using directed r eading to improve the students’ … · “orang pintar selalu berguru kepada...
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USIN
ST
(Classroo
Faculty of
ENGL
NG DIRE
TUDENT
om Action R
f Education,
LISH EDUC
ECTED R
TS’ REA
Research at t
, Champasac
Chale
CATION DE
SEBELAS
READIN
ADING C
the Third Ye
ck University
Thesis
By:
earnsouk Da
S89080900
EPARTME
MARET U
2011
NG TO IM
COMPRE
ear Students
y in the Acad
adivong
03
ENT GRADU
UNIVERSIT
MPROVE
EHENSIO
of English D
demic Year
UATE PRO
TY
E THE
ON
Department,
2010-2011)
OGRAM
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PRONOUNCEMENT
The undersigned
Student Name: CHALEARNSOUK DADIVONG
Student No: S890809003
Study Program: Pendidikan Bahasa Ingris
Institution: Seblas Maret University
Declare that, this thesis entailed classroom action research is my own write
action account and has not previously been submitted for a degree to any other
University or institution and the best of my knowledge it contains no previously
published work or point of those cited in writing and knowledge in the references my
Thesis entitled “Using Directed Reading to Improve the Students’ Reading
Comprehension” (A Class action research at the 3rd year’s students of English
Department, Faculty of Education, Champasack University in Academic year 2010-
2011).
It is not a plagiarism or made by others, anything related to other’s work is
written in quotation, the source of which is listed on the bibliography. If or then, this
pronouncement proves wrong, I am ready to accept any academic punishment,
including withdrawal or canceling of any academic degree.
Surakarta, February 2011
Chalearnsouk Dadivong
Nim: S890809003
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ABSTRACT
CHALEARNSOUK DADIVONG, Nim: S890809003 “Using Directed Reading to Improve the Students’ Reading Comprehension” A Class action research at the 3rd year’s students of English Department, Faculty of Education, Champasack University in Academic year 2010-2011. A thesis: English Education of Graduate School, Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta 2011.
This action research is carried out to improve the students’ reading comprehension using directed reading and to know what happens when directed reading are used in classroom. The problem highlighted in this action research in the low, poor and different level reading comprehension of En3/2 class at Champasak University in Lao PDR. That caused by the uninteresting text book that caused students’ low motivation.
The action research is conducted in two cycles from June – January 2011 in
En 3/2 class of Champasak University in Lao PDR. The procedure of the action research consists of identifying the problems, planning the action, implementing the action, observing the action, and reflecting the result of the action research. In collecting the data, the researcher used observation notes, questionnaires, interviews, diaries and test. The tests were in the form of pre-test and post-test to answer this action research questions. In this research, the researcher acted as a teacher who conducts the action in the classroom and he was assisted by his collaborator. There were two kinds of data such as qualitative and quantitative data. In analyzing quantitative data, the researcher used descriptive statistics. In analyzing qualitative data, the research used constant comparative method.
The result of research showed that using directed reading could improve
students’ reading comprehension and classroom situation. The improvement of the classroom situation was supported by data which cover the students’ participation, attendance and enthusiasm during the teaching-learning process. The improvement on the students’ reading comprehension reflected from the mean progress of pre-test and post-test. Based on the results of the research, it was concluded that students’ reading comprehension can be improve by using directed reading. It is suggested that the teacher should use other texts beside the text book in teaching language skills, the teacher should be more careful in selecting the texts. The students are encouraged to read more to improve their ability in comprehending the text. Other researcher is encouraged to do the research in using directed reading texts in other areas of language skills.
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MOTTO
“Orang pemarah tidak sesuai djadi guru”
“An impatient man is not suited for teaching”
“Orang pintar selalu berguru kepada sesama manusia”
“A wise man always takes lesson from his surroundings”
“Mengembara adalah guru yang baik, tapi pengalaman adalah guru yang paling baik”
“Adventure is good teacher, but experience is the best”
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ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
The opportunity to reach a Master Degree has been provide an important
experience in my personal life. Because this is the process had been relatively longer,
but had exposed me to numerous challenging academic and intellectual phenomena, I
never had experience before.
Furthermore, unlimited thanks to the Government of Laos PDR and Indonesia
Government, which though the cooperation on Non-Aligned movement countries,
bee offering me to the scholarship to do master degree me in Indonesia, and
I would like to express gratitude to all those who gave me the possibility to
complete this action research study.
I would like to express of my deepest and gratitude to the director, vice director and
staff worker, staff of English department and assistants of graduate school at Sebelas
Maret University, Surakarta Indonesia and Champasak University of Laos PDR for
their kindness and facilitation, especially The Head of English Department, Dr.
Ngadiso, M.Pd my sincere thanks.
All my gratitude and deeply indebted to my academic supervisor or
consultants, Prof. Dr. Joko Nurkamto, M.Pd and Drs. Gunarso S, M. Ed. Tesol
who provided guidance, and largely contributed to the elaboration and comprehension
of this work and support to me during the action research for my study would be run
well.
Finally, I would like to express of my deepest gratitude to my parent, sisters,
and my cousin for their morale patience, encouragement financial support. I also
would like to thanks all my friends to gave me the support.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE ……………………………………………………………………………....... i
APPROVAL ………………………………………………………………………… ii LEGALIZATION …………………………………………………………………... iii
PRONOUNCEMENT ……………………………………………………………… iv
ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………………… v
MOTTO …………………………………………………………………………...... vi
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS ………………………………………………………..... vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………….. viii
APPENDIX……………………………………………………………………….... xi
LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………………………………. xii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study………………………………………….1
B. Problem Formulation……………………………………………...5
C. Object of Research………………………………………………...5
D. Benefit of the Research……………………………………………5
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
A. Theoretical Descriptive……………………………………………7
1. The Nature of Reading…………...............................................7
2. Reading Comprehension………….....……………………….16
3. Directed Reading…………………………………………….21
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B. Rationale ………………………………………………………...24
C. Action Hypothesis……………………………………………….27
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. Research Setting
1. Time of Research…………………………………………….28
2. Place of Research…………………………………………….28
3. Research Subjects……………………………………………30
B. Research Design………………………………………………....31
C. Data Collecting Techniques……………………………………..37
D. Data Analysis Techniques……………………………………….38
CHAPTER IV RESEARCH RESULT AND DISCUSSION
A. Introduction ……………………………………………………..41
B. The process of the research ……………………………………..43
1. Description of the Previous Research ………………………43
a. Students’ Reading Comprehension ……………………..45
b. Class Situation …………………………………………..47
2. Research Implementation .…………………………………..49
a. Cycle 1…………………………………………………...51
b. Cycle 2 …………………………………………………..63
3. Research Findings …………………………………………...73
C. Discussion ………………………………………………………79
1. The Improvement of Students’ Reading Comprehension...…79
2. The Improvement of Classroom Situation…………………...80
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CHAPTER V CONCLUSION, IMPLICATION AND SUGGESSION
A. Conclusion ………………………………………………………83
B. Implication ………………………………………………………84
C. Suggestion ……………………………………………………….84
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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APPENDIX Appendix 1 : Photographs………………………………………………………..........................89
Appendix 2 : Interview I ………………………………………………………...........................91
Appendix 3 : Students’ Answer Interview I …………………………………..............................92
Appendix 4 : Questionnaire I ……………………………………………………………………93
Appendix 5 : Students’ Answers Questionnaire I ………………………….................................95
Appendix 6 : Pre-test……………..……………………………………………………................97
: post-test 1………………………...........................................................................109
: Key Answer for pre-test and post test 1………………………………………….121
Appendix 7 : Blue print for pre-test Items ……………………………………………………..122
Appendix 8 : post-test 2………………………………………………………………...............123
Appendix 9 : Students’ Answer for Post-test 2…………………………………………………136
Appendix 10 : Interview 2 ……………………………………………………………………….149
Appendix 11 : Students’ Answer for Interview 2………………………………………………..150
Appendix 12 : Questionnaire 2…………………………………………………………………...151
Appendix 13 : Students’ Answer for Questionnaire 2…………………………………...............153
Appendix 14 : Lesson plan 1 for the first meeting…………………………….............................155
: Lesson plan 2 for the second meeting……………………………………………158
: Lesson plan 3 for the third meeting……………………………………................162
Appendix 15 : Lesson plan A for the second cycle ……………………………………………...165
: Lesson plan B for the second cycle ……………………………………………...169
Appendix 16 : T-test for Non-Independence …………………………………………………….173
Appendix 17 : T-test for Non-Independence …………………………………………………….174
Appendix 18 : Pre-test of Test Validity………………………………………….........................175
Appendix 19 : Post-test 1 of Test Validity……………………………………………………….177
Appendix 20 : Post-test 2 of Test Validity……………………………………………………….178
Appendix 21 : The Students’ Handout …………………………………………..........................179
Appendix 22 : Maps of Laos……………………..………………………………........................185
Appendix 23 : Ijin Penelitian…………………………………………………….........................187
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 3.1 Research Schedule ………………………………………………………..28
Table 3.2 Research procedures………………………………………………………31
Table 3.3 The System of Score Category……………………………………………39
Table 4.1 Process of the research……………………………………………………42
Table 4.2 prior situation……………………………………………………………..44
Table 4.3 The result of pre-test can be seen as follows……………………………...45
Table 4.4 The grade, percentage mean score and complete questions of pre-test…...45
Table 4.5 The score of pre-test………………………………………………………46
Table 4.6 the result of questionnaire…………………………………………………48
Table 4.7 Overall Implementation of the Research………………………………….50
Table 4.8 Implementation of cycle 1………………………………………………...51
Table 4.9 The teaching reading comprehension was show below…………………...56
Table 4.10 The scores of Post-test 1…………………………………………………62
Table 4.11 The result of mean scores and complete of Questions in post-test 1.........62
Table 4.12 Implementation of cycle 2……………………………………………….64
Table 4.13 The scores of Post-test 2…………………………………………………71
Table 4.14 The result of mean scores and complete Questions in post-test 2……….71
Table 4.15 Research Finding………………………………………………………...73
Table 4.16 The Score of Pre-test, Post-test 1 and Post-test 2………………………..76
Table 4.17 The mean Score of Pre-test, Post-test 1 and Post-test 2…………………76
Table 4.18 The Result of Questionnaires……………………………………………78
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Chapter I
Introduction
E. Background of the Study
Reading is a complex process because it includes transferring the message
between writers and readers who have different background knowledge. In other
words, it is such kind of activity to comprehend the writer’s ideas or the way of the
writer communicates with the readers by the way of the writer or painted the words.
So in reading, the readers have to construct the meaning while reading. One of the
ways in constructing the meaning is by using readers’ background knowledge to get
the meaning or information in the text. In these cases, the level of readers’ knowledge
is different one to the other. Sometime, the readers are poor or lack of relevant
cultural knowledge or they have enough relevant cultural knowledge but they do not
use it optimally. As the result, they cannot comprehend what they read well.
According to Curriculum 2006 of National University of Laos intends to
obtain the achievement of Competence Standard in students’ reading ability: (1) to
understand the meaning in transactional and interpersonal conversation formally and
sustainably: (2) to understand the meaning in the short functional and monologue text
in the form of the narrative, spoof, and hortatory: (3) to express the meaning in the
short functional and monologue text in the form of narrative, spoof, and hortatory
accurately, fluently and acceptably: (4) to understand the written monologue text in
the form narrative accurately, fluently and acceptably in the daily life context and to
access the science: (5) to express the meaning in the written monologue text or essay
in the form of narrative in the daily life content. The target of the achievement in
English competence is hoped 60 as criteria complete minimum.
One of the four macro skills taught in an English language classroom is reading.
Reading is defined as a thinking process which requires a response from the reader
may it be through making generalizations, drawing new inferences and planning to
succeeding steps based on what was read. The act of reading is process which
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involves steps to achieve and reinforce understanding namely; word perception,
comprehension, reaction and integration (Zintz & Maggart, 1986:56).
Reading comprehension has become the problems among students. These
conditions were identifies as the students got the difficulties to answer such questions
especially for finding main ideas and inferences. Furthermore, they also got difficulty
to paraphrase. These difficulties were indicated as follows: (1) students incorrectly
interpreted main idea with specific details: (2) they could not relate between one clue
to other and they failed determining the key point of the sentence: (3) The classroom
situation made these situations even worse: (4) The students were passive during the
lecturing. They even showed no interest toward the subject. Then they low
cooperation completed their negative respond to reading class. The students’ passivity
in the classroom was indicated as students kept silent during lecturing and they also
had no respond when they were asked questions. In addition to their passivity, the
students also showed no interest toward reading class; many of them make noisy,
play with their hand phone, discus with other topics and went out during the class.
Furthermore, their low cooperation was identified as they had no courage to share
ideas with friends, tended to work individually and talked with their topics out of the
discussion.
There were some causes of the mentioned problems above. The first cause
was from the students. It was identified that the students’ vocabulary mastery was
poor. Then students had no contributive model during work group activity and
independent activity. From the teacher’s point of view, the teaching learning process
showed that it was monotonous. Teacher less monitored the student activity. The
technique which was applied during teaching-leaning process made the students’ in
such passive situation as they often got broad oral explanation from their teacher.
Even the teacher’s broad oral explanation was even considered fast to the students.
In this view, reading was seen as a tool for cultural transmission and
socialization among people in a sense that texts were viewed as cultural artifacts
which could be interpreted in various ways. Therefore, text processing depends on a
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unique cultural context for each culture contributes to different ways of reading a text
Bernhardt, (1991:35).
Moreover, reading means different things to different people, for some it is
recognizing written words. While for others it is an opportunity to teach
pronunciation and practice speaking. However reading always has a purpose. It is part
of daily lives and generally assumed that everybody can do it. The reason for reading
depends very much on the purpose for reading. Reading can have three main
purposes, for survival, for learning or for pleasure. Reading for survival is considered
to response to our environment, to find out information and can include traffic signs,
advertising, and timetables. It depends on day-to-day needs of the reader and often
involves an immediate response to a situation. In contras reading for learning is
considered to be the type of reading done in the classroom and is goal oriented. While
reading for pressure is something that does not have to be done. For Nuttal (1996:
168-169) the central idea behind reading are: the idea of meaning, the transfer off
meaning from one to another, the transfer of message from writer to reader, how we
get meaning by reading and how the reader, the writher and the text all contribute to
the process. We can conclude that reading is a complex activity that involves both
perception and thought. Reading consists of two related processes: word recognition
and comprehension. Word recognition refers to the process of perceiving how written
symbols correspond to one’s spoken language. Comprehension is the process of
making sense of words, sentences and connected text. Readers usually make use of
background knowledge, vocabulary, grammatical knowledge, and experience with
text.
The English teachers are teaching in the classroom, it like testing and asking
questions to get information. I was often frustrated by the fact that students have
difficulties in reading comprehension because some students were citizen and some
were from remote area and negative in second language, so they have different
background of English language there are four aspects of background such as word
perception, comprehension, reaction and integration, poor reading and listening.
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Moreover, there is only a little enthusiasm to learn English. For some of them,
studying is a must which they have to do, not a need. Teaching English in such
situation needs extra patience and effort; some teachers have limited experience to
teach the students in the class.
Even though, from the previous research there were the problems with
students’ reading skill by some indicators as follows: (1) students could not predict
the meaning of the words: (2) they lack of making inference: (3) The students could
not find the detail from the context: (4) The students were passive during teaching
and learning process.
