THE FACTORS THAT CAUSE STUDENT’S DFFICULTIES IN COMPREHENDING THE ENGLISH READING TEXT OF THE EIGHT YEAR STUDENTS OF THE STATE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 1 OF PAGARALAM
Compiled by :
ADE IRAWAN
Student Registration Number 2010.111.286
Class 5A
Language And Arts Education Department
THE FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION
THE UNIVERSITY OF PGRI PALEMBANG
2010
THE FACTORS THAT CAUSE STUDENT’S DFFICULTIES IN COMPREHENDING THE ENGLISH READING TEXT OF THE EIGHT YEAR STUDENTS OF THE STATE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 1 OF PAGARALAM
- Background
English is an international language; beside that English means of communication. English has important position in every aspect of the life, it is not only in education but also in business, social, tourism, etc. the importance of English can be seen form other side. Nowadays many things have been written printed in English i.e.; magazine, newspaper, and scientific book.
In education English has been chosen as one of the subject that should be mastered by the student; in junior high school, senior high school, and university level. In Indonesia teaching English focus on four basic skills, namely; listening, reading, speaking and writing.
Reading is first of all, and essentially, the mechanical skill of decoding, of turning the printed symbols into the sounds which are language (McCracken and Walcutt, 1969: 6). Of course the reason we turn the print into sound is to get at the meaning.
According Clark and Starr (1986: 270-271) Reading is a difficult skill that takes your to master. For most of us it is skill we must continue to learn well into our adult lives. Undoubtedly most of your best student will not have mastered all the skill they need to because efficient, effective readers and some of your students will be truly disabled readers.
According to Harmer (1995: 6) Reading for detailed comprehension, whether. Looking for detailed information or language, must be seen by students as something very different from the reading skill mentioned above. When looking for details, we expect students to concentrate on the minutiae of what they are reading.
According to Bartlet in Nunan (1995: 68) Discourse comprehension is process of utilizing linguistics cues background knowledge to reconstruct meaning, these schemata important, particularly to second and foreign language learners.
In fact, many students get difficulties in comprehending the English reading text; getting the general information, specific information, vocabulary, grammatical, and main idea of paragraph of a text (Lusiana, 2007:2). Block in Putri(2003:11) states that there are number of causes of poor comprehension, such as; lack of vocabulary knowledge, inappropriate reading strategies and reading speeds, some factors associated with students (boring activities in reading), text ( of low interest materials), situation (uncomfortable situation towards learning), and Insufficient time spent in reading. It means that the factors that cause students difficulties in comprehending the reading text, not only from the teacher strategies, text and also the students self. The interaction between the teacher and also the students has influence to the students in comprehending the text, some of the reason; it may methodology that the teacher uses in teaching.
The lack of ability in comprehend the reading text, because the students don’t know to apply some of reading skill and they have no ability in comprehend it, such as; inability in scanning, skimming, guessing meaning from the context, etc. the students unable in getting the message from the text and they will be failure in answering the question related to the text.
Based on fact above, the writer interest to do this research entitle “The Factors That Cause Students’ Difficulties in Comprehending the English Reading Text of the Eight Year Students of the State Junior High School 1 of Pagaralam.”
1.2. Problems
1.2.1. Limitation of Problem
The limitation in this research is limited toward the factors that cause students difficulties in comprehending the English reading text of the eight year students of the State Junior High School 1 of Pagaralam.
1.2.2. Formulation of the problems
The writer formulates the following questions:
1. What are the students’ difficulties in comprehending the English reading text?
2. What are the factors that cause students’ difficulties in comprehending the English reading text?
3. What is dominant factor that faced by students’ in comprehending the English reading text?
1.3. The objectives of the study
The objectives of this study are:
1. To find out the students’ difficulties in comprehending the English reading text.
2. To find out the factors that causes the student’ difficulties in comprehending the English reading text.
3. To find the dominant factor that causes the students’ difficulties in comprehending the English reading text.
1.4. The significance of the study
1. Be useful for the teacher in helping their students in comprehending the English reading text after the teacher find out the factors that cause students difficulties in comprehend the reading text.
2. Be useful for the students to improve their ability in comprehending the English reading text and to be more active in learning English.
