Applying pre-questioning technique toward students’ reading comprehension of descriptive text: a quasi-experiment study at the first grade students of MAN Pandeglang.

ABSTARCT

IPIT FITRIANI CHAERUNNISA (NIM. 109014000209). Applying
Pre-Questioning Technique toward Students’ Reading Comprehension of
Descriptive Text: A Quasi Experimental Study at the First Grade Students of
MAN Pandeglang. A “Skripsi” of English Education at Faculty of Tarbiyah and
Teachers’ Training of State Islamic University of Syarif Hidayatulah Jakarta,
2015. The first advisor is Drs. Nasifuddin Djalil, M. Ag. and the second advisor is
Maya Defianty, M.Pd.

Key words: pre-question technique, reading comprehension

Reading comprehension is considered as the important language skill that
should be mastered by everyone. Good comprehension of a text depends on
readers’ knowledge. Therefore, it is important to provide background knowledge
prior to reading comprehension achievement.
This research was conducted to improve the students’ comprehension of
reading descriptive text through pre-questioning technique in the first year of
Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Pandeglang students, academic year 2013/2014. The
method used in this study was quasi-experiment. This research was conducted in
Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Pandeglang with the total number of sample 46 which

divided into two classes: 23 samples from experimental class and 23 samples from
control class. The technique of data collecting used pre-test and post-test. The test
item in this research is multiple choices and used t-test to analyze the data. The
result of the research showed that there was improvement of the students’
comprehension in reading descriptive text through pre-questioning technique.
Most of the students gradually gained good scores at the end of the treatment. The
value of ttable in the significance level 5% is 2.021 while the value of tvalue is 7.54 It
showed that Null Hypothesis (Ho) was rejected and Alternative Hypothesis (Ha)
was accepted. In conclusion, pre-question technique can improve students’
reading comprehension of descriptive text.

i

ABSTRAK
IPIT FITRIANI CHAERUNNISA (NIM. 109014000209). Penerapan
Teknik Pre-Question Terhadap Pemahaman Siswa Dalam Membaca Teks
Deskriptif. Studi Quasi-Experimen terhadap kelas satu Madrasah Aliyah Negeri
Pandeglang. Skripsi Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Fakultas Tarbiyah dan
Ilmu Keguruan Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, 2015.
Dosen Pembimbing pertama yaitu Drs. Nasifuddin Djalil, M. Ag. dan yang kedua

adalah Maya Defianty, M.Pd.

Kata kunci: teknik pre-question, pemahaman membaca

Pemahaman membaca merupakan kemampuan bahasa yang sangat
penting yang harus dikuasai oleh semua orang. Pemahaman yang baik tehadap
sebuah teks tergantung pada pengetahuaun sebelumnya. Oleh karena itu sangat
penting untuk mengaktifkan pengetahuan awal tersebut untuk meningkatkan
kemampuan membaca.
Penelitian ini telah dilakukan untuk meningkatkan pemahaman siswa
dalam membaca teks deskriptif melalui teknik pre-question tehadap siswa kelas
satu Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Pandeglang tahun ajaran 2013/2014. Metode yang
digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kuasi-eksperimen. Penelitian ini telah
dilakukan di Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Pandeglang dengan jumlah sampel 46
siswa yang terbagi dalam dua kelas: 23 siswa dari kelas eksperimen dan 23 siswa
lainnya dari kelas kontrol. Teknik pengumpulan data dalam penelitian ini
menggunakan pre-test dan post-test. Item tes yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini
adalah multiple choice dan menggunakan t-test untuk menganalis data. Hasil
penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa terdapat kemajuan terhadap pemahaman siswa
dalam membaca teks deskriptif melaui teknik pre-question. Sebagian besar siswa

memperoleh skor yang bagus secara bearangsur-angsur pada akhir penelitian.
Nilai ttable pada level signifikan 5% 2.021, sementara nilai to adalah 7.54. Hal ini
menunjukkan bahwa Null Hypothesis (Ho) di tolak dan Alternative Hypothesis
(Ha) diterima. Kesimpulannya, teknik pre-question dapat meningkatkan
pemahaman siswa dalam membaca teks deskriptif.

ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

All praises be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. First, the writer would like to
thank to Allah Al-Mighty for His help in completing this paper. The writer
believes that without His help, there is nothing she could do. May solution and
benediction be into the man who brings human from the darkness to the
brightness. The man who never feels tired to tell his teachings, the prophet and
messenger, Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him.
Second, the writer would like to thank to the people who have given their
contribution in the process of making this paper. First, thanks to my parents who
never stop giving their prayers, financial, and support in finishing this paper. The
writer also deeply grateful to her advisor, Drs. Nasifuddin Djalil, M. Ag. and

