STUDENT’S SOCIOAFFECTIVE STRATEGY IN READING
A THESIS
Presented as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Magister Humaniora (M.Hum.) Degree
in English Language Studies
by
Rosyidah Jayanti Vijaya Student Number: 056332004
THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A long journey in making this thesis makes me more grateful and mature to see that to make something happen, one thing should not only be thought but done. Do not think the difficulties too much, but much think about how difficult others to get such a chance.
I must say my greatest thank to Allah SWT who always takes care of and blesses me with His love and mercy, so I could eventually finish this thesis. He has given me strength and spirit to move on. A wonderful advisor, Dr. F.X. Mukarto, M.S., who never showed his dizziness whenever I met him and showed him my complicated understanding on things, is also a precious gift from Him. His effort to make me think and move on and his patience and love in giving me correction and direction inspire me how I should treat my students. He always showed his appreciation even when I did something weird with the thesis. That’s the fun thing and I fully realize that.
Great thanks also go to STMIK AMIKOM Jogjakarta for facilitating me and allowed me to move freely while I made the thesis. Also many thanks to Ria for being my participant in this project. She is really a good girl. I am sure she can be a better student for the process she goes through autonomously.
My truly gratitude also goes to my classmates at KBI 2005 – Jeanette, Bill, Doddy, bu Carla, Irma, bu Ista, Diah, Wisnu, bu Anis, Baskara, Pak Purwanto, Pak Joko, Slash. Thank you for sharing fun and supports. Thank you also to mbak Lelly for always being a good friend and helping me whenever I needed.
Last but not least, I am very thankful to my beloved family, to my husband Eka and daughter Akira for always understanding and loving me boundlessly. Thank you for always being by my side through this roller coaster and cheering my life up.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE………...………. i
APPROVAL PAGE………...………. ii
DEFENSE APPROVAL PAGE………...…...……… iii
STATEMENT FOR PUBLICATION………. iv
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY…………..…………..…..………. v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……… vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS ……… viii
LIST OF TABLES ………..………. x
LIST OF FIGURES ……...………. xi
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS……….. xii
LIST OF CODES ………..……… xiii
ABSTRACT ………. xv
ABSTRAK ……….……….. xvii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ………. 1
A. Background ………... 1
B. Problem Identification.………..………. 4
C. Problem Limitation ………...………...……….. 5
D. Problem Formulation………..……… 6
E. Research Goals And Objectives ………. 7
F. Research Benefits ……….. 7
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW ………. 9
A. Theoretical Review ……….. 9
1. Language Learning Strategy ……….………. 9
a. O’Malley’s Classification of Language Learning Strategies…………... 11
b. Rubin’s Classification of Language Learning Strategies…….………… 12
c. Oxford’s Classification of Language Learning Strategies...……… 14
2. Socioaffective Strategy in Reading Comprehension 16 a. Social Strategy……….. 16
b. Reading Strategy……….……….. 25
c. Socioaffective Strategy in Reading……….……….. 26
. B. Theoretical Framework……….. 29
CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY………... 33
A. Research Method………...………... 33
B. Nature of Data………... 34
C. Research Setting and Participant…………...………... 34
D. Instruments………..………... 36
E. Data Collection……….………... 38
F. Data Presentation and Interpretation…………..………... 41
G. Trustworthiness of the Finding………...………... 43
CHAPTER IV: DATA PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION..…….. 45
A. Data Presentation ………... 45
B. Data Interpretation……….………... 59
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION, IMPLICATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS……...………... 65
A. Conclusions………...………... 65
B. Implications………...………... 68
C. Recommendations………..………... 69
BIBLIOGRAPHY………. 70
APPENDICES ……….… 74
Appendix 1: Surat Permohonan Ijin Penelitian ………... 74
Appendix 2: Reading Passage Prior Interview ………...……… 75
Appendix 3: Interview 1 Transcripts ………... 78
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 Research Construct and Their Operational Definitions……….. 30
Table 3.1 Blueprint of the Interview Items………... 37
Table 3.2 Sample of Ria Interview’s Script………... 39
Table 3.3 The Data Collection Process………... 40
Table 3.4 The Data Coding System… …………...………... 41
Table 3.5 Steps of Data Acquisition and Analysis Activities………. 43
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1 O’Malley and Chamot’s Classification of Language Learning
Strategy………...………...……….
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
EFL : English as a Foreign Language ELT : English Language Teaching LLS : Language Learning Strategy
LIST OF CODES
List of Codes
ASQ : Asking questions
COP : Cooperating with others
EMP : Empathizing with others
LAN : Lowering anxiety
ENC : Encouraging oneself
TET : Taking emotional temperature
ACV : Asking for clarification or verification
COR : Asking for correction
PER : Cooperating with peers
PUS : Cooperating with other proficient user of the new language
DCU : Developing cultural understanding
ATF : Becoming aware of others’ thought and feelings
LAX : Using progressive relaxation, deep breathing, or meditation
MUS : Using music
LAU : Using laughter
POS : Making positive statements
TRW : Taking risks wisely
REW : Rewarding oneself
LTB : Listening to one’s body UCL : Using checklist
WLD : Writing a language learning diary
DFO : Discussing feelings with someone else
Coding System
ASQ-ACV means student’s strategy to ask questions for clarification or verification.
ASQ-COR means student’s strategy to ask questions for correction.
COP-PER means student’s strategy to cooperate with others by cooperating with
peers.
COP-PUS means student’s strategy to cooperate with others by cooperating with proficient users of the new language.
EMP-DCU means student’s strategy of empathizing with others by developing
cultural understanding.
EMP-ATF means student’s strategy of empathizing with others by becoming aware
of others’ thought and feelings.
LAN-LAX means student’s strategy to lower anxiety through progressive relaxation,
deep breathing, or meditation.
LAN-LAU means student’s strategy to lower anxiety through laughter.
ENC-POS means student’s strategy to encourage her self by making positive
statements.
