16 related evidence, construct-related evidence, consequential validity, and face
validity para. 22. Otherwise, the researcher implements face validity in this research. Additionaly, Brown 2004 concludes in a statement about face validity:
Face validity is not something that can be empirically tested by a teacher or
even by a testing expert. It is purely a factor of the “eye of the beholder” – how the test-taker, or possibly the test giver, intuitively perceives the
instrument p. 27.
Face validity informs that the students may encounter with a well-constructed exercise which the students will familiar with the given topic. Brown 2004 also
concludes that a design material can be said as valid if the design is in accordance with real-world context. A valid design material includes students
‟ daily learning and activities p. 27. Therefore, this research refers to the validity by having time
allotment in each unit to prevent s tudents‟ boredom in the given topic, the
language usage is not ambiguous, and each unit has own difficulties level from simple-to-complex.
c. Authenticity
Bachman Palmer 1996 define the terms of authenticity as, “the degree
of correspondence of the characteristics of a given language task to the features of a target language task
” as cited in Brown, 2004, p. 28. Again, Brown 2004 also adds that an authentic exercise presents with using natural language, the items are
contextualized and well-constructed, the given topics are interesting and in accordance with real-world tasks and the exercises are organized through reading
text. The topics are in accordance with academic subjects matter at school. The students are supposed to learn English as a lingua franca and get knowledge from
the written text p. 28. Therefore, this research refers to the authenticity by
17 providing natural and simple language in each reading text and item so that the
students can get the meaning in doing the exercises.
5. Designing Reading Exercises and Assessment Tasks
According to Howard and Major 2009, designing an effective exercise for language learner is a particular challenge for teacher. Some teachers may
consider the advantages and disadvantages of designing materials. The advantages that the teacher will
receive are “contextualisation” materials, be able to meet the students‟ needs, “personalisation” and “timeliness” with up-to-date topics.
However, teacher may also encounter the disadvantages of designing students‟
materials based on the “organisation, quality and time constraint.” Further, teacher
should consider some factors wh en designing students‟ materials. The factors are
target learnersstudents, curriculum usage, sources and supporting facilities, teacher‟s confidence and competence, copyright compliance, and time constraint
pp. 101-104. In this research, the design instructions by Howard and Major 2009
should be contextualised from both the curriculum usage and students‟ needs, attracted, activated students‟ critical thinking from reading passage given,
proposed to integrate using language, authentic, suitable instructions and flexible by concerning the content. Therefore, this research refers to the design of reading
exercises and the assessment as seen in the description below.
a. Multiple Choice Task
Farrell 2009 defines multiple choice task as a test type which only has one correct answer and other answer‟s options are incorrect. Multiple choice has
two advantages. They are easy to score and the scoring is reliable. Whereas the
18 major disadvantage of multiple choice usage is that the students could encourage
guessing p. 92. Therefore, this research refers to the use of multiple choice task. The
purpose is to gain vocabulary building and reading comprehension. The task is designed into vocabulary and picture-cued as selective reading, and
comprehension questions as interactive reading.
b. Matching Task
The research applies the use of matching task is to gain vocabulary building and reading comprehension for both selective and interactive reading.
Those tasks are suitable for seventh grade students within the use of curriculum 2013.
Therefore, the task has more varied exercise to increase students‟ interest in doing the task.
c. Crossword Puzzle
The purpose of crossword puzzle usage in this research is to acquire students‟ vocabulary towards the given reading text. Those tasks are suitable for
seventh grade students within the use of curriculum 2013. Therefore, the task does not lack of varieties.
6. Weblog or ‘Blogs’
The description of blog, a short for weblog, according to Newby, Stepich, Lehman, Russell, Ottenbreit-Leftwich 2011:
A website in which entries on a topic are usually posted in reverse chronological order. Blogs are commonly used as a kind of Web-based
personal journal in which the author provides commentary on topics such as news and current events, politics, a hobby or topic of interest, or just the
author‟s personal life and activities p. 199.