Maya Defianty M.Pd. who always guide the writer patiently during the process of
accomplishing this paper. Without their help, this paper will mean nothing. The
writer also gratitude to Drs. Syauki, M.Pd., the Head of English Department who
always motivate the writer in writing the paper without any tiredness. And then, to
the Secretary of English Education Department, Mr. Zahril Anasy, M.Hum., the
writer would like to gives her deep thank to him. All lecturers in English
Education Department, who I cannot mention one by one, thank you very much.
Furthermore, the writer also gratituded to Abdul Aziz, S.Pd., the English
teacher of the first grade of MAN Pandeglang, Rasyid, S.Pd., the Head of
Administration of MAN Pandeglang, all students of the first grade of MAN
Pandeglang, the librarians of State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
and Atmajaya University who help the writer in finding the references neither
books nor articles and all the writer’s friends who care and support her in
finishing this paper. Special thanks to Nuno, my best friend all the time who
always help me when I need help.
The writer realized that this paper cannot be considered perfect without
any critiques and suggestions. Therefore, it would be a pleasure for her to get
critiques and suggestions to make this paper better.

Jakarta, March 2015

The Writer

iii

TABLE OF CONTENT
SURAT PERNYATAAN KARYA SENDIRI
APPROVAL
ENDORESEMENT SHEET
ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………….. i
ABSTRAK …………………………………………………………………… ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ………………………………………………….. iii
TABLE OF CONTENT …………………………………………………….. iv
LIST OF TABLE ……..…………………………………………………….. vi
LIST OF APPENDIX ……………………………………………………..... vii
LIST OF FIGURE ………………………………………………………..… xii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
A. Background of Study ……………………………………….. 1
B. Identification of Problems ………………………………….. 3

C. Limitation of the Study ……………………………………... 3
D. Formulation of the Problem .................................................... 4
E. Objective of the Study ............................................................ 4
F. Significance of the Study …………………………………… 4
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Reading Skill
1. The Definition of Reading .............................................. 5
2. Purpose of reading ……................................................. 7
3. The Kinds of Reading ..................................................... 7
4. Background Knowledge in Reading Comprehension .… 8

iv

B. Pre-questioning Technique
1. The Definition of Pre-question ……………………...... 11
2. The Kinds of Pre-question ………………………......... 13
3. Kinds of Questioning in Reading Comprehension …... 13
4. Advantages of Pre-questioning Technique …………… 16
5. Disadvantages of Pre-questioning Technique ………... 16
C. Relevant Previous Researches ……………………………. 16

D. Conceptual Framework …………....................................... 18
E. The Hypothesis of the Research ……...……………........... 19
CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. Research Design ………………………………………….. 20
B. Population and sample …………………………………… 20
C. The Time and the Place of the Research ………………… 21
D. The Intervention of the Study ……………………………. 21
E. The Instrument of the Research ………………………….. 22
F. The Validity ……………………………………………… 22
G. The Reliability …………………………………………… 23
H. Technique of Data Collecting ………………………….... 24
I. The Technique of Data Analysis ………………………… 25
CHAPTER IV: FINDING AND DISCUSSION
A. The Description of Data ………………………………… 30
B. The Analysis of Data ……………………………………. 37
C. Discussion ………………………………………………. 40
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS
A. Conclusion …………………………………………….... 43
B. Suggestions ……………………………………………... 43
REFERENCES …………………………………………………………...... 45

v

LIST OF TABLE

Table 4.1: The Research Data ………………………………………………..….37
Table 4.2: Result of Normality Test with Chi Square …………………………..38
Table 4.3 Result of Homogeneity Test with F-Test ………………………….....39
Table 6.1: The Score of Pre-test and Post-test of the Experiment Class….…….49
Table 6.2: The Score of Pre-test and Post-test of the Controlled Class…….......50
Table 6.3: Score of Frequency Distribution of the Pre-test of the Experimental
Class…………………………………………………………………52
Table 6.4: Score of Frequency Distribution of the Post-test of the Experimental
Class …………………………………………………………………54
Table 6.5: Frequency Distribution of the Pre-test of the Controlled Class …….56
Table 6.6: Frequency Distribution of the Post-test of the Controlled Class …...58

vi

LIST OF APPENDIX

Appendix 1: The Calculation of Frequency Distribution……………………….. 49
Appendix 2: Normality Test ………………………………………………........ 60
Appendix 3: Homogeneity Test …………………………………………........... 72
Appendix4: Statistical Hypothesis Test Calculation …………........................... 76
Appendix 5: Lesson Plan ……………………………......................................... 78
Appendix 6: The Instruments of the Research ……………………………........ 99
Appendix 7: Answer Key of Instruments ……………….…………………...... 111
Appendix 8: Kisi-Kisi Soal Pre-Test …………………………………....…….. 112
Appendix 9: Pre-Test Items ………………………………………………….. 113
Appendix 10: Kisi-Kisi Soal Post-Test ……………………………………….. 114
Appendix 11: Post-test Items …………………………………………………. 119
Appendix 12: Pre-Questions ………………………………………………...... 124

vii

LIST OF FIGURE

Figure 4.1 Diagram of frequency distribution of the pre-test score of the
experimental class ……………………………………………..32

Figure 4.2 Diagram of frequency distribution of the post-test score of the
experimental class ……………………………………………..33
Figure 4.3 Diagram of frequency distribution of the pre-test score of the
controlled class ………………………………………………..35
Figure 4.4 Diagram of frequency distribution of the post-test score of the
controlled class ………………………………………………..36

viii

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

This chapter describes background of the study, identification of the
problems, limitation of the problems, formulation of the problem, objective of
the study, and significance of the study.

