72
F Questions for the Pre-Test 73
G Questions for the Post-Test 77
H Letter of Approval from the 81
Ministry of Education
to Conduct Research at School
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
Reading is one of the essential language skills that all people should have
besides writing, speaking and listening skills. It is also one of the ways that people use
to seek knowledge and new experience in life. According to Chapman and Czerniweska
(1978), “reading provides experience through which the individual may expand his
horizons”.
As reading is seen as one of the requirements in the life of human beings, many
types of reading texts have been introduced and one of them is literature reading texts.
However, reading literature texts is different from reading other texts because it is not
only for information gathering but also for aesthetic experience. Literature texts come
with hidden meanings and can only be understood by the readers who really think
critically about the pieces of literature texts. For instance, there are hidden messages or
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meaning behind short stories, which authors want readers to think about. Thus, in order
to understand the literature reading text, each individual has to be creative and the
person should be able to give response towards the literature text using his or her own
experience, imagination and feelings. This response can vary from one person to
another because each person is different and unique.
1.1 Background of the Research
One of the ways that can be used to encourage the reader to give response
towards the literature reading text is through reading logs. Reading logs are books that
learners keep to write responses about the literature texts as they read them. Thus,
readers can express their opinions, thoughts and ideas through writing in reading logs.
Their writing in the reading logs can reflect their understanding of the content and also
illustrate their experience when reading the literature text. Therefore, it can help the
readers to understand the literature texts and appreciate the experience of reading them.
In this research, reading logs are used as a tool to make reading literature texts
an aesthetic experience and not only for information gathering. The selected subjects
for this study are required to respond towards the literature texts through their written
reading logs. In their reading logs, they have to write their own opinions about the
selected literature reading texts.
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As reading logs require the readers to think critically and creatively in order to
respond towards the literature texts, it has been a practical application of the Reader
Response Theory that emphasizes the creative role of the reader. It is important to
stress on the skills of thinking critically and creatively because learners are rarely been
exposed to these skills. Thus, it is hard for them to come up with their own ideas or
responses towards texts especially literature texts.
Another theory that derives from Rosenblatt’s Reader Response Theory, which
also supports the use of reading logs, is the Transactional Theory. Rosenblatt believes
that readers have their own transaction with the literature texts that make them be able
to come up with their own thoughts and ideas based on their own emotions.
From these two theories that support the use of reading logs, it shows readers
have their own thoughts in interpreting meaning and when they understand the content
of the text, they will try to relate it with their own experience, imagination and
knowledge. This is what the teachers want to see when they teach literature to their
students. They want them to be able to understand the content of the literature texts and
relate it with their own experience and thoughts in order to respond towards the texts.
However, it is hard to make learners to give their own personal response towards
the literature reading text especially in Malaysia. English literature has just been
introduced in Malaysia as one of the subjects taught at school a few years back. There
are lacks of exposures on giving responses towards literature texts in this country
because both teachers and learners are still struggling to adapt with this new subject.
Perhaps, it will not be so difficult for the proficient learners to learn and understand the
literature texts but it can be really complicated for the low-proficient learners to
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comprehend it especially when they are asked to give their own personal responses
towards the literature texts.
1.2 Statement of Problem
It is a common thing for learners to dislike reading literature texts such as poems
and short stories especially when it becomes one of the routines in the English class.
Moreover, students always associate literature texts with classic English language and
these are usually hard to understand. These negative thoughts de-motivate students
before they even start to read them.
Therefore, teachers have to face difficulties when asking students to read and
give response towards the literature texts because most of them, particularly the low-
proficient students are not interested in giving their response towards literature reading
texts. Usually, they only read the texts because they are asked to do so by the teachers.
Most probably, their problems in understanding the content and the language of the text
affect their interests in giving responses towards the literature reading text.
Reading literature texts is not only about gathering the information or
understanding the content but making the students to develop aesthetic appreciation of
the literature texts. The high proficient learners might be able to understand the main
idea of the texts but perhaps not the meaning between the lines. It will be worse for the
low-proficient learners or the poor readers because they might not even understand the
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general content of the texts. Thus, it is difficult for them to come up with their own
personal responses towards the texts. This problem also brings difficulty for them when
answering literature questions in their exams especially SPM.
However, there is no new teaching method that has been introduced for teaching
literature in Malaysia to overcome this problem. Therefore, the suggestion of keeping
reading logs could be one of the ways to encourage the low-proficient and high
proficient learners to give responses towards literature reading texts. Moreover, it
might also promote them to think beyond the literal understanding. Thus, through this
research, it is hoped that the use of reading logs can encourage the low-proficient
students in Malaysia to give their response towards the literature reading texts and also
to help the proficient students to give better response towards the literature texts.
1.3 Objectives of the Research
This study attempts to investigate the effectiveness of using reading logs in
encouraging the low-proficient and high-proficient Form Four learners from one of the
secondary schools in Kelantan to give response towards literature reading texts, which
are the selected short stories from the KBSM syllabus. This study also aims to find out
how a reader responds to the literature reading text based on the four elements of
response to literature, which are anticipating, picturing, interacting and evaluating.
(Benton and Fox, 1985)
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1.4 Research Questions
This study aims to find answers to the following research questions:
1.4.1 Does the use of reading logs encourage low-proficient learners to give
response towards literature reading texts?
1.4.2 Does the use of reading logs improve high-proficient learners’ responses
towards literature reading texts?
1.4.3 How do readers respond to the literature reading text based on the four elements
of response to literature: anticipating, picturing, interacting and evaluating?