APPROVAL SHEET
Title : IMPROVING THE STUDENTS’ READING
COMPREHENSION THROUGH CONTEXT CLUES STRATEGY. (A Classroom Action Research at the second Year Students of SMP Negeri 2 Barombong, Gowa Regency )
Name : NURDIAH
Reg. Number : 10535 3629 08
Program : ENGLISH DEPARTMENT / STRATA 1 (S1)
After being checked and observed this proposal had been fill qualification to be examined.
Makassar, Januari 2014 Supervisors
Consultant I
Prof. DR. H. Basri Dalle, M.S
Consultant II
St. Asriati, S.Pd., M.Hum
Dean of FKIP Unismuh Makassar
Dr. A. Sukri Syamsuri, M.Hum
Head of English Education Department
Erwin Akib, S.Pd, M.Pd
ii
iv NIM : 10535 3629 08
Jurusan : Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris
Judul Skripsi : Improving the Students’ Reading Comprehension through Context Clues Strategy. (A Classroom Action Research at the Second Year Students Of Smp Negeri 2 Barombong, Gowa Regency )
Dengan ini menyatakan perjanjian sebagai berikut:
1. Mulai dari penyusunan proposal sampai dengan selesainya skripsi saya, saya akan menyusun sendiri skripsi saya, tidak dibuatkan oleh siapapun.
2. Dalam menyusun skripsi, saya akan selalu melakukan konsultasi dengan pembimbing.
3. Saya tidak akan melakukan penjiplakan (plagiat) dalam menyusun skripsi ini.
4. Apabila saya melanggar perjanjian saya seperti yang tertera pada butir 1, 2 dan 3 maka saya bersedia menerima sanksi sesuai dengan aturan yang berlaku.
Demikian perjanjian ini saya buat dengan penuh kesadaran.
Makassar, januari 2014 Yang membuat perjanjian
Nurdiah Diketahui oleh:
Ketua Jurusan Bahasa Inggris
(Erwin Akib, S.Pd., M.Pd) NBM: 860 934
iii Nim : 10535 3629 08
Jurusan : Bahasa Inggris
Judul Skripsi : Improving the Students’ Reading Comprehension through Context Clues Strategy. (A Classroom Action Research at the Second Year Students Of Smp Negeri 2 Barombong, Gowa Regency )
Dengan ini menyatakan bahwa :
Skripsi yang saya buat di depan Tim penguji adalah ASLI karangan sendiri bukan hasil ciplakan atau di buat oleh siapapun.
Demikianlah pernyataaan ini saya buat dengan sebenar-benarnya dan saya bersedia menerima sanksi apabila pernyataan ini tidak benar.
Makassar, Januari 2014 Yang Membuat Pernyataan
Nurdiah
Diketahui oleh:
Pembimbing I Pembimbing II
Prof. DR. H. Basri Dalle, M.S St. Apsriati AM. S.Pd., M.Hum
I dedicate this thesis especially to my parents and all people who always support me.
STILL POSITIF THINGKING TO GOD
&
DREAM, BELIEVE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
v
vi St. Asriati. AM
The research questions of this research were How is the increase of the students’ literal reading comprehension through Context Clues strategy? How is the increase of the students’ interpretative reading comprehension through reciprocal teaching?
The researcher used A Classroom Action Research (CAR). The aims of this research are to find out the improvement of students’ ability in Reading Comprehension through Context Clues strategy.Two cycles had been conducted, where each cycle consisted of four meetings. It employed reading test as instrument. A number of subjects of the research were 20 students at Class VIII of SMP Negeri 2 Bar,ombong, Gowa Regency conducted of 12 women and 8 men.
The researcher took real data from the school to know the students’ writing ability.
The results of the student's writing test in cycle 1 and cycle 2 had increased in different scores. There was increasing by students at the end action of second cycle. The research findings indicated that use of Context Clues strategy could increase the students’ reading comprehension. The means scores of students in Diagnostic test was 40.7. became 47.5 in cycle 1, and after revision in the cycle 2 the mean score in cycle 2 was 71. by implemented of Context Clues strategy. The result of the students activeness in the first meeting of cycle I was 58.7% then it became 95% in fourth meeting of cycle II. This result showed the students improvement in reading comprehension through Context Clues strategy.
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
By reciting Bismillahi Rahmanir Rahim, the researcher started the process of this activity including the primarily observation, literature, review, writing process, getting research, and conclusion. Therefore, they very gratefulness is adhered to almighty God ( Allaw SWT) and his messenger Muhammad SAW, who has given his the best everything to complete the whole process of this thesis.
The researcher realized that in crying out the research and writing this thesis, many people have contributed their valuable suggestion, guidance, assistance, and advice for the completion of this thesis. Therefore I would like to acknowledgment them:
1. Rector of Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, Dr. Irwan Akib S.Pd., M.Pd 2. Dean and vices dean of Faculty of Teacher Training And Education
Dr. A. Syukri Syamsuri,S.Pd., M.Hum, Dr.H.Bahrun Amin, M.Hum (PDI), Dra.Syaribulan.K, M.Pd ( PD II), and Mustaqim Muhallim S.Ag ( PD III) 3. Head of English Department, Erwin Akib, S.Pd., M.Pd and his Vice Amar
Ma’ruf, S.Pd., M.Hum
4. Supervisors who help very much from the beginning to the end of this thesis (Prof. DR. H. Basri Dalle, M.S and Asriati, S.Pd., M.Hum).
5. Head of Library,Muhammadiyah University of Makassar
6. Head of Lembaga Penelitian Pengembangan dan Pengabdian Masyarakat (LP3M) Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, Ir.Abubakar Idhan,MP.
9. My best friend Evi Satriani, Nining, Mutmainnah, Siddiq Arramhanand Sukmawati.
10.Finally, For all everybody that could not mentioned one by one, may Allah S.W.T. The almighty god be with us now and forever.
