from each book. However, the concept of matching in Interactive PowerPoint Application in this study is matching certain words against its definition.
The fourth technique promoted by Alderson 2000 is ordering tasks. In ordering tasks, there were some categories that are put into correct order involving
ordering words, sentences, paragraph or texts. The concept of ordering tasks in this study is that the students are given a scrambled set of words and they have to
arrange then into a correct order. Although the technique seems attractive, it has disadvantage too. Some alternative orderings of the sentence that were proved
acceptable, although the original sentence is only one order, can become a problem. Therefore, to overcome this problem, the Interactive PowerPoint
Application uses answer key slide. The last technique that is applicable in the Interactive PowerPoint Application
is dichotomous items True-False technique. In this technique, students are presented with a statement related to the reading text and they are instructed to
determine whether it is True or False. The problem is that students have 50 probability to get the correct answer through guessing since the alternatives are
only two. Through the five techniques to assess reading comprehension, the researcher
has to consider the reading strategies that are suitable to the assessment technique.
b. Reading Comprehension Skills
McNeil, Donant Alkin 1980 considers reading comprehension skills as “the ability to find the meaning what is read”. There are many reading skills that
must be mastered by a reader. In this study, the researcher adapted some reading
comprehension skills based on Evan Spears 2010 including prediction, inferences, main idea and details, sequence, visual information, character and
setting. All of the preceding reading comprehension skills are categorized into macro reading skills according to Brown 2004.
1 Prediction
According to Brown 2004 prediction is included in macro reading skill in which the students guess the meaning of words, idioms, etc. from context. Evan
Spears 2010 suggests that in prediction skill, students use their background knowledge and clues from the text to figure out what will happen next. In other
words, to do prediction, students must use scanning strategy to identify the detail information that can be regarded as the clues. In addition, the rich background
knowledge also determines the success of prediction skill. The reading strategy that is suitable to promote prediction is making
connection. The connection can be made to personal experiences or to things the students have ever seen or read Evan Spears, 2010.
2 Making Inferences
Making inferences is another reading skill that is categorized into macro reading skill according to Brown 2004. To infer context that is not explicit,
students can use their background knowledge. This idea is supported by Evan Spears 2010. Students use their background knowledge and clues from the text
to infer information. The broader the background knowledge is, the easier the students making inferences. Therefore, the role of background knowledge is
influencing the success of inferring information.
The reading strategies that fit to making inferences are making connections and organization. The description of making connections has been explained in
the previous section. In organization, Evan Spears 2010 describes that students learn to find organizational pattern of the text.
3 Main idea and Details
The third reading comprehension skill is determining main idea and details from the text. Brown 2004 considers that detecting the main idea and its
supporting idea is included into macroskills. Evan Spears 2010 describes that to determine the main idea and details, students identify what a passage is mostly
about and find important details that support the main idea. Skimming is the strategy that is effective for determining the main idea of the text.
The reading strategy that can promote determining main idea and details is monitoring comprehension. This strategy according to Evan Spears 2010
enables the students to mind the reading process and notice when the focus is losing and when the comprehension is breaking down.
4 Sequence
Brown 2004 explains that from described events, students infer links and connections between events. This idea clarifies the concept of sequence skill.
Evan Spears 2004 justifies that to achieve sequence reading comprehension skill; students look for the order in which things happen or identify the steps in a
process.
The reading strategy that is suitable for sequence is visualization. Evan Spears 2010 describes that in this strategy students make mental images of what
they are learning.
5 Visual Information
Brown 2004 describes that another macro reading skill that can be achieved is detecting culturally specific references and interpreting them in a context of the
appropriate cultural schemata. Such macroskill is suitable to describe the idea of visual information skill. In considering visual information, students study pictures,
charts, graphs, and other forms of visual information Evan Spears, 2010. The reading strategy that is suitable with the visual information is
organization. The description of organization reading strategy is described in previous section.
6 Character and Setting
The last Brown’s 2004 macroskill that is employed in this study is detecting given information from described idea. This macroskill is matching too determine
character and setting in the text. Evan Spears 2010 describes that to achieve this skill, students identify who or what a story is about and where and when the
story takes place. The strategy that students can do is scanning to get specific information such as names, dates, key words.
The reading strategy that is suitable to promote character and setting is monitoring the comprehension. The description of monitoring comprehension is
described previously.
c. Reading Strategies