And the main causes of these problems were as follows: (1) teacher still used
traditional approach and only gave few portions for reading where as reading is a
complex activity: (2) Teacher didn’t give enough attention to teach the students how
to read in English correctly: (3) teacher did not have enough experience: (4) students
had differences level of knowledge, Low and poor reading: (5) students lack of
practices and still do not master on reading comprehension: (6) students came from
remote area, so they had different limited knowledgeable.
In recent years, Reading in the classroom it was using directed reading to
development in first language, and second foreign language (L2/FL) setting has
increased. Directed reading gives student highly engaged and focused on directed
reading. Actively guiding students through a reading frequently requesting student
responses, offering comments when appropriate rather than asking students to read
text and rather than presenting the information to them orally, we can intersperse the
reading and oral discussion in a way that produces high participation lessons. This is
especially useful for poor reader and poor listeners.
Gregory and (2007: 103) state that graphic organizers can be used for
brainstorming at the beginning of lesson or unit to find out what students have
already known. Graphic organizers can help students to be able to organize and
capture information, for example in reading assignment or when watching video.
They are also as chronicle of a sequence of even of process. In addition, they relate
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new information to previously learn information. Finally, they also function as tool
for checking understanding, note taking and summarizing and the culmination
assessment. Further, Almasi (2003: 94) support to Gregory and Caloryn opinion
about the use of graphic organizers on reading. He state that graphic organizer help
focus students’ attention to the meaner in which text is organized while they read.
This visual aid helps students anticipate the type for information they will encounter
while reading and it helps them organize the incoming information as they read. Such
organization facilitates easy access, which enhance recall and comprehension. Base
on those mentioned experts’ arguments, the researcher defines graphic organizer as,
in lines with the need of the research, graphic displays that enhance students’
opportunity to portray any information from the given passage for mean idea,
inference, and paraphrase both in individual and group work activity. Therefore, the
researcher is sure that graphic organizes are good selection to solve the students’
problem on finding mean idea, inference and paraphrasing.
F. Problem Formulation
The problems of the Action Research are formulated as follows:
1. Can and to what extent directed reading improve students’ reading
comprehension?
2. What happens with classroom situation when directed reading is used to improve
the students’ reading comprehension?
G. Object of the Research
Base on the problem statement above the objectives of the research are:
1. To identify whether and to what extent directed reading can improve students’
reading comprehensions or not.
2. To describe what happens with classroom situation when directed reading are
applied in teaching learning comprehension.
H. Benefit of the Research
Hopefully, this research can be useful to the students, the other teacher and
even to the researcher himself.
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The finding of this class action research will give benefit to:
1. The students: the students’ reading comprehension will be better and their
motivation to read will improve.
2. The teacher: the result of this research can be useful input in teaching reading
skill by using directed reading.
3. The writer: the writer will have more knowledge in selecting and using good
directed reading in teaching reading skill.
4. The institution: the result of this study can be used as an alternative to compose
“Lesson plan” and arrange the further research.
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Chapter II
Review of Related Literature
In this chapter, the writer describes the concept of theories, such as:
theoretical descriptive, reading comprehension, directed reading, rationale and action
hypothesis.
A. Theoretical Descriptive
1. The nature of reading
a. Definition of reading
Many people assume that reading is an activity of looking at and
understanding writing form. Mean while, reading has different definitions for
different people. According to Harris (1962: 9) reading is the meaningful
interpretation of printed or written verbal symbols. It also involves sensing,
perceiving, achieving meaning, learning and reacting in a variety of ways.
Menyan and Leeuw (1965: 49) as quoted by Sabrina (2002: 5) state that
reading is digestive process and it has two principles, first they are learning by
understanding, it means selecting, discriminating and organizing. The second
principle is flexibility. He must take time to read slowly when the meaning of word
recognition and intellects and emotion interrelated with prior knowledge to
understand the message communicated (Callahan and Clark, 1988: 245).
Furthermore, Harris (1962: 10) also explains that the sense of reading starts with
focusing of two eyes so that they center on particular symbols. At this level, reading
requires legible symbols, adequate light so eyes are able to focus clear pattern on
retina. The meaning of perceiving is reading has visual sensations. The visual
sensations are aroused by the printed symbols and already existing memory traces of
visual appearances, of the thing, of the spoken word and of its meaning.
In addition, Hudgson in Kamidjsn (1996: 67) cites that reading is s process
that is done and used by the reader to get message and information that is obtained by
the writer through written form. Mean while, Depdikbud also states that reading in
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wide meaning is a process of formulating the text, the value, the function and the
impact of the text itself (Depdikbud, 1985: 11).
Base on the definition above, the reader begins reading from letter to larger
units, they read letter by letter to sound and combine them into words, then connect
the individual words into sentences. It can be concluded that reading is a silent and
individual activity, an active cognitive process to establish meaning, word recognition
to understand the message communicated and the language symbols to re present
what sound shows the writer’s idea.
What is really happening when we are reading? When we are reading our eyes
move from left to right going through long line of print and they make a series of
small jerky movements, stopping momentarily on each word or group of words. In
general, good comprehension means recognizing and understanding general idea and
specific fact and seeing how these ideas and facts are organized and developed
(Sonka, 1979: 2). However, the reading process does not deal with the eyes only, it
also concern with our brain. Lado (1964: 119) defines reading comprehension as a
process of gaining meaning from words and sentences as the presentation of the
language through the process decoding the writer symbols. That definition is intended
to emphasize two essential elements in reading, the language itself and the graphic
symbolization used in representing it. It means that reading is a process of
understanding the symbols. Goodman (1967: 104) describes the reading process as
followings:
Reading is psycholinguistic guessing game. It involves an interacting between thought and language. Efficient reading does not result from precise perception and identification of all elements, but from skill in selecting the fewest, most productive cues necessary to productive cues necessary to product guesses. From the statement above it can be concluded that reading is not passive
activity. The reader must make an active contribution if the acquires the available
information. In the case, the reader forms a preliminary expectation about the reading
text, and then selects the fewest most productive cues necessary to confirm or reject
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that expectation. This is a process in which the reader utilizes his knowledge for
vocabulary, syntax, discourse, and experimental background. Here the reader makes
plan and decision, and coordinate number of skill and strategies to facilitate
comprehension. The great emphasis is placed on the importance of background
knowledge.
b. Types of Reading
According to Harris (1998: 13) there are two types of reading such as:
Intensive reading and Extensive reading.
1) In Dictionary of reading (1983: 160) as quoted by Harras, intensive reading
means reading activity that is done accurately. Sonka (1979: 87) adds that intensive
reading refers to the kind of work done in the reading class. It is also the kind of
careful work student may do when studying for an exam.
Intensive reading here means an activity for reading in class where the student
read passage with the help of their teacher. In this reading activity, the role of teacher
as a guide to bring his students’ ability to efficient and skillful reader is very obvious.
Therefore, lesson should be planed so that intensive silent reading is alternated with a
variety of reading related activities. In addition, the student should be encouraged to
read extensively outside class that is to spend a half hour in the evening with
something he chooses to read (a magazine, newspaper, short story, and texts). The
major objective of intensive reading is developing the students’ ability to decode
massage by drawing on syntactic and lexical cues, and it also emphasizes on skill for
recognition.
2) Extensive reading
Extensive reading means reading activity that is done in large way,
(Dictionary of Reading in Han, 1998: 13). Extensive reading refer to the outside
reading that student do on their own with no help or guide dance from the teacher.
These kinds of reading train the students to come to the level of reading for
enjoyment. The students should be train to read directly and fluently in the foregoing
language without the aid of the teacher as well as dictionary.
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In extensive reading, the reader reads a text without an emphasis on analysis
of word and grammatical points. Although such reading is meant as independent
reading, there should be regular and systematic feedback from it.
c. Important Factors to Choosing Directed Reading
1) Receptive Skills
The two receptive skills are reading and listening. There are several
similarities between teaching them so the general description to be given here applies
both to listening and reading. Though reading and listening are receptive skills it does
not mean that the reader or the listener is only a passive participant of
communication, as both skills involve active participation. Reading and listening are
sources of both finely and roughly tuned input.
2) Reasons for Reading
We can divide reasons for reading and listening into two broad categories:
instrumental and pleasurable listening or reading. We can speak about instrumental
reading or listening when we want to achieve some clear aim. For example, we read
instructions on a machine because we want to know how to operate it. A brochure is
read if tourists need some pieces of information about a spot of interest etc.
Pleasurable reading or listening takes place for pleasure. People read magazines or
listen to a talk on the radio to while away their free time. In both types of
reading/listening, readers/listeners are interested in the topics either because they find
them useful or because they find them interesting.
3) Sub-Skills of Receptive Skills
According to (Harmer 2003:14) the processes we go through when reading a
short story or listening to a poem are likely to be different from those we use when
we are looking for some data in a manual or we want to know how to operate a
machine. The use of these different skills will depend on what we are reading or
listening for. While reading a text we use the following sub-skills:
a. Identifying the topic – readers and listeners are able to identify the topic of a
text very fast with the help of their techniques of how to get into the idea of what is
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being talked / written about. This identifying ability makes it possible for them to
process the text more effectively.
b. Predictive skills – having identified the topic both readers and listeners guess
what is being written or talked about. They try to predict what is coming. Their
subsequent reading or listening helps them to confirm their expectations of what they
have predicted.
c. Skimming – this term means to get a quick idea of the gist of a text while
running your eyes over it. It is very useful for the teachers to ask their students to
have a quick look at the text before plunging into it for detail to get some specific
pieces of information.
d. Scanning – this term means reading or listening for specific information. In
contrast to reading and listening for gist we often read or listen to a text because we
need specific details. For example, we want to read about the weather or we want to
extract some facts from the news.
e. Extensive reading – means reading/listening for pleasure. We use this type of
reading/listening while reading an interesting model or a short story or an article
taken from a popular paper etc.
f. Intensive reading – means reading/listening for detailed information.
Sometimes we read/listen to a text in order to understand everything we are reading
in detail. We use this technique when we want to understand instructions or directions
or when we are preparing for an exam.
g. Interpreting texts – this sub-skill is used by readers/listeners if they want to
understand the meaning of words beyond the literal meanings. Successful
interpretation of this kind depends on shared schemata between the speaker and the
listener and the writer or the reader. The question ‘Can you tell me the time?’ is not to
be answered in the following way: ‘Yes, I can.’ but the reply must refer to a time
expression such as ‘It’s nine o’clock.’
h. Inferring opinion and attitude – a good reader/listener will know from various
clues he receives, whether the writer or speaker approves of the topic he is discussing,
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or whether his opinion of the person he is describing is favorable or not. It is based on
the recognition of linguistic style.
4) Methodological Principles for Teaching Receptive Skills
Listening is the skill that children acquire first. When students start to acquire
a foreign language they can pick it up in many ways. They have a lot of
extracurricular sources (songs, films, native speakers, etc) at hand. The same refers to
reading, students can benefit from walking in the street when they read various
boards or signs written in English as well as English food labels at supermarkets. The
reading process can be subdivided into two stages: decoding and interpreting. When
we speak about teaching receptive skills we have to emphasize the importance of
choosing an age-relevant, interesting or useful content which is practicable in
everyday life. Let us focus on the content, purpose of reading/listening and the
expectations of readers and listeners.
5) The content of the texts
As it has already been mentioned, we can distinguish instrumental and
pleasurable reading/listening. In instrumental reading the usefulness of texts is very
significant so we can say that the texts must meet the requirements of communicative
language teaching according to which the texts must be experiential which means
they should contain very useful and practicable words and expressions for everyday
life especially in classroom. Directed texts must be used so that the learners should
not have any difficulty decoding brochures, manuals, instructions in the target
country. To meet the demands of pleasurable reading and listening we have to choose
stories, articles, novels, etc which are age relevant and which deal with the problems
of the target group of learners. The category of interest includes reading and listening
for enjoyment, pleasure and intellectual stimulation. People read/listen to language
because they have a purpose for doing so. The purpose may be to discover how to
operate a hot drinks machine or to have a pleasurable reading. The purpose may be to
find out what has been happening in the world.
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6) Methodological Steps of Developing Receptive Skills
In a lesson when the teacher’s aim is to develop receptive skills the first step
to do is to introduce the topic of reading/listening. So the first step to do is planning a
warm-up activity. When we want our students to read a text about London for
example, we are supposed to show a picture of London or to present a song about the
capital of Great Britain etc. Here we have to exploit the following characteristic of
language users; he will have expectations about what he is going to read/hear before
he does so. A reader who sees the headline ‘Storm in the Houses of Parliament’
expects to read about a political debate in the British Parliament. So when we choose
a text we are to activate the predictive skills of our students. The learners are
expected to extract the specific information from the text and they are expected to
find out one or two facts. That is the reason why we always have to set pre-
reading/pre-listening tasks before reading or listening. At this stage the teacher aims
to focus the students’ attention on certain facts mentioned in the reading/listening.
The next purpose of the teacher will be to sustain the students’ attention while they
are reading / listening to the extract. As a while reading/listening task a teacher can
ask the students to underline certain words or phrases or on hearing certain facts or
data the students can clap or raise their hands. After reading/listening to a text the
students are expected to do some post reading/ listening tasks. They have to get the
general picture which means that they have to infer the opinion or attitude of the
writer or the speaker. The ability to infer opinion and attitude is largely based on the
recognition of linguistic style and its use to achieve appropriate purposes. Another
post reading/listening task for the teacher can be to make students deduce meaning
from context. The point is that the deducing of meaning is important for a language
user who will often mean unknown words and we will try to train students in the
same way to guess the meaning of unknown words. Teachers can make students
recognize discourse markers, styles and registers as well. It is important for the
teachers to develop students’ discourse competence in addition to their
linguistic/grammatical competence as well. Teachers are also expected to focus on
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the intercultural aspects of language teaching. This is the way how social-linguistic
competence of students can be developed. For example, London can be compared to
Budapest as a post-reading/listening task. On requiring our students to use synonyms,
antonyms and circum locution the teachers can develop students’ strategic
competence as well. This is the way how we can develop reading/listening skills in a
communicative way. Bloom's Taxonomy has been one of the most influential books
in planning reading tasks and has been widely used by American educators in
planning their teaching programmed. The following categories can be used to develop
students’ thinking skills while they are reading a story. This is the way how teachers
can make reading a story a holistic activity.
Category Thinking process cues
Knowledge
(remembering and retaining)
Say what you know, what you remember.
What happened in the story?
Comprehension
(interpreting and understanding)
Describe in your own words, say what it means, explain, compare, relate.
Why did it happen that way!
Application
(making use of the story)
How can you use it? Where does it lead to? What would you have done in a situation like this?
Analysis
(taking apart)
What are the parts, the order, the reason, and the solutions? Which part did you like best?
Synthesis
( putting together)
Develop; create in your own way. What did you think of the story!
Evaluation
(judging and assessing)
How would you judge it? Will it work?
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7) What are the Essential Components of Reading Instruction?
