reading is determined by the aim of reading text material. The readers should establish their purpose before reading.
More complete explanation proposed by Tony Buzan. He designs several factor should be avoided to help reader overcome reading comprehension
difficulties, as follows: Good readers are they who are able to maximize the reading
comprehension only if they avoid eleven factors they are : vocabulary difficulties, conceptual difficulty of the material, inappropriate speed,
incorrect mental approach or set, poor organization, lack of interest, lack of motivation, wrong time for reading, poor health, Interference, and poor
reading conditions.
30
First, vocabulary difficulties make a gap in understanding the material. Second, multiple concepts in reading material also contribute the difficulty in
absorbing material. The third factor should be avoided is varying the speed when reading certain material reduces misunderstanding information. Next, the wrong
mental set such as unnecessary argument about subject material interfere the readers
’ idea. Far more common problems is poor organization, for instance readers
don’t have a pencil, notepaper; lack of interest often contribute to a lack of reading comprehension. Different problem come from lack of motivation. Seven
is reading at wrong time of day. Further is poor physical health. Another factor is interference which can causes the low reading comprehension. The last factor is
bad reading conditions. Based on the explanation above, it can be concluded that there are several
factors that may influence the success of reading comprehension process, they are: vocabulary difficulty, the wrong selection of material, environment factors,
mental and physic factors, the wrong reading techniques and speed reading. All those factors should be avoided in order to gain successfulness on reading
comprehension.
30
Buzan, op.cit., pp. 40 —45.
B. Reading Habit Theory
1. Definition of Reading Habit
Per Nilsen defines habit as “Habit is behavior that has been repeated until
it has become more less automatic, enacted without purposeful thinking, largely without any sense of awareness.”
31
According to Benyamin Gardner habit is an abstract theory, in habit theory there is no single correct definition. In habit people
are repeated action without concerning why this self concept must happen.
32
A psychologist, Wendy Wood sub serves habit as an integrated association between stimulus and response, and that association sets up with goals during
learning and performance.
33
Habitual manner often goes unnoticed and unconscious and it followed trough the same repeated action regularly.
34
In the American Journal of Psychology; habit
defined in this way: “A habit , acquired the standpoint of psychology, is more or less fixed way of thinking, willing, or
feeling acquired through previous repetition of mental experience.”
35
In term of habit, Merriam Webster Dictionary also defines the word habit as follow:
“An usual way of behaving: something that person does often in a regular and repeated
way.”
36
In other words habit is the process of behavior that goes unconscious and become automatic that means that you are acquired habit. For example the habit
looking both ways before crossing the street, it is called habit. Behaviorists view habits as routines of behavior that are repeated regularly
and tend to occur subconsciously. As a subconscious self concept, reading habits
31
Per Nilsen, et al., “Creature of habit: Accounting for the role of Habit in
Implementation Research on Clinical Behavior Change”, Implementation Science Journal, June 9
th
2012, p. 2.
32
Benjamin Gardner, Habit as automaticity, not frequency, Journal of the European Health Psychologist, 14, June 2012, p. 32.
33
Wendy Wood and David T. Neal, A New Look at Habits and the Habit-Goal Interface, Psychological Review, American Psychological Journal Association, Vol. 114, No. 4, 2007, p.
843.
34
Farlex, The Free Dictionary, 2014, http:www.thefreedictionary.comhabit
.
35
B.R Andrew, Habit, American Journal of Psychology, Vol. 14. No.2, 1903, p. 1.
36
Merriam Webster, An Encyclopedia Britannica Company Dictionary, 2014, http:www.merriam-webster.comdictionaryhabit
.
can help students’ to gain academic achievement to a great extent.
37
In term of acquiring these habits of reading; they have to put these habits into practice.
Based on definitions above it can be said that as repeated actions, habit involves a process of unconscious pattern. It reflects
person’s personality, good or bad, and they went constantly and regularly. Reading habit will helps the learner
obtaining and gaining a meaningful knowledge and good academic performance in school.
2. The Purpose of Reading Habits
There are some reading habits purposes which have either positive or negative result. For purpose of this topic, they are grouped into four segments
they are: hobbial, recreational, concentration, deviational.
38
a. Hobbial A hobby is an activity that creates joy and satisfaction in doing it. The
purpose of reading habit as a hobby make a reader knowledgeable in so many areas, such as in educational, politic, religious, and economic. This
purpose of reading habit not only makes one satisfied but also positive.
