aloud as matter of daily routine, radio newscasters, clergymen, and even actor.
b. Silent Reading The aim of silent reading is understanding. While doing silent reading,
there is no oral expression. In silent reading, we use our ability to understand the meaning of the written sign.
14
3. Purposes of Reading
When people read something, they have their own purpose. For example when they read a newspaper the purpose is to get information. When they read
a comic the purpose is to get the pleasure. As stated by Aeberson, people read because they have a purpose.
15
Some people read the text because their
purposes want to find the information of the text.
Some linguists have explanation about the purpose of reading. According to Nuttall, the main purpose of reading is to get the meaning or the
message from a text.
16
In reading activity the readers have a major purpose to get the information of the text. Another idea stated that, generally the mainly
purpose of reading is to get new information and pleasure.
17
Based on McDonough Shaw at the previous, reading activities is not merely get the
point of the text but also provide fun. The readers’ purpose may want to gain meaning and pleasure.
In addition, Williams 1984 usefully classifies reading into:
a. Getting general information from the text b. Getting specific information from a text
c. For pleasure or for interest
18
14
Geofrey Broughton, et al., Teaching English as a Foreign Language, New York: Taylor Francais e-Library, 2003, pp. 91
—92.
15
Aebersold and Field, loc. cit., p. 15.
16
Nuttal, op. cit., p. 4.
17
McDonough and Shaw, op. cit., pp. 91 —92.
18
Ibid., p. 90.
Based on that, reading has two main purposes. Those are reading for getting information and for pleasure.
Meanwhile, Harmer stated that reading has some purposes: a. Identifying the topic
In identifying the topic of the text, they get the topic by relating their own schemata; it will help them to get the idea about the text quickly and
effectively. b. Predicting and Guessing
The readers sometimes guess in order to try and understand what the text is about, especially if they have first identified the topic. And they try
to predict what is coming and make assumptions about the content of the text. Then they try to relate their schemata with the text that they read.
c. General understanding The readers have not to understand the text specifically, but they just
understand the general idea of the text and they do not need to focus on details information. It is called as skimming. It means running your eyes
over a text to get a quick idea of the gist of a text. d. Specific information
The readers need the specific details that include in the text. It is called as scanning. For example the readers want to find the name of director or
movie stars in a film review. e. Detailed information
Sometimes the readers read in order to understand everything in details information. It is usually in written instructions or directions or description
of scientific procedures. For example if someone writes an address and telephone number.
f. Interpreting text
The readers are able to get the meaning of the passage, using a variety of clues to understand what the writer is implying. The readers will be
success in interpretation if they have schemata.
19
From purposes stated by many linguists above the writer concludes that the readers have their purposes in reading the written text based on what they
need and what they want. The readers need to know the information of the text, such as news paper, magazines, or instruction book in using or making
something, and to get specific information in answering the questions related to the text, and then to develop their vocabulary. Next, the readers want to get
pleasure and enjoyment when read something.
4. Reading Comprehension
Undoubtedly, reading cannot be separated from comprehension. Comprehension skills are the capability to use context and prior knowledge to
aid reading and to make sense what one reads and hears.
20
To comprehend a text, the readers have to repeat continually and connect each word, sentence, or
page of what they have read before.
21
In reading activity, sometimes the reader finds the difficulty in understanding same meaning on the writer’s mind because reading is a complex
process. According to Aebersold and Field, the meaning the reader gets from the text may not be exactly the same as the meaning the writer of the text
wished to convey.
22
Thus, they have to think when they are reading by
integrating comprehensively. Lems et al. state that “reading comprehension is not a static
competency; it varies based on the purposes for reading and the text that is
19
Harmer, op. cit., pp. 201 —202.
20
Susan Israel Gerald G. Duffy, Handbook of Research on Reading Comprehension, New York: Routledge, 2009, p. 32.
21
Judy Willis, M. D, Teaching the Brain to Read, Alexandria: ASCD, 2008, pp. 126-127.
22
Aebersold and Field, loc. cit., p. 5.
