THE EFFECT OF KWL (KNOW-WANT-LEARN) STRATEGY ON STUDENTS READING COMPREHENSION IN ANALYTICAL EXPOSITION TEXT.

THE EFFECT OF KWL (KNOW-WANT-LEARN) STRATEGY
ON STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION
IN ANALYTICAL EXPOSITION TEXT

A THESIS

Submitted in English Department, Faculty of Language and Arts
State University of Medan in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of Sarjana Pendidikan

By:
LINDA HOTNA TAMPUBOLON
Registration Number: 2102121010

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS
STATEUNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
2015

ABSTRACT
Tampubolon, Linda Hotna. 2102121010. The Effect of KWL (Know-WantLearn) Strategy On Students’ Reading Comprehension in Analytical

Exposition Text. A Thesis. Faculty of Languages and Arts. State University
of Medan. 2014.

This study deals with the effect of KWL (Know-Want-Learn) strategy on
students’ achievement in reading analytical exposition text. The objective of the
study is to find out whether KWL (Know-Want-Learn) Strategy significantly
affects the students’ achievement in reading analytical exposition text. It was an
experimental research. The subject of the study was students of Grade XI in SMA
Swasta Gajah Mada Medan. The sample was divided into two groups, namely
experimental group and controlgroup. The Experimental group was taught by
applying KWL (Know-Want-Learn) Strategy, while the control group was taught
by applying conventional method. To obtain the reliability of the test, the writer
applied Kuder Richardson 21 formula. The result of the reliability was 0.67. The
data were analyzed by using t-test formula. The analysis showed that t-observed
value 5,95 > t-table value 2.00 at α = 0.05 with df = 58. The findings indicate that
using KWL (Know-Want-Learn) Strategy significantly affected the students’
reading comprehension. It implies that KWL (Know-Want-Learn) Strategy is
appropriate for reading comprehension in analytical exposition text.
Keywords : KWL (Know-Want-Learn) Strategy, Reading Analytical Exposition
Text


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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
In the name of Allah SWT the most Almighty, the most merciful, all of
praise to Allah who already give health and mercy so that the writer was able to
finish this study. Peace be upon to the prophet Muhammad SAW who brought
human being from the dark ages to bright one in the world.
In writing this thesis entitled “The Effect of KWL (Know-Want-Learn)
Strategy on Students’ Achievement in Reading Analytical Exposition Text” as the
partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Sarjana Pendidikan (S-1)
of the English Department, Faculty of Languages and Arts, State University of
Medan (UNIMED), the writer faced some problems and she had received the
academic guidance, suggestions, and comments and got a lot of assistance and
moral support from many people. Therefore, the writer would like to express her
gratitude and special thanks to:


Prof. Dr. Ibnu Hajar Damanik, M.Si., the Rector of State University of




Medan.



Arts, State University of Medan.



Dra. Meisuri, MA., the Secretary of English Department.

Dr. Isda Pramuniati, M.Hum., the Dean of Faculty of Languages and

Prof. Dr. Hj. Sumarsih, M.Pd., the Head of English Department and

Dra. Masitowarni Siregar, M.Ed., the Head of English Education study




Program.



Dra. Sri Juriati Ownie, M.A her Academic Advisor.







Drs. Willem Saragih, Dipl, Appl., M.Pd., her Thesis Consultant.

All the Lecturers of English Department and Mam Euis, the
administration staff of English Department.
Drs. Fo’arota Zega, M.Pd., the Headmaster of SMA Gajah Mada Medan.
Susan Tanjung, S.Pd., the English teacher of SMA Gajah Mada Medan.

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Her beloved parents Anwar Effendy Tampubolon and Pahimah
Hasibuan for their endless love and tireless pray, for their moral and
financial support they have given not only in completing this thesis but also



in her life.



Irma Sariani, S.Pd for their love, pray, inspiration, and motivation.

