then were put into eight groups of four. These three instructional models did not happen in the same group. Each group had a certain instructional model to use. At
the end of the study, DR-TA outweighed both the PW and KWL when it came to students recalling information and answering questions correctly. The results of
the study indicated that DR-TA and PW yielded statistically significant effects on reading growth. 68 of the students also reported that DR-TA and PW helped
them to read more fluently and remember more text information. Another study by Odwan 2012 investigated the effect of Directed
Reading-Thinking Activity using cooperative learning on English secondary stage students’ reading comprehension in Jordan. The mean of post-test scores
employed in the experimental study were higher for the experimental group than that of the control group. It means students taught by Directed Reading-Thinking
Activity through cooperative learning tended to get higher scores on reading
comprehension.
Based on those research findings, it can be assumed that DR-TA contributes positively to the development of
students’ reading ability. Considering the problems concerning reading instruction described in the background, the
researcher is interested in making a study to improve the reading comprehension ability of the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Yogyakarta.
C. Conceptual Framework
As stated previously, English is a compulsory subject in Indonesian schools. In practice, English instruction is defined as the teaching of language skills,
namely listening, speaking, reading and writing. Especially in Junior High Schools, the teaching and learning process of reading expects the students to be
able to comprehend a variety of functional texts and short simple essays. The problem with the reading skill that the students often confront is that
written texts cannot by themselves carry out meaning so that the students should strive to grasp the meaning by themselves. It makes reading not an easy skill to
master. This was what happened to Class 8H students of SMPN 1 Yogyakarta. They encountered problems comprehending English texts.
As discussed in the literature review, comprehension as the final goal of reading can be improved through activating background knowledge related to the
text and using reading strategies. Questions raised by the teacher before the students begin reading make those reading strategies effective. Also, the questions
make the students have reading purposes, i.e. to find answers to the questions. These reading strategies, in practice, should be used before reading by previewing
the text and setting reading purposes, while reading by monitoring comprehension, and after reading by summarizing the text.
This framework is in line with the steps of DR-TA, namely 1 making predictions before reading the text, 2 reading to prove or disprove the
predictions and 3 provingdisproving the predictions. This technique requires the students to make predictions each time they begin reading an English text. To
predict the text, they need to use their background knowledge related to the text or clues that the text provides such as the title or pictures. These predictions serve as
their reading purpose since they will need to prove or disprove the predictions
after reading. As they manage to find information from the text to prove or disprove the predictions, their understanding of the text gets better. In the
literature review, all those steps that DR-TA contains are associated with students’
improved comprehension. Thus, it was decided to apply DR-TA to improve the reading
comprehension ability of the students. By applying DR-TA, it was expected that students’ reading comprehension ability improves. To support the fruitful results,
key vocabulary that may be unfamiliar for them was given and so were rewards to attract students’ enthusiasm to participate in the teaching and learning activities.
The conceptual framework of this study is summarized in Figure 3 below.
Stu dents’ had problems in
comprehending English texts The implementation of Directed
Reading-Thinking Activity DR- TA along with accompanying
actions
List of the problems:
1. Some students had difficulties in comprehending English texts.
2. The students lacked vocabulary mastery important to understand
the text. 3. Instead of making use of the
context or reading strategies, the students tended to translating every
single words unfamiliar for them. 4. During the discussion activity,
some students remained passive. 5. The teaching and learning activities
were less interesting.
Steps of the action:
1. Conducting the activities of DR-TA; 2. Pre-teaching vocabulary important
to comprehend a given text and introducing grammar related to the
text; 3. Encouraging the students to make
predictions through the activity of DR-TA;
4. Apreciating students’ participation
using a reward; and 5. Using media such as pictured-texts
and power point slides to deliver the materials.
Students’ improved skills of reading comprehension
Figure 3: Conceptual Framework of the Study
47
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD
This section presents the research methods employed in this study. They are classified into eight parts, i.e. research design, research setting, research subjects,
data collection, data analysis, data validity and reliability, research procedure, and research schedule. Each of these parts will be explained in the following
discussion.
A. Research Design
This study aims at improving reading comprehension of the eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 1 Yogyakarta. Therefore, it is categorized as action
research. Burns 2010 defines action research as a type of research in which a teacher serves as a researcher exploring hisher own teaching context through a
self-reflective, critical, and systematic approach to identify a problematic situation considered worth looking and to intervene in a deliberate way in the problematic
situation to bring about changes and better improvement in practice. This study adopted the cyclical AR model proposed by Kemmis and
McTaggart in Burns 2010. Based on the model, each cycle of action research consists of planning, acting and observing as well as reflecting. The following
figure illustrates the cyclical phases of action research.
