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CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
This chapter covers some theories related to the study. The discussion
focuses on the reading, narrative text, and story mapping A.
Reading 1.
The Definition of Reading
Generally, when people read a text, they are not only saying or pronounce the words but also they need to understand the message from the text. In this
sense, Arthur W. Heilman stated that reading is more than mechanical process such as pronouncing word correctly although mechanics are an essential part of
the process but also the recognition of meaning.
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It means that reading is not only to get the information from the text passively but also a thinking process to
understand the meaning. That statement is in line with Jeremy Harmer who stated that reading is a practice which is dominated by the eyes and the brain.
2
From the definitions above, it shows that reading is a thinking process and more than producing the words. That is why we call that reading is a complex
process. It similar with Arthur W. Heilman who stated that reading is a complicated process because reading need mechanical and comprehension skills,
and those skills are influenced by the reader‟s attitudes, knowledge, and past
experience.
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Thus, the readers should do that if they want to get the information or the idea from the text. If they do not do that, they will get nothing. It is similar
with Jeremy Harmer that states: Reading is an incredible active occupation. To do it successfully, we
have to understand what the words mean, see the pictures the words are painting, understand the arguments, and work out if we agree
with them. If we do not do these things – and if students do not do
1
Arthur W. Heilman, Principles and Practices of Teahing Reading, Boston: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company 1967 p. 8
2
Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of English language Teaching, New York: Longman, 1983, p. 153-154.
3
Arthur, op. cit., p.3
these things – then we only just scratch the surface of the text and we
quickly forget it.
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The definition above shows that reader needs skills and strategies to read the text or to comprehend the messages. Thus, comprehension becomes the main
purpose of the reading process. According to William Grabe and Fredricka K. Stoller, reading is the
reader‟s ability in taking information from the text and combine it with theirs knowledge or information that they already has.
It means that the readers‟ ability to understand the author‟s message is influenced by their background knowledge
with the topic in the text. The readers have to be able to use their prior knowledge in order to help them to understand the texts that they read. If they do not have
background knowledge or information about the materials that they read, they will face some difficulties in understanding the texts or they have to work hard to
understand it. In addition, Pamela states that reading comprehension is the process of
making meaning from the text.
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In sum up, the writer take a conclusion that reading is a process of thinking in getting meaning from the text through some skills and connecting the
information from the text with the reader‟s prior knowledge.
2. The Purposes of Reading
The reader reads the reading material is influenced by their purpose in reading. In this sense Asher Cashdan stated that the reader reads the text depends
on his or her own purpose. The students may read the text to prepare the examination, to find out the information, or just to spent their time.
”
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4
Jeremy Harmer, How to Teach English, Edinburgh: Addison Wesley Longman Limited, 1998, p. 70
5
Pamela J. Farris, Carol J. Fuhler, Maria P. Walter, Teaching Reading: A Balanced Approach for Today’s Classrooms, New York: Mc Graw-Hill Companies, Inc, 2004p. 321.
6
Asher Cashdan, Language, Reading, and Learning, Boston: University Park Press, 1979, p. 75.
In a line with the description above, Rivers and Temperly stated that there are some reasons that students may need or want to read. The list as follows:
a To obtain information for some purpose or because curious about some
topic b
To obtain instruction on how to perform some task for our work or daily life
c To keep in touch with friends by correspondence or to understand business
letters d
To know when or where something will take place or what is available e
To know what is happening or has happened as reported in newspapers, magazines, reports
f For enjoyment or excitement.
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From the explanation above, the writer concludes that there are purposes for reading which are to get the information and to have fun. In other words, one
wants to read texts because he or she wants to get information and he or she wants to read because the texts are interesting for them.
3. Reading Skill and Strategies
a. Reading Skill
The way to become a good reader is through practice.
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The readers need operate their eyes and mind to get the message from the text that they have read.
They will forget the text if they just scratch the text.
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Thus, the readers need some skills to become a fluent reader. According to Harmer there are some reading
skills, they are: a. Scanning
In this skill the readers do not need to read every word to get information from the text that they read, but they need to concentrate with
the information they are looking for. For the example, the readers need to
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Rivers and Temperly in Jo McDonough and Christopher Shaw ed, Materials and Methods in ELT, Malden:Blackwell Publishing, 2003, p. 90
8
Nida Husna, Step by Step to Reading Skill, Jakarta: Faculty of Tarbiya and Tachers Training Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, p. 12
9
Jeremy Harmer, How to Teach English, Edinburgh: Addison Wesley Longman Limited, 1998, p. 70
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