IMPROV
ING STUDENT’S READING COMPREHENSION
THROUGH DRTA-STRATEGY
(A CLASSROOM ACTION RESEARCH AT SMP
ST.IGNASIUS MEDAN)
A Thesis
Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Program in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Magister Humaniora
By:
MARIA FRISKA N
Registration Number: 8106111021
ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM
POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
MEDAN
IMPROV
ING STUDENT’S READING COMPREHENSION
THROUGH DRTA-STRATEGY
(A CLASSROOM ACTION RESEARCH AT SMP
ST.IGNASIUS MEDAN)
A Thesis
Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Program in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Magister Humaniora
By:
MARIA FRISKA N
Registration Number: 8106111021
ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM
POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
MEDAN
i
Increasing Student’s Reading Comprehension
Through DRTA-STRATEGY
(A Classroom Action Research at SMP ST.IGNASIUS MEDAN)
Maria Friska N
Maria Friska N. Registration Number 8106111021. Increasing Student’s Reading Comprehension Through DRTA STRATEGY (A Classroom Action Research at SMP ST.IGNASIUS MEDAN). A
Thesis. English Applied Linguistics Study Program, State University of Medan. 2014
Abstract
This study was designed to improve the students’ reading comprehension ability through
DRTA Strategy. It was conducted in order to find a strategy of teaching and learning that occurs, especially, in the teaching of reading skills. The strategy was selected because it was believed to be able to stimulate or activate the students to be more involved in the reading activities and to researcher and the collaborator as research team worked together designing the lesson plan, implementing the action, observing the action, and reflecting the action. The subjects of this research were 30 students the first semester students XI of SMP ST.IGNASIUS in the 2013/2014 academic year. This research study was conducted in two cycles by following the procedure of action research, i.e. planning, action, observation, analysis and reflection. Each cycle of the research study encompassed three meetings of the strategy implementation and reading comprehension test. The data of this research study were obtained through reading tests, observation checklist and field notes at the end of the cycle and the implementation of DRTA strategy in teaching-learning process.
The findings of this research study indicated that the DRTA strategy was successful in
improving both the students’ ability in comprehending report texts and the students’ involvement
in reading activities. The improvement can be seen from the students’ individual score percentage from preliminary study to Cycle 2. The students’ mean score had improved greatly from 58.66 to 80.33 or the students’ individual score percentage had achieved to a great extent from 77.14 to 85.71. The mean score and the students’ individual score indicated higher than predetermined criteria of success that was 80% of 30 students who got score 70. Based on the result of the Cycle
2, the next cycle did not need to be conducted because the students’ individual scores that the
predetermined criteria of success have been met in the second cycle. Dealing with the students’
involvement, it also seemed that most of students (93.30%) were involved actively in the reading activities in Cycle 2 which were shown by the observations checklists and field notes.
ii
their prediction and explain the group’s reasoning. 10) Ask the students compare their predictions with the actual content of the text.11) Ask the students to analyze their checklist and determine how well they predicted the content of the text.
Based on the students’ achievement using DRTA strategy in comprehending report texts,
it was suggested for the English teachers apply DRTA strategy as one of many alternatives that can be used in teaching reading skills. To the further researcher teachers, particularly those who are interested in applying DRTA strategy in their research, it is suggested that they conduct classroom action research and implement this strategy in the teaching of reading to other English text types (descriptive, narrative, recount, procedure) and other language skills, for instance writing and it can be their reference in conducting in the same strategy. For institution, DRTA
strategy can be new strategy that can improve the students’ reading comprehension ability of grade
nine at SMP ST.IGNASIUS in comprehending the report texs.