ENC-TRW means student’s strategy to encourage her self by taking risk wisely. ENC-REW means student’s strategy to encourage her self by rewarding her self.
TET-LTB means student’s strategy to take emotional temperature by listening to her
body.
TET-UCL means student’s strategy to take emotional temperature by using
checklist.
TET-WLD means student’s strategy to take emotional temperature by writing a
language diary.
TET-DFO means student’s strategy to take emotional temperature by discussing her
feelings with someone else.
Referencing System
(Ria – Interview 1/ASQ-ACV) refers to Ria’s statement in the first interview that
shows the use of her socioaffective strategy through asking questions for clarification and verification.
(Ria – Interview 2/EMP-ATF, TET-DFO, and COP-PER) refers to Ria’s
ABSTRACT
Vijaya, Rosyidah Jayanti. (2010). Student’s Socioaffective Strategy in Reading. Yogyakarta: The Graduate Program in English Language Studies, Sanata Dharma University.
Informatics grows fast along with articles related to it. In order to adjust with study and work place, the students of STMIK AMIKOM need to have the ability to read comprehensively. This qualitative study was aimed to explore the student’s lived experience on socioaffective strategies in reading and how they were applied. As the socioaffective strategy found, it would be easier for the teachers to build English reading instruction the material that suited their strategy preferences and more enjoyable for the student as well as raised student’s awareness of socioaffective strategy. Hopefully, it will lead student to become autonomous in reading and it will foster her good adjustment in study and work place.
Three classifications of learning strategies that are designed by O’Malley and Chamot (1985), Rubin (1987), and Oxford (1990) would be the main guidance of this study. Oxford’s comprehensive chart of learning strategy gave access to find indicators of sosioaffective strategy which support the finding of this thesis.
One Information System student of semester 3 who had just experienced reading class was involved in this study. A preliminary observation was taken to choose which student would be asked to participate in this project. Data were collected through a couple of interviews with 16 indicators of socioaffective strategy, while the student’s diary was not used since it did not fulfill the needs of this research. The steps of data analysis and data coding system were also prepared to make it easier to organize the research and analyze the data.
cultural understanding (empathizing to others strategy), using checklist, and writing a language learning diary (taking emotional temperature strategy).
ABSTRAK
Vijaya, Rosyidah Jayanti. (2010). Student’s Socioaffective Strategy in Reading. Yogyakarta: Program Pasca Sarjana, Kajian Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Informatika berkembang cepat seiring dengan artikel-artikel yang berhubungan dengan informatika. Kemampuan membaca sangat diperlukan bagi mahasiswa-mahasiswa STMIK AMIKOM agar dapat menyesuaikan diri terhada lingkungan kuliah dan kerja. Studi kualitatif ini bertujuan untuk menggali pengalaman hidup seorang mahasiswa akan strategi socioaffective dalam membaca. Bila strategi socioaffective sudah ditemukan, akan lebih mudah bagi pengajar untuk menyediakan petunjuk pengajaran membaca yang sesuai dengan pilihan strategi mereka dan terasa menyenangkan, selain meningkatkan kesadaran mahasiswa terhadap starategi socioaffective. Diharapkan, kesadaran tersebut akan menjadikan mahasiswa mandiri dalam membaca dan meningkatkan kemampuan beradaptasi terhadap lingkungan belajar dan pekerjaan.
Tiga klasifikasi mengenai learning strategies yang dikemukakan oleh O’Malley dan Chamot (1985), Rubin (1987), dan Oxford (1990) menjadi petunjuk utama dalam studi ini. Bagan learning strategy milik Oxford memberikan akses untuk mendapatkan indikator-indikator yang digunakan dalam penelitian mengenai strategi socioaffective yang akan mendukung penemuan penelitian ini.
Seorang mahasiswa jurusan Sistem Informasi semester 3 yang sudah menempuh kelas reading dilibatkan dalam penelitian ini. Sebelumnya, dilakukan observasi awal untuk menentukan peserta tersebut. Data dikumpulkan melalui dua kali wawancara dengan mengunakan 16 indikator strategi socioaffective, sementara
student’s diary tidak dapat digunakan karena tidak ditemukan data yang berhubungan dengan studi ini. Langkah-langkah yang ditempuh dalam menganalisa data dan sistem pengkodean data juga disiapkan untuk kemudahan pengaturan penelitian dan penganalisaan data.
Hasil menunjukan bahwa berdasarkan pengalaman hidupnya akan strategi socioaffective dalam membaca, mahasiswa tersebut menerapkan 13 dari 16 indikator strategies socioaffective: Asking for clarification or verification and asking for correction (asking questions strategy), cooperating with peers and cooperating with proficient users of the new language (cooperating with others strategy), becoming
aware of others’ thought and feelings (empathizing with others strategy), using
membuatnya bisa mendorong dirinya sendiri untuk yakin terhadap apa yang dia lakukan. Studi ini juga menunjukkan bahwa strategi socioaffective yang paling sering digunakan adalah pengendalian emosi melalui taking risk wisely, cooperating with peers sebagai bagian dari strategi coopearating witk others, dan encouraging herself. Tiga strategy socioaffective yang tidak ditemukan dalam pola strategi socioaffective dalam penelitian ini: developing cultural understanding (empathizing to others strategy), using checklist, dan writing a language learning diary (taking emotional temperature strategy).
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This first chapter contains background of the study which explains my reasons doing this study, problem identification that clarifies the problem that occured in field, problem limitation, problem formulation, goals and objectives of the research – covers the areas being discussed, benefits of the research that explicates how this will support the development of science and technology of English teaching and learning in Indonesia, especially in the college where the students become the participants of this study.
A. Background
How the students communicate their difficulties in learning, interact each other to overcome their problem, organize the emotions, attitude and values in learning English language while motivating themselves in the process of language learning, draw my attention. Learning a language is not only learning about how to use the language, but also how to cope the problems that occur during the process of learning. When a learner knows what to do to overcome a problem, it will be much easier for the learner to conquer the language.
around the learner) - and what she feels, why she chooses such a way and how she does it.
