IMPROVING READING COMPREHENSION USING SQ4R

(A Classroom Action Research at the Eleventh Grade of SMA Islam 1 Surakarta

in the Academic Year of 2010/2011)

ByTri SusilowatiK2207012

CHAPTERSCHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER II : LITERATURE REVIEW

CHAPTER III : RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

CHAPTER IV : THE RESULT OF THE RESEARCH

CHAPTER V : CONCLUSION, IMPLICATION, AND SUGGESTION

CHAPTER ICHAPTER I

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Based on the observation held on 28 February 2011 at class XI IPA 1 of SMA Islam 1 Surakarta, the researcher found that students had problems in reading comprehension.

Categories of Problem Indicators

INDICATORS

INDICATORS

Students’ Competence

Classroom situation

Problem Indicators of Students’ Competence

1.Students got difficulties in understanding the meaning of a word in the text

2.Students got difficulties in finding the main idea of the paragraph

3.Students got difficulties in identifying the generic structure of the text

4.Students got difficulties in determining reference from the text

5.Students got difficulties in differentiating tenses used in the text.

Problem Indicators of Classroom Situation

1. The students made some noise when the teacher explained the lesson

2. The students also were shy to express their idea when teacher asked them a question, especially for the girls

3. The students especially the boys often moved from chair to another chair when the teacher explained the lesson

4. The students got difficulties in comprehending the teacher’s instruction in English

5. Some students felt sleepy.

Causes of the Problem

1. The teacher got difficulties in controlling the classroom situation

2. The teacher taught his students only from LKS (Lembar Kerja Siswa)

3. The teacher used the same method in every meeting.

Therefore, the researcher would like to improve reading comprehension by implementing SQ4R.

Problems Statement

1.Can the use of SQ4R improve reading comprehension at the eleventh grade of SMA Islam 1 Surakarta?

2. What happens when SQ4R is implemented in reading class?

The Objectives of the Study

1. To know whether the use of SQ4R can improve reading comprehension at the eleventh grade of SMA Islam 1 Surakarta.

2. To describe what happen when SQ4R is implemented in reading class.

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

A Construct for Reading

Reading is an active skill which includes a text, a reader, and social context in which a reader responds the message from the writer by understanding, comprehending, and interpreting the meaning from a text in a piece of communication using knowledge, skill, and strategies.

A Construct of Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension is the process of understanding a written text to extract informations, then recalling the informations and connecting them to the existing knowledge in a piece of communication whether oral or written. Comprehending a written text means: (a) recognize the meaning of words of the text; (b) distinguish the main idea of the text; (c) identify the specific reference from the text; (d) recognize the communicative functions of written texts; (e) understand the rhetorical forms of the text ; (f) recognize cohesive devices in written discourse.

A Construct of SQ4R

SQ4R is a study method to comprehend, link the new knowledge to prior knowledge, and review effectively using six steps (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Reflect, and Review) in pre, while, and post reading.

Steps of SQ4R

a.Surveyb.Questionc. Readd.Recitee.Reflectf. Review

Rationale

SQ4R is a method that can make the students develop effective study in pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading. Students become more active in reading process by interacting the text and the content. They become more consious of what they understand, get motivated, and involved in the teaching and learning process. It is a student centre. Students can be more active while they are doing the steps of this method. The teacher as the instructor will guide them in doing the steps.

Students who get difficulties in understanding the meaning would be helped by surveying the picture, every paragraph from the text and share their idea with other in reflect stage. Students will find the main idea easily after they survey the text, making question, and re-read the text and recite it. After they read the text, they will be able to analyze the generic structure of the text. The students will be easier to recognize the reference in the text when they read the text carefully through scanning in the read stage. The students can understand the tense used in the text in the read stage. They can more pay attention in the text and discuss it in the reflect stage with other students.

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

1. The Setting of ResearchThe research was conducted in SMA Islam 1 Surakarta from February 2011 to May 2011.

2. The Subject of Research The subject of this research was the eleventh grade students of SMA Islam 1 Surakarta in class XI IPA 1. Class XI IPA 1 consisted of 18 students. They were 9 boys and 9 girls.

Method of the Research

Action research is a systematic process undertaken by a certain participant to solve the problem in whole action and bring about change for improving the situation in teaching and learning process.