Scientifically based reading research has identified five essential components
of effective reading instruction. To ensure that children learn to read well, explicit
and systematic instruction must be provided in these five areas:
a) Phonemic Awareness – The ability to hear, identify and manipulate the
individual sounds – phonemes – in spoken words. Phonemic awareness is the
understanding that the sounds of spoken language work together to make words.
b) Phonics – The understanding that there is a predictable relationship between
phonemes – the sounds of spoken language – and graphemes – the letters and
spellings that represent those sounds in written language. Readers use these
relationships to recognize familiar words accurately and automatically and to decode
unfamiliar words.
c) Vocabulary Development – Development of stored information about the
meanings and pronunciation of words necessary for communication. There are four
types of vocabulary:
Listening vocabulary – the words needed to understand what is heard
Speaking vocabulary – the words used when speaking
Reading vocabulary – the words needed to understand what is read
Writing vocabulary – the words used in writing
d) Reading Fluency, Including Oral Reading Skills – Fluency is the ability to
read text accurately and quickly. It provides a bridge between word recognition and
comprehension. Fluent readers recognize words and comprehend at the same time.
e) Reading Comprehension Strategies – Strategies for understanding,
remembering, and communicating with others about what has been read.
Comprehension strategies are sets of steps that purposeful, active readers use to make
sense of text.
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2. Reading Comprehension
a) Definition of Reading Comprehension.
Reading comprehension is the degree to understand the text that one reads.
Retrieved from “http://wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/reading comprehension” when
reader pick up the newspaper and read about the latest election results, call up a web
site and read directions on installing a new light switch or grab a novel off the shelf
of the local bookstore, readers are using their reading comprehension skill to gather
information from text.
Reading comprehension is defined as the level of understanding of writing
(Adams, Marilyn Jager, 1990: 27). Proficient reading depends on the ability to
recognize words quickly and effortlessly. If word recognition is difficult, students use
too much of their processing capacity to read individual words, which infers with
their ability to comprehend what it read.
Reading comprehension is tied to listening comprehension in a basic and
intuitive way (Pressley, 2006: 71). Most people perceive reading as a process of
talking coded, written language and transforming it in to recoded, spoken language.
Although the details of this remain unresolved, and many experts question that the
process involves so simple a translation, it is fair to say that for young children up to
second grade students, reading really is direct recoding of written text into spoken
words, which are then processed as spoken language via the same mechanisms that
make listening comprehension possible.
From definition above, it can be concluded that reading in English is like
reading in native language. This means that it is not always necessary to read and
understand each and every word in English. Owing to the fact that reading skills in
native language and English are basically the same, that owns a final purpose
“reading understanding”
b) Skill in reading comprehension.
Duke and Pearson in Teele (2004: 93) state that good readers must have the
following comprehension skills. They have clear goals for their reading. They also
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examine the structure of the text prior to reading. Again, they make predictions about
the outcome of the text.
Further, Spear (2000: xxvi) states that there are eight important reading
comprehension skill that help learner to read more systematically. They are
comprehension the main idea, determining the authors’ purpose, distinguishing
between the main idea and supporting details, making inference, distinguishing facts
and opinion, analyzing structure, annotating, paraphrasing and summarizing.
The main concern of the research is about how to find the main idea,
vocabulary, detail, and inference. There for the writer would like to discuss further on
those aspects:
1) Main idea.
Spears (2000: 17) define the main idea as the author’s main point, a sentence,
or perhaps two that state what the whole thing is about. The main idea may take play
in the beginning paragraph, the end of the paragraph, combination between the
beginning and the end of the paragraph, or even omitted from the entire paragraph.
2) Vocabulary.
According to Schwartz and Raphael (1985: 39) vocabulary is the knowledge
of words and word meaning. Knowledge of words is critical to reading
comprehension, because it supports to comprehension. Students are expected to learn
the meaning of new words. They acquire these words by reading books, magazine,
newspaper or hearing them read aloud from books by other.
3) Detail.
Spears (2000: 12) defines detail is a single piece of information or fact about
something. Students must get information when they read the reading. The indicator,
they can find the factual information stated in a passage or retell the reading well.
This condition shows that they understand the reading.
4) Inference.
McNeil (1992: 77) defines inference as the derivation of some idea that is not
directly stated. To infer, Caroll in McNeil suggests that there are three important
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ways to infer. They are from subtleties of the verbal expression, reasoning, making
involvement of the reader experience to determine how the character in the text might
fell.
c) Elements of Reading Comprehension.
According to Snow (2002: 13) comprehension need three important
elements. They are reader, text and activity.
The first important element of reading comprehension is the reader. In the
purpose of comprehending the reader must have a wide range of capacity and
abilities. They include cognitive capacity include attention and various types of
knowledge. The cognitive capacity include attention, memory, critical analytic,
inference, visualization ability, etc. meanwhile, motivation refer to the purpose of the
reader. Finally, various type of the knowledge, linguistic and discourse knowledge
and knowledge for certain comprehension strategies.
The second element of reading, the reading comprehension is the text. During
reading, the reader constructs different representations of the text that are important
for comprehension. These representations include, for example, the surface code (the
ex-act wording of the text), the text base (idea units representation the meaning), and
the representation of the mental models embedded in the text.
The last important element in reading comprehension is the activity. A
reading activity involves one or more purpose, some operations to process the text at
the hand and the consequences of performing the activity. The purpose is influenced
by the cluster of motivational variables, including interest and prior knowledge.
Reading comprehension is the ability to understand the text and to get the
meaning from text. It involves the ability to find main ideas, find details, make
inferences, and predict word meaning from context.
According to (Kelner and Flynn 2006: 200) make what is implicit to
experienced educational drama specialists explicit for classroom teachers. A
Dramatic Approach to Reading Comprehension is designed for teachers with little to
no experience in drama. It contains information, advice, directions, steps, tips, charts,
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lists, photos, and ideas for use with students in grades one through eight. Readers will
find in-depth explanations of the layers of effective educational drama experiences
based on classroom texts. Kelner and Flynn devote individual chapters to each of four
drama strategies story dramatization, character interviews, tableau, and human slide
shows-with a step-by-step process for integration of the drama strategy and reading
comprehension.
In addition, A Dramatic Approach to Reading Comprehension includes a
comprehensive treatment of assessment in both drama and reading comprehension.
Readers will find a variety of assessment guidelines, tasks, tools, and definitions of
terms.
Reading is an active process to get information through written language. In
other word it can be said that reading is an interactive process that goes on between
the reader and the text, resulting in comprehension. The text presents latter, words,
sentences and paragraphs that encode meaning. The reader use knowledge, skills, and
strategies to determine what the meaning is. Urghart state that reading involves
processing language messages 1998: 15). Widdoson in Urguhart all so states that
reading is the getting linguistic information via print. Further he states that getting
information is fairly one way process from writer or text to reader. Further Urhart
states that reading is a process of receiving and interpreting information encode in
language via the medium of print (1998: 22). Ruddinle suggests four states of word
analysis development:
1. The logographic state, in which children use visual context or graphic features to read words (reading “Mc Donalds” by looking at the logo, for example);
2. The traditional state from logo graphic to beginning alphabetic, in which children begin to read words by shifting from visual context and specific latter associations to use of the alphabetic principle (the initial sound /d/ in dog associated with the latter d);
3. The alphabetic stage, in which children rely on latter-sound or grapheme-phoneme relationship to read words (dog is sounded out and blended using phonological recoding process that accesses the children mental lexicon); and
4. The orthographic stage, in which children use a phonetic principle, predictable latter pasterns, group with shared latter sequences and consistent
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pronunciation that, fat, mat, hate, hate, for example, and analogy ( in rain to read the new word train) to read. (1994: 92) From the able statements, it can be concluded that reading is an activity which
need a process. It is impossible to read fluently without practice to read something
every day. When people want to get information from written message, they should
make it as a habit for our daily activity is an individual activity. Reader can interpret
what they read. And it needs process to interpret the right message from written
language. Actually studying all the subject matter is a process. Reader cannot
understand the meaning from language written instantly.
Pearson and stephens in Ruddle states that reading is a complex, orchestrated,
constructive process through which individuals make meaning (1994: x). It is stated
by Urguhart in reading a second language: process, product and practice that reading
means dealing with language messages in written or painted from (1998: 13).
Furthermore Urguhart considers reading as a language activity involving at same time
or another all the cognitive processing related to language performance. They
consider that any valid account of reading process must consider such cognitive
aspect as reading, and obvious language aspects as syntax and lexical meaning. Nuttal
state that are some word that relate with the definition of reading, those are
understanding, interpreting and meaning sense, decoding, deciphering, identifying,
articulating, speaking and pronouncing (1989: 2). The definition of reading reflects
the ideas that reading is the process of identifying written words. Besides that in a
great many classrooms, the reading lesson is used as an opportunity to teach
pronunciations, encourage fluent and expressive speaking. Reading as interpreting
means to a written text as a piece of communication. Reading is a part of daily life for
those of us who live in literate communities that much of the time we hardly consider
either the purpose or the process involved.
Reading is fluent process of reader combining information from a text and
their own background knowledge to build meaning. The goal of reading is
comprehension (Nunan, 2003: 68). Reading is the process of understanding written
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language. It begins with a flutter of patterns on the retina and ends (when successful)
with a definite idea about the author’s intended message. Thus reading is at once a
“perceptual” and a “cognitive” process. It is a process that bridges and blurs these two
traditional distinctions (Rumelhart, 1994: 864). From the statement above it can be
concluded that reading is a process of getting information and message from written
language. In understanding the message from written language, the reader much has
background knowledge. Hence in the process of reading the reader much combine
their background knowledge and the content of the text. Besides, they should
combine their interference, memory and the strategy of reading. Urguhart states any
valid account of reading process much consider such cognitive aspect as reading
strategies, inference, memory, relating text to background knowledge, or well as
decoding and obvious language aspects as syntax and lexical knowledge (1998: 18)
3. Directed Reading in the Classroom
One of the mean ideas of using dramatic reading in the classroom is to make
reading more memorable. The modeling dramatic reading and then asking students to
read important passages aloud with as much dramatic flair as they can manage, (Rose
and Nicholl 1997: 200) remind us that we tend to remember more than twice as much
as of what we say aloud then what we read silently. This suggests the advisability of
frequently asking students to talk about what they are reading, as by using directed
reading to give student highly engaged and focused on directed reading. Actively
guiding students through a reading frequently requesting student responses, offering
comments when appropriate rather than asking students to read text and rather than
presenting the information to them orally, we can intersperse the reading and oral
discussion in a way that produces high-participation lessons. This is especially useful
for poor readers and poor listeners.
Consider this segment from the science lesson. The teacher begins by asking
the students to find a particular page in their science text. “What is the heading of that
section?” she asks “susan, please read it for us,” after susan reads the heading, the
teacher continues. “Thank you. Today we will be to learning about warm-blooded
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animals. I would like you to now scan the first paragraph and find the definition of
warm-blooded.”
After a pause, she asks a different student to read the definition. Then she
invited the class to read the definition in unison with her. “Again, please about this
time and read it like you mean it!” The teacher asks the students to look at the next
paragraph and find three examples of worm-blooded animals. “Who can tell us the
first, second and the last?” she writes each example on the board as volunteers
respond. “Based on these examples, who can think of some other animals that would
be classified as worm-blooded?” she adds to the list on the board as students offer
examples. “Now I would read you to silently read page 214 to find out…”
Note how the teacher intersperses scanning, reading, questions, and
comments. From time to time she writes key points on the board. In addition, she
occasionally asks students to write a response and share with a partner. And
sometimes she presents a mini-lecture about the animals.
This style of directed reading can we use with fiction as well as nonfiction.
For example, imagine a teacher dramatically reading aloud the first page of a story
and then saying something like this:
Think about you know so far. On scrap paper, writer a prediction telling two things you think might happen in this story. The read the text paragraph of find out what time of year is it…Let’s: How many think it is winter, spring and summer? Fall? The correct answer is spring. What words gave you a clue it was spring? Now please continue reading until you find out the name of…
Finally, we learn directed reading texts can be improved in vocalizing more
memorable when the words are spoken dramatically, with emotion. We can take
advantage of this by, first, modeling for the students to read dramatically; we might
demonstrate by reading an important definition or the key text passage. Then we ask a
few students to read a sentence or two aloud dramatically; with as much felling as
they can generate. Finally we might commend that all students take any portion of a
reading that they want to remember and say it dramatically, aloud or silently to
themselves. And when we want to emphasize a key definition or idea in class, we can
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always invite a few students to read it aloud to the class, being as outrageously
dramatic as they dare. Invite students to fun with the strategy. And expect them to
remember more of what they read. Teacher report it almost always works out that
way.
a. Indicator of reading Comprehension Competence.
To comprehend information in the reading, it can be viewed from some
indicators that students are able to:
1. Finding main idea. The indicator, they can show or find the author’s main
point, one or two sentences from that state what the whole thing is about.
2. Find vocabulary. The indicator, they can find the words meaning, synonym,
and antonym.
3. Find detail. The indicator, they can find the factual information state in a
passage or retell the reading well.
4. Find inference. The indicator, they can infer how the character in the text.
b. Stages in teaching Reading
Another possible is to give text related tasks. They are three basic types:
1) Pre-Reading: used not just to test or compensate for linguistic/socio-cultural
inadequacies but also used to activate exiting schemata;
2) While-Reading: used to encourage the learner to be a flexible, active reader
also to promote a dialogue between reader and writer;
3) Post-Reading: often are read questions that follow a text, used to test
understanding but sometimes a good schema will be enough. Rather than just
simplifying the text by changing its language, it can be made more approachable by
eliciting students’ existing knowledge in pre-reading discussion, reviewing new
vocabulary before situations where it would take place outside reading and asking to
get the mean idea or scanning for specific information, before they begin intensive
reading. The reading approach must be directed too. Students should read the text in a
way that matches the read purpose, the type of text, and the way people normally
read. This means that reading aloud and silent will take place only in the classroom.
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Reading is an activity with a purpose for reading guides the reader’s selection of
texts. The purpose for reading also determines the approach to reading
comprehension.
B. Rationale
Reading comprehension is a process of simultaneously extracting and
constructing meaning through interaction and involvement with written language. In
doing so, the reader involve so many reading skills. Among them are finding mean
idea, inference and paraphrasing.
In fact, some students encounter problems to activate those skills in reading
comprehension. These difficulties were indicated as student’s incorrectly interpreted
mean idea with specific details; they could not relate between one clue to another;
and they failed in determining the key point of sentence. The classroom situation
made these situations even worse. The students were passive during the lecturing.
They even showed on interest toward the subject. Then, their low cooperation
completed their negative response to reading class. The students’ passivity in the
classroom was indicated as students kept silent during lecturing and they also had no
response when they were asked questions. In addition to the passivity, the students
also showed no interest toward reading classroom; many of them make the class
noisy, play with their mobile phone, talk to another topic and often go out of the
class. Furthermore, they low cooperation was identified as they had no courage to
share ideas with friends; tended to work individually, and talk with their topic out of
the discussion.
Teacher had also contribution for such students’ difficulties. The teaching
learning process showed that, it was monotonous. Teacher less monitored the
students’ activity. The technique which was applied during teaching learning process
made the students in such passive situation as they often got broad oral explanation
from their teacher. Besides, the teacher broad oral explanation is even considered fast
to the students.
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Knowing this condition, students have to have sufficient strategy to be
successful in mean idea, inference, and paraphrasing. Directed reading is selected as
they can function at portraying the valuable information from the given text. In this
way, they can provide the bridge from the abstract concepts of the text to more visible
idea that eases readers getting the intended meaning. As the answer of students’
passivity, directed reading also enhance the students’ participation in class interaction
since that the students should be more active in the text-interaction with the given
directed reading. This model are very helpful both in individual and group work
tasks. From the characteristics of directed reading above, it is believed that directed
reading can improve students’ reading comprehension in term of finding mean idea,
inference and paraphrasing. Furthermore, directed reading also enhances the students’
participation in class interaction both in individual and group work tasks.
