group work method; it gained from the result of test before CAR, there were six students who passed theMinimum Mastery Criterion-Kriteria Ketuntasan Minimal
KKM. Then in the result of test after CAR in the cycle 1, there were 30 or 65.21 students in the class who passed the KKM considering their mean score
of the test is 64.34. Next in the result of test after CAR in the cycle 2, there were 37or 80.43 students who passed the KKM in which their mean score of reading
test derived 73.04. 2 related to the observation result showed that the students were more active and interested in learning reading activity in the classroom.
Indeed, they could cooperate with their group. 3 Related to the interview result, it could be known that the students‘ reading comprehension of descriptive text had
improved and helped the teacher in finding the appropriate strategy in teaching reading descriptive text.
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The second previous study is conducted by Umiyati entitled “The
Effectiveness of Using Small Group Interaction in Teaching Reading Comprehension” Experimental Study at the Seventh Grade of „SMP Sunan
Bonang‟ Tangerang. This is an experimental research. The writer taught two
different classes employing two different teaching techniques. The writer administered a pre-test to know that the classes have relatively the same
background knowledge in the research variable and a post-test to find out the growth of score as the measurement of achievement. The writer used t test to
calculate the data and to test the hypotheses. The result of the calculation from this research is to ≥ t table, it means that the Null Hypothesis Ho is rejected and the
Alternative Hypothesis Ha is accepted. The interpretation of data is the use of
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Wahyuning Pratiwi, Developing Students‟ Reading Comprehension of Descriptive Text
Through Group Work A Classroom Action Research in the First Year of VIII- 1 Class of MTSN 19 Pinang Kalijati, Jakarta: State Islamic University of Jakarta, 2010.
Small Group Interaction is more effective in teaching reading of Descriptive text than Whole Class Teaching.
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There are many differences and similarities from the study above with the researcher study. From the first and second study, both using group work as the
technique for learning which the writer will use for this study. Meanwhile the first study using descriptive text as a text in learning reading comprehension. The
participants are varies from all of the study above, the researcher mostly pick seventh grade students while the writer will choose eighth grade of Junior High
School students in Tangerang Selatan.
E. Theoretical Framework
Reading is useful for a language acquisition because reading as a respective and basic skill in learning a language. Reading as an activity that is dominated by
the eyes and the brain that cooperatively work together. The eyes receive the messages from the text and the brain interprets the significance of the messages
contained in a text. Reading is also seen as a complex skill as readers should interact with the text and create it to a meaningful discourse.
However, reading skill can be practiced by reading a lot. To practice reading, the sources can be obtained from textbooks, magazines, articles, journal,
newspaper, bulletins, and so on. There is always a suitable method or technique to teach each English skill.
The method or technique is chosen based on the students‘ need and the objectives as well. The method also can help both the teacher and the students to reach the
objectives. Group work technique is one of the techniques that is included in cooperative learning method. Group work technique is seen to be effective to
provide an opportunity for the students to work effectively and independently,
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Umiyati, The Effectiveness of Using Small Group Interaction in Teaching Reading Comprehension Experimenta
l Study at the Seventh Grade of „SMP Sunan Bonang‟ Tangerang, Jakarta: State Islamic University of Jakarta, 2011.
because the students have opportunities to share their idea and interpret the text with their friends in a group. In this technique, students are assigned into groups
that consist of four or five member in each group. It gives students an opportunity to work in group with other students and helps each other in teaching learning
process in order to master the subject material Group work technique requires the students to have a more active role in
the learning process. Group work technique is seen to be effective in learning reading because each student has different chapters, lessons, materials, or texts
given by the teacher and they have responsibility to make their friends in their group to comprehend it well. The learning process in group work technique is not
simple because a group may be said to exist when two or more persons have as one quality of their relationship some interdependence and process some
recognizable unity. The members meet in face-to-face situations and form distinct impressions of each other. There is an interaction that is, each member reacts to
the behavior of each other member. The individuals comprising the group not only interact, but they often act together in a unitary manner toward their environment.
From the explanation above, the writer believes that the use of group work technique can improve students‘ reading comprehension. So, the writer would like
to do study on teaching reading comprehension through group work technique.
F. Action Hypothesis
Hypothesis of the action is provisional answer to the problem that is faced. It
is an alternative action viewed by the writer as the appropriate one used in classroom action research to solve the problem that is faced by the teacher and
students. The hypo thesis is that group work technique can improve students‘
reading comprehension of narrative text on the eighth grade student of SMPN 13 Tangerang Selatan.
