AN ANALYSIS OF GRADE 8 STUDENTS’ ABILITY
IN COMPREHENDING READING TEXTS
A THESIS
Submitted to the English Department of UNIMED Medan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree of Sarjana Pendidikan
By:
ASIMA HARIANJA . Registration Number: 0310310749
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS
STATES UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
ABSTRACT
Harianja, Asima, 0310310749. An analysis of Grade 8 Students’ Ability in Comprehending Reading Tests. A Thesis, English Department, Faculty of Languages and Arts, state University of Medan, 2010
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
All praises are to the Majesty Lord, Jesus Christ, for His amazing grace, uncountable blessings and loves who is always there for every laugh and tears. He is the only shelter in past time, now and forever in the writer’s life. He is also the only God who has blessed her to
be able to finish her study at the Faculty of Languages and arts, state University of Medan. Her sincere appreciation goes to her supervisor, Prof. Hj. Tina Mariany arifin, M. A., Ph. D. for her precious time spent continued full support, guidance, advice, correction, and comments throughout the writing of this thesis. Her expertise during the process of writing this thesis has opened the writer’s horizon that many things should be studied. The writer
really appreciates all the patience and guidance given throughout her academic years until this thesis comes to its present form.
She would also like to express her gratitude to Prof. Dr. Khairil Ansari, M. Pd., Dean, Faculty of Languages and Arts and all his staff for offering the best administrative information , Dra. Sri Juriaty Ownie, M. A., and Dra. Hj. Sumarsih, M. Pd., Head and Secretary, English Department, for their kind attention in the process of completing the academic requirements and all lecturers for the valuable knowledge taught during her academic years.
She would like to thank Drs. Pinondang Naiborhu, Head of SMP Negeri 1, Pahae Jae, who gave her his agreement for her to make the study in his school. Without his permission, the study would not be possible.
Her love is addressed to Tiur Harianja and Juni Harianja, her older sisters, Simon Harianja, her older brother, Jalo Harianja and Mika Harianja, her younger brothers for their help and moral support during her study.
would never forget their love and scarifying to enable her to finish her study. Without their support, she would never finish her study.
Her truly love is also addressed to Mrs. Sitompul E. Br. Sarumpaet her beloved mother-in-law for their truly love to support her study.
Last but not least, her warm and tender love is addressed to Partoto Sitompul, S. Pd., her beloved husband, who encourages her through his patience, ideas, and endless love to fulfill her academic years to get her Sarjana Degree.
May God bless us in Happiness Forever.
Medan, January 2010 The writer,
4.5 Students’ Difficulties in Reading Comprehension ……… 36
4.6 The Findings ……….. 41
CHAPTER V : CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ……….. 42
5.1 Conclusions ………... 42
5.2 Suggestions ……… 42
REFERENCES ………. 44 APPENDICES ……… …. 46 - 67
LIST OF TABLES
Table 3.1 Tabulation of Students’ Score.
Table 4.1 Kind and Number of Test (Vocabulary, Comprehension, and Pronunciation. Table 4.2 Tabulation of the Students’ Score Correct Answers.
Table 4.3 Distribution of Students’ Score.
Table 4.4 Criteria of the Students’ Achievement. Table 4.5 Tabulation of Students’ Achievement.
Table 4.6 The Students’ Achievement in Reading Comprehension. Table 4.7 Criteria of Difficult Item.
Table 4.8 Reading One and Two: Students’ Difficulties in Vocabulary. Table 4.9 Reading Three and Four: Students’ Difficulties in Vocabulary. Table 4.10 Reading Five: Students’ Difficulties in Vocabulary.
Table 4.11 Reading One and Two: Students’ Difficulties in Comprehension. Table 4.12 Reading Three and Four: Students’ Difficulties in Comprehension. Table 4.13 Reading Five: Students’ Difficulties in Comprehension.
LIST OF APPENDIX
Appendix A : Reading One and Two: The Students’ Vocabulary Scores. Appendix B : Reading Three and Four: The Students’ Vocabulary Score. Appendix C : Reading Five: The Students’ Vocabulary Scores.
Appendix D : Reading One and Two: The Students’ Comprehension Scores. Appendix E : Reading Three and Four: The Students’ Comprehension Scores. Appendix F : Reading ?Five: The Students’ Comprehension Score.
Appendix G : Reading One and Two; The Students’ Pronunciation Scores. Appendix H : Reading Three and Four: The Students’ Pronunciation Scores. Appendix I : Reading Five: The Students’ Pronunciation Scores.
Appendix J : Reading One and Two. Appendix K : Reading Three and Four. Append ix L : Reading Five.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Background of the Study
At present, there is no country that can stand alone to fulfill all it needs to live in the world. Every country should develop relationship with other country. In this case English has a very important role because it is used as one of some international languages. Based on this fact, English becomes the most important language in Indonesia.
In order to improve the students’ mastery in English, the English Curriculum
has been renewed for several times. To make it more effective, English has been taught since the primary school. Similar to any other languages, mastering English needs some basic skills, namely: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Through these four basic skills learners can use English well.
