Teacher and Student Practices Associated with Performance in the PISA Reading Literacy Evaluation

This article aims at finding teacher’s and student’s practices that relate to performance in PISA reading literacy evaluations and that are feasible to intervene in order to assist the improvement of reading competency. To achieve this purpose, the study was developed with data collected from the population of Costa Rica that took the PISA evaluation in 2018 (n = 4691, 2340 men, and 2351 women). A linear regression of the reading score was performed utilizing plausible values and sampling weights. The predictors of the regression were contextual factors, teacher practices, and student habits. Time spent and interest in reading showed a positive and relevant association with student’s performance in reading, controlling important background aspects like economic resources and parents' education. Moreover, 28.19% to the obtained variance explanation of the reading literacy (27%) was only due to the teacher’s and student’s practices. These results provide favorable information to design interventions for the improvement of reading competency.

Brain Malformations in Zika Virus Related Congenital Microcephaly: interactions among clinical and imaging scores and a semi-automated classification of severity based on MRI indices (RaRe - Radiological Reading score)

Objectives: We propose and evaluate a system for assessing severity of ZikV-related microcephaly brain abnormalities called RaRe (Radiological Reading score). The system is a combination of neuroradiologist evaluation scores; we also propose and evaluate its semi-automated version, which is generated from MRI indices. Design: We carried out a cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection at birth and 13-39 months; data collection includes radiologists evaluation of MRI images and a semi-automated system for analyzing MRI images from ZikV-related microcephaly patients; we also evaluated the association of severity and RaRe scores with developmental outcomes. Setting: Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul and Memorial Hospital Arthur Ramos, both in Brazil. Participants: 42 infants with ZikV-related congenital microcephaly (age at second evaluation M = 24.83 months; SD = 5.82). Mothers were infected by Zika Virus during pregnancy and were symptomatic or asymptomatic. Main outcome measures: Clinical and radiological outcomes (blindly reviewed); severity classification system (semi-automated - RaRe-Auto or based on neuroradiological evaluation - RaRe-Clin) and association with developmental outcomes (Bayley-III scales). Results: RaRe-Clin positively correlated with RaRe-Auto (r = 0.892; p < 0.001). Severity negatively associated with neurodevelopment scores assessed by Bayley-III scales in all three domains: cognition, language and motor skills. There was no association between trimester of infection and head circumference at birth (r = 0.160; p = 0.338) but there was an association between trimester of infection and RaRe-Clin (r = -0.355; p = 0.029). Conclusions: The clinical and semi-automated RaRe scores predicted Bayley scores. RaRe-Clin and RaRe-Auto can predict the trimester of infection and severity of outcomes and should be investigated in their further application with other congenital and infection-related brain abnormalities.

THINK PAIR SHARE (TPS) TECHNIQUE FOR IMPROVING STUDENTS READING COMPREHENSION OF NARATIVE TEXT IN THE SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS OF SMPN 3 KLARI KARAWANG

This research used Classroom Action Research. Think Pair Share can be trusted to help students comprehend reading skill. The population of the research were the students of SMPN 3 Klari Karawang in Academic years 2017-2018. The total population of the students in this academic year are 280 students. The number of sample were 30 students. The data was gathered from the test and observation. After being implementated of Think Pair Share activities in every cycle, the students’ reading score were getting better. We can see from the result of students’ average score Cycle I 63.47 and Cycle II 79.67. In conclusion, the Technique of Think Pair Share can improve learners’ reading comprehension.

Correlational Study Between the Improvement of Reading Achievement and Student’ Speaking Skill at The First Grade of SMAN 1 Rawamerta Karawang

The objectives of this research entitled correlational study between the improvement of reading achievement and their students speaking skill are to investigate the students reading achievement and to analyze the correlation between students reading score and their speaking ability. The method used in this research is correlational method. The population of this research was SMAN 1 Rawamerta Karawang and the sample of this research was the first grade students of SMAN 1 Rawamerta Karawang. The results of this research showed that speaking coefficient regression is Y=4.028 + 0.898X. The conclusion of this research there is high correlation between reading and speaking equal to 0.978 (perfect correlation).

Employing Personal Reading Logs through Short Stories to Enhance Students’ L2 Reading Comprehension Achievement

This study aims to investigate whether the use of six selected short stories throughout the duration of a 14-week course could enhance students’ reading comprehension achievement at the end of the semester. Out of the six short stories read, three were chosen as in-class assignments known as ‘Personal Reading Logs’ (hereafter, PRLs). One group of semester two Diploma students taking a reading skills course was selected through a convenience sampling method. A pre-test was conducted by having the students answer a past semester reading quiz of which the results would then be compared to their post-test (final reading exam) results. A paired samples t-test revealed no significant difference in the reading scores of the pre-test and the post-test, t (17) = -.265, p > .05. Since the p-value was bigger than 0.05, this indicated that the mean reading score of the post-test (M = 50.556) was not significantly higher than the mean reading score of the pre-test (M = 49.722). Therefore, the null hypothesis which stated that there was no difference in the mean score of the pre-test and post-test was retained. Overall, the result refuted the findings of other studies promoting the effectiveness of using short stories to enhance L2 reading comprehension achievement.

Improving Students’ Reading Skill Through Think-Pair-Share (TPS) Technique

This study aims at investigating how the Think-Pair-Share (TPS) technique can improve the students’ reading skill at the English Language Department, FKIP, Muhammadiyah University of Mataram. The problem found in the fourth-semester students is that they have low ability in comprehending the text. The TPS technique is offered by the researcher to solve the problem. Later on, the design of this research was classroom action research adopted from Kemmis & McTaggart which goes through a cycle that consists of four stages namely planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. At the cycle 1, the students failed to meet the criteria of success because only 14 (fourteen) out of 30 (thirty) or 47% students who got the minimum passing grade 75 (seventy-five) and the average score was 67. It meant that the study must be continued to the next cycle. At last, in the cycle 2 met the criteria of success in which 67% students or 20 (twenty) out of 30 (thirty) students met the minimum passing grade 75 and the average score was 72. Beside gaining improvement in the reading score, the students also seemed enthusiastic in thinking, pairing and sharing their ideas. They stated that this technique could encourage and motivate them in thinking, exploring and sharing their opinion and ideas. This technique is also good to enhance cooperation with other people. Finally, TPS technique also able to increase the students’ confidence to share their ideas in front of many people.

Students’ Reading Ability toward TOEIC Score

This paper presents students’ ability in reading toward TOEIC score. SQ3R method was used to improve LP3I students’ reading score in TOEIC test. In LP3I, students have to reach score 450 minimally as a consideration to conduct their final project and to be a job applicant when they are promoted by LP3I after they graduated from LP3I. The data were taken from students’ pretest and posttest of TOEIC test. Then, the data were analyzed by using Miles and Huberman analysis. SQ3R method was implemented in order to guide students in reading a text by following some steps; survey, question, reading, review and recite. Through giving motivation and keeping practice using SQ3R, students would improve their reading score in TOEIC test.

Improving Students’ Reading Skill Through Think-Pair-Share (TPS) Technique

This study aims to investigate how the Think-Pair-Share (TPS) technique can improve the students’ reading skill at English Language Department, Muhammadiyah University of Mataram. The problem found in the fourth semester students is that they have low ability in comprehending the text. The TPS technique is offered by the researcher to solve the problem. Later on, the design of this research was classroom action research adopted from Kemmis & McTaggart which goes through a cycle that consists of four stages namely planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. At the cycle 1 the students failed to meet the criteria of success because only 14 (fourteen) out of 30 (thirty) or 47% students who got the minimum passing grade 75 (seventy five) and the average score was 67. It meant that the study must be continued to the next cycle. At last, in the cycle 2 met the criteria of success in which 67% students or 20 (twenty) out of 30 (thirty) students met the minimum passing grade 75 and the average score was 72. Besides gaining improvement in the reading score, the students also seemed enthusiastic in thinking, pairing and sharing their ideas. They stated that this technique is able to encourage and motivate them in thinking, exploring and sharing their opinion and ideas. This technique is also good to enhance the cooperation with other people. Finally, TPS technique is also able to increase the students’ confidence to share their ideas in front of many people.

PENGEMBANGAN MULTIMEDIA INTERAKTIF READING PADA TEST OF STANDARD ENGLISH

This research aims to develop interactive multimedia (web-based) to improve students’ Reading score of Test of Standard English (TOSE). This research was conducted at the FITK IAIN Surakarta on Reading class with 30 students. The data for the research were gathered by questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The data analysis used qualitative descriptive method. This study used research and development (R & D) assigning TOSE Students and the lecturer in the program. The stages of R & D devised by Bord & Gall (2003) were implemented in the study, covering exploration and development of prototype. Exploration stages commenced from needs analysis and development of prototype. The development of prototype began with devising reading materials in interactive multimedia. The prototype was evaluated based upon expert judgment. The findings show that the interactive multimedia provide chat room, hyperlinks, TOSE exercises, and interesting materials.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF ESTEEM AND READING ABILITY OF INDONESIAN EFL STUDENTS

The present study is employed to understand the relationship between self esteemand reading ability of Indonesian EFL students. The study was conducted on bothIndonesian male and female graduate students of English department in aPostgraduate school in Bandung. During the research, questionnaire developed byHyde (1979 in Bagheri, et al., 2012) was used as the research instrument to obtainthe score of students‟ self esteem. In addition, the data of reading score werecollected from TOEFL score which has been standardized. Those instrumentswere administered in one session. The data were analyzed by Pearson momentcorrelation to identify the relationship between two variables. The result of thisstudy showed that the null hypothesis of this study is rejected. Sincetheprobability value of students‟ self esteem is lower than the level of significant(.697>0.05). It indicates that there is a correlation between self esteemandstudents‟ reading ability.Keywords: Self-Esteem , reading Ability