Insan Akademika

Publications
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL
OF BASIC AND APPLIED SCIENCE
P-ISSN: 2301-4458
E-ISSN: 2301-8038

Vol. 01, No. 01
July 2012
www.insikapub.com


47
The Use of Silent Reading in Improving Students Reading Comprehension and
Their Achievement in TOEFL Score at a Private English Course

Hapid Ali

Faculty of Education and Teacher Training
State Islamic University of Sunan Gunung Djati, Bandung
Jl. A. H. Nasution No. 105, Bandung-INDONESIA
hafidz_eng07@yahoo.co.id


Key Words Abstract

Silent Reading;
Achievment
TOEFL Score

The purpose of the study is to analyze the use of silent reading in improving
students reading comprehension and their achievement in TOEFL Score at a
Private English Course. The methodology used in the study is quantitative model
of analysis base by using inferential statistics analysis; the measurement of
correlation coefficient and t-test. The respondents used are students of Private
English Course, and the sampling technique used is random stratified sampling
with 55 people as the respondents. The result of the research shows that the use
of silent reading has a significant and positive influence toward improving
students reading comprehension and their achievement in TOEFL Score on the
study object.

2012 Insan Akademika All Rights Reserved



1 Introduction

People around the world use and learn language. They use language to express or communicate their feeling
and thinking. Language can not be separeted from human being need because it is the most important tool of
communication in the world. People can get much information from language because its the first tools that
connect many variables among society of people. There are various definition of the language. Many
linguists define language in many different views. A number of definition of languages have compiled by Al-
Wasilah (1993) as follows:

Language is albitraty, social of symbol,with permits all people in a given culture of other people who
have learned the system of that culture, to communicate or to interect (Finochiaro, 1974). A system of
communication by sound, ie; through the organ of speech and hearing, among human being of certain
group or community,using social symbol prossessing arbitraty conventional meaning (Pei and Gayar,
1975)

Those definitions clarify that the main function of language is communication and understanding one
another. It indicats that language is something needed in human beings daily life. Especialy English, it is the
international language. English is the most important language in the world. It is the important thing in their
dailys life because English becomes one of languages that understood by the people from all over the world,
so they who can use the language feel no worry that the other people will not know it.
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48 Insan Akademika Publications


Furthermore, English is also well known in Indonesia. English in our country is as foreign language and one
of main subject in the certain course institution. Nowadays, the students who come from collage study
English by certain media, such as; book, newspaper, television and others. It proves that English is an
important language that should be mastered by students either through listening or reading skill. They can
acquire information and knowladge by reading all related information or knowladge through written of book,
newspaper, magazine, spreading in many places or certain language courses. The act of reading facilitates
them more expand their knowledge and mastery of English language proficiency without being limited by
times, or other people like teacher.

In this term, the subjects would focus on students reading comprehension ability in getting TOEFL score.
So that, it gives the writer some curiosities and encorages the writer to find out what acually factor that put
the students in getting TOEFL score. This would work by knowing first the strategy they used to
comprehend a reading text is surely often found in their daily reading activity.

In fact, there are many obstacles in learning reading comprehension as the requirement to get the high value
in TOEFL scoring. The writer is interested in studying and analyzing the students learning reading
comprehension as the requirement on TOEFL process in teaching English. It expressed to contribute to the
practice of reading teaching in the future. Based on the phenomenon, the author assumes that reading
teaching media has its own effect on students motivation in learning English. How far the correlation of it
will be identified in this investigation? Dealing with the problem above, the author is interested in reading
in-depth investigation.


2 Literature Riview

The Purpose of Reading

Reading process of a books, novel, newspaper are likely to be different when people read a sentence on the
billboard on the street, these different skills frequently depend on what we are reading for. Furthermore,
Harmer (2001) stated there are six reading purposes, as follows:

1. To identify the topic
Good readers are able to receive the topic of a written text very quickly. By the supporting of their prior
knowledge, they can get an idea. This ability allows them to process the text more efficiently.

2. To predict and guess
Readers sometimes guess in order to try to understand what written text is talked about. Sometimes they
look forward; try to predict what is coming and sometimes make assumptions or guess the context from
the initial glance.

3. Reading for detail information
Some readers read to understand everything they are reading in detail this is usually case with written
instructions or description procedure.

4. Reading for specific information
Sometimes readers want specific details to get much information. They only concentrate when the
particular item that they are interested came up they will ignore the other information of a text until it
comes to the specific item that they are looking for. We can call this activity as scanning process.

5. Reading for general understanding
Good readers are able to take in a stream of discourse and understand the gist of text, without worrying
too much about the detail. It means that they do not often look for every word, analyzing everything on
the text. We can called this activity is skimming process.


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TOEFL Score Achievement

The comprehenssion, which the process of TOEFL offers to prove a wanderful motivation and
comprehension for the students to read it by themselves. Reading comprehension is the way to identify
contain of texts in other that students know what the purpose of it. By the TOEFL test on students reading
comprehension, it is the tool which can improve students ability in reading comprehension.

1 The definition of TOEFL
TOEFL, Test of English as a Foreign Language, is probably the most often examination in the
admission process of foreign students to college and university in the United State (Pyle and Munoz,
1995). TOEFL score is the result of English academic to students who want to study at certain
universities or the requirement of work. It is the accumulation of students achievement in learning
English quality. From the definition, it implies that TOEFL is a tool to predict students ability in
reading comprehension by the process of TOEFL test.

Loughead (2000) in Ashuri (2003) stated that TOEFL stands for test of English for international
communication which used as a standard assessment of English proficiency that has been developed by
language experts, linguists and staff at the Chauncey group international to evaluate the English
nonnative speakers of English in the field of business. In other word, TOEFL is an international test, it
measure the everyday English skills of people working in an environment. It tests all four language
skills that effective communication requires: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. It emphasizes
and measures English usage and communication ability in academic setting (TOEFL IBT Tips).

2 The definition of achievement
Achievement is an indicator of the success in the whole of the learning process. A good or bad learning
quality refers to the students success of failure in their learning activities. Arifin (1990) stated that
achievement is an activity, a skill, and people attitude in solving something. According to Sukarta
(2000) achievement is an information about; knowledge, attitude, behavior, and skill achieved by
students after taking part in teaching learning process during certain period.

Arifin (1988) stated that the main functions of the achievement are as follows:
a. It is on indicator of quality and quantity of knowledge that must be mastered by the students.
b. It is a symbol of distributional desire or needs to be known
c. It is a informational matter in educational innovation
d. It is an external and internal indicator of educational instructions. It can be formed as an indicator
to the students intelegance


3 Research Methodology

The method of research is quantitative method by using a correlative research. Correlative research attempts
to investigate possible relationships among variables without trying to influence those variables. (Fraenkel
Wallen, 1993:287). A correlative research is also sometimes referred to as a form of descriptive research
because it describes an existing relationship between variables. (Fraenkel and Wallen, 1993). The purpose of
correlation research is to carry out for one of two basic purposes either t help explaination important human
behaviors or to predict likely outcomes. (Fraenkel and Wallen, 1993).

Technique of collecting data is done by triangulation, data analysis has inductive meaning, and result of
quantitative research is more stress to significance date. The writer uses quantitative method based on
situation of students in that area. The writer also wants to understand the capacity of the intelectual of
students, and students reading comprehension. This phenomenon reveals the practice of a conventional
reading comprehension strategy and the writer assums that reading comprehension in TOEFL score
achievement will help the students to overcome the difficulties they encounter and will improve their reading
comprehension ability. Some techniques to collect data as to strengthen the argument are described as
follows: (a) observation; (b) reading comprehension test; (c) TOEFL test; and (d) interview.

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Vol 01, No. 01, July 2012, pp. 47-52
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The location of this research is focused on the Elfast English Course, at Pare, Kediri, East Java. This location
is chosen because it is appropriate with the study to be my research. On the other hand, students who study at
University can learn the methodology of it deeply. Elfast English course is the new one of the qualification
courses at Pare getting good quality on TOEFL learning process.

Population of research is taken by the researcher from the students of the Private English Course (Elfast
English Course) at Pare, Kediri, East Java. The total population of students is 500 students. The students
who study Elfast English Course get good score in TOEFL learning process. The sample involves an Elfast
English Course in Pare, Kediri, which total population is 55 students. The numbers of students in the
population of this research are 500 students. So, the writer takes 55 populations of students as the sample.


4 Results and Discussion

Results

Results of the research of analysis about the correlation between students silent reading comprehension and
their achievement in TOEFL score at Elfast English course at Pare, Kediri, East Java, the results as follows:
1. The achievement of students in reading comprehension is identified as fair qualification. It based on the
result of test that the mean score of the students reading comprehension achievement as variable X is
48.41. Refer to the content grade of scale; it exists in between 46-65 of range which indicates fair
qualification.
2. The achievement of students TOEFL score at Elfast English course at Pare, Kediri is identified fair
qualification. The result of the test known that mean of variable Y (students TOEFL score
achievement) is 54.35. It refers to the constant scale grade; the score exists in 46-65 of range.
3. Meanwhile, the correlation between students ability in silent reading comprehension and TOEFL score
achievement are shown by the score of coefficient correlation 0.70. It is laid on the interval between
0.60-0.80. It means that the students ability in silent reading comprehension and TOEFL score
achievement are high correlation.

The writer concludes that there is a coefficient correlation between silent reading comprehension as variable
X and students achievement in TOEFL sore as variable Y at Elfast English course at Pare, Kediri.
Meanwhile, the influence of silent reading comprehension toward students achievement in TOEFL score is
as much as 29%. It means that there are other 71% indicators that can influence students achievement in
TOEFL score.


Discussion

Reading is one of the four language skills should be placed by students priority in their daily activities
(Tarigan, 1979). In language perspective, reading is one of the language skills that should be mastered by
learners. Reading considered an important aspect for students because it has valuable in developing
knowledge. It is also the most important skills for English students especially in academic context because
students need to comprehend and deal with all reading aspects and difficulties. Reading is the one of
academic skills become the important material in TOEFL scoring. It indicates that reading subject is an
appropriate way in reading comprehension to improve TOEFL score.

Tampubulon (1987) described that reading is the way to develop logic capacity in comprehending text. It
indicates that developing of logic capacity depends on their reading in comprehending text seriously. When
people have to comprehend the reading text, but they cannot comprehend it, it means that they do not read
yet. What they have done would be just in plain. Their logic capacity will develop if they comprehend texts
seriously.

Accoording to Tarigan (1979), the key of improving comprehension skill is silent reading. It consists of two
steps; extensive reading and intensive reading. It can be comprehended either in TOEFL process or reading
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academic. Some facts above tell clearly, there is a problem paced by people especially students who would
see variety of texts to comprehend it well and improve their TOEFL score.

Sometimes the students do not realize about the factors which influence their learning on TOEFL practice.
They only focus on TOEFL test, how to fill out, and identify the TOEFL practice quickly. From that reason,
to see to the factors which influence TOEFL test is the important thing because those factors will influence
TOEFL score achievement in TOEFL test.

According to (http:/balancepers.com/tipsscoretoefltinggi/) there are eight factors that influence TOEFL score
achievement in TOEFL test but it is taken six factors as follows:
1. Skill of learning autodidact
2. Reading practice
3. Questioner practice
4. Relax
5. Concentration
6. Not too focus on one question

The statement above explains about the extent of students achievement in learning process. It is impossible
to reach a good achievement in TOEFL score if there is no hard study in teaching learning because the
learning itself is their own motivation in improving reading comprehension.

Factually, there are many students who find reading subject difficult. It may be caused by their ability in
understanding text is still low. In mastering reading comprehension subject, the students must master some
reading components such as reading load and silent reading consists of extensive reading and intensive
reading. It is appropriate with the Tarigan (1979) statement he described that the key of improving
comprehension skill is silent reading. It consists of two steps; extensive reading and intensive reading.

From statement above, reading comprehension skill is silent reading that consists of two steps extensive and
intensive reading. From that reason, that students must have comprehension ability in understanding text
quickly. Not only word, language structure, and vocabulary but also silent reading comprehension ability
will help students reading in understanding text.

If connected to students TEOFL achievement in the use of silent reading comprehension, written text is
regard as the way which improves students reading comprehension on TOEFL achievement. From the
explanations from the above, it can be concluded that silent reading comprehension has correlation toward
students reading comprehension in TOEFL score achievement. In addition, silent reading comprehension in
improving students reading comprehension is the one of important factors that gains students to improve
their achievement in TOEFL score.


5 Conclusion

The result of the research shows that the use of silent reading has a significant and positive influence toward
improving students reading comprehension and their achievement in TOEFL Score on the study object.
Having investigated the influence of the students ability in silent reading comprehension on their
achievement in TOEFL score, the writer suggests the following:

1. Students comprehending
Generally, students silent reading in improving reading comprehension is in sufficient qualification.
Therefore, there are some suggestions to improve students reading comprehension toward their
achievement in TOEFL score:
a. It will be better for the students to read more from other book to improve their ability in reading
comprehension.
b. It will better for students to give more concentration while they read by looking for a go condition
and situation.
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c. It will better for students to improve their effort in guessing unknown words based on context while
they read.
d. It will be better for students to actualize the strategies of reading comprehension more. In other that
students get achievement in TOEFL score.

2. The role of teacher
Teacher role, he or she can help the students silent reading in improving reading comprehension toward
their achievement in TOEFL score:
a. Teacher can use one or more of the following ways to develop the students silent reading
comprehension such as tries to find the synonym and antonym words, main idea in written text of
descriptive, narrative, procedure and report form by scanning and skimming method.
b. The teacher at Elfast private English course should get informed of the finding so that they can take
the important steps to address the situation.


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