English is a foreign language in Indonesia. It is not used for every day conversation. Anyhow, it is still very important because modern science, which is needed to develop our country, is written in English. Therefore, any one who can read English well will have greater opportunity to enrich and to improve his knowledge by reading the knowledge he wants to study than one who does not. It is the reason reading skill is very important for Indonesian students to achieve.
curious about some topic, (2) to obtain instruction on how to perform some task for our work or daily life (e.g.: knowing how an appliance works), (3) to act in a play, play a game, do a puzzle, (4) to keep in touch with friends by correspondence or to understand business letters, (5) to know when of where something will take place or what is available, (6) to know what is happening or has happened (as reported in newspapers, magazines, reports), and (7) for enjoyment or excitement.
Therefore, reading ability is invaluable competence for every human being. Unfortunately, reading in students’ native language and reading in a foreign language
is quite different matter. In reading in their own language, they do not use dictionary to too much time because they know the language well. Moreover, they master the enough vocabularies, and this condition will facilitate them to comprehend reading text to the utmost.
The ability of getting clear information from a text is not only by mastering the vocabulary and the structure of the language but also by knowing the elements that build the text because a reading text is developed from the units of language, such as words, phrases, clauses, sentences, topic sentences, paragraphs, chapters, and as a unit of a book. Therefore, reading is not an easy activity.
they want to read. In this case, the students read for pleasure and for improvement of their English. The students are free to choose what they want to read. In intensive reading, the students are not free to choose what they want to read. The teacher chooses the materials. The teaching materials are designed to develop specific receptive skills, such as: identifying the topic, predicting and guessing, for general understanding, for specific information, for detailed information, for interpreting the text (Harmer, 2001:210).
Considering these conditions, the writer wants to know the ability of the Grade 8 Students of SMP Negeri 1, Pahae Jae, North Tapanuli in comprehending a reading text. The findings of the study are expected to give a comprehensive data about the problems faced by the students. because by knowing them, the teacher will get a clearer idea in presenting the reading lesson.
1.2 The Problem of the Study
The study is not about techniques of teaching reading. The study is focused on the ability of the Grade 8 Students of SMP Negeri 1, Pahae Jae in comprehending reading texts. There are some components of reading skills which should be achieved by students in order to comprehend reading text, namely vocabulary mastery and the structure of the language. According to Burns (1984:177) there are four levels of comprehension, namely: literal, interpretative, critical, and creative. Therefore, the problems of the study are formulated as follows:
1. Do the Grade 8 Students of SMP Negeri 1, Pahae Jae have enough vocabulary in reading a text?
1.3 The Objective of the Study
The study is meant to collect data about the SMP Negeri 1 Pahae Jae Students in reading comprehension achievement. Based on the problems of the study, the objectives of the study are stated as in the followings:
1. to discover the students’ mastery of vocabulary,
2. to discover the students’ reading comprehension achievement.
3. to discover the students’ pronunciation
1.4 The Scope of the Study
In accordance with the 2004 Curriculum, the Grade 8 students are expected to: 1. Vocalize words, phrases, and sentences in good pronunciation
2. Read words, phrases, and sentences in good intonation
3. Be able to identify various information of the text, such as: instruction, list of goods, announcement, and congratulation expressions.
The research of this study is designed to collect the data of the students’
comprehension achievement on point 3 stated above. Therefore, the problem of the study is formulated as follows:
1. How good do the students comprehend reading text about instruction, list of goods, announcement, and congratulation expressions?
2. What aspects of reading competence becomes the difficult problem for the students to comprehend reading text?
There are some components of reading text which should be mastered by the students in order to comprehend what they read, such as the mastery of words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, and finding the topic sentences. A study on the students’ ability in comprehending reading text is very important because by knowing
their difficulties the teacher of English will get an invaluable input to help their students improve their ability in reading comprehension.
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
5.1 Conclusions
Chapter I states that the objectives of the study are: to discover the students’ mastery of vocabulary, to discover the students’ reading comprehension achievement and to discover the students’ pronunciation. After analyzing the data of this study, the
conclusions are drawn as follows
1. The reading skill consists of three aspects: vocabulary comprehension, and pronunciation.
2. Each aspect influences one with others.
3. There were 16 students or 48% classified as able. 4. There were 18 students or 52% classified as unable. 5. The most difficult one for students was pronunciation.
6. It can be concluded that the majority of the Grade 8 Students of 2009 – 20019 academic year of SMP Negeri 1 Pahae Jae did not achieve reading comprehension ability.
5.2 Suggestions
In accordance with the conclusions above, some points are suggested as follows:
1. English teacher should teach the students in such way to make the students know the vocabulary.
2. English teacher should train the students to pronounce English words better. 3. English teacher should give special attention to the technique of reading to enable
4. Students should have enough vocabulary, good pronunciation, and good reading technique.
5. It is suggested to make the students accustomed to English sound, because ability to pronounce English words influence the students’ reading comprehension.
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APPENDIX A:
