THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TEACHING READING COMPREHENSION BY USING MIND MAPPING TO THE SECOND GRADE STUDENTS AT SMA NEGERI BANGUN JAYA
1. Background
English as the international language has been adapted by almost all countries for compulsory subject at schools. The National Education has decided that English as a foreign language taught in Indonesia schools. It learned stated from primary school up to university. People realize that teaching English at this level become very important and needs much concern. As an English teacher, he or she demands to explore effective technique method and approaches. It can be useful to make the students master English. As we know, there are four basic language skill that the students have to be mastered, they are listening, speaking, reading, and writing. In each of basic language skill need their own appropriate method and approaches. The ability to comprehend English is necessary for people.
Moreover, the learners are needed to acquire English and read many sources of science in English as well. The most problematic case in reading is the reader had still not comprehended the way of good reading. Meanwhile, people find many texts written in English, for example in newspaper, magazine, advertisement, etc. Therefore, the ability to read English text in any form will give a great deal advantages in our life.
Among the four of language skill, the writer emphasize on reading skill because it is believed the acquisition of reading in a second or foreign language is one of priority. Reading is good thing in life because it is a factor of great importance in the individual development and the important activity in school. It is needed in every level of field of study. Particularly, in case when students have to read English material for their own special subject.
Being able to read in English is very important as it know that success in reading is necessary because it is basic tool of education. All of the subject such as Mathematics, Science, Language and other depend on the ability to read. In high school and college, reading ability becomes even more important. Thorough reading we acquire new ideas, obtain needed information, seek support for our ideas and broaden our interest. We can also get the message that writer has expressed. The ability to read helps to distinguish human being from other animal and one of the purposes of teaching English of a foreign language to Indonesian people is that they can read, grasp the idea and understand the book written in English.
If reading came naturally, teaching would be a much easier job. The people would learn to read as readily as they learn to speak. But in fact, reading must be taught and systematically, one small step at a time. That is why good teachers with the good teaching techniques are so important.
Actually, there are many teaching techniques to make easier in teaching and learning process. Here the writer interested in teaching reading by using Mind Mapping because he believed that it can be more effective to make the students master in reading comprehension.
In this study, the writer tries to describe the effectiveness Mind Mapping in teaching reading comprehension. By doing this research, the writer wants to know whether or not teaching reading comprehension by using Mind Mapping are significantly effective.
2. The Problems of the Study
The problems of the study are limited as follows:
1. The subject of this research referred to the second grade students at SMA Negeri Bangun Jaya in academic year of 2010/2011.
2. The technique of this teaching reading comprehension was by using mind mapping.
3. The text was only limited on the Narrative text.
3. The Formulation of the Study
Based on the background above, the formulation can stated in the following question “Is it effective to teach reading comprehension by using mind mapping to the second grade students at SMA Negeri Bangun Jaya in academic year of 2010/2011?”
4. The Objective of the Investigation
Based on the problem above, the objective of this research was to find out whether or not it is effective to use mind mapping in teaching reading comprehension to the second grade students at SMA Negeri Bangun Jaya in the academic year of 2010/2011.
5. The Significance of the Study
The result of this research was expected to contribute something for the development of English teaching and learning process, especially to the students, the teacher of English and writer himself. They are as follows:
1. The students can develop their reading comprehension by using mind mapping.
2. The teacher of English will get valuable information of the effectiveness of teaching reading comprehension by using Mind Mapping.
3. The writer will get more knowledge and experience in doing this research, especially about teaching reading comprehension by using mind mapping.
6. Hypothesis
According to Hornby (2000:616), a hypothesis is something that assumed to be true for the sake of argument or as a starting point for an enquiring, although its truth has not been proved.
In this study, the writer purposes two hypotheses namely null hypothesis (Ho) and alternative hypothesis (Ha). The hypotheses are formulated as follows:
1. The null hypothesis (Ho) is stated that it is not significantly effective to teach reading comprehension by using mind mapping at SMA Negeri Bangun Jaya in academic year 2010/2011.
2. The alternative hypothesis (Ha) is stated that it is significantly effective to teach reading comprehension by using mind mapping at SMA Negeri Bangun Jaya in academic year 2010/2011.
7. The Criteria for Testing the Hypotheses
The hypotheses will be tested based on the empirical data. For testing the hypotheses, the writer will use the t-table (t-table). Since the significance level is 95% (0.05) for two-tailed testing with df = 39, the tcritical value in the t-table is 1.68 (See hatch and Farhandy, 1982:272).
Based on the number of the students as the sample and the level of significance, the critical values of this research are as follow:
a) If the t-obtained is less than 1.67, the null hypothesis is accepted.
b) If the t-obtained equals or exceeds 1.67, the null hypothesis is rejected and consequently, the alternative hypothesis is accepted.
8. Theoretical Framework
In the related theories, the writer will present (1) the concept of teaching, (2) the concept of reading, (3) the concept of reading comprehension, (4) the concept of teaching reading comprehension, (5) the concept mind mapping, (6) the benefit of mind mapping, (7) the process to make mind mapping, (8) teaching reading comprehension by using mind mapping, (9) related previous study.
