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One possible teaching media to overcome the problem is by involving English comics in the reading texts. Comics provide two visual aspects which are
picture and text. The combination of picture and text in the comics can motivate the students by making text easier to understand. The pictures of the comics give
additional information to the students besides the text. Using pictures in teaching and learning activities can help the students to learn better Mayer, 2001. By
using pictures, teacher helps students to comprehend verbal words whose teacher use in the explanation. In this case, pictures play role as nonverbal language that
can minimize misunderstanding on teacher‟s explanation. When the students do
not understand some terms used in the text, they can guess them by interpreting the pictures that illustrate the terms.
In brief, using English comics as teaching media may benefit the students in many aspects. The motivated students‟ increased motivation is the expected
outcome of the implementation of English comics. Utilizing English comics as the teaching media would potentially bring the expectation into reality. The comic-
based language learning is intended to VIII G students of SMP Negeri 2 Yogyakarta
with some sets of reading materials that can increase their motivation to read English texts.
B. Research Problem
Based on the previous explanation, the problem is formulated into a question. To what extent do comics motivate the students to read English text?
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C. Problem Limitation
Based on the presented problem, this study focuses at increasing students‟
motivation to read English texts. The researcher makes three limitations. First, the researcher directs at reading skill in which most of problematic case in learning
English is come about. Second, the way the researcher encourages their motivation is by providing English comics. Third, the comics have a role as the
main source of the teaching and learning material elaborated in the teaching and learning activity. Fourth, this research is conducted to 30 students of VIII G in
SMP Negeri 2 Yogyakarta .
D. Research Objective
The objective of this study is to find out the answer of the question as stated in the research question. This research was conducted to give evidence that
English comics can motivate unmotivated students in VIII G Grade of SMP Negeri 2 Yogyakarta
to read English texts.
E. Research Benefits
This study is hoped to have some valuable contribution in English language teaching and learning especially for junior high school students,
teachers, and other people who are concerned with. 1.
For junior high school students. Hopefully, this study is able to accommodate the students‟ needs to learn English. The learning activity researched can be
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one of many ways for the students to motivate themselves in learning English. By using t
he designed comics, this study is also expected to increase students‟ motivation in reading English texts in English lesson.
2. For English teachers especially in SMP Negeri 2 Yogyakarta. This study is
expected to supply a useful input for the teachers in developing teaching materials and motivating the students to read English texts. The teaching
method applied in this research can be a reference to motivate students in learning English. Besides, the teachers can also use the designed English
comics to be additional teaching media to teach English texts. 3.
For junior high school book designers. This study is expected to be a useful input to create English books for junior high school which provide something
attractive to get the students‟ attention to read. This study is also expected to give inspiration for book designers to employ comics in the learning materials.
4. For further study. This study is expected to support other related study about
increasing students‟ motivation in reading activity and developing materials using attractive media especially comics. The teaching method can also be
improved, modified, developed, or implemented by other researchers based on a certain condition.
In the other words, this study is expected to be beneficial for educational development in many aspects. The increased motivation of the students and their
positive attitude on reading would be the greatest advantages to the teaching method.
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F. Definition of Terms
