Recount Text The Nature of Direct Reading Thinking Activity DR-TA Strategy

25

13. Previous Research Studies

This part is devoted to report related studies carried out to improve reading skill using Directed Reading-Thinking Activity DR-TA strategy. This section reviews a number of related studies from some researchers. Renn 1999 conducted a research on the effect of DR-TA activities on second grade reading comprehension. In this research, she compared Directed Reading-Thinking Activity DR-TA strategy with Directed Reading Approach DRA. The result of her analysis shows that the mean score of the DR-TA strategy group is significantly higher than the mean score of the DRA group. It seems that DR-TA strategy is more effective than DRA in improving reading comprehension. Another study is conducted by Stahl 2004. It explores the effect of three instructional methods: Picture Walks, Know-Want to Learn-Learn, and Directed Reading-Thinking Activity strategy on the reading comprehension and content acquisition. However, this report of the study tends to focus on the DR-TA strategy only. The results indicated that DR-TA strategy yielded statically significant effects on fluency as measured by a timed maze task and effects on reading comprehension and science content acquisition. Riley 2006 investigated the effect of DR-TA activities on low reading achievement of the first grade learners. The study emphasized the importance of using directed reading thinking activities to increase students achievement and promote thinking among low achievers. The study results indicated the possibility 26 of correcting most of the errors made by learners while reading when they DR-TA strategy. Another study by Odwan 2012 investigated the effect of Direct Reading-Thinking Activity using cooperative learning on English secondary stage learners reading comprehension in Jordan. Although Odwan combined DR-TA strategy with cooperative learning, there are some points about DR-TA strategy itself which are related to reading comprehension. He states, as the result of his study, that learners improvement in reading comprehension may be attributed to learners skills developing ability to read the material using DR-TA strategy. It is because during the activity learners set purposes, make predictions, read silently, and verify their predictions. Based on those research findings, it can be assumed that DR-TA strategy contributes positively to the development of learners reading ability. Therefore, the researcher decided to use DR-TA strategy for teaching reading in order to enhance reading comprehension of eighth learners at SMP Nurul Jadid Batam.

B. Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework of this research is made based on the theoretical review and the theories of the research. Teachers views to the language are important aspects in language teaching. Language teachers should realize that in real life, people communicate through the language. People need to learn language to be able to read, listen, speak, and write in the language that they