iii
Meningkatkan Kemampuan Pemahaman Membaca Siswa SMP ST.IGNASIUS melalui Strategy-DRTA
Maria Friska N
Maria Friska N. Nomor Induk Mahasiswa 8106111021 . Meningkatkan Kemampuan Pemahaman
Membaca Siswa SMP ST.IGNASIUS MEDAN melalui strategy DRTA.Tesis. untuk menyelesaikan
Gelar Magister pada Program Studi Linguistik Terapan Bahasa Inggris . Program Pascasarjana Universitas Negeri Medan. 2014
Abstrak
Penelitian ini dirancang untuk meningkatkan kemampuan membaca pemahan siswa melalui strategi DRTA. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk menemukan sebuah strategi belajar dan mengajar yang terjadi, khususnya, mengajar keahlian membaca. Strategi ini dipilih karena strategi ini diyakini mampu merangsang atau mengaktifkan siswa untuk lebih terlibat dalam kegiatan-kegiatan membaca dan menfasilitasi siswa untuk memahami bacaan, khususnya teks reporti. Jadi, penelitian ini diarahkan untuk memecahkan masalah praktis dalam proses belajar mengajar. Rumusan masalah dalam penelitian ini adalah (1) Bagaimana kemampuan membaca siswa SMP ST.IGNASIUS dapat ditingkatkan melalui strategi DRTA?
Penelitian ini menggunakan penelitian tindakan kelas yang merupakan kolaborasi antara peneliti dengan kolaborator sebagai sebuah tim yang bekerjasama dalam merancang rencana pembelajaran, melaksanakan tindakan, mengamati tindakan, dan merefleksikan tindakan. Subyek penelitian adalah tiga puluh siswa kelas XI B SMP ST.IGNASIUS pada tahun akademik 2003/2014. Penelitian ini dilakukan melalui dua siklus yang mengacu pada prosedur penelitian tindakan yaitu: planning, action, observation, analysis and reflection. Tiap siklus dalam penelitian ini terdiri dari tiga pertemuan untuk pelaksanaan teknik dan satu pertemuan untuk pemberian test. Data penelitian dikumpulkan melalui test membaca, lembar observasi ceklist, dan catatan lapangan diakhir siklus.
Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa strategi DRTA telah berhasil dalam meningkatkan kemampuan siswa memahami teks bahasa Inggris (report texts) dan meningkatkan keterlibatan siswa dalam kegiatan pemahaman teks. Perbaikan dapat dilihat dari peningkatan nilai rata-rata siswa dari studi pendahuluan sampai Siklus 2. Nilai rata-rata siswa meningkat dari 58.66 ke 80.33 Nilai rata-rata siswa menunjukkan lebih tinggi dari nilai yang ditetapkan pada kriteria kesuksesan, yaitu 80 persen dari 30 siswa yang memperoleh nilai lebih dara70. Nilai-nilai individu siswa yang telah ditetapkan pada kriteria kesuksesan dapat dicapai. Hal yang berkaitan dengan keterlibatan siswa, sebagian besar siswa (93.33%) telah terlibat secara aktif dalam tahap-tahap kegiatan membaca pada Siklus yang diperoleh dari lembar observasi ceklist, dan catatan lapangan.
Prosedur yang sesuai strategi DRTA dalam mengajar pemahaman membaca meliputi langkah-langakah sebagai berikut: 1) menciptakan suasana kelas di mana siswa bebas untuk menyatakan ide-ide dan pemikiran mereka; 2) memperkenalkan tujuan DRTA; 3) membagi siswa ke dalam kelompok dan memberikan salinan teks kepada siswa; 4) menentukan teks yang akan digunakan dan menentukan jeda bagi siswa untuk berhenti sejenak selama proses membaca, dan memberikan contoh bagaimana untuk membuat prediksi.;5) menjelaskan pengetahuan yang terkait dengan isi topik dengan menerapkan strategi DRTA; 6) meminta kelompok untuk membuat daftar petunjuk berbeda tentang teks; 7) membantu siswa memahami bahwa gambar dan judul akan membantu mereka memprediksi apa yang akan mereka baca, yang akan membantu mereka memahami materi.;8) meminta setiap kelompok mendiskusikan teks dan menuliskan prediksi mereka pada lembar yang telah disediakan ;9) meminta setiap kelompok untuk membacakan prediksinya dan memberikan alasannya ; 10) meminta setiap kelompok untuk membandingkan prediksi mereka dengan isi teks; 11) meminta setiap kelompok untuk menganalisa prediksi mereka dan menentukan seberapa baik mereka memprediksi teks tersebut.
