A. Theoretical Fremework
6. Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) Method
Slavin (2000: 8) state that CIRC is a technique wherethe students work in their teams on a variety of cooperative activities includingpartner reading, identification of main story elements, vocabulary andsummarization activities, practice of reading comprehension strategies, andcreative writing using a process writing approach. To this study this technique isfocused on the learning system where the students work together in a workinggroup. According to Westwood (2008: 96), the success of CIRC depends on thecomposition of the working groups and the nature of the tasks set for thestudents . Shalomo (2012:75) states when utilising group work as a strategy it isimportant to consider the following basic points.
18 1. The size of the group is important. Often children working in pairs is
agood starting point.
2. Initially there is some merit in having groups working cooperatively on thesame task at the same time. This procedure makes it much easier toprepare resources and to manage time effectively
3. It is not enough merely to establish groups and set them to work.
Groupmembers have to be taught how to work together. They may need to betaught behaviours that encourage cooperation – listening to the views ofothers, sharing ideas, praising each other, and offering help to others.
4. Choice of tasks for group work is very important. Tasks have to requirecollaboration and teamwork
5. The way in which individual tasks are allotted needs to be carefullyplanned and should be based on students abilities.
6. Teachers should monitor closely what is going on during group activitiesand must intervene when necessary to provide suggestions, encourage thesharing of a task, praise examples of cooperation and teamwork, andmodel cooperative behaviour themselves.
7. Seating and work arrangements are important. Group members should bein close proximity but still have space to work on materials without gettingin each other s way.
8. Group work must be used frequently enough for the children to learn theskills and routines.
19 Infrequent group work results in children taking toolong to settle down.Agarwal (2011:73) states that cooperative integrated reading and composition(CIRC) focused on using cooperative learning as the vehicles by which tointroduce practices identified in research on reading and writing into routineclassroom practices, and to embed cooperative learning within the fabric of theelementary reading and program. Mayer (2011:355) states that in CIRC technique. The students work as a total team to master main idea and other comprehensionskill. During language arts periods, students engage in writing drafts, revising andediting one another s work, and preparing for publications of team books.
The CIRC program consist of three principal elements : basal- relatedactivities, direct instruction in reading comprehension, and integrated languageart/writing, in all of these activities, students work in heterogeneous learningteams (Agarwal.2011:73). CIRC teachers conduct daily small group based instruction along with weekly direct instruction reading lesson in comprehensionfostering and metacognitive strategies , using special CIRC materials. Studentswork in mixed-ability learning teams to master the basal and direct instructionlesson content. A cooperative reward structure is used, whereby groups areresponsible for individual students learning, and teams receive certificates andother rewards.
Slavin in Richardson (2009:204&205) describes a way of teaching readingand writing in upper elementary grades through stressing cooperative groups. Incooperative integrated reading and composition (CIRC), teachers use
20 basicreading texts and traditional reading groups but assign pairs of students fromdifferent reading groups to meet and work on specialized tasks. For instance,students in the pairs might read to each other, make predictions about the reading,summarize stories, and work on vocabulary skills.One important possibility opened up by the development of CIRC is the use ofcooperative learning as the unifying element of school reform. It provides astructure within which it is possible to incorporate identification of story elements,prediction, summarization, direct instruction in reading comprehension andintegration of reading and writing within the reading period. To maximize theeffectiveness of CIRC, teachers have to efficiently structure the presentationsmethods for each segment of the lesson. They are required to use a vocabularypresentation procedure that requires a demonstration of understanding of wordmeaning by each individual, a review of methods of word attack, oral reading ofvocabulary to achieve perfection and use of the meanings of the vocabulary wordsto help introduce the content of the story. (Agarwal.2011:75&76)t, it make them easier intheir research).
21 6.1 The Implementation of Cooperative Integrated Reading Composition
Method a. Before reading
1. Learning process was started by greeting, asked students to pray together,checking students’ attendance and then the teacher gave some questions
2. Teacher (Researcher) explained the objectives of learning.
3. Teacher introduces CIRC method and explain about narrative text.
4. Teacher asked the students some questions to motivated them to guess the story talking about.
5. Teacher enlightens students to predict the main content of the story.
b. During reading (applying CIRC method)
1. Forming groups. Teacher formed groups of heterogeneous students.
2. Teacher displayed a narrative video which related to reading material that willbe taught and learnt for the students.
3. Teacher distributed the script of reading materials
4. Teacher asked the students from each group to read the text, or story withpeer group.
5. Presentation. Retelling story about the sequences and other important parts ofthe story in written forms, then each group presented their findings or report.
22 6. Responses. Where students have to provide feedback from the discussions that have been read by other groups, their responses were in oral or written (composition) form.
7. Making conclusion. The students were summarized the story.
c. After reading
1. teacher asked the students to give their comments related to reading material.
2. teacher gave a summary explanation in comprehending the reading material.
3. Closing. After all the process had finished, the teacher evaluated students bygiving a test.
4. Feedback (Learning Log).
5. The last, the teacher gave suggestions to the students to study hard. Then, theteacher say salam to closed the meeting.
6.2 The Advantages of Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition 1. Cooperative Integrated Reading Composition can dig the priorknowledge
of the students to get the new fac or skill and can guide thestudents to think actively.
2. Cooperative Integrated Reading Compositioncan
3. increasestudents’participation to share ideas in classroom.
4. Cooperative Integrated Reading Composition give chance to study collaburate with friends.
23 5. Cooperative Integrated Reading Compositioncan increase quality
ofstudents ideas
6. In the discussion, the different answer from the students can enrich their knowledge and help them to choose the answer.
6.3 The Weakness of Cooperative Integrated Reading Composition 1. To waste the time
2. Class management and students’ organizing more difficult.