Formulation of the Problem
Based on the point of view above, generally reading is a complex process of human’s activity. As they are reading, they use their eyes and brain to get the
meaning of the author’s message. In this sense, Harmer said that reading is an
activity that uses the eyes and the brain in which the eyes have function to get the message or information and to send the message to the brain, and then the brain
gets the message from the eyes and manages the message.
3
In addition, Aeberson stated that
“reading is what happens when people look at a text and assign meaning to the written symbols in that text.”
4
It means that in activity of reading there is an interaction between what the reader looks of the text and what the
author writes into printed symbols. Meanwhile, according to Allen, reading is more than just know sounds of
foreign language written words but it has to comprehend of the written text.
5
Therefore, reading seems difficult skill for students who use English as a second language and foreign language because they have to transfer their mother
language to the foreign language in comprehending the text. That assumption is in line with DeBoer, he said that reading is an activity which involves the
comprehension and interpretation of the written language.
6
It means that reading is not a simple activity because reading includes some activities such as to
comprehend and interpret the written text. Moreover, Heilman said that
“Reading is a process of getting meaning from printed word symbols; it is not merely a process of making conventionalized
noises associated with these symbols.”
7
On the other word, reading is not just a mechanical process because actually reading needs emphasizing of the process in
3
Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of English Language Teaching: New Addition, New York: Longman Publishing, 1991, p. 190
4
Jo Ann Aebersold and Mary Lee Field, From Reader to Reading Teacher: Issues and Strategies for Second Language Classrooms, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997, p.
15.
5
Edward David Allen and Rebecca M. Valette, Classroom Techniques: Foreign Languages and English as a Second Language, New York: Harcourt Brace Javanovich, 1977,
p.249
6
John J. DeBoer, and Martha Dallmann, The Teaching of Reading: Revised Edition, New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc., 1964, p. 17.
7
Arthur W. Heilman, Principles and Practices of Teaching Reading: Second Edition, Ohio: A Bell and Howell Company, 1967, p. 8.