3. It is hoped that this thesis will be useful for the next researchers.
- Literature review
This chapter presents: 1) The concept of reading, 2) Reading skills, 3) The concept reading comprehension, 4) The difficulties in reading comprehension, 5) The factors that cause students’ difficulties in comprehending the reading text, 6) Previous related study.
2.1. The concept of Reading
According to Elizabeth (2008:1-2) Reading is the process of constructing meaning from print and from other symbol. Reading involves not just the print and the illustrations, but also readers bringing to the process their knowledge of the world and their past experiences. The reading process does not involve reading every single letter and that is why proofreading is so difficult: when you are very familiar with the ideas you hardly need to read the words at all.
Reading is interactive process---as conversation is because is both reader and writer depend on each other. The interaction is complicated by the fact that the writer is absent at the time of reading; so he gets no feedback and cannot know what parts of her text will cause misunderstanding. He has to guess and shape the text accordingly, but as he never knows who the readers will be, he will never completely succeed (Nuttal, 1996:11).
According to Rudd (1989:5) Reading is a highly complicated process which relies on great variety of skill, and skills is the operative word here. Reading is vital to daily life. Not, a day goes past without reading, even if it’s only selecting the correct packet from the kitchen shelf or reading street sign.
According to McCracken and Walcutt (1969:4) Reading is to get information of some sort from the printed page. But since we get information in the same way from spoken language, this purposes does not define reading in a way that distinguishes it from talking.
Reading is seen as selective process taking place between the reader and the text, in which background knowledge and various of language interact with information in the text to contribute to text comprehension.
Based on explanation above, its can be concluded that reading means a process between the readers to understanding the messaging that is written from the text.
2.2. Reading skills
Reading skills should be taught functionally. Therefore, as you as a middle or secondary school teacher must teach reading skill in your regular contents courses. Besides, learning to use these skills while reading material they must study anyway gives students a reason for trying them. (Clark and Starr, 1981:271)
According to Cochran (1993: 12) Reading skills contents of :
1. Vocabulary
a. Learning terms to English (e.g., apostrophe, adjective)
b. Learning English (literary or grammatical) meaning for common words (e.g., romantic, subject, act).
c. Understanding words change in meaning and pronunciation (e.g., edelweiss, croissant).
d. Understanding how new words are coined or how they enter our language (e.g., snafu, morpheme).
2. Comprehension
a. Selecting significance details, classifying convergently, formulating main ideas.
b. Following directions.
c. Recognizing sequence
d. Inferring time, place, mood, motive of characters
e. Making comparisons
f. Responding to imagery
g. Recognizing semantic and literary devices
h. Distinguishing between fact and literary devices
i. Detecting fallacies of reasoning.
According to Inmon and Lenier(1992:156-157) There are four basic types of reading: study reading, rapid reading, skimming, and scanning. Each type suited to a particular type of reading material and reading purpose, and each should be practiced at different speeds.
1. Study reading on difficult textbook or technical material when your purpose is thorough understanding and/or memorization. study reading rates usually do not exceed 250 words per minute.
2. Rapid reading should be used when your purpose is to get a general idea of what you read and when the material is not extremely complicated. types. types of material suitable for rapid reading include newspapers, magazines, novels, and light nonfiction.
3. Skimming is quickly looking over a selection to get the general idea rather than reading every word. it is used (1) when surveying a chapter or article, (2) when all you need is a general overview, and (3) when reviewing something you once read to refresh your memory. to give you an example of skimming, we have emphasized some words, in the following article.
4. Scanning is locating specific information, such as a name, a place, or a date. For example, when you look up something in the dictionary or in the telephone book, you are scanning. you run your eyes over the page and read only the information surrounding what you are looking for. You may also use scanning in textbooks-for example, when you particular name or date in a chapter.
2.3. The Concept of Comprehension
2.3.1. Definition of Reading Comprehension
Comprehension is understanding the meaning of what is the read from the print, illustrations, layout and design (Elizabeth, 2008:190). Stop think for a moment. You are probably a very proficient reader, and proficient readers take comprehension for granted. As you read this book the written symbols create meaning. When you comprehend the words, does this mean that you are making that you are making a mental image of the information in the words? Does comprehension depend on decoding and pronouncing the words on the pages? Comprehension is both of these things.