Teaching and learning orientation has moved from the traditional one which puts attention on teachers‟ role and teaching method to the learners‟ great
involvement in the teaching learning process. How learners can maximize their own way to have better language learning is put on the priority. Learners‟ way to
enhance language learning process then stimulate the growth of communicative competence in general is the focus of this study. Learning strategies is the common term for specific ways or actions taken by learner to make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self directed, more effective, and more transferable to new situations (Oxford, 1990).
Learning strategies are used as tools for the learners to involve greatly in the learning process. Appropriate language learning strategies will result proficiency and greater self-confidence. Many researches show that language students who apply strategies in learning have better result than those who do not. Learners who use strategies know what they have to do to overcome specific language task, they become self-directed learners inside or even outside the class.
easier for students whose good ability in English to think about what to do to handle problems in learning English. Consulting dictionary, guessing and predicting, scanning, looking the word‟s surrounding, and memorizing other
things that might correlate with the certain word or sentence are the frequent responses, but unfortunately they only came from few students that were regarded as good learners. Others seemed to have consulting on dictionary as the only way. Asking the teacher to verify or clarify on certain things and asking to friends appeared not to be regarded as strategies, while later, I could see that students did ask the teacher or friends when they had to do some task. I noticed that the students did not realize that the last two activities are parts of learning strategies and called socioaffective strategies.
It could not be denied that most of the students had difficulties in English and the students‟ past lived experience took an important part in shaping their way
to read English text. I think it was very important for the students to get to know more about learning strategies which are suitable with their level of proficiency, so they could learn better and be autonomous in learning along with developing their further strategies.
B. Problem Identification
Language learning strategies are classified into two classes: direct and indirect strategies. Direct strategies involve the target language (i.e. memory strategies, cognitive strategies, and compensation strategies), while indirect strategies do not involve the target language directly but they support and manage language learning (Oxford, 1990). Indirect strategies are divided into metacognitive, social, and affective strategies. This study highlights the last two strategies: social and affective strategies, later called socio-affective strategies applied by students in reading English text.
Since indirect strategies become an important issue for the last few years, it was very interesting to find whether the students used socio-affective strategies when they read English text. Did they realize that they apply certain strategies? How they knew about those strategies and why they used those strategies.
STMIK AMIKOM students realize that informatics grows fast and there are so many articles about IT released everyday and written in English. Refer to a senior English teacher, reading is very important for the students when they are in the workplace; they have to expand their knowledge through reading so they can adjust themselves with the growth of workplace needs.
ways out to cope the problem. Almost every class gave me the same answers when I asked the students about what they usually did when they could not figure a reading text out. Consulting on dictionary, looking at word‟s surrounding, asking for clarification or verification to the teachers, and predicting by remembering something else seemed the best choice of getting to know the answers. Consulting on dictionary was the only choice of handling problems in reading for students with lack ability, while it was almost impossible for students with inner restriction to clarify or verify the material to the teachers. Based on my experience teaching there, I saw that there were also students who liked to work with friends and others do not, made jokes while we were discussing on something, asked for certain words‟ meaning, clarified the method of doing the
task, yawned or even stood for a moment to relax his/herself. I observed that they were not aware that those things were parts of learning strategy. Some of them thought that making jokes was only an ice breaking or silly things to annoy others and clarifying just showed their lack of ability in catching the material.
The fact that has been described previously challenged me to get to know more about socioaffective strategies used in reading, but I just involved one student in this study due to limited time.
C. Problem Limitation
This study focused only on socioaffective strategy used by the student and data were gathered through a couple of interviews. Beside providing reading assignment for confirming the student‟s level of understanding in reading, the
handling her problem in reading English text. This study tried to explore the student‟s lived experience on reading English text, so it would not be
generalizable to all students‟ socioaffective strategies.
The participant involved in this study was only one student of STMIK AMIKOM. English was taught in 4 semesters and two credits for each; 3 semesters which contain General English are ought to be followed and 1 semester which is related to Business English is an optional. Last year, reading was taught in the third semester; but this year it has been changed into TOEFL Preparation, something very different. But during my teaching time there, I see that this topic will always be connected to their needs due to the rapid change of information and technology and the English printed version.
Teaching at the same institution gave me an access to do the research. This study was aimed to explore what socio-affective strategies used by the students in reading English text.
D. Problem Formulation
This study tried to find socio-affective strategies applied by students to deal with English text, how they used the strategies, and why they used them. Specifically, this research was done to find the answer of the question:
What are a STMIK AMIKOM student’s lived experience on socio-affective
strategies in reading?
E. Research Goals and Objectives
As the context of this research is student‟s socio-affective strategy in reading, the main goal that this research attempts to reach was to describe and interpret the student’s lived experience on socio-affective strategy in reading. The results of this study lead to further detailed practical objectives to be addressed through the following inquiries, they are:
1. Revealing the reasons that encourage the student to use such strategy.
2. Discovering the student‟s lived experience on socio-affective strategy. For example, what exactly the student would do when she was panic. It might be talking to herself or deciding to organize her time in doing the task.
F. Research Benefits
This study would describe and interpret the student‟s lived experience on
socio-affective strategy. The result of this study has some contribution to English teaching and learning field in Indonesia, especially STMIK AMIKOM Yogyakarta, and also to the development of science and technology.
Scientifically, this study tried to find the student‟s lived experience on
socio-affective strategies in reading. It might contribute to the theories of learning strategies by providing more explanation and illustration, so that it will be easier to predict or get further conclusions and control anything to do with the socio-affective strategy related to teaching and learning on reading.
For the teachers, the result of this study might be valuable information. By knowing the student‟s lived experience on socio-affective strategy in reading, the
socioaffective strategy preferences that usually are usually applied. It can foster the learning process by helping the students to use the strategies effectively to enhance better language learning.
CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
The first part of this chapter reviews the literature on language learning strategy which includes, among others, social strategy, affective strategy, and reading comprehensive skill as well as relevant studies on language learning strategies; while the second part discusses the theoretical framework of this study.
A. Theoretical Review
1. Language Learning Strategy
consciously or unconsciously when processing new information and performing tasks in the language classroom. Since language classroom is like a problem-solving environment in which language learners are likely to face new input and difficult tasks given by their instructors, learners' attempts to find the quickest or easiest way to do what is required, that is, using language learning strategies is inescapable. In the same way, Oxford (1990: 8) defines learning strategies as specific actions taken by the learners to make learning easier, faster, enjoyable, more self-directed, more effective, and more transferable to new situations. These strategies stimulate the growth of communicative competence in general.
Learning strategy is very important as it really enhances students‟ learning,
contributes to communicative competence, allows learners to become more self-directed, expand the role of teachers, and helps the learners to accomplish a task. Learning strategy also involves many aspects of learners, cognitive and beyond cognitive, and it supports learning both directly and indirectly.
a. O'Malley's (1985) Classification of Language Learning Strategies
O'Malley et al. (1985: 582-584) divide language learning strategies into three main areas. The first one is metacognitive strategy which covers planning for learning, thinking about the learning process as it is taking place, monitoring of one's production or comprehension, and evaluating learning after an activity is completed. The next is cognitive strategy that involves repetition, resourcing, translation, grouping, note taking, deduction, recombination, imagery, auditory representation, key word, contextualization, elaboration, transfer, and inferencing as the most important strategies. The last one is socioaffective strategy that deals with social-mediating activity and transacting with others, such as cooperation and question for clarification.
Learning strategies are mostly unobservable, though some may be associated with an observable behaviour (Chamot, 2004). For example, a student can use lowering anxiety (unobservable) to decrease feelings of not being able to answer the questions by using laughter while cooperating with peers (observable). The choices of learning strategies are really influenced by the student‟s
proficiency level. More proficient language learners use a greater variety and often a greater number of learning strategies (O‟Malley & Chamot, 1990). Once we let the student be aware of the strategies that the student has used in the past and teach her how to use it optimally while learning other strategies, the student‟
What follows is a figure of LLS presented by O‟Malley and Chamot.
b. Rubin's (1987) Classification of Language Learning Strategies.
knowledge. Rubin and Wenden (1987:23-27) agree that although this strategy provides exposures to the target language, it contributes indirectly to learning since it does not lead directly to the obtaining, storing, retrieving, and using of language.
c. Oxford's (1990) Classification of Language Learning Strategies
Oxford (1990: 9) sees the aim of language learning strategies as being oriented towards the development of communicative competence. Oxford divides language learning strategies into two main classes, direct and indirect, which are further subdivided into 6 groups. The first three strategies included in direct strategy are memory strategies, cognitive strategies, and compensation strategies; while metacognitive strategies, affective strategies, and social strategies belong to indirect strategy. As described by the figure on the following page, the extensions of the six strategies give a picture how Oxford (1990: 16-21) has classified it comprehensively.
What makes Oxford‟s classification different from O‟Malley and Chamot‟s
classification is Oxford has developed more categories and indicators. Compared to Rubin‟s classification, Oxford has integrated social and affective strategies into
learning strategy, while Rubin seemed to describe communication and affective strategy as a support to learning strategy (cognitive and metacognitive strategy).
In my opinion, learning strategy can be viewed as students‟ preferences to handle their problem in learning. The preferences might relate to other things, such as students‟ learning style, education background, cultural background,
attitude toward learning, or affective states of the students. Each student probably has different learning style, education and cultural background, or affective states and those affect different learning style used. It is very important for the students to be aware of the strategies that have been used and know more about other strategies that can be used, so they can access the material easier.
2. Socioaffective Strategy in Reading Comprehension
As mentioned in the previous discussion, I preferred to use O‟Malley &
Chamot‟s way to call the strategy which being my focus in this thesis as
„social/affective strategy‟, but Oxford -who splits it into social and affective
strategy and has more comprehensive explanations on it- has brought my better understanding in. So, I decided to combine both O‟Malley and Chamot‟s term
with Oxford‟s framework as socioaffective strategy.
a. Social Strategy
Rubin's (1987) classifies social strategies as activities learners engage in which afford them opportunities to be exposed to and practice their knowledge. Although these strategies provide exposure to the target language, they contribute indirectly to learning since they do not lead directly to the obtaining, storing, retrieving, and using of language (Rubin and Wenden, 1987: 23-27).
explanation are techniques used by learners so as to keep a conversation going. The purpose of using these techniques is to avoid interrupting the flow of communication (Stern, 1992: 265).
Oxford (1990: 145-147) stated three sets of social strategies, they are: 1. asking question this strategies involves asking someone, possibly a teacher or native speaker or even a more proficient fellow learner, for clarification, verification, or correction, 2. cooperating with others this strategies involves interacting with one or more people to improve language skills, and empathizing with others. Each of set strategies have two specifics strategies below: Asking question, are asking for clarification or verification and asking for correction; Cooperating with others, are cooperating with peers and cooperating with proficient users of new language; Empathizing with others, are developing cultural understanding and becoming aware of others thoughts and feelings.
b. Affective Strategy
success or failure. Good language learners are often those who know how to control their emotions and attitudes about learning. Negative feelings can stunt progress, even for the rare learner who fully understands all the technical aspects of how to learn a new language. On the other hand, positive emotions and attitudes can make language learning far more effective and enjoyable.