The chief danger of this approach is that the reader may try to read in to the
text what he thinks ought to be there than what the writer intended. To counteract
this, students should be trained to:
1) will help students develop reading skill
2) shows them how ideas can be discovered in the process of reading
comprehension
3) gives them immediate deep and critical feedback – from a peer
4) can lead students to have new experience of reading comprehension
A reader can often produce a reasonable hypothesis about a text after only a
superficial reading. To do this, he must use resources such as common sense, general
knowledge and experience, which has already, has. Encouraging him to make use of
them mean that you can start work on positive note (‘what do we know about this
text? So what do you think this message is likely to be?). This is more encouraging
than starting with the negative factors such as unfamiliar vocabulary. It is also good
strategy, for students much learn to utilize all their resources in order to make sense
of the text.
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You can start by making hypothesis based on the title alone, if that is one, or
the title of the book from which the text come. Or you can ask your students to skim
through the text and tell you very approximately what it is about. If there are several
different views, subsequent closer reading can be focused on establishing which is the
most accurate. If none of the views are appropriate, ask the class to try again when
the detailed work has progressed far enough.
Active experience of forming prediction about a text (i.e. hypothesis), and
confirming, rejecting or reformulating them, is as important for a reader as it is for a
scientist. You need to be particularly on your guard when the text involves matters of
opinion or emotion, because inexperienced readers often assume that the text will
echo their own views; or where that is clearly not the case, that the writer is hostile-
which may be equally false.
Base on the theoretical principles and the related research, the researcher
proposes the following hypothesis which is teaching English using directed reading
can improve student reading comprehension.
Directed reading in the classroom I do hopefully that students’ comprehension
is will improve and their attitudes toward reading because they are taught using
directed reading that is theoretically effective for improving students’ reading
comprehension. Students have positive idea in reading skill. In addition, through
directed reading, the student can make and learn which help them to interesting and
have a best understanding in learning process. For other lectures, they will get large
knowledge about teaching leaning directed reading and the result of the research can
be the useful input in English teaching learning process especially for improving
reading comprehension. For the researcher, this research will improve the researcher
himself in mastering English and knowing the plan which is appropriate to use. As
we know that reading is one of important skill for students and their future. I expect a
lot in every cycle there are interesting activities which are including students’
improvement in reading comprehension. Finally, for the institution, this research will
be useful as valuable resource in conducting the similar research.
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C. Action hypothesis
As stated in the previous explanation that directed reading can improve the
bridge from the abstract concepts of the text to more visible idea that make readers
easy to obtain the intended meaning, the researcher formulates the action hypothesis
that directed reading are able to improve students reading comprehension.
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Chapter III
Research methodology
In this chapter gives the research methodology involving setting of the
research, research method, procedure of the research, and data collecting and data
analyzing technique.
E. Research setting
4. Time of Research
This classroom action research is carried in Eight months started in June 2010
up to February 2011, designing research proposal is done in July-August, conducting
proposal seminar in September, making research instrument and collecting the data in
October and November, analyzing the collected data and discussing the data analysis
in December, and the writing the research report in January 2011. The research’s
schedule is follows:
Table 3.1 Research Schedule No activity Aug/Sep Oct/Nov Dec/Jan Feb/Mar Apr/May June 1 Participant Enlisting 2 Writing proposal 3 Revising proposal 4 Seminar on proposal 5 Conducting the research 6 Collecting data 7 Analyzing data 8 Report writing
5. Place of Research
The National University of Laos-Champasak Branch was established by
decree of the Prime Minister, 214⁄PM, dated 28⁄11⁄2002. After establishment, the
leaders and staff of the branch university worked diligently according to the political
principles, and guided by the policies of the government, they successful developed
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the branch. In recognition of this progress, the government then approved the change
from branch status to that of Champasak University. This was according to the decree
of the Prime Minister, 95⁄PM, dated 05⁄07⁄2004. And since then the university has
gradually grown.
Champasak University consists of the Rector, two Vice-Rectors, five offices:
Organization and Personnel, Administration, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs,
Research and Technology Transfer, then divided into five faculties: Faculty of
Agriculture, Economic and Management, Law and Political Sciences, Engineering
Faculty, The School of Foundation Studies and Faculty of Education.
Faculty of Education commences teaching and learning activities for normal
and special course at bachelor degree that consists of three departments as follows:
(1) Mathematics Department: (2) Literature Department: (3) English Department.
Most of the students who study at 3rd year of English Department are the students
who studied from learning bachelor curriculum at the School of Foundation Studies
Faculty (SFS) for 64-68 credits because the bachelor degree program is five years of
study: two years of general studies in the SFS and three years of specialized study in
one of the faculties. The students come from different provinces in all parts of Laos.
The subjects of the study are the third year students of English Department in
2010⁄2011 academic year and randomly chosen by researcher himself. There are 40
students in class (EN 3B). They consist of 18 boys and 22 girls. Some of them were
selected and given Quota by Provincial Education Services. This first category of
student is selected based on their High School achievement and a quota fixed by the
Ministry of Education. Some of students are selected by examination. The entrance
examination is organized simultaneously in all provinces and also some students were
selected by special privilege. These applicants will be selected according to decree of
government 108⁄PM, dated 31⁄07⁄2000 and 52⁄PM, dated 05⁄09⁄2003.
Some students are citizen and some are from remote area, so they have
different background of English language. Moreover, there is only a little enthusiasm
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to learn English. For some of them, studying is a must which they have to do, not a
need. Teaching English in such situation needs extra patience and effort.
6. Research Subjects
The subject of this classroom action research is 3En 3/2 third grade students
of English department, faculty of teacher training and education academic year 2010-
2011 that consists of 30 students includes recourse students. The subject of this
research is the regular students which is 30 students. In general 3B class has a good
reading. The other reason of selecting this class, it has lowest average reading score
among its parallel class. In the previous semester exam too much of them got F and
the average score was lower than 60 is just a point above the class because in reading
teaching learning process the students are very passive. The never ask questions about
related topic, they rarely ask about new vocabulary. Furthermore, they rarely bring
their text books and they are reluctant to join in reading class. Even worse they
cannot answer WH-questions, reference questions and they cannot indentify
paragraph topic, important massage, and the mean idea. The researcher did interview
and questionnaire the course it the text book. They said that the text book it too
difficult; there are many difficult words in the text and the text is too long and the text
has no connection with their lives so they had no motivation to read. The researcher is
the reading teacher in this class has tries to overcome the problem by changing the
text book by different author by the class atmosphere remains the same. So in this
class action research uses directed reading material in solving students’ problem in
comprehending text and their motivation to read. By using directed reading materials,
it is hoped can increase their motivation as the result their reading comprehension
improves as well.
This research is also carried out with the collaborator. He is an English
lecturer from the same faculty with researcher. The collaborator and the researcher
discussed together before, during and after the treatment to contribute ideas, opinions,
and share experiences in steps in this classroom action research.
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F. Research Design
The action research spiral (based on kemmis and Mc Taggart in wiriaatmadja,
(2007:66-67) is:
The researcher uses some steps as kemmis and Mc Taggart which involve
planning, acting, observing, and reflecting.
This action research is carried out in two cycles. Each cycle consists of four
steps. They are planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. The summary of research
procedure is provided in Table 3.1.
Table 3.2 Research procedures
I. Pre-research: Gaining base line data
1. Observing teaching learning process 2. Interview students 7. Giving questionnaire to students 8. Conducting Pre-test
II. Research Implementation
Cycle 1: Using (Directed reading text) Asking Ss Questions
1. Planning 2. Acting 3. Observing 4. Reflecting
Post-test 1
Revised Plan
Act Reflect Reflect Act
Observe Observe
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Cycle 2: Using Directed reading text for pre-reading activities
1. Revised Planning 2. Acting 3. Observing 4. Reflecting
Post-test 2
This more detail about research procedures are explained as follows:
a. Planning
There are some activities that are carried out in the first cycle, they are as
follows:
1. Pre-test
Pretest is carried out to know the students real ability in reading before they
are taught using directed reading. Before pre-test is done the pre-test
instrument is tried out in other class to ensure that the instrument is valid and
reliable.
2. Interview
The purpose of this interview is to get more information about the students’
needs, interest, and problems in reading. So the teacher can select appropriate
approach, techniques and directed reading for students.
3. Questionnaire
The aim of the questionnaire is to know the students’ opinion about the
reading teaching learning process. Furthermore to know the students are need,
interest, and problems in reading. The teacher can select appropriate approach,
techniques and material for students.
4. Designing Treatment
Based on the result of the pre-test and the interview, the appropriate treatment
is designed to be applied in the teaching learning process which is teaching
reading using directed reading. The treatment in this cycle has four meetings.
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5. Collaborative English Teacher
In order to make the research can run optimally, the English teachers are
needed as collaborators. The roles of the collaborator to this research are as
follows:
a) Participating in designing the plans, both in the first cycle.
b) Observing what happens in the classroom while the treatment is applied in the
classroom.
c) Giving suggestions for the improvement of the next classroom practice.
6. Post-test
Post-test is carried out to know the students’ ability in reading comprehension
after being given treatment in first cycle. The results of this test are used as a
core consideration in designing the activities in the second cycle.
b. Acting
Based on the previous plans, some of the activities are done as follows:
1. Pre-test
a) The students are asked to do the test.
b) The teacher checks and gives score to the students work.
c) The teacher analyses the students’ score.
2. Interviews
a) The teacher interviews some student to get information about the students’ interest
and learning problems.
b) The teacher writes the result of the interview as an additional data.
3. Observation
a) The teacher observes the teaching learning process to get information about
the reading learning process, the interaction between the teacher and the
students, and the students and their peers.
b) The teacher makes the field note what is happening in reading class
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4. Questionnaires
a) The questionnaire is given to the students to get the information about the
students’ comment toward reading teaching learning process and what they
need and interest to make them have better learning for the reading
comprehension.
b) The teacher makes conclusion based on the result of the questionnaire.
5. Treatment
The treatments are carried out in the four meetings. The activities are follows:
a) First meeting
(1) Introduction
a. Teacher greets students.
b. Teacher checks the students’ attendance
(2) Main activities
1. Pre-reading
a. Teacher asks questions about related topic in building up schemata and
show related to topic pictures.
b. Teacher tells the topics they are going to learn in reading class and tell
them that material is taken from newspaper.
2. Whilst Reading
a) Teacher asks students to underline the difficult words and asks them to
guess the meaning.
b) Teacher gives the words taken from the text that have not been mentioned
yet by the students.
c) Teacher asks the students to read silently.
d) Teacher asks students to answer questions in pairs.
3. Post-Reading
Teacher asks students to work in groups related with the topic and share it
with the class.
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4. Closing
Teacher encourages the students to ask further questions about the topic and
say leave taking.
b) Second meeting
(1) Introduction
a. Teacher greets the students.
b. Teacher checks students’ attendance
(2) Main Activities
1. Pre-reading
a. Teacher asks questions about related topic in building up schemata and
show some related topic pictures.
b. Teacher tells the topic that, they are going to learn in reading and tells
them that the text of reading it taken from text
2. Whilst reading
a. Teacher asks students to underline the difficult words and asks them to
guess the meaning.
b. Teacher gives the words taken from the text that have not been mentioned
yet by the students.
c. Teacher asks the students to read silently.
d. Teacher asks students to answer questions in pairs.
3. Post-reading
Teacher asks students to work in groups related with the topic and share it
with the class.
4. Closing
Teacher encourages the students to ask further questions about the topic
and say leave taking.
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c) Third meeting
(1) Introduction
a. Teacher greets the students.
b. Teacher checks students’ attendance
(2) Main Activities
1. Pre-reading
a) Teacher asks questions about related topic in building up schemata and
show some related topic pictures.
b) Teacher tells the topic that, they are going to learn in reading and tells
them that the Directed reading it taken from newspaper, Internet and other
books.
2. Whilst reading
a. Teacher asks students to underline the difficult words and asks them to
guess the meaning.
b. Teacher gives the words taken from the text that have not been mentioned
yet by the students.
c. Teacher asks the students to read silently.
d. Teacher asks students to answer questions in pairs.
3. Post-reading
Teacher asks students to work in groups related with the topic and share it
with the class.
4. Closing
Teacher encourages the students to ask further questions about the topic
and say leave taking
5. Post-test
Post-test is given to the students to find out the students’ reading
comprehension after giving implementation in the first cycle the result of the
post-test in the first cycle is used as main consideration in designing the
activities in the second cycle.
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c. Observing
In this stage the researcher and the collaborator observe what happens in all
activities undertaken and monitor the effect of the actions. There are some
considerations that some actions which have effects can be seen much later.
Therefore, the observation is carried out while and after the actions.
d. Reflecting
In this step the researcher and the collaborators analyze what happens in the
classroom and also discuss any success, failure, and effect of the action. The
information is used to design planning for the next cycle.
In general, the steps that are carried out in the second cycle are similar to
those of the first cycle. They are planning, acting, observing, reflecting but this
time the researcher asks student to choose their own reading text from the books
as accommodate the students’ interest and to encourage students in reading.
G. Data Collecting Technique
The data in the classroom action research includes:
a. The students’ scores
The scores are taken from:
1. The students’ score before the treatment.
2. The students’ score after the treatment in cycle 1
3. The students’ score after the treatment in cycle 2
b. Result of the interview
1. The result of the students interview before the treatment
2. The result of the students interview after the treatment
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c. Questionnaire
a) The result of the students questionnaire before the treatment
b) The result of the students questionnaire after the treatment
e. Photographs
The photographs during the action
H. Data Analysis Techniques
The techniques that are used to analyze the data are:
1. Qualitative data was analyzed in constant comparative method
a. Data reduction: it refers to the process of selecting, focusing, simplifying,
abstracting, and transforming the raw data that appear in written up field
notes. Then making summaries. Coding, and writing memos.
b. Data display: it is an organized assembly of information that permits
conclusion drawing and action taking.
c. Conclusion drawing/verification
2. Quantitative data
The quantitative data in numbers form are gotten from:
a. Checking the students’ answer on the written test that is carried out the
implementation of cycle whether they are right or wrong.
b. Computing the students’ score on written test is done as follows:
1) Calculating the percentage of the correct answers of each student by using
percentage correction. The percentage is use to measure the students’ read
comprehension.
The percentage formula that is used is:
S = the students’ mastery in %
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R = the students’ right answer
N = the maximum number of the whole answer
SM = standard mark (100) (Arikunto, 1998: 38)
In deterring the level of the students’ reading comprehension, the five
categories described by Arikunto (1998: 38) are as follows:
Table 3.3 The System of Score Category
Percentage Interpretation
81-100 Very good
61-80 Good
41-60 Fair
21-40 Poor
0-20 Very poor
The students’ reading comprehension is found from the percentage of the
correct answer.
2) After analyzing the scores of the written test, the written used a statistical
technique to find the students’ mean score. The formula that will be used is as
stated by Evelyn and Anne Larazaraton (1991: 289) that is non independent t-test.
It is done by comparing the pre-test and Post-test mean score.
The formula is as follows:
∑ ∑
1
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If the mean score increases, the students’ reading comprehension is
considered improving and research is successful.
3) Making conclusion and suggestion based on the data analysis.
