The research was implemented in the school because the reading materials had not provided especially for the eighth grade students of the school. The designed
materials should consider the students’ needs and the learning needs related to the students’ preparation in their tests and examination. Good reading materials will be
designed by the writer in order to improve the students’ reading skill so the students can be ready in doing their tests.
C. Population and Sample
Due to the suitable time for preparing the beginning semester for the eighth grade students, the populations of this study are the eighth and the seventh grade
students of SMP N 1 Tanjungsari in the academic year of 20142015. The eighth grade students are as the sample in the ending of the learning materials from their
teacher. While, the seventh grade students are as the sample of the writer’s produced materials because it will be the next grade, eighth grade after the final test.
Each grade of the school consists of three classes; Class A, Class B and Class C. The sample of the research study was taken by the writer by pointing one class of
each grade. Class A, as the most effective classes of them was taken as the sample. Hence, the sample was class A of the seventh and the eighth grade of the school.
There are 24 students in Class A of the seventh grade and 29 students in Class A of the eighth grade.
D. Research Instruments
There were some instruments used to collect the data for the purpose of this research study, namely, interview guidelines and observation sheets. all of them were
conducted to know the students’ need, the course books had been used, the students’ characteristics and backgrounds, the students’ ability and problems in reading, the
syllabus, the time schedule, the years programs of the teacher, etc that were needed to design suitable reading materials for the eighth grade students of SMPN 1
Tanjungsari. 1. Interviews
These interviews involved the students of the seventh and the eighth grade of SMPN 1 Tanjungsari and their teacher, Mrs. Widayati Hijanah, S.Pd. The students in
Class A of each grade were the participants. It was conducted directly and spontaneously in order to get valid data. The participants, the students and Mrs. Wida
as an English teacher were interesting and friendly. Therefore, the process of the interview could run well.
The interview to the eighth grade students were about the students’ opinion and problems about reading and the materials they used before. While, the other
interviews of the seventh grade students were about their condition, characteristics, ability, background knowledge, and their learning styles of reading. The writer also
used the interview to the teacher related to the teacher’s opinion, information, and the teacher’s needs or problems of reading materials.
