e. Asking the Students to Guess the Meaning of the Words
In order to facilitate the comprehension of a text, vocabulary knowledge is extremely important. If students do not understand the meanings of the words they
encounter in a context, their comprehension of the context is likely to fail. To develop reading fluency and increase reading efficiency, guessing the meanings of
words from context is significantly useful. During the study the students were taught to guess the meaning of words
from context. It can be seen from the following quotation. While reading the text, there were students who asked the
meaning of some words from the text. The researcher asked them to guess the meaning of the words. The researcher asked the students to
reread the sentences in which the unknown words exist and reread the sentences before and after the words.
AppendixField Note 2
New words presented in isolation are hard to learn but words in context help the students to deduce meaning from context and they see how new words
are used grammatically in a sentence. To continue reading without interruption, guessing meanings of words from context is a useful skill.
3. Reflection
After conducting actions in Cycle I, the researcher and the collaborators discussed the actions in Cycle I. They discussed it based on the data that had been
gathered. In order to fulfill the democratic validity, the researcher took the data not only from the researcher herself, but also from the students and collaborators.
The data were gathered from the observation during the actions. Interviews with the students and collaborators would also be the important data that the researcher
and collaborator took into consideration. Then, the data were used to evaluate actions and to make some reflections. These reflections would be useful for the
implementation of next actions. The reflection of each action was elaborated as follows.
a. Using Semantic Mapping
Semantic mapping was used during the implementation of the study. Before the researcher did the actions, there was no specific technique used to
facilitate the students to comprehend texts. It made the students took too long to understand a text.
The finding of the study shows that using semantic mapping can help the students to find specific and general information of the text efficiently. This can
be seen in the following quotation from the interview transcript below.
R: S:
R: S:
Dek Nela, kamu merasa ada perbedaan gak selama belajar reading dengan semantic mapping sama sebelum memakai semantic
mapping?
Nela, do you feel any difference in reading activity before and after the use of semantic mapping?
Perbedaannya mbak, kalau sekarang memahami bacaan bisa lebih cepat, karena semua informasi penting dalam teks sudah tertulis di
dalam map.
The difference is I can comprehend text faster than before, since all the important information from the text have been
written in the map.
Oh gitu ya? Sekarang sudah tidak kesulitan kan memahami teks walaupun panjang.
I see. So, it is easier for you to comprehend a text now, even if it is the long on, right?
Sudah tidak mbak. Sekarang baca teks panjang juga jadi enggak malas.
Yes, now, I get motivated to read long texts.
AppendixInterview Transcript 9
Based the students’ responses, it can be stated that the students were able to read the text efficiently. They could easily find specific and general information
from the text. It was the result of the use of semantic mapping. Semantic mapping engages the use of efficient strategy namely scanning and skimming.
Semantic mapping also changed the interaction between students and the teacher in the class. By using semantic mapping, the students joined the
discussion actively in the class. They enjoyed filling the map and creating their own map.
b. Using Pictures to Activate the Students’ Background Knowledge
Before the researcher did the actions, in the teaching and learning process of reading the English teacher used limited media to teach the students. The
teacher only took the material from a certain book and then asked the students to read the text. After reading the text, the students were asked to answer the
questions based on the text. In this study, the researcher used pictures as media to help the students
activate their prior knowledge about the text. The pictures were used before the students read the text and they were printed in the handouts given to the students.
By showing pictures, students were able to recall their existing knowledge related to the text.
The use of picture could help the students activate their prior knowledge to create context in their mind about the things used in the text. It helped the students
to activate their previous knowledge; so that they could make the meaning of they could make the meaning of the text easily.
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