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Chapter IV
Research result and discussion
A. Introduction
The purposes of this research are to finding out whether the use of directed
reading to improves students’ reading comprehension. The students had low
knowledgeable, different level and difficulties in answering WH-question, inference
question and identifying the paragraph topic and mean idea. As a result their master
score was low. The class situation was boring because the teacher was not enough
experience, young teachers; the teacher used follow from the text book only and used
monotonous technique. The teacher asked the student to open the text book then
discuss the texts. When students did not ask questions, the teacher asked students to
do exercise in the text book. The teacher did the same thing again and again. The
students were bored because in the text book, the text was usually very long, not
relevant with students’ life. So students were low motivation to participate in reading
activity, some students were absent, lazy and play other during the reading lesson,
some students play with their mobile phone and talk about unrelated topic to their
peers. As the result the class situation was uninspiring.
It can be included that the problems came from the teacher and the students.
The teacher used the routine pattern of teaching reading and uses the text book which
was “unfriendly” to students. The students were very passive in reading class; It need
the technique and new text that make students’ reading comprehension and class
situation are better. So this action research used pre-reading, whilst-reading and post
reading to deliver the lesson and the text used was directed reading. According to
Richards (2001: 252) refer to the use of texts, photographs, video selection and other
teaching resources that are not specially prepared for pedagogical purposes, while
created texts refer to text book and other specially developed for instructional
resources. Furthermore there is unlimited directed reading text from internet. Directed
reading were bridge the students and the teacher. By implementing this text the
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students were given the exposure the language used in real life. The students familiar
with the topic that make them motivate to read more. The students would be active
because the directed reading texts were relevant to students’ life. The implementation
of directed reading was providing on interesting teaching learning process. The
purpose of this research were improving students’ reading comprehension related to
answering WH-questions and inference question, indentifying paragraph topic, main
idea and class situation. Furthermore, the research describes the teaching learning
situation when directed reading implemented in reading class. The research was
carried out at Champasak University of Laos PDR.
The chapter has two sections. Section A related to the process of the research
which describes the condition before the research, the implementation of the research.
Section B describes the findings and the discussion of the findings. The summary of
the research is explained in Table 4.1
Table 4.1 Process of the research
I. Pre-research: Gaining base line data
Observing teaching learning process Giving questionnaire Interviewing Conducting pre-test
II. Research implementation
Cycle 1: Using directed reading text from newspaper, internet and other books
1. Planning 2. Implementing 3. Observing 4. Reflecting 5. Revising
Meeting 1: 15/11/2010 Health Meeting 2: 19/11/2010 Boat Racing
Festival Meeting 3: 22/11/2010 Dry season
planting Meeting 4: 26/11/2010 Conducting Post-test 1
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Cycle 2: Using directed reading text from newspaper, internet and other books
1. Planning 2. Implementing 3. Observing 4. Reflecting 5. Revising
Meeting 1: 29/11/2010 Future technology
Meeting 2: 03/12/2010 BounBangFai Meeting 3: 06/12/2010 Conducting Post-test 2
B. The Process of the Research
This section has three parts which are the condition before the research; the
implementation of the research consisting of two cycles and each cycle has four
meetings; three meeting for teaching reading using directed reading and the fourth
meeting for conducting post-test, final reflection and research findings.
1. Description of Previous Research
The situation before research was identified in pre-research state. The pre-
research was carried out to find out the problems during the teaching learning process
in reading and to find out the current students’ reading comprehension. Furthermore,
the pre-research activity was carried out to identifying the students’ problems in
reading comprehension the researcher will decide how to overcome the problem.
The pre-research activities had four activities such as: observing the teaching
learning process, interviewing students, giving questionnaire and conducting pre-test.
After the researcher got all the data that taken from observing, interviewing,
questionnaire and pre-test the researcher will analyze the data and the problems can
be identified.
The main problems occurred they are: students’ problem in comprehending
the text and reading classroom situation. Furthermore the researcher found out the
cause of the problem. They are also written in the table below. The result of pre-
research activities was described in table 4.2
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Table 4.2 prior situation
Indicator Situation
1. Students’ reading comprehension Students do not know new
vocabularies Student cannot answer WH-
questions well Students cannot answer inference
questions Student cannot identify paragraph
topic Student cannot identify main idea
Wrong answer often occur Confused to answer questions Do not know the topic Do not identify the paragraph topic Do not the mean idea Cannot comprehend the text
2. Reading classroom situation Students are passive Students are often come late and
absent Students talk about unrelated
topic Student often forget to bring the
text book Students read the text reluctantly Students play with their mobile
phones and discussion other topic
The class is uninspiring The teaching learning process is
often disturbed by the students The class is noisy The class is crowded The class is quiet
3. The causes of the problems The text book are difficult and boring The passage in the text book are not relevant with student’s life The passage in the text book are too long and not interesting The teaching learning process is monotonous Teacher still use traditional approach and only give fewer portions for
reading where as reading is a complex activity Teacher doesn’t give enough attention to teach the students how to read in
English correctly teacher teach no interesting and not enough experience students have differences level of knowledge, Low and poor reading students lack of practices still do not master on reading comprehension students came from remote area
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a. Students’ Reading Comprehension
In general the students of En 3/2 class of Champasak University, the subject
of the research have good performance. Their English achievement could be declared
well enough but reading becomes a very boring subject for the students as the result,
they often absent, different and low acknowledgement this situation is difficult to
teaching learning program. The teaching learning process had to help the problems.
Furthermore, the students often forget to bring the reading text book because they
seldom prepared the lesson before. Even worse students are very passive; they
participate reluctantly in all activities in reading class. Some students often talk to
other about unrelated topic or played with their mobile phones. When the students has
to do the exercises they cannot answers WH-questions, they cannot answer inference
questions and they cannot identify paragraph topic and mean idea, as a result of pre-
test.
Table 4.3The result of pre-test can be seen as follows:
No Explanation Students’ score
1 Highest 98
2 Lowest 25
3 Average 57
Table 4.4 The grade, percentage mean score and complete questions of pre-test Grade/Score Students percentage Not complete Complete
A (80-100) 3 10.0 %
B (70-79) 5 16.0 %
C (60-69) 5 16.0 %
D (50-59) 4 13.3 %
F (0-49) 13 43.3 %
Mean score 57 19 = 63.3 % 11 = 36.7 %
Number of Students 30 Students 30 Students 30 Students
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Graphic 4.5 The score of pre-test
Base on the figure above, it can conclude that most of students’ reading
comprehension was poor.
The proof is that: The students’ passing score before the treatment of higher
from grade A (80-100) scores have got 3 participants, equal 10 percentages. Grade B
and C are the same; they have got 5 participants and equal 16.7 percentages, Grade D
total 4 participants and 13.3 percentages. Too much of the students’ low score, the
students have got low grade of score F (0-49) total 13 participants, equal 43
percentages.
The complete of students have got just 11 and equals of 36.7 percentages and
the not complete of students have got 19 and equals of 63.3 percentages.
As the researcher observed, there are many problems had to be solved
immediately. The students lack of motivation in reading. The students’ reading
comprehension still very low and many of them were not aware the importance of
rearing. Moreover the teacher used to read text book which is quite boring for the
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
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students, the text book has difficult vocabulary and the text are very long and usually
not relevant with their lives.
There was a way to overcome this problem that makes students unable to
understand the text and have low motivation. According to the researcher, the first
thing to do was to change the reading material in to reading materials which have
more connection with the students’ lives, and different grade. The materials that make
students want to read and interesting. In this case the researcher used directed
reading.
b. Classroom situation
To know the class situation, the research observed the situation of the reading
classroom. Before conducting the research, the teaching learning process was not
inspiring. In teaching reading I usually taught my students using the text books.
The reading class usually started with reading text aloud then looks up at
dictionaries for difficult words. Often I encouraged them to ask me questions when
they have difficulties and I encouraged them to have discussion but no one did except
five students who are confident and have good performance in reading.
Base on the result of the observation the situation of the reading class was
uninspiring and boring, the reading class usually silent or crowded because the
students were talking about unrelated topic, didn’t pay attention to the text. This
situation was worsening by the teacher who never has pre-reading activities or
warming up activities. Another indicator that the student showed low participation
when I ask them to answer no one came forward. So I had to force them to come
forward by calling their name and I pretended giving score for what they did. The
situation above showed that the teacher lacked of ideas to inspire the reading class.
The teacher gave monotonous activities which did not encourage the students in
reading and made them uninterested in the text.
c. Causes of Reading Comprehension problems and Difficulties.
I conducted pre-test, interview and questionnaire to find out the cause of
reading difficulties. In interview most of students said negative opinion about the text
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book, the reading passage in text book is difficult and boring this statement is
supported by the result of the questionnaire which can be seen in table 4.6
Table 4.6 the result of questionnaire
No Questions Students’
response percentage
1 Reading comprehension is difficult Always often
70 % 30 %
2 The use text book Always often
90 % 10 %
3 Difficulties to understand the text from the text book
Always often
30 % 70 %
4 The materials from the text book is boring Always often
40 % 60 %
5 The text book makes students lazy to read Always often
50 % 50 %
6 The lengthen of the text in the text book Always often
90 % 10 %
7 The topic of reading passage from the text book is not related your life
Always often
90 % 10 %
8 The relevancy of text in the book with students’ interesting
Always often
75 % 25 %
9 the need of other text which relates to the students’ life
Always often
95 % 5 %
10 Using the except the course-book can motivation and understand reading comprehension
Always often
85 % 15 %
The result of the questionnaire shows that reading comprehension is difficult
and boring because of the text book. For the first question every students agrees that
reading is difficult even more than twice stated very difficult. Student keovilai states “ທັກສາການອ່ານ ແມ່ນຍາກຫລາຍ ແລະ ເປັນຕາໜ້າເບື່ອ” “Reading is very difficult
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and bored” and student phuma states “ບົດຫັດອ່ານຍາວຫລາຍ ແລະ ບໍ່ສອດຄ່ອງ
ກັບການນຳໃຊ້ໃນຊີວິດປະຈຳວັນ ດັ່ງນັ້ນຈຶ່ເຮັດໃຫ້ສັບສົນ” “The text of
reading is too long and not related with our life so it is not interest”
The second question about using text book all the time they all agree and they
also states that they have difficulties in comprehending the text from the text book.
Furthermore the texts book make them lazy and bored to read, surprisingly that is an
a half stated that they are lazy because of the text as stated in questions three, four and seven.
The students also stated that the texts from the text book. Has no relevant with
their lives that make them unmotivated that is why they suggest to have the texts
from other books, internet, newspaper, magazine and other sources that have more
connection with the students’ lives and interesting.
2. Research Implementation
After knowing the cause of the problems in reading, I chose directed reading
as the solution of the problem. The implementation of directed reading in teaching
reading consists of two cycles. The first cycle used directed reading from other text
book, news papers, magazines, internet and those topic were selected by teacher.
Meanwhile the second cycle used directed reading from internet and those topics
were selected by students. The result of the first cycle became the consideration of the
planning of the second cycle. Each cycle consists of three meeting. Every meeting
had time duration for 100 minutes. Each cycle consisted of four steps. The steps
were: 1. planning the action, 2. Implementing the action, 3. observing the action, 4.
reflecting of the observation results. The whole of research implementation provided
in Table 4.7
Table 4.7 Overall Implementation of the Research
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The implementation of the research in each cycle is described in the following
section. Problem Student had low, different level of reading comprehension and motivation Solution Teaching reading using directed reading Students Third year student of Champasak University
Number of cycle
2 cycles
Cycle 1 Directed reading were selected by the teacher from Text book and News papers planning Giving the new materials from Text book and News papers in each of three
meetings. The meeting have introduction, pre-reading, whilst-reading, post-reading and closing.
Action Meeting 1: Health. Genre of the text is information Meeting 2: Boat Racing Festival. Genre of the text is report Meeting 3: Dry season planting. Genre of the text is report Meeting 4: Post-test 1
Observation Students more interested in the text but still lack of confidence in sharing ideas with others, the understanding toward the text is better especially in answering questions, the main idea and paragraph topic. Students more interesting because they know their own cultures and the texts are from their real life.
Reflection Strength: students’ reading comprehension is improved; Directed reading make them paying attention to the text, students came on time with their material. Weaknesses: lack of building vocabulary, the teachers’ material selection is not interesting enough and lack of monitoring, lack of pre-reading activity.
Cycle 2 The texts were selected by students and teacher from internet, newspaper Planning In each meeting uses student chosen material, use more related pictures and mind
mapping in pre-reading activity. Action Meeting 1: teacher selected from other books
Genre of the text is report Meeting 2: students selected from newspaper Genre of the text is report Meeting 3: Post-test 2
Observation Students more active and more confidence in all activities in reading such as discussion about vocabulary, sharing the ideas about the topic, group works is more affective. The class is more fun.
Reflection Students’ reading comprehension has improved significantly such as in answering WH questions, Inference question. The students can identify the main idea and paragraph topic much better, students know how to learn English language by using internet, Newspapers, magazine and all so their culture. The class room situation: very active, the students came to class on time ready with their materials, the discussion about the topic always occurs. The students’ motivation and interesting was very fun or enjoy.
a. Cycle 1
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Class action research using directed reading to improve students’ reading
comprehension was carried out in to cycles. The first cycle use material from Text
book selected by teacher, the second table used material from internet selected by
students and the teacher applied more pre-reading activities.
The overall implementation in cycle 1 can be seen in this table.
The table 4.8 Implementation of cycle 1
Cycle 1 Directed reading were selected by the teacher from Text book/News papers
planning Designing lesson plan Designing handout
Action First meeting Greeting, check on the attendance list Introducing the directed reading take from text book
Topic: Health Pre-reading activity used picture and questions Whilst-reading: the students read silently then underline the
new vocabularies and translated them then answer the question.
Post-reading: encourage students to ask to ask more questions and make their own health and share the work with the class.
Teacher said leave taking.
Second meeting Greeting, check on the attendance list Introducing the directed reading take from Newspaper
Topic: Boat Racing Festival Pre-reading activity used questions, showing related pictures Whilst-reading: the students read silently then underline the
new vocabularies and try to guess the meanings then do exercises.
Post-reading: encourage students to ask more questions and in groups of five they have to give suggestion to Boat Racing Festival and share their work with the class.
Teacher said leave taking.
Third meeting Greeting, check on the attendance list Introducing the directed reading take from Newspaper
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Topic: Dry Season Planting Pre-reading activity used questions, showing related
pictures, mind mapping on the rice field Whilst-reading: the students read silently then underline the
new vocabularies and try to guess the meanings in groups then do exercise in groups.
Post reading: encourage students to ask more questions and in groups of three they have to give suggestion to Dry Season Planting and share their work with the class.
Teacher said leave taking. Fourth meeting post-test
Observation Students came on time with their material. Student didn’t absent. Sts did not talk about unrelated topic. Sts are active in guessing and discussing new vocabularies. Sts did the exercises after finishing their discussion or guessing
the meaning of new vocabularies. Sts reading comprehension are improved by checking their
answers in exercises.
Reflection Directed reading attracts students’ attention Students eased to understand the text The text was still felt difficult for them Directed reading stimulate students’ schemata Directed reading helps students reading comprehension Some students still did not participated fully in discussion Sts who had more vocabulary dominated in discussion The average score increate from 57 in pre-reading into 68 in post-
reading test.
Revised plan • To encourage Sts participated more the discussion is done in group
• To encourage Sts participated more and fun by applying building up schemata discussion and mind mapping
• To make Sts interested more, Sts chose their own topic from internet
There were many activities that were carried out in the first cycle. They were
pre-test, interview the students, sharing ideas with collaborator, designing treatment
and doing post-test.