Her lovely brothers and sisters Fitriyani, Am.Keb, Irpan Afandi, S.Si,

Her bestfriends in Reguler Dik.B’ 2010, her great classfor the love and
togetherness throughout four years especially for Tarigan Sisters
Maulidya Rismi br Tarigan S.Pd and Fatin Nadifa br Tarigan S.Pd for




the support and assistance in the process of completing this thesis.
Her bestfriends in PPLT SMKN 2KISARAN for the precious experience
and togetherness, especially for her bestfriends Sirry Hidayani Siregar,
S.Pd and Kiki Rizki Fatmala, S.Pd for their love, pray, support and
motivation.

The writer hopes this thesis will be useful for those who read, especially for
the student English Department.

Medan, January 2015
The writer,

Linda Hotna Tampubolon
Reg. No. 2102121010

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pages
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................

i

ACKNOWLEDGMENT ...............................................................................

ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................... ` iv
LIST OF TABLES..........................................................................................

vi

LIST OF APPENDICES ...............................................................................

vii


CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .................................................................

1

A. The Background of the Study ............................................................

1

B. The Problem of Study ........................................................................ . 5
C. The Scope of the Study ...................................................................... . 5
D. The Objective of the Study ................................................................ . 6
E.The Significant of the Study................................................................ . 6
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE .............................................. . 7
A. Theoretical Framework ...................................................................... . 7
1. Reading ....................................................................................... . 7
a. Reading Comprehension ........................................................ . 8
b. The Purpose of Reading ......................................................... . 8
c. Factors Affecting Reading Comprehension ........................... . 10
d. The Process of Reading Comprehension ............................... . 12
e. Levels of Reading Comprehension ........................................ . 13

f. The Assessment of Reading Comprehension ......................... . 17
g. Text Genre ............................................................................ . 19
2. Strategy ....................................................................................... . 21
a. KWL (Know-Want-Learn) Strategy ...................................... . 21
1). The Notion of KWL (Know-Want-Learn) Strategy ........ . 23
2). The Procedure of Using KWL Strategy ........................... . 26

iv

b. Teaching Strategy without Applying KWL Strategy ............ . 27
B. Conceptual Framework ..................................................................... . 28
C. Hypothesis ........................................................................................ . 30
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD ...................................................... . 31
A. Research Design ................................................................................ . 31
B. The Population and Sample ............................................................... . 32
C. The Instrument of Collecting Data..................................................... . 32
D. Scoring of the Test ............................................................................. . 33
E. The Procedure of the Test.... ............................................................. . 34
F. Validation of the Test ......................................................................... 37
1. Reliability ....................................................................................


37

2. Validity ......................................................................................... 38
G. The Technique of Data Analysis... ................................................... . 39
CHAPTER IV. THE DATA AND DATA ANALYSIS ...............................

40

A. The Data .......................................................................................... . 40
B. Data Analysis ................................................................................... . 41
1.

Testing Reliability of the test ............................................ . 41

2.

Testing Homogeneity of Variance .................................... . 41

3.


The Analyzing the data using t-test .................................. . 42

C. Testing Hypothesis ......................................................................... . 44
D. Research Finding .......................................................................... . 44
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS .......................... . 45
A. Conclusions ................................................................................... . 45
B. Suggestions ...................................................................................... . 46
REFERENCES ............................................................................................... . 47

v

LIST OF TABLES
Pages
Table 3.1

Experimental Research Design……………………………………..30

Table 3.2

The Specification of Reading Comprehension Test..…………….…32

Table 3.3

The Treatment for Experimental & Control Group ...............…...….36

Table 4.1

The Result of Homogeneity of Variance............................................41

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LIST OF APPENDICES
Table
APPENDIX A

Pages
The Score of Pre-Test and Post-Test by the Students of
Experimental Group ............. ..........................................................

APPENDIX B

48

The Score of Pre-Test and Post-Test by the Students of
Control Group ..................................................................................

49

APPENDIX C

The Reliability of the Test................................................................

50

APPENDIX D

The Calculation of t-test for Control and
Experimental Group ........................................................................

52

APPENDIX E

Table of Distribution t......................................................................

56

APPENDIX F

Test for Homogeneity of Variance ..................................................