iv
keahlian membaca. Kepada peneliti lain, khususnya yang berminat dalam meneliti strategi jaring didalam penelitiannya, dianjurkan untuk melakukan penelitian tindakan kelas dan menerapkan teknik ini pada pengajaran pemahaman membaca dengan jenis teks bahasa Inggris yang berbeda, seperti teks: deskripsi, narasi, recount, adan prosedur atau pada keterampilan bahasa yang lain yaitu menulis. Ketiga, hasil penelitian bisa memberikan kontribusi dalam perbaikan pembelajaran untuk memahami text pada siswa kelas 9B di SMP ST.IGNASIUS. Untuk para peniliti kedepan, penerapan suatu strategy khusus dalam kelas membaca dengan menggunakan strategy DRTA bisa menjadi rujukan dalam bentuk stategy yang sama.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would never have been able to finish my thesis without the guidance of my advisors, help from friends, and support from my family and husband.
I would like to express my special appreciation and thanks to my advisor Dr.Didik Santoso, M.Pd and Dr.Eddy Setia, M.Ed, TESP, both of you has been a tremendous mentor for me. I would like to thank you for encouraging my research and for allowing me to grow as a research scientist. Your advice on both research as well as on my career have been priceless. I would also like to thank my The Head of English Applied Linguistic Study Program, Prof.Dr.Busmin Gurning, M.Pd for serving as my committee members even at hardship. I also want to thank you for letting my defense be an enjoyable moment, and for your brilliant comments and suggestions, thanks to you.
A special thanks to my family. Words cannot express how grateful I am to my lovely husband, my mother and father, father in law and mother in law for all
of the sacrifices that you’ve made on my behalf. Your prayer for me was what
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ... 7
2.1 Reading Comprehension ... 7
2.1.1The Concept of Reading Comprehension ... 7
2.1.2 The Process of Reading Comprehension ... 9
2.1.2.1 Schema Activation ... 10
2.1.2.2 Schema Construction ... 12
2.1.3 Factors Affecting Reading Comprehension ... 13
2.1.3.1 Reader Variable ... 14
2.1.3.2 Text Variable ... 15
2.1.4 Levels of Reading Comprehension ... 16
2.1.5 Measuring Reading Comprehension ... 17
2.2 Reading Comprehension Strategy ... 21
2.3 Directed Reading-Thinking Activity Strategy ... 23
2.3.5 Predicting ... 36
2.3.6 Strengthens and Weakness of DRTA-Strategy ... 38
2.3.6.1 The strength ... 38
2.3.6.2 The Weaknesses ... 39
CHAPTER III: RESEARCH OF METHOD ... 40
3.1 Research Setting ... 40
3.5Instrument and Technique of Collecting the Data ... 48
3.5Technique of Analysing the Data ... 49
3.6 Technique of Establishing the Trustworthiness ... 55
CHAPTER IV: DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ... 58
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ... 79 5.1 Conclusions 79
5.2 Suggestions ... 80
vi
APPENDICES
Appendix A ... 88
Appendix B ... 103
Appendix C ... 115
Appendix D ... 123
Appendix E ... 132
Appendix F ... 134
Appendix G ... 136
Appendix H ... 138
Appendix I ... 139
Appendix J ... 141
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Background of the Study
Reading is one of important aspects in language, since through reading a text the readers gain large information from written words. It means that through reading, readers get much information about the world. The texts that the readers read consist of different genre which will give different function to the readers. Gaining information from the written words is not as simple as most people think of. Many times when people asked what they have already comprehended from their reading, readers could not explain it. They just read the text without knowing what they have read.
recognizing details from selection, recognizing word meaning, identifying the main idea.
However in reality, good reading comprehension is not achieved yet by the students. The lack of ability in reading comprehension is proved by the data that has been observed and showed in International Student Achievement in Reading. The reading score of Indonesian students as reported by PIRL (Progress in International Reading Literacy, 2006) is low, Indonesia got the fourth lowest ranked from 45 countries, that is indirectly reveals that Indonesian students have a problem in reading.