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In pre-test stage the researcher designed test to find out the students’ reading
comprehension. Before the test was applied, it has been tries out in other class. Then
the researcher analyzed the result to know whether the pre-test item was valid and
reliable by using internal validity and reliability. There are 40 test items focusing on
WH-question, inference question, paragraph topic and main idea.
The researcher interview four students before the treatment were
implemented. The students who were interviewed have different ability in reading
comprehension. One student belonged to the student who has D score in reading
comprehension, one who has C score in reading comprehension, one who has B score
and one who has A in reading comprehension. The focus of interview was about
students’ difficulties in reading comprehension and their effort to improve it. The
researcher also interviews the student after teaching process was done.
The focus of interview was about students’ response toward teaching and
learning activities that they just participated. The result of the interview was
considered in making lesson plan for the next meeting.
In other to make the research runs optimally, the researcher asked two other
English lecturers as my collaborators. The first was Nongkhan Phanthanalai, she is a
head of English Department at Champasak Unisity, Laos’ PDR. She is a young
experienced English lecture since she has been teaching for more than 8 years. The
second was Lakung Daungkhaisone. He is a young experienced English lecture and
lots of time in helping the researcher. They enjoy to discussing about the class action
research because they are never know the research in difference area. Therefore the
researcher was designed by me to the success of the research.
The researcher always discussed many things with collaborators. We talked
about designing the plans that were implemented in the class room. How to observe
what happened in the class room while the researcher was giving treatment to the
students how to correct and score the students’ work. Furthermore the researcher
asked suggestions for better treatment of the classroom practice.
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Based on the pre-test, interviews and reflection of the previous condition, the
researcher designed appropriate treatment that was implemented in the classroom.
The source of the problems was found which the new texts were and the researcher
used directed reading in treatment. In this cycle took four meeting including post-test
and each meeting had opening and pre-reading activity, whilst reading activity, post
reading activity and closing.
1.) Planning
The action plan for the first cycle was based on the problems that were
identified on the pre-research. The problems occurred in pre-research was the
students’ reading comprehension was lows and difference levels. The base indicators
and the problems at (table 4.2) it very challenging to the researcher improve the
students because it is new for students and teachers. To solve this problem, the writer
decided to conduct a research by focusing on improving students’ comprehension
using directed reading.
Before implementing the directed reading in reading class, the researcher
prepared the texts, students’ hand out, lesson plans for guiding in teaching reading
and dividing the teaching into three phases of everything related to the action. The
collaborator observed the whole process of teaching learning process in teaching
reading comprehension.
a.) sharing ideas with collaborators
The researcher discussed and tells to his collaborator in order to make the
research run well. After the discussion there were three points that the researcher
shared with collaborators, first, the text had taken from other book, second and third
had taken from internet, fourth in pre-reading activity I used questionnaires.
There were many reasons why the texts take from internet. Internets there are
unlimited reading texts so the students could select their own topic tor reading class.
By selecting their topic by themselves would increased students motivation. About
arranging the group work, spreading the dominated students would put in the same
group of weak students so they can help each other. The mind mapping used in pre-
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reading activity, mind mapping could stimulate the students’ schemata so they could
participate better in teaching reading comprehension.
Furthermore, the collaborator also gives the researcher suggestion for a better
practice in the next meeting. The collaborator was interested in using directed reading
and suggested to implement directed reading in the classroom. The researcher
presented the directed reading clearly to avoid misunderstanding among them.
Meeting 1 was taken from magazine, meeting 2 was taken from newspaper,
meeting 3 was taken from newspaper and meeting 4 would be post-test.
b.) making lesson plan
The texts had taken from newspapers and selected by the teacher.
Vientianetimes newspaper was chosen to get the text form. There are many reasons in
choosing Vientianetimes; first it contains many texts which tell the students about
what is going on around us and the text contains of real language. Second the text in
the Vientianetimes provide good texts for my students which are interest, relevant to
the students’ needs, represent the type of text that the student will use outside of the
classroom. The third the text can be exploited for teaching purposes, the text is not
too easy or difficult for the students. The directed reading can use to overcome the
problems which were students’ reading comprehension and class situation.
c.) preparing the handing out
The preparation of making a hand out was done by researcher himself, this to
provide students with appropriate text by considering the readability, exploitability,
suitability of the passage. After the text chosen by the students selected, the
researcher write the task which can improve students’ reading comprehension. The
task consists of WH-question, inference question, identify the paragraph topic and
identify the main idea.
d.) dividing the main teaching activities into three stages
Pre-reading, while-reading and post-reading are proved to be very useful to
teach reading. By implementing this strategy the students could comprehend the text
attractively. In pre-reading activity the teacher facilitated the students to build up their
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schemata or their background knowledge, in while reading the teacher facilitated the
students to be active reader to promote dialogue between the reader and the writer in
the post-reading the teacher gave them task to check their understanding the text.
The table 4.9 The teaching reading comprehension was show below
session time activities
Pre-reading 15’ show the picture to the students
let’s students think about the topic
introduce vocabularies taken from the text
have students discussion in the topic
Whilst reading 45’ students read the text silently
asking question in orally
have students think and discuss about
vocabularies, means idea, paragraph, etc
students answer the questions after read the text
students write their own topic
Post-reading 30 students works in groups of 4,5 or 6
choose their own topic
groups of presented
asking questions
students practice at home by using the free topic
e.) designing post-test 1 Post-test was a mean to assess students’ achievement after they had sufficient
opportunities for learning in cycle 1 which was consist of three meetings. The result
of the post-test 1 was for assessing the success of the students and making adjustment
in the lesson plan for the next cycle. The researcher came to agreement that the post-
test 1 conducted in the form of the written test. The test consist of forty questions
include WH-question, inference question, identify topic paragraph and identify mean
idea.
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2.) Implementation the action
In cycle 1, the researcher carried out three meetings. The first meeting of this
cycle was attended 30 students of the whole students of En 3/2; 12 male students and
18 female students.
a.) First meeting
On 15 November 2010, Monday at 8:00 AM then lesson started in pre-reading
activity the teacher greeted students by saying “Good morning everybody. How are
you all?” the students answered “Good morning sir. I am fine, thank you and you?”
the teacher answered “I am very well. Thanks.” After that the researcher checks the
attendance list. In pre-reading activities the teacher shows a picture and asked
students “What kind of this picture?” “Strong women” answer student LM and
followed by others. Teacher asked Ss “have you ever had malaria?” answered
student “No, I haven’t. And I don’t want to. Malaria is a terrible disease!” Teacher
said “I know. Did you know malaria is carried by mosquitoes, not the males?” then
Ss asked “Is it?” Teacher said “yes, it’s only female mosquitoes that bite people.
Male mosquitoes don’t bite people”. Ss asked “if they don’t bite, how do they live?”
(This conversation will continue to include other students. The mean subjects to come
back to are what health they had) teacher took a note: During all the interaction the
teacher listens with interest to student’s comments. The teacher gives feedback after
each comment, making sure to let the students realize that they do already know a lot.
Teacher toll them the topic they are going to learn and the title of the article, taken
from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) An integrated, graded course for
agricultural student and staff. Then asked Ss in groups to think of and list vocabulary
items that relates to article. The teacher told them that the text today was Health.
In whilst reading activities in this stage began with read silently and
underlying the difficult words in the text about health. Then the students read silently
underlined the new vocabularies. The teacher asked the students to read the text
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individually and underlined the difficult words. When students finished underlying
the difficult words, they were asked to guess the meaning. Student Na said to her
peers “too much people were died from malaria” and other students said “If my
health strong is better than too have much money” means many people would like to
have a good health.
After couple minutes underlying the difficult words the teacher said “please
try to find the meaning of your difficult words” Some students used a dictionary,
some used electric dictionary and even some of the students copied their friends’
work. The teacher give reminds the students to work by themselves by saying “Do it
with your partner, please!” after sometime the teacher said “when you finish reading
and no more questions on difficult words, do the task in pairs, please”. The students
work on the task and answer questions. Teacher said who is a volunteer to answer
question number one. Student S answer, “Number two”…then teacher correct.
In post reading the teacher said “after finished discussion on the task, now
work in group of five create your own health report orally”. So they make in group
and talked about what they wanted to say. Fifteen minutes later the teacher asked the
students “have you finished your health report?” Only one group was ready which
were students Plu, M, S, F, A and T. they came forward in front of the black board
and presented their work in orally. The teacher said that “that’s all for today. Thank
you for attentions. See you on next day.
The teacher said good bye and the class and at 9:40 AM.
b.) Second meeting
On 19 November 2010, Friday, at 8:00 AM then lesson started.
In pre-reading activity the teacher greeted students by saying “Good morning
everybody. How are you all?” the students answered “Good morning sir. I am fine,
thank you and you?” the teacher answered “I am very well. Thanks.” After that the
researcher checks the attendance list. Teacher made conversation with students.
Teacher asked students “So Gay… what do you thinks reading text of cultures in
Laos?” Ss answered “The cultures reading text in Laos? I like to read it! I love all
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kinds of reading texts from culture in Laos. I like to joy the cultures activity of every
month. I love Laos New Year on April. I love to play on Bounpee Mai Laos and I love
BounOkPhansa, cte. Teacher continues the conversation and said that “ThatLaung
festival, too” then Ss say “Yes….the old culture for 450 years old”. Teacher said
“Really? And are you familiar with all those devices? Ss answered “I am familiar
with a lot of them”. (This conversation will continue to include other students. The
mean subjects to come back to are what the culture they had). Teacher took a note
“During all the interaction the teacher listens with interest to student’s comments. The
teacher gives feedback after each comment, making sure to let the students realize
that they do already know a lot. Teacher gives a text to students. In pre-reading
activities the teacher showed a picture and asked students “What kind of this
picture?” “Boat racing festival” Do you like “Boat racing festival” asked the teacher.
Some students response by saying “yes, I do” The teacher asked “when is Boat
racing festival?” Some students said “In November” then the teacher asked again
“who is the winner” Some students said “I don’t know sir” then the teacher gave
them pictures, some questions and texts. This time they could answer because they
known their culture in every year on full moon of November after Boun Okphansa
they had Boat racing festival. In whilst reading activities in this stage began with read
silently and underlying the difficult words in the text. Then the students read silently
underlined the new vocabularies. The teacher asked the students to read the text
individually and underlined the difficult words. When students finished underlying
the difficult words, they were asked to guess the meaning. After sometime the teacher
said “when you finish reading and no more questions on difficult words, do the task
in pairs, please”. The students worked on the task seriously and answer questions.
About twenty minute’s teacher said “let’s discuss together the answers of the task”.
During the discussion and answering questions on domination of students occurs
because the teacher spread up the dominated students in to different groups. In post-
reading the teacher said “when you finished reading, discussing and no more
questions, now in group of five write about Boat racing festival” So they make in
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group and talked about what they wanted to say. Fifteen minutes later the teacher
asked the students “have you finished to describe your Boat racing festival in your
village?” almost all group completed their task. Then each group said in oral of Boat
racing festival. The teacher said that “that’s all for today. Thank you for attentions.
See you on next week. Students V and M said “who! Clear and quickly”
The teacher said good bye and the class and at 9:40 AM.
c.) Third meeting
On 22 November 2010, Monday at 8:00 AM then lesson started in pre-reading
activity the teacher greeted students by saying “Good morning everybody. How are
you all?” the students answered “Good morning sir. I am fine, thank you and you?”
the teacher answered “I am very well. Thanks.” After that the researcher checks the
attendance list. Teacher makes conversation with students “What is your father job?”
Some Ss answers “Teacher, Farmer, Doctor, etc” Teacher continues the
conversation “How many seasons does your father do in a year?”
Ss answer “two season sir and then teacher ask students “did you ever help your
father?” Ss answer “yes, I did.” (This conversation will continue to include other
students. Then teacher take note: During all the interaction the teacher listens with
interest to student’s comments. The teacher gives feedback after each comment,
making sure to let the students realize that they do already know a lot.
In pre-reading activities the teacher asked students “How many season in
Laos” “Two, sir. It’s rainy season and dry season” then teacher shows a picture and
asked students “what this picture is?” Students said “farmers” and teacher asked
again “What is your father do/job” Some students answered “Farmer, doctor,
teacher, solder, etc” “What kind of job do you like?” Teacher asked. “Some answers
and some don’t know”. The teacher told them that the topic is Dry season planting
near completion. Then the teacher gave the pictures, some questions and texts to
students. Then the students read silently underlined the new vocabularies. The teacher
asked the students to read the text individually and underlined the difficult words.
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When students finished underlying the difficult words, they were asked to guess the
meaning.
When students finished underlying the difficult words, they were asked to
guess the meaning. After sometime the teacher said “when you finish reading and
have you got any questions so far? If no more questions on difficult words do the task
in pairs, please”. The students worked on the task seriously and answered questions.
About twenty minutes teacher said “let’ discuss together the answers of the task.
During the discussion and answering questions on domination of students occurs
because the teacher spread up the dominated students in to different groups. In post-
reading the teacher said “when you finished reading, discussing and no more
questions, now in group of five write about planting season” So they make in group
and talked about what they wanted to say. Fifteen minutes later the teacher asked the
students “have you finished your Dry season planting?” almost all group completed
their task. Then each group said in oral of Dry season planting. The teacher said that
“that’s all for today. Thank you for attentions. See you on next week.
The teacher said good bye and the class and at 9:40 AM.
d.) Fourth meeting
In this meeting students did post-test 1 consisted of forty items. It was held at
8:00 A.M, on November, 26th 2010. It was the same test applied in pre-test. The test
was done international to measure students’ achievement before and after the
treatment.
3.) Observation
When the research implemented the teaching reading using directed reading,
the activities observed with the collaborator, the collaborator wrote observation result
on field notes and took pictures. In generally using directed reading in reading class
ran well. The class room situation was alive and exciting. The directed reading text
can attract students’ attention to focus on text. Furthermore showing the related
pictures and asking questions on building up students’ schemata make the students’
curiosity increased. The eagerness of the students could be seen from the way how
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they ask questions and how many questions they asked about the topic and the fact
that no one absent in the third meeting. Furthermore the students brought the reading
text with them. Most of students could enjoy read the text and participated in all
activities.
Nevertheless, the result of cycle 1 was not satisfactory yet because there were
some of weaknesses during the implementation the directed reading.
Table 4.10 The scores of Post-test 1
No Explanation Students’ score
1 Highest 100
2 Lowest 45
3 Average 68
Table 4.11 The result of the grade, mean scores and complete of Questions in post-test 1
Grade/Score Students percentage Not complete Complete
A(80-100) 6 20.0 %
B(70-79) 6 20.0 %
C(60-69) 10 33.3 %
D(50-59) 6 20.0 %
F(0-49) 2 06.7 %
Mean score 68 10 = 33.3 % 66. 7 %
Number of Students 30 Students 30 Students 30 Students
4.) Reflecting the observation results
Base on the observation results which were written in field notes, pictures and
the collaborator and the researcher reflected some positive result and weaknesses in
cycle 1, they are:
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a.) Positive results
Using directed reading text from newspaper, internet, magazines and other
book to attract students’ attention to the text.
Students’ reading comprehension was improved particularly in answering WH
questions, inference question; identify the paragraph topic and the mean idea.
The students’ participated well, it can be seen that no one absent and low in
reading skill.
More students asked questions in class.
Most of students or groups could bring their reading texts to the class.
b.) Weaknesses
A few students still reluctant to read the text.
Good students dominated the class.