Billahi Fi Sabilillah haq Fastabiqul khaerat
Researcher,
NURDIAH
xii
Graphic 3: The Improvement of the Students’ Reading Comprehension ... 43
APPROVAL SHEET ... … ii
SURAT PERNYATAAN ... . iii
SURAT PERJANJIAN ... .. iv
MOTTO……… v
ABSTRACT ... vi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ... vii
LIST OF CONTENTS ... .. ix
LIST OF TABLES... x
LIST OF CHARTS……… xi
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION A. Background ... 1
B. Problem Statement ... 3
C. Objective of the Study ... 3
D. Significance of the Study ... 4
E. Scope of the Study ... 4
CHAPTER II: REVIEW RELATED LITERATURE A. The Concept of Context Clues Strategy... 5
B. The Concept of Reading Comprehension ... 12
C. The Concept of word meaning, main idea and conclusion ... 16
D. Conceptual Framework ... 28
CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHOD A. Research Design ... 29
F. Data Analysis ... 38 CHAPTER IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
A. Findings ………. 39
B. Discussion ………...……. 44
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
A. Conclusion ... 48 B. Suggestion ... 49 BIBLIOGRAPHY... 50 APPENDICES ……… 5 1 CURICULUM VITAE
xi
Table 2: The Improvement of the Students’ Interpretative Comprehension ... 41 Table 3: The improvement of the students’ Reading Comprehension... 42 Table 4: The Improvement of the Students’ Reading Comprehension ... 43
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background
In learning English, there are four skills. They are listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The four skills mentioned are diveded into receptive and productive skills. Speaking and writing are productive skills, while listening and reading are receptive skills. Beside the four language skills above, reading is of great importance to students show mother tongue is not English, because they almost do not have opportunity to hear or to speak that language. Comprehending English is a difficult thing for students if they do not have basic knowledge , especially in comprehending reading text.
Reading is a process of recognition or interpretation of written materials.
Brown (1997) stated that reading is a process of getting information via printed materials. It involves letters, words, phrases, and clauses. Through reading, we can imcreaese our experience, develop new concept, solve our problem,study how the words are used, how to implement the grammatical rules, and get many knowledge.
In teaching reading, teacher should introduce other materials as an alternative to give various situations to students in classroom process. These materials can be a media; it can be to stimulate the students’ motivation during the classroom process. In the other hand, most high motivation is needed to learn reading.
1
Related to the statements above, the researcher did observation that was done at the first year students of SMP Negeri 2 Barombong, the researcher faces many problems in teaching learning English. The crucial problems are the students’ problems in reading is the students’ comprehension. The problems are;
first,the students are bored to read a text because it is not interesting. Second, the students have limited vocabulary so they are difficult to understand the reading text. Thirdly, the students do not know the structure of sentence, it makes the students to work hard to translate the word in sentence of the text
According to Idol, L (1987:13)a story map is a strategy that uses a graphic organizer to help students learn the elements of a book or story. By identifying story characters, plot, setting, problem and solution, students read carefully to learn the details. There are many different types of story map graphic organizers. The most basic focus on the beginning, middle, and end of the story. More advanced organizers focus more on plot or character traits.
Based on the result interview and diagnostic test to the students at the first year students of SMP Negeri 2 Barombong, he stated that the mean score of the students’ achievement in reading English is very low. It is about 5.7 but the standard of curriculum 6.5 and the target score is 7.5.
From the problems above the researcher will apply one of teaching strategy. This is an interesting strategy and it can increase the student’s reading ability, namely Context Clues Method. This strategy is designed to create the students’ reading comprehension.
Context Clues are interesting material taken from magazine, newspaper, brochure and other teacher resources that are not specially prepared for
pedagogical purpose. The material can be challenging and interesting for the students where it is inline nowdays, many students are keen authentic materials.
Therefore, the English teachers can use it in teaching process.
According to Person & Johnson (1984:157) authentic material is any kind of material that taken from the real world not especially created for the purpose of language teaching. This might include language based on reality such as magazine, advertisement, newspaper or graphics and visual sources such as maps, pictures, symbols and charts.
Relating to the case above, the writer conducted a research under the title :” “Improving the Students’Reading comprehension Descriptive Text through Context Clue of SMP Negeri 2 Barombong”.
B. Problem Statement
Based on the background above, the writer formulates the problem statement as follows:
1. How does Context Clues Strategy improve the students’ literal comprehension at the second Grade of SMP Negeri 2 Barombong?
2. How does Context Clues Strategy improve the students’ interpretative comprehension at the second Grade of SMP Negeri 2 Barombong?
C. Objective of the Study
Based on the problem statement above, the objectives of the research can be stated as follows:
1. To find out the improvement of the students’ reading skill viewed from literal through Context Clues method.
2. To find out the improvement of the students’ reading skill viewed from interpretative through Context Clue method.
D. Significance of the Study
The results of the research are expected to be useful not only for English teacher in the improvement of English language teaching and classroom interaction but also to encourage the students’ attention in learning foreign language. It is also expected that they will get new knowledge from the books while entertain themselves.
E. Scope of the Study
The research focuses on the students’ reading skill in finding the meaning of unfamiliar word at the students of SMP Negeri 2 Barombong. The research limited about literal comprehension on word meaning, sequence details, and interpretative comprehension on conclusion and summarizing (take note) in descriptive text
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
A. Concept of Context Clue 1. Definition of Context Clue
Donague (1971:364) states that a context clues is secured forgiving attention to study of word as language meaning. It has been suggested the meaning of unknown words will be gained much more rapidly in this manner by any direct strategy of study although presupposes that before pupil can acquire meaning from unknown words met in context, their teacher has deliberately taught them the clues that are available. Also stress the importance of context in the teaching of vocabulary. He points out that even with functional vocabulary of the three thousand most frequently accruing items in English, also stress the importance of context in the teaching of vocabulary.
Context Clues are hints that author define a difficult or unusual word.
Context is a basic to word meaning as it is to word recogniton. Superior reader recognize the meaning of unfamiliar words through the aid of context clues, and, either as result of teaching or the development of insight, they are able to support the words that serve as keys to other words whose meaning is unknown. Context Clues as an aid to word recognition. The use of Context Clues is also an effective technique in unlocking meanings of unknown words
Hafner (1965:57) states that children attained higher levels of reading comprehension when they receive planned instruction in using context to build
meaning them when they had received no such instruction. Contances (1958:87) has identified types of Context Clues that may be effective in unlocking meaning.
