Principles of Teaching Reading

12 1 Meaning-Focused Input Three points become the focus point in this strand of principle. First, the activities in reading should be done for a range of reading purposes. These purposes consist of reading to search for information, reading to learn, reading for fun, reading to integrate information, reading to critique text and reading to write. Next, a teacher should design a reading lesson that suits with hisher students’ language proficiency level. Finally, reading should be used as a way of developing language proficiency. When a student read, he can also develop his reading subskills. For example, when a student read, he learns new vocabulary from the text. 2 Meaning-Focused Output Meaning-focused output principle stressed out how reading can be related to other language skills. A teacher should design activities that involve not only reading skills, but also listening, speaking and writing skill. It is because one skill cannot be separated from the other skills. 3 Language-Focused Learning There are four points that is emphasized in this strand of principle. The first point is a teacher should help students to develop the skills and knowledge needed for effective reading. The lesson should work on the subskills of reading and the language features needed to read, including phonemic awareness activities, phonics, spelling practice, vocabulary learning using word cards, and grammar study. A teacher should also teach hisher students how to use reading strategies. Furthermore, activities that integrate a range of strategies should also 13 be given to the students. Finally, students should be introduced with various text structures, such as descriptive, narrative. 4 Fluency Development This principle consists of three points. Firstly, a teacher should help and persuade students to develop their fluency in reading. Another point stressed out in the strand of principle is a teacher should give extensive reading activities. Finally, students should enjoy reading and feel motivated to read. It can be done by giving interesting texts and asked them to involve in activities like independent reading and shared reading. These four strands of teaching reading principles can help a teacher in designing a well-thought out reading lesson. A teacher can consider the important points in teaching reading, such as designing activities that relates not only one skill, but also the other skills. Accordingly, the principles should guide a teacher in teaching reading.

b. Teaching Reading to Adolescent Students

The eighth grade students are adolescent students. They have not completely mature yet and they are growing from their child life. In this phase of life, adolescents tend to be energetic, fun and idealistic. Porter 2009:12 emphasizes that students at this stage of life are usually active and are developing their intelligences. Thus, the teacher should design a lesson that can build students’ social skills while developing students’ ability in their English lesson. Regarding with the reading lesson, the reading lesson in the junior high school is different from the reading lesson students experienced in elementary 14 grades. The reading activities including the texts and the tasks students encounter are considerably different. Different activities and their changing behavior may result several factors that make students deals with the lesson differently. Thus, Many, Ariah and Fox propose several factors to be taken into account by a teacher in teaching reading for adolescent students. Many et al. in Lapp and Fischer 2011: 53 say that adolescent students must develop and be able to regulate a repertoire of language and literacy strategies. Other important factors are students’ personal interests and motivation. Finally, it is important for a teacher to design a reading lesson that reflects an awareness of students’ development as adolescents and as language users while taking into hisher consideration the demands of various texts to be taught. Teachers should also take into account how to make students enjoy reading and feel motivated to read. This point is also emphasized by Harmer. Harmer 2007:84 suggests that the class should make the students “pursuing a learning goal with enthusiasm”. It should make students feels connected and engaged with the material which is relevant and involving. Thus, reading lesson should make the students feel the motivation to read a text comes from themselves.

c. Teaching Reading at the Junior High Schools

There is a swift of curriculum from School-Based Curriculum SBC into 2013 Curriculum. However, the implementation of the 2013 Curriculum has not done yet by every school in Indonesia. The government has chosen several schools to implement this curriculum. SMP 13 Yogyakarta has not yet