The Model of Action Research

Procedures of Action Research

1. Identifying problems and planning the action

2. Implementing the action 3.Observing or monitoring

the action4.Reflecting the result of

observation

 The Advantages of Classroom Action

Research

1. Focus on school issue, problem, or area of collective interest

2. Form of teacher professional development

3. Collegial interactions4. Potential to impact school

change5. Reflect on own practice6. Improved communications

Techniques of Collecting the Data

Techniques of Analyzing the Data

1.Qualitative data were analyzed using 5 stages (Burns ,1999: 157), those are:

a. Assembling the datab.Coding the datac. Comparing the datad.Building interpretatione. Reporting the outcomes

2. The quantitative data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. The mean of pre-test and post-test can be calculated with the formula:

CHAPTER IV

RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

Identifying the Problem

1.Observationa. Students’ Competenceb. Classroom Situation2. Interviewa. Teacherb. Students3. Test

Pre-test

Cycle 1The Improvement of Students’

Competence in Cycle 1No Before Action After Action

1 Students got difficulties in understanding the meaning of a word in the text

Students could determining reference from the text

2 Students got difficulties in finding the main idea of the paragraph

Students could differentiate tenses used in the text

3 Students got difficulties in identifying the generic structure of the text

4 Students got difficulties in determining reference from the text

5 Students got difficulties in differentiating tenses used in the text.

The Improvement of Classroom Situation in Cycle 1The Improvement of Classroom Situation in Cycle 1

No

Before Action After Action

1 The students made some noise when the teacher explained the lesson

The boys did not move from chair to another chair anymore

2 They also were shy to express their idea when teacher asked them a question, especially for the girls

The students could understand the researcher’s instruction

3 The students especially the boys often moved from chair to another chair when the teacher explained the lesson

4 The students got difficulties in comprehending the teacher’s instruction in English

5 Some students felt sleepy.

Revising the PlanRevising the PlanNo Problems Solution

1 Students got difficulties in understanding the meaning of a word in the text

The researcher prepared shorter reading material and meaningful activities.

2 Students got difficulties in finding the main idea of the paragraph

The researcher added technique “I am a teacher here” in recite stage

3 Students got difficulties in identifying the generic structure of the text

Using additional souces of learning,Cambridge software

4 The students made some noise when the teacher explained the lesson

Researcher gave them rewards to five students who get the best score in the next post-test.

5 They also were shy to express their idea when teacher asked them a question, especially for the girls

6 Some students felt sleepy.

Cycle 2 The Improvements of Cycle 2 are:1.Students could understand the meaning of a word in the text2.Students could find the main idea of the paragraph 3.Students could identify the generic structure of the text4.The students were calmer, especially the boys5.They were not shy to express their idea when teacher asked them a question, especially for the girls6.The students did not sleepy, but they enjoy the lesson. 7.Other improvements are: (a) there was a good interaction between the researcher and the students; (b) the students got involved in the teaching and learning process; (c) they could use many sources of learning, especially in finding meaning of vocabularies.

Post Test Score of Cycle 1

The Result of the Test in Two Cycles

Test Mean Score

Pre-test 42.67

Post-test 1 44.11

Post-test 2 64.22

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION, IMPLICATION, AND SUGGESTION

CONCLUSION

Based on the discussion in the previous chapter, it can be drawn two conclusion.

First, SQ4R can improve reading comprehension at the eleventh grade of SMA Islam 1 Surakarta. It is proven by the increase of students’ mean score from 42.67 in pre-test to 44.11 in post-test 1 to 64.22 in post-test 2.

SQ4R also can improve the classroom situation at the eleventh grade of SMA Islam 1 Surakarta. The classroom situation in teaching and learning process became better as follows: (the students were not noisy anymore, they paid attention in teaching and learning process; (b) the students especially the girls were not shy to express their idea; (c) the students specially the boys were calmer; d) the students could understand the teacher’s instruction; (e) they were not sleepy in the class, but they enjoy during the lesson.

Other improvements are: (a) there was a good interaction between the researcher and the students; (b) the students got involved in the teaching and learning process; (c) they could use many sources of learning, especially in finding meaning of vocabularies.

IMPLICATION

Based on the conclusion above, SQ4R can be used in teaching and learning process to improve students’ reading comprehension. It can improve students’ competence and classroom situation. Teaching reading using SQ4R makes the students easier to understand the content of the text by using six stages. The students fully giving attention in surveying the text, they also can make and answer the questions related to the text well. In read stage, they get easily finding the answers. The students dare to share their idea in front of their friends and participate in the recite state. The reflect stage help them understanding the information of the text well. As there are good interaction with the researcher, the students feel enjoy in reviewing the text.

SUGGESTION

1. For the Students2. For the Teachers3. For the School4. For Other Researchers

Thank You