students. The second, extensive reading is silent reading. It means when the students reading the text, they do not pronounce it. Next, in extensive reading the
subject matter is emphasized. Moreover, in the extensive reading the learners play main role because their understanding is based on them. Then, the idea can be
developed through reading habit. From all concepts above, we could know that in extensive reading, the students develop their reading habit and add their
knowledge. The students could read the text as long as they can since the purpose of extensive reading is to develop students’ reading habit. They could read the text
without looking up the dictionary to find difficult meaning. From both types of reading above, it can be known that intensive reading is
tent to focus on the accuracy of surface detail of the text, such as grammatical form. Furthermore, it usually uses short text and needs teacher’s guide.
Meanwhile, extensive reading is related to enjoyment. The students read the text only for their pleasure. The students do not need to find the meaning on dictionary
as far as they understand information in the book.
3. Purposes of Reading
There are several purposes why people read. By reading they can add more knowledge. According to Grabe, there are few purposes of reading.
15
The first is reading to search for simple information, such as, title, main idea, and so on. The
second is to skim quickly. For example the students want to search about date of Indonesia independent day. The third is reading to learn from text. Next, reading
to integrate information. The students could connect their prior knowledge to their knowledge after they read and then make it to their own new understanding.
Reading also can be done to write. It means the information which is got from reading used as material for writing. Then, reading to critique texts. The last is
reading for general comprehension. The students will comprehend about something only by reading.
From the statements above, it has been already known that the purposes of the reader related to the nature of the text and their background. Reading purposes
15
Grabe, op. cit., p. 8.
also are determine d by the students’ need in reading. Rivers and Temperly in
Nunan, suggest that there are seven main purposes for reading.
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The first is because the readers are curious about the topic in the text. The second is to know
the instructions how to do some tasks and follow some instructions which related to the daily life. The next is reading purposes can also related the game, e.g., to
read the instruction how to play a game. Then, reading also can be done to read the business letter to communicate with the colleague. Next, reading also can be
used to know time and place about something will take place or what is available. Furthermore, another reading purpose is to fix up the information, such as, to
know something is happening or something happened. The last is reading can be done for enjoyment or excitement. From those explanations, it can be concluded
that purposes of reading depends on the need of the reader.
4. General Understanding of Reading Comprehension
Reading is an activity in order to get information and undestand the writing text. Grabe said that reading is comprehending process. The reader reads to know
what the author’s intention is and why heshe writes.
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Greer in Carbo argued that comprehension is a purpose of reading.
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It can be inferred that when the students read but they do not understand, it means they have not read. In another
definition, Klingner, et al., see reading comprehension as a complex process to get meaning from the author including word meaning, word knowledge, and
fluency.
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It refers to the ability in interpreting the words, understanding the meaning and the relationships between ideas conveyed in a text. He also added
reading comprehension is not only the reader respons to the author’s meaning but multicomplex process to involve many interactions between the reader and what
16
David Nunan, Second Language Teaching and Learning, Boston: Heinle Heinle Publishers, 1999, p. 251.
17
Grabe, op. cit., p. 14.
18
Marie Carbo, Becoming a Great Teacher of Reading, United States of America: Sage Publications Company, 2004, p. 34.
19
Jannete K. Kligner, et al., Teaching Reading Comprehension to Students with Learning Difficulties, New York: The Guilfford, 2007, p. 2.