These are: definition, experiences, comparison, and contrast, synonym, familiar expression, summary, and mood or situation. When one of these clues is approprite for unlocking an unknown word , the teacher should explain the type of clues and encourage the child to use that clue to determine the meaning.
Wello (1992:24) states that Context Clues as words from other portions of sentences or paragraph that help to explain meaning of difficult word and considers contextual clues as skill in indentifying the meaning of a word by examining the words around it. While Johnson and Pearson (1984: 141) stated that context clues is term that refer to a reader attempt to understand the intended meaning of word surrounding context, that is, figuring out a word by the way in which it is used.
Good (1973:113) says the context is textual material in addition, he also gives definition of clues is suggestion as to the meaning of words gained from the words immediately adjacent in a phrase, clues or other context or found in the some general setting such as sentences or paragraph.
Whorter (1992: 336) states that context clues are the word around the unknown words that contains clues to its meaning. While Burn at al (1984:17) context clues is the words, phrases, sentences and paragraph surrounding the words to be decoded help the reader determine the unfamiliar words. The student who are able to use context, they will easily be able to expand their vocabulary when reading whenever the encountered unfamiliar words or difficult words.
Dallman (1974, 114) lists the following arguments for use of context clues in word recognition:
a. In the early stage, it helps to provide children needed practice on words the children have identified before but not yet mastered.
b. Before the pupils learned to use word analysis or synthesis to identify and remember words, they can use verbal clues in the context to recall the word they need.
c. Even after pupils have developed facility in the use of strutural and phonic analysis and synthesis, they can increase their reading rate through efficient use of verbal context clues.
d. There are many words in English whose pronunciation depends on the context, such as read, lead, bow, refuse.
Freeman Add support for use of context clues when his study (1973:43) states that context, plus a limited number of graphic clues, aids in deciding most of the unknown printed words in the child’s listening or speaking vocabularies.
Goodman (1965:17) stetes that first grade readers were able to read 62% of the words they had missed on a list when these same words occurred in the context of a story. Second graders correctly read 75% missed in isolation, and third grades got 82% of the words they had missed in isolation. This was possible because the clues system that exist in the flow of language are not present in isolated words.
There are three basic ways that a reader can use to understand the meaning of an meaning of an unfamiliar word, These are:
a. To identify the structure of the word.
b. To look the word up in a dictionary.
c. The use the context of a word to understand its meaning.
Emans and Fisher (1967: 243-246) conducted a study of six kinds of instructional activities designed to utilize contextual deletions. Children were asked to read sentences and provide the misssing word in each sentences.
2. Types of Context Clues
a) Synonym and Definition Context Clues
According to Contances (1958) that sometimes a definition or synonym in the sentence serves as the context clue. This is the easiest type of context clue because the author simply tells readers what a word means. Authors often alert readers that a definition is coming by introducing it with phrases such as is defined as, means, is known as, the term, and is called.
Examples:
1) Flooded with spotlights – the focus of all attention – the new Miss America began her year-long reign. She was the cynosure of all eyes for the rest of the evening.
“Cynosure” means “the focus of all attention.”
2) The mountain pass was a tortuous road, winding and twisting like a snake around the trees of the mountainside.
“Tortuous” means “winding and twisting.”
3) Antonym or Contrast Clue
A contrast clue consists of a word or phrase that means the opposite of the word we are trying to figure out. Watch for words that
signal a contrast: but on the other hand, nevertheless, yet, in contrast, some . . . others, to name a few. Find the word or words in the sentence that mean the opposite of the word whose meaning we are trying to deduce, and then think of the opposite of that word. This sounds complicated, but the following example will make the strategy clear.
The author includes an antonym to help the reader understand the meaning of a word. An antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word. In the following example, the antonym "eager" helps the reader understand the meaning of "reluctant."
Example:
a) When the light brightens, the pupils of the eyes contract; however, when it grows darker, they dilate.
“Dilate” means the opposite of “contract.”
b) The children were as different as day and night. He was a lively conversationalist, but she was reserved and taciturn.
“Taciturn” means the opposite of a “lively conversationalist.”
c) Description Context Clue
Example clues consist of one or more examples that authors include to illustrate the meaning of the unfamiliar word. Examples are typically introduced by for example, to illustrate, for instance, such as, and like. Remember, though, that an example is not the same as the definition. Rather, the example is simply a clue that can help you reason out the meaning of an unknown word.
The author includes one or more descriptions to help the reader understand the meaning of a word. In the following example, descriptions of President Kennedy as having charm, enthusiasm, and a magnetic personality help the reader understand the meaning of "charismatic."
Example:
a) His emaciation, that is, his skeleton-like appearance, was frightening to see.
b) “Skeleton-like appearance” is the definition of “emaciation.” Fluoroscopy, examination with a fluoroscope, has become a common practice.
The commas before and after “examination with a fluoroscope” point out the definition of “fluoroscopy.”
c) The dudeen – a short-stemmed clay pipe – is found in Irish folk tales. The dashes setting off “a short-stemmed clay pipe” point out the definition of
“dudeen.”
d) General Sense of the Sentence
The general sense of the sentence can also help us figure out the meaning of an unknown word. In this case, we call on our own prior knowledge and experience. When readers ask themselves, what is the most appropriate word to substitute the unfamiliar word. We have to make sense between surrounded information and our sense. We have to combine between our sense and the information and of course, it should be rationally.
e) Clue From Another Sentence
Sometimes authors include information in another sentence in the paragraph that allows us to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word. The other sentence can come before or after the one with the unknown word, so it is a good idea to keep reading when we encounter an unfamiliar word. By jumping back and connect the unfamiliar word with the other sentence or word. We will find out the information that we need to inference the meaning of unfamiliar word.
3. Advantages of context clues
According to Emans and Fisher (1967) that parts from enlarging a reader's vocabulary, this approach has some advantages such as, the intention of vocabulary acquisition, stimulate critical thinking of reader, for critical reader, it doesn’t need longer time than opening dictionary, can be useful to define word meaning for any polysemous word depend on the context.
