LEXICAL DENSITY OF READING MATERIALS IN ADVANCED LEARNING ENGLISH 1 TEXTBOOK FOR TENTH GRADE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL.

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LEXICAL DENSITY OF READING MATERIALS IN

ADVANCED LEARNING ENGLISH 1 TEXTBOOK

FOR TENTH GRADE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

A THESIS

Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Pendidikan

By:

MARIA DIVA O. SIMAMORA

Reg. No. 2123321045

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ART

STATE UNIVERSTY OF MEDAN

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DECLARATION

Except where appropriate acknowledged, this thesis is my own work, has

been expressed in my own words, and has not previously been submitted for

publication.

I understand that this paper may be screened electronically or otherwise for

plagiarism.

Medan, August 2016

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ABSTRACT

Simamora, Maria Diva. Registration Number: 2123321045. Lexical Density of Reading Materials in Advanced Learning English 1 Textbook for Tenth Grade Senior High School. A Thesis. English Educational Program, State University of Medan, 2016

This study deals with the lexical density of English reading materials in the textbook for tenth grade senior high school. The objectives of the study are to find out the lexical density appeared in reading materials of Advanced Learning English 1 textbook and to find out the type of genre which has the highest lexical density of the reading materials. This study was conducted by descriptive method with qualitative approach. The data of this research were the English reading materials of Advanced Learning English 1 textbook for senior high school grade tenth published by Facil. The result of the analysis showed that: (1) The lexical density that used in recount texts are medium and high, narrative texts are medium and low, and the procedure texts is medium. This means that recount, narrative and procedure texts have medium lexical density dominantly (2) The lexical density of recount texts are 54, 91% , 55, 31% and 60, 40%, narrative texts are 50, 96 %, 49, 96% and 55, 17%, and procedure texts are 56, 86%, 59, 78% and 58, 75%. The highest lexical density of the reading text is the recount text with percentage 60, 40%. This meant that the text is the most difficult text to be comprehended in that textbook. It is suggested that further textbook writers to concern with the lexical density of the reading texts so that the textbook can be used and understood by the teacher and the students.

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Gelderen, E.V. 2002. An Introduction to the Grammar of English: Syntactic Arguments and Socio-Historical Background. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.

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Johansson, V. 2008.Lexical Diversity and Lexical Density in Speech and Writing: A Developmental Perspective. Working Press.

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Martin, J & Rose, D. 2008. Genre Relation: Mapping Culture in Australia Journal of Linguistics. pp. 376-380

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Nesia, Bersyebah Herljimsi. 2014. Lexical Density of English Reading Texts for Senior High School. Medan: State University of Medan.

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LIST OF TABLE

Table. 2.1 Types of Genre in Reading Materials ...15

Table. 4.1 Main Reading Passages in First Semester……….…...36

Table. 4.2 Percentage of Lexical Density in Each of Text………...62

Table. 4.3 The Qualification Level of Lexical Density in Each of Text...63

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LIST OF FIGURE

Figure 2.1 Conceptual Framework………..………..30

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, the writer would like to express her deepest gratitude to the most merciful and gracious the Almighty God, Jesus Christ, for His amazing grace, love, countless blessings, sincerity, countenance and strength given to the writer during her study and in completing this thesis which entitled: Lexical Density of Reading Materials in Advanced Learning English 1 Textbook for Tenth Grade Senior High School. This thesis is aimed to fulfill one of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana Pendidikan of the English Department, Faculty of Languages and Arts, State University of Medan (UNIMED).

In completing this Thesis, the writer realized that she faced some problems and she had received the academic guidance, suggestions, and comments and got a lot of assistance and moral supports from many people. Therefore, the writer would like to express her gratitude and special thanks to:

 Prof. Dr. Syawal Gultom, M.Pd., the Rector of State University of Medan.

 Dr. Isda Pramuniati, M.Hum., the Dean of Faculty of Languages and Arts, State University of Medan.

 Prof. Dr. Hj. Sumarsih, M.Pd., the Head of English Department.

 Dra. Meisuri, M.A., the secretary of English Department.

 Nora Ronita Dewi, S.S., S.Pd., M.Hum., the Head of English Education Study Program.

 Drs. Johan Sinulingga, M.Pd., her Academic Advisor and Thesis Advisor.

 Neni Afrida Sari Harahap, S.Pd., M.Hum., her Thesis Advisor who have taught, guided, advised and given her precious time in completing this thesis.

 Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning, M.Pd., and Indra Hartoyo, S.Pd., M.Hum., her Thesis Reviewer and Examiner, who have given their precious time, guidance, suggestions, and comments.

 All the Lecturers of English Department who have taught, guided, and advised her throughout the academic years.

 Eis Sri Wahyuningsih, M.Pd., the Administration Staff of English Department.

 Her beloved parents, T. Simamora and B. br. Panjaitan, Am.Kep, her lovely brothers, Saut Simamora, S.Pd., M.Pd., and Ernesto Simamora, S.Pd., her lovely sister, Yenti Ditha Simamora, S.Pd., M.Pd., and all her families for their endless love, pray, inspiration, motivation, mental and everything they have given to the writer.

