Improving the Students’ Reading
Comprehension Ability by Using Think-Ahead and Write (TAW) Strategy
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
A.
Background
English
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.
Relating
to the case above, the researcher will conduct a research in SMA to the second grade students entitle
“ Improving the Students’ Reading Comprehension Ability by Using
Think-Ahead and Write (TAW) Strategy
