Using humorous stories as supplementary materials in the teaching of reading comprehension at SMU - Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya Repository

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CITAPTER I
TMTRODUCTION

1.1

Background,

of

the

Reading

is

a very

of

the skill-s

of

language.

By

acquires

facts

subjects,
about

life

avrrari

information

about

the

other

with

of

lives

Iands,

reading

is

one

knowledge

of

che

new

the

ideas,

a

variety

of

other

people

and

enriches

and

new

significant

and

mi-nd

his

and

ideas

aha'a<

Concerning
classroom,
rhet

for

nrrl

of
-:r]r,r

Certainly,

readinq
(as

Eskey

the
^i n. .

if

quoted

F
. :- n^ 1g r r si ^nL

a- -s

a-

we consider

find

the main reason why scudents

l:nrrrr:ca

other
English

r^nrrnrri

language

aq

ra:rl

ski11s.

curriculum,

in
q

inrli

the

In

n- -r

-

f ar

l.he

€
l vn rr va i4n:n, . .

-I -* an g u a g e .

of

the

English

English

accordance
goal

in

reading

other

malra

as a

sit.uation

language.

ultimate

most

language,

the

rri \/an

says

second

chemselves -

learn

like

a

world

1988:1)

lrrr

the study

the

learners

Indonesia,

in

s^ ^e^c. \cn.A^ *

that

+$.r :,ug:,v

i c

language

foreign

CarrelI,

na

skj-11s

f orei crn I annrracrc around

In

by

rcadi

four

which most English

an English

in

qt-ll.lpnl-s

m;n\.r

important
rrarFi

meets

about

in

imaginati-on

pupil

the

reading,

learns

pupil's

the

a

learning

in

that

states

increasing

and

skil1

importanE

(1970:113)

Gurrey

language.

Study

foreign

omnheq
* i- ^ s

wiEh
of

is

among

che 1994
teaching

Enqlish

at

SMU is

ability

that

English

written

enables

from

due

is

the

to

at

fact

that

information
written

mostly

are

from

university,

important.

that

books

reading

have

information

studies

their

Eo infer

be able

reference

their

It

we1l.

who continue
to

expected

SMU graduates

make

them Lo comprehend

text

SMU graduaLes,
are

to

in

rinqJ_1sn.
Although

emphasizes

on

shows that

most

carried

in

out

tel-ls

the

message

read
of

who

educational

is

it

who

students
secondary
English

texE

we

continue

reference

for

them to

happens

their

studies
are

They

to

incoming

years

of

can

sLill

standard

six

t.extbooks in

r-nmnrehenrl

using,

we

the

should

poor

in

the

at

in

disciplines.

( 1 9 ' l4 : ' 1 ' 7)

give

SMU

university

English

various

written

the

higher

comprehend passages

not

bv Finocchiaro

get

(1980:195) states

that

had

Agnes

some

still

today

have

she

books.

at

a

q!-rtdenrq

are

hard

and

Retmono

fact

when

difficulties

books.

level.

like

found

also

It

comprehend

SMUK Santa

English

As stated
te v- n h
!/
r l e a l rn

text.

is

institucions.

comprehending
that

it

a text,

the

graduates

textbook

Engli-sh

comprehending

at

still

many students

not

SMU

reality

the

experience

practice

teaching

that.

When they

writer's

The

can

sti11

SMU students

at

English

reading,

of

importance

passages.

English

also

the

of

teaching

Lhe

thac

maEerial

the

in

order
in

knowledge

the

and

abili-ty
What

read

to
is

meant

outside

learning

other

(l-984:5)

will

be

more
be

will

that

to
of

class

this

introduce

reading

If

each lesson,

the

routine

less

Both

class

is

passage.

will

j-ncrease.

be

r-amnrahapd

Furthermore,

broken

Grotjan

and

the

bhe

(1957:11

as

enjoyment

the

routine

sEudents'
states

materials

beneficial

motivation

l-rr

above

scories

as supplemencary

have stronq

tv -r \ tJ

the

mat.erial .

so they will
I

so

ideas

humorous

and

wiI

into

motivation.

atmosphere

te hr ar e rl ' z

idea,

variety

relaxed

a

facilitate

reading

in

learn.

to

comprehension

reading

Thr:s

external

enjoyment.
t.he materj-a1

with

and

Using humorous stories

is

introducing

arouse

moEivated

one of the varieties

students

here

line

enjoyable

encourag:e trhe writer

in

ease and

can use some varieLi-es

will

students

fn

says

activities

with

material

textbook.

leacher

class

by

the

Celcemurcia

the

ot.her material

the

in

to

for

reading.

Content

of

t.he

of

the

t.he

reading

knowledge

will

importance

of

humor as follows:
|-^
aLnrocc
.an
rrnond
i nrr
rr.ari ol. rr
"Humor can be r r c a d
free release of
of emoLions. IE is based on guilt
a
n
y
r
e
l
e
a
s
e
m
a
k
e
s
us perhaps
a
and
aggrression,
and more capable in understandi-ng one
lj-cc1e better
What is learned with
anocher, ourselves, and 1ife.
well.
Humor gives
freedom and
learned
humor is

freedom

gives

humor".

The beneficial
is

shown by

Blumenfeld

use

of

humor

and Alpern

in

students

(1986:I'7'7\:

'I

a:

rn

i nrr

effects
upon st,udents'
"Humor can have positive
material
learning
conditions.
When the learning
or
the teacher's
explanation
on the materi-a1 is not
grasp,
clever
students
will
easy
to
less
feel
questions.
stop
asking
themselves
and
"stupid"
fear
their
classmates
will
These sLudents
that
j
o
kes
q
u
e
s
t
i
o
n
s
.
The use of
laugh at their
"stupid"
so thrat a less
wiLl create a more relaxed situation
g
et themselves
g
r
o
u
p
i
s
n
o
t
d
i
s
c
o
u
r
a
g
e
d
t
o
clever
in the discussions.
Humor motivat.es
involved
the
goal . Humor is
students
Lo work hard to reach their
get
individual
Ehem respect
also
a means to
thinking,
and is a safety
and divergent
differences
behavior" .
valve for Eension and aggressive
Reading needs practicing.
sLatemenL,
teacher's

is

much as possible
can

stories
the

to

sLudents

easJ-er

during

read

the

ror

' im n r n r z i n r r

aLri I r t-rz
4 v , 1 '

e

I

rhe

I

giving

outs j-de

material
the

to what

lj-mie

humorous
sti-mulat.e

will

train

comprehend
t.he

t

aim

as

tbeir
will

it
.an\r

of

a!ihar

1994

SMU

be achieved.

will
that

Realizing

i n

^-F1"

the

read

As a result,

to

students

to

will

this

of

Since

it

it

reading.

\-(Jrrsc(:[LrerlL-Ly

curriculum

readi-ng

time.

and

more
on

ability

r! es ,aa. \ r- r{r ir rnv r - r m a t c r i ar l4 r 5 . ^

English

a stricE

is

class

the

one

t.he studenLs

encourage

j-nEeresEing and enjoyable,

are

comprehension
pe

to

because there

achieved

be

that

11,974:33) says

Palmer
task

rn accordance with

Students

writer

deci-des

the

students

supplementary

the

Lextbook

is

'

read i nrr

r-omnrehension

to

write

benef icial

this

thesis

encitled:
"Using
rhc

humorous

rF^.hino

of

s tories
rcadi

aq

qnnnlern{3nfarv

nrr r-omnrehension

at

materials

SMU"

1n

L.2

Statenent

of

probleu

the

Based on the
above,

this

study

reason

is

explained
to

intended

in

the

answer

background

the

following

questlons:
How can humorous stories
materlal-S

in

the

be used as supplementary

1 - o : r . hi n r r a f

raading

comprehensiOn

at

SMU?
Tr lhl sa

1

I{hat

r . ^ , 1 - ,1 6 n i c
.ef ' ir/h, r J n
Pl-\rrJ{vr.{v

kinds

of

What

steps

.c

,f r, -^r,r1^ r L
' v,vl ,J-S

hu['lorous stories

as supplementary

2.

2r.1

materials

shoul-d

a

!

shou]-d a teacher

in

the

teacher

reading

take

to

g]-ve

class?
teach

these

material-s?

