Improving Students' Reading Comprehension by Using Problem-Based Learning Strategy
Improving Students' Reading Comprehension by Using Problem-Based Learning Strategy
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Universitas Muhammadiyah Riau
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Abstrak
This study explores an improving students’ reading comprehension by using problem-based
learning strategy by formulating quasi-experimental design of Darma Yudha Junior High
School. Reading is one of subject that some of Indonesia students faced many difficulties to
understand for some reasons. The strategy selection has an important role to create the
expectation of the teachers that can be answered by the implementation of creative method,
interested materials or enjoyable learning process. Problem-based learning (PBL) is one of
strategy of expressing ideas to experience real life context to build critical thinking and problem
solving skill. In problem-based learning, students work in collaborative groups to identify what
they need to learn in order to solve a problem. The goals of problem-based learning include
helping students develop; 1) flexible knowledge, 2) effective problem-solving skills, 3) effective
collaboration skills, 4) life-wide learning and 5) intrinsic motivation. In other hand; PBL is well
suited to helping students become active learners because it situates learning in real-world
problems and makes students responsible for their learning. Based on the result of research, it
is found that PBL is one of instructional strategy that offers potentials help to improve students’
reading comprehension and motivation.
Keywords: reading comprehension, problem-based learning, and motivation.
1. INTRODUCTION
Reading is one of the most important language skills that should be developed inside
and outside the classroom. It is also one of the most common ways to get information.
Generally, there are two skills in Language learning, namely the receptive skill and productive
skill. Receptive skill is the ability to listen and read, while productive skill is the ability to speak
and write. Reading is a receptive skill in which the students are introduced and exposed to the
written text.
Based on the definition above, it can be inferred that reading is a skill that presents the
writer’s idea related to the management reading text content itself. Besides, readers must have
good interaction with the passage and also the method to understand the text. The aim of
teaching reading is to make the students able to read the English texts effectively and efficiently.
They do not only have to understand the structure of the texts explicitly but also comprehend the
meaning of text implicitly.
Since English is not our first language, many students still face difficulties in gathering
and comprehending the ideas of reading passages. They do not understand how to obtain the
specific and general information of reading texts. In fact, one of the aims of reading is to get the
factual information from the served reading texts.
Good reading comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading instruction. At the seventh
grade of Junior High School, reading comprehension is the primary focus of reading instruction.
136 Journal of Education Informatic Technology and Science (JeITS) , Volume 1, Nomor 1, 2019:125-136
Literature Review
1. Reading
Generally, there are two skills in Language learning, namely the receptive skill
and productive skill. Receptive skill is the ability to listen and read, while productive
skill is the ability to speak and write. Reading is a receptive skill in which the students
are introduced and exposed to the written text.
According to Worther (1992: 3), reading is process and has meaning to the reader.
There is an interaction between the reader and the text. This process involves the
intentional thinking, problem solving and getting the information by the reader. This
process will bear the concept of reading comprehension. Therefore, reading
comprehension only happens if the reader can adapt the purpose, solve the problem and
get the information clearly from the text.
2. Purpose of Reading
Grabe (2009:8) also indicated several purposes of reading namely reading to
search information, reading for quick understanding, reading to learn, reading to
integrate information, reading to evaluate, critique and use information, and reading for
general comprehension (in many cases, reading for interest or reading to entertain).
The example of reading for pleasure is people read comic or novel to refresh their
mind, and the example of reading for pleasure is people read a road sign to know where
to go or read the manual because they need to know how to operate it. In addition,
Rivers and Temperley in Nunan (1989:33-34) said that the learners read for several
purposes, such as: (1) To obtain information for some purpose or because we are
curious about some topics, (2) To obtain instructions on how to perform some tasks for
our work or dialy life (e.g. knowing how an appliance works), (3) To act in a play, play
a game, do a puzzle, (4) To keep in touch with friends by correspondence or to
understand business letters, (5) To know when or where something will take place or
what is available, (6) To know what is happening or has happened (as reported in
newspapers, magazines, reports). (7) For enjoyment or excitement.
In short, when a reader is engaged in reading activity for several purposes; those
purposes also lead the reader to gain the important purpose of reading; comprehension.
3. Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension is one of the skills that must be developed at school. This
is because the reading comprehension has become something important for students
because students’ success depends on their ability to read. If students’ reading
comprehension is lacking, it is possible to fail in learning or at least students will have
difficulty in making progress. On the other hand, if the student has the ability to read
136 Journal of Education Informatic Technology and Science (JeITS) , Volume 1, Nomor 1, 2019:125-136
with a good understanding, they would have a better chance to succeed in learning. The
explanation below discussed several components of reading comprehension.
a. Definition of Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension is the main purpose of reading activity. All readers
certainly intend to have connection to the material that they read. Presley (2012:140)
states that the development of comprehension skills is a long term developmental
process which depends on language and text experiences from early stage of life.
Learning how to decode and learning how to abstract the meanings of vocabulary words
are commonly encountered in texts.
In reading comprehension, the readers are encouranged in understanding the
written materials so their lexical knowledge is a crucial aspect. Besides, Tankersley
stated that reading comprehension is the process of simultaneously extracting and
constructing meaning through interaction and involvement with written language. In
brief, the interaction between the readers and written materials depends on how they can
illustrate the meaning of words in reading.
Having many vocabularies, prior knowledge about the reading text and students’
thinking hold a big influence to students comprehenion. They need to master it to
maximize their ability in comprehending the written information. Dorn and Soffos
(2005:14) state that comprehending involves interpreting and syntetizing ideas in ways
that influence the reader’s mind. A good reader will integrate four types of knowledges
to expand their reading comprehension. They are: Generic knowledge - this is the
reader’s background information. It is cognitive information that the reader activates to
construct meaning from the text. Text knowledge - Text knowledge relates to the precise
message of the text including the content knowledge, vocabulary meanings and text
structures. Strategic knowledge - Strategic knowledge is the readers’ knowledge of
specific strategies for problem solving, including cognitive strategy for sustaining and
expanding the meaning of a text. Reflective knowledge - Reflective knowledge is the
mind’s ability to think abstractly. It involves thingking beyond the text.
Based on the explanation above, the writer then states that when the reading
comprehension appears, there is a connection between the reader and the reading
material, because the readers will connect their background knowledge and the new
information from the text. Reading comprehension can also be called as a complex
cognitive process for every reader.
b. Influencing Factors of Reading Comprehension
Because reading comprehension is a complex process, developing this skill is
influenced by several factors. Simply stated, reading comprehension is influenced by
readers’ motivation, knowledge, cognitive abilities, and experience. According to
Tankersley (2005:108-109), reading comprehension is influenced by four main factors;
(1) Command on the linguistic structure of the text, (2) Adequate vocabulary in content
area, (3) Degree of metacognitive control of the text, and (4) Adequate domain
knowledge.
Comprehension problems can be caused by a variety of different factors,
including those intrinsic to the individual and others related to insufficient instruction or
to innappropriate materials, Westwood (2012: 33). He mentions that there are eight
factors that may influence the comprehension, such as; (1) Limited of vocabulary
knowledge, (2) Lack of fluency, (3) Lack of familiarity with the subject matter, (4)
Difficulty level of the text (readability), (5) Inadequate use of ef fective reading
Syahfutra, Improving Students’ Reading Comprehension by Using Problem-based Learning.. 135
strategies, (6) Weak verbal reasoning, (7) Problems with processing information, and
(8) Problems in recalling information after reading.
In conclusion, reading comprehension is generally influenced by the readers’
linguistic structure, vocabulary, metacognitive, and knowledge. By improving these
factors, the readers can diminish the problems through their individual factors in reading
such as, lack of vocabulary, fluency and familiarity of subject, and weaknesses in verbal
reasoning, processing information and recalling information.
c. Ways of Improving Reading Comprehension
Reading is a way for someone to connect the words, thoughts and ideas on a page
to what the reader already knows. If the reader does not know anything about the
subject, then reading itself becomes more challenging and often the reader does not get
as much of the text. Consequently, the reader needs to determine the way how they
read the text to maximize their comprehension. According to Grellet (1981:4), there are
four main ways of reading. They are as follows:
Skimming : Quick running one’s eyes over a text to get the gist of it
Scanning : Quickly going through a text to find a particular piece of
information.
Extensive
Reading : Reading longer text, usually for one’s own pleasure. This is a
fluency activity, mainly involving global understanding.
Intensive reading : Reading shorter text, to extract specific information. This is
more an accuracy activity involving reading for details.
In conclusion, skimming, scanning, extensive reading and intensive reading can
be used to read a text to get comprehension. the readers can choose one of them depend
on how deep the comprehension that the readers need.
Seng (2004: 9), states that PBL approaches in a curriculum usually includes the
following characteristics:
3. The problem calls for multiple perspectives. The use of cross disciplinary
knowledge is a key feature in many PBL curricula. In any case, PBL
encourages the solution of the problem by making use of knowledge from
various subjects and topics.
4. The problem challenges students’ current knowledge, attitudes, and
competencies, thus calling for identification of learning needs and new areas
of learning.
5. Self-directed learning is primary. Thus, students assume major responsibility
for the acquisition of information and knowledge.
6. Harnessing of a variety of knowledge sources and the use and evaluation of
information resources are essential PBL processes.
7. Learning is collaborative, communicative, and cooperative. The students
work in small groups with a high level of interaction for peer learning, peer
teaching, and group presentations.
8. Development of inquiry and problem-solving skills is as important as content
knowledge acquisition for the solution of the problem. The PBL tutor thus
facilitates and coaches through questioning and cognitive coaching.
9. Closure in the PBL process includes synthesis and integration of learning.
10. PBL also concludes with an evaluation and review of the learner’s
experience and the learning process.
11. The goals of PBL include content learning, acquisition of process skills and
problem-solving skills, and life-wide learning.
5. Students Motivation
The word motivation derives from the Latin movere, “to move”. To a great extent,
movement – physical activity as well as mental and social activity – defines the active
process of writing. Motivation is one of the keys of success in learning because
motivation is a factor that encourages the learners taking action and being active in
learning process.
Reading motivation is one’s own purpose, idea and desire related to the title,
action and the results of the reading Guthrie and friends (2006). The students must have
difficulties to read in a foreign language if they have low motivation because motivation
is a significant factor in language learning.
Motivated reader is not only about students who are having fun while reading.
what is meant by motivation are values, beliefs and behaviour while reading for every
individual. When talking about motivation in reading, it refers to 3 aspects: (1) Interest,
(2) Dedication and (3) Confidence (Cambria and Guthrie: 2010). An interested student
reads because he enjoys it; a dedicated student reads because he believes it is important;
an confident student reads because he can do it. In conclusion, reading motivation is a
very important aspect in learning reading to reach achievement. Thus, every reader
should have and know every aspect of reading motivation in order to develop his
reading skill and get better achievement in learning.
Syahfutra, Improving Students’ Reading Comprehension by Using Problem-based Learning.. 135
Kinds of Motivations
mechanism that gives the students courage, energy, and attention in learning. An
extrinsically motivated student studies and learns for other reasons.
Reading motivation is one of the most important factors. It receives the special
focus in foreign language teaching especially on the four skills of listening, speaking,
reading, and writing. Reading motivation is one’s own purpose, idea and desire related
to the title, action and the results of the reading, Guthrie and Friends (2006). It is
regarded as the most vital and necessary for learners in both a classroom context and an
extracurricular environment. Motivation for students is always a main element that
affects their reading comprehension. So, reading motivation is vital to the learners’
ability to read and comprehend texts purposefully are crucial for the students.
2. RESEARCH METHOD
The design of this research is an experimental research. Gay and Airasian (2000:367)
argued that experimental research is the type of research that can test hypotheses to establish
cause-and effect relationships. The design of this research is a quasi-experimental design which
is focused on the non-equivalent control group. In conducting the research, 2 classes of the
second year students were involved. The first class was an experimental class and the second
class was a control class. The experimental class was a class that was taught by using Problem-
based Learning Strategy, meanwhile the control class was a class that was not taught by using
Problem-based Learning Strategy. In this research, there were three variables; the independent
variable (X) was the using of problem-based learning strategy and the dependent variable (Y)
were the students’ reading comprehension and motivation. This research design can be seen as
follows:
O1 X O2 (Experimental Class)
--------------------------
O3 O4 (Control Class)
In which:
O1 and O3 = Pre-test
O2 and O4 = Post-test
X = Treatment by using Problem-based Learning Strategy
The results of the reading assessments show that of all the five aspects, finding factual
information and identifying main idea were the most significant aspects improved. The
improvement of the students’ reading aspects was indicated by the increase of the number of the
students to the highest criteria of both aspects (see Table 1 above).
Before given PBL treatments, some of the students were quite hard to comprehend what
the teacher said in English. After the treatments, most of them were able to comprehend it. It is
proved by the increase of the number of the students in F5. Initially in the Pre-test, of 20
students, only 9 who appear to understand everything without difficulty (F5). After the
treatments, in Post-test 2 it becomes 14 students.
As for vocabulary aspect, the students’ vocabulary is also improved quite significantly. It
was proven by the increase of the number of the students in the highest criteria of vocabulary
aspect. Initially, only 3 students understand reading text with quite accurate dictions (V5). After
PBL treatments, it becomes 9 students.
The other aspects identifying reference and inference are also improved. However,
compared with comprehension and vocabulary aspects, they seemed to improve less
significantly.
4. CONCLUSION
By using PBL strategy can make the students easily predict and delimit the topic
discussed or informed in the text after they read and answer the questions.Through problem-
based learning students learn to become partners in the teaching/learning process where they
accept responsibility for much of their learning, work successfully as a team member, deal with
new and changing situations and develop lifelong learning skills. Problem-based learning then,
can help students think critically, analyze and solve real world problems that will better prepare
them for careers outside the classroom.
The finding of this research indicated that there was significant effect of using PBL
strategy on students’ reading comprehension and motivation. Based on this finding, the
implication for the teachers as model and connector and facilitator in educate students in school,
beside the teacher transfer the knowledge of English and teaching and learning process, it can be
additional guideline for the teachers in teaching. Then the teachers should pay attention more
toward students’ reading comprehension and motivation in learning English. In this case, the
teacher should be equipped with a lot of strategies or technique in teaching and learning process
so that the students’ motivation can be increased and will give effect toward students’ successful
in learning and also give effect toward teachers in teaching. It also gives additional knowledge
for the students and teachers that with high motivation, students have more power and spirit in
applying language learning strategy.
Syahfutra, Improving Students’ Reading Comprehension by Using Problem-based Learning.. 135
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136 Journal of Education Informatic Technology and Science (JeITS) , Volume 1, Nomor 1, 2019:125-136