According to Elizabeth (2008:190) is the act simultaneously and constructingmeaning from the text. Students have to extract meaning from the printed words on the page by working out how print operates to represent words. They also need to build new meanings by integrating new ideas with old information. In doing this , they are constructing meanings.
According to Hornby in Lusiana (2007:10) reading comprehension means reading with the power of understanding of the printed symbols.
Reading comprehension is the goal instruction in reading and recognition is a means to help achieve that goal( Choate, 1995:153).
According to Bartlet in Nunan (1995:68), discourse comprehension involves a transaction of utilizing linguistic cues and background knowledge to reconstruct meaning, these schemata are extremely important, particularly to second to second and foreign language.
According to Abdulaziz and Stover (1989:11-12) students can perform their own calculations and keep their own chart in reading comprehension skill.
1. Main idea A multiple-choice main idea exercise follows each reading. Stunts are required to distinguish a statement of the main idea from other statement of the main idea from other statement that are true about the reading.
2. Comprehension questions The comprehension questions are means to test student’s understanding.
3. Using new vocabulary Questions on new vocabulary words are intended to lead the student through the reading idea by idea and new word by new word.
4. Additional reading This reading usually includes only one quick exercise to test comprehension. I is not a timed reading and is not reading and is not meant for extensive analysis.
According to Richards ,et al in Jaya(2005:9) states that reader’s purposes in reading and the types of reading used referred to:
1. Literal comprehension, where reading in order to understand, remembers, or recall the information explicitly contained contained in a passage.
2. Inferential comprehension, where reading in order to find information, which is not explicitly stated in a passage, using the readers’ experience and institution, and by inferring.
3. Critical or evaluation comprehension, where in order to compare information in a passage with the readers’ own knowledge and values.
4. Appreciative comprehension, where reading in order to gain an emotional or other kind of valued response from a passage.
According to Wagman (1984:95) Comprehension, or understanding what has been decoded, in the essence of reading. A reader’s ability to comprehend is built on aptitude in associating meaning with printed symbols and relating these meanings to personal language patterns and personal experience. When decoded symbols produce familiar concepts, the reader’s ability to understand the author’s message is greatly enhanced.
2.4. The Difficulties in Comprehending Skill
According to Edna Wagman (1984:95) Much greater difficulty in measuring comprehension is apparent when one tries to evaluate the reader’s understanding in the more intangible areas of critical reading and thinking, judging, evaluating, or applying understanding gained from the printed page.
According to Perera (1894:274 ), there are types of difficulty in reading comprehension, they are:
1. illegible handwriting, print that is blurred or uncomfortably small, or lack of contrast between the words and the background.
2. when the subject matter is outside the reader’s knowledge and experience. In this case, it is possible for all the words of the text to be understood but for the whole not to make sense.
3. presented by unfamiliar vocabulary. Some of the book written for junior school pupils, contains several words which are unlikely to be known by young children.
4. there may be grammatical difficulties in the text.
5. they overall of discourse organization may be unclear or unfamiliar.
According to Burgmeier, Eldred, and Zimmerman (1991) the difficulty of reading comprehension can divide; establishing a context, understanding words, putting words into sentence, and the last using word in context.
According to Cutler (1993:2) for faster reading with comprehension, you certainly should be able to make reading and study time a more meaningful valuable, productive, and enjoyable experience.
In Jaya (2005:25) found that the students’ difficulties in comprehending the reading text, they are; Vocabulary, Grammatical structure, Literal comprehension, Inferential comprehension, applied comprehension, Critical reading, and Format of reading text.
According to Markstein (1981: 6) Comprehensive word or phrase related to the reading write it on the chalkboard, and then ask the students to freely associate any words that come to mind until there are perhaps 30 to 40 words phrases on the board.
2.5 The Factors that causes Students’ Difficulties in Comprehend the Reading Text.
According to Block in Putri (2003:11) states that there are number of causes poor comprehension such as; lack of vocabulary knowledge, inappropriate reading strategies and reading speeds, some factor associated with students boring activities in reading), text(of low interest materials), situation(uncomfortable situation towards learning), and insufficient time spent in reading.