Oxford (1990: 143-144) states that there are many ways to get affective strategies. In lowering anxiety there are three anxiety-reducing strategies, each has a physical component and mental component: 1. using progressive relaxation, deep breathing, or meditation, 2. using music, 3. using laughter. In encouraging yourself, there are three ways can be taken: 1. making positive statements, 2. taking risk wisely, 3. rewarding yourself. In taking emotional temperature, learner can use listening to his body, using a checklist, writing a language learning diary, and discussing feelings with someone else.
c. Socioaffective Strategy
explanation, rephrasing, or examples, 3. self-talk, or using mental control to assure oneself that a learning activity will be successful or to reduce anxiety about a task. Social/affective strategies concern the ways in which learners choose to interact with other speakers (Ellis, 1997: 77).
d. Importance of Language Learning Strategies in Language Learning and
Teaching
Since the amount of information to be processed by language learners is high in language classroom, learners use different language learning strategies in performing the tasks and processing the new input they face. Language learning strategies are good indicators of how learners approach tasks or problems encountered during the process of language learning. In other words, language learning strategies, while non-observable or unconsciously used in some cases, give language teachers valuable clues about how their students assess the situation, plan, select appropriate skills so as to understand, learn, or remember new input presented in the language classroom.
language learner build up learner independence and autonomy whereby he can take control of his own learning.
learning strategies does not guarantee that bad learners will also become successful in language learning since other factors may also play role in success.
In fact, learning strategies are not always observable to the human eye. For example, while many aspects of co-operating with someone else to achieve a learning goal are observable, it is impossible to observe a learner‟s act of making
mental associations. Learning strategies are often conscious, for most of them are conscious efforts of learners to take control of their learning. However, after a certain amount of use and practice, learning strategies, like any other skill or behavior, can become automatic
a. Learning strategies can be taught. They are teachable and the main concern of this work is strategy training that can be considered as an essential part of language education.
b. Learning strategies are flexible, that is, they are not always found in predictable sequences or in precise patterns. Individual learner can choose, combine and sequence the strategies in a way he or she wants. But in some cases, such as in reading a passage, learners use some strategies in a predictable way, for example learners first preview the text by skimming or scanning, then read it more closely by using guessing, and the like.
Ellis (1994: 530) distinguishes two types of learning strategy in the field of second language acquisition: language learning strategies which concern with learners‟ attempt to master new linguistic and sociolinguistic information about
the target language, and skill learning strategies which concern with learners‟
attempt to become skilled listeners, speakers, readers, or writers.
Other researchers who conducted social and affective strategies are Stern (1975) has found characteristic of successful language learners and put them into four rubrics: active planning, academic (explicit) learning, social learning, and affective strategies; while Naiman, Fröhlich, and Todesco (1975) list six strategies as keys to success:
a. Finding a set of learning preferences and selecting language situations that allow those preferences to be used.
b. Becoming actively involved in language learning process
c. Developing an awareness of language both as a formal system of rules as means of communication
d. Constantly extending and revising individual understanding of the target language system
e. Gradually developing the language into a reference system and learning to think in it.
f. Addressing the affective demands of language learning
learning, the students have to gradually develop an understanding on formal and informal form of communication and know when to use it. Self-correction and increasing the use of the target language will also help the students to be better learners, as well as followed by positive affective state that English is important for learners‟ future that can motivate them to keep practicing.
Rubin (1975) claims that a good language learner is a willing and accurate guesser, has a strong drive to communicate, focuses on form as well as communication, practices, monitors his or her own speech and that of others, and pays attention to meaning.
3. Reading
a. Reading Comprehension
Most of the articles I found about reading discuss reading comprehension cognitively because reading is about understanding written texts and it is a complex activity that involves both perception and thought. It consists of two
related processes: word recognition and comprehension. While 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 typically make use of background
knowledge, vocabulary, grammatical knowledge, experience with text and other
strategies to help them understand written text. In general, skilled readers are able
to construct meaning through the integration of existing and new knowledge and
use certain strategies to assist, monitor, regulate, and maintain their
Grabe and Stoller (2002: 4) view reading as a way to draw information from
a text to form an interpretation of that information. As the act of interpreting,
reading means reacting to a written text as a piece of communication. As much of
what we know about reading is based on studies conducted in English and other
alphabetic languages.
Learning to read is an important educational goal. It enables learners to find
and explore new knowledge, enjoy literature, and do everyday things that are part
and parcel of modern life, such as, reading the newspapers, job listings,
instruction manuals, maps and so on. In this sense, then, we may assume that
there are some communicative purposes on the writer‟s part, in which the reader is
expected to attempt an understanding (Wallace, 1992).
Reading comprehension is a multilevel interactive process that helps a
reader extract the meaning from a set of data as opposed to a mere acquisition of
information (Alfassi, 1998). It is a process of constructing meaning through the
dynamic interaction between the reader and the text being read. This interaction,
however, is greatly influenced by an internal factor such as the characteristics of
the reader (psychological, social, cultural, and linguistic) as well as external
factors such as, the purpose(s) of the reading activity, the characteristics of the
reading material, and the setting and the context in which the reading occurs.
Even most people learn to read in their native language without difficulty and
learn to read a second, third or additional language, with or without having
b. Reading Strategy
Reading is very important in university life. Learners cannot expect teachers much to feed them with everything they need to do and think. So learners have to extend their initiative to get whatever they need to be successful learners. Yet, some of them do not like to read, while there will always something to do with the subject taken to read. Some of them get initiatives not to get lost of their confusing world, but some of learners do not know what to do. When they do not react properly to the text, it doesn‟t mean they do not care of it but they just do not
know what to do. Then, it is the teacher who should show them the way to explore the strategy to accomplish their problems.
According to Wallace (1992: 57), reading strategies involve ways of processing text which will vary with the nature of the text, the readers‟ purpose,
and the context of situation. Langan (2002: 359) mentions eight skills to occupy to have a better understanding and interpreting reading text: recognizing definitions and examples, recognizing enumeration, recognizing heading and subheadings, recognizing signal words, recognizing main ideas in paragraph and short selections, knowing how to outline knowing how to summarize, and understanding graphs and tables.
initial strategies to activate their background knowledge and it can boost their mood to read and get to know further about the reading.
