LEARNING TECHNIQUES IN ENGLISH READING CLASS
LEARNING TECHNIQUES
IN ENGLISH READING CLASS
A THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education
By:
Yosep Lintangakoso Nugroho
Student Number: 011214154
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2008
LEARNING TECHNIQUES
IN ENGLISH READING CLASS
A THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education
By:
Yosep Lintangakoso Nugroho
Student Number: 011214154
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2008
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all and foremost, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to Jesus Christ, Mother Mary, and Saint Joseph due to their love, bless, and guidance during my life, especially during my long and hard time in doing this thesis. They always strengthen me and make my life so beautiful and meaningful.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my major sponsor,
Caecilia Tutyandari, S.Pd., M.Pd., for her great guidance, encouragement,
understanding, criticism, and advice so that I can finish this thesis successfully. I would also like to sincerely express my gratitude to my co-sponsor, Christina
Kristiyani, S.Pd., M.Pd., who kindly gave her time to read, correct and give
some suggestion and improvement for my thesis.My gratitude also goes to all lecturers at Sanata Dharma University who have shared me their great wonderful and valuable knowledge. I would also like to thank all university staff especially to chairman and secretariat staff of PBI for helping me with the academic administration.
I sincerely grateful to my beloved parents Gregorius Subagyo and
Mathilda Endang Sawitri, for their endless love and prayer for my success in
any work and activities I take. I thank my lovely brothers and sisters, the
Hagengs (Dionisius Hageng Nugroho and Imelda Rustanti), Willybrordus
Sudrajad Ari Nugroho for his kindness to be my sponsor during my study in
PBI, Susana Ardhani Nugroho for her support and attention from distance. I also thank my beloved girlfriend Maria Endah Perwitasari; I thank her for her great
My best gratitude goes to Play Performance group of Snow White crew:
Bayu the MD, Anggun the Hulk, Nyot-Nyot the Prince, Puput , Texex, Bobby
the Tarzan , Andre Mr. Leo, Rara the Snow White, Dhee the Hag, Ratri the
Croft , Novi the Srikandi, Widi the Thief, Della the Sailormoon, Lia, Peye, and
also Julie. It is an honor to know and work with great friends like them. My gratitude also goes to all of my friends at Sanata Dharma University especially students of PBI 2001. I thank them for the good and bad times I got during my study in PBI.
I address my acknowledgements to all my best friends in Youth Center K3AS especially Mo Goeng, pak To, pak Singgih, bu Terry, Brto, Andi Lha-
lacht, and Anton Kowoex. I thank them for encouraging me to keep trying the
best and never give up. It is great experience to work together and spend the time with them.
I would like to thank all my partners in Division of Emergency and
Reconstruction Karitas Indonesia Keuskupan Agung Semarang (KARINA
KAS) and Caritas Germany PSO Indonesia. I thank them for the wonderful
experiences to share and help others, and for bringing me to the new world, which gives me chances to do and to be the best.
Last but not least, I would like to thank anyone who directly or indirectly took a part in the completion of this thesis and my study, whose names are not mentioned here. I thank them for any support they give so that I could finish this thesis and my study.
Yosep Lintangakoso N.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ................................................................................................ i PAGES OF APPROVAL ............................................................................. ii STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ............................................ iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................... v TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................. vii LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................... xi ABSTRACT ................................................................................................. xii
ABSTRAK ..................................................................................................... xiii
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION A. Background ...................................................................................... 1 B. Problem Limitation .......................................................................... 3 C. Problem Formulation ....................................................................... 4 D. Objectives of the Study .................................................................... 5 E. Benefits of the Study ........................................................................ 5 F. Definition of Terms .......................................................................... 6 CHAPTER II. LITERATURE REVIEW A. Theoretical Description .................................................................... 9
1. Language Learning Techniques ................................................... 9
a. Preparing to Read ................................................................. 11
b. Answering Comprehension Questions ................................. 13
c. Reading a Descriptive Text................................................... 14
d. Finding the Meaning from the Text ..................................... 16
2. Language Teaching Methodologies ............................................. 17
a. Communicative Language Teaching ................................... 19
b. Cooperative Language Learning .......................................... 21
3. Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan ........................................ 24
B. Theoretical Framework .................................................................... 27
CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY A. Research Method ............................................................................. 29 B. Research Subjects ............................................................................ 29 C. Research Instruments ....................................................................... 30
1. Observation Checklist ................................................................. 31
2. Field Note .................................................................................... 32
3. Interview ..................................................................................... 32
4. Questionnaire .............................................................................. 33
D. Data Gathering Techniques .............................................................. 34
E. Data Analysis Techniques ................................................................ 35
F. Research Procedures ........................................................................ 37
CHAPTER IV. RESEARCH DISCUSSION A. Data Presentation ............................................................................. 39
1. Learning Techniques in Reading Class....................................... 39
a. Introducing the Lesson ......................................................... 40
b. Comprehending a Text.......................................................... 41
c. Comparing English Texts .................................................... 42
d. Translation ........................................................................... 42
e. Outside Classroom Activities .............................................. 43
f. Independent Learning ........................................................... 43
2. The Teacher’s Reasons for Conducting the Learning Techniques ..................................................................................
44
a. The Teacher’s Reason for the Learning Technique of Introducing the Lesson ......................................................... 45
b. The Teacher’s Reason for the Learning Technique of Reading Comprehending a Text ........................................... 45
c. The Teacher’s Reason for the Learning Technique of Translation ........................................................................... 46
d. The Teacher’s Reason for the Learning Technique of Outside Classroom Activities ............................................... 47
a. Students with Positive Response ............................................ 64
2. For Students ................................................................................ 71
1. For Future Researchers ............................................................... 71
B. Suggestions ...................................................................................... 71
2. Students’ Response on the Learning Techniques ....................... 70
1. Learning Activities in Reading Class ........................................ 68
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION A. Conclusions ...................................................................................... 68
c. Students with Collective Response ........................................ 66
b. Students with Negative Response .......................................... 65
3. Students’ Responses on the Learning Techniques ..................... 64
e. The Teacher’s Reason for the Learning Technique of Independent Learning .......................................................... 47
2. The Teacher’s Reason for Applying the Techniques ................. 60
1. Learning Activities in English Reading Class ............................ 55
B. Discussion ........................................................................................ 54
c. Students with Undecided Response ..................................... 53
b. Students with Negative Response ........................................ 52
a. Students with Positive Response ......................................... 51
3. Students’ Responses on the Learning Techniques ..................... 49
f. The Teacher’s Reason for the Learning Technique of Comparing Two English Texts ............................................ 48
3. For English Teachers ................................................................... 72 REFERENCES ............................................................................................ 73
APPENDICES APPENDIX 1. Permission Letter APPENDIX 2. Letter of Consent APPENDIX 3. Observation Sheet and Data APPENDIX 4. Recorded Interview with the Teacher APPENDIX 5. Questionnaire Data
LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1 Number of Students’ Answers in the QuestionnaireTable 4.2 Percentage of Students’ Answers in the Questionnaire
ABSTRACT
Nugroho, Yosep Lintangakoso. 2008. Learning Techniques in English Reading
Class . Yogyakarta: English Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.
Teaching activities are activities that cannot be separated from learning activities. In short, where teaching activities exist, there should be learning activities. What a teacher should consider in teaching is not only transferring knowledge and encouraging students in learning, but a teacher should also consider students learning activities by thinking how to make the learning activities interesting and effective for students with acceptable learning techniques.
Some students categorize reading class as a boring class. English teachers in some schools realize the situation and do some efforts to make the reading class become an interesting class for students. English teachers in SMA Stella Duce 2 Yogyakarta realize that reading class is a class which needs good, interesting, effective learning techniques which are acceptable for and accepted by students.
This study was intended to find out learning techniques the teacher conducts by observing the English reading class. This study was also employed to find out the teacher’s reasons for applying the learning techniques. This study was also aimed to find out students’ responses on the learning techniques.
The research method employed in this study was descriptive research. The research subjects observed in this study were an English teacher and students of grade X in SMA Stella Duce 2 Yogyakarta. Based on the direct observations, the researcher finds that the teacher applies several learning strategies in English reading class. They are: 1) Introducing the Lesson, 2) Comprehending a Text, 3) Comparing English Texts, 4) Translation, 5) Outside Classroom Activities, and 6) Independent Learning.
Based on the interview, the teacher has two general reasons for conducting the learning techniques. The first reason deals with students’ achievement in learning where the teacher drives students to be ready for the final test. The second reason deals with the teacher’s purposes to make the learning techniques interesting and effective for students.
Based on the questionnaire, the researcher finds that there are three general students’ responses on learning technique. Students’ responses refer to their ability to follow the learning activities. The responses are: 1) positive response, which means that students were able to follow the learning activities; 2) negative response, which means that students were not able to follow the learning activities; 3) undecided response, which means that students were some ways able to follow the learning activities but they still found some problems or difficulties in it.
ABSTRAK
Nugroho, Yosep Lintangakoso. 2008. Teknik Pembelajaran dalam Kelas Reading
Pelajaran Bahasa Inggris. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Kegiatan mengajar tidak dapat dipisahkan dengan kegiatan belajar. Dengan kata lain, di mana kegiatan mengajar berlangsung, pasti berlangsung juga kegiatan belajar. Yang harus dipertimbangkan oleh seorang guru saat dia mengajar bukan hanya tentang mentransfer pengetahuan dan memberi dorongan para murid dalam belajar, tetapi seorang guru juga harus mempertimbangkan kegiatan belajar para murid dengan memikirkan bagaimana membuat kegiatan belajar tersebut menarik dan efektif bagi para murid dengan bantuan teknik pembelajaran yang dapat mereka terima.
Sebagian murid menggolongkan kegiatan belajar Reading sebagai satu kegiatan belajar yang membosankan. Guru-guru mata pelajaran Bahasa Inggris di beberapa sekolah menyadari akan keadaan tersebut dan berusaha membuat kegiatan belajar Reading menjadi kegiatan belajar yang menarik bagi para murid. Guru-guru mata pelajaran Bahasa Inggris di SMA Stella Duce 2 Yogyakarta menyadari bahwa kegiatan belajar Reading adalah kegiatan belajar yang membutuhkan teknik pembelajaran yang baik, menarik, dan efektif, yang bisa diterima oleh murid-murid.
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui teknik pembelajaran yang diterapkan oleh seorang guru mata pelajaran Bahasa Inggris dengan mengobservasi kegiatan belajar Reading dalam pelajaran Bahasa Ingrris. Penelitian ini juga bertujuan mengetahui alasan guru dalam melaksanakan teknik pembelajaran tersebut. Penelitian ini juga bertujuan megetahui bagaimana tanggapan para murid akan teknik pembelajaran tersebut.
Berdasarkan hasil observasi, peneliti menemukan bahwa guru yang bersangkutan menerapkan beberapa teknik pembelajaran dalam kelas Reading untuk pelajaran Bahasa Inggris. Teknik-teknik tersebut adalah: 1) Introducing the
Lesson , 2) Comprehending a Text, 3) Comparing English Texts, 4) Translation, 5)
Outside Classroom Activities , dan 6) Independent Learning.Berdasarkan hasil wawancara, guru yang bersangkutan mempunyai dua alasan umum dalam menerapakan teknik pembelajaran. Alasan pertama adalah berhubungan dengan pencapaian belajar para murid dimana dia bertujuan mempersiapkan para murid untuk menghadapi ujuan akhir semester. Alasan yang kedua berhubungan dengan tujuan guru yang bersangkutan untuk membuat teknik pembelajaran menjadi menarik dan efektif bagi para murid.
Berdasarkan kuisioner, peneliti menemukan bahwa secara umum terdapat tiga macam tanggapan dari para murid terhadap kegiatan pembelajaran. Tanggapan dari para murid mengacu pada kemampuan para murid dalam mengikuti kegiatan pembelajaran. Tanggapan tersebut adalah: 1) positive
response , yang menerangkan bahwa murid dapat mengkuti kegiatan
pembelajaran; 2) negative response, yang menerangkan bahwa murid tidak dapat murid dapat mengkuti kegiatan pembelajaran akan tetapi masih menemukan masalah atau kesulitan dalam mengikuti kegiatan pembelajaran tersebut.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This chapter presents introduction on the research conducted by the
researcher. This chapter is divided into six parts. They are Background of the Study, Problem Limitation, Problem Formulation, Objective of the Study, Benefits of the Study, and Definition of Terms.
A. Background of the Study
The general understanding on teachers’ task is about teachers’ activities in transferring knowledge to his or her students and in encouraging students to learn the subject. However, teaching activities are activities that cannot be separated from learning activities. In short, where teaching activities exist, there should be learning activities.
The similar understanding on language teaching is proposed by Stern (1983). Stern states that language teaching always implies the language learning as well (Stern, 1983: 21). It explains that in conducting language teaching activities, a teacher needs to consider the students’ language learning. What a teacher must consider in teaching is not only transferring knowledge and encouraging students in learning, but a teacher should also consider students learning activities by thinking of how to conduct the learning activities with effective and interesting techniques for students.
Learning a language, especially a foreign language, is obviously different knowledge and skills can be directly implemented or practiced when it is being learned. In addition, the learning activities in language learning generally are to enable the students to use the language in their daily communication activities. A teacher, therefore, needs to consider how he or she can create learning activities which are effective and interesting to help and encourage students in learning. Preparing and then applying proper learning techniques can be one consideration which is expected to be able to help and encourage students in learning. Hence, a teacher needs to conduct learning activities with appropriate techniques in order to make the learning activities interesting and effective for the students. Interesting and effective learning techniques enable students to learn and practice the target language in an interesting and effective way as well.
In learning a language, the learning activities are usually divided based on the language skills; they are listening skill, reading skill, speaking skill, and writing skill. In addition, today’s education trend requires students to be active learners, in which they are expected to actively learn by enriching themselves with any information needed for their study. In this case, reading skill has a crucial role in students’ learning activities. Most of their activities in searching important information are done by reading; they gain information from books, articles, magazines, newspapers or browse articles from the Internet through reading activities. Reading activities are actually not only needed in English subject, but also in all subjects students learn.
Conducting learning activities of reading in native language is considered easier and less complicated for a teacher and for students because both teacher and vocabulary. When students read a text in foreign language, they have to understand the content of the texts they read, but at the same time they have to understand the grammar of the target language and meaning of the words in order to obtain the correct meaning of words, phrases, clauses, sentences, and other language expressions in the reading texts. These are what a teacher must consider in applying learning techniques in conducting reading activities in foreign language. An English teacher, therefore, should conduct interesting and effective reading class with appropriate and acceptable teaching techniques in order to support students in their learning, especially in English subject. To achieve the interesting and effective English reading class, it is better for teachers to conduct the learning activities with teaching techniques which can be accepted by students.
Some students categorize reading class as a boring class. Most of time in periods is spent for passive language learning activities of reading a text.
However, it can be different if teachers could find ways to make reading class interesting. English teachers in some schools realize the situation of reading class and then do some efforts to make the reading class become an interesting class for students. SMA Stella Duce 2 Yogyakarta is a private high school which considers this situation. English teachers in SMA Stella Duce 2 Yogyakarta realize that reading class is a class which needs good, interesting, effective learning activities which are conducted with acceptable learning techniques for students.
B. Problem Limitation
teachers to independently create and organize learning activities along with teaching techniques to support students’ learning process. Teachers are expected to create or organize interesting and effective learning activities and teaching techniques for students so that the students could learn the materials easier.
This study generally aims to find out how teachers conduct the learning activities. This study tries to find out what learning techniques applied by English teachers by analyzing the learning activities conducted by the teachers. How the teachers conduct learning activities and apply learning techniques needs to be observed for better instructional activities and better education’s outputs in the future.
In order to limit the scope of the study in conducting the research, the researcher deals only with the English reading activities conducted by English teachers in SMA Stella Duce 2 Yogyakarta. The observation on the English reading class was generally about how an English teacher conducts and leads students in reading activities. It includes learning activities and learning materials teacher uses. The observation also covers students’ responses on the learning techniques in English reading class applied by teachers.
C. Problem Formulation
This study is expected to be able to answer a question dealing with the research topic. This study generally is to find out how the English teacher in SMA Stella Duce 2 Yogyakarta conducts the English reading class. The specific research questions can be stated as follows: reading class?
2. What are the teacher’s reasons in applying the learning techniques?
3. What are the students’ responses on the learning techniques?
D. Objectives of the Study
The general objective of this study is to investigate how English teachers in SMA Stella Duce 2 Yogyakarta conduct the English reading class for their students. Whereas the specific research objectives can be stated as follows: 1. to find out the learning techniques the teacher applies in conducting the English reading class.
2. to find out the reasons why the teacher applies the learning techniques. 3. to find out how the students’ response to the learning techniques. This study aims to find out how teachers apply the learning techniques in English reading class, and then contrasts the result with the students’ acceptance toward the activities they have.
E. Benefits of the Study
This study is also expected to give some benefits for the education in Indonesia, especially for the English teaching-learning process in schools. The benefits of the study can be stated as follows:
1. For the English Teachers in SMA Stella Duce 2 Yogyakarta The English teachers in SMA Stella Duce 2 Yogyakarta may find out whether the English reading classes they conduct are in the same line with what the the comparison between what they do in conducting the English reading activities and what teacher must do in teaching reading based on the applied curriculum, KTSP. The teachers may also find out whether the learning activities and the teaching techniques they planned and applied are useful to encourage students in following the reading class. In addition, English teachers may also find out whether the learning activities enable students to learn the learning materials easier.
2. For Future Researchers This study concerns on learning techniques in English reading activities.
Future researchers may conduct other research with the same topic but on other language skills to know how the result of this study is on the other language skills. Similar research result on other language skill may also be needed in order to obtain the better teaching-learning activities in English.
3. For the Policy Maker This study investigates the students’ learning activities which are independently prepared by teachers as suggested in KTSP. By considering the results of this study, the government, as the policy maker, may find out how effective and useful the curriculum is for students, for teachers themselves, and for the education in Indonesia. In other words, the results of this study can be a means of curriculum evaluation.
F. Definition of Terms
This study deals with learning strategies and some related terms. This sub
1. Learning techniques Learning is acquiring or getting knowledge of a subject or a skill by study, experience, or instruction (Brown, 2000:7). In this study, learning techniques are teachers’ techniques through which they conduct learning activities for students by learning and experiencing a subject in order to acquire and gain knowledge, and reach the subject’s instructional goals.
2. English reading activities According to Nunan (2003: 68), reading is a fluent process of readers combining information from a text and uses their own background knowledge to build meaning. In this study, therefore, reading activities refer to students’ activities where they try to obtain information from written texts they read and then compare the information with their background knowledge. English reading activities are learning activities under the English subject which facilitate students in learning English language through texts and reading activities.
3. Curriculum Curriculum is a set of plans and arrangement on goals, contents, and materials of instructional activities which is used as guidelines in conducting learning activities to achieve certain educational objectives (BSNP, 2006: 1). In this study, the term curriculum refers to an official document established by
Departemen Pendidikan Nasional , which is used as a practical guideline in applying learning techniques for students in school.
4. Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan designed by and implemented in each school (BSNP, 2006: 5). In this study,
Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan refers to the same understanding which
is as an operational guideline in applying teaching-learning techniques in school.
CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW This chapter presents a discussion on the related literature as a theoretical
base upon which the study presented in Chapter I was conducted. The discussion includes the Theoretical Description and Theoretical Framework.
A. Theoretical Description
In this section, the writer discusses the theories of Language Learning Activities, Language Teaching Methodologies, and Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan .
1. Language Learning Techniques
In The International Encyclopedia of Education, Husen and Postlethwaite (1985: 2961) cite that learning is “a purposeful activity that has meaning to students at their developmental level, carried through completion and evaluated.” It implies that in learning a certain subject, students are expected to develop their knowledge through activities and through evaluation on the activities they conduct in order to achieve the goals that have been designed before.
On language learning, meanwhile, Husen and Postlethwaite (1985: 2884) cite that language learning is a constructive process in which children learn language as they build a system of meaning. It implies that in learning a certain language, students build an understanding on what the language brings about through its meaning. In other words, learning a language is learning to understand the meaning of it in communication.
Johnson (2001: 39) states, “Learning a language is like learning other habit. You don’t have to think about it, it just develops automatically.” This theory implies that in order to be successful in learning a language, a student must be familiar with the language. It can be stated that the best way to learn a language is by using it often and familiar with it. Johnson explains more that learners develop the language ‘inside themselves’, forming their own view about how it works, and following their own sweet way (Johnson, 2001: 39).
As discussed previously, teaching activities cannot be separated from learning activities. In discussing learning techniques, therefore, it also covers the teachers’ teaching techniques in conducting the learning activities. To make language learning interesting and effective for students, it is better for teachers to prepare and conduct the learning activities with appropriate and acceptable teaching techniques.
The appropriate and acceptable teaching techniques will help and encourage students in their learning. Allen and Campbell (1965: 7) state, “A technique is implementational – that which actually takes place in a classroom. It is a particular trick, stratagem, or contrivance used to accomplish an immediate objective.” This theory implies that teaching techniques are teachers’ way to direct and drive students to achieve goals in learning process. In addition, Allen and Campbell also state that teaching techniques must be consistent with a method, and therefore in harmony with an approach as well (1965: 7). It implies that in preparing and applying his or her teaching techniques, a teacher must from the first place. The learning approach and learning methodology must be in the same line with goals of curriculum applied in the school.
There are many reasons for a teacher in applying certain teaching techniques to conduct learning activities. Every teaching technique has its own purposes or expected outputs. Cornelius (1953: 3) presents several reasons in choosing certain teaching techniques according to teachers’ point of view.
The choice of specific teaching techniques depends entirely on the preparation and experience of the teacher, understanding of the speech habits of the students in their native language, a familiarity with the speech habits of the foreign language to be taught, and immediate factors such as number students in the class, hours per week of class session, age and interest of the students, type of examination to be used, and other factors. (1953: 3) There are many learning activities teachers can apply in conducting language learning. It is possible for teachers to apply the available activities, adapt them, and even create the new ones. In deciding what learning techniques will be applied, teachers need to consider what subject he or she is going to teach. The followings are examples of learning techniques for reading class which are adapted and summarized from Chamot et al. (1999: 15-216). The researcher presents the example of learning strategies as a comparison for learning techniques he wants to find out and describe in this study.
a. Preparing to Read
This is a pre reading activities. This technique emphasizes the use of cooperation among students in sharing their prior knowledge before they begin to read a text. This technique considers that students who think about what they have already known are better prepared and more successful in their second language reading (Chamot et al., 1999: 196). In addition to that, this technique also considers that sharing prior experiences with other students in group increases all students’ background knowledge about a topic. This learning technique, therefore, prepares students better for reading (Chamot et al., 1999: 196). This learning technique facilitates students to practice using what they have already known related to the topic and share it in a cooperative group to prepare them for reading activities.
The following is an example of procedures adapted by the researcher from the practical guideline of the technique presented by Chamot et al. (1999: 197).
Students will be divided into groups of four. In the groups, the teacher gives each students a piece of paper and then asks them to draw a graphic consists of a circle and four smaller circles around the first one. The teacher then asks students to write the title of the text they are going to read in the center circle. Students have one minute for each outer circle to fill it with a key word related to the topic or the title of the text. After completing the four outer circles, students discuss in their groups what each student has in his or her graphic. Every group then draws a new similar graphic based on what they have discussed in the groups. This new graphic consists of all key words the group has found and discussed before.
The next is students’ reading activities; they read the text they have discussed in groups before. After students read the text, the teacher leads them in a discussion about how they use what they have already known about the text they are going to read (Chamot et al., 1999: 198). The teacher asks each group to share prepares them before they read a certain kind of text.
b. Answering Comprehension Questions
Answering comprehension question is one of the most common classroom tasks. This learning technique helps students to use what they already know about question words to understand the questions. This learning technique emphasizes the use of background knowledge. Chamot et al. (1999: 19) state, “Thinking about what you already know helps you get ready for the content of the text and familiarizing themselves with it.” In addition to that, Chamot et al. (1999: 19) also state that by having in mind what students already know, students will find it easier to understand and learn see information by relating it to their background knowledge.
This learning technique also facilitates students to check their answers on comprehension questions. This can be done by asking them to check whether their answers make sense. According to Chamot et al. (1999: 21), asking ourselves helps us to keep track of how we are doing and to identify problems.
The followings are procedures to conduct this learning technique. The teacher begin the class with students’ activities in reading a text and completing comprehension questions and followed by a discussion on what students do when they answer a comprehension question. After students finish reading the text and complete the comprehension questions, the teacher models the way how to use what have been known related to the question words in front of the class (Chamot et al., 1999: 193). In modeling the activity, the teacher takes one of comprehension questions as an example. According to Chamot et al. (1999: 193- the answer based on the information provided in the text. The teacher also demonstrates the way to check the answer by relating the answer he or she has found to the question word used in the question.
After demonstrating the technique, the teacher asks students to tell the class the steps the teacher took in answering the question and then do the same steps to answer the other questions in the task (Chamot et al., 1999: 194). In practical guideline Chamot et al. (1999: 194) state, “In pairs, students can review their work on the comprehension questions and revise any answers that are incorrect. They should not erase old work, but rather write the new answer beside it. Students should use the process you demonstrate.” The teacher asks students to do the task in pairs and revise any incorrect answers. The students should not erase the old incorrect answers, but write the new answers besides the old one. In reviewing students’ work, the teacher asks students to give their first and second answer and to explain why they changed their answers (Chamot et al., 1999: 194).
c. Reading a Descriptive Text
This learning technique is adapted from a learning strategy of reading a fairy tale presented by Chamot et al. (1999: 209). This learning technique facilitates students to read a descriptive text in the target language and then retell how it developed. This learning technique emphasizes the use of prediction in pre reading activities. According to Chamot et al. (1999: 19), “Predicting involves thinking of kinds of words, phrases, and information that you can expect to encounter based on your background knowledge and/ or on information you encounter during the task.” This technique leads students to predict the kinds of reading activity. Prediction prepares students to read the text better because it could enrich their background or prior knowledge needed in reading the text so that they can understand the text better and easier. This learning technique also facilitates students to verify their predictions by checking whether their predictions and expectations were met while they read.
According to Chamot et al. (1999: 209), a learning technique of reading a fairy tale begins with a discussion on different genres, such as social satire, horror, comedy, mystery, and romance. By adapting this procedure, therefore, this learning technique begins with discussion on topic of learning. The discussion covers related terms and things deal with the topic of learning. The discussion also covers how usually a descriptive text develops ideas. By discussing related terms and things along with how they are developed, students are assisted in knowing the proper way in understanding the content of the text. In the discussion, the teacher then gives an example of prediction for descriptive text in a certain topic by demonstrating his predicting process. The teacher should not use the topic students are going to learn.