 Her friends in Extension C 2012, her great class for the love and togetherness throughout four years.

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 Her lovely best friends, Endang Pratiwi Marbun, Elfridayani Purba, Trynanda Modesta br. Perangin-angin, Vony de Maria Junior Sigiro, Sutar Oktaviana Tampubolon, and Fani Maries F.H. Nasution for all of their innocence, supports, prayers, motivation, laughters, tears, and togetherness through ups and downs, thick and thins and their endless loyalty.

 Her family in Naposobulung and Teacher Sunday School (GSM) HKBP Pelikan and all the members for their loyalty, prays, motivation, laughters, loves, services and unforgettable moments.

 Her friends in PPLT SMK Trisakti 4 Pariwisata Lubuk Pakam 2015 for many experiences and togetherness, especially for Kemboja Family Members; Gesti Riwanda, Osalia Putri Utami, Rifki Firnando Tanjung, Zhana Sabrina Amelia and Wijayanti Ibrahim for all their silly yet endless supports, pray and motivation in completing this thesis.

 The last, but not the least, for her friends since childhood, Desryani Sinaga, Nella Grace Manalu, Riany Sinaga, Sri Hesty Sinaga and also for those who have been involved the accomplishment of this thesis that can not be mentioned one by one for all of their supports, pray and motivation.

The writer realizes that this thesis still has the paucity, she conveniently welcomes any suggestions, comments, critics, and advices that will improve the quality of this thesis. She hopes that this thesis would be useful for those who read and are interested in the field of this study.

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LIST OF FIGURE

Figure 2.1 Conceptual Framework...30

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. The Background of the Study

Textbook is a main resource that used in the learning process of most

subjects in classroom. It plays a very important role in teaching-learning process

because it tends to be the basic source which the teachers use in deciding what to

teach and facilitate the teaching-learning process. Beside that it can be an

additional knowledge for teacher who has limited teaching experience. It provides

much information and knowledge in many subjects in school like English

textbook, science textbook, social textbook, religion textbook, civic textbook, etc.

In English subject, textbook is used to serve the students’ need about

language skills. The students must have capability related to four following skills:

listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The relationship of those skill is very

closed because they cannot be essentially separated each other. Reading is one of

the four skills considered quite necessary because by reading the students can

automatically gain more and more knowledge, such as: vocabulary, the idea

forming, the use of the tense forms, pronunciation, speaking fluency and many

others provided that it can be done seriously and frequently. Reading skill is very

important things that must be learned by the student. The student need to be

exercised and trained in order to have a good reading skill.

Beside used to serve the students’ need an English textbook used to serve

an appropriate materials for students’ level. Reading material is one of the

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contents of the textbook besides listening instruction, some exercises, writing task

and some conversation scripts. Reading material is usually in the form of text that

is used to teach reading like pronouncing words, comprehending the content of the

text, getting vocabulary, and also understanding of grammar. Through the text, the

students can get information and the knowledge and also the vocabulary and the

grammar. It is provided in some types which are called as genre. The types of

genre are arranged well based on the curriculum.

In the reading section, most of the students have difficulties

comprehending a text in the textbook. It is because of several reasons. The

researcher had done an observation in SMA SWASTA METHODIST 7 MEDAN

which used Advanced Learning English 1 Textbook as the guidance book in

teaching-learning process for tenth grade level. It has done in order to get the

result of students reading score and the result of the reading score are Agatha (75),

Andika (62), Ando (73), Andreas (80), Azola (75), Calista (80), Christina (60),

Chredo (71), Denny (60), David (63), Debora (73), Fenny (71), Fuyuko (65),

Gabriel (87), Gaby (61), Hasudungan (83), Irma (60), Jean (77), Jimmy (90),

Junita (63), Kartika (82), Mia (63), Moses (69), Priska (73), Putra (76), Rahmi

(72), Raymond (60), Risma (65), Rika (71), Roma (68), Sastra (68), Sylvia (91),

Trifosa (91), Valent (73), Viona (70), Yanti (65), Yosephine (68).

Data of students reading score in SMA SWASTA METHODIST 7

MEDAN showed that students reading ability is still low. The researcher had

interviewed the students who have the low score of reading. From the interview,

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ability. Many of them said that they are difficult to understand the meaning of

English words of the textbook and get difficulties in comprehending a long text or

a dense text such as recount text. When the students got recount text with long and

many paragraphs, they would felt bored with the text. It makes them get

difficulties in comprehending the text. Some students also claimed that they get

difficulties in memorizing certain English words and it makes them lack of

vocabularies. When the students read a text which contains sophisticated words,

they would be lazy to read the text. Then there are students may not be aware of

the elements and characteristics of the genre of the text. In fact the main point of

difficult text is the lexical density of the text, in which the more lexical items the

text has, the more difficult the text is. If the text is formed in grammatical

configuration, the text is not too difficult. While if the text is formed in lexical

configuration, the text is categorized in difficult text.

Nowadays, every student should be able to understand every reading text

in the textbook which is covered in the curriculum of the unit level of education.