This lack of reading comprehensiaon also found in SMP ST IGNASIUS students . It can be seen from the result of reading test of the second year students in SMP ST IGNASIUS. The second year students in academic year of 2013/2014 consisted of three classes. The strategy used is when the teacher is teaching reading, the teacher always use the same strategy. Firstly, she gives an example to the students how to read the passage. After that, she asks some students to read it. Then, she ask whether there are any difficult words or not. If there are, the teacher gives the translation directly. Finally, she asks the students to answer the following questions. This is not enough to fulfill students reading comprehension
that the students in grade eight had low in reading comprehension.The students score is far from the minimum standard of the passing score grade eight. In line with the problems above, the teachers should be able in motivating the students to read.
To overcome the problems of reading comprehension, many researchers and teachers have tried to find out the possible ways to help student increase their reading comprehension. There are many factors affect the reading comprehension, they are external and internal factors. The external factors are teaching strategys including reading strategies, school and social environments, text types. The internal factors are; motivation and student’s intelligence. One of the most important factors is learning strategies.
According to Stauffer (1969), Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) strategy has four basic steps namely: Predict, Read, Confirm and Resolution. Predicting involves what the students interpret as to what will happen in the text. Then the students read to turning point in the text. In the Confirmation step, the teacher leads a brief discussion and reflection period, allowing students to compare their predictions with what was actually presented in the text. Finally, the lesson closes with a resolution at which time the text is summarized and evaluated both in terms of its verity and relevance.
Predicting is an essential part of the reading process through DRTA Strategy. Students learn that by reading with a purpose, they can more easily focus their predictions. Prediction is a major factor and one of the strategies in reading. Clues, such as a book cover, topics, images, lists of words are very important so that the reader gets a good idea about the contents of the text before they read it. These instructions can also make the brain begin to actively predict readers an idea to be found in the text.
Making predictions keeps the students actively engaged in the reading process, and being engaged is the key to comprehension. By constantly thinking about their predictions to confirm or revise them, readers remain motivated and focused. Skilled readers are good detectives, always searching for clues to shed light on what they are reading. In making predictions, they call on prior knowledge to make inferences. These readers constantly think about their predictions to confirm or revise them.
reading. By setting their own purposes of reading, students develop their reading and thinking process. The teacher though his questioning techniques prescribe how the students will interact with the text.
Therefore the researcher would like to conduct an action research about ‘Increasing Student’s Reading Comprehension Through DRTA Strategy (A
Classroom Action Research at SMP ST.IGNASIUS MEDAN) ’.
1.2 The Problem of the Study
In line with the background that has been explained, the research problem could be formulated as follows: How to apply DRTA strategy in order to improve students reading comprehension at SMP ST.IGNASIUS MEDAN?
1.3 The Objective of the Study
The Objective of this study is aimed at increasing students reading comprehension of grade nine at SMP ST.IGNASIUS in the academic year of 2013/2014 using DRTA strategy.
1.4 The Significance of the Study
in a text , to improve attention and concentration while reading , to make reading a more active process , to increase personal involvement in the reading material , to promote critical thinking and evaluation of reading material, to enhance registration and recall of text information in memory
The findings of this study are expected to be useful for English teachers and students:
1. English teachers as an input in increasing the quality of teaching-learning process by Applying Direct Reading- Thinking Activity in their teaching learning process to improve the reading comprehension ability.
2. Students of SMP ST.IGNASIUS grade nine to improve their ability in reading comprehension.
1.5 The Scope of the Study
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
5.1 Conclusion
To improve students’ achievement in reading comprehension the
discuss. 11) The teacher called on each group to read its prediction and explain the group’s reasoning.
5.2 Suggestion
Based on the conclusion above the suggestions were formulated as the following:
1. To the English Teacher, they are suggested to apply the stages in DRTA strategy in teaching reading comprehension because this strategy helps the student easily in understanding and processing the text. The teachers are also suggested to apply the stages of DRTA strategy because it makes the students more active and enjoy the teaching learning process, especially in reading comprehension.
REFERENCES
Almasi, J. 2003. Teaching strategic processes in reading. New York: The Guilford Press
Barsalou, LW. 1999. Perceptual symbol systems. Retrivied April 17, 2013 from (http://PAREonline.net/getvn.asp)
Berry,James.2005. Leveks of Reading Comprehension. Retrivied July 15,2013 from http//www.sc4.edu/documents/studyskills/levelsreadingcomp.doc. Billmeyer, R., & Barton, M.L. (1998). Teaching reading in the content areas: If
not me, them who? Aurora, CO: McREL.