8.1 The Concept of Teaching
Teaching is a profession that conducted by using combination of art, science, and skill. It is an art because it relies on the teacher’s creative of provision of the best possible learning environment and activities for himself.
According to Page (2002:1-2) teaching is relationship between teacher and learner. The learner gets the benefit of the learning, while the teacher gets credit for the teaching. Teaching is what we are. What we learn is what we experience. Teaching is introducing, providing and mediating experiences. Teaching is helping students make sense out of their experiences and helping them to harmonize, analyze, synthesize, discuss, compare, contrast, and discover personal meaning in the experiences. Teaching is also a communication procedure. It is our responsibility to communicate history to our history students.
8.2 The Concept of Reading
According to Rubin (1993:5), reading is a complex, dynamic process that involves the bringing of meaning and the getting of meaning from the printed page. Cooper et.al. (1988:27) states that reading is a process of constructing or developing meaning from printed text that is formed by two basic components, decoding and comprehension. Richard (1986:239) states that reading is the process of getting and understanding the meaning of some words from the text.
So, reading means not only the ability to pronounce the words but also understands and remembers about the writer message and able to decode words and their meaning when he or she reads.
8.3 The Concept of Reading Comprehension
Effective reading comprehension is the culmination of mastering vocabulary, phonics, fluency, and reading comprehension skills. Person having good comprehension skills is considered as active reader, with and ability to interact with the words by understanding its complete meaning and the concept behind it. Thus skill of reading comprehension distinguishes an active reader from a passive reader who just read the text without getting its meaning (Pakhare, 2010:1). Meanwhile, Hornby (1985:967) states that reading is to look at and understand the meaning of written or printed words or symbols.
According to Pakhare (2010:1) reading comprehension teaching aims at-
1. To let better grasping of the context sequence and the characters narrated in text.
2. Certain parts of the text can confuse readers. Reading comprehension skills works on this aspect to get the clear idea of the meaning of the text.
3. Helps to create the questionnaire based on the text about its theme or idea. It often helps in better understanding of the said paragraph.
4. Experiences and predict the next probable event in the course based on the information given in the narration.
8.4 The Concept of Teaching Reading Comprehension
Pilgrim (2010:1-2) explains some tips on teaching reading comprehension, they are:
1. Develop Vocabulary Powers
Without knowing what words mean, comprehension is impossible. So, we must focus on developing the word power of children. Teaching students to look for word meanings in the dictionary is important. A good practice is, to make children underline words, that they do not understand in the first reading and then discus them in class.
2. Do not Proceed Without Understanding
One good rule to follow in class is teaching children not to continue reading without understanding. Every sentence must be understood before they go for the next one. Make students feel free to ask their doubts if they do not understand.
3. Grasping the Heart of the Matter
Teach them how reading is made simpler when you understand the heart of the matter or the central idea of a passage. That way, they can easily connect and understand what binds all the sentences together and what is really being talked about.
4. Using Contextual Clues
One thing to teach students is that reading is a lot like detective work. You need to figure out the meanings of sentences through the context in which they are used. Teach them to question every line until the meaning is made clear, relevant to the context. It is all a matter of practice.
5. Visualizing What is Written
One of the simplest ways of mastering reading comprehension is visualizing what you read. Encourage students to visualize what they are reading. Especially, when you have given a story reading assignment, encourage children to visualize as they read. It is all about teaching reading strategies that help them to look beyond those black words printed on white and see the thoughts, images and ideas they represent.
8.5 The Concept of Mind Mapping
Tony Buzan, the originator of the technique, describes Mind mapping as a radiant, hierarchical thinking technique. By this he means that Mind Maps are built up by starting at the centre and radiating out to successive levels of detail.
Mind mapping is a thinking technique. “It is great for note making – exploring your own thoughts, planning, organizing, thinking creatively, making associations and gaining insights - and for note-taking – recording information in meetings, discussion, lectures etc. or summarizing books and other written material”. (Buzan, Tony. 2010:12).
8.6 The Benefits of Using Mind Mapping
Hernowo (2004:121), there are many benefits gained by recording using a mind map.
The first is the Mind Map to increase the awareness of the way:
a) Seeing the big picture of a problem as well as see detailed information.
b) Given the complex information more easily such information has been grouped according to how someone considering including its relationship with the same or different subjects.
c) Overcoming the information that has been booming since arranged and grouped in such a way. Mentally it also makes a person more organized and coherent in understanding a problem.
Second Mind Map also increase a person's ability to imagine, remember, concentrate, take notes, increase the interest and able to resolve the issue. This is achieved because the Mind Map teaches to see the issue as a whole and see its relations to one another. This is the most difficult in conventional records. Not only that, with this note, the learning management become easier. New information can be added, connected, and at any time associated with pre-existing information.
Third benefit of the Mind Map is to stimulate one's creative side through the use of curved lines, colors and images. This made a note at once into a beautiful work of art. Mentally we will make it easier to remember. Mind Map will stimulate the ability to compare the existing information in the form of fact, the idea of including statistical data.
