As the writer stated above that every people have different purposes for reading. These purposes will help the reader to focus on information they
need to achieve. Rivers and Temperley list the following examples of some of the reason that L2 students may need or want to read as quoted by Jo
McDonough and Christopher Shaw: a. To obtain information for some purposes or because we are curious
about some topic b. To obtain instruction on how to perform some task for our work or
daily life c. To keep in touch with friends by correspondence or to understand
business letters d. To know when or where something will take place or what is
available e. To know what is happening or has happened as reported in
newspapers, magazines, reports f. For enjoyment or excitement.
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3. The Principles of Teaching Reading
There are several principles in teaching reading. These principles are used to achieve the purpose of reading. According to Jeremy Harmer, the
principles of teaching reading are such follows:
a. Reading is not a passive skill.
Reading is an active occupation. To do it successfully, we have to understand what the words mean, see the pictures the words are painting,
understand the arguments, and work out if we agree with them. If the readers do not do these things, then the readers just scratch the surface of the text
and quickly forget it.
b. Students need to be engaged with what they are reading.
As with everything else in lessons, students who are not actively interested in what they are doing are less likely to benefit from it. The
students need to be fired by the topic or the task, so they will get much more from what is in front of them.
c.
Students should be encouraged to respond to the content of a reading text, not just to the language.
As a teacher, we must give the students a chance to respond the message of a reading text in some way. It is especially important that they
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Jo McDonough and Christopher Shaw, Material and Method…, p.90
should be allowed to express their feelings about the topic, thus provoking personal engagement with it and the language.
d. Prediction is a major factor in reading.
When we read the text in our own language, we frequently have a good idea of the content before we actually read by seeing book covers,
photograph and headlines, and the word processed page. The teacher should give those hints to the students, because it will help the students to predict
what is coming and make them better and more engaged readers.
e. Match the task to the topic.
As a teacher, we should choose good reading material for the students and match them to the topic being discussed in the class. Good reading task
will help students to enjoy their learning activities and improve their achievement.
f. Good teachers exploit reading texts to the full.
As a good teacher, we should integrate the reading text into interesting class sequences, using the topic for discussion and further task, using the
language for study and later activation.
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From the principles of teaching reading stated by Jeremy Harmer above, the writer takes the conclusion of teaching reading are:
a. The students have to be encouraged to respond to the content of the text in spite of the language or the meaning of the reading text.
b. The teacher should explain the material or the task given to the students clearly and help them to do it easier, for example by giving them “the
hints” c. The teachers have to choose good materials for the students and match
them to the topic.
4. Factors Influencing Comprehension