A. Background of the Study
Reading is one of language skill which have essential role especially
for those who have many activities in academic or journalistic world. It has
been considered that as one of four English skills, reading should be mastered

by students because reading is not an innate skill. Sousa stated that
intelligence generally does not play a critical role in learning to read.1 It
means reading does not have any connection with someone’s intelligence.
Thus, this skill only can be mastered by learning from the basic and it needs
more attention to be learned.
Unlike speaking, reading is not human natural ability. So, reading skill
is very important to be mastered, especially to read in a foreign language likes
English to communicate with people in the world internationally. And it is a
common issue that in non-English speaking country, i.e. Indonesia, reading is
difficult for most students. As we have known English in Indonesia is a
foreign language in which its opportunity less to use broadly than English as
a second language. Therefore, students’ English achievement in Indonesia is
not as good as the students who live in English speaking countries. By this
fact, student’s English skills such as listening, writing, reading, and speaking
is more likely unsuccessful.

1

David A. Sousa, How the Brain Learns to Read, (California: Corwin Press, 2005), p. 31

1

2

Based on the writer’s experience when she was a student of MAN
Pandeglang, she found some reading problems in the class. First, the teacher’s
style was very obsolete. He sat down on his chair talking about the text and
then he asked the students to translate the words that unfamiliar to them.
Second, many of students got difficulties with the text because less of
vocabulary. Third, students were bored with their class because they had to
memorize the text and retell it in front of the class.
These problems, however, affected teaching and learning process in
reading class especially for students in understanding the content of the text.
Sometimes, students did not know what the text about. And it was not only
because they poor of vocabulary but also was lack of information about the
content of the text. It meant students who did not have any background
knowledge of certain topic on the text would fail to understand the text itself.
On the contrary, students who had already know or experiences were more
likely easy to understand the topic on the text.
In line to this, Keith Johnson proposed that where students do not
have background knowledge appropriate for the understanding of a passage,
ways of giving it to them needed to be found.2 It meant that students’
background knowledge should be activated before they read the text. Because
when reading process occurs, the brain works to comprehend the meaning
and to correlate the content to the previous knowledge which already have.
Thus, it can be said that activating background knowledge is required
to comprehend the text explicitly. Students with good background knowledge
are able to comprehend better than who don’t have or less any background
knowledge of the topic in the text. Since the background knowledge has an
important role to the reading comprehension, so that one of pre-reading
activities should be done in teaching reading to activate students’ background
knowledge before they read the text. Thus, the writer decided to choose the
pre-questioning technique to be applied in the reading class. Besides, this
2

Keith Johnson, An Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching,
(Malaysia: Pearson Education Limited, 2008), p. 288

3

technique will activate students’ background knowledge toward their reading
comprehension with appropriate questions. Students will be given some
questions that related to the content of the text.
Based on the writer’s experience being a student in MAN Pandeglang,
most of teachers always asked the students to memorize the texts and some of
vocabularies. Automatically, students got difficulties in understanding the
content of the text. Furthermore, they had no chance to make questions
related to the text because they were busy to open their dictionary and to
write the words on the paper. This fact made the writer realized that questions
would affect the learning outcomes of the students.
According to Nation, comprehension questions is one form or other
are one of the language teaching techniques most frequently used to train
learners in reading.3 This meant that the questions which help students to
understand the text are needed to be given. Moreover, by giving questions it
hoped that students can activate their background knowledge while they read.
So, they will comprehend the text easily. Therefore, the writer did the
research to apply the pre-questioning technique in teaching reading.

B. Identification of the Problems
Based on the explanation above, the problems can be identified as follow:
1. The teacher did not use a particular technique in which students would
learn enthusiastically in reading subject
2. Students were less of background knowledge or experience about the
topic on the text given
3. Students were lack of vocabularies which evoke them getting
difficulties in understanding the text

C. Limitation of the Problems

3

p. 29

I.S.P. Nation, Teaching ESL/EFL: Reading and Writing, (New York: Routledge, 2009),

4

To limit the problems, the writer focused on students’ background
knowledge toward their reading comprehension of descriptive text.

D. Formulation of the Problem
The formulation of the problem in this study was “does pre-questioning
technique influence students’ reading comprehension of descriptive text at the
First Grade Students of MAN Pandeglang?”

E. Objective of the Study
The objective of the study was to find out whether or not the prequestioning technique influences students’ reading comprehension of
descriptive text at the First Grade Students of MAN Pandeglang.

F. Significance of the Study
The result of this research might be used as an input for English teachers
in teaching activities at MAN Pandeglang. The study was also expected to
provide useful information about students’ background knowledge in reading
comprehension. In addition, this study can be used as a reference for other
researchers who are interested in conducting similar study.

CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

In this chapter, the writer would like to describe some theories related
to the study. The theories focus on the definition of reading, the purpose of
reading, the kinds of reading, background knowledge in reading
comprehension, the definition of pre-question, the kinds of pre-question,
advantages and disadvantages of pre-questioning, the relevant previous
studies, conceptual framework, and the hypotheses of the research.

A. Reading
1. The Definition of Reading
Reading is one of language skills that should be mastered by a learner
of foreign language. And most of us know that reading skills is very
important. This is similar to what Rezvan saffarian and Bahman Gorjian’s
statement.1 They said that reading skill is important for students to become
academically successful. Reading is also considered by many people as a
very pleasurable free time activity that broadens ones knowledge and
vocabulary.
Talking about the definition of reading, some experts have given
various statement about reading. According to Sandra Silberstein, reading is a
complex information processing skill in which the reader interacts with text
in order to (re)create meaningful discourse.2 She emphasized that reading is a
process between a reader and a text to get information. The process itself
happens when the eyes looking at the printed page and the brain works to
1

Rezvan Saffarian and Bahman Gorjian, The Effective Strategies for Developing Reading
Comprehension among Primary Students: Males and Females, Journal of Comparative Literature
and Culture (JCLC) Vol. 1, No. 2, 2012, p. 39, the article accessed on Wednesday, January 2013 at
9 p.m.
2
Sandra Silberstein, Techniques and Resources in Teaching Reading, (China: Oxford
University Press, 1994), p. 12

5

6

create a meaning from a text. Similarly, Cortina and Elder conveyed their
idea that reading is a form of thinking.3 Because the brain plays a vital role in
reading activity to process the words, sentences, or paragraphs to create
meaning. And the eyes are only transmits the written text to the brain. It
means that reading is a skill to predict the meaning in which the process
involves the eyes and the brain. Thus, the first key skill needed for reading
success is decoding.4 It means the readers should be able to interpret the
letters of a word in the written text into sound to produce the word in the
mouth or mind.
Accordingly, a child who learns to read for the first time should be
taught about phonology, how the words sounded, spelled, and divided into
syllables. Therefore, decoding skill is very important for those who begins to
learning reading because at the time a child know the sound of a letter and the
words syllables, she or he can increase the ability to comprehend the
sentence. Furthermore, Sousa stated that decoding starts with learning the
letters of the alphabet and the basic sound of they represent.5
Another definition is reading as a very complex process that requires
many different skills,6 such as decoding ability, understanding meaning, and
interpreting words. Beginning reader needs to understand phonology and to
able to sound out the words clearly before she or he comprehends the content
of the text to interpret the meaning in the printed page. It means reading is an
active process which requires some skills and knowledge. So, it can be said
that reading is a mental process of interaction between a reader and a writer
which dominated by the eyes and the brain.

3

Joe Cortina and Janet Elder, Opening Doors: Understanding College Reading, (New
York: McGraw-Hill, 2005), p.75
4
Larry Lewin, Paving the Way in Reading and Writing, (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass,
2003), p. 3
5
Sousa, Op.Cit., p. 37
6
Peter Tze-Ming Chou, The Effects of Vocabulary Knowledge and Background
Knowledge on Reading Comprehension of Taiwanese EFL Students, Electronic Journal of Foreign
Language Teaching, 2011, Vol. 8, No. 1, p. 108, the article accessed on Wednesday, January 2013
at 9 p.m.

7

2. The Purpose of Reading
People read the book because they have some reasons. They may read
in order to get some information, to increase the knowledge, or to get
pleasure. Harmer stated that many students reading English text for study
purposes or simply for pleasure.7 It determines what the important in the text
is. Thus, a reader should know firstly what the content of the text he will read
then he can determine whether the information important or not for him.
Futhermore, Aebersold explained that purpose influences reading at
all levels.8 It means that in reading process no matter the reader should has
sufficient knowledge about the content of the text. Therefore, determining the
purpose before reading is very important for the reader. It was also clear that
the purpose of reading depends on a reader’s need whether because want to
increase the knowledge, to get some information, or to get pleasure.
From the discussion above it can be said that people read with some
purposes; getting information about movies, political issues, up dated score of
football, new novels list, menu in a restaurant, racing car schedule,
newspapers, etc.

