e. Making inference. When students use this strategy, they infer
meanings by using information from the text and their existing schemata to fill in information that is not explicitly stated in the
text. f.
Dealing with graphic information. Readers give special attention to the visual information supplied by the author.
g. Imaging. Readers create mental pictures of the text they are
reading, or they can graphically represent the relationship among elements of a text.
h. Monitoring comprehension. Readers carefully consider what they
desire to gain from a text and their understanding-or lack thereof- of the text as they read.
It shows that the reader not only should use hisher prior knowledge, also have to make the question before reading and answer it after reading.
While reading, the reader has to create mental pictures on hisher imagination, determining what is important for himher, and monitoring comprehension by
making summary of the reading. Those are some strategies that proposed by some experts. As can be
seen the experts have their own strategies to comprehend the text. So that the writer could conclude that the reader could use those strategies based on their
needs.
4. The Purpose of Reading
A person may read by many purposes, and that purposes help him to be more comprehend about what is read. It could be a pleasure and enjoyment
that felt by the reader. The reader would read very quickly or slowly based on his feeling and emotion when he reads for pleasure. But if the reader is reading
for study or getting information, he would read very slowly and carefully. There are many reasons why people reading. As Jeremy Harmer
states that, “In the first place, many of them want to be able to read texts in
English either for their careers, for study purposes or simply for pleasure.”
16
It points out that the reason of reading is determined by reader’s purpose, such
as for the careers, study, and pleasure. According to Naomi
Fynn and Stainthorp, “We read because we want access to the information that is encoded in the squiggles on the page.”
17
It means people read because they want to get the information that is printed in the page.
The main purpose of reading generally is to find the latest information and for enjoyment. Reading for information means that we do not
stop to analyze the grammatical structures and we understand the meaning of the passages. Reading for information includes the materials which are
classified as non-fiction: science, social studies, technical matters, news magazine newspaper, and article.
Reading for pleasure is different from reading for information. The readers do not have to remember the details of pleasure reading book, because
we will not be tested about what we have read. The reader may read either quickly or slowly based on what he likes to read. It associates largely with
novel, short stories, biographies, plays, and poem. Purpose for reading helps the reader focus on information, as a result
such purposes are most efficient when they are recognized by the readers. Clearly, purpose for reading must be recognized before selecting the text.
Knowing this procedure the reader can properly direct his concentration during the reading. Subsequently, the confirmed purpose can be used as a
foundation for discussion to determine whether the reader has achieved the goal.
The reason of the reader reads a text will influence the way he reads it. As J. Charles Alderson states
that, “Thus it has become almost a platitude to say that the reason you are reading a text will influence the way you read it,
the skills you require or use, and the ultimate understanding and recall you
16
Harmer, 1998, op. cit., p.68.
17
Flynn and Stainthorp, 2006, op. cit., p. 42.
have of that text.”
18
It points out that not only the feeling contributes on reading, but also the skills are used when reading. If the reader wishes to get
the general idea, he will pay less attention to the detail of the text. Based on the explanation from the expert the writer gets the point
that there are two purposes of reading; a.
Reading for information We read text in order to find out something or in order to do
something with the information we get. b.
Reading for pleasure We read text in order to get some pleasures, such as reading
novel, comic books, etc.
5. The Principles of Teaching Reading
In teaching reading there are several principles in order to achieve the purpose of reading, according to Jeremy Harmer
19
, they are: a.
Encourage students to read as often and as much as possible The more students read, the better they will be. Teachers should motivate
the students to read a lot intensively. b.
Students need to be engaged with what they are reading Students who are not engaged with the reading text, not actively interested
in what they are doing. It means that students should be engaged to get a pleasure and interest in reading activity to get the benefit from it.
c. Encourage students to respond to the content of a text and explore their
feelings about it not just concentrate on its construction. Teacher must give students chance to respond to the message in some
ways. It is important that they should be allowed to express their feelings about the topic.
d. Prediction is a major factor in reading
18
Alderson, 2000 op. cit., p. 50.
19
Harmer, 2007, op. cit., pp. 101-2.