On the base of the weaknesses, the teacher should to urge on reading to give
more activities, work in groups and the text will should table for the students. Using
the good students to support the weak students and try to ask them the questions.
5.) Revising the plan
To overcome the problems arising in cycle one, the researcher revised the plan
for the next cycle, so that the problems would not occur any more. The plan for the
next cycle would be more focused on improving students’ motivation to read,
reducing the domination for good student and more pre-reading activity.
b. Cycle 2
In the cycle 2, the produce is the same with the research in cycle 1. Base on
the result of young experience teachers from the cycle 1, the researcher designed
appropriate treatment that was implemented in the classroom. The source of problem
in cycle 1 was found which were; some students did not participated fully in
discussion, and students who had more vocabulary dominated in discussion, lack of
pre-reading activities. In other to overcome those problems directed reading were
taken from internet in order to increase the students’ interest in the reading. As we
know that unlimited texts can we get from internet. Furthermore I asked the students
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to select their own topic and their own text for the next lesson. I believe that when the
students chose their own topic they would interest in the topic so much and they
would participate fully. As we know student centered is more accepted. To overcome
the shy students when I asked them to work in groups with other peers who have
better performance in reading. In pre-reading activity I used mind-mapping. The
implementation of cycle 2 can be seen in the table below.
The table 4.12 Implementation of cycle 2
Cycle 2 Using Directed reading taken from other text book, internet and students chose their own topic from internet or news paper. planning Designing lesson plan and handout from the chosen materials by
students Action Meeting 1
Greeting, check on the attendance list Pre-reading activity used questions, showing related pictures,
mind mapping Topic: Future technology
Whilst-reading: the students read silently then underline the new vocabularies, try to guess the meaning or discussed in group and do exercises in groups.
Post-reading: encourages the group to ask more questions and ask them to write their own favorite future technology, why? And share the work with the class.
Teacher said leave taking. Meeting 2
Greeting, check on the attendance list Pre-reading activity used questions, showing related pictures,
mind mapping Topic: Boun Bang Fai
Whilst-reading: the students read silently then underline the new vocabularies and try to guess the meanings or discussed in groups and do exercises in groups.
Post-reading: encourage the group of students to ask more questions and ask them to write their own favorite Boun Bang Fai, why and share their work with the class.
Teacher said leave taking. Meeting 3: Post-test 2
Observation Students enjoy with their text or materials. Sts are active in guessing and discussing new vocabularies.
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Sts’ interesting is creasing a lot in the chosen topic. Sts reading comprehension are improved by checking their answers in
exercises. Reflection Directed reading was chosen by students from internet can attract Sts’
interest highly, fun and make them participate fully in all activities in reading class.
Sts are able to answer WH-questions, inference question, identify paragraph topic and identify mean idea well.
Mind mapping pictures absolutely help Sts’ schemata. Directed reading absolutely helps students reading comprehension. Working in groups helps the shy and show students in participating. Some Sts learnt to access internet, newspaper, magazine, other book. Not every Sts is reading comprehension is improved. Some Sts have difficulties on accessing on the internet. The average score increate from 68 in post-reading test 1 into 72 in
post-reading test 2.
1. Planning the action
The action plan for cycle 2 was done, after reflecting the observation result in
cycle 1, the researcher found the weakness of cycle 1. To overcome the weaknesses
of cycle 1 the researcher revised the plan was follow: (1) using directed reading from
the internet which was selected by students. By having the texts that chose by
students, it would increase the students’ motivation. (2) Group work and the spread
the good students. By spreading dominated students, it is hoped that the dominated
help the weak students. (3) Using mind mapping in pre-reading activity. By using
mind mapping, it is hoped that mind mapping could stimulate students’ schemata.
The researcher prepared the texts, students’ hand out with exercise and lesson
plan as guidance in teaching and everything related to the implementation.
a) sharing ideas with collaborators
The researcher discussed and tells to his collaborator in order to make the
research continuous. After that the researcher design to use the texts, there were three
points that the researcher shared with collaborators, first the text had taken from other
book, second and third had taken from internet, fourth in pre-reading activity I used
questionnaires.
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There were many reasons why the texts take from internet. Internets there are
unlimited reading texts so the students could select their own topic tor reading class.
By selecting their topic by themselves would increased students motivation. About
arranging the group work, spreading the dominated students would put in the same
group of weak students so they can help each other. The mind mapping used in pre-
reading activity, mind mapping could stimulate the students’ schemata so they could
participate better in teaching learning process.
b) making lesson plan
The texts had taken from newspapers and selected by the teacher.
Vientianetimes newspaper was chosen to get the text form. There are many reasons in
choosing Vientianetimes; first it contains many texts which tell the students about
what is going on around us and the text contains of real language. Second the text
were selected by students from the Vientianetimes provide good texts for students
which are interest, relevant to the students’ needs, represent the type of text that the
student will use outside of the classroom. The third the text can be exploited for
teaching purposes, the text is not too easy or difficult for the students. The directed
reading can use to overcome the problems which were students’ reading
comprehension and class situation.
c) preparing handing out
The preparation of making a hand out was done by researcher himself, this to
provide students with appropriate text by considering the readability, exploitability,
suitability of the passage. After the text chosen by the students selected, the
researcher write the task which can improve students’ reading comprehension. The
task consists of WH-question, inference question, identify the paragraph topic and
identify the main idea.
d) dividing the main teaching activities into three stages
Pre-reading while-reading and post-reading are proved to be very useful to
teach reading. By implementing this strategy the students could comprehend the text
attractively. In pre-reading activity the teacher facilitated the students to build up their
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schemata or their background knowledge, in while reading the teacher facilitated the
students to be active reader to promote dialogue between the reader and the writer in
the post-reading the teacher gave them task to check their understanding the text.
e) designing post-test
Post-test was a mean to assess students’ achievement after they had sufficient
opportunities for learning in cycle 1. The result of the post-test was for assessing the
success of the students and making adjustment in the lesson plan for the next cycle.
The researcher came to agreement that the post-test conducted in the form of the
written test. The test consist of forty questions include WH-question, inference
question, identify topic paragraph and identify mean idea.
2. Implementing the action
In second cycle, the researcher carried out the activities base on the designing
planning. The researcher asked the students what kind of topics they got from
internet, newspaper, and other books. There were many reading texts with vary
topics. Before starting the lesson, the text was selected and the researcher made the
hand out accordingly. The second cycle was conducted in to meeting. Each meeting
was divided in to three stages: pre-reading, whilst-reading and post-reading then
closing.
a) First meeting A
In cycle 2, the researcher carried two meetings. The first meeting of this cycle
was attended the whole students of En 3/2 with total 30 students; 12 male students
and 18 female students.
Like in previous meeting, teaching reading activities began with:
On 29 November 2010, Monday at 8:00 AM then lesson started in pre-reading
activity the teacher greeted students by saying “Good morning everybody. How are
you all?” the students answered “Good morning sir. I am fine, thank you and you?”
the teacher answered “I am very well. Thanks.” After that the researcher checks the
attendance list. Teacher made conversation with students to allow students in oral by
said that “So Gay… what do you think of digital technology?” Ss said “Digital
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technology? I love it! I love all kind of digital technology. I love personal computers.
I love mobile phones. I love digital cameras. I love to see movies on digital TVs. I
love the Internet and I love DVDs.” Then teacher said “DVDs, too?” Ss said
“Yes….digital video disks. I love just every kind of digital device you could think of!”
Teacher said “Really? And are you familiar with all those devices?” Ss said “I am
familiar with a lot of them.” (This conversation will continue to include other
students. The mean subjects to come back to are what business they had) and teacher
took a note: During all the interaction the teacher listens with interest to student’s
comments. The teacher gives feedback after each comment, making sure to let the
students realize that they do already know a lot.
In pre-reading activities the teacher mind mapping, the topic was future
technology. The teacher asked students to make conversation “what kind of
technology do you like?” they answered eagerly “mobile phone, TV, computer,
bicycle, plane, car, etc” the teacher show mobile phone and said “attention please,
everybody who has mobile phone came forward and wrote a word that related to
technology of mobile phone on the white board” many students participated in this
activities by writing words related to mobile phone including new technology that we
use in everyday. Then teacher asked their favorite mobile phone, computer and show
them pictures. Finally the teacher told them the topic that was going to be learnt.
In whilst reading activities in this stage began with read silently and
underlying the difficult words in the text. Then the students read silently underlined
the new vocabularies. The teacher asked the students to read the text individually and
underlined the difficult words. When students finished underlying the difficult words,
they were asked to guess the meaning. Then teacher said “when you finished reading
try to guess the meaning of your difficult words, please”. The students worked on the
task seriously to guess them meaning with their friends in group where the good
students were placed in different group. About twenty minute’s teacher said “let’s
discuss together the answers of the task. During the discussion and answering
questions on domination of students occurs because the teacher spread up the
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dominated students in to different groups. In post-reading the teacher said “when you
finished, discussing okay we discuss together in correct answers” almost all group
completed their answers.
In post reading the students were encouraged to ask more questions on
difficult words by saying “anymore questions about the text” the students answers
“no”. At the end students were asked to make the list of their favorite new
technology and share with the class. One group shared in the class about china new
technology in mobile phone.
The teacher encouraged the students to enjoy reading and told them how
important reading is and said good bye. The class end at 9:40 AM.
b) Second meeting
On 03 December 2010, Friday at 8:00 AM then lesson started in pre-reading
activity the teacher greeted students by saying “Good morning everybody. How are
you all?” the students answered “Good morning sir. I am fine, thank you and you?”
the teacher answered “I am very well. Thanks.” After that the researcher checks the
attendance list.
In pre-reading activities the teacher mind mapping of lesson plan and show
the picture about the topic. The topic was mapping of culture. The students selected
the topic. When the teacher did the mind mapping on the culture many students wrote
words related to culture. Then the teacher asked about the culture in Laos while
showing the picture. Many students remind of their memories on Boun Bang Fai
Festival. Student K said “oh, I enjoy in my village” Finally the teacher told the
students’ about the topic that was going to be learnt.
Whilst reading activities in this stage began with read silently and underlying
the difficult words in the text. Then the students read silently underlined the new
vocabularies. The teacher asked the students to read the text individually and
underlined the difficult words. After couple minutes students underlying the difficult
words, they were asked to guess the meaning. Then teacher said “when you finish
reading try to guess the meaning of your difficult words, please”. The students work
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on the task seriously to guess them meaning with their friends in group where the
good students were placed in different group. About twenty minutes teacher said “let’
discuss together the answers of the task. When there was no discussion anymore the
teacher asked students to do exercises in the hand out in groups. Then the teacher and
students discussed the answers together in class.
In post-reading the students were encouraged to ask more questions on
difficult words. At the end the students in groups made the list of the cause of Boun
Bang Fai Festival and enjoy with sharing in their class. The students who were low of
learner said “I enjoy and easy to learn English language in groups”. Then the teacher
said “well done Mr. F.”
The teacher encouraged the students to enjoy reading and told them how
important reading is and said good bye. The class end at 9:40 AM.
c) Third meeting (post-test)
The whole students of En3/2 students participated in the post test. The total
number of students was 30 students. The post test was in the form of written test
consist of 40 question including WH question, inference question, identify paragraph
and identify main idea.
3. Observation the action
When the research implemented the teaching reading using directed reading,
the activities were discuss to observe with the collaborator, the collaborator wrote
observation result on field notes and pictures. In generally using directed reading in
reading class ran well. The class room situation was alive and exciting. The directed
reading text can attract students’ attention to focus on text. Furthermore showing the
related pictures and asking questions on building up students’ schemata make the
students’ curiosity increased. The eagerness of the students could be seen from the
way how they ask questions and how many questions they asked about the topic and
the fact that no one absent in the third meeting. Furthermore the students brought the
reading text with them. Most of students could enjoy read the text and participated in
all activities.
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Nevertheless, the result of cycle 2 still had a little weakness during the
implementation test score didn’t increased. A few students still conversation to each
other. Their written test score didn’t increased. Anyway, most of them suggested that
directed reading should be applies in teaching reading skill.
Table 4.13 The scores of Post-test 2
No Explanation Students’ score
1 Highest 100
2 Lowest 50
3 Average 72
The table 4.14 The result of grade, mean scores and complete Questions in post-test 2
Grade/Score Students percentage Not complete Complete
A (80-100) 7 23.3 %
B (70-79) 8 26.7 %
C (60-69) 10 33.3 %
D (50-59) 5 16.7 %
F (0-49) 0 0 %
Mean score 72 06 = 20 % 24 = 80 %
Number of Students 30 Students 30 Students 30 Students
4. Reflecting the observation results
Base on the observation results which were written in field notes, pictures and
the collaborator and the researcher reflected some positive result and weaknesses in
cycle 1, they are:
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a) Positive results
Using directed reading text from newspaper, internet, magazines and other
book to attract students’ attention to the text.
Letting the students chose their own topic increased their motivation
marvelously.
Students’ reading comprehension was improved particularly in answering WH
questions, inference question; identify the paragraph topic and the mean idea.
The students’ participated well, it can be seen that no one absent and low in
reading skill.
More students asked questions in class and participated more in mind
mapping.
Each groups participated equally in guessing and discussing the text.
Most of students or groups could bring their reading texts to the class.
b) Weaknesses
A few students still reluctant to read the text.
A few students still discussed in other topics.
c. Final Reflection
In the generals of two cycles which were implemented can overcome the
reading comprehension problems in my reading class and lack of motivation towards
reading activity. The improvement can be seen from students’ answering WH
question and inference question, indentify paragraph topic and main idea. Also
students are motivations toward reading activity. Through the observation of teaching
learning process I can still see that not every student participate fully in reading class
activity. The students who intend to copy their friends’ work and absent did not make
significant progress.
In future I am going to use directed reading, especially in my classroom. I will
give task on choosing their own topic from internet in order to keep their interest
towards in reading. When their motivation is high towards reading as a result their
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understanding towards the text is also increased. Group working is also effective in
encouraging slowing students to participate more.
3. Research Findings
This class action research is the teachers’ way to overcome the students’
problem in reading comprehension. I found some findings to answer the problems
which are: a) Can and to what extent directed reading text can improve students’
reading comprehension? b) How is the process of teaching and learning situation
when using directed reading texts are used in the classroom? The data were collected
through several sources such as: interview, questionnaire, and photograph, lesson
plan and hand outs. This section focusing on answering research questions in chapter
1 as well as describes other findings during the implementation of directed reading in
classroom.