Bransford,J.1985.Schema Activation and Schema Acquisition. In H.Singer & R.B.Ruddel (Eds), Theoritical models and processes of reading (pp.385-397). Newark,DE: International Reading Association.
Brassell, D., & Rasinski, T. 2008. Comprehension that works: Taking students
beyond ordinary understanding to deep comprehension. Huntington
Beach, CA: Shell Education
Dutcher, Peggy.1990. Authentic Reading Assessment. Practical Assessment
Research and Evaluation. Retrieved August 15, 2012 from
(http://PAREonline.net/getvn.asp?v=22n=6)
Fuchs, Douglas, Lynn S. Fuchs, Patricia G. Mathes, and Deborah C. Simmons, "Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies: Making Classrooms More Responsive
to Diversity,"American Educational Research Journal, Vol. 34, No. 1,
Glenberg AM (1997) What memory is for. Retrieved August 15, 2012 from (http://PAREonline.net/getvn.asp?v=22n=6)
Guthrie, J. T., McRae, A., & Klauda, S. L. (2007). Contributions of
Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction to knowledge about interventions for
motivations in reading. Educational Psychologist, 42, 237-250. Retrieved July 15, 2013 from (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept-Oriented_Reading_Instruction)
Kemmis, S. and McTaggart, R. 1982. The Action Research Planner. Geelong, Victoria: Deaken University Press.
King, A. 1994a. ASK to THINK WHY. Unpublished Manuscript and Materials. San Marcos: California State University.
Kintch, W.1998. The Role of Knowledge in Discourse Comprehension: A
Constructive-Integration Model. Psychological Review, 95:163-182.
ME Curtis, JR Kruidenier. 2006. Summary of Scientifically Based Research
Principles: Teaching Adults to Read. Nationalist for literacy, Washington
DC
McIntosh, M., & Bear, D. 1993. Directed reading-thinking activities to promote
learning through reading in mathematics. The Clearing House, 67(1), p.
40-44.
Miles, M.B., and Huberman, A.M. (1984). Qualitative Data Analysis, 16. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Miles, M.B, and Huberman, A.M. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis, 2nd Ed., p. 10-12. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
theory and critical thinking theory. Teachers College Record:89(2):281
306.
Nuttall, C.1982. Teaching reading skills in a foreign language. London: Heinemann Educational Books.
Otto, W.et al.1979. How to teach Reading: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Richardson, J.S., & Morgan, R.F. 1997. Reading to learn in the content areas.
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
RAND Reading Study Group.2002. Reading for Understanding : Toward an R&d
Program In Reading Comprehension. Santa Monica,CA:RAND
Corporation
Rumelhart,D.E.1980.Schemata:The Building Blocks of Cognition. In Spiro et all..(eds). Theoritical Issues in Reading Comprehension: Perspective from Cognitive Psychology, Linguistic, Artificial Intelligence, and Education. Hilsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Shepherd, J. 1998. Literacy and the key learning areas: successful classroom
strategies. Eleanor Curtain Publishing.
Stauffer, R. G. 1969. Directing reading maturity as a cognitive process. New York: Harper & Row
Taylor,D.S.1985.Teaching reading for comprehension in the context of English as a second foreign language. British Journal of language Teaching, Vol 23, No.1. Retrivied July 10 from http://education.leeds
Tankersley, K. 2005. Literacy strategies for grades 4-12: Reinforcing the threads
of reading. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Tierney, R. J., Readence, J. E. 2005. Reading strategies and practices: A
compendium (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Walczyk,J.J., Kelly,K.E,.Meche, S.D.& Braud,H.1999. Time Limitations enhance reading comprehension. Contemporary Educational Psychology,
24(1:156-165)
Williams,D.1981.Factors related to performance in reading English as a second language. Language Learning,31(1);30-50
Wilkins, D. A, 1976, Notional Syllabuses. Oxford, Oxford University Press
Wilson, B. 1988. Wilson Reading System. Millbury, MA:Wilson Language Training.
