Backgrounds of the Study

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Backgrounds of the Study

One of the most complex things humans can do is reading. Reading is a process that requires the recognition of a symbol or set of symbols, forming a pattern that point to another set of meanings previously learned and stored in the mind. Reading is one of the activities that people do in their daily life. It is certainly not a new phenomenon. People can read anything, anytime, and anywhere. Reading can make them understand about something. It can make them know all about what happened, still happen, and will happen in their life. It could be said that reading is a way to know, to feel, and to understand about the “world”. In this era, 21 st century, all people in this world are reported to be able to read. They are able to read in their first languages at some basic level. They enter a great century, productive, and also educated people will require even stronger literacy abilities, including reading as one of language skills, besides, listening, speaking, and writing. English is very useful for people to improve themselves in all aspects, especially for the university students. English is learnt from primary school to the university level in Indonesia and it is a hard work not only for the government, but also for the teachers, parents, and the students. In the formal education students need to master, especially reading, in order to pass the examination and to develop their communication in their daily commit to user 2 life when they want to apply job as one of the requirements in the world of work. The fact is, in almost schools, the students’ ability of English reading is very poor. Teaching and learning reading is based on the belief that teachers can teach their students to be more observant and conscious of the patterns at work as people communicate – particularly through reading – and that teachers can use what they are able to do and what they are able to see to bring them rapidly and naturally into greater literacy. Moreover, literacy requires that one must be able to comprehend first the symbol and the underlying meaning behind the symbols. Since reading is this complex, it signals that a person is intelligent. So, for all students, reading is a developing skill with a solid understanding of the relationships between English sounds and letters. In other words, it can be said as understanding a word analysis. In Indonesia, English is the first foreign language taught at school. Because of that fact, Indonesian learners become foreign language readers. They use their background knowledge and all elements of reading processes, such as the topic, text structure, their knowledge of the world, patient, carefulness, consciousness, habitual action, and their persistence to get the goal of reading comprehension. English has been taught for many years in Indonesia. Nowadays, English words and expressions can be heard in almost our all of daily activities, like in electronic and printed media. However, it is no guarantee that the students have a good understanding in reading. At the same time, many students think that English is a difficult subject at school or college. Some causes that make English commit to user 3 difficult are the teachers, situation in the class, the students’ background, and materials. The teachers sometimes use same old fashion methods and techniques to teach their students. It makes the students get bored. This condition triggers a situation that does not facilitate a good instructional activity in the classroom. Consequently, the students cannot learn well. It is not contemptible that English as a foreign language needs a good English teacher. By improving his or her way of teaching he or she shows that he or she follows the changing on the educational world. Besides, the students’ various background knowledge, social economic, motivation, and their ability also take part in influencing their English reading skill. For instance, the students belonging to a high social class and coming from an educated family, usually, concern more on English learning. In addition, a family having high economic status usually takes their children to English course to improve their English ability. Moreover, some students find themselves difficult to understand the materials of the English subject. Some of them consider that the materials are too difficult to master. It is understandable since English is different from Indonesian. The various reading materials can make teaching and learning English reading more creative, interesting, challenging, and beneficial. In addition, improving reading skills is a must for university students today. If they have never tried to improve their reading skills, they will be surprised how much they are lacking in their reading speed and understanding what they are reading. Based on Non commit to user 4 Commissioned Officer NCO Primary Leadership Subjects: Reading Comprehension, Study Methods, and Management 1997: 1-9, it is explained that in order to improve their reading skills, they need to be aware of these three important areas of reading improvement that is increasing reading comprehension, increasing reading rate, and understanding adaptability. Before the three important things above, method or technique plays an important role in teaching reading. Therefore, the teachers are demanded to be able to choose appropriate methods or techniques to make the students competent in reading. Besides, firstly, increasing reading comprehension is the one of the important factors in improving reading skills. Most of the students have limited ability in reading because they can read faster but they cannot understand what they read as fast as they read. Secondly, the other important factor in improving reading skills is to increase the students reading rate. This is extremely vital for them to do their examination at school or doing test for seeking a good job in their future life that require a great deal of reading. It is obvious that a person who can read fast can get through far more paperwork than a person who reads at a slow rate. Thirdly, comprehension is the other important factor in reading, but the real key to reading effectiveness is adaptability. Adaptability is being flexible in reading skills to accommodate the type of reading material. The students must not allow themselves to read all types of material in the same manner. To be an adaptable reader, they must adapt their speed to the reading material and discriminate in what and how they read. commit to user 5 In all, English as an International language is a compulsory subject in college or university. It is categorized as MKDU Mata Kuliah Dasar Umum . As one of the English teachers at Pesantren Kampus PESKAM STAIN SAMARINDA, the writer observes that the first year students’ motivation in reading English is low. The major factor influencing this condition is that some of the students were graduated from Salafi, boarding school that still applies traditional educational system. Most of their subject matters are related to Islamic studies because STAIN SAMARINDA is Islamic College. STAIN Samarinda is located in Samarinda as the capital city of East Kalimantan. Reading English is one of the compulsory subjects for one year, 1 st and 2 nd semesters. Finally, before they get their bachelor they should follow TOEFL with minimum score of 400. Unfortunately, many students at 1 st and 2 nd semester do not realize that they need English for three reasons, as follows: - Firstly, they must get a good mark in both semesters 1 st and 2 nd semester. - Secondly, they must pass the TOEFL test as a requirement to take their bachelor. - Finally, they need English to get a good job and having a good job can influence their future career and better life. commit to user 6 Based on the background of this study and the reason above, the writer in her thesis would like to discuss “The Effectiveness of Internet-Based Material to Teach Reading Comprehension Viewed from Learning Motivation. An Experimental Study at the First Semester of Pesantren Kampus PESKAM STAIN SAMARINDA in the Academic Year of 20092010.

B. Identification of the Problems