Furthermore, Mickulecky (1990) views the importance of building skills on reading besides background knowledge and conceptual frameworks activation. Learning not to read every word, improving bottom-up processing, word knowledge, finding topic and main ideas, recognizing patterns of textual organization, as well as learning how to skim and summarizing are seen as prominent skills to maintain.
c. Socioaffective Strategy in Reading
Learners have to realize or at least they have to be led to realize that commitment to doing the work is the most crucial thing in university life. It directly motivates them to strengthen their attitude in learning rather than staying with their avoidance tactics.
Oxford‟s taxonomy (1990) clearly classifies learning strategy which can be
used as a guide line to explore the socioaffective strategies on reading. Hosenfeld (1977 and 1984) found in his series of studies that less successful learners might be helped by looking at what good learners do.
Choi (2003) finds that the number of correctly translated clauses and words increased along with the rise of socioaffective strategic frequent use. This study also indicates that the interaction makes the negotiation get longer.
Stewner-Manzanares, Russo and Kuper (1985) and as communication strategies by Oxford (1990), have been further studied by those researchers working on the interaction Hypothesis (Ellis, 1999). The Interaction Hypothesis has examined how speakers, both native and non-native, repair breakdowns in communication and how L2 learners learn second language through the process of interaction with others (Doughty & Picam, 1986). The Interaction Hypothesis is particularly interested in one kind of interaction that is the negotiation of meaning. The strategic features used to negotiate meaning include confirmation checks, clarification request, comprehension checks, repetitions, reformulation, and the like. These features help students modify the ways in which positive and negative evidences are given and thus better understand what they are learning and talking.
feedback, which were originally identified and have been studied by the researchers working on the Interaction Hypothesis. The sociocultural researcher report the importance and effects of those features as tools which are used by the students to monitor their activities, recognize their problem, maintain shared perspective of the task, construct scaffolded helps, and thus enable themselves to complete their work.
The review of the two theories, the Interaction Hypothesis and the Sociocultural Theory, indicates that the socioaffective strategies can help students better understand and communicate with each other when they are engage in reading an English text.
One role of a teacher is to judge how and when his or her own interventions might support an early reader when reading aloud. Thus, rather than simply „hearing learners read‟ and focusing on how they pronounce the words, teacher
and learners might profit from sharing their knowledge of particular topics and discussing the salient features of particular genres in the actual course of reading (Wallace, 1992: 61). These indirectly encourage learners to verify and clarify what they do not understand about the text, while lift their spirit to reduce their anxiety.
It is also interesting to organize peer conferences in which the learners as readers can share what they know about their reading to maximize the quality of reading. In this activity, questions might arise to confirm each reader‟s perception
B. Theoretical Framework
As Grabe and Stoller (2002: 4) view reading as a way to draw information
from a text to form an interpretation of that information, it is very important for
the learners to learn strategies on reading so that they can overcome their
difficulties in reading. Learning to read does not only become an important educational goal, but it enables learners to open their windows widely about what is going on around them through reading including what they need for their
future.
In university life, learners cannot expect teachers much to watch over them
with everything they need to do and think. So learners have to extend their initiative to get whatever they need to be successful learners. They need to be aware of learning strategies to solve their problems.
Socioaffective strategy – the strategy that goes through social interaction and controls learners‟ affective factors - is one of some learning strategies described by Oxford (1990) that can help learners to handle learners‟ problem.
The social interaction takes place between the learners and everyone around the learners: friends, more proficient users of target language, and teachers. Affective factors - which cover emotions, attitudes, motivation, and values – take place inside the learners. 16 indicators represent 6 categories of socioaffective strategies, as shown in Table 2.1, would be explored through interviews.
failures in communication and how L2 learners apply the process of interaction with others when they learn second language.
The requisite construct in the Sociocultural Theory is mediation of language by which students interact and cooperate to negotiate meaning and to communicate (Adair-Hauck & Donato, 1994; Vygotsky, 1978). The social interaction first embodies a basis for interpsychological development, and later promotes intrapyshological development through the process of internalization of what interlocutors have performed, discussed, and learned. As they move along this developmental process, they move from other-regulated to being self-regulated.
One role of a teacher is to judge how and when his or her own interventions might support the learners at any level. Hopefully, it can indirectly encourage learners to verify and clarify what they do not understand about the text, while lift their spirit to reduce their anxiety.
The following table is presenting the conceptual framework that summarizes the main constructs underlining the study.
Table2.1.Research construct and their operational definitions
temperature Using checklist Writing a language learning diary Discussing one‟s feeling with someone else
Through interviews, a lived experience on socioaffective strategy in reading expectantly would be gained. The figure in page 28 explains the framework of the research.
Figure 2.4. The Framework of the Research
Transcribing Interpreting Coding Analyzing Interviews
Verbal
Data
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter discusses research procedures that have been done in this study, started with research method, nature of data, research setting and the participant, instruments, data collection techniques, data analysis and interpretation, and validation of the findings. To bundle up the discussion, an overview of the research plan is presented at the end of the chapter.
A.Research Method
This research is a progressive qualitative one. Based on Hammersley and Atkinson in Holliday (2002), in this progressive qualitative research, I – as the researcher - illustrate the participant as the social world and constructing the social world through participant‟s interpretation of it. Besides, this research is
fundamentally interpretive and some aspects possibly emerge during this study. It also seeks for involvement of the participant in data collection.
Qualitative researchers look for involvement of their participants in data collection and seek to build rapport and credibility with the individual in the study (Creswell, 2003: 181).
The study was qualitative because it tried to recognize the student‟s lived experience through researcher‟s interpretation of participant‟s world using
researcher‟s personal, cultural and historical experiences (Creswell, 2003: 8-9). It
student. So, the student would be aware of the existence of her socioaffective strategies in reading and the awareness would transform her from some one who was not aware of socioaffective strategies into some one who was aware of it and had a great chance to overcome her problem in reading.
The final interpretation would be used to emancipate the participant and foster her to be more and more autonomous in reading. I think it was an appropriate strategy for this project because the conditions are suitable. The strategy would shapes the types of questions asked – questions that related to strategies - the form of data collection, the steps of data analysis, and the final narrative.
