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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
This chapter covers six important parts of the thesis: background of the study, problem identification, problem limitation, problem formulation, objectives
of the study, benefits of the study, and definition of terms.
A. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Nowadays, English is a very important device in communication. English language is usually found in many places such as in guidebooks, newspapers, and
novels. This happens because English has become an international language. It means that most countries use English as the first or second language in
communication. Consequently, this reason makes people try to be competent in English. Some countries have considered that English becomes an important
language. Indonesia is one of them. Most schools in Indonesia have included English as one of the compulsory subjects to develop students’ knowledge.
Proficiency of English can be achieved by mastering four language skills; namely speaking, reading, listening, and writing. In order to master the four skills
students need to study and enrich their knowledge. Studying and enriching knowledge can happen if someone reads many books. Therefore, students need to
be able to read English well, find the meaning, and synchronize it with their own PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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ideas. Looking at this fact, reading can be considered as a skill that is important to be mastered.
Reading will be easier for the reader if the language which is used in the text uses the language of the reader. If people read in the texts which use their
language, it will be easier for them because they know the structure and meaning of the language. On the other hand, people who read a book in a foreign language
will consider reading as a difficult activity because the language has different structure and meaning from their own or native language. As the result, peoples’
interest in reading will decrease. It is not easy to teach English to the students especially for those in the
Junior High School. Teachers should be more creative and attractive in adapting texts and making them simple and interesting for the students. The teachers
sometimes take the texts directly from magazines or newspapers directly. Actually, it is not bad but sometimes some of the vocabulary in those texts is not
appropriate for the students or too difficult for the students especially in the beginner level. It makes reading considered as a boring subject because they could
not understand the texts and become disinterested to practices reading. Whereas, reading is one of the important skills to be mastered for the students in the junior
high school. It is not easy to be a junior high school teacher because the characteristics
of the students are different. Noar states that fun activities for children of junior PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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high school are needed to support their learning 1953: 31. Therefore, a teacher should be able to make the situation in the class interesting by providing new and
interesting materials. Concerning the importance of reading at the Junior high school, a good
program for reading is needed. A good program must be supported by innovative strategies. Unfortunately, teachers sometimes forget that teaching children is
totally different from teaching adults Partee, 2006. Some schools still use traditional methods in their classes. Traditional methods mean that the learning is
focused on the teacher. It makes lecturing become the main strategy in class. This method makes the study oriented on “memorization” It only makes the students
memorize the knowledge for a short time. Study will be meaningful if children “experience” what they have learnt.
Nowadays, there is a method that has become an issue in education. The
method is called Contextual Teaching and Learning CTL. Unfortunately, there is
no good understanding from the teacher about this method. Contextual Teaching and Learning CTL is a learning concept which helps the teachers to relate the
materials which are taught in the class theory to the situation in the students’ real world. Using this approach the students’ learning will be meaningful for them.
The process of study is conducted naturally in the form of students’ work and experience, not by transferring knowledge from teacher to the students. Some of
our education is still dominated by a view that knowledge is a set of facts which PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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must be memorized. It makes the teacher become the main source in class. It will make speech uses more often and the students become passive. By using CTL in
class, the teacher can overcome that problem. CTL will encourage the students to be more active in class.
Based on the reasons above, the writer designed a set of instructional materials which focuses on reading skill, using Contextual Teaching and Learning
approach to support the teaching learning process.
B. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
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