5. How to Assess Reading Exposition Text
Assessing reading ability is regarded all over the English-speaking world as one of the most important ways of monitoring educational standards. The
primary purpose of an assessment task is to collect relevant information for purposes of making inferences or decisions about individuals – which is not to say
that the assessment tasks have no potential for promoting learning, but simply that this is not their primary propose.
22
Many textbooks on language testing give examples of testing techniques that might be used to assess language. It is conceivable that different testing
technique permit the measurement of different aspects of the ability being assessed. Therefore, it is important to consider what techniques are capable of
assessing, as well as they might typically assess. Multiple choice questions technique is one of the commonest ways of
assessing reading. The technique even dominated textbooks for teaching reading and, in fact, some interesting exercises were developed with this technique. It is in
line with Alderson’s point of view in his book, they multiple choice questions allow testers to control the range o possible answer to comprehension questions,
and to some extent to control the students’ thought processes when responding.
23
B. Jigsaw Technique
1. Concept of Jigsaw
Jigsaw is a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of numerous small, often oddly shaped, interlocking and tessellating pieces. Each piece usually has a
small part of a picture on it; when complete, a jigsaw puzzle produces a complete picture.
In jigsaw, each piece of puzzle is important and related to the other piece. Each piece of puzzle is needed because the whole picture of the puzzle will not be
able to be seen if a piece is missing.
22
J. Charles Alderson, Assessing Reading, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000, p. 203.
23
Ibid., p. 204.
In teaching and learning, jigsaw is defined as classroom activity which requires students to connect several pieces of information from their classmates to
understand the material. In this activity, students are required to communicate with their friends and build good group work so they can understand the learning
materials well.
2. Concept of Technique
Etymologically, as stated in Oxford Advance Learners’ Dictionary of Current English technique means a method of doing something expertly.
Meanwhile, Webster II New Riverside University Dictionary defines technique as “the systematic procedure by which a complex or scientific task is accomplished”.
Before discussing further about the definition of technique, it is necessary to differentiate three terms in teaching and learning related with technique that
often confuse people. These three terms is approach, method, and technique. Edward Anthony identifies these three terms as different levels of
conceptualization and organization. It is further described by Richards and Rodgers, approach is the level at which assumptions and beliefs about language
and language learning are specified; method is the level at which theory is put into practice; technique is the level at which classroom procedures are described.
24
Techniques must be consistent with a method, and therefore in harmony with an approach as well.
25
It can be concluded that technique is implementation that takes place in the classroom, strategy that planned by the teacher to deliver the learning materials to
the students to achieve the learning objective. It can be said that technique is a way of doing classroom activities and procedures which derived from an
application of the principles. The technique itself should be based on the teacher’s assumption about language teaching and learning.
24
Jack C. Richards, and Theodore S. Rodgers, Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001, p. 15.
25
Edward M. Anthony, Approach, Method and Technique, 3 April 2014, www.sala.org http:www.sala.org.brindex.phpartigos615-approach-method-and-technique
Kategori