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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of background of the study, question of the study, the

objective of the study, significance of the study, scope of the study, definition of

key terms.

1.1. Background of the Study

Language is one of the most important things in communication and it is

used as a tool of communication among the nations in all over the world. English

is the best hope the world has for continued and improved international

communication in each country automatically. In Indonesia, English considered as

the first foreign language and taught formally from Elementary School up to the

University level.

Besides, English as a tool of communication is also useful for the people

especially of the students because there are many books of science and technology

printed in English. Thus, students are hoped to understand all of the aspects of

language component, consisting of grammar and vocabulary. And also, there are

four skills that should be acquired by anyone who learns language, they are

listening, speaking, reading and writing.

The reading skill became very important in the education field, students

need to be exercised and trained in order to have a good reading skill. Reading is

also something crucial and indispensable for the students because the success of

their study depends on the greater part of their ability to read. If their reading skill
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is poor they are very likely to fail in their study or at least they will have difficulty

in making progress. On the other hand, if they have a good ability in reading, they

will have a better chance to succeed in their study. Moreover, English subject is

one of the subjects that are tested in National Final Examination (UAN). As we

know, that reading comprehension test is the most dominated item in English

exam. The percentage of reading comprehension test items reach 50% of the total

item.

Reading comprehension is defined as the level of understanding of a

text/message. This understanding comes from the interaction between the words

that are written and how they trigger knowledge outside the text/message. .[1]

Proficient reading depends on the ability to recognize words quickly and

effortlessly.[2] If word recognition is difficult, students use too much of their

processing capacity to read individual words, which interferes with their ability to

comprehend what is read.

Many educators in the USA believe that students need to learn to analyze

text (comprehend it) even before they can read it on their own, and

comprehension instruction generally begins in pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten.

But other US educators consider this reading approach to be completely backward

for very young children, arguing that the children must learn how to decode the

words in a story through phonics before they can analyze the story itself.

During the last century comprehension lesson/s usually comprised students

answering teachers' questions, writing responses to questions on their own, or

both.[citation needed]
The whole group version of this practice also often included
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"Round-robin reading", wherein teachers called on individual students to read a

portion of the text (and sometimes following a set order). In the last quarter of the

20th century, evidence accumulated that the read-test methods assessed

comprehension more than they taught it. The associated practice of "round robin"

reading has also been questioned and eliminated by many educators.

Instead of using the prior read-test method, research studies have

concluded that there are much more effective ways to teach comprehension. Much

work has been done in the area of teaching novice readers a bank of "reading

strategies," or tools to interpret and analyze text.[3] There is not a definitive set of

strategies, but common ones include summarizing what you have read, monitoring

your reading to make sure it is still making sense, and analyzing the structure of

the text (e.g., the use of headings in science text). Some programs teach students

how to self monitor whether they are understanding and provide students with

tools for fixing comprehension problems.

Instruction in comprehension strategy use often involves the gradual

release of responsibility, wherein teachers initially explain and model strategies.

Over time, they give students more and more responsibility for using the

strategies until they can use them independently. This technique is generally

associated with the idea of self-regulation and reflects social cognitive theory,

originally conceptualized by Albert Bandura.[citation needed]

After the explain above, the writer found the problem, when she did the

preliminary study at the otomotif first year of the SMKN 1 Wundulako. Based on

the interview result with the English teacher at the school, it found that most of
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the students could not read the text well because of having poor especially in

reading.

Based on the description above, the writer intended to conduct a study

entiled “impoving the students’ ability on reading comprehension through short

story at the otomotif first year of SMKN 1 wundulako.

1.2. Question of the study

Based on the background above, the question of the study are as follows:

“Can short story improve the students’ reading skill at the Otomotif first year of

SMK Negeri 1 Wundulako?”

1.3. The objective of the study

The objective of the study is “to find out information whether short story

can improve the students reading comprehension skill at the Otomotif first year

of SMK Negeri 1 Wundulako.”

1.4. Significance of the study

The writer hopes that the result of the study will useful and helpful

information for both English teacher and the students to improve their English

reading comprehension skill through reading a short story.

1.5. Scope of The Study

There are many kinds of media that can be used in teaching, but the study

the writer will apply only short story, and reading activities focusing on the

narrative short story.

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1.6. Definition of Key Terms

1. Short story is about imaginary characters and even that is short enough to

be read from beginning to end without stopping.(oxford,1997,1408).

2. Reading comprehension is a process where the students getting idea or

information and they understand what is the teacher said and from their

understanding they are able to answer the question based on text in self.

3. Narrative text is a short story that they tells about event happened last

time, fiction or not fiction either directly or indirectly.

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CHAPTER II

LITERARY REVIEW

In this chapter consist of the importance of learning reading, definition of

reading and reading comprehension.

2.1 The importance of Learning Reading

Based on the National Center Education Statistic, 38 percent of fourth

graders in the United States cannot read at a basic level. This means they cannot

read and understand a short paragraph of the type found in simple children’s book.

Until twentieth century, nearly every on earth illiterate. However, the

expectation in today’s society is that 100 percent of population will be able to read

comprehend. We live in a society where development of reading skills servers as

the primary foundation for all school based learning.

Those who do not read well find their opportunities for academic and

occupational success are and comprehend is understandable, we are a low way

from reaching this goal.

A child who is not at least a modestly skilled reader by the end of third

grade is unlikely to be skilled reader in high school. In fact, research has shown

that we can predict, with reasonable accuracy, students’ future academic success

by their reading level at the end of third grade (Wolfe in Israyanti: 2010).

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2.2 Definition of Reading

Mortimer and Charles in Fatmawati (1972) say reading is complex

activity, just as writing is it consists of separate act, all of which must be

performed in a good reading.

And Hornby (1989) says that reading is an action of a person who reads be

found of reading matter. Nuttal in achmad (1982) says that reading is essentially

concerned with meaning especially with the transfer of message from writer to

reader.

By the concept of reading above the writer can get the point that reading is

one the activities that can improve our skill in ho to get a print by our books of

reading.

2.3 Reading Comprehension

Anderson in Fatmawati (2000) state the reading comprehension an

abusively by constructing meaning from interacting with material that is read

from this, we can comprehend that reading comprehension is the capability of

getting ideas from priented pages.

And then he also states that reading comprehension is a term to identify

those skills needed to understand and apply information contained with written

material. Reading with comprehension means that understand what has been read.

It is as an active thinking process that depends not only on comprehension skills

but also on the students and prior knowledge.

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CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY

3.1. Design of the Study

The design of the study is collaborative Classroom Action Research

(CAR). It means that in doing the study the writer will be collaborate with one of

the real teachers of SMK Negeri 1 Wundulako.

As a classroom action research, this study follows the design of the

classroom action research that involved the stage of identifying the problems or

preliminary of the study, planning, implementing, observing analyzing, reflecting

and reporting. In this sense, after the problems their characteristics is identify, the

process of solving the problems, which follow this steps, then carried out. In the

planning, preparation is made concerning the procedure of carrying out the

practice (lesson plan) which includes the material, the media, the schedule of

practice and the observation.

The study will be conduct in the form of cycle use the model of Classroom

Action Research. This study will be conduct through some steps namely:

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Preliminary of the Planning

Study:

1. The students
very poor in
English.
2. The students Implementing
couldn’t read
well a text.

Observing

Analyzing

Reflecting

Fail Successful

Reporting

(Adapted from Kemmis and Taggart, 1998)

Figure 1 : The Classroom Action Research procedure

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3.2. Setting and Subject of the Study

3.2.1. Setting of the Study

The setting of the study will be conduct at SMK Negeri 1 Wundulako in

academic year 2012/2013.

3.2.2. Subject of the Study

The subject of the study is the students of the Otomotif first year of SMK

Negeri 1 Wundulako.

3.3. Instrument of the Study

3.3.1. Reading Test

Reading test is used to know the improvement of students reading

comprehension skill before and after use reading a short story.

3.3.2. Observation Sheet

The observation sheet is used to observe the student and teacher activities

during the teaching and learning process.

3.4. Step of the Study

In conducting the study, the writer carried out some steps such as

preliminary study, planning, implementing, observing, analyzing, and reflecting.

3.4.1. Preliminary Study

To get previous data, the writer did preliminary study. It is done to find out

the real condition of the study objects. After collecting the data, the writer will

conclude the students’ problem and design some plans to cope with the problem.
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3.4.2. Planning

This stage is done by the writer who will collaborate with the collaborative

teacher to design all activities related to the study. The planning of the action is as

follows:

I. Preparing teaching strategy

In conducting the study, reading comprehension will be used as a solution

of the students’ problem and also to improve the reading ability of the Otomotif

first year at SMK Negeri 1 Wundulako.

II. Preparing lesson plan

Lesson plan will be designed to make implementation of technique in the

teaching and learning process can run well.

III. Preparing Media and Facilities

In supporting the implementation of the technique, the writer and the

collaborative teacher will prepare media and facilities to help the students do their

activities in the classroom.

IV. Preparing instruments of the study

Instruments of the study are used to collect data as research goes on.

3.5. Criteria of Success

3.5.1. Success

 The students are active in teaching and learning process specially in

reading a short story.

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 The students are enthusiastic in teaching and learning process.

3.5.2. Product

At least 80% students get average score 60 or more based on reading test.

3.6. Implementing

Implementing of reading comprehension will be conducted at the otomotif

first year of SMK Negeri 1 Wundulako. In this process, the writer will function as

the teacher, while the collaborative teacher as the observer in the class. The

meeting of action is planned three meeting in each cycle. The implementation of

strategy is divided as follow:

1. Pre-activities

- Greetings the students

- Checking the students attendance list

- Introducing the students about the topic

- Asking the students to look through the story for three minutes

- Asking the student the figure out who the characters are and anything else that

is going on

2. While activities

- Asking the students to find out the conflict of the in the short story

- Describing to the difference of external conflict and internal conflict

- Asking the students to decide the conflict of the story.

- Asking the students to comprehend the story

- Asking the students to answer the reading test

- Monitoring the students’ activity.

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3. Post activity

- Giving some question related about short story

- Giving homework to the students and close the meeting.

3.7. Observing

Observation is the of recording and gathering all relevant data about any

aspect that are occuring during the teaching and learning process.in order to gather

or collect the data needed the writer firstly determined the sources of the data to

be collected,and instrument and technique of data collection.

3.8. Data and Source of Data

The data collected in this study consists of two kinds,they are quantitative

and qualitative.The quantitave data will be taken from the students”reading

aswering sheet.In this stage,the students’Final test will be based on text given.

The qualitative data will be taken from the result of observation sheets.The

data will be obtained from the observation sheet which willbe taken from the

student’s description about how the teaching and learning process processed ,how

the students’participation is,the environment or condition at the teaching learning

process.

3.9. Analyzing and reflecting

 analyzing

Since the data will be obtained quantitatively and qualitatively,the writer will

axamine the of each student score on reading test

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𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑜𝑏𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒

𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 = 𝑥 100
𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚

(adapted from Depdikbud, 2002:13)

The qualitative data that will be obtained during this study will be classified

and analyzed in certain ordes.in this case,the data obtained will provide the

description about how the teaching and learning process proceeded,how the

students’ preparation is,and how their feelings is towards the teaching and

learning activities.

 Reflecting

On the basic of the data analiysis,the writer will make reflections on this study

.The writer will try to examine how(or to what extent) the students ability can

be improved in this cyle,and how the students’responses and participation

are.Besides,the writer also will try to criticize the strength and the weakness of

his procedures in imlementing the action

If the writer finds that the result of the study has met the criteria of success

that he has previously determined,he will and the study.However,if it is not,he

will revise the plan and conduct the action to next cycle.
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CHAPTER IV

DATA PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION

This chapter present data presentation and discussion of teaching and

learning process especially the teaching vocabulary by using picture at the first

year of SMP Negeri 2 Ueesi. The data presentation covers the data of teaching

and learning process and the data of students’ score as the result of teaching

vocabulary by using picture which is obtained from the observation sheet of

teacher and the student and vocabulary test.

4.1. Data Presentation of Preliminary Study

In this part, the writer collaborated with the English teacher to make some

program such as, observe the simulation and condition of teaching and learning

process to know the real condition of the students’ problem in the class and

teacher problem in teaching and learning English especially in learning

vocabulary.

The writer did preliminary study on ………………….. Based on the

interview to the teacher, one of problem in learning English as foreign language is

students’ having still minimum word or phrases and the teacher still used

conventional technique, so the writer interested to conduct this technique in her

study. The result from preliminary study showed that only one classs (VIIIa) was
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the lowest score in vocabulary test from three classes of eight at SMP Negeri 2

Ueesi.

4.2. Data Presentation of the First Cycle

The writer and collaborative to analyzed the result preliminary study to

know students problem on vocabulary. Beside that preliminary study was done to

know the students motivation during in the teaching and learning process. There

are four steps were done in this cycle they are planning, implementing, observing

and reflecting.

4.2.1. Planning

Before teaching