3. The Kinds of Reading
a. Intensive Reading
According to Harmer, the term of intensive reading refers to the detailed

focus on the construction of reading texts.9 Intensive reading is usually
accompanied by study activities. Jack Richard stated that aim of intensive
reading is to help students obtain detailed meaning from the context, to
develop reading skills, such as identifying main ideas and recognizing text
connectors and to enhance vocabulary and grammar knowledge.10
7

Jeremy Harmer, How to Teach English, (China: Pearson Education, 2007), p.99
Jo Ann Aebersold and Marry Lee Field, From Reader to Reading Teacher; Issues and
Strategies for Second Language Classrooms, (USA: Cambridge University Press, 1998), p. 66
9
Harmer, Op.Cit., p. 99
10
Jack C. Richards and Wily A. Renandya, Methodology in Language Teaching,
(Cambridge: The Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 2002), p. 296.
8

8

In intensive reading Nation stated that the reader can focus on
following aspects, such as comprehension, regular and irregular soundspelling relation, vocabulary, grammar, information structure, etc.11 It means
that intensive reading is the reading activity where a reader reads intensively.
It can help the students get the details meaning in the text, to find particular
vocabulary and grammar so that they can use the information that they get in
the text to move on to other learning activities.
b. Extensive Reading
Extensive reading is reading activities which the reader read
extensively. According to Gebhard, the goal of extensive reading is to
improve reading skills by processing a quantity of materials that can be
comprehended and pleasurable.12 The teachers who implement extensive
reading set up an open library where the students can select from any kinds of
reading materials. It means that extensive reading is one kind of reading
activity where a reader reads extensively.

4. Background Knowledge in Reading Comprehension
The term of background knowledge has the same meaning with other
terms such as prior knowledge, schema (plural schemata), or world
knowledge. According to Jo McDonough, schemata allow us to predict what
may happen in a future context.13 It is one of important elements in reading
activities that affect to a readers’ comprehension. This knowledge helps them
to comprehend a reading text with better outcomes. Because readers with
prior knowledge understand and remember texts better than readers with little
prior knowledge. It means readers’ prior knowledge is one of many factors
that affect learning from texts.

11

Nation, Op.Cit., p. 27
Jerry G. Gebhard, Teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language, (USA:
Macmillan, 2009), p. 203
13
Jo McDonough and Christopher Shaw, Materials and Methods in ELT, (Great Britain:
Blackwell, 1993), p. 109
12

9

Schema theory, in its more popular explanations, assumes that readers
have stored in their minds generalized networks ort information that reflect
common events, scenarios, objects, or locations.14 Actually, in reading a text
someone should have background knowledge to understand the messages in
the written text. In this line, the writer defines background knowledge as
stored information in a reader’s memory which is related to the topic in a text
he or she is reading. In short, background knowledge or prior knowledge
gained likes an abstract structure of knowledge in our mind.
The similar definition also stated by Larry Lewin that prior knowledge
is what readers already know about the incoming topic.15 This definition is
similar to Gillet, Temple, and Crawford. They said that prior knowledge is what
we already know or have experienced, directly or vicariously, that we bring to
the act of reading.16 These two definitions stated that prior knowledge or
background knowledge is what the readers have already known about a topic.
And this knowledge also includes experience of life or any information which
saved in memory. Besides, Alderson also said that schemata are seen as
interlocking mental structures representing readers’ knowledge.17 Therefore,
the more background knowledge students have, the more comprehend they
are in reading the text.
Peter Tze-Ming Chou also stated that one of research result in second
language research shows that there is an evidence that having this prior
knowledge plays a significant role in comprehension.18 It can besides that
background knowledge has an influence towards learning reading
comprehension outcomes.
Background knowledge, as the writer said before has a significant
effect to a reader’s comprehension. For example, a teacher is likely more

14

William Grabe, Reading in a Second Language, (USA: Cambridge University Press,
2009), p. 77
15
Lewin, Op.Cit., p. 23
16
Jean Wallace Gillet, et.al., Understanding Reading Problems, (USA: Pearson
Education, Inc., 2002), P.167
17
Alderson, Op.Cit., p. 33
18
Chou, Op. Cit, p.109

10

understand to read an article about journal of education than journal of
medical science. It means someone’s background knowledge in memory may
vary from each other. So, background knowledge is very helpful to
comprehend the text. As Patricia Grant said, background information
(background knowledge) will help us remember better.19 It indicates that
background knowledge has a great function in reading comprehension.
Without having background knowledge, a reader likely failed to comprehend
the written text.
In addition, Gebhard stated that student’s ability to comprehend the
content of the reading material depends in part on their knowledge about the
topic of the reading selection.20 Thus, comprehension in reading emphasized
on the importance of the prior knowledge or information which is already
know to get better comprehension. Furthermore, Thom Hudson said that the
advantageous of background knowledge is when a reader who already has an
elaborate schema can more easily fit incoming textual information into that
schema.21 It means that a reader’s knowledge of the text content depends on
lived experience. And this is different in different countries, regions, or
cultures. So, the instruction of reading should be sensitive to the types of
background knowledge which is needed by the readers to understand the text.
From his statement, it can be said that students who have relevant
background knowledge will get benefit because such background knowledge
can help them in understanding the text. One researcher also said that
background knowledge plays an important role in reading comprehension that
any teacher cannot teach reading well without watching out for the
background knowledge.22 It is because the students getting the meaning from
the text by analyzing its content based on to their own personal knowledge or
information.
19

Patricia Grant, Reading and Study Skills, (Singapore: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1999), p. 161
Gebhard, Op.Cit., p. 205
21
Tom Hudson, Teaching Second language Reading, (China: Oxford University
Press,2007), p. 142
22
Qian Huang, Background Knowledge and Reading Teaching, Asian Social Science,
Vol. 5, No. 5, p. 141, the article accessed on Tuesday, March 2013 at 3 p.m.
20

11

Accordingly, the important thing in reading comprehension is the
ability of students to connect new knowledge or information to the
knowledge they already possess. A good comprehension will occurs if the
readers have the match between their background knowledge and the content
of a text because comprehension depends on knowledge. The tudents’
comprehension depends on how much related background knowledge they
have while reading.
To conclude, background knowledge has a big influence towards
students’ reading comprehension and their learning outcomes. Therefore,
teachers need a particular way to activate students’ background knowledge in
reading comprehension.

