Schemata Teaching Technique to Improve the Students’ Reading Comprehension (A Classroom Action Research of the Eigtht Grade Students of Muhammadiyah Junior High School Jambu Ambarawa in Academic Year of 2015/2016) - Test Repository
SCHEMATA TEACHING TECHNIQUE TO IMPROVE THE
STUDENTS ’ READING COMPREHENSION
(A Classroom Action Research of the Eighth Grade Students of Muhammadiyah
Junior High School Jambu Ambarawa in the Academic Year of 2015/2016)
A GRADUATING PAPER
Submitted to the Board of Examiners as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Sarjana Pendidikan (S. Pd) English Education Department of Teacher Training and Education Faculty
State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN) Salatiga
By:
ISNAENI AGUSTINA
11309024
ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACULTY
STATE INSTITUTE FOR ISLAMC STUDIES (IAIN) SALATIGA
2016
DECLARATION In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious the Most Merciful.
Hereby the writer fully declares that this graduating paper is made by the writer herself. It is not containing any materials and written and has been published by other people, and from the other people’s ideas except the information from the reference.
The writer is capable to account for this graduating paper if in the future this graduating paper can be proved of containing others idea or in fact the writer imitate the other graduating paper.
This declaration is written by the writer, and she hopes that this declaration can be understood.
Salatiga, 26 Juli 2016 Researcher
ISNAENI AGUSTINA NIM 11309024
Salatiga, 26 Juli 2016
Setia Rini, M.Pd
The lecturer of English Education Department State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) Salatiga
ATTENTIVE COUNSELOR ’S NOTE
Case : Isnaeni Agustina’s Graduating Paper Dear, Dean of Teacher Training and Education Faculty
Assalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb
After reading and correcting Isnaeni Agustina’s graduating paper entitled “SCHEMATA TEACHING TECHNIQUE TO IMPROVE THE STUDENTS’
READING COMPREHENSION (A Classroom Action Research of the Eighth
Grade Students of Muhammadiyah Junior High School Jambu Ambarawa in Academic Year of 2015/2016). I have decided and would like to propose that if it could be accepted by the Teacher Training and Education faculty, I hope it would be examined as soon as possible.
Wassalamu ’alaikum Wr. Wb
Counselour Setia Rini M.Pd
NIP.19750518 200312 2 002
MINISTRY OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS STATE INSTITUTE FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES (IAIN) SALATIGA
A GRADUATING PAPER SCHEMATA TEACHING TECHNIQUE TO IMPROVE THE STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION (A Classroom Action Research of the Eighth Grade Students of Muhammadiyah Junior High School Jambu Ambarawa in the Academic Year of 2015/2016) WRITTEN BY:
Has been brought to the board of examiners of English and Education Department of Teacher Training and Education Faculty at State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN) Salatiga on September 14
th
, 2016 and hereby considered to complete the requirement for the degree of Sarjana pendidikan (S.Pd.) in English and Education Department.
Boards of Examiners Head : Noor Malihah, Ph. D ____________________ Secretary : Setia Rini, M. Pd ____________________ First examiner :
Dr. H. Sa’adi, M. Ag ____________________
Second examiner : Rr. Dewi Wahyu M, S.S., M.Pd. ____________________ Salatiga, 26 September 2016 Dean of Teacher Training and Education faculty
Suwardi M.Pd
NIP 19670121 199903 1 002
Jl. Tentara Pelajar No. 02 Telp. (0298) 323433 Pos 50721 Salatiga WebsiteEmail: akademik@Salatiga.ac.id
ISNAENI AGUSTINA NIM. 113 09 024
MOTTO
Life is like riding bicycle.To keep your balance, you must keep moving.
Albert Einstein
DEDICATION
In this very glad occasion I would like to dedicate this graduating paper to: 1. My beloved father and mother, Rochyadi and Sukenti love you so much.