57

APPENDIX G Sample of Lesson Plan .....................................................................

61

APPENDIX H Reading Comprehension Test for Control and

APPENDIX I

Experimental Group ........................................................................

73

Answer Keys .....................................................................................

84

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A.

The Background of the Study
Reading is one of language skills which is taught formally in Indonesia

from elementary school up to the university level. Many researchers note that
reading is the most important skill in learning language besides listening,
speaking, and writing. So, students need to intensify their reading competence
because there are many information that must be shared as many as possible in the
new globalization era. By reading students are able to cover the news all over the
world. They can read magazines, newspaper and textbooks. When they are lazy to
read, they get nothing, but when they often read, they are rich in information and
knowledge. According to Grabe and Stoler (2002), without reading, the
opportunities for improving one’s life are limited. So, people especially for
students are expected to increase their interest in reading activities and try to
develop their reading comprehension. Reading competence can be developed as
much as reading interest increased too. The readers are possible to use some
strategies in comprehending a text and teachers are possible to fasilitate the
reading activities by using techniques and instructions in the class room.
In Harian Seputar Indonesia (2012) it’s found that people of North
Sumatera were definitely weak in reading comprehension and had no interest in
reading activity. Moreover, Educational Level-Oriented Curriculum ( Kurikulum
Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan) 2006 for high school students states that one of the
main objectives of teaching English is to encourage the students to be able to

comprehend text in form of recount, narrative, procedure, descriptive, and report
in the context of daily life.
The problem of reading comprehension is also found in the national
examination. Many students failed in the national examination because they
cannot reach the minimum score. According to BSNP (Badan Standar Nasional
Pendidikan) (2012) stated that to pass the national examination, the students either
in Junior high school or Senior high school must get the average score 5.5 and the
minimum score for every subject is 4.0 includes English subject. In reality,
students are difficult to reach that score in national examination. Tribun Surabaya
(2012) found that 38 students of Junior high school in Pacitan failed because of
English subject. They failed because they get score under 4.00. those students
have problems in understanding the text because the textin reading part is too long
and they cannot understanding the meaning on unknown words.
The students’ failure may be caused by the lack of students’ knowledge
about how to read a text well and may be caused by lack of teachers’ strategy in
teaching English especially reading. In practice, many teachers tend to teach how
to read the which is focused on language structure rather than language skill,
particularly reading skill. It decreases a chance of the students to read critically
and quickly. Because of that situation, the teacher should teach how to understand
the text. In other word, the teacher should look forthe appropriate way, method or
strategy in teaching to help students to comprehend the text easily. In addition, the
students also don’t know how to activate and to develop their prior knowledge
when reading a text. They are not interested in learning reading because the

teachers usually orient to the students’ textbook in teaching reading. Teachers just
teach students by asking them to read the text-book and answer some questions
provided in the text book. These activities do not give any opportunities to
improve students’ competence because it cannot give a lot of contribution to the
students reading comprehension. Therefore, the student cannot comprehend their
reading text and be passive in teaching learning processes. They did the activity
by reading text from the beginning until the end, and when they found some
difficult words, they stopped to read and looking for the meaning of the words in
the dictionary.
Actually, one of the factors of this case is the lack of prior knowledge
which is very important in getting gist of the paragraph in text. Prior knowledge is
what the students have already known before reading the text. The students can
relate previously acquired knowledge to words and concepts of a text, and learn
how to reorganize old knowledge with the new knowledge in the text. However
sometimes after reading the text the students are unable to understand the text. To
be able to read the text the students are expected to be able to recognize the
purpose of text as whole, to see how a text is organized and to understand the
relationship between sentences.
In order to make teaching and learning process interesting and effective,
teachers need good strategies. The teacher should be able to apply the suitable
approach, strategies, method, procedure or technique in teaching. They will help
the students to learn faster and to remember information for a long period of time .
The purpose of using the strategies is to make the subject easier for the students to

learn and understand the text. In reading comprehension, people are suggested not
only to have just one strategy, method or technique but also learn other strategies
that enable them to read a variety of text.
There are some strategies in teaching reading comprehension. They are
activating background knowledge, questioning, searching for information,
summarizing, and organizing graphically. The teacher must be able to make
variations and choose the suitable strategy in order to attract students’ interest in
reading. By applying those kinds of strategies, the students are able to find what
they intend to know and connect it with their knowledge easily. For this purpose,
the researcher proposes a strategy named K-W-L (Know Want Learn) which is
developed by Donna Ogle (1987). KWL is a strategy that provides a structure for
recalling what students know about a topic, noting what students want to know
and finally listing what has been learned and is yet to be learned. KWL is an
introductory of what they have already known and what they want to know.
The expectation on students reading comprehension is high. Meanwhile,
in reality, many students have problems in comprehending the text. Reading
comprehension is a significant problem in schools. Based on writer’s experiennce
when she took a teaching practice program in SMK Negeri 2 Kisaran, she found
that many students especially XI grade, can not comprehend the text. They don’t
know how to activate and develop their prior knowledge when read a text.
Based on the previous explanation, this study is designed to conduct the
research to prove whether KWL (Know-Want-Learn) Strategy improves students’
reading comprehension. The researcher decides to carry out a research entitled:

The Effect of KWL (Know-Want-Learn) Strategy on Students Reading
Comprehension in Analytical Exposition Text.

B.

The Problem of the Study
In line with the background of the study, a research problem is

formulated as the following:“Does K-W-L

(Know-Want-Learn) strategy

significantly affect students’ reading comprehension in analytical exposition
text?”
C.

The Scope of the Study
There are many strategies that teachers can suggest to students for

enhancing students’ reading comprehension. This study is focused on identifying
the effect of K-W-L strategy on students’ readingcomprehension. In this study the
forms of the text are limited, namely analytical exposition. The researcher chooses
analytical exposition as the genre of this study because analytical exposition text
can improve students critical thinking. In analytical exposition text students not
only read the text but also think critically so they can analyse the information after
that they relate it to their own experience. This text genre is very suitable to be
combinated with K-W-L strategy. There are 3 activities in using K-W-L strategy
such as recalling what students know about a topic, noting what students want to
know and finally, listing what has been learned and is yet to be learned.

D.

The Objective of the Study

In accordance to the research problem formulated on the previous
section, the objective of the study is to find out whether the K-W-L strategy
affects the students’ reading comprehension.

E.

The Significance of the Study
After completing the study of KWL (Know-Want-Learn), it is expected

that this study will be useful theoretically and practically. Theoretically, the
findings of this study are expected for the readers in enriching and broadening the
theory of teaching English. Practically, the findings are expected to be useful for:
a.

The teachers toimprove their competence in teaching reading.

b.

The students to help them improve their competence in reading
comprehension and have a good reading after learning K-W-L (KnowWant-Learn) Strategy

c.

For those who are interested in this study to provide the information by
looking at the result.

CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

A. Conclusion
Based on the research findings, the researcher concluded that the using of
Know-Want-Learn strategy significantly affects the students’ achievements in
reading comprehension, since the t-test > t-table (5,95 > 2,000; df=58,p=0,05).
Know-Want-Learn strategy enables the students get their prior knowledge and
students express their ideas through brainstorming and able to list everything that
students know about the topic. The students could see clearly the points in order
to answer the comprehension question, express the meaning of the text in their
own words and encourage students to make a critical thinking.
B. Suggestion
Based on the conclusion above, the result of the study contributed valuable
suggestions for those interested in teaching reading.
1. It is suggested to the English teacher to use Know-Want-Learn strategy in
teaching reading comprehension because it enables the students to activate their
prior knowledge and extend students to make a critical thinking.
2. Students are advised to practice Know-Want-Learn strategy to encourage their
confidence in order to increase their achievement in reading comprehension, and
understanding analytical exposotion text, and

3. It is suggested that other researchers can use this study as additional
information in doing a research related to Know-Want-Learn strategy on students’
achievement in reading comprehension.

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