B. Pre-questioning Technique
1. The Definition of Pre-question
Pre-question is one of pre-reading activities which can be used to
facilitate students’ reading comprehension. Pre-question can help the readers
to activate their background knowledge before reading the text. According to
Brown, pre-questioning implicitly as some questions which are provided
before the students read the whole text, in order to build the students’ interest
and motivation, also their cognitive factors and pre-questioning is very useful
to activate the schemata, thus the students can predict what will be faced by
them in the reading text.23 This is similar to what Anderson said in his book
that activation of background knowledge can be initiated by setting goals,
asking questions, and making predictions.24 It means that the readers’
background knowledge can be activated by giving a number of questions. It is
also make the reading activities more effective because the readers easily
comprehend the content of the text.
23

H. Douglas Brown, Teaching by Principles, (San Fransisco: Addison Wesley Longman,
Inc.,2001), p. 100
24
Neil J. Anderson, Exploring Second Language Reading: Issues and Strategies, (Canada:
Heinle Publishers, 1999), p. 12

12

Furthermore, Haynes and Zacarian stated that good readers are always
asking themselves questions before, during, and after reading.

25

So, this pre-

question technique is really a good and appropriate tool to support teachers in
teaching reading comprehension. The students would also more interest in
their reading activity. According to Parviz Ajideh, questions may be
generated by the teacher or by the students and should be done before the
reading, rather than after the reading.26 And as one of the pre-reading
activities, pre-question technique is also useful to build the students’ interest
and motivation. It is one of the best ways for teachers to develop their role as
a leader to create interactive interaction in the classroom. Besides, the aim of
pre-reading tasks is to activate schemata. So, the students can predict what
will be faced by them in reading the text. It can be said that the prequestioning technique is highly encourages in pre-reading activities to use by
the teachers in teaching reading comprehension. The questioning technique is
also helps teachers to assess how much students learn the materials or
understand the reading text. Besides, one research result showed that
questioning strategies can be used not only for learning content, but also to
guide students to think critically and analytically, leading to deep levels of
understanding.27
It was clear to say that questions in teaching reading comprehension is
essential to improve the students’ learning outcomes because the technique
emphasizes on stimulation in reading skill by activating background
knowledge with some questions.

25

Judie Haynes and Debbie Zacarian, Teaching English Language Learners, (USA:
ASCD, 2011), P. 79
26
Parviz Ajideh, Schema–theory Based Considerations on Pre-reading Activities in ESP
Textbooks, The Asian EFL Journal. Teaching Articles. November 2006, Vol 16, p. 7, the article
accessed on Wednesday, March 2013 at 3 p.m.
27
Dyah Sunggingwati and Hoa Thi Mai Nguyen, Teachers’ Questioning in Reading
Lessons: A Case Study in Indonesia, Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 2013, Vol.
10., No. 1, p. 82, the article accessed on Tuesday, March 2013 at 4 p.m.

13

2. The Kinds of Pre-question
According to Harmer some kinds of pre-questioning are:28
a. Pre-questioning before reading to confirm expectations
The use of pre-questioning as a tool is to motivate students and to
encourage them to predict the content of the text. For example: reading
the fairy book, and comic.
b. Pre-questioning before reading to extract specific information
Pre-questions as a tool to force the students to extract specific
information and to answer before reading the text. For example, reading
the contents of vitamin in a supplement, reading the substance in book
recipe.
c. Pre-questioning before reading for general comprehension
In this case pre-questioning used to build up the students’ prior
knowledge. For example, reading the sport magazine.
d. Pre-questioning before reading for detailed comprehension
This kind of pre-questioning intends to give the students some
detailed information that should be found in the whole of the text. For
example, reading the story book.