2. My beloved brother and wife, mas Eko and mbak Bety, thanks for everything.
3. My beloved husband and son, Arif Sugiyanto and Radhianska Abbas Dzakwan, thanks for your loves and supports me everyday
4. My counselor Mrs. Setia Rini, M.Pd who always guide and supporting me.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Assalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb Praise is to Allah SWT, Lord of the world. Peace and blessing be on the messenger of Allah the Almighty for His blessings leading to the completion of this graduating paper entitled “SCHEMATA TEACHING TECHNIQUE TO IMPROVE THE STUDENTS
’ READING COMPREHENSION (A Classroom Action Research of the Eighth Grade Students of Muhamadiyah Jambu Junior High School in the Academic Year of 2015/2016). There are many kinds of help received appreciatively from many people. The writer will never finish this thesis without their helps. In this occasion the writer would like to express her sincere thanks and appreciation to:
1. Dr. Rahmat Hariyadi, M.Pd. as the Rector of State Institute for Islamic Studies Salatiga (IAIN Salatiga).
2. Suwardi, M.Pd., as the Dean of Teacher Training and Education Faculty.
3. Noor Malihah, Ph.D as the Head of English Education Department of State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN) Salatiga.
4. Setia Rini, M.Pd. as counselor who has brought, espoused, and given the writer advices, suggestions and recommendations for this graduating paper from beginning until the end. Thank you for your patience and care.
5. All lecturers in the English Education Department of IAIN Salatiga. Thank you for all guidance, knowledge, and support.
6. My beloved mother, father, and husband. Thank you for everything (support and praying) no one better than you.
7. The headmaster, the English teacher, the first year students of SMP Muhamadiyah Jambu, and all of the teachers and staff, for their cooperation and all kindly given to me in doing this research.
Wassalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb Salatiga, 26 Juli 2016
The Writer Isnaeni Agustina 11309024
ABSTRACT
Agustina, Isnaeni. 2016.“ Schemata Teaching Technique to Improve the Students
’ Reading Comprehension (A Classroom Action Research of the Eigtht Grade Students
of Muhammadiyah Junior High School Jambu Ambarawa in Academic Year of
2015/2016 )”.A graduating paper. English Educational Department. Teacher Training
Consultant: Setia and Education Faculty. State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN). Rini, M.Pd.
Keywords: schemata, technique, reading comprehension.
This research is conducted to describe the implementation of English teaching to the second year of Muhammadiyah Junior High School Jambu Ambarawa and the result of teaching English by using schemata teaching technique, which is taken as a result of reflection on phenomena done by the writer, and it arises from some specific problems of issues. In this research the writer faces some problems, such as the students have low motivation in joining teaching-learning process and they are got the difficulties in understanding some reading texts as requirements needed to get the good English comprehension. In addition, some of English teachers felt difficult to find the best method or technique to teach reading. Here, the writer chooses the schemata teaching technique to teach.
The research method used is classroom action research; it is conducted in two cycles. Each cycle is conducted in two meetings. Each cycle consists of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. The data are taken from the event, documents and informants. The result of the research shows that the way to improve English student comprehension is by increasing their reading mastery using schemata technique where the students can do more exercises which indirectly also increase their comprehension in reading, and the result of post-test is better than in pre-test. The mean score of pretest 66 to 75.75 in posttest cycle I, the mean score of pretest 69.88 to 74.17 in posttest cycle II. The percentages of exhaustiveness of each cycle also show the improvement, with 9.75% in first cycle, 4.29% in second cycle. Here, the writer suggests to the teachers especially English teachers to be more creative to create a new technique in learning English specially reading process. The researcher also concludes that teaching English through schemata teaching technique can improve the student s’ reading comprehension of the eighth grade students of
Muhammadiyah Junior High School Jambu Ambarawa in the academic year of 2015/2016.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE ……………………………………………………………………………. i
DECLARATION ………………………………………………………………… ii
ATTENTIVE CONSELOR S’ NOTES…………………………………………. iii
STATEMENT OF CERTIFICATION ………………………………………….. iv
MOTTO …………………………………………………………………………. v
DEDICATION ………………………………………………………………….. vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ………………………………………………………. vii
ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………….. ix
TABLE OF CONTENT ………………………………………………………… x
LIST OF TABLES ……………………………………………………………... xii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of
1 ……………………………………..
