CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
A. Background
Englisih is a global language that is used as a
commonucation device between nation of different language. English plays an
important role in process of communication between them and also English can
accelerate science and technological development of a nation. English has four
skills namely speaking, writing, listening and reading. One of them is reading has played an
important role in developing English skill. Reading is one ways to get information
and it can improve people knowledge. By reading, people are able to know many
things happen around them even they do not have to see it directly and through
reading people can speak and write. Reading can make people become wide minded.
Harvey (1990 : 2) argues that purpose of
reading in language is to inform ourselves about something we are interested
in, or challenge on certain matters. In other words, to extend experience of
the world in which we live.That is the reason why reading becomes a very
important thing in learning. Beside that, in formal education, reading is also
one way that people should do to fulfill their education.
The research found many problems that is faced by the
students especially in reading comprehension. They are difficult to understand
the passage otherwise if they face serious topics such as politics, economics,
etc . Here, teachers play an important role to help them understand reading
passage.
However, comprehending reading or getting answers from
the questions in people’s mind is not as easy as people think especially if it
is related with English. Some people prefer reading novel, megazine, short
story, etc to academic books for pleasure. Whatever they read, it gives them
some information about something or certain things, get answers from the
questions in their mind if they understand or comprehend what they are reading.
In formal education, students asked to read academic
books. Besides hearing explanation from their teachers, sometimes they have to
understand their lessons by reading it directly. However, reading academic
books sometimes make students bored especially in English lessons. Most of
students in South Sulawesi find difficulties in comprehending a paragraph for
example to identify the main idea of the paragraph that they have read
(Asrawati)..
The main goal in teaching and learning English reading
process is to comprehend the reading material, but the fact shows that the
majority of the students are not competen English well, as (Halim, 1988 : 2)
states that most students encounter the problem in comprehending an English
text. They are at frustation level althought they have been learning English
for years.
One
of the ways to help students understand English passages is finding good
strategies in reading. Teachers can give students strategies or guidelines to
understand different types of texts, such as newspapers, fiction books, or
academic books. Strategies can help them comprehend texts. Whatever that
strategies, the most successful strategies have to make students as readers continually set
expectations for what they are about to read, they give them a way to keep
checking themselves to see if they understand what they are reading, and they
have them reorganize information in a
way that makes sense to them.
Think-Ahead
and Write (TAW) is a strategy to help
students comprehend texts. This strategy
consist of some parts that help students develop their thinking ability. They
will be taught to ask questions, create mental image and relate what they are
reading. This strategy also make them think critically in reading passages with
combining some parts in this strategy. Think-ahead and write (TAW) strategy
is a way to make readers understand or comprehend what they are reading. This
strategy combine some ways to comprehend text. Think-ahead and write (TAW)
strategy consists of asking question and creating mental images or writing down
readers’ understanding. This strategy have advantages to students, that is to
make readers or students easy comprehend in reading passages and think about
what they are reading. Because teaching students to think about what they are
reading is an important way for them to use their skills to comprehend science,
history, social studies, math, and many other subjects they will study
throughout their education.
Furthermore, Himes (2007)
stated that students have to comprehend what they are reading because
comprehension is the reason for reading.
It is actually the main goal of learning to read. If readers can read the words
but do not understand what they are reading,
they are not really reading.
B. Problem Statement
Based on the background above, the research question is formulated
as follows:
How is
the significance improvement of the students’ reading comprehension of the
second grade students of SMA Negeri 2 Takalar by using TAW strategy?
C. Objective of the Research
Related
to the statement above the writer formulates the objective of the research is
to explain think-ahead and write (TAW) strategy in improving the students’
reading comprehension ability of the second year students of SMA Negeri 2.
Takalar.
D. Significance of the
Research
The
main purpose of this research is expected to the students can solve their problem
in reading comprehension and make the students have good capability in reading
English passage. To give information for English teachers to use think-ahead
and write (TAW) strategy in teaching reading English passages; to become an
alternative technique in teaching reading materials. It is also expected to be
one way to motivate students in reading.
E. Scope of the Research
This research is improving the students’ reading comprehension
ability at the second grade of SMA Negeri 2 Takalar through think-ahead and write (TAW) strategy. They
will be taught this strategy in comprehending English passages. Here, the students
are not only taught to read and comprehend passages but also think critically
by combining the parts in this strategy. In TAW strategy, they will be taught
to predict, creating mental image, and connect between the shared knowledge and
the selection text.
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