3. Kinds of Questioning in Reading Comprehension
Based on the article written by Richard and Jeoung-suk Park there
are five forms of comprehension questions to stimulate students in
understanding the written text.29 They are yes/no questions, alternative
questions, true or false, wh- questions, and multiple-choice. And according
to Anne Juwita, usually the questions in reading comprehension tests are
about:30

28

Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of English Language Teaching, (Esssex: Longman, 1991),

p. 153
29

Richard R. Day and Jeong-suk Park, Developing Reading Comprehension Questions,
Reading in a Foreign Language, Volume 17, No. 1, April 2005, p. 65
30
Anne Juwita, English Express: The Complete Solution to Get Better of English,
(Jakarta: Generasi Cerdas, 2009), p. 79

14

a. Main idea
The question about main idea asks the reader to determine or the
topic from a text, and commonly it is signed by words such as: mainly
discussed, main idea, best title, main purpose, main purpose, mainly
concerned, mainly topic.
Here are some examples of questions to ask about main idea:
- What is the main idea of the passage?
- With which of the following is the passage mainly concerned?
- What is the main part of the passage?
- Which of the following would be the best title?
b. Supporting details
The question about supporting detail asks the reader to find detail
information that is printed explicitly in the text. It is commonly signed
by words such as: according to the author …, according to the
passage…, who, what, which, when, where, why, how.
Here are the examples of questions to ask about supporting details:
- Which of the following question does the passage answer?
- According to the passage, which statement is true?
- When did ‘something’ happen?
- Who did ‘something’?
c. Implied questions
In the test of reading comprehension, there is a passage shown facts
or information. Based on it, we are asked to make a decision. It is
signed by words such as implied, probably.
Here are some examples of questions about implied questions:
- It is implied in the passage that …?
- What probably happened in the passage …?
d. Find the details of question
It is the question that need as careful as possible in the answer of
questions. It is to find the answer that there is no in the passage or in the

15

statement. It means that if there are four answers, it is three right
answers but one wrong answer.
Here is the example of questions to ask about details of questions:
- All the following are stated in the line ….except?
e. Pronoun
It is to determine who or refers to pronoun itself. The first sequence
is noun and after that pronoun. The example of the question to ask
about pronoun is:
- The person … in the line … refers to?
f. Passage organization
This is the question related to the passage or information in the
paragraph. There is relationship between every paragraph in answering
the questions. It is commonly signed by words such as: …passage
organized, differ …, is included …, related to the first paragraph….
Here are some examples of questions to ask about passage
organization:
- How is the information in the passage organized?
- How is the information in the passage related to the first
paragraph?
- How does the information in the first paragraph differ to the
second paragraph?
- What type of information is included in the first paragraph?
g. Transition of the question
The question is usually to guess what is content of previous or
obvious passage in the paragraph. It is commonly signed by words such
as the preceding paragraph …, the following paragraph ….
The examples of questions about transition of the question are:
- The preceding paragraph in the passage most probably discuss …
- The following paragraph in the passage most probably discuss …

16

4. Advantages of Pre-questioning Technique
a. Pre-questioning greatly assist students in reading comprehension
cognitive especially since students are challenged and feel aroused
reading comprehension is highly complex information processing that
involves the interaction between a reader and a text.31
b. Pre-questions can build the interest and the motivation before
students read the text.

5. Disadvantages of Pre-questioning Technique
a. For teachers, applying this technique needs more time in the class. If
the teachers do not mastering the material about the content of a text,
teaching and learning activity will be failed.
b. For students, they have to be more creative in developing questions
about the topic on the given text. If the students’ vocabulary poor,
automatically they will have little question about the content of the text
and finally they will also have less comprehension on it.32

C. Relevant Previous Studies
There were previous researches which related to the study here. First,
the research which was done by Siti Hodijah entitled Teaching Reading
Using Pre-Questioning Technique at the Second Grade Students of SMPN 1
Cihampelas Kabupaten Bandung Barat. The objective of this research was to
improve the students reading comprehension ability. The populations of this
study were thirty one of the second grade students of SMPN 1 Cihampelas
Kab. Bandung Barat and the sample was entire population. This research used
one group pretest-posttest design and quantitative method. The instruments
used in this research were pretest and posttest. The collected data were

31

Silberstein, Loc.Cit., p. 12
Susan E. Israel and Gerald G. Duffy, Handbook of Research on Reading
Comprehension, (New York: Routledge, 2009), p.323
32

17

analyzed by using t-test formula. The results of the data analysis showed that:
the mean score of pretest was 35.16, the mean score of post-test was 56.61,
the to was 11.172. The ttable with degrees of freedom (df) 30 and level of
significance at 5 % (0.05) was 1.697.Based on the data above, teaching
reading using pre-questioning technique improved students’ achievement in
understanding reading text at the second grade students of SMPN 1
Cihampelas Kab. Bandung Barat, It also mean that the alternative hypotheses
of this research was accepted because the to was higher than ttable
(11.172>1.697).
Second, the research which was done by Dyah Sunggingwati and Hoa
Thi Mai Nguyen with their article entitled Teachers’ Questioning in Reading
Lessons: A Case Study in Indonesia. This study investigated the practice of
teacher questioning and teaching reading in secondary schools in Indonesia.
Teachers from three grade 11 classes from three different secondary schools
participated in this multiple-site case study which was employed to generate
rich explanatory data across sites. The data were gathered from the teachers in
the form of observations, interviews, and textbook analysis. The findings
from this study showed that the teachers relied on the textbooks for
pedagogies for teaching reading and for the kinds of questions they asked to
assist in reading comprehension.
The last one was the research which was written by Jira Janthong
entitled English Reading Comprehension and Reading Habit Improvement:
Use of Questioning Technique. The purpose of this study was to investigate
the improvement in English reading comprehension, reading habits and selfdirected learning of students being taught through the questioning technique.
Research samples were 35 Mattayomsuksa 3 students taking the fundamental
English course in the first semester of the 2009 academic year at
Prompinitchaiburee School, Phatthalung Province. Results showed that the
students’ English reading comprehension ability increased significantly at the
.01 level after learning reading comprehension lessons through the
questioning technique.