According to Latulippe (20-21) there are two groups of words that give problems to students of a second language: references and connectives.
1. References. References are words or phrases that are used as substitutes for words or phrases used either before or (less often) after the reference in the reading material. They are used to avoid unnecessary repetition of words or phrases.
2. Connectives. Connectives are words that are used to link (connect) ideas together in some kind of relationship. Connectives can be used to signal a cause-expected result relationship in which the result follows logically from the cause.
Puspita in Jaya (2005:18 fount that many difficulties in comprehending reading text:
1. The lack of competence to find out the main idea and specific idea in the reading text.
2. The lack of ability to predict the meaning of words in the reading texts and students has limited vocabulary.
3. The lack of students abilities to discriminate or different between noun and adjective. The students less comprehends in grammar of reading text.
4. The lack of background knowledge about the reading text.
5. The lack of comprehending about reading text.
There are five reasons that causes the students fault in reading (Nuttal, 1996:35), they are:
1. Negative expectations
Perhaps you expected them not to succeed; negative expectations are easily detected and are known to influence student performance adversely.
2. Unsuitable tasks
Perhaps the task were at fault: too difficult, of the point or boring.
3. The wrong procedures
Did you use the task to promote learning (not just to test), by providing ‘Scaffolding’, to help students to develop their capacity to interpret. Some of the steps you can take in roughly the sequence in which you would use them in class are the following:
Ø Encouraging: urging students to have try, praising them for what they get right, not blaming them for what they get wrong but using it to help them improve
Ø Prompting: Helping students complete the original task by giving cues, asking easier questions, setting supplementary tasks.
Ø Probing: finding out way a students has given a particular answer, so that if need be you can help him to see where he went wrong.
Ø Modeling: demonstrating appropriate ways of doing thing so that the students will understand what is wanted.
4. Expecting them to run before they can walk
Expecting too much too soon, students accustomed to a passive role must be gently eased into active participation, and required only gradually to take responsibility for their reading.
5. The wrong texts
In this research the writer will be investigated the factors that6 cause the students’ difficulties in comprehending the English reading text, such as: (1) Factor from the teacher; inappropriate reading strategies, the method in explaining the reading skills towards to students, and time . (2) Factor from the students; lack of vocabulary knowledge, situation, students’ attitude. (3) Factor from the text; unsuitable reading text, unfamiliar vocabulary, grammatical in text.
2.6. Previous Related Study
In this research the writer also describes the previous studies. The previous studies here are by Putra Jaya and Septi U Putri. Jaya’s title is difficulties comprehending reading text faced by third year of the State Senior High School 6 of Bengkulu. And Putri’s title is the factors that cause students’ difficulties in reading text in the second year at the Vocational State Senior High school of 1 Bengkulu.
Both of these have similarity and differences toward this research that will be done by the writer. The similarity is both studies talking about the students problem in reading subject.
The differences is that the writer try to find out the factors that cause students’ difficulties in comprehending the English reading text, meanwhile Jaya’s thesis try to find out the difficulties comprehending reading text faced by third year of the State Senior High School 6 of students Bengkulu. The results of Jaya’s thesis are the students got difficulties in comprehending the reading material because of lack of vocabulary. Based on his investigation, he found that students got difficulties in critical reading, applied comprehension , inferential comprehension, literal comprehension, grammatical structure, and efficient reading.
The second thesis by Putri, she found that the factors in reading text are vocabulary factors, grammar factors, and the whole a text factors.
3. Research Procedures
This chapter presents: The method of research, 2) Operational definition, 3) The population amid sample, 4) The technique for collecting the data, 5) Validity and Reliability, and 6) The technique for analyzing the data.
3.1. Method of Research
The method that will be used in this research is descriptive method. Where the date describe objectively or based on the fact. This method will be used because the writer wants to describe the factors that cause students’ difficulties in comprehending the English reading text of the eight year students of the State Junior High School 1 of Pagaralam. Gay (1976:189) states that descriptive involves collecting date in order to test hypothesis or answer concerning the current status of the subject of the study.
