STUDENTS’ CONSTRAINTS IN READING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT AT MTs USWATUN HASANAH

The aim of the research was to investigate the constraints and ability in Reading comprehension. This research was qualitative research. The subjects were 20 students of Class VII A of MTs Uswatun Hasanah, and they were divided into two groups based on their score. The students getting score above the standard score were grouped in group A; and those getting score under the standard score were in group B. To gain the data, the study employed the Reading test and as the instruments. The data were analyzed by using descriptive analysis. The finding revealed that there was only one student getting high score (above the standard score), while 19 students got low score (under the standard score). Furthermore, the Reading comprehension ability between the students of group A and B was not significantly different and their constraints were relatively similar.Keywords: constraints, descriptive text, reading comprehension

Hidden Reading Difficulties: Identifying Children Who Are Poor Comprehenders

Poor comprehenders are a significant subgroup of poor readers who, due to their ability to read aloud accurately, are often difficult to identify. This study aimed to determine whether assessment using two oral language tasks, mapped onto the two components of the Simple View of Reading, would provide an efficient approach to identification. Children ( N = 218) from School Years 3 to 6 (aged 7; 8–12; 1) attending two schools in Australia were assessed, and 45 identified as potential poor comprehenders, based on a profile of average phonological awareness but poor listening comprehension. Subsequent assessment of decoding and text reading comprehension confirmed 24 of these children to be poor comprehenders, consistent with reported prevalence rates. Five of these children were judged to be weak readers by their classroom teacher. The oral tasks alone overidentified this group; however, the findings suggest that using the tasks as an initial phase, followed up with a reading assessment, could be effective in identifying poor comprehenders, and reduce time spent in testing as this would only involve at-risk children.

The EFFECT OF USING 3-2-1 STRATEGY ON STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION ACHIEVEMENT

Reading needs comprehension to form understanding or meaning of the information provided in the reading text. Reading comprehension is influenced by some various aspects. This research focused on the use of reading strategy as one of many aspects that affect reading comprehension. The 3-2-1 strategy was determined to be investigated its effectiveness when employed in reading comprehension especially on narrative text. This research aimed at investigating the effect of using 3-2-1 strategy students’ reading comprehension achievement. The design of this research was quasi-experimental research. The participants were the eighth grade students of junior high school. The result in the form of post-test scores was analyzed by using Independence sample t-test in SPSS computing system. Based on the calculation of the data analysis, the significant value was 0.046 which was less than 0.05 (p<0.05). The result indicated that there was a significant difference. Therefore, it can be concluded that the 3-2-1 strategy gave a significant effect on the students’ reading comprehension achievement.

Analysis of Students' English Reading Comprehension through KWL (Know-Want-Learn) Learning Strategies

This research aims to know the reading comprehension of students through KWL learning strategies. The research is descriptive research survey. The subject of research is the student of Mathematics Education Program who learned English. A sample of this research used sampling Simple Random Sampling (n = 40). Data collection is done by carrying out a test of reading using the test, after the students being treated by KWL learning strategies. Analysis of research data using descriptive statistical techniques. The results showed that on the item reserved text reading comprehension there is 75% of the students who were able to resolve the matter at this stage determine the topic, 62.5% of the students were only able to resolve the matter at this stage determine the word citation and 67.5% of students were able to determine at the conclusion of the recitation and 50% specify detail information. It can be concluded that the KWL strategy is able to improve students reading comprehension. Key Words: Know-Want-Learn Learning Strategies, Reading Comprehension, English.

Preserving Local Culture through Digital Comics

Digital environment offers teachers and students with a plethora of information and resources for learning. Nowadays, students who are mostly digital natives are used to utilizing technology in their daily life. This condition should make teachers as technology leaders responsible to provide a good learning environment where the students are involved in their own learning and that best suits to them in in a particular context. Therefore, this study aimed at developing local culture based digital comics for narrative reading comprehension and inserting local culture of Banyuwangi in English language teaching. This study followed the research and development design adapting the pattern developed by Borg and Gall. Based on the result of need analysis administered to students in class VIII of SMPN 1 Kalipuro, Banyuwangi, the product was developed by inserting local culture content into narrative texts in the form of digital comics. The digital comics had two titles: The Dance Competition and The Legend of Banyuwangi. The product was validated by the experts and tried out to the students. The result showed that the local culture based digital comics were applicable to be used in the teaching and learning narrative text reading comprehension.