B. Problems of the Research . 5 …………………………..
C. Purposes of the Research
5 ……………………………
D. Benefits of the Research
6 ……………………………
E. Limitation of the Research
6 ………………………… F.
7 Clarification of the Key Terms …………………… G.
8 Paper Organization ……………………….……… .
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK A. Previous of the Research
……………………...……… 10
B.
11 Reading ……………………………………………..
C. Reading Comprehension ..............................................
16 D.
21 Schemata Teaching Technique ………………………..
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD A. Setting of the Research
……….…………………….……… 28
B. Subject of the Re search ………………………………… ..28 C. Method of the Research
….………………………………… 30 D. Procedures of the Research ………….…………….............31 E. Technique of Collecting Data………………………..…... 33 F. Standard of Successful Action…………………………...… 34
G. Indicators/ The Nature of Students Reading Comprehension 34 H.
Technique of Data Analysis………………………………. 34
CHAPTER IV IMPLEMENTATION OF STUDY AND ANALYSIS A. Cycle I…….......................................................................... 37 B. Cycle II………………………………………………… …43 C. Analysis of Cycle I and Cycle II…..…………………….. 49 CHAPTER V CLOSURE A. Conclusion ……………………………………………….... 51 B. Suggestion ………………………………………………… 52 REFERENCES CURRICULUM VITAE APPENDICES
LIST OF TABLES
Tables 1.1 Scoring Rubric …………..……………………………………. 16
Tables 2.1 Subject of the Study ………………………………………….. 29
Tables 3.1 Score of Pre-test 1 and Pre-test 1 …………………………..…. 40
Tables 3.2 Score of Pre-test 2 and Pre-test 2 …...………………………… 46
Tables 3.3 Mean Analysis .…………………………………………....….... 49
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Research English is one of languages that become the most essential language
in the world. It always becomes an interesting subject to be learned, because there are many activities in our life that need English. In Indonesia English teaching begins not only at the secondary level, but also since at the elementary level even at some of kindergarten level. The reasons are to make students become familiar with English and be able to use this language to communicate well.
In fact, English material always becomes the most difficult learning subject beside the other subject such as mathematic because in Indonesia, English is learned as foreign language and this language has a lot of rules which are different than Indonesia. This problem is also faced by students in second grade of Muhammadiyah Junior High School. They feel that English is unfamiliar and too difficult to be learnt. Students of English of second language need to master language skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Reading is verbal interrelated with thinking and with all other communication abilities-listening, speaking, and writing. Specially, reading is the process of reconstructing from the pattern on the page the ideas and information intended by the author (Hittleman, 1978). Reading activity is the one of many ways for opening the gate of knowledge. A lot reading have meaning that people can get any information in local or international. But in
Indonesia many students do not have the habit of reading good . Based
Ohuiwutun (1996:3) said that the majority of Indonesian people ranging in age from kindergarten to college they rarely read. Most of student in second grade of Muhammadiyah Junior High School, still have the average level of language skill and most of them still difficult in reading. Their comprehension about reading text also still on the average level, it makes them feel difficult in understanding the text on test or exercise which is given by their teacher.
Nowadays, in the teaching reading, the students face some problems. Firstly, for most students, reading an English text or passage is a very difficult activity and is considered to raise lots of problems for them.