3.2 Operational Definitions
The title of this research is “ The Factors That Causes Students difficulties in Comprehending the English Reading Text of the State Junior High School 1 of Pagaralam.” To avoid misunderstanding about terms, the writer defines them, they are: factors, cause, difficulty, comprehend, and English reading text.
1. Factors are causes that influences somebody or something that include in learning process, such as vocabulary, grammar, and text.
2. Cause in person or thing that makes something happen.
3. Difficulty is something difficult, hard to do or understand.
4. Comprehend refers to understand fully; the mind’s act or power of understanding.
5. English reading text refer to all kinds of reading material that used by the students in learning process; e.g., text book passage, worksheet questions, short stories, interest artifices, etc.
3.3. The Population and Sample
3.3.1. The Population
According to Fraenkel and Wallen(1990:84) states that the population refers to all the members of particular group. It is the group. It is group of interest to the researcher, the group of whom the researcher would like to generalize the result of a study. The population of the research is the eight year students of the State Junior High School 1 of Pagaralam in academic year 2010/2011. the total number of students is 152 students and from 4 classes.
TABLE 1
THE POPULATION OF RESEARCH
No
|
Classes
|
Total
|
1
|
8.A
|
38
|
2
|
8. B
|
38
|
3
|
8.C
|
38
|
4
|
8.D
|
152
|
Total
| ||
(Source: State Junior High School 1 of Pagaralam in academic year 2010-2011)
3.3.2. The Sample
Sample is any group of individuals on when information is obtained (Fraenkel and Wallen, 1990). Arikunto (2006:134) says that if the samples are less than 100, take all the sample. And if the sample more than 100, take 10-15% or 20-25% or more. Depend on the researcher ability in time, energy and find.
In this research, the writer will use cluster random sampling, where the sample will be chosen as group rather than individuals. In determine the sample; the writer will do the following steps:
a. Writer the name of the four classes in piece of paper.
b. The writer will roll the paper.
c. Put the four papers in the glass.
d. Shake the paper and take of them.
TABLE 2
SAMPLE OF THE RESEARCH
No
|
Classes
|
Total
|
1
|
8. B
|
38
|
3.4. The Technique for Collecting the Data
In collecting the data, writer will use test, and questionnaire.
3.4.1. Test
Test is examination or find the it quality, value, composition, etc; trial or examination of something, his powers, knowledge, skills, etc (Hornby, 1955:1233). The writer will give written test about reading comprehension to the students, and it will be used to measure the students’ difficulties in comprehending the English reading txt. The test consist of 20 multiple choice questions and it consist of six reading skills, they are:
1. Specific information
2. Detailed information
3. Gist idea
4. Specific main idea
5. Detailed main idea
6. Guessing the meaning of words based on the context.
3.4.2. Questionnaire
Questiannaire is written or printed list of questions to be answered by a group of people, especially to get facts or information, or for a survey (Hornby, 1955:1952).
Questionnaire will be used to know the factors that students difficulties in comprehending the English reading text. The students’ questionnaire consist of 20 questions, and the questionnaire write in Indonesia.
3.5. Validity and Reliability
3.5.1. Validity
Validity is the most important idea to consider when preparing or selecting an instrument for use ( Fraenkel and Wallen:127). It will be used to the check the validity of test materials.
In this research the writer will ask to the teacher and consult to the advisor to get suggestion, advice, and correction in giving the test and questionnaire to the students.
TABLE 3
Specification of the test items
No
|
Reading to measure
|
Number of test items
|
1
|
Specific information
|
5, 10, 11, 13, 18
|
2
|
Detailed information
|
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 14
|
3
|
Gist idea
|
19
|
4
|
Specific main idea
|
20
|
5
|
Detailed main idea
|
12, 16
|
6
|
Guessing meaning of the word based on the context
|
7, 8, 15, 17
|
3.5.2. Reliability
Reliability refers to the consistency of the scores obtained—how consistent they are for each individual from one administration of an instrument to another and from one set of items to another (Fraenkel and Wallen, 1990:133).
In this research the writer will be used KR21(Kurder-Richardson 21) formula to measure reliability of the test items. The following is the Kurder –Richardson 21(KR21) formula.