In the curriculum, reading materials should be relevant to the students’ needs. The

teachers have the freedom to choose the teaching media or strategy to improve the

students’ communicative competence which is relevant to the students’ condition

and needs. One of the students’ needs is to understand or comprehend the text

based on the situation given in English subject.

Lexical density is a condition of the words’ proportion in the text. It shows

the ratio of lexical items to grammatical items. Lexical items consist of noun,

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pronoun, most preposition, conjunction, finite verb, and some classes of adverb.

Lexical density shows the complexity of words within text. It describes the

development of lexical in the written language.

The density of text is often unavailable for the students’ level. Sometimes,

the students who are at the first level of senior high school get a text that has most

lexical items which make the students difficult to understand the text. The amount

of lexical items in a text can influence the length of a text and measure the level of

difficulty of the text. The more the lexical items, the text has the more difficult the

student has. The lexical items are known as an open system in which one word

can have more than one meaning.

As the source of knowledge, textbook has an important role in learning

process. When the students get difficulty to understand the content of the textbook

especially the reading text, the students will be hard to get the knowledge of the

textbook. The proportion between the lexical items and the grammatical items in

the text certainly will determine the difficulty of the text. Through the lexical

density of the text, teacher can know whether the text is easy or difficult for the

students. So the teacher can decide which appropriate strategy can be applied in

the reading text based on the complexity of the words especially the lexical items.

Based on the explanations above, there are several reasons why the

researcher is interested to this study; First, it is one of the textbooks that is used

for the most of students in some schools so it is important to know whether the

reading texts are appropriate for the students’ need. Second, that English textbook

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contains many texts based on the different genres. Third, the researcher wants to

know the lexical density of reading texts in the textbook.

B. The Problems of the Study

Based on the background of the study, the problems of the study are formulated as the following :

1. How is the lexical density used in reading materials of Advanced

Learning English 1 Textbook for tenth grade senior high school?

2. What type of genre which has the highest lexical density found in

reading materials of Advanced Learning English 1 Textbook for tenth

grade senior high school?

C. The Objectives of the Study

The objectives of this study are:

1. To find out lexical density appeared in reading materials of Advanced

Learning English 1 Textbook for 10th grade level of Senior High

School.

2. To find out the genre which has the highest lexical density in reading

materials of Advanced Learning English 1 Textbook for 10th grade

level of Senior High School.

D. The Scope of the Study

In this research, the researcher focuses on lexical density analysis

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is limited to analyze the content of the reading texts in the first semester

which consist 3 texts from each genres to tenth grade level students on that

textbook.

E. The Significance of the Study

The results of the study are expected to have contribution for the following people:

a. Teachers

The study is expected to provide additional references for the

English teachers in choosing English textbook to their students and

applying KTSP Curriculum in teaching learning process.

b. Students

To improve the students’ knowledge and ability in English reading

materials, so that the students are able to understand the meaning of steps

and rhetorical development in written text becomes better.

c. Textbook Writer

Meanwhile, for the text book writer, the result of the study can be

used as a reference in writing an English textbook based on the recent

curriculum, that is suited with the students’ needs and suit the demands of

the future world.

d. Further Researchers

Finally, for the similar researchers, the findings can be used as a

reference to conduct study on the same topic of different sources and

develop it to be better used by students who learn English as their subject

at school.

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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

A. Conclusions

After analyzing the lexical density of the English reading texts in the

textbook for senior high school grade tenth, it can be concluded that the lexical

density of reading texts are :

1. The item categories of lexical items and grammatical items that most

commonly found from each text was noun and followed by verb and

adjective. It was lexical items. Therefore, from the nine of the texts have

been analyzed lexical items was at most than grammatical items.

2. From 9 texts have been analyzed, there was one text which has low

lexical density, seven texts have medium lexical density and one text has

one high lexical density. So it can be concluded that most of them have

medium lexical density. It means the reading texts in Advanced Learning

English 1 Textbook are not too difficult to be understood. Moreover, the

English textbook is appropriate used for tenth grade level students.

3. The highest lexical density among the nine texts that written in three

genres (recount, narrative and procedure) was found in the recount text.

The recount text entitled “Majapahit Kingdom” was reached 60, 40% of

Lexical density. And it was classified in high level in the qualification

level of Lexical density.

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B. Suggestions

Based on the conclusion to the findings pointed above, the following

suggestions are :

1. For the English teachers, they can be use the result of this study as

references on their teaching activities to decide the appropriate English

textbook in teaching the reading texts. So their students can be better in

reading skill.

2. For the authors, they can use this study to present textbook with balance

composition between lexical items or content words and grammatical

items or function words of reading texts. Because the easy text is formed

with more grammatical items while the difficult text is formed with more

lexical items. Moreover, the English textbook is appropriate used for the

tenth grade level students.

3. For the further researchers, they can be use the result of this study as a

references to conduct study on the same topic of different sources and

develop it to be better.

LEXICAL DENSITY OF READING MATERIALS IN ADVANCED LEARNING ENGLISH 1 TEXTBOOK FOR TENTH GRADE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL.