A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON STUDENTS’ READING COMPETENCE BETWEEN STUDENTS WHO GOT WEEKLY VOCABULARY TASK AND THOSE WHO DID NOT - repository perpustakaan

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Reading 1. Definition of Reading There are many definitions of reading. Reading is a process done by

  reader to get message or information from the writer through printed media. It is very complex process which recognize and comprehend written symbols are influenced by perceptual skill, decoding, experiences, language background, mind set and reasoning of reader (Tarigan, 2008). Reading is a process of constructing meaning can be achieved through dynamic instruction among the following aspects: the reader‟s prior knowledge, the information suggested by the text, and the context of the reading situation (Klingner,

  Vaughn and Boardman, 2007).

  Based on explanations above, reading is an active process in comprehending and understanding what have been read. Therefore, reading is an activity to get information from the written language and by reading people are able to comprehend the text.

2. Major Components of Reading

  A good reader is a reader who is able to master the components of reading comprehension. One must be first become familiar with the major components of reading material (Donald, 1987: 30-38). The reading comprehension process involves a number of important components. Those are as follows: a. Decoding knowledge Knowledge used to determine the oral equivalent of a written word. Decoding knowledge is important for comprehension when determining the oral equivalent of a word helps a reader to identify meaning.

  b. Vocabulary knowledge Knowledge about word meanings used to determine the appropiate meaning for a word in part text.

  c. Syntactic knowledge Knowledge of sentence syntax, or word order, is also crucial for the comprehension process. Knowledge of the word order that determine grammatical function and sometimes the meaning and pronunciation of word.

  d. Discourse knowledge It refers to knowledge of language organization of units beyond the single sentence level including knowledge of the structural organization of different types of writing.

  e. Reading aspect It refers to the students‟ ability to benefit from initial reading instruction. Also refers to the students‟ ability to read and understand a particular selection. f. Affective aspect It refers to on reading comprehension, include both interest and attitude.

  These increase motivation and facilitate reading comprehension. All readers comprehend better when they are interested in reading.

3. The purposes of reading

  The good reading is reading for purpose. There are some purposes of reading (Tarigan, 2008: 9-11), as follows: a. Reading for Details or Facts

  Finding out and knowing the discoveries which the figure has done and made, as well as happened to the special character or to solve problems made by the figure.

  b. Reading for Main Ideas Finding out why topic is good and interesting, problems in the story, everything is learned and happened, and summarizes the things done by the figure to get the purpose. Example: the students find out the main idea of each paragraf after reading.

  c. Reading for Sequence or Organization Discovering the events happened in the story one by one, starting from the first part, the second part, the third part and so on. Example: the readers are able to tell the sequence of events happened in a text.

  d. Reading for Inferences Discovering and find out why the figure feel like they way it is, what is to be disclosed by the author to the reader, why do the characters change, the qualities that the figure has which make them succeed or fail.

  e. Reading to classify Discovering and find out anything unusual, unnatural about the character, whether there is a funny part or not, and whether the story is true or not.

  f. Reading to evaluate Finding out whether the figure succeed or live with certain sizes, whether we want to do like what is done, or work like the figure done in the story.

  g. Reading to compare and contrast Discovering the changing of the figure‟s life, his different life from us, how the two stories have in common.

4. Aspect of Reading

  There are two important aspects of reading skill (Tarigan, 2008: 12-13), they are:

  1. Mechanical skill Mechanical skill as the lower order. This aspect involves: a.

  Introduction of characters‟ form

  b. Introduction of linguistic element (phone, word, phrase, clause, sentence, etc) c. Introduction relation between the pattern of spelling and sound

  2. Comprehension skill Comprehension skill is considered as a higher order. This aspect involves: a. Understanding simple meaning (lexical, grammatical)

  b. Understanding of the meaning of the goal of the author

  c. Evaluating d. The speed of reading which is flexible.

5. Types of Reading

  In understanding any type of resources, people are able to do some reading activities. There are two types of reading according to Harmer (2001: 210). They are:

  a. Extensive Reading Students are encouraged to read whatever they want to read. The purpose of extensive reading is to develop students‟ word recognition and for their improvement as readers overall.

  b. Intensive Reading Students are ordered to read what teacher asks. The purpose of intensive reading is to develop specific skills such as reading for gist (general understanding), which is often called skimming, reading for specific information (it is often called scanning), reading for detail comprehension.

6. Types of Evaluation

  After comprehending of what we read, there should be an assessment to know how far we really comprehend the reading materials.

  There are some evaluations in reading (Brown, 2001: 308): a) Doing : the reader responds physically to a command.

  b) Choosing : the reader selects from alternatives posed orally or writing.

  c) Transfering : the reader summarizes orally what is read.

  d) Answering : the reader answers the questions about the passage.

  e) Condesing : the reader outlines or takes note on passage.

  f) Extending : the reader provides an ending to a story.

  g) Duplicating : the reader translates the message into the native language or copies it.

  h) Modeling : the reader puts together a toy, for example, after reading directions for assembly. i) Conversing : the reader engages in conversation that dedicates appropriate processing of information.

B. Vocabulary 1. Definition of Vocabulary

  Vocabulary is one of the most obvious components of language and one of the first things applied linguists turned their attention. Besides that, vocabulary can be defined as a list of word to expess a wide range of meaning (Richards, 2001: 16). Vocabulary is the basic point to master language and of critical importance to typical language learners (Fauziati, 2005: 155). The other experts said that vocabulary is a list of target language words for particular language or a list of word that the individual speaker might be (Nunan, 1999: 101 and Hatch and Brown, 1995: 1). It can be concluded that the vocabulary is a word or list of words with meaning and which is known by the speakers and which is used to communicate and can be used by a group or individual.

2. The Importance of Vocabulary

  In language, vocabulary is very important to express the idea, thought, and feeling. The function of vocabulary also as language components to communicate with others. In order to communicate well in language, students should have a sufficient number of words and know how to use them correctly. Without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed (Thornbury, 2002: 13). It means that vocabulary is the main element in communication.

  Language skill depends on competency of vocabulary (Tarigan, 1984: 82). Therefore, the more vocabulary has been mastered, the easier to master English foreign language. In reading, vocabulary helps learners in comprehending the text. In writing, it helps learners to expand their ideas based on the topic sentence that they want. In listening, it helps the learners in comprehending and understanding what other person speaks. In speaking, vocabulary facilitates the learners to explain their ideas orally. In short, without mastering the vocabulary, it will be difficult to master English well.

  Based on the previous description, the development of a rich vocabulary is an important element in learning a language. There will be miss communication if the students do not have enough vocabulary. In addition, the students are able to master four language skills such as reading, listening, writing, and speaking depending on the quality of their vocabulary.

3. Kinds of Vocabulary

  Relating to the definition of vocabulary, it is important for us to know the kinds of vocabulary. There are two kinds of vocabulary namely receptive vocabulary and productive vocabulary (Hatch & Brown, 1995).

  a. Receptive vocabulary Receptive vocabulary is words which the learners recognize and understand when they happen in context, but cannot produce correctly.

  For example in reading context. Receptive vocabulary is also called passive process in which the learners just receive thought from others as a hearer. Receptive vocabulary is a basic vocabulary which is larger than productive vocabulary. The implementation in language is listening vocabulary is larger than speaking vocabulary similarly to reading vocabulary which is larger than writing vocabulary.

  b. Productive vocabulary Productive vocabulary is the words, which the learners understand, are able to pronounce correctly, and use it in speaking and writing. In producing speaking and writing, productive vocabulary is needed from receptive vocabulary. In the process, the learners are able to produce and express what they thought to others and it can be called as an active process.

Figure 2.1 Vocabularies

  Speakin Listenin g

  Receptive Productive Vocabulary

  Vocabulary

  Reading Writing 4.

   The Aspect of Vocabulary

  In learning vocabulary, there are some aspects that can be learned by the learners. The concept of a word can be defined in various ways, but three significant aspects teachers need to be aware of and focus on are form, meaning , and use (Nation, 2001).

  1. Form The form of a word involves its pronounciation (spoken form), spelling (written form), and any word parts that make up this particular item (such as a prefix, root, and suffix). There are some kinds of formation words are as follows: 1) Inflectional Affixes

  Inflectional affixes indicate grammatical function with the type of root. In English there are six inflectional affixes:

  Inflectional Root Example Affixes

  Plural Noun Girls Possessive Noun Girl

  ’s

  Comparative Adjective Taller Superlative Adjective Tallest Present Verb Writes Past Verb Listened

  2) Derivational Affixes Derivational affixes are endings that indicate the parts of speech.

  The following forms are the examples: A noun can be made by adding

• –ment, -ion or tion to the verb; -ness to adjective; -cy or –an to the noun.

  An adjective can be made by adding –n, -an or –ian to noun. An adverb can be made by adding –ly to adjective. 3) Compound Words

  Another way to build vocabulary items is by combining two words (two nouns, or a gerund and a noun, or a noun and a verb) to make one item: a single compound word, or two separate, sometimes hyphenated words. It is usually called as compound words.

  For examples:

  

Examples

  N + N Classroom Adj + N Greenhouse Prep + prep Into V + prep Put on N + V Earthquake Two separated words Swimming pool Hyphenated words Follow-up

  2. Meaning Meaning involves the way that form and meaning work together, in other words, the concept and what items it refers to, and the associations that come to mind when people think about a specific word or expression. Another aspect that cannot be ignored in aspect of meaning is relationship. It shows how the meaning of one item relates to the meaning of others. There are various such relationships:

  a) Synonyms: items that mean the same or almost the same, for example: „bright‟, „clever‟, „smart‟ served as synonyms of „intelligent‟.

  b) Antonyms: items that mean the opposite; „rich‟ is an antonym of „poor‟.

  c) Hyponyms: items that served as specific examples of a general concept. For example, „dog‟, „lion‟, „mouse‟ are hyponyms of „animal‟. d) Homonyms: words that usually have the same form but indicates unrelated meaning or they are the same in the sound but different in spelling. For example, meat-meet, tail-tale, aloud-allowed.

  e) Co-hyponyms: other items that are the same kind thing such as red, blue, green, and brown are coordinates.

f) Super ordinates: general concepts that cover specific items; „animal‟ is the super ordinates of „lion‟, „dog‟, „mouse‟, etc.

  3. Use Use involves the grammatical functions of the word or phrase, collocations that normally go with it, and finally any constraints on its use, in terms of frequency, level, and so forth.

5. The Problems of Learning Vocabulary

  These are some problems indirectly faced by the students in learning vocabulary items such as in pronunciation, spelling, memorizing and also in using word in sentences or in oral communication. Those briefly described below: a. Pronounciation Problem

  The following are aspects, which cause problems is pronunciations: 1. Similar sound in the two words which have different variant.

  2. Sequence of sound in the word, classification of sound. b. Spelling Problem Learning spelling is important because it can improve the learners‟ ability of the language skills especially writing and reading. The following are some of spelling problems:

  1. Misundertanding between the speaker and the hearer. For example, when the teacher said “to” and then the students wrote “two”, and so on.

  2. The students do not know how to spell the word correctly. For example, the students do not know how to spell “make” and then they spell it “mek”.

  c. Memorizing Problem There are some problems in memorizing, such as: 1. The students have low motivation to learn vocabulary.

  2. The students have difficulties to memorize the new words.

  3. The student do not always use the words they have known to communicate in daily activities. The longer they meet the words, the faster they forget them.

  4. Some English teacher do not find and use suitable technique to teach vocabulary in which the suitable technique can develop the students‟ ability of memorizing the words.

  d. Meaning Problem Not all English words only have one meaning. A word may have more than one meaning. It can be a problem faced by the

  Indonesian in learning English. Sometimes the Indonesian are difficult to know and understand the meaning of English word because there are some meanings in one English word and also there is a changing of its function in sentences, whether it is noun, verb or adjective.

6. Learning Vocabulary

  Learning vocabulary is an important part of learning a language. The more words one know, the more one will be able to understand what is heard and read, and the better one will be able to say what he or she delivers when speaking or writing. In learning vocabulary, the learners need a strategy.

  Abdul Majid (2013: 3) gathered some terminologies from some experts, they are as follows: a. Mintzberg and Waters (1983) stated that strategies are realized as pattern in stream of decisions or actions.

  b. Hardy, Langley, and Rose in Sudjana (1986) explained that strategy is perceived as a plan or a set of explicit intention preceeding and controlling actions.

  Nation (2001) makes clear that vocabulary learning strategies are one part of language learning strategies which in turn are part of general learning strategies.

  Schmitt‟s taxonomy (1997) is a comprehensive inventory of vocabulary learning strategies. He divided the strategies into two groups: the ones to determine the meaning of new words when learners encounter them the first time, and the ones to consolidate meaning when learners encounter words again. They are as follows:

  1. Determination strategies Determination strategy is used when “learners are faced with discovering a new word‟s meaning without recourse to another person‟s experience.