B.Nature of Data
According to my plan, data involved in this project would be (1) observational data, which clarify the participant characteristic; (2) narrative data which are gained from in-depth interview with the participant; (3) documental participant‟s work on a certain text; and (4) personal diary which contains
participant‟s thought about reading and everything she remembered about her
reading activity.
C.Research Setting and Participant
This qualitative research took place within the campus of STMIK AMIKOM Yogyakarta. The participant was a STMIK AMIKOM student, Ria Lestari Sianturi (Ria) from Information System Department. She has just finished English 3 in which reading is one of the focuses in the class. As I explained in the first chapter, AMIKOM provides 4 semesters for English subject. In the first and second semester the students have General English and English 4 is offered as an optional. Reading class used to be organized in the third semester, but time changes and so does the curriculum. In the process of development, this college always tries to find the fixes that meet the students‟ needs. Reading is no longer
taught in the third semester and replaced by TOEFL Preparation. Yet, reading is one prominent part of TOEFL and it still gave me chances to explore the socio-affective strategies of the learner.
Teaching at the same place enables me to have an access, have an intensive contact, and gain detailed information about participants and their actual experiences.
even they know the answers. Some of the students wrote to me and asked me for not to be tired to encourage them to learn and tell them what to do to have a better learning. When they do not understand about something, they do not ask for clarification and just let it all flow away. Then, I assume that they need help to clarify the strategies they have applied and they can use in learning language.
To get the access and use the facilities, I asked for permission to the Department Heads of Information System Program to organize interviews with the student. I also met an English lecturer who handles the participant‟s class this
semester to find the participant and fix the schedule, so I can take parts in their classes observing the participant.
D. Instruments
As explained in the previous section, the main data collection went through a couple of interviews. The data would be collected outside English class hour. I did observation before doing the interview to pick which student I would take to participate to this study. In this pre-observation, I noted that the student had applied the socioaffective strategies. She raised her hands to clarify the lecturer‟s question, she talked about the text given to her friends, and she laughed
Table 3.1 Blueprint of the Interview Items
Category Questions Indicators (Aimed Responses) What is your action if you notice your friends (s) got a trouble to understand reading texts?
1. Asking for clarification or verification
2. Asking for correction
1. Cooperating with peers 2. Cooperating with proficient
users of the new language
1. Developing Cultural understanding
2. Becoming aware of others/ thought and feelings. panic when you have to read a difficult text? yourself to keep you stay with the text?
How do you know that you feel nervous or worry about your understanding your reading?
Have you ever made a list of whatever you feel about your reading activity? Do you write everything you experience regarding your reading activity? Do you have someone to share about what you feel about learning English –
Writing a language learning diary
Though all the questions are in English, it did not mean that we had a pure English conversation during the interview. I just let the student to feel as comfortable as possible and speak freely, mixed English with Indonesian whenever she thought she needed to do it.
E. Data Collection
Some steps had been done to make the data collection organized:
1. Interviewing Department Head of Information System of STMIK AMIKOM to get the picture of this institution‟s perception on English subject especially
reading and problems around it.
2. Interviewing a senior teacher to get information about his perception on English teaching and learning, class situation, and ask permission to observe his class. These two interviews were not recorded because they were only preliminary information during a light conversation to explore what the students needed and the college expected.
3. After observing the class and finding the one who suited to the criteria, I introduced myself to her and explain to her about my plan to involve her as the participant of this research, as well as the nature and the purpose of the research. Then, we exchanged phone number for next appointments.
5. The next week when we met, she took the text back including the work. I took a look at the work and asked some questions to make sure about her understanding. Then, I took her to the library and organized an interview. The Blueprint of the Interview Item was used as a guidance of the interview (see table 3.1).
6. After describing the first interview, I started having a picture of the socio-affective strategy applied by the participant. So, I tried to separate the strategies in codes. The codes show how much the participant involves socioaffective strategy when she is reading.
7. Next, I made another appointment for another interview one month after our first meeting while gathering data from participant‟s diary. I showed her our
first conversation transcription and continued to another interview after getting her approval on the first transcription. In the second interview, I asked some questions which had not been asked on the first interview. I made confirmations on some facts, which - I think - have correlations with other facts.
8. From the second interview, I gathered more data and I put them in another transcription and confirmed the coding. A sample of the interview transcript presented in Table 3.2 that follows:
Table 3.2A Sample of Ria‟s Interview Script
Description Question and Answer Code
When she feels panic, she makes kinds of positive statement that she can do anything to solve her problems.
R: S: R:
S:
For relaxing?
I just trust myself
Can you be more specific, how can you be so confident?
Well, I just believe… uhm, that‟s it. I just believe in myself that I can do it
9. Finally, I made an analysis of what taken from the field. The following table clarifies the data collection process:
Table 3.3. The Data Collection Process
Step Action Purpose Result
It is very important for the students for being updated by reading new released articles.
Reading comprehension is important.
2. Interviewing a senior English teacher
Sometimes it is hard to make the students understand a text.
He allowed me to sit in in his class and did the observation.
3. Observing the class To find a preferable students to be this
research‟s participant.
One student was found. She was active to ask and seemed to discuss the topic of the days with friends. 4. First meeting with the
participant
To see the student‟s level
of reading ability by giving her a text to bring home and asked her to find main idea and supporting idea of each paragraph of the text.
It showed that she was not really understand how to find main and supporting ideas.
5. First interview To find the student‟s socioaffective strategies in reading by using the Blue Print of the
7. Second interview 1.To show the student the result of our first interview transcription. 2.To gain more
information which could be missed in the first interview.
1. She confirmed the data in the transcription.
9. Working on the data presentation and interpretation
To present the result of the study and interpret the data.