1) The intention of vocabulary acquisition
Vocabulary mastery, of course, has a big point in understanding the sentence. Context clues are supporting sentences for providing information on the meaning of difficult words. Therefore, when we just have a little vocabulary mastery, of course will be directly proportional to the mastery of context clues.
For example, when there is a sentence and we do not even understand the meaning of it. We do not know the meaning of each word or we know a little word only, context clues, of course, this approach will not be running, as it
should. To overcome this problem at least should first increase our vocabulary mastery.
2) Stimulate critical thinking of reader
Foresight is needed once again. as described by Chelsa (2005) The first thing to do is deciding which one is the unfamiliar word, and then determine the type of context clues after that the application of context clues and the last is inferring or determine the meaning of the word. When readers begin to use context clues, the reader is required to stay focused and keen in taking and determining the information. It will indirectly lead the reader to think critically.
Logical in the use of this approach will stimulate readers to think critically and more critical so that readers know the meaning of the passage perfectly.
3) For critical reader, it does not need longer time than opening dictionary.
Context clues are hints found within a sentence, paragraph, or passage that a reader can use to understand the meanings of new or unfamiliar words. Learning the meaning of a word through its use in a sentence or paragraph is the most practical way to build vocabulary, since a dictionary is not always available when a reader encounters an unknown word. A reader must be aware that many words have several possible meanings. Only by being sensitive to the circumstances in which a word is used , the reader are able to decide upon an appropriate definition to fit the context.
4) Can be useful to define word meaning for any polysemous word depend on the context.
A polyseme is a word or phrase with different, but related senses. Since the test for polysemy is the vague concept of relatedness, judgments of polysemy can be difficult to make. Because applying pre-existing words to new situations is a natural process of language change, looking at words' etymology is helpful in determining polysemy but not the only solution; as words become lost in etymology, what once was a useful distinction of meaning may no longer be so.
4. Concept of Unfamiliar Word a Paper
According to Freeman (1973) that Along with ambiguity, unattested input is one of the major problems for natural language processing systems. An NLP system is robust only if it can deal with unknown words.Yet, to deal with such words only makes sense when the restof the sentence is understood. We take an approach heresimilar to that of a human learner that encounters an unfamiliar word and is able to approximate its meaningbased on the rest of the sentence or its subsequent usages inother sentences. There are some suggested strategies in the human acquisition and understanding of unknown words. Somecases stand out as easy and almost self-explanatory.
On the other side of the spectrum lie words that can only be guessed through their functional description, not necessarily following the first use of an unknown word.These functional descriptions should be gathered throughout the document, or a number of documents, narrowing the original functional description, if necessary, or supplying other facets of it
5. The Important of Using Context
All this time, the English teacher has been using many techniques in teaching. One of them is by using context clues to understand the difficult words of text, Because of many students of English do not a use of the use of context clues. Morever, when the students encounter the unfamiliar word or difficult worsd, they tend to open and look up the meaning of the words in dictionary.
Often the students prefers to read right on past the difficult words without trying to observe the context clues and applying as helper to know the meaning of the words.
The difficult of facing the unfamiliar words of reading always happen to the English learner. The use of contextual as a tool to know the word meaning is fruitful to be introducing to them. Brown (1979:8) says that when we encounter an unfamiliar word in our dictionary we examine the context. Context can guess the meaning of the difficult word of reading without glance at the dictionary.
6. Procedure of Context Clues
The teacher cans take several action steps to implementation this strategy, which involves helping students actively engage in the text they read. A number of different strategies can be taught steap to students and applied to context clues.
Assisting students in learning how to apply these strategies to their texts will empower them and give them more control over their reading and understanding, so in this procedure the cllassified as follows:
According to Pennington (2009: 2) there are five stages to implementation context clues in the classroom. They are:
Step 1: Identify the word.
Identifies words from a reading passage that are likely to be unfamiliar or that are central to text comprehension or a student's individual language objectives. For each of the chosen words, generates sentences or a group of sentences that provide accurate and explicit clues to word meanings. The meaning of the vocabulary word must be transparent within the context of the sentence.
Step 2: Write the sentence where you find the word.
At the start of the lesson, the students writes and reads each word for the class without presenting any of the prepared sentences based on the clues that given. Students are asked to hypothesize the word meanings, giving rationales for their ideas, which is a critical component.
Step 3: Choose an appropriate strategy from the list to use and use it.
All readers encounter words they do not know. Strong readers have strategies for figuring out what to do with them; they use any or all of the following strategies when they encounter an unknown word:
a. Skip it and read on b. Re-read
c. Think about what they are reading
d. Sound it out to see if it is a word they know e. Look at the headings and subheadings of the text
f. Guess at what type of word would go there, such as a noun or an adjective
g. Associate the parts of the word (prefixes, root words, suffixes) with words they know.
Step 4: Describe how the strategy to figure out the meaning of the unknown word (be detailed and be sure to tell the definition you came up with). Be sure to tell what your definition is that you came up with.
Step 5: Look the definition up in the dictionary and write it down. Compare the actual definition with the definition you came up with.
Than according to Sholes (2011:1) says that, sometimes when reading, you come to an unknown word. Look for clues in the text to help you figure it out. The words and sentences around the unknown word can give clues. These clues are called context clues. Sometimes they are found close to the new word. Sometimes you must look in the paragraph before or after the word. Use information provided in the text and what makes sense to figure out the meaning of the word.
How to Use Context Clues:
a. The teacher divided the students into each group.
b. Read and discuss a text selection. Ask for the students to form a team to pick one word that is unfamiliar, or they would like to learn more about. The teacher also chooses a word (for demonstration purposes).
c. Locate the unfamiliar word.
d. Write the word down in your student response journal or sticky note.
e. Write down the paragraph or page number.
f. Read before and after the word (read around the word).
g. Write down words that help you find the meaning of the word (context clues).
h. Write down what you think the word means (make a prediction).
i. Check to make sure that your prediction makes sentence (reread to confirm).
And then they are tips for guided practice, according to Sholes (2011: 3) such as:
1) Teacher Tips for Guided Practice
Model and practice the routines and procedures students will need to work cooperatively in pairs and in small group discussion.