  2. Social strategies Cooperative group learning through which learners study and practice the meaning of new words in a group is an instance of social strategies for consolidating a word.

  3. Cognitive strategies Cognitive strategies in this taxonomy are similar to memory strategies but are not focused on manipulative mental processing. They include repetition and using mechanical means such as word lists, flash cards, and vocabulary notebooks to study words.

  4. Metacognitive strategies Metacognitive strategies in Schmitt‟s taxonomy are defined as strategies used by learners to control and evaluate their own learning, by having an overview of the learning process in general.

  5. Memory strategies Memory strategies, traditionally known as Mnemonics, involve relating the word with some previously learned knowledge by using some form of imagery or grouping.

C. Weekly Vocabulary Task

  1. The Nature of Weekly Vocabulary Task In learning vocabulary, there are many ways like the writer has explained above. There is a learning vocabulary strategy which the learners have to practise and recall the new vocabulary. It is weekly vocabulary task. Weekly vocabulary task is an activity conducted by an English teacher in one of Junior High Schools in Purwokerto.

  In this activity, the teacher provides a list of vocabulary followed by the meaning in Indonesian (see appendix 1). In making list of vocabulary, the teacher sorts and chooses the words which are often used for junior high level. The list of vocabulary start from letter A until Z. Then the teacher gives a task. The task which is given to the students is they have to memorize 50 words starting from letter A. In doing the task, the students use memory strategy/mnemonics.

  Mnemonics are strategies for memorizing and assimilating information. Mnemonics can be used to help people master interesting concepts, and in addition, they are a great deal of fun (Joyce, 2000). The use of mnemonic techniques has been demonstrated to be very effective in leading to the learning and retention of vocabulary (Dongmei Wang & Peter Kelly: 2013).

  There are a number of different types of mnemonic techniques including the keyword method (e.g. Kelly 1985, 1986; Van Hell & Candia Mahn, 1998) and the use of alliteration (Boers & Lindstromberg, 2005; Kelly & Li, 2005).

  The task is done at home as a homework. After that, once a week, they do test about the vocabulary that they have learned or memorized before. The test was conducted because based on the teacher‟s experience before applying this activity, there were many students who ignored the task since they were only given a task to memorize without doing test. The teacher gives matching test for evaluation (see appendix 1). Before doing the test, the teacher gives brainstorming. The teacher says the word in a correct pronounciation. While the teacher is doing this activity, the students can also recall the vocabulary.

  This activity is done continually every week.

  2. Advantages and Limitation of Weekly Vocabulary Task

  a) Advantages Weekly vocabulary task as one of vocabulary learning strategies helps the learners in enriching their vocabulary. In every week, the students get 50 new words. Therefore, there will be additional words in every week. The students who get weekly vocabulary task also have more words than the students who do not get weekly vocabulary task because in every week they should learn 50 words and in one month they will master 200 words.

  b) Limitation Despite its advantages, weekly vocabulary task has limitations.

  There are some students who memorize the words in short term. In this case, when the students are memorizing the words, they are able to memorize well but after few weeks they forget because they do not learn or read the words anymore. There are also some words which are low frequency words. For example the words aerial, afar, adolescence. Those words are not often used. The list of vocabulary task also do not based on the topic that they are learning.

D. Basic Assumption

  Reading comprehension is not easy for some students, so the students need something which is useful to help them comprehending the text well. Weekly vocabulary task can help the students in comprehending the text. Because vocabulary is the important thing in mastering some language skills such as reading, listening, writing, and speaking, by mastering the vocabulary as well as having a large number of vocabulary, comprehending the text will be easy.

  Bromley (2004), in a comprehensive review of research on vocabulary development, concludes that vocabulary knowledge promotes reading fluency, boosts reading comprehension, improves academic achievement, and enhances thinking and communication.

  Furthermore, when the students read a text, there will be some words that they have learnt before from weekly vocabulary task and it will help the students in comprehending the text well and by good memorizing the vocabulary, the students will be easy to comprehend the text and they will have good motivation to increase their reading skill because the weekly vocabulary task is the activity that happens once a week with new vocabulary in each week, so the students will always have additional vocabulary each week. By getting weekly vocabulary task it is expected to have good reading competence.

E. Hyphothesis

  Based on the previous explanation, the hypothesis of this research was there is significant difference on students‟ reading competence between students who got weekly vocabulary task and those who did not.