Secondly, when they are asked to read an English text, a number of students directly open their dictionary to find out the meaning of words they do not know yet. In contrast, the students who do not have any dictionary will do nothing with the text. Thirdly, lots of students are still lack of skill in finding the main idea of a reading text. Therefore, the teachers need to improve their ways or techniques in helping the students to solve such problems (Mardianti, Ohoiwutun, Wahyudin, 2014).
The suitable methods and professional teacher are needed to teach these needs. In fact, English teaching learning processes in Indonesia still have no proportional place and time, so teachers cannot teach their students maximally. For example, English teachers in Muhammadiyah Junior High School only get 4 hours in a week, and this limited time makes them feel difficult to teach their students well. To overcome that problem, there are many methods which are offered to help teacher in teaching English. Every method has special advantages and different ways. For example, a methodology may be appropriate to teach speaking, but not appropriate to teach reading, so teachers should work hard to choose the effective method to teach all of these skills.
Thus, it needs to find the method to resolve in order to improve learning which is able to increase student language skills in reading. In education development, schemata technique is the one from the most ways to developing reading comprehension. That schemata plays an important role in the process of reading (Xiao-hui : 1982). The term schemata were first used in psychology by Barlett in Remembering: A Study in experimental and
social psychology. He claimed
“an active organization of past reaction or experience, which must always be supposed to be operation in any well- adapted organic response ” (Barlett, 1932). Later schemata was introduce in reading (Rumelhart, 1980), (Carell, 1981), and (Hudson, 1982) when discussing the important role of background knowledge in reading comprehension. S chemata as “a data structure for representing the genetic concepts stored in memory” (Rumelhart, 1980).
In this graduating paper, researcher is considered that schemata are one of the techniques that can improve student proficiency in language skills and increase their reading in learning English. The writer chooses this topic because of the following considerations. First, Schemata teaching technique is considered to create the teaching learning process effectively especially for teaching the language skills and reading. Second, the effective learning teaching process will improve student reading comprehension. Based on these situations, the writer tries to conduct a research about the improvement of schemata technique in student reading comprehension.
Based on the explanation above, researcher wants to hold scientific research about “SCHEMATA TEACHING TECHNIQUE TO IMPROVE
THE STUDENTS ’ READING COMPREHENSION (A CLASSROOM
ACTION RESEARCH OF THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS OF MUHAMMADIYAH JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL JAMBU AMBARAWA IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF 2015/2016 )”.
B. Problems of the Research
There are many problems of language teaching that can be identified as research ’s subject. The problems discussed in this research are as follows:
1. How is the implementation of using schemata teaching technique to improve student reading comprehension at the eighth grade of Muhamadiyah Junior High School Jambu Ambarawa in the academic year of 2015/2016?
2. To what extent of schemata teaching technique to improve the student s’ reading comprehension at the eighth grade of
Muhammadiyah Junior High School Jambu Ambarawa in the academic year of 2015/2016?
C. Purposes of the Research
Generally, the purposes of the research are to find out the improvement of schemata teaching technique in students reading comprehension.
Specifically, the purposes of the research are:
1. To describe the implementation of schemata teaching technique to improve the students ’ reading comprehension of the eighth grade students of Muhammadiyah Junior High School Jambu Ambarawa in the academic year of 2015/2016?
2. To find out the extent of schemata technique to improve the student s’ reading comprehension of the eighth grade students of Muhamadiyah Junior High School Jambu Ambarawa in academic year of 2015/2016? D.
Benefits of the Research
This research gives many benefits to
a. The writer. It is expected to add insight to understand about teaching and literacy.
b. The teacher. It is expected to increase language teaching technique theoretically and practically, and this study can contribute the teachers in their English class, so they are able to improve the quality of teaching learning process c. The readers. It is expected to enrich the knowledge of literature and enrich their knowledge about schemata teaching technique.
E. Limitation of the Research
The research is limited by the writer on analyzing the kind of about schemata teaching technique to improve student reading comprehension. The schemata teaching technique becomes the main focus where researcher is going to conduct a classroom action research.
