usually about the life. It is included time sequences and events. However, it is not only about human life but also animal even things or plants. The story focuses on
thought, feeling and experience that one character got. Moreover, the curriculum in this country puts some objectives of giving narrative text in English subject.
According to Permendiknas No. 23 Tahun 2006, students are aimed to be able as listed below:
Membaca nyaring dan bermakna teks essai berbentuk narrative recount. Mengidentifikasi berbagai makna teks narrative recount
Mengidentifikasi tujuan komunikatif teks narrative recount Mengidentifikasi langkah retorika dan ciri kebahasaan teks narrative recount
Mengidentifikasi berbagai informasi dalam teks fungsional Mengidentifikasi tujuan komunikatif teks fungsional
Mengindentifikasi ciri kebahasaan teks fungsional
In conducting this research, the writer has the aim at investigating if there is any significant correlation between students’ learning style and their reading
comprehension of narrative text. The research was carried on by using correlational- study. The place of the study done is eighth grade of MTs. Izzatul Islam which is
located in Jl. Inkopad Kalisuren, Tajur Halang Bogor. The institution is a private school which implements KTSP Curriculum. The reason of choosing this school is
that according to the pre-research, the English teacher of this school applies not only through lecturing technique but also through some other techniques such as doing
role-play, having group discussion, singing a song and so on. It was considered that student get various teaching technique. Therefore, the study could be worthy since
there are some aspects in teaching techniques of this school were related to the theories of reading and learning style.
Based on the explanation above, the writer would like to present the research by the title
“The Relationship between Students’ Learning Style and Their Reading
Comprehension of Narrative Text: A Correlational Study at the Second Grade of MTs. Izzatul Islam Bogor.
”
B. Identification of the Problem
Based on the background above, the problems can be identified as: 1. Some students get difficulties in comprehending the material about reading caused
of mismatch of the technique used by the teachers
2. Because of the wrong style in teaching technique, students sometimes feel bored
and find difficulties in acquiring the lesson. C. Limitation of the Problem
This researc h is focused on students’ learning style and their English achievement
of narrative text. The learning styles investigated are visual, auditory and kinesthetic while the area of English achievement is reading skill.
D. Formulation of the Problem
The formulation of the problem in this research is formulated as follow: “Is there
any relationship be tween students’ learning style and their reading comprehension of
narrative text?”
E. Objective of the Study
Based on the formulation of the problem above, the objective of this study is to find out the relationship
between students’ learning style and their reading comprehension of narrative text.
F. Significance of the Study
The research findings is expected to widen the writer’s and the reader’s perception about students’ learning style. As addition, the result of this research can
also be used as the reference for further research in the same area.
6
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Literature Review 1. Learning Style
Many institution or teachers focus on looking for ways to make the educational initiative more effective. Yet they do not really pay attention on whether their
students learn or don’t. Whereas, educators need to have more knowledge and understanding on how their students learn.
There are many definition of learning. One of them is that learning is acquiring the knowledge or getting knowledge of a subject by repeating.
1
Similarly, Suyono and Hariyanto defined that learning is a process in acquiring knowledge, increasing
skill, correcting behavior and reinforcing personality.
2
On the other words, learning is an intended process of getting new knowledge or information that is wished for the
better changing on cognitive and behavior aspect. Briefly, according to Pritchard, learning is gaining more knowledge and or how
to do something.
3
It means that learning is a process of an activity which the purpose is get something new or add gotten knowledge of a subject or to be able to do
something new. Learning can be done both formally and informally. The place can be in the
classroom or wide open space of the countryside or even in a very quiet corner which the conversation or the activity leads to the understanding of some topics.
Meanwhile, learning style is the characteristic of cognitive, affective, social, and psychological behaviors which is seen as stable rules of the way learners process,
1
H. Douglas Brown, Principles of Language Learning and Teaching 5
th
Ed., San Fransisco: Longman, 2007, p. 7.
2
Suyono and Hariyanto, Belajar dan Pembelajaran, Bandung: PT Remaja Rosda Karya Offset, 2011, p. 9.
3
Alan Pritchard, Ways of Learning, 2
nd
Ed., London:Routlege, 2009, p. 1.
interact with their around and respond the learning environment.
4
On the other words, learning style is consistent ch
aracteristic of one’s way in reacting, accumulating, and dealing with his or her learning environment.
Students in a classroom have different learning style preferred. Some prefer learning by reading a lot of text books;
some prefer listening to teacher’s explanation while some others prefer group discussion. Accordingly, when learning style is
adapted to the dominant learning style of learners, learning is facilitated. In addition, students’ willingness will be encouraged if they know how they
learn best and their role in the instructional process. Then, students who are encouraged to examine how they learn take different way of the process in their
learning strategy and it will give impact to them not only in behavior aspect but also in their achievement.
5
Therefore, it is important for students to know the ways they used to learn. For it is connected to students favor of some particular method of interacting with, taking in
and processing stimuli or information of knowledge and it will affect students learning outcomes.
1 Definition of Learning Style
People learn in many different ways. Everyone has their own preferred style in learning. People process the information by their own characteristic; learning style.
Learning style is the ways of students in absorbing and understanding the information or idea. In the other words, learning styles is the preference ways in learning.
Corner in Vanessa stated everyone has their own characteristic which all is unique and also different learning style in thinking and communicating, hence, it
attract people to interact differently with new information.
6
4
D. MacKeracher, Making Sense of Adult Learning 2
nd
Ed., Canada: University of Toronto Press Incorporated, 2004, p. 71.
5
Nic Cooper Betty K. Garner, Developing a Learning Classroom, Thousand Oaks: Corwin, 2012, p. 30.
6
Corner in Vanessa, “Matching Learning Styles and Teaching Styles in Biology Teaching: An
Alternative Approach to Mainstream Science Education in Singapore ”, A Thesis Submitted for the
According to Dunn and Dunn in Dunn Grigs, learning style is the first way of students to focus on, process, absorb, and remember new or difficult information in
that in derived from biological and developmental characteristics.
7
Meanwhile, Hilliard defined the characteristic ways in which some people acquire, perceives, and processes information is defined learning style.
8
In other words,
it shows someone’s characteristic in learning or processing the knowledge. Meanwhile, Alan summarized on his book about learning style as follows
9
:
A particular way in which an individual learns;
A mode of learning individual’s preferred or best manners in which to think, process information and demonstrate learning;
An individual’s means of acquiring knowledge or skills;
Habit, strategies, or regular mental behaviors concerning learning, particularly
deliberate educational learning that an individual displays. Hence, learning style is a preferred way of learning and studying; for example
using picture is better than text, working group better than alone, and so on. In short, learning style is the way of a person prefers to learn. She or he will
enjoy and feel comfortable in absorbing the information with her or his own way. Learning style, different to approaches to learning, is a term used to describe the
attitudes and behaviors, which determine an individuals preferred way of learning. Although the students have the combination of learning styles, they usually have a
dominant learning style or their own preference style.
Degree of Master of Science Communication Department of Science NUS, Singapore, 2011. p. 7, unpublished.
7
Rita Dunn, “Capitalizing on College Students’ Learning Style: Theory, Practice and Research”. In Rita Dunn Shirley A. Griggs ed., Practical Approaches to Use Learning Style in
Higher Education, Westport: Bergin Garvey, 2000, p. 8.
8
Hilliard in Zainal Abidin Naning and Rita Hayati, The Correlation between Learning Style and Listening Achievement of English Education Study Program Students of Sriwijaya University,
Jurnal Holistics, 2011, p. 2.
9
Alan Pritchard, op. cit., p. 41.