These procedures should include suggestions on how to begin, share ideas, support thinking using text, and politely disagree. During discussion students take turns applying the strategy, supporting and assisting each other to become proficient in applying the strategy. Establish rules and procedures and a chart for students to refer to during discussion.
a) Learning to gradually release increasing responsibility to students for using the remaining opportunities. It is suggested that collaborative small group or student partnership activities be used to begin the process.
b) Direct students to read the paragraphs (silently or aloud) for two or more strategy opportunities, and encourage students to use the key questions to guide their thinking and discussion.
c) Ask students to use sticky notes, reading journals, or write in the margins of their paper to provide evidence of their thinking process.
d) Two collaborative attempts are suggested. More if necessary. Monitor student talk and strategy application. Continue collaborative work as necessary.
2) Guided Practice
Students work in pairs or in small group with the teacher to practice and apply the strategy. Students should use sticky notes, reading response journals or write in the margins of their papers. The teacher should closely monitor the groups to ensure understanding. Students share responses with class to confirm understanding.
7. Based on the procedure context clues strategy in the classroom above, the researcher helps the student to comprehend the text, but only they get skill or strategy in learning process.
8. Examples Practice Exercises Unfamiliar Words of Context Clues According to Carnine (2010) that there some practice exercises in Context Clues to find out unfamiliar words in a paper that can teacher give for the students. Such as:
Read the following sentences and define the bolded word based on the context clue. Then identify which of the four types of clues is used
1) The girl who used to be very vociferous doesn't talk much anymore.
2) Pedagogical institutions, including high schools, kindergartens, and colleges, require community support to function efficiently
3) He was so parsimonious that he refused to give his own sons the few pennies they needed to buy pencils for school. It truly hurt him to part with his money.
4) His pertinacity, or stubbornness, is the cause of most of his trouble 5) Rather than be involved in clandestine meetings, they did everything
quite openly.
6) Ecclesiastics, such as priests, ministers, and pastors, should set models of behavior for their congregants.
7) The girl was churlish – rude, sullen and absolutely ill-mannered 8) Because the conflagration was aided by wind, it was so destructive
that every building in the area was completely burned to the ground.
Answer Key to Context Clues Handout 1. Type of Context Clue–contrast
definition of vociferous–talkative; outspoken 2. Type of Context Clue–example
definition pedagogical–having to do with teaching 3. Type of Context Clue–explanation
definition of parsimonious–stingy; tightfisted 4. Type of Context Clue–synonym
definition of pertinacity–mulish; stubborn
5. Type of Context Clue–contrast
definition of clandestine–secret; hidden 6. Type of Context Clue–example
definition of ecclesiastics–member of the clergy 7. Type of Context Clue–synonym
definition of sullen–rude
8. Type of Context Clue–explanation definition of conflagration–fire
9. Vocabulary as the Important Element in Unfamiliar Word of Context Clues
According to Anderson (1983) near world print dictionary vocabularies are list of word etc as dictionary or glossary and all of words used a language or by a person group etc.
According to Longman dictionary of contemporary English (Longman 1995:240) vocabularies are all words someone knows, learners or user the words in particularly language a list of words with explanation of their meaning, in a book for learning foreign language.
a) Types of vocabulary
Harmer (1999) distinguishes two types of vocabulary namely active vocabulary and passive vocabulary. According to him active
vocabulary is that the students have learned and which they are expected to be able to use. On the other hand, passive vocabulary refers to words which the students will recognize when they met but will probably not be divided in to four kinds as follows:
(1) Oral vocabulary consists of words actively used in speech. These are the words that come readily to one’s conversation. The more often a person utters words the words the more readily it will come to his tongue.
(2)Writing vocabulary is the words that come readily to one’s finger vocabulary
(3)Listening vocabulary is the stock of words to which one responds with meaning and understood in speaking of other
(4) Reading vocabulary is the words that one response in writing of others
2.. The Concept of Reading
Several linguistic has defined the term reading. Some of whose definitions have basically the same key term-getting information from the printed symbols.
Reinking and Sceiner (1985) state, Reading is instantaneous recognition of various written symbols with existing knowledge and comprehension of the information and ideas communicated.
Good (1973) states “Reading is often described as getting thought from the printed page”. This statement tells that the main purpose of reading is to find information from printed symbols; it is not to say out the words from the left to right.
Nuttal (1982) states that reading is to recall, to understand, to interpret, and to analyses the printed page. Besides, terry at all in Aminah (996:9) defines reading as the perception of written symbols involving recognition of word, fluency and comprehension. From the concepts above, it is understandable that
reading involves the identification and recognition of printed or written symbols, which serve as stimulation for the recall meaning through the reader’s manipulation of relevant concept already in this possession.
Marksheffel (1996) defines reading is a very complete way. In his definition, he states not only the purpose of reading but also the process of reading. He states that reading is a highly complex, purposeful, thinking process engaged in by the entire organism while acquire knowledge, involving new ideas, solving problems, or relaxing and recuperating through the interpretation of printed symbols.
a. Process of Reading
1) Reading Is a Very complex Process.
The complexity of reading refers to getting of meaning. In the first place, before printed symbols are read, they must have meaning. Given to them. In the second place, the written symbol to read must be readable.
2) Reading Is a Purposeful Process.
Every reader reads for particular purposes. It means that different readers may read different purposes. A reader may give his attention to the time of recognition of words to judge the effectiveness and efficiently of time he uses in reading.
3) Reading is Thinking Process
Reading as a thinking process is not intended to apply that man thinks not only when he read. Thinking occurs when a reader recognized printed symbol, interpreters the print and the response by saving the words, and that gets meaning
from the process. Without this process, a reader will not be able to gain perfectly what he / she wants from the page.
b. The Purpose of Reading
Hedge (2003) Based on Marksheffel’s definition of reading stated above, we can notice many purposes of reading as (1) To acquire knowledge, (2) To evolve ideas, (3) to solve the problems and (4) To relax recuperate these purposes indicate that a reader must not only see and identify the symbols, but he must also be able to interpret what he reads and associate it with past experience. A reader must always try to gain message from what he reads, thus h get knowledge.