39
Unlike others hobbies, reading is one of the most recommended one to shape readers personality skill. By reading book particularly can develop
the knowledge of vocabulary which helps in conversations.
40
Reading as a hobby is wonderful; it helps the readers to improve their ability to absorb
and to comprehend written material and help them to pursue a better job.
41
b. Recreational A good reading habit for recreational makes the reader acquire more
knowledge in the classroom. Reading for relaxation is aimed to cool the
37
Ifshan Bashir and Nadia Hussain Matto, A Study on Study Habits and Academic Performance among Adolescents 14
—19 Years, International Journal of Social Science Tomorrow, vol. 1, 2007, p. 2.
38
Ogbodo Rosemary Ochanya, Effective Study Habits in Educational Sector: Counseling Implications, Edo Journal of Counseling, Vol. 3. No. 2, 2010, pp 231
—235.
39
Ibid., p. 231.
40
Anshi, Habit
of Reading
….a Beneficial
Start, 2012,
http:www.depthnheight.comhabit-of-reading-a-beneficial -startcom .
41
Trent Hamm, Perfect Hobby? Reading book is fun, cheap, and good for you, 2012, http:abcnews.go.comBusinessreading-books-fun-cheap-goodstorycom
.
reader’s brain and to avoid mental fatigue; the example activities on reading for relaxation are reading newspaper, and magazine.
42
c. Concentration One of the reading habit purposes is concentration. Concentration
means the readers acknowledge their reading process to understand the meaning of a passage. Reading for concentration is recommended for use
in school by stakeholders; this reading habit purpose shows positive result in student’s achievement in school.
43
d. Deviational The last purpose of reading habit is deviational. This is the only reading
habit which has a negative norm. The reader sometimes pretends to read, and deviates from the actual reading. This should be avoided by the
students. If this reading habit attitude acquired by the student, it may lead to loss of interest in the acquisition of knowledge.
44
3. The Aspect of Reading Habits
In gaining an effective reading habit, Julio Cesar summarized six aspect of reading habit, they are: reading frequency, books read, time spent on academic
reading, time spent on non academic reading, motivation in the family environments, motivation in the academic environments.
45
1. Reading Frequency Reading frequency used to measure students’ reading frequency in their
spare time. 2. Books Read
The number of many books that the students have read in the last three months was included in the questionnaires.
3. Time Spent on Academic reading
42
Ochanya, op. cit., p. 231.
43
Ochanya, op. cit., p. 232.
44
Ibid.
45
Julio Cesar Galicia Gaona, Relationship between Reading Habits, University Library and Academic Performance in A Sample of Psychology Students, Revista de La Educacion
Superior Journal, Vol. XL I, No. 157, 2011, pp. 59 — 60.
It is considered the time that the students devote their time to read academic book especially for their specialist subject.
4. Time Spent on Non-Academic Reading It is discussed amount of time that the students used to read non academic
book, magazine, such as novel, fiction, romance, horror, etc. 5. Motivation in the Family Environment
It focuses on the recommended book that purchased by the family based on the interest of the family.
6. Motivation in the Academic Environment It is focuses on the frequency of students’ reading literature in their school
environment based on the teacher report.
4. Advantages of Reading Habits
In habitual reading; there are so many advantages that the student can absorb. Reading habit is the powerful and long lasting tool in the development of
student’s academic success. The implications of applying reading as habitual activity are students can expand the knowledge, and increase focus and
concentration. Reading as a habitual activity also helps the student to pleasure their understanding, helps them become more intelligent, and boosts their
vocabulary meaning. Thanuskodi
proposes several benefits of reading. He said, “The impact of reading in people’s live is extraordinarily widespread. A reader can learn a new
word, can be introduce to new facts, he can become knowledgeable about the whole world and he can stimulated to
both taught and emotion.”
46
A more complete explanation stated by Steel jack. He mentions several advantage of reading habit. They are: 1 habit of reading help the mind performs
effectively; 2 habit of regular reading helps us develop a good vocabulary, 3 habit of reading boots intellectual curiosity, 4 habit of reading means
46
S. Thanuskodi, Reading Habit among Library and Information Science Students of Annamalai University: A Survey, International Journal Education Science, Vol.3, No.2, 2011, p.
1.
