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CHAPTER I

INDTRODUCTION

A. Background

Language is very important in our life and its function is that to communicate. It

means that language is the most effective media that can adopt the humans will

including expressing human feelings. In everyday activity, one of the elements to do

so is language. Basically, the language has specific functions such as to express the

needs of someone, to communicate, to make the integration of the social

environment, and to adapt to certain situations, and it is also used for social control.

But basically, the main function of the language is to send message or meaning by

one person to another.

Reading teaching and learning is important part in the English Language

Curriculum used in Kidea Preschool and Kindergarten. However, most students face

difficulties when they read even simple word. To help these students, the researcher

will design the method to improve students reading skill. The method or approach

that will use by the researcher to teach reading for children is phonics. By the early

1970s, most schools had returned to an essentially phonics-based program Werner

(2005, p. 21) that is way the researcher will use this method to teach reading in

Kindergarten 1 at Kidea preschool and kindergarten. There are a lot of questions

about this method, because phonic is unfamiliar in countries that English is not their

mother tongue. Phonics is reading the word based on the sounds of the letter. We can

say that is reading because according to Anstey (2002) ..getting the words right (that
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is, pronouncing each word correctly) was considered good reading; comprehension

was not the focus this is clearly approve that reading not only to get knowledge from

the text but also reading means learning to pronounce the word correctly. As a student

of English study program, I have a great interest in this problem. Find solution for the

problem is very challenging to me.

B. Research Objective

This study is limited to find out the effectiveness of phonic based approach to

teach reading in kindergarten 1 of Kidea Preschool Kelapa Gading.

C. Research Question

According to the topic of problem, the writer would like to limit this research as

formulated Does phonic based approach effective to teach reading?

D. Significance of study

a) Teacher

Teacher can use the material easier and she/he will have a new method to teach

reading through phonic.

b) Student.

The students will be easy to read and can improve the students ability in

reading.
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c) Researcher

Can use the result of this study to be reference

E. Scope of the study

Due to the researcher time and budget constraints, the participants in this study

will be limited to students at Kidea Preschool Kelapa Gading. The writer limits her

research just teaching using phonic based approach to teach reading to Kindergarten 1

at Kidea Preschool Kelapa Gading and the data will be collected through observation

and reading test.

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CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW, CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK AND

HYPOTHESIS

A. Literature Review

1. Learning to Read

Literacy skills have changed significantly and understandings of what is

involved in learning to read have changed as well. Most reading instruction is

based, implicitly if not explicitly, on one of the three following views: View 1:

Learning to read means learning to pronounce words. View 2: Learning to read means

learning to identify words and understand their meaning. View 3: Learning to read

means learning to bring meaning to a text in order to get meaning from, or

understand, a text (Weaver,1994, p 15). Weaver goes on to explain that the first view

of reading assumes that meaning will take care of itself once words are pronounced.

The second view assumes that determining individual word meanings leads to the

meaning of the whole text. The third view differs as Weaver (1994) explains.

Traditionally, reading was viewed simply as the visual-cognitive skill required to

read the words in alphabetic texts. Getting the words right (that is, pronouncing each

word correctly) was considered good reading; comprehension was not the focus.

However, the ultimate purpose of reading is to construct and reconstruct the meaning

of text for a multitude of purposes (Anstey, 2002. Hornsby and Wilson, 2011).
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2. Phonemic Awareness

Much of the debate about the teaching of reading has focused on phonemic

awareness (phonological awareness) and phonics. Phonemic awareness is the ability

to hear and manipulate sounds in words. Phonics includes an understanding of the

relationships between the patterns of letters and the patterns of sounds; these patterns

are complex and variable. There has been considerable debate about the role of

phonemic awareness. The debate has centre around whether phonemic awareness is a

prerequisite for learning to read and write, or whether it develops through reading and

writing. Part of the confusion relates to the concepts of correlation and causation.

Studies that are used to support explicit, systematic phonemic awareness training are

correlation. Correlation is not causation. There is a positive correlation between

phonemic awareness and ability to read, but no causation should be implied. Troia

(1999) reviewed 39 phonemic awareness training studies and found no evidence to

support phonemic awareness training in classroom instruction. Krashen (1990a,

1999b) conducted similar reviews and had similar findings. Taylor (1998) points out

that phonemic awareness research is based on the false assumption that childrens

early cognitive functions work from abstract exercises to meaningful activity, rather

than vice-versa, as in other learning. Castles & Coltheart (2004, p 77) report that no

study has provided unequivocal evidence that there is a causal link from competence

in phonological awareness to success in reading and spelling acquisition. Moustafa

(Web site, 2005) reminds us that children who have not yet learned to read have

difficulty consciously analyzing spoken words into their constituent phonemes. In

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fact, phonemic awareness develops through reading and writing (Goswami, 1996;

Scholes, 1998)

3. Phonic

In written English, the relationships between the patterns of letters and the

patterns of sounds are complex. One letter may represent different sounds, and one

sound may be represented by different letters or letter clusters. This is true even in

simple texts written for early readers.

a) The Phonetic Reading Method

The phonetic method of teaching reading, on the other hand, is more skills

based than the whole language method. It relies on a part-to-whole framework

and provides two sub-methods: the analytic and the synthetic phonics methods.

The phonetic method requires the teacher to teach reading skills explicitly to

students, making it the most widely accepted method for teaching reading. Thus,

teachers frequently use the phonetic method to teach reading in the modern

elementary classroom. The phonetic method stems from the idea that students

must first understand the key elements of language, which include letters, sounds,

syllables, and words, before being able to read and reach comprehension.
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b) Phonetic Method Techniques.

Two educational techniques extensively used in elementary classrooms today

fall into the phonetic method category, the synthetic method and the analytic

method (Bovee, 1972). Both methods teach beginning Methods of Teaching

Reading 15 readers that printed letters and letter combinations represent speech

sounds heard in words (Heilman, 1998, p. 1). Basal reading textbooks combine

explicit instruction in phonics and phonemic awareness with interesting, age-

appropriate stories that allow beginning readers to practice phonics skills. The

phonetic methods concentrate on developing two main abilities: phonemic

awareness and decoding. Phonemic awareness is the understanding that spoken

language is made up of individual sounds (phonemes), and decoding is the ability

to turn spellings into sounds or sound words out (Honig, 2001). Children who

have developed basic phonemic awareness are capable of isolating, identifying,

categorizing, segmenting, blending, and manipulating phonemes in spoken words

(Put Reading First, 2003). Lyon (1994) states that the ability to decode single

words accurately and fluently is dependent upon the ability to segment words and

syllables into abstract constituent sound units (phonemes) (p. 124). Thus, these

important reading skills are mutually dependent and must be taught

simultaneously.

Phonetic instruction generally proceeds through a developmental sequence

that explicitly teaches each of the components of phonemic awareness and

decoding. Honig suggests the following sequence: 1) word segmentation; 2)

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rhyme recognition and production; 3) syllable blending, segmentation, and

deletion; 4) onset and rime blending; 5) phoneme matching and isolation; 6)

phoneme blending and segmentation; and 7) phoneme deletion and substitution.

In addition, phonetic instruction also includes mastering the recognition of sight

wordshigh frequency words (Honig, 2001).

c) Advantages of the Phonetic Method.

The primary advantage of the phonetic method of teaching phonics is its

emphasis on direct skill instruction. Honig (2001) claims that only through direct

skill instruction can all children learn to automatically recognize a growing

number of words and possess the necessary tools to decipher new words they

encounter (p. 2). As mentioned above, successful reading requires the effortless,

unconscious recognition of words. The phonetic method encourages the learning

of reading skills such as decoding by explicitly teaching the components of the

process. Learning to decode is essential to developing automaticity, a crucial

component of the process of learning to read, because decoding allows beginning

readers to gather sufficient information about a word, including its sounds and

unique letter patterns connected to its meaning, to be able to automatically

recognize that word later (Honig, 2001). Research has shown that children taught

to read by a phonics system make rapid progress in word recognition (Spache &

Spache, 1969, p. 486). Other components of reading explicitly taught in the

phonetic method include recognizing letter shapes, learning letter names and
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sounds, understanding the alphabetic principle, recognizing letter patterns, and

recognizing words. Thus, systematic, explicit phonics instruction strengthens

students reading skills and accelerates the process of learning to read.

B. Conceptual Framework

This approach is principled basis in which the teacher can choose particular

design and techniques for teaching a foreign language in particular context to see the

effectiveness of phonic based approach to teach reading at Kidea Preschool and

Kindergarten at Kelapa Gading

C. Hypothesis

The hypothesis namely:

b. Ha : there is significance effectiveness between students reading ability and

teaching phonic based approach to teach reading at the Kindergarten 1 of

Kidea Preshool and Kindergarten Kelapa Gading.

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Chapter III

Research Methodology

A. Specific Research Purpose and Research Question

The purpose of the research is expected to find out the effectiveness of phonic

based approach to teach reading at Kidea Preschool Harapan Indah Bekasi.

B. Research Method

The research is quantitative research. The researcher will collect the data using

observation, documentation, and test. The data analysis will used to draw the

conclusion of the research data. In analyze, the writer used statistical technique

especially in analyzing the main data of test answers of kindergarten-1 Kidea

Preschool.

C. Research Setting and Subjects Features

The research will be taken in Kidea Preschool and Kindergarten at where the

researcher works. It is located in jl. Boulevard Hijau Raya Ruko Sentra Niaga no.22,

23. The research will be taken in Kindergarten 1 of Kidea Preschool and

Kindergarten. Total numbers are 20 students. The range of students age between 4 to

5 years old.

The research will conduct on April 2015 until the researcher gets the learning

process will be succeed. The researcher has 2 cycles. The researcher will give the
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mean-score for the students. The class has to achieve the mean-score of 7.5. In first

meeting, the researcher will give pre-test for students. The researcher gets the score.

The researcher will observe the problem. After that, the researcher will prepare the

lesson plan in the cycle, the material and the researcher will teach reading to the

students through phonic based approach to teach reading. In the end, the researcher

will give post-test to students. After that the researcher will get the scores (the

students have to achieve the mean-score of 7.5, but if they do not have the mean-

score, the cycle 2 will be started. The researcher will prepare the lesson plan, material

(different topics and activities), and teach them. So, the researcher will see the

improvement between cycle 1 and cycle 2. The researcher will teach them until the

class achieves the mean score 7.5. So, the cycle will be finished.

D. Action Plan (Cycles)

There are two cycles in this research:

1. Cycle 1

According to Arikunto there are four steps process in each cycle for doing

classroom action research can be explained as follow:

a. Planning

Planning an action research by focusing on who, what, when, where, and

how the action will be done.

The researcher will make lesson plan, topic, materials, media and

activities.
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b. Action

The planning strategy will be applied in teaching learning process. The

researcher will be applied based on the lesson plan. (There are activities in

learning process).

c. Observation

Observation is the next step to monitoring and watches closely in learning

process and collects the data from result of action.

The researcher will observe, monitor and watch closely in learning process

and collect the data.

d. Reflection

Reflection means to analyze the result based on data that have been

collected to determine the next action in the next cycle.

After the researcher get the data, so the researcher will determine the next

action in the next cycle for the students in learning process.

2. Cycle 2

According to Arikunto there are four steps process in each cycle for doing

classroom action research can be explained as follow:

a. Planning

Planning an action research by focusing on who, what, when, where, and

how the action will be done.

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The researcher will make another lesson plan with different topic,

materials, media and activities.

b. Action

The planning strategy will be applied in teaching learning process. The

researcher will be applied based on the lesson plan. (There are activities in

learning process).

c. Observation

Observation is the next step to monitoring and watches closely in learning

process and collects the date from result of action.

The researcher will observe, monitor and watch closely in learning

process and collect the data.

d. Reflection

Reflection means to analyze the result based on data that have been

collected to determine the result of the cycle.

E. Data Collection Instrument and Technique

The researcher will use observation and tests.

1. Observation.

Before the cycle 1 and Cycle 2, the researcher has to make checklists for

students to observe them. John W. Best explained that checklist is the simplest

of the devices. Consist of prepare list of items. The presence or absence of the
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item may be indicated by checking Yes or No or the type of items may be

indicated by interesting the appropriate word or number.

The form of observation check list is as follow:

Form of observation checklist

Name :

Indicator YES NO
Paying attention
Asking question
Responding the question

2. Tests

The tests are pre-test and post-test.

F. Data Analysis Technique

After the scores are collected from pre-test and post-test, the scores are analyzed

statistically by using procedure of spss to know whether there is significance

effectiveness between phonic base approach to teach reading and students reading

skill.

G. Data Triangulation

Based on Denzin (1978) identified four basic types of triangulation:

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1. Data triangulation: involves time, space, and persons.

2. Investigator triangulation: involves multiple researchers in an investigation.

3. Theory triangulation: involves using more than one theoretical scheme in

the interpretation of the phenomenon.

4. Methodological triangulation: involves using more than one method to

gather data, such as interviews, observations, questionnaires, and

documents.

The triangulation in this research will be used in methodological

triangulation. The researcher will get the data from observations and documents.

H. Success Indicator

The success indicator of this 2 cycles reading skill improvement action research

is that at the end of the study the class achieves mean score of 7.5. This indicator

determination is based on the fact that the class had never achieved mean score of

6.0 for reading skill.

I. Research Procedure
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1. Asking the permission from the Head of Teacher at Kidea Preschool and

Kindergarten.
2. Preparing the instrument of the study.
The instrument is in the form of reading test which is used to administer

pre-test and post-test.

3. Administering pre-test.
The pre-test is conducted by the researcher to know the scores of the subject

before the treatment is given to them.

4. Giving treatment to the personal.

Phonic and the letter are implemented to teach reading to the Kindergarten 1

of kidea Harapan Indah.

5. Administering the post-test.

The post-test is administered after the treatment given to the Kindergarten 1

students.

REFERENCES

Anstey, M. (2002) Literate futures: Reading. Brisbane: State of Queensland

(Department of Education).
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Arikunto. (1998). Population is the whole of research subject. 1998: 115

Castles, A., & Coltheart, M. (2004) Is there a causal link from phonological
awareness to success in learning to read? Cognition, 91, 1, 77-111.

Goswami, U., & Bryant, P. (1990) Phonological Skills and Learning to Read.
Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Hornsby, D., & Wilson, L. (2011) Teaching phonics in context, Melbourne:

Pearson Australia.

Krashen, S. (1999a) Effects of phonemic awareness training on delayed tests of

reading. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 89, 79-82.

Lyons, C. (2003) Teaching Struggling Readers: How to Use Brain-based

Research to Maximize Learning. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Moustafa, M., (1997) Beyond traditional phonics: Research Discoveries and

reading instruction. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Scholes, R. J. (1998) The case against phonemic awareness. Journal of

Research in Reading, 21(3), 177-189.

Troia, G. (1999) Phonological awareness intervention research: A critical

review of the experimental methodology. Reading research quarterly,
34 (1), 28-52.

Weaver, C. (1994) Reading process and practice: from socio-psycholinguistics

to whole language. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
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