Besides, the reader must be able to interpret the message in order that he can involve his ideas and also a reader should be able to associate his reading with his future experience, for application of what has been read.
c. The Importance of Teaching Reading
Hedge (2003) states that any reading component of an English language course mayinclude a set of learning goals for
1) The ability to read a wide range of texts in English. This is the long- range goal most teachers seek to develop through independent readers outside EFL/ESLclassroom.
2) Building a knowledge of language which will facilitate reading ability.
3) Building schematic knowledge.
4) The ability to adapt the reading style according to reading purpose (i.e.
skimming,scanning).
5) Developing an awareness of the structure of written texts in English.
6) Taking a critical stance to the contents of the texts.
The last goal can be implemented at an advanced level. Students, however, should bekept aware that not all Internet content is authentic since there are no
“gate keepers” and anyone can post whatever he/she likes in this cyperspace.
Consequently, students can check the authenticity of the text by looking at the following indicators: whether the article gives the nameof the author or no, the date of publication, the aim of the article, etc.
d. Reading Comprehension Levels
The term ‘level’ does no mean simply different degrees of difficulty. It refers to the attitude and reaction to what is read.
There are several levels of comprehension. Higher level of comprehension would obviously include higher level thinking. Burn (1984:177) divides reading comprehension skill into four levels, as gives below:
1) Literal Comprehension
Literal comprehension represents the ability of understanding with information that is explicitly stated in the print and illustration. The students can recall, identify, classify, and sequence detail, fact and stated main ideas form a variety of written materials, and can interpret directions this level of comprehension involves surface meaning.
2) Interpretive or Inferential Comprehension
Higher level of comprehension involves reading beyond or between the lines. The reader brings knowledge and experience to the act of reading and draws
the differences. She must be able to read critically and analyze carefully what she has read. She also needs to see relationship among ideas, for example, how ideas go together and also implied meaning of the ideas. Interpretive or referential comprehension includes thinking process such as drawing conclusion, making generalization, prediction outcomes. At this level, teacher can asks more challenging question such as asking students to do the following task:
a) Rearrange the ideas or topic discussed in the text b) Explain the author’s purpose of writing in the text
c) Summarize the main idea when this is not explicitly stated in the text.
d) Select conclusion which can be deduced from the text they have read e. Critical or Applied Reading
Anderson (1995: 79) according to that for literal comprehension, the readers need only to understand exactly what is stated or receive the author literal message. For higher level of comprehension the reader is involved in an interchange of ideas with the author and applies reading to life situations. The author’s ideas and information the writer presented. At this level, the students can be tested on the following skill.
1.) The ability to differentiate between act and opinion 2.) The ability to recognize persuasive statement
3.) The ability to judge the accuracy of the information given in the text.
f. Factors Affecting Reading Comprehension
Anderson (1995: 79) described the factors affecting reading comprehension. In this opinion means reside in the text itself. Meaning is reached when the reader integrates the personal background knowledge, purpose for reading strategies, and text to get meaning.
The description above implies that to get a perfect comprehension in the reading process, there are some factors either internal or external that should be monitored.
There are five categories of factors affecting reading comprehension, namely:
a) Background experience. It refers to the previous experience that the readers have already known before and relates to the reading materials that they read.
b) Language ability. In this case, the readers have to know about some elements of language, for example: vocabulary, grammar, etc.
c) Thinking ability. It means that the readers ability to analyze the reading materials.
d) Affection. It means that the readers have to know about some psychological factor that can affect the readers’ comprehension. The factors are interests, motivation, attitudes, etc.
e) Reading purpose. It refers to the readers’ purpose why they read the reading materials. It usually done by making some question or predicting as a stepping stone to get comprehension.
C. Conceptual Framework
Context Clues Strategy makes the lesson more interesting and enjoyable. This requires the students to read narrative. Students will follow those steps to conduct reading process. In implementing this method research will apply it in classroom action research. The research will conduct two cycles. In cycle I teacher will lead students to follow four steps in Context Clues Strategy to read narrative paragraph. It would like to be continue to the next cycle if teacher gets weakness or target of the students do not achieve yet.
Context Clues Strategy
Descriptive Reading Process
LITERAL
Class Action Research
INTERPRETATIVE
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD
A. Research Design
A research method used in this study was an action research. Action research is focused on the immediate application, not on the development on theory, no upon general application. This research will be conducted in the classroom. So this research called classroom action research (CAR). This activity contains several cycles. In each cycle have four elements: planning, acting, observing and reflecting.
In this classroom action research conducted through cycle I to observe the students’ competence in improving reading skill to find the meaning of unfamiliar word a paper through context clue method. After finding the result of the cycle I, the researcher continued cycle II to improve the result in students’ competence in reading skill of unfamiliar word a paper.
CYCLE I 1. Planning
The activities that will do in this stage as follows:
a) Made the lesson plan based on the curriculum for the implementation of action.
b) Descriptive text material material.
c) Designed the observation paper to observe the edition of learning and teaching process.
14
2. Action
In this activity had scenario learning process it should based on the context clues strategy in reading comprehension as follows:
Before the teacher implementation the Context Clues Strategy the teacher had to explaine about material of descriptive. The teacher divided the students in some groups and asked the students to read the text and followe the procedure of context clues srategy, as follows:.
Step 1 : Indetification word
The students were required to read the text and identified difficult words based on the sentences where they found the word.
Step 2 : Wrote the sentences where you found the word.
The students wrote sentences where they found difficult word and wrote where they found the word on paragraph and they underlined the word.
Step 3: Choosen an appropriate strategy from the list who would be used.
The teacher asked students what strategy was used to read the text and students choose an appropriate strategy.
Step 4 : Desribe how to use strategy to figure out the meaning unknow word.
Students explained their strategy and predict the meaning of the word.
Step 5 : Look at the meaning in dictionary
- Students were requaired to look up the meaning of the words and gave them definition.
- The teacher required the students to answer the question and main idea of the text.
- The teacher requaired the students made a conclusion about text.
An the step above are used in first meeting until fourth meeting in cycle CYCLE II
In the cycle II based on the activities that had been in first cycle, had been correct the weakness in the first cycle was after that conduct four times meeting include once time for test in cycle II, the main activities are:
1. Planning
a. Contining the activities that have been done in first cycle to next cycle.
b. Repairing the weakness in the first cycle.
c. Designing lesson plan base on the results of reflection in cycle I.