F. Clarification of the Key Terms
To avoid misunderstanding in understanding the title above, the writer needs to clarify some terms in the title above, namely:
S
a. chemata Schemata as a data structure for representing the genetic concepts stored in memory (Rumelhart, 1980).
b. Technique A way of carrying out a particular task, especially the execution or performance of an artistic work or a scientific procedure (Oxford Dictionary, 2007)
c. Reading comprehension Reading comprehension is a function of the nature of the text itself and of the extent to which the reader possesses, uses, and integrates pertinent background knowledge, or schemata (Mourer, 1991).
d. Muhammadiyah Junior high school Jambu Ambarawa Muhammadiyah Junior high school Jambu Ambarawa is one of state junior high school in Jatirejo street no. 17, Jambu district in Ambarawa city sub district, Semarang regency. There, most of the students are muslim and all of the teachers are muslim too. It has good building and good facilities to support teaching learning process.
G. Paper Organization
The writer wants to arrange the thesis in order that the reader can understand the graduating paper easily. The graduating paper consist of five chapters:
Chapter I is introduction which discusses background of research,
problems of research, purpose of research, benefits of research, limitation of research, clarification of key terms and paper organization. Chapter II present previous research review, theoretical review of schemata teaching technique, which presents the description of schemata teaching technique. Chapter III is presented about the Muhammadiyah Junior High School Jambu Ambarawa, method of research, procedures of research, technique of collecting data, standard of successful action, and technique of data analysis. Chapter IV is finding the language and discussion about the using of schemata teaching technique. Chapter V is closure that deal with conclusion and suggestion. It is summary and results the analysis of graduating paper. The last part is bibliography and appendix.
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK H. Previous of the Research
the title is “The
One work that the writer revied is Susiani’s work (2009)
Use of Mind Mapping to Improve English Achievement on Reading of the Second Year Students of MTS Al-Ijtihad Pabelan in the Academic Year of 2008/ 2009 (A Classroom Action Research) ”. The purposes of this research are found out student achievement before and after using mind mapping method, describe the procedures and plan, describe motivation and interest in the teaching learning process using mind mapping method.
Her research is a collaborative action research. The role of the teacher is carrying out of action plan on classroom. The writer as observer notes all of the process in learning activities. However the teacher and the writer are together on determine solve of the problem, action planning, and reflection. In order to conduct a good arrangement the writer use qualitative and quantitative approach. Method of collecting data is observation and test.
The result of Susiani ’s graduating paper is the mean score of pretest
55.19 to 69.95 in post test cycle I, and the mean score of pretest 69.56 to 78.31 in post test cycle II. The result tells that mind mapping method can
Schemata and mind mapping have the difference in improve student achievement. the drawing brain. The schemata have structure for example bottom up and to down model. But in mind mapping can draw all in the brain with the general technique.
And the one part with other part has connection I.
Reading 1. The Definition of Reading A teaching learning process, reading is the important activity.
Reading is not only source information, but also an active process which consist of recognition and comprehension skill. Reading is the important stage in learning. Many definition and explanation of reading have been purposed, some complementary to one another, others contradictory.
The process of learning to read in one native’s language is the process of transfer from the auditory signs for language signals, which the child has already learned, to the new visual signs for the same signals (Fries, 1963). Other definition, reading thus is the process of giving the significant intended by the writer to the graphic symbols by relating them to one’s own fund of experience (Dechant, 1970). Then, reading has been described as social interaction between the author of the book and the student (Ziller, 1964).
Based on the definition, the writer concludes that in many schools reading is a teacher-centered activity. Students are taught that to read is to call words aloud, fluently, and with good expression. Subsequent to reading the student has been expected to recall factual information accurately in responses to teacher-initiated questions. There have been rules to learn, repeated exposures to flash cards, work- sheets to fill at a desk, and a word "reader" to read. In many primary classrooms reading has been a subject taught separately from math, social studies, spelling, and handwriting.
Reading has been a time when special skills were to be exercised, memorized, and, ostensibly, transferred
2. Types of Reading
Purposes Kharsen (1987:7) Reading skill can be distinguished at least four types as follows: a. Skimming: is making uses the same approach, except that instead of concentrating on specific information, we are looking for the main idea or the general gist of the passage. Example: identifying significant words details and ideas.
b. Scanning: is making quickly over view of passage, looking for specific information. Example: scanning exercise may asked students to look for names or dates, to find a definition of key concept or too list certain number of supporting details. c. Extensive reading: is rapid reading for main ideas of large amount of text. Example: students found the main ideas of a large amount of text.
d. Intensive reading: is reading for complete understanding of entire. Example: the students could understand the content and meaning in the text.
3. Aspect of Reading According to Dalmann (1982:25) some of the aspects of reading which deserve described as follows: a. Word Recognition
Reading is chiefly skill in recognizing words, continue to enjoy support in respectable and influential quarters. Today the favorite of adherents to this view of reading is decoding the printed page that is recognizing the oral equivalent of the written symbol.
b. Comprehension The vast majority of teachers do not endorse the claim that the individual who can recognize words can read. To them, comprehension is an absolute necessity in reading.
c. Reflection Many educators have pointed out that the word recognition and comprehension do not the total of reading act, during the process of reading when defined as gaining meaning from the printed page. It is necessary to be able to mold ideas as they occur and conceptualize meaningful interpretation through reflection.
4. Models of Reading Process
Based on Li Xiao-hui (2007:19) psychologists have generally distinguished three kinds of processing, they are: a. Bottom-up model
Bottom up model of reading process holds the view that reading process of building symbols into words, words into sentences and sentences into the overall meaning, which reflects traditional attitudes towards reading.
b. Top-down model Top-down model emphasize the use of readers real words knowledge in memory. The most influential and comprehensive top-down mode is put forward by Kenneth S. Goodman (1967), “the goal of reading is constructing meaning in response to text; it requires interactive use of grapho-phonic, synthetic, and semantic cues to construct meaning”.
c. Interactive model From the discussion above, it can be concluded that both bottom- up and top-down models have limitations. The recognition of this result in a more comprehensive reading process, namely, interactive models which is an interaction of bottom-up and top- down models claiming hat prior knowledge and prediction facilitate the processing of input from the text.
5. Reading Assessment
In Brown (2004: 67-68) he stated that the description of IELTS Test of Academic Reading Illustrates the range of techniques that are now being employed in the testing of reading are:
A variety of questions are used, chosen from the following types:
1. Multiple- choice
2. Short answer questions
3. Sentence Completion
4. Notes/ Summary/ Diagram/ Flow Chart/ Table completion 5. Choosing from a heading bank for identified paragraph/ sections of the text.
6. Identifications of writer’s view/ attitudes/ claims/ yes/no/ not given
7. Classification
8. Matching Lists 9. Matching Phrases.
(International English Language Testing System Hand Book. 1999 and Specimen Materials. 1997.)
Multiple choice questions used to be by far the commonest way for assessing reading. According to Brown (2004: 67) there are two principles that stand out in support of multiple-choice formats, of course, practicality and reliability, with their predetermined correct responses and time saving scoring procedures.
Multiple-choice offer overworked teachers the tempting possibility of an easy and consistent process of scoring and grading.
Table 1.1. Scoring Rubric No . AspectsScore 1.
Answer addresses most aspect of the question and uses sound reason and cites and explains appropriate examples. Uses skills of evaluation as well as analysis and synthesis
3
2. Answer deals with most aspects of the question and
makes correct inferences although minor error may exist.
2
3. Answer deals with material on a concrete, literal level
that is accurate in most dimensions
1 4.
Answer is unresponsive, unrelated, or inappropriate Source: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction B.
Reading Comprehension 1. The Definition of Comprehension
Comprehension is something important in reading. Without comprehension, people can ’t understand what kind of information in the text. Based Dallman (2004) is that reading with comprehension is meant constructing meaning from what is being perceived in writing.
Comprehension doesn’t “happen” at one point; rather, it is a process that takes a place over time. During this time, good readers are active in constructing meaning through the processes of interacting or transacting with what they read and integrating this knowledge with what they already know. (Harvey & Goudvis, 2007; Anderson, Hiebert, Scott & Wilkinson, 1985; Paris & Oka, 1986; Rosenblatt, 1985).
2. The Type of Comprehension
According to Dallman (1982:182) there are many kind of comprehension
b. The factual level Reading on the factual level pertains to skill in understanding the information that is directly stated in the written material. Understanding at this level is closely related to the ability to read inferentially and critically.
Among the skill required for the reading at the factual level are: Knowing the meaning of words Finding the main idea Selecting significant details Following directions
c. The level of generalization Where the reader generalized on what he reads
d. The critical level Where the reader evaluates what he reads in terms on the purpose of the author and the reliability and validity of the material.
3. Factor Affecting Comprehension
Based on Dallman (1982: 165), the teacher must understand the factors that affect comprehension if he is to help individuals overcome their shortcomings in comprehending what they read. These are typical of problems of individuals who have difficulty in understanding what they read: a. Difficulty of material
One of the major causes of lack of comprehension on the part of boys and girls is that teacher expect them to read material beyond their level.
b. Intelligence All the mechanical reading skill in the word will not enable him to read materials involving abstraction beyond the level of his mental development.
c. Environment The extent to which the environments affect comprehension varies with individuals.
d. Emphasis of word recognition Methods of teaching that concentrate on the recognizing of individual words but neglect attention to meanings that can be derived from connected discourse may account for deficiencies in comprehension.
e. Emphasis on oral reading Oral reading can have either a desirable or detrimental effect on comprehension.
4. General Procedure for Improving Comprehension
Improvement in comprehension skill can be brought about in the same manner that growth in almost all other reading abilities can be stimulated (Dallman, 1982).
a. Improvement through incidental means In the term incidental means is used to refer to all types of reading situations other than those involving practice exercises, there are many ways in which comprehension skills can be improved during the regular reading period by such means. Much of the reading of beginning, for example, deals with reading to answer questions.
b. Improvement through practice exercise A program of improvement in comprehensions skills similar to the type just describe will be sufficient. However, many will profit greatly if they are also given direct practice in the form of exercise to help them develop skills in comprehending what they read.
5. Development of Comprehension Skill through Reading Lessons
All of the comprehension skills can be developed in part through reading lesson without recourse to definite practice exercise. This section is devoted to demonstrating how growth in the various skills can be encouraged in these lessons. According to Dallman (1982:202) the suggestions are based on selections from one reading series that is using a story at the lower-primary reading level.
For an example of how various comprehension skills can be highlighted in the story at the lower-primary reading level suggestion are: i. Finding the Main Idea
The pupils may read the story to decide whether it would be a good one to read to another group or whether it would be suitable for a dramatization, a puppet play, or a home- made “movie” if they had been planning to engage in one of those activities. ii. Selecting Important Details
If the pupils decide to dramatize the story or to give a puppet play or to make a “movie” of it, they may need to read the story carefully in order to decide what details and actions to include. iii. Following Directions The teacher may write on the chalkboard directions. iv. Summarizing and Organizing
Although most work on writing summaries is usually postponed until pupils are n a higher reading level. v. Arriving at a Generalization The teacher might ask pupils what lesson they think about story, may have learned from story experiences. vi. Predicting Outcomes
During the course of reading the story, the teacher may at appropriate places make comments and ask question. vii. Answering Questions
After the pupils have read the page, the teacher might ask the class what they think. viii. Sentence Comprehension
If the pupils have difficulty in comprehending, the teacher may ask them to tell in their own words practice in formulating good sentences as they discuss what they read help pupils in the comprehension of the meaning of written sentences. ix. Comprehension of a Longer Selection
On the basis of story, pupils can be helped in learning to read longer selections more effectively by performing.
6. Schemata Teaching Technique 1. The Definition of Schemata Teaching Technique
Technique is a way of carrying out a particular task, especially the execution or performance of an artistic work or a scientific procedure (Oxford Dictionary, 2007). So, technique has the important role in the process of creating something. Without the technique, we will not know what we have to do during the process. Teaching is to give lessons to students in a school, college, university, etc; to help somebody learn something by giving information about it (Hornby, 1974). Finally, teaching technique can be defined as certain actions that someone uses in order to share or to give the lessons to students.
Schema refer to the knowledge already store in someone’s memory (plural schemata). Schemata technique is a way for reading where the readers are expected to use technique to active her prior knowledge when they read an English texts or passage. (Khemlanny, Lynne, 2000) assert that the role of the reader and the knowledge he brings to bear on the text draw a great important in the reading process. Readers are expected to be accustomed with the text they read before they are going to understand and comprehend it.
(Ajideh, 2006) argues that the best time to active schemata is in the pre-reading stage of reading. It is supported by Zhang (1993:5) explaining comprehension is facilitated by explicitly introducing schemata through pre- reading activities.
2. Definition of Schemata
There are various influential ways of defining schema, and nearly all cognitive definitions of schema stem from Remembering: A study in exper imental and social psychology. He claimed “an active organization of past reactions of past experiences (Bartlett, 1932), which must always be supposed to be operation in any well- adapted organic response”. Put forward the concept of schema theory basically as a theory of how knowledge is mentally represented in the mind and used (Rumelhart,
1980). He wrote that “all knowledge is packaged into units. These units are the schemata”. Three years later, Widdowson defined schema as “cognitive constructs which allow for the organization of information in a long- term memory”. From the above definitions, we may conclude that schema is the prior knowledge gained through experiences stored in one’s mind. It is an abstract structure of knowledge Li Xiao Hui (1982).
Schema theory is an explanation of how readers use prior knowledge to comprehend and learn from text (Rumelhart, 1980). The term "schema" was first used in psychology by Barlett as "an active organization of past reactions or experiences" (1932), later schema was introduced in reading by Rumelhalt ( 1980), Carrell (1981) and Hudson (1982) when discussing the important role of background knowledge in reading comprehension. Rumelhart (1980) define schema as "a data structure for representing the genetic concepts stored in memory ". Anderson and Pearson (1984) define it as "an abstract knowledge structure". Medin and Russ (1992) simply put schema as "a general knowledge structure used for understanding".
The fundamental tenet of schema theory assumes that written text does not carry meaning by itself. Rather, a text only provides directions for readers as to how they should retrieve or construct meaning from their own previously acquired knowledge. This previously knowledge is called the readers' background knowledge (prior knowledge), and the previously acquired knowledge structures are called schemata (Barrlett, 1932; Adamsand Collins, 1979; Rumelhart, 1980). The schemata of a reader are organized in a hierarchical manner, with the most general at the top down to the most specific at the bottom.
3. Variations on Schemata
According to Li Xiao-hui (1982:18-19) on his papper Analysis of
Schemata Theory And Its Influence on Reading , there are some variation on
schemata, these variations are:
a. Variation A: Linguistic Schemata
Linguistic schemata refer to existing language proficiency in vocabulary, grammar, and idioms. They are the foundation of other schemata. As is known linguistic knowledge plays an essential part in text comprehension. Without linguistic schemata it is impossible for the reader to decode and comprehend a text. Therefore, the more linguistic schemata a reader has in his mind, the faster the reader acquires information and the better understanding the reader may get.