The next technique is students practice in predicting before reading. Adapted from Chamot et al. (1999: 210), the practical guideline for this activity is summarized and adapted as follows: The teacher asks students to give their prediction when reading a descriptive text. The teacher may give students a worksheet or write on the board the title of the text, a list of related terms and ideas, and any key vocabulary in the text as prior information. The students are asked to predict how the text is developed based on the information they have and
After predicting, the students are given the copy of the descriptive text. Before students begin reading, the teacher introduces and explains the way to verify the predictions by summarizing the story (Chamot et al., 1999: 211). The teacher then has students read the descriptive text. After they finish reading, the students then summarize the text from the beginning to the end of text. This summation will be used to verify their prediction they have. To evaluate their work, students share their predictions and summaries among others.
d. Finding the Meaning from the Text
Chamot et al. (1999: 215) state that this learning technique aims to help students read and understand a text by using inferencing in order to unlock the meaning of new words while reading. According to Chamot et al. (1999: 25), inferencing involves guessing the meaning of unfamiliar language based on what students know, the context, the language, and other contextual clues. In addition to that, inference enables students to quickly solve problem without having to go to another person or to reference materials (Chamot et al., 1999: 25). This learning technique then facilitates students to verify their guess in inferencing activity by using reference materials such as dictionaries, text books, computer programs, CD-ROMs, and internet (Chamot et al., 1999: 26, 215).
This learning technique begins with students’ activity in reading a text with a picture, scan it through, and write down all new word they find (Chamot et al., 1999: 215). After students finish reading and writing down new unfamiliar words, the teacher then discusses with class how students would normally find the meanings of the new words. Students usually try to find the meaning of new lot of new words because they have to stop reading then find its meaning and start reading again, and it happens again and again. In the discussion, therefore, the teacher introduces and explains the strategy of inferencing and using reference to find and check the meaning of new words (Chamot et al., 1999: 215). This learning technique provides students with a strategic way in finding the meaning of new words they find when reading.
The teacher demonstrates how to conduct the technique. The following is the researcher’s summation on teacher’s demonstration of the learning technique according to Chamot et al. (1999: 215-216). The teacher takes a word or some words from the text, which are new for students. The teacher then demonstrates how to predict the meaning by relating the words to information provided in the text and in the picture. The teacher shows students the correlation between the sentences containing the new words with information provided in the picture. After the teacher gets his prediction, he checks it by looking up to a dictionary to make it sure. The teacher’s demonstration explains how to guess the meaning of a certain new word using information provided in the text before clarifying the prediction result to appropriate resource.
As a practice, Chamot et al. (1999: 216) suggest the teacher to ask students to work in pairs and use inferencing to find the meaning of the words on their list of new words from the text. The students should also explain how they made their guesses and mention the resource they can use to clarify the meaning.
2. Language Teaching Methodologies
In this part, the writer presents theories of language teaching methodology curriculum applied now. In this study, the researcher presents the theories of Communicative Language Teaching and Cooperative Language Learning.
However, before discussing the theory of Communicative Language teaching and Cooperative Language Learning, the writer will present first the general view on teaching. Lewis and Hill (2002: 22) state, “Teacher of any subject must have a clear idea of the subject they are teaching- not only the fact of the subject. But also an overall view of the nature of the subject. This is as true for the language teachers as for any other teacher.” It implies that every teacher, regardless what subject he or she is teaching, must comprehensively master the subject he or she teaches. A teacher of a certain subject, including language, must not only master the fact of the subject, but also an overall view and understanding on it. What Lewis and Hill state implies that in order to effectively conduct the teaching activities a teacher must have an overall understanding of the subject he or she is teaching.