2. Action
In this stage, action was done to improve the result based on the cycle I reflection.the steap cycle II follow by:
Step 1 : Indetification word
The students were required to read the text and identified difficult words base on the sentences where they find the word.
Step 2 : Write the sentences where you found the word.
The students’ wrote sentences where they found difficult word and wrote where they find the word on paragraph and they underlined the word.
Step 3: Choose an appropriate strategy from the list who would be use.
Teacher asked students what strategy was used to read the text the students choosen an appropriate strategy.
Step 4 : Desribe how to use strategy to figure out the meaning unknow word.
Students explained their strategy and predict the meaning of the word.
Step 5 : Look at the meaning in dictionary
- Students are requaired to look up the meaning of the words and gave them definition.
- Students look for Cause effect relationship of the text
- The teacher required the students to answer the question and main idea of the text.
- The teacher requaired the students’ make a conclusion about text.
3. Observation
In this phase, the teacher had observation the students’ activity in learning process by using checklist observation to know the students ability in reading. After applying Context Clues strategy in action, the teacher gave evaluation to the students to know the students reading comprehension in cycle 1.
4. Reflection
Reflection was the activity of evaluating critically about the progress or changed of the students and also the teacher. In this step, researcher observe activity was result any progress and also about the positive and negatives in
learning. The reflection was success. The researcher did not need to continue in the next cycle.
The score of the observation steps gathered for data analysis and evaluation by the observer and then the observer can reflect herself about successful of action research. The observers will evaluate in every cycle
B. Research Variables and Indicators 1. Variables
In this research used two variables, they were : a. Independent Variable
The Independent variable of the study was the use of Context Clues Strategy in teaching Reading Comprehension.
b. Dependent Variable
The Dependent variables were literal reading comprehension and interpretative Reading Comprehension.
2.Indicators
a. Literal reading comprehension with the indicator are : the word meaning and sequence details.
b. Interpretative reading comprehension with the indicator are : taking notes and conclusion.
C. Research Instrument
The instruments of this research were as follows:
1. Observation sheet
Observation sheet aimed to find out the students’ data about their presence and activeness in teaching learning process.
2. Reading test
Reading test aimed at test the students’ basic competence in comprehending reading text. Test was used to know students’ capability in comprehending the text. In cycle I the test consisted of 3 items, where 1 item for list of word meaning which included in the text, 1 item for answer the main idea, and 1 item make conclusion the text. In cycle II, the test consisted of 3 items also, where 1 item for list of word meaning which include in the text, 1 item for answer the main idea, and 1 item made conclusion of the text.
D. Technique of Data Collection
The procedures of collecting the data were as follows:
1. Checklist observation sheet
The researcher used observation sheet to find out the students participant in teaching learning process through context clues Strategy, it was done in every cycle. It was summed the end of cycle one and two.
Where teacher noticed the students weel during learning process and the gave mark for the students’ name who were very active, active, less active, or not active.
2. Reading test
The researcher gave reading text to students to find out their improvement of students reading comprehension by using context clues strategy.
- Researcher prepared test material or topic for students.
- Teacher asked students to read the text for 10 minuts.
- Researcher asked students to follow all step in reading.
Comprehension based on their mistake. There were components that concern of the researcher in this reseach to measure. Those were word meaning, main idea, and make conclusion.The assessment of students’ active participation described followed:
1. Rubric for Word Meaning
Indicator score
Word identified Definitions
Idetified is a clear Definitions were detailed 4 Identified were fairly neatly written
and readable
Accurately matched the meaning and context clues in sentence.
3
Identified were not neatly written and difficult to read
Definitions less accurately matched the meaning and context clues in sentence.
2
There is many mistake made in identified and the writen difficult to read.
Definitions accurately
mistake matched the meaning
1
Not identified Not definitons 0
Clinton (1998:1) 2. Sequence details
Indicators Score Student locates and uses all relevant information stated directly in the
text to answer questions, complete tasks, or otherwise demonstrate clear understanding.
4
Student locates and uses most relevant information stated directly in the text to answer questions, complete tasks, or otherwise demonstrate clear understanding
3 Student locates and uses some relevant information stated directly in the text to answer questions, complete tasks, or otherwise demonstrate clear understanding.
2 Student locates and uses little or no relevant information stated directly in the text to answer questions, complete tasks, or otherwise demonstrate clear understanding
1
3. Rubric for conclusion
Indicator Score
Student Showed Evidence of Reading Resource
Grammar
Conclusion reflect resource readings in development of idea.it is excellent
Paragraph have no errors in punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
4
Conclusion reflect readings in development of idea.it is good.
Paragraphs have one or two punctuation, capitalization, and spelling errors.
3
Conclusion reflect only reading in development of ide it is poor.
Paragraph has three to five punctuation, capitalization, and spelling errors
2
Conclusion there answer, but do not reflect any reading of resources in development idea.
Paragraph has six or more punctuation, capitalization, and spelling errors
1
(Walters 1992:2)
Taking notes (summarize)
POINT CRITERIA
Super! (4)
Summarizes the main idea and details succinctly
Uses text elements, ideas and key vocabulary in a concise, thoughtful manner
Reflects on a moral, lesson or “something I learned
Good (3)
Summarizes the main idea and some details succinctly
Uses text elements, ideas and key vocabulary
May include author’s purpose
Summarizes the main idea concisely
Uses key vocabulary Needs Work
(2)
Retells the text and alludes to the main idea
Has a sense of order
May include some inaccuracies
Retells the text with some inaccuracy
May be out of sequence (details, etc.) Unacceptable
(1)
Retells giving a minimal amount of information
May include information that is off topic
Hill Middle School staff (1999) E. Data Analysis
1. Scoring the students “correct answer” in reading comprehension.
=
′
x 10
Depdikbud (1985:5) 2. Find out the mean score of the students’ reading comprehension by using the
following formula:
Where:
̅
= Mean score∑ = The sum of all score
N = The total number of subject
=
Gay (1981: 298) 3. Scoring Participation
The observer analyzes the students’ participation in research by applying percentage technique through the following formula:
P = × 100
Where: P = Percentage
FQ = Sum of all the students’ score N = Total students
Sudjana (1990 : 36) Technique of Data Analysis
The technique and data analysis of this research are analyze quantitatively employing statistical calculation. The steps and analyzing the data were chronologically convey as follows:
1. Scoring the students answer the writer used formula as follows:
Student answer
Score = x 10
Maximum score
(Depdikbud, 1985) 2. Tabulating the score of the students’, the writer used the formula as
follows:
∑X X =
N
Notation
X = The Mean
∑X = The Sum of Scores N = The Number of Subjects (Gay, 1981 p. 298)
3. The researcher analyzes the research by applying percentage technique used the formula:
FQ
P = x 100%
4 xN
Where :
P = Percentage of The Questionnaire FQ = The Frequency of Items
N = Total Sample.
