CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW
H. The Measure of Reading Comprehension
I. The Concept of The Big Book
Reading a big book is one of the activities recommended to facililate students' comprehension of a story delivered by the teacher. The use of the big book seemed to be of an advantages as it creates fun and meaningful learning of English in the classroom, as well as making reading activity an enjoyable.
1. The Definition of The Big Book
Strickland and Morrow explained that a big book is one of the learning materials that can be produced using pupils’ native language.
Big books contain reading materials printed in bigger book format for children’s use. These are usually narratives which are pretty attractive for children because of big illustrations which could attract them to be involved in print and later in reading.18
Accoding to Normaliza Abd Rahim et.al big book is a valuable tool in the teaching of English for children in Malaysia as English is their second and third language. Teachers agree that using big books can
17 Frederick B. Davis, "Fundamental Factors of Comprehension in Reading", (Psychometrika) Vol.9/September 1944, p.186
18 Magdalena M. Ocbian, et al., "‘Big Books’ as Mother Tongue-Based Instructional Materials in Bicol for Grade One Pupils", (Philippines) Vol. 3/November 2015, p.53
improve the progress of the four language skills. The initial part of the lessons, which include the reading and discussion of the big books, followed by activities based on the theme of the book, help pupils' interest in learning English. Children's confidence in using English can be enhanced. In addition, using the big book media creates a relaxing learning environment.
Positive attitude towards reading can also be fostered among students through the use of the big book. Further, Morris et al. has opinion points out that students age 7-9 years old seem to have a positive attitude towards lessons using the big book. Sitting on the base and listening to the teacher reading appears to be a highly enjoyable and positive experience.
Holdaway says the children enjoy the language games in groups or pairs that often follow the reading of the big book. Students usually are on assignment during pair or group work. They are ready to take risks and work collaboratively on art work. The pairs and groups of students are passionate about reporting their work. Increased motivation, enjoyment and participation were observed during the big book media lessons.19
Meanwhile, Vacca et al. and Holdaway stated Big books usually use expected texts, allowing readers to use their prior knowledge to
19 Dr Normaliza Abd Rahim, & Nik Ismail Harun,"Students' Perception Towards The Usage of The Big Book", (Gading Business & Management Journal), Vol. 14/2010, p.48.
identify words that come next in a sentence, as well as tempo, rhyme, and repetition, all of which aid word recognition and identification.20
Then, Aderson said in the big books unit project, teacher candidates learn to use a holistic approach to language instruction through meaningful meeting with real stories. For most teacher candidates, this is their first experience with instruction where language learners are generating their understanding of a text, in lieu of being told what they are learning.
Therefore, big book is one of the learning materials which is very interesting to improve the reading comprehension of students. By using with a big book students will be more interested in reading. Big book will make students more relaxed in reading, because the big book has big illustrations and compelling story so that students will be interested to read.
2. The Process of The Big Book
According to Pirto, an assessment of what teacher candidates should know about big book is an importance on the teacher’s role and the text itself in preparing teacher candidates. The teacher’s role is important in:
First, selecting reading content
Second, creating the book
20 Susan Colville-Hall & Barbara O’Connor,"Using Big Books: A Standards-Based Instructional Approach for Foreign Language Teacher Candidates in a PreK–12 Program", (Ohio : University of Akron), Vol. 39/2006, p.490.
And third presenting the reading lesson.
The text must believe the learners and what they like to read. It should reproduce effective techniques to attract readers, such as colorful and esthetically enjoyable drawings and images, a clever story, developmentally appropriate vocabulary, words learners can pronounce repetition, and big print.21
Based on the above explanation, in using big books the teacher's role is significant to make learning process can be effective. Because, the teacher have prepare of material, like selecting reading content and make creating book, so it can attract readers to read.
3. The Characteristics of The Big Book
According to Karges Bone , there are several important characteristics to a successful big book learning knowledge.
Big books are:
Short stories (10–15 pages) that directly connect learners’ interest,
Contain a rhyme sample that children notice and learn,
Are ―big on pictures‖ which assists in the production of meaning,
Have repetitive phrases and a controlled vocabulary that help with vocabulary learning,
Have a simple, but interesting story,
And contain elements of humor.
21 Ibid., p.492
Nambiar suggest, texts for big books that are rich source of activities to start prior knowledge, form the thinking process, support important skills, and give creative linguistic activities for all main curriculum objectives.22
So, characteristics are several important to a successful big book in learning knowledge. Here, characteristics of big books can help the teacher make creative book with big on picture, interesting story, and vocabulary learning. Then, texts for big book that is support important skill, and give creative linguistic activities.
4. The Purposes of The Big Book
Creation of the big book unit serves several purposes. As a result of the unit, teacher candidates are able to describe the holistic learning approach to the interpretive style of communication (or reading) and justify its use in the foreign language classroom, as well as identify the procedure and techniques for using the big books approach.
In the process, they gain the ability to apply theory to practice by teaching some lessons using the big books and parts of the unit to elementary school children in a language improvement field assignment with the goal of communication in the interpretive mode, and reproduce on the degree of success of student learning based on set objectives of each lesson.
22 Ibid., p.493
5. The Procedures of The Big Book
According to Curtain & Dahlberg, teacher work in groups to brainstorm likely topics for a thematic teaching part. They select one topic and working together develop a concept or semantic drawing to connection the topic to related concepts and other fields of study for near the beginning language learners.
Then teacher selects a topic that relates to one aspect and independently creates a big book based on unit criteria. Examples of big books created by teacher have included contexts that focus on teaching primary concepts such as colors, numbers, animals, daily routines, holidays, opposites, special events (birthdays and other holidays), versions of folk tales, games children play, locations, and translations of books published in English.23
Based on the above theory, procedures of using big book in learning process is choose a subject or topic and grow a idea to relationship the topic and the idea of learning for next the beggining language learners.
After that, the teacher choose a subject that tell to one part and separately creates big book based on component of criteria.
6. The Advantages of The Big Book
The choice of the big book format was fixed on the variety of advantages in teaching reading to young children as way in previous
23 Ibid., p.494
literatures and studies. Because of its enlarged book format, it can be situated in the classroom where the children can perceive the prints and illustrations as the teachers read to them the story which is like to how their parents read at home. Also, the bigger prints can make young learners to focus their attention to the reading material and activity.
Further, the bigger size of the reading material enables the students to follow exactly what the teacher is model which include her idea process, her purpose to enable the teachers to get meaning of the print, correct word and portion. And lastly, the enlarged size of big book captures young children’s attention and interest, and motivates them to focus on the reading activity.24
Therefore, advantages of big book is important in reading activity.
Because, big books can make students focus in their attention to the reading material, with enlarge book format, picture or ilustration in the story.
7. The Disadvantages of The Big Book
Several teacher expressed frustration with the great total of time needed to do the job well. For individuals who used their big books with students in a classroom, all reported that the benefits were especially worth the time needed for production. Although, they found that the production of big books was very time consuming and expensive, teacher
24 M. Ocbian, Magdalena et al., "‘Big Books’ as Mother Tongue-Based Instructional Materials in Bicol for Grade One Pupils", (Philippines) Vol. 3/November 2015, p.56
felt the benefits balance the time, effort, and price complex after using them with real students in classrooms.25
So, disadvantages of big book is the teacher needed of great total time to do the job well until teacher expressed frustation. While, to production big book also needed effort and expensive price.