Data presentation and interpretation
F. Data Presentation and Interpretation
Both data collection and data analysis are in the same on going process and done successively, they cannot be strictly separated. Data analysis involves the following steps adopted from Creswell (2003: 191-195):
1. Organizing and preparing the data for analysis in which in this step I transcribed the interviews. Before interviewing the students, I had observed her in the class to make sure that she was the one whose criteria‟s needed in
this study. After that I gave her a reading text to bring home and asked her to find main and supporting ideas of the reading text. After the first interview, I asked the student to write anything regarding with reading and especially about what had been discussed in the interview in case she forgot something to mention in the interview and remembered it later.
2. Reading the data, which helps the researcher to attain a general concept of the information and to reflect on its general meaning.
3. Analyzing data in detail with a coding process, which mostly involved segmenting sentences into categories, and labeling those categories with a term. What follows in table 3.4 listing the final data coding system, including the emergent indicators, which was used in this study.
Table3.4 The Data Coding System
Theme Category Indicators Code Asking Questions Asking for clarification or verification ASQ-ACV
Socioaffective Strategy
the new language Empathizing with
others
Developing cultural understanding EMP-DCU Becoming aware of others‟ thought
and feelings
EMP-ATF
Lowering anxiety Using progressive relaxation, deep breathing, or meditation
Making positive statements ENC-POS Taking risks wisely ENC-TRW Rewarding oneself ENC-REW Taking emotional
temperature
Listening to one‟s body TET-LTB
Using Checklist TET-UCL Writing a language learning diary TET-WLD Discussing feelings with someone else TET-DFO
4. Re-interviewing the student to get a clearer picture of the student‟s socioaffective strategies. The result of this second interview gave both new results and confirmation of what had not been clear in the first interview. 5. Making tables and verbal description of the student‟s personal account based
on the result of the two interviews. By using the data coding system, the coded data from single participant‟s interviews and protocol transcripts were summarized and assigned to categories to see their similarities as well as differences. The summarized and organized main features of the data were generated into a description of the participant as well as categories and themes for analysis.
6. Presenting the analysis in qualitative narrative form in which this step involves visual, figures, and tables as descriptive information about participant.
Table3.5 Steps of Data Acquisition and Analysis Activities Step Instrument/
Method
Purpose Result Analysis
1. Classroom Observation
1. To find one who can be taken as a participant of the research. 2. To get the initial data of the 4. Diary To gain more information which
possibly have not been informed to the researcher.
To make tables of participant‟s personal accounts based on the transcript of the coded data of the participant.
1. To get a confirmation on coding system and the result of previous interview.
2. To gain more information related to the finding and correlation of each fact found.
Recorded
The tables and verbal descriptions combined with the related theories and the researcher‟s views are analyzed in order to make the interpretation of student‟s lived experience on socioaffective strategy in reading.
G. Trustworthiness of the Findings
contributing an additional piece to the puzzle. In using triangulation, bias can be minimized and validity enhanced. Mathison (1988: 13) elaborates this by saying: Triangulation has risen an important methodological issue in naturalistic and qualitative approaches to evaluation in order to control bias and establishing valid propositions because traditional scientific techniques are incompatible with this alternate epistemology.
CHAPTER IV
DATA PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION
This chapter presents and discusses the finding of the research as an attempt to answer the research questions posed in Chapter I. The first section is the presentation of the data that includes the description and interpretation of participant‟s lived experience on socioaffective strategy in reading. The second
section presents a concise and compact further interpretation about the data aiming at providing answers to the research question.
A. DATA PRESENTATION
The interview in this study was done twice, each focused on different thing. The first one focused on the socioaffective strategy that participant might use during reading, another one was more on the participant‟s past life and
experiences compared to her present college life that possibly influenced her strategy options.
the interviews‟ process. After our first interview, Ria knew that I teach there and it
did not make any change. Our researcher – participant relationship run like it goes.
The second interview was organized three months after the first one because I was not ready with the first interview transcription that I should show her and asked her to make sure and confirm it as real as the conversation. As she arrived back in Yogyakarta, I contacted her and made an appointment for another interview at the same library. Before starting the interview, I showed her the transcription of our first interview and ask her to make sure that everything there was right as it was. I also informed her that the second interview was for confirming some things that might not have been clear for the researcher. As she said ok, then we continued the interview. We tried to use English as much as possible this time but mixing it with Indonesian was very possible to make the process of sharing information run well.
Since the first time I met her, I saw Ria as a highly self-confidence student. It was a bit hard at the beginning to find what I should find in Ria, because it seemed that she could handle her problem well even she herself did not sure the quality of the result. She prefers to use other strategies, which are not my concern. What follows is the sample showing her efforts without relying to others.
R: S:
What if there is no dictionary around?
It might be caused by different circumstances between her past stage in senior high school and her previous life at college. She thought that it was more comfortable and more fun to learn English at senior high school rather than at college. It seemed that her senior high life was more competitive than present. She was more confident in doing reading herself and did not find any difficulty. Next quotation describes her independence.
R: S:
Have you ever found difficulties in reading… and there‟re friends around you… What would you do
If there‟re friends around me… I don‟t think so, I mostly read when I‟m alone…(Ria – Interview 1)
I can clearly noticed that what came to Ria‟s mind when she was asked about
things she would do when she had problem in reading was always related to cognitive, which are resourcing (consulting on dictionary), elaboration (relating new information to other concepts in memory), and inferencing (using available items to guess meanings of new items, predict outcomes, or fill in missing information). The statement below gives a picture of her associations to her problem handling.
R: S:
R: S:
When you are reading and you find problems in understanding the text, what do you usually do
Usually, I do not understand a few words of the sentence. So, I figure out the meaning myself by guessing. When I really cannot do it, then I consult my dictionary.
What if you do not have a dictionary with you?
Well, I use my logic. Ooo, this might mean this… Ya pakai logika kali ya.. ooo, ini mungkin artinya ini… there must be sentences I can use to compare with the sentence, or words that help me to figure out the meaning of
difficult words. (Ria – Interview 1)
