6 Ask Question
Students learn to ask questions before reading to set a purpose for reading, during reading to identify when their comprehension breaks down, and after
reading as a way to check their understanding of a passage. Zwier 2010 believes that this strategy is effective to make the reader interact with the text by
generating relevant implicit and explicit questions.
d. Teaching reading
Teaching reading needs a systematic preparation before it gets started. The very first step, teacher must understand the goal of teaching reading. There are
two elements that play an important role in the goal of teaching reading namely, affective domain and cognitive domain Sadoski, 2004. Two goals in affective
domain need to be addressed in teaching reading; attitude and interest. Attitude, in this term, conveys the reader’s perceptions and dispositions toward the future
performance. Positive attitude toward reading activities is important to build in order for supporting the success of reading comprehension.
In pursuing success reading skill it is not enough for readers to build positive attitude only. They need to find interest as well personally. In addition, two goals
in cognitive domain cover the practical aspects of reading and the development of the mental skills that allow us to continue to mature as readers for the rest of our
lives. Based on Bloom’s taxonomy, cognitive domain is domain of learning that engages the intellect to understand and apply concept. The need to understand is
believed as one of several motives to read according to McNeil, Donant and Alkin 1980. McNeil et. al. generate several reasons why people want to read. Those
reasons that encourage this study are to engage in intellectual study and to seek knowledge for pleasure of knowing.
After considering the goal of teaching reading, it is better to find out the teaching approach. It is important for teacher to think about the teaching approach
carefully. Brown 2007: 358 elaborates various approaches to teaching reading skills. However, not all of those teaching approaches are applied in this study.
Only some approaches of teaching reading that are suitable for foreign language students are applied. Those teaching approaches are top-down processing, schema
theory and background knowledge, fluency, and focus on vocabulary. Top-down processing is an approach in which the reader draws his own
intelligence and experience to understand text Brown, 2007. This approach involves a risk in which guessing techniques is implemented. Several activities
that involve guessing techniques are puzzle-solving process and infer meanings. Schema theory and background knowledge according to Brown 2007 are
related to some aspect including how readers construct meaning, how they decide what to hold on to and having made that decision, how they infer writer’s
message. To understand reading text, readers have to involve two categories of schemata: content and formal schemata. Content schemata consist of what we
know about people, the world, culture, and universe, while formal schemata include readers’ knowledge about language and discourse structure.
Fluency in reading according to Brown 2007 has been a concern in some studies. To increase fluency many activities that can be implemented are
skimming, scanning, predicting, and identifying main ideas.
The role of vocabulary knowledge on the acquisition of reading skill is important. Certain principle that supports to increase vocabulary knowledge in
learning reading skill in this study is helping the students to learn vocabulary in context. Annotation can be one of many activities to learn vocabulary in context.
Moreover, since this study integrated technology with the classroom activities and additional teaching approach is combined, i.e. technological approach
described by McNeil, Donant, Alkin 1980. Technological approach is seen in skill management reading systems and programmed instruction. Therefore the
role of the teacher in the class is as a teacher-manager. The tasks of a teacher- manager include administering and interpreting tests, placing pupils according to
self-instructional materials, supervising pupils at work, and recording individual progress.
2. Junior High School