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D. Conceptual Framework
There were two variables in this research; pre-questioning technique as
the independent variable and the students’ reading comprehension of
descriptive text as the dependent variable. The research focused on the
experiment to know whether there was significance effect of applying prequestioning technique to improve students’ reading comprehension of
descriptive text and to know whether the students’ reading comprehension
using pre-questioning technique would be better than reading without
treatment of pre-questioning technique or use conventional way (e.g.
classroom teacher explanation).
According to Richard R. Day, the theories and models of reading have

changed, from seeing reading as primarily receptive process from texts to
reader to interactive process between the reader and the text.33 Approaches to
the teaching of foreign language reading have attempted to reflect this
development through interactive exercises and tasks. The use of questions is
an integral aspect of such activities and it have seen that well-designed
comprehension questions help students interact with the text to create or
construct meaning. Therefore, if pre-question technique implemented in
teaching reading, the students would have the chance to share their previous
experience that related to the text. Besides, they could share the questions
they have with their friends to comprehend the text well. By using prequestioning technique the teacher also would have better assessment of the
students’ ability in reading comprehension. Further, reading with some
questions given probably would stimulate the student’s mind in finding new
ideas to make them more creative in learning a text. Conventional technique
in teaching reading comprehension is still widely used by teachers in the
classroom (e.g. classroom teacher centered with full of explanation). When
the students have the text and they did not know what its content about, they
would feel down in seeing an unfamiliar text and finally it could make them
33

Day, Op.Cit., p. 61

19

lack of comprehension of the text. Besides, the teacher used to explain the
general content of the text without giving the students to share and to think in
depth comprehension. Meanwhile, with the pre-question technique student
and teacher could have an intensive atmosphere to create a new thought of the
topic. Pre-questioning technique, as one of pre-reading activities, provided a
reader with necessary background to organize activity and to comprehend the
material.34 In addition, it also gives the students to have more chance and
time to activate their background knowledge so that the students
automatically understand the text easily.

E. The Hypothesis of the Research
The hypotheses in this research were:
(Null Hypothesis): There is no influence of using pre-questioning
technique toward students’ reading comprehension of descriptive text
(Alternative Hypothesis): There is influence of using pre-questioning
technique toward students’ reading comprehension of descriptive text

34

Ajideh, Op.Cit., p. 1

CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research design of the study, the population
and sample, the time and the place of the research, the intervention of the
study, the instrument of the research, the validity and reliability, technique of
data collecting, the technique of data analysis, and statistical hypothesis.

A. Research Design
The research method used in this research was a quantitative method.
In this research, the writer selected subjects, technique of data collection, the
way to collect the data, and the way to implement treatments. The writer also
had to collect numerical data and analyze it by using statistics calculation to
explain a particular existing thing. Furthermore, in this research the writer
used two groups as experimental and controlled class for the sample. After
selected the subject of the research, she gave a treatment to one class to see
whether or not this treatment had a significant effect toward students’
learning outcome. During the research, both groups were given equal
materials with different techniques; experimental class was taught by prequestioning technique and controlled class was taught by conventional way.
Then, at the end of the research, she compared the score of both classes,
experimental and controlled class.

B. Population and Sample
The writer determined the subject of this research contains of
population, sample, and technique in sampling. The population of this study
were the

first grade students of MAN Pandeglang (academic year:

2013/2014). In this research, the writer used the purposive sample. According

20

21

to Suharsimi Arikunto, the purposive sample is the sample which has done
with taking the subject is not based on strata, random or the area but, it is
based on the purpose itself.1 In this research, the class X-4 was the controlled
class which consists of 23 students and X-5 was the experimental class which
consists of 23 students too. Here, the writer chose the students of class X-4 as
the controlled class because they had higher English score than students of
class X-5.

C. The Time and the Place of the Research
This research was conducted at MAN Pandeglang which is located on
Jl. Raya Ciekek-Labuan Km. 40, Pandeglang, South Banten. The research
started in August 29 until 26 September 2013.

D. The Intervention of the Study
In this research, the writer gave the pre-test before she conducted the
treatment (pre-questioning technique) to see the first condition of the
students. Next, she conducted the treatment for six meetings. In the
experimental class, the pre-questioning technique was delivered to the
students. They learned descriptive text by giving questions to themselves to
activate their background knowledge of the topic on the text.
For example, if the student had a descriptive text about “Borobudur
Temple”, then the writer discussed some questions about that topic in order to
students remember about anything of the topic. Here, the writer helped