(Suharsini arikunto, 2005)
4. After collecting the data of the students, the researcher classified the score of the students. To classify the students’ score, there are seven classifications which used as follows:
a) 9.6 to 10 classified as excellent b) 8.6 to 9.5 classified as very good c) 7.6 to 8.5 classified as good d) 6.6 to 7.5 classified as fair good e) 5.6 to 6.5 classified as fair f) 3.6 to 5.5 classified as poor g) 0 to 3.5 classified as very poor
(Sudiyono, 2005:43)
39 CHAPTER IV
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter consists of findings of the research and its discussion. The findings of the research presented the result of the improvement of the students’
reading comprehension that covers the students’ Literal comprehension and the students’ Interpretative comprehension and the discussion of the research covers further explanation of the findings.
A. The Findings
The finding of this research based on result of cycle I until finis in cycle II. There are two explanations in this finding, such as explanation of tables and graphics.
1. The improvement of the students’ Literal comprehension
The application of Reciprocal Teaching technique in improving the students’ Literal comprehension is dealing with main idea and supporting ideas. The improvement of the students’ Literal comprehension dealing with main idea and supporting ideas can be seen clearly in the following table:
Table 1: The improvement of the Students’ Literal Reading Comprehension
No.
Indicators
Cycle I Cycle II
Improvement CI−CII
Score Score %
1. Word meaning 52. 5 75 42.82
2. Sequence of details 50 70 40
∑X
102.5 145 82.82
51.25 72. 5 41.41
40 X
The data in the table above shows the students’ reading comprehension in literal as the result of calculating cycle I reading’ test at the students’ reading comprehension by using Context Clues strategy. Where the students improvement of word meaning from cycle I to cycle II is 42.82%, and the students improvement of sequence of details from cycle I to cycle II is 40%. The assessment of cycle I is greater than cycle II (72. 5%. > 51.25%) .
Based on the percentages above there are significant improvements of the students by using Context Clues technique. To see clearly the improvement of the students’ reading comprehension, the following graphic is presented.
Figure 1: The improvement of the students’ Literal Comprehension
The chart above shows the improvement of the students’ literal comprehension in word meaning from cycle I to cycle II is 42.82% and sequence details 40%, so the students literal improvement from cycle I to cycle II (41.415%). Therefore there is the improvement of the students’ in literal and the
0 10 20 30 40 50
C I - C II
improvement 42,82
41,41 40
0 Word meaning Sequence of details
41 target can be achieved. Finally, the Context Clues method is effective for students the word meaning and sequence of details in their literal comprehension.
2. The Improvement of the Students’ Interpretative comprehension
The application of Context Clue method in improving the students’
Interpretative comprehension is dealing with summarizing and making conclusion. The improvement of the students’ Interpretative comprehension dealing with summarizing and conclusion can be seen clearly in the following table:
Table 2: The Improvement of the Students’ Interpretative Reading Comprehension.
No.
Indicators
Cycle I Cycle II
Improvement CI−CII
Score Score %
1. Conclusion 43.75 70 60
2. Summarizing 43.75 73 66.85
∑X
87.5 143 126.85
X 43.75 71 63.42
The data in the table above shows the students’ reading comprehension in interpretative as the result of calculating the students’ test in reading comprehension by using Context Clues strategy, where the students’ score is different in cycle I and cycle II. The mean score cycle I is 43.75 and cycle II is 71. The achievement of cycle II is greater than cycle I (71% > 43.75%) .
42 To see clearly the improvement of the students’ interpretative comprehension, the following chart is presented:
Figure 2: the improvement of the students’ Interpretative Comprehension
The chart above shows the improvement of the students’ literal comprehension in conclussion from cycle I to cycle II is 60% and summarizing 66.85%, so the students literal improvement from cycle I to cycle II (63.42%).
Therefore there is the improvement of the students’ in literal and the target can be achieved. Finally, the Context Clues method is effective for students the word meaning and sequence of details in their interpretative comprehension.
3. The Improvement of the Students’ Reading Comprehension
The implementation of Context Clues method in improving the students’
reading comprehension covered literal and interpretative. The improvement of the students’ writing ability could be seen clearly in the following table:
Table 3: The improvement of the students’ Reading Comprehension
No. Variables Cycle I Cycle II
Improvement CI−CII Score Score
1. Literal
comprehension 51.25 72. 5 41.41
2. Interpretative 43.75 71 60
0 20 40 60 80
C I - C II improvement
60
63,42 66,85
0
Conclusion Summarizing
43 comprehension
∑X 95 143 101.41
X 47. 5 71 50.70
The table above indicates that there is improvement of the students’
reading comprehension cycle I to cycle II. Which in cycle I the students’ reading comprehension is 47.5% and categorized as fair and cycle II (71%) which categorized as good. The improvement of students’ reading comprehension from cycle I to cycle II is 50.70%. There is also significant improvement of the students the literal and interpretative in their reading comprehension
The table above proves that the use of Context Clues method in teaching and learning process is able to improve the students’ reading ability after taking action in cycle I and cycle II.
To see clearly the mean score improvement of the students’
Interpretative comprehension, following chart is presented:
Figure 3: The Improvement of the Students’ Reading Comprehension
The table above indicates that there is improvement of the students’
reading comprehension from cycle I and cycle II. which in cycle I the students’
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
C I - C II improvement 41,41
50,7 60
0 Literal
Interpretative