KR 21 = 
{Fraenkel and Wallen(1990:135)}
Where:
KR21 = Kurder Richardson reliability coefficient
K = Number of items in the test
M = Mean of the set of the score
SD = Standard deviations of the set of the scores
And
SD = 
Where:
SD = Standard deviations of the set of the scores
X = Students individual scores
= Mean of the scores
n = Total number of data
3.6. The Technique for Analyzing the data
3.6.1. Test
In analyzing the data, the writers will do the following step:
1. The writer collect the student’s paper after the students have answered the questions.
2. 2. grouping the right answer of the students.
3. Grouping the wrong answer of the students.
4. Compute the average percent of the students’ score in comprehending the reading text. In this research the writer will use the following formula:
P = 
Where:
P = Percentage
F = Frequency
N = Total number of item
3.6.2. Questionnaire
The data from the student response to the questionnaire will be analyzed by using percentage. In order to get percentage scores, the total of the students’ choices is divided by the total number of sample students and multiplied by 100%(Lusiana, 2007:24).
P =
Where:
P = Percentage
F = Frequency
N = Total number of samples
If the students’ response give “yes” answer is equal or more than 50%, it means the items might causes the difficulties.
REFERENCES
Fraenkel, and Wallen. 1990. How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education. America: Mc Graw-Hill, Inc.
Arikunto, Suharsimi 2006. Prosedur Penelitian Suatu Pendekatan Praktik.Jakarta: Rineka Cipta.
Elizabeth, Susan. 2008. Developing Literacy: Assessment and Teaching. China: Sue Hill.
Abudulaziz, and Stover. 1989. Academic Challenges In Reading. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc.
McCracken, and Walcutt. 1969. Basic Reading. Sacramento: California State Department of Education.
Cochran. 1993. Reading In the Content Areas for Junior High School and High School. America: Allyn and Bacon.
Latulippe. 1987. Developing Academic Reading Skill. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc.
Clark, and Starr. 1986. Secondary and Middle School Teaching Methods. America: Macmillan, Inc.
Burgmeir, Arline. 1991. Academic Vocabulary Study. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc.
Wagman, Edna. 1984. The Assessment In Reading. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc.
Cutler, Wade E. 1993. Triple Your Reading Speed. New York: Prentice Hall.
Linda Markstein. 1981. Developing Reading Skill. America: New Bury House Publisher.
Rudd, Shirley. 1984. Time Manage Your Reading. England: Gower Publishing Company Limited.
Inmon, and Lenier. 1992. College Reading Book 2. New York: Prentice Hall.
Jeremy, Harmer. 1998. How to Teach English. Longman: Cambridge University Press
Gay, L.R. 1976. Educational Research Competencies for Analysis and Application. Singapore: Merril.
Hornby. 1955. Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary of Current English. Great Britain: Oxford University Press.
Husnaini, R. 2003. “The First Year Students’ Difficulties in Answering Reading Comprehension Question in Accordance with Reading Skill at SMU negeri 3 Palembang”. Thesis. Palembang: University of PGRI Palembang.
Jaya, P. 2005. The Difficulties in Comprehending Reading Text Faced by Third Year of SMU Negeri 6 Students Bengkulu. Unpublished Thesis. Bengkulu: Universitas Bengkulu.
Lusiana, M. 2007. “Some Problems in Teaching Reading Comprehension entitled”Helicopter” to the Eight Year Students of SMP Negeri 35Palembang”. Thesis. Palembang: Universitas of PGRI Palembang.
Nunan, D. 1996. Language Teaching Methodology: A Textbook for Teachers. Great Britain: Redwood Books.
Nuttal, C. 1996. Teaching Reading Skill in a Foreign Language. Great Britain: Heineman.
Putri, S, U. 2003. “The Factors that Cause Students’ Difficulties in Reading Text in The Second Year Students at SMKN 1 Bengkulu”. Thesis. Bengkulu: University of Bengkulu.
Subana, Rahadi, Sudrajat. 2010. Statistik Pendidikan. Bandung: Pustaka Setia..
WWW.ARLINGSAPRI.BLOGSPOT.COM
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar