d. The Teaching Reading Skills
According to Bonnie and Jean 2002: 85-87, there are three activities involved in reading process, namely pre-reading activity, while-reading activity,
and post-reading activity. For the further explanation will be discussed as follows:
1 Pre-reading Activity
According to Bonnie and Jane 2002: 85, pre-reading activity is important to help the students understand the selection. There are some activities involved in
pre-reading activity: a
Activate background knowledge Background knowledge may derive from all of the experiences that the
reader has. When the students activate their background knowledge, they recognize and use the information they already have. The meaning construction
happens when the students connect new information from the selection with the information they have to build meanings. One of the ways which can be used to
activate the students’ background knowledge is by asking the students to question the topics. The teacher may also ask the students to make predictions
about what will be discussed in the reading passages from the titles and the illustrations presented. On the other hand, if the students deal with unfamiliar
topics, it is the teacher’s job to give brief instruction about the concepts of what is being read.
b Build vocabulary base.
Basic vocabulary holds the important role in the success of reading. The vocabulary knowledge grows through repeated exposures Bonnie and Jean,
2003: 63. Thus, the practice of building the vocabulary base should be
conducted regularly in order to facilitate the students to understand the reading texts. Moreover, it is essential to provide the students with some key
vocabulary words to help them understand the selection. Nunan 2003 suggested teaching the students the basic vocabulary and the use of the context-
based approach in guessing meaning so that the students do not need to understand all of the words in the selection to grasp the meaning.
c Set purposes and direction for reading
The aim of setting purposes is to assist the students focus their attention to what they look for and to facilitate them connecting their background
knowledge to new information. Purposes can be drawn by asking the students to predict what will be discussed in the selection or by asking the students to
question the text. Direction may occur at the end of pre-reading activity. It is used as the direction for the students to enter while-reading activity.
2 While-reading Activity
One of the ways to achieve comprehension is by questioning. Question helps the students understand the selection and helps the teacher figure out the
understanding of the students. Good question may help the students organize and integrate information. Furthermore, this questioning activity may facilitate the
students to relate what they are reading and what they already know. There are also many activities conducted which can assist the students during the reading process.
Bonnie and Jean 2003: 86 suggested some activities: a
Have the students to follow the pre-reading activity by asking them to find the answers of the questions they pose or by asking them to confirm their
predictions about the selection.
b Remind the students to use some comprehension strategy suggested.
c Ask the students to draw inferences, conclusions, or make prediction
outcomes. d
Ask the students to record main ideas and supported details, outline, or summarize.
3 Post-reading Activity
The main purpose in post-reading activity is to enhance students’ understanding about what has been read. Furthermore, it can be used as a device to
fortify the students’ background knowledge with the new information. The teacher may ask the students to think critically and creatively about what they have read
and to apply the information for their new learning. There are some activities suggested in post-reading activity;
a Further questioning
The formulated questions should help the students apply, synthesize, or elaborate the information in the materials they have read.
b Discussion
It is used as the place for the students to share and exchange ideas. Furthermore, small group discussions facilitate the students to grasp the
comprehension on the selection. c
Writing It helps the students connect the information they know with the new
information from selection. There are many activities in written form, namely: summaries, journals, reports, stories.
4. Cognitive Strategy Instruction
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