Texts are loaded with vocabulary. It will be hard to comprehend texts without proper vocabulary knowledge. To help the students comprehend the text,
the key vocabulary need to be identified before reading the text. Here, the researcher prepared the teaching of key vocabulary was in the form of tasks that
required the students to find the meaning of words listed in the tables. As what had been founded in Cycle 1 that it was helpful to have listed
words above the text, the researcher asked the students to memorize those words, so that the students did not need to either open the dictionary nor to watch the
table.
d. Using Scanning and Skimming
Skimming and scanning are very rapid reading methods in which the students glance at a passage to find specific and general information. These
reading methods make it easier for the students to grasp large amounts of material. They were also useful since they did not need to know every word. The finding
can be seen from the quotation below. R:
S:
Kalau baca teks masih diartiakan per kata tidak?
Do you still read the text word by word?
Tidak. Pakai strategi mak, jadi kalau mau cari info tertentu tidak lama, cukup dibaca bagian tertentu saja.
No. now I use reading strategy, so I do not need long time to read, I just need to read a
particular part.
AppendixInterview Transcript 11
Based on the students’ response above, it can be stated that the students can read the text efficiently. The reading strategies were also helpful for
answering question related to the texts.
3. Reflection
After accomplishing Cycle 2, the researcher and the collaborators had final reflections. The reflections were based on the classroom observations and
interviews. Based on the discussion with the collaborators in democratic and dialogic atmosphere, the reflections can be summarized in the following
description.
a. Using Semantic Mapping
During the implementation of the action, semantic mapping was useful to facilitate students reading comprehension. Semantic mapping enabled the students
to recall their previous knowledge and develop their vocabulary knowledge. Semantic mapping also help the students to be able to read the text efficiently,
since to fill the map the students could use the reading strategy namely scanning and skimming.
The map that the students made could be used as their notes. All of the important information in the text were resumed in the map. They can read them
anytime to remind the texts they have read. The activity of filling and making the map was interesting for the students.
They were bored with the previous method that required them only reading on their own and then answering the questions.
From the positive outcome that appeared, both the researcher and the collaborators agree that semantic mapping was very helpful to help the students
comprehend the text.