The problems can be solved by using directed reading in teaching reading
skill. The implementation of directed reading in reading class consists of two cycles
and each cycle consists of four meetings. In each meeting gradually the students’
reading comprehension increased and their motivation to read is higher. Two major’s
aspects in students’ improvement are: (1) the reading comprehension which is
included their capability in answering WH question and inference question and
identify paragraph topic and main idea. (2) The classroom situation when the directed
reading text used in reading class. The result of the research can be seen more detail
in table 4.15
Table 4.15 Research Finding
A. Students’ reading comprehension
Before the implementation of directed After the implementation of directed
reading reading
1. Students cannot answer WH-question well • Ss can answer WH-question well • Ss can complete the exercise quicker
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2. Students cannot answer inference Q well • Ss can answer inference Q well • Ss can complete the exercise quicker
3. Students cannot identify the paragraph topic • Ss can identify the paragraph topic • Ss can complete the exercise quicker
4. Students cannot identify the mean idea • Ss can identify the mean idea • Ss can complete the exercise quicker
5. Student’s mean score was 57 • Ss’ mean score in pre-test 68 • Ss’ mean score in post-test 72
6. Ss needed extra time to complete the task • Ss complete the task on time
7. Ss hesitated to guess the meaning of new words
• Ss were confident to guess the new words
8. Ss hesitated to share their ideas • Ss were confident to share their ideas
B. Classroom situation when teaching using directed reading implemented
Before the implementation of directed reading After the implementation of directed reading
9. Students has low motivation • Ss had high motivation
10. Students don’t like reading • Students love reading
11. Students culture awareness is low • Students culture awareness is high
12. Students interested is low • Students interested is high
13. Students come without their reading material • Students bring their reading material
14. Students talk about unrelated topic • Students talk about related topic
15. Students do not ask question • Ss ask many questions to the teacher and their peers
16. Students do not participate in discuss • Students participate in discuss eagerly
17. Student do the exercises reluctantly • Student do the exercises without being asked
18. Teacher dominated in choosing the topic • Ss chose their reading topic
19. Teacher did monotonous pre-reading activity • Teacher did vary pre-reading activity
20. Teacher always uses the text book • Teacher uses vary the text book, materials
21. Teacher has no sense in selecting materials • Teacher improve on selecting texts
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The improvement of students’ reading comprehension and class situation in
table 4.7 because the students paid attention and interested in reading texts which
have connection with their likes so they are familiar with the topics. When the topic
talks about Boun Bang Fai that is a Laos’ culture, the students felt familiar with the topic. This is the comment of student Lattana says “ຖ້າວ່າ ໃຊ້ບົດຫັດອ່ານຈາກ
ວັດທະນະທຳລາວ ຂ້ອຍຮູ້ ແລະ ມັກຮຽນຫລາຍ” “if the reading text was taken from
the cultures know well and like it” furthermore during the implementation of directed
reading text the students have learn al lots of vocabulary and translate in to second
language. By having an adequate vocabulary the students are easier to comprehend the text. “ຖ້າວ່າ ໃຊ້ບົດຫັດອ່ານຈາກ ໜັງສືພີມ ຂ້ອຍຮູ້ ແລະ ຄຳສັບກໍງາຍ,
ຂ້ອຍສາມາດເດົາໄດ້” “if the reading text was taken from newspaper I know, I can
read it easier and can guess the meaning”
When directed reading was implemented the students read a lot of kind of
texts and as a result the students’ vocabulary increased rapidly. The students used
many strategies in learning vocabulary during the teaching learning process.
Furthermore the students’ motivation was increased amazingly as a result the class
situation got much better when the directed reading were implemented, motivation to
reading the text, to know that what is the text about, to know what does the writer
want to say in the text. The motivation here is the key to encourage themselves to
participate in reading skill.
The improvement of the students after directed reading implemented also can
be seen in the result of Post-tests. There were two post-tests; Post-test 1 was the post-
test after cycle 1 completed and Post-test 2 was completed. The result of Post-test
described in the Table 4.16.
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t
s
t
h
t
c
d
c
T
Grade/Sco
A(80-100
B(70-79)
C(60-69)
D(50-59)
F(0-49)
Mean scor
Number oStudents
The
test 1 is 68
students and
the result of
higher than
the t-table (2
concluded th
directed read
comprehens
Grap
Table 4.16 T
re Pre-tes
0) 3
) 5
) 5
) 4
13
re
of 3
table above
and the me
d the mean s
f the t-test for
the t-table (
2.02) at the d
hat there is s
ding compre
ion is show
phic 4.17 Th
0
50
100
The Score o
st percenta
10.0 %
16.0 %
16.0 %
13.3 %
43.3 %
57
30 Students
shows the m
ean score o
score was fr
r non indepe
(2.02), and i
degree of sig
significant d
ehension. Th
in the graph
he mean Sco
Pre Test,
of Pre-test, P
age Post-test
% 6
% 6
% 10
% 6
% 2
3
mean score p
of post-test 2
rom the total
endent score
in cycle 2 th
gnificant a 0
difference be
he students’
hic below.
ore of Pre-te
Post Test I,
Post-test 1 a
t 1 percenta
20.0 %
20.0 %
33.3 %
20.0 %
6.7 %
68
0 Students
pre-test is 57
2 is 72. The
l of score an
, the t-comp
he t-computa
.05, so >
etween them
mean score
est, Post-tes
Post Test II
and Post-tes
age Post-test
% 7
% 8
% 10
% 15
% 0
30
7, the mean
e total of st
nd divided b
putation in cy
ation (2.81)
, is rej
m. It can be c
e improvem
st 1 and Pos
st 2
t 2 percentag
23.3 %
26.7 %
33.3 %
16.7 %
0.0 %
72
0 Students
score of po
tudent was
by 30. Base
ycle 1 (5.75)
is higher th
jected and it
concluded th
ment of readi
t-test 2
Stud
entsof
30
ge
%
%
%
%
%
st-
30
on
) is
han
t is
hat
ing
Stud
ents of 3
0
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It showed that the students’ reading comprehension is increasing significantly.
The students’ confidences in doing the exercises are increased, also the correctness
and time efficiency. Before the directed reading was implemented the students always
needed extra time to complete the exercise and the correctness of their answers was
low.
The finding of teaching learning process described there were some changes
before and after the directed reading implemented in reading class. During the
implementation of directed reading the teaching learning process was inspiring and
exciting; many students asked questions about the topic that make the class alive,
there were enthusiastic among the students about new vocabulary and try to guess the
meaning including the shy students. Just before they share their work with their peers, one of the shy student say “ຂ້ອຍຜູ້ໜື່ງ ທີ່ມີຄວາມກ້າວໜ້າ
ໃນການສະແດງເປັນກູ່ມ” “I were the one toward in presenting in the group” this
situation made me over the moon. At that time the topic was Boat Racing festival.
When the text relevant to students’ life implemented, the students were more
confidence and motivated to read and comprehends the text and directed reading
provide that better when students choose their own topic in reading. There were many
marvelous students’ comments about the teaching learning process using directed
reading. Student P says “now the reading class is interesting and inspiring especially
the text taken from internet and newspaper that related with my live, culture and we
can choose the topic”. The student S says “I enjoy the reading class very much”, he is
one of the students who were low in English language. Almost everybody stated in
their interview that they enjoy reading class. Even better all of them spoke in English.
The result of the questionnaire supported the using of directed reading in
reading was fun and interesting. The student stated that they enjoyed and motivated to
read more. The result of the questionnaire can be seen in Table 4.18
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Table 4.18 The Result of Questionnaires
No Questionnaires Students’
response Percentage
1 Text in reading take from internet, newspaper are interesting
always 100 %
2 Using directed reading make the students comprehend the text easier and need more
always usually sometime
50 % 35 % 15 %
3 The length using directed reading make the students interested, enjoy in reading the text
always usually
70 % 30 %
4 The topic connects with students’ lives and they can follow
usually sometime
70 % 20 %
5 The text from the internet, newspaper and magazine are related to their live
rarely sometime
85 % 15 %
6 The students can choose their own topic always 100 %
7 Using directed reading increase their vocabulary
always
sometime
80 % 20 %
8 The text from the internet, newspaper, magazine and other book is convenience
always sometime
70 % 30 %
9 They want the teacher to use the text from the internet, newspaper, magazine and other books
always sometime
95 % 5 %
10 Usage directed reading in teaching reading motivate students to study more reading comprehension
always usually
90 % 10 %
The table above showed that the students had positive attitude about using
directed reading in reading skill. The students loved having reading class; they could
not wait to have reading class so when a student who was low in English language
says “Mr. Souk I never learn English well like this before”. Besides they could
improve their reading comprehension, they also got the update information about
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what is going on around them so they have an intrinsic educational value. The most
important thing is the students love reading.
C. Discussion
This research is an action research which is implementing directed reading to
improve students’ reading comprehension. The results this research was satisfying in
term of: (1) the improvement of students’ reading comprehension; (2) the
improvement of classroom situation. Each point is described more detail as flows:
1. the improvement of students’ reading comprehension
Base on the finding is can be theorized that the use of directed reading can
improve the students’ reading comprehension. The improvement can be concluded
from their score. Before the implementation of directed reading was low but after
implementing directed reading the score was much higher.
As we know that reading always have a purpose and when the directed
reading implemented the students’ purpose to comprehend the text is higher and also
directed reading provides familiar the topic those are the reasons why the students are
easier to comprehend the text. Comprehension is the process of making sense of
words, sentences and connected text. Reader usually use of background knowledge,
vocabulary, grammatical knowledge, and new experience with text. Urguhart states
any valid account of reading process much consider such cognitive aspect as reading
strategies, inference, memory, relating text to background knowledge, or well as
decoding and obvious language aspects as syntax and lexical knowledge (1998: 18)
and The goal of reading is comprehension (Nunan, 2003: 68) also . Nuttal state that
are some word that relate with the definition of reading, those are understanding,
interpreting and meaning sense, decoding, deciphering, identifying, articulating,
speaking and pronouncing (1989: 2).
This study analyzed the reading lessons of Champasak University, Laos’
teachers to investigate whether their instructional practices were related to their
students’ motivation and reading comprehension scores. The reading lessons of the
teachers were analyzed according to the dimensions of the Motivating Instructional
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Context Inventory. Students' subjective reports on their motivation and their teachers’
teaching performance, and their reading comprehension scores were collected. The
cultural text showed that students tended to have better reading comprehension scores
when their teachers provided more cognitive support and used more motivating
instructional practices to motivate them to read.
2. The improvement of the Classroom Situation
a. The directed reading can increase students’ motivation
The research findings showed that the use of directed reading can improve
students’ participation and motivation in teaching learning reading skill. The
students’ participate more actively in reading because they are interested in the text
and of course their motivation to comprehend the text is higher. That is why the class
becomes inspiring and interesting. The finding is in line Reading is fluent process of
reader combining information from a text and their own background knowledge to
build meaning. The goal of reading is comprehension (Nunan, 2003: 68). Reading is
the process of understanding written language. It begins with a flutter of patterns on
the retina and ends (when successful) with a definite idea about the author’s intended
message. Thus reading is at once a “perceptual” and a “cognitive” process. It is a
process that bridges and blurs these two traditional distinctions (Rumelhart, 1994:
864).
From the statement above it can be concluded that reading is a process of
getting information and message from written language. In understanding the
message from written language, the reader much has background knowledge. Hence
in the process of reading the reader much combine their background knowledge and
the content of the text. Besides, they should combine their interference, memory and
the strategy of reading. Urguhart states any valid account of reading process much
consider such cognitive aspect as reading strategies, inference, memory, relating text
to background knowledge, or well as decoding and obvious language aspects as
syntax and lexical knowledge (1998: 18)
b. The directed reading can increase students’ cultural awareness
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The directed reading was taken from newspaper, literature book, magazine
and internet and so on where the language they use for native speaker, so the text also
has cultural value because language and culture is inseparable. When students read
the directed reading text, they were having cultural understanding. This statement is
supported by Brown (2001: 64) he stated that anytime you successfully learn a
language, you will also learn something of culture of the speakers of that language.
So the students not only learn the language but also the culture.
c. The directed reading can increase students’ interest in reading
The students have a very positive behavior towards the use of directed reading
text in teaching reading. The students enjoyed and interested in reading. They wanted
to read more and more text. The source of directed reading is unlimited that is why
students have always vary text and the students can exposure the real language used
in real life. We can divide reasons for reading into two broad categories: instrumental
and pleasurable reading. We can speak about instrumental reading when we want to
achieve some clear aim. For example, we read instructions on a machine because we
want to know how to operate it. A brochure is read if tourists need some pieces of
information about a spot of interest etc. Pleasurable reading takes place for pleasure.
People read magazines while away their free time. In both types of reading, readers
are interested in the topics either because they find them useful or because they find
them interesting.
If students good understand, they learn well, learn more and learn best.
3. Other finding: teacher’s Improvement on selecting a good text for reading
Other finding in this research is dealing with the teacher. When I implemented
the directed reading for reading class, I improved in many ways. First, I am better in
selecting directed reading since not every directed reading text is suitable for the
students. Second, I become more familiar with them since I discussed a lot during the
implementations. I noticed my students’ interest, fun, and problems in reading so that
I can find a suitable way to help them in improving their reading comprehension.
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4. Other finding: Students’ positive response toward using directed reading in
reading class.
At the end of my conducted, I gave the questionnaire to the students to find
out the students’ responses toward using directed reading in reading class. This
finding is described in table 4.19 in previous section. All of the students agree about
using directed reading in reading class and almost every student agree on that using
directed reading make them interested in reading. Furthermore, when the students
choose their own topic it make them more motivated and fell more comfortable in
joining reading.
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Chapter V
Conclusion, implication and suggestion
A. Conclusion
After the researcher did his action research by using directed reading to
improve students’ reading comprehension, the writer found that the directed reading
has many advantages to help students improve their reading comprehension. Based
on the data of the research, it could be seen as following points:
1. The directed reading can improve students’ reading comprehension. The
improvement can be identified from students’ reading comprehension achievement in
term of paraphrasing, main idea and inference.
a. Students are able to answer WH-questions, inference questions better and quicker.
Their ability in answering questions is improved through teaching learning process
used directed reading which provide many exercises on answering those questions.
b. Students are able to identify the main idea and the paragraph topic well. The
students’ skill in identifying them is improved through teaching learning activities
using directed reading which provides many exercises on identifying the paragraph
topic and main idea.
Moreover, after the students have been given a treatment using directed reading
it shows the significant improvement on the students’ achievement. It can be seen
from the result of their test. The mean scores of pre-test and post-test of the first cycle
to the next cycle show the improvement.
2. The directed reading can improve the class situation.
a. The class situation is alive and inspiring; directed reading is relevant with
students’ life that is why the students are interested in reading the text. When students
are interested in the text they participates activity in reading activities.
b. The students improved their motivation to participate in all reading activities
undertaken; directed reading has familiar topic so the students fell confidence and
enjoy reading the text.
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c. The students improved their interest toward reading; directed readings have many
genres so that students never get bored because there are variety texts to read.
Furthermore, the researcher used many kinds of texts in pre-reading activity it can
raise students’ participation in reading competition and enhance students’
comprehension achievement. However, the implementation of directed reading needs
careful preparation and clear guidance.
B. Implication
The research finding of this action research implies that directed reading can improve
students’ reading comprehension. Furthermore, the class situation also improved
fabulously. It is also found that the students’ attitude toward reading is improved
fantastically.
1. Doing action research I can overcome that problems arise in my reading class.
Furthermore, my students get a great value in their live which is reading is very
important in live. I become a teacher who never gives up in improving my-self and
my profession.
2. Using directed reading in reading class is strongly suggested. Many kinds of
advantages for teachers and students when directed reading implemented. Students
not only learn the contents of the text but also aware what is going around us.
C. Suggestions
Base on the findings found, it is strongly suggested to use directed reading in
teaching reading or other language skills. It is suggested to:
1. The teacher
To use directed reading in teaching reading. The directed reading definitely can
improve students’ reading comprehension. There are unlimited directed reading text
take from Internet, magazine, news paper, etc so teacher who know how access the
Internet, take an It course.
2. Institution
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To provide internet Access or hot spot where teacher can download the teaching
text from Internet, even better if the institution subscribes English magazine or news
papers.
3. Other researcher
To encourage doing other research on the use of directed reading in teaching other
language skill.
4. Students
To read more to improve their ability in comprehend the text in English and to make
reading is an important habit to be successful people.