1.3

ObJectlve

of tbe Study

Derived
objective
How

from the problem stated

o f th i s

humorous

materials

sr-u d v i s to find

stories

in

the

al-.,olie, the

main

cut :

can

be

used

teaching

of

reading

as

supplementary

comprehension

at

SMU.
The

main objective

suk) o b j e c t i v e s
1.

above can

of humorous

stories

a s s u p p l e m e n + , - a r i /m a t e r i a l s

b-+^-i
ILLCL Lg

sleps
- l ^
l- -LCl r 5

into

two

which are to clescribe

The kind

The

divided

-

a

teacher

in

should

a teacher
the

reading

take

to

should

give

cl-ass.
teach

these

1.4

Sigmificance

of

The result
contribution
humorous
new,

to

class

in

other

the

and

reading

is

teaching

of

reading

SMU English

interestlng
to

fearn

they

Western culture

Theoreti.cal
In

the

give

to

SMU by
can

to

students

a

using

create

the
to

a

reacllng
read

any

own.

humorous stories

are

cultural-,

the

the

stories.

culture

carr make use

that

at

teacher

on their

since

can

expecteci

atmosphere

motivate

addition,

Furthermore,

1.5

study

materiafs

students

Study

this

so

order

in
the

of

stories

fresh,

the

in

some qood

of

may be valuable

for

point.s

their

in

1ives.

Franework

this

study,

the

writer

uses

the

fnlInwinrY

theories:
ReaCrr-rq Coinprehens-i.on
The teaching
the

theories

result.

of

in

this

of

reading
study.

readj-nq comprehension
is

pre-teaching

stage

which

or

st.age,

students

prior

in

that
In

involves

which

the

stage

invoLves

text

comprehension

several- reacling

comprehension

to

get

used

stage,

to
the

In
give

to

reading

order

the

teachinq

scanning.

is

skills

one of

of
that

ancl comprehension

the
and

searci-r quickly
in

is

process,

skimming

j,nformation

In

and

before

iciea and specific
totaIIy.

the

a two-stage

organlzer

st,udents

requireci

stuciy,

skimming

advance

stage

is

chis

knovrledge

Comprehension

comprehension

oreparation

includes

teaching

process

reading

for

prethe
text.

scannj_ng
general

comprehenci the
students

use

such as vocak'ularv

recognition

anci paragraph

the

of

it

meaning
provides

using
the
of

the

the

text,

of

text.

words

rhe

check

dictionary

words.

paragraph analysis,

siuce

acidition,

fn
the

students

by
find

major and minor sr.rpporting detalls

To check the
develops

students'

a variety

*^^.-li
n*
rEiaLrl.rrg

.t ;: rnr hr lrcnl n
l l i\ - r r r g n r r

The stucients

in

meaning of

main idea,

teacher

qr i. m
t . . r r l ri ra

exact

skill

topic,
the

.

Mater ial s Developntent
Dwyer (1984:8)
effective
1,

2.

materials

suqgests ten points

for

cievel_oping

as fol-lows:

The pr.rrpose of

every material

the realization

of ultimate

The purpcse

designing

of

s h o r _ t l Ch e c o n n e c t e c l t o

progran goaIs.
materials

s h - . u fd

be

cl-eai

ai:d uniLed 3.

A11 materj-als

4.

l'lateriais

should

shouid

use naturai

have tasks

EngiJ-sh.

with

clear

and compiete

instructions.
5.

Well-desiqned
within

T- ' l. *- r o *l "o. .nY n t h

7.

l'laterials

E.

Mat.erial-s

the

i n

daqi

rrn

S h o r r l . - l !! -rvc _ :u it -1; Fl -: rr' vr Pn! na cr i a t e .

fnatefials

be free

must

are

be

of

cLear.

contaniination.
It

ioes

wri-tten

by

not

leave

the

variety

of

wants.

empioyi-nq

a

i rrrraq

10. Materials
e1\t1

cons].stent

guessi-nq what the teacher

Materials

16

^f

should

students

f onhn

are

each task.

6

9.

materials

Y.rr6

should
<

use

adequate

printed

and

human

In addition,
represent

Prabhu (1989:6?) says that

a selection

of

certai-n

content,

as wel-l_ as a demanci for

certain

level-.

suggest

humoror.rs

materi-ars
stories
fcr
will

This

since

idea

are

as

effective

be presented

in

effort

the

at

writer

a
to

supplementary

reacling

curtural- - Furthermore,

humorous

have been developed

developj-ng

anci cult.ural

iinquistic

encouraqes

stories

they

coqniti-ve

materials

based on Dwyerr s ten

materiafs.

Further

points

exp.l-anation

Chapter If.

Humorous Stories
According

to

lnvaf r,rahll-e for
elementarl'

choice

the

of

the

important.

even

teaching

of

that

the

basic

when

there

in

participat.ic-rrlr

that

bizarre,

of

appl:.es

entertainment,
they

device
and

are

sometimes

Flemming

(1981;49)

j-s

useful

Furthermore,

to

they

of

The

course
clever,
for

the

she savs

h.est takes

entertainrnent,
ontl'

the

irrierest

frunorous,

learninq

fun,
not

special

extremeJ-y

that

laughter,

the

poiqnant,

at

derrice.

learner

comprehension.

rlface

ernotional

children

but

to

of age (Lirn, 1989:1?).

Hurnorous stories
moti-vatj-onai

the

are

principle

regardless

of

are

because

motivatronal

terms

are

stories

languaoe

fevels

murst ef fect.ive

readino

is

of

intermediate

Stories

unusual,

teaching

stories

simple

11989:15),

j_c abil_iiies

anci linguist

everyone,

the

and

constrtute

Lim

consti-tute

since

they

emotional
difficult
say

provide

most

be understood.
hnmorous

effective

laughter,

participatj-on.
to

that

the

fun,

liowever,
Fat

passaqes

and
are

sometimes
use of

difficurt

words as in
am firm;

"I

to

fool"

read.

the

you

fol"Iowinq

are

in

wel-l-. Besides,
recent

events

humor.

They

passage

io

speci-f ic.

the

piq-headeci

a

meanings

of

ihe

every

finds

funnlr,

wo.ds

verv

polit.icai

as

line

of

1s

funny

see what

out

knowledge crf

such

loke

polnts

a

humorous
about

it.

culturally

based.

countrv

mav nor

another

all.
humor

if

the

Chiaro

culture

must

of
a

it

explanation

will

universal.

deprcted

( 1992: 10 )

says

origin.

contains

be

srtuatioir
j-t -:ill

oriented.

not
It

sit.uation
too

will

Humor

is

ihat'

nct

i-s

cnl_rr

tc_'o cufture-

r.ihen )rurricr 1s

ico

be seen as amusinq outsj-cie

therefore

fol-lows

that

which

heavily

curturally

not

is

we]1.

travel

if

a

Further

be presentecl in Chapter ffI.

Scope an{ Limit3tisn
Bej-ng awa.re of

will

is

Russell

happen because humor is

culture-specific,

1.6

he

must draw upon their

tLrey may not

Thus.
successful-

emotional

appreclate

country

flncl so at

the

readers

can often

joke

on

examp]e:

bV Bertrancl

raay uncierstanci

but

What one

the

heaviry

.

di-fference

This

rely

obstinate;

Thi-s famous l-ine
the

They

be

and

wrj-Ler

thinks

study.

In

textual
examples

this

the
it

limited
is

the

time

necessary

study,

humor forms
in

hoit broa,l

the
that

the

iopj.c

of

given

to

finish

to

iimit

the

this

study

it,

the

scope of

the

writer
only takes one of
jokesrr as
1s ,'short-text

the

presentation

of

teaching

the

reading

10

comprehension
humor

is

through

suitable

students

of

paragraphs

humorous

with

the

SMU since

it

and

topic

the

stories.

levei

This

oi

of

ilre

rhirci

year

of

one or

more

for

the

onJ_y consists
is

kind

interestinq

stuclents.

L.7

Research

lGthodo.logy

This

stuCy

Consequently,
f iel-ds.
has

the

read

the

several-

J.ibrary

of

not

it

necessary

books

of

the

To gi-ve the

or

through

anci

is

resea.rch.

information,

ot.her

j_n the

tested
the

kinds

of

wr:-ter

relevant

concluded them and used them in her stu,Cv.

Defl-nltlon

writer*

done

conclusi-on

To obtain

sources,

1.8

is

is

golng

to

readers

a cleajr

di-scuss and to

mis interpretation,

to ciefj-ne the

Key TerD,s

the

followinq

writer

._-f what

plctute

the

avci-d rrii-sunder*standing
fee1s

terms used in

lt

1s

necessarv

ti-rls stuciv:

Humor
Htlmor 1s that
which

excites

qr.rality of

amusement; the

what is

1udicrous

speech,

rvri-ting,

or

oj:

sF\eech, or wri-tingr

facu)-ty

amusing or

EngJ-J-sh Dictionary,

2.

action,

cther

of

perceiving

cf

exp-iessrng i t

composition

in

(Oxford

1961:453) .

Humorous
Humorous 1s havi-nq or
laughaLrJ-e,'
Dictionary

comical
of

characterized
(The

the Engllsh

by humor;

Heritaqe

funny,

Illustrated

l,anguage, 1975:641),

11

?

c+^*,,

rJ L \rl-

v

Storv

i,s a

events
this
i nf

form

influence

study,

oro