The Forth Benefit of Mind Map is to help someone make an interesting record in a short time. In addition, the record is able to open a good understanding and the creative side to stimulate the emergence of new ideas and new insights, even when making the record itself. Mind maps can also explain the objectives, plans, ideas, and thoughts in a clear and structured.
8.7 The Process to Make Mind Mapping
Buzan, Tony (2010:15-16), explains the seven laws of mind mapping.
1. Start in the centre of landscape page.
Because starting from middle can give our brain to disseminate to all direction and to lay open free itself with interest natural.
2. Use an image or picture for your central idea.
A picture has a meaning of a thousand word and assist we use imagination. A central picture will be more draw, making we remain to focus, assisting we is have concentration, and activate our brain.
3. Use color throughout.
Color make mind mapping more vivid, adding energy to creative idea, and pleasant.
4. Connect mind branches to the central image.
5. Make braches curve and flow
6. Use just one key word per-line and notice how the words are the same length as the lines.
7. Use image throughout. How the images make the mind map more interesting and therefore memorable.
8.8 Teaching Reading Comprehension by Using Mind Mapping
There are some steps in teaching reading by using mind mapping. The steps are as follows:
1. The teacher prepares the material of reading text and a paper.
2. Divides the material reading text and a paper into the students.
3. Pass away to the students read the material reading text and make mind mapping like the steps above.
ü Read the material reading text
ü Take a paper and arrange a mind mapping
4. Commands to the students compile the material reading text.
5. Asks to the students are going in front of class one by one, and retell what about they have had the material reading text by using a paper of mind mapping.
6. Checking the students’ retell.
8.7 Related Previous Study
The writer found a journal and a thesis which is supposed relevant to this topic he is going to investigate. The journal was written by Douglas Fisher. He or she is a teacher at San Diego State University, California, USA; e-mail dfisher@mail.sdsu.edu. in 2010 International Reading Association. The thesis was written by Khusniah, the student of English Education Study Program at the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education of STKIP PGRI Lubuklinggau in 2009. The title of her thesis is “Teaching Reading Comprehension Through Discussing the Scramble Paragraphs to the First Grade Students of SMA Negeri 2 Lubukliggau”.
The writer found the similarity and the differences among the topics he is going to investigate and the topics of relevant journal and thesis. The similarities to the Douglas’ topic are booth the topic is investigating about mind mapping in reading comprehension. The similarities to the Khusniah’s thesis are both the topic is investigating about reading comprehension. On the other hand, the differences among the relevant journal and thesis and writer’s topic are: first, the relevant journal investigated text mapping plus improving comprehension through supported retelling; the writer will investigate the effectiveness in teaching reading comprehension by using mind mapping. The second, the relevant thesis investigated teaching reading comprehension thorough discussing of scramble paragraphs to the first grade students of SMA Negeri 2 Lubuklinggau; the writer will investigate the effectiveness teaching reading comprehension by using mind mapping at SMA Negeri Bangun Jaya. The third, the relevant thesis used a true experimental through the randomized pretest-posttest control group design, the writer will use a quasi-experimental method with one-group pretest-posttest.
The result of her test were analyzed by using the matched t-test . She found that the result of matched t-test was 2.021. it exceeded the t-critical value (1.67). Based on the result of her data analysis, she found that students’ reading comprehension was satisfied because the t-obtained is higher than t-table. It means that is significantly effective to teach reading comprehension through discussion of scramble paragraphs to the first grade students of SMA Negeri 2 Lubuklinggau.
9. Research Procedure
In this part the writer will present: (1) the operational definitions, (2) method of research, (3) research variables, (4) population and sample, (5) technique for collecting data, (6) technique for analyzing the data.
9.1 The Operational definitions
To avoid misunderstanding about this topic, it is important to define several terms used in this study. They are will describe as follow points:
1. Teaching
Teaching is activity that is implemented by the teacher in giving or transferring the knowledge to the students. Where in this activity there is a teacher and students interaction. Teaching in this study refers to teaching reading comprehension through Mind Mapping.
2. Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension is a process of understanding the written text in order to know the contents of it. Reading comprehension in this study refers to narrative text.
3. Mind Mapping
Mind mapping is one of techniques that can be used for teaching. In this study, Mind Mapping is used in teaching reading comprehension of narrative text.
9.2 Method of Research
The method in this investigation the writer will use a quasi-experimental method with one-group pretest-posttest. Dealing with this method, isac and Michael (1980:14) state that a quasi-experimental method is do to approximate the condition of all relevant variables and involved in the experiment.
The diagram of this design is as follows; ( See Hatch and Farhady, 1982:164 ).
T1 x T2
| Group | Pre- Test | Treatment | Post- Test |
| Experiment | T1 | X | T2 |
Where:
T1 : Pre- Test
X : Treatment
T2 : Post- Test
The steps which will be taken in doing this experiment research are as follows:
1. Surveying the related literature;
2. Identifying the research problems;
3. Formulating research hypothesis;
4. Constructing the experiments plan;
5. Giving the Pre- Test for a group of experimental;
6. Treat the experimental group with a special method;
7. Collecting the data by giving the Pos- Test for a group of experimental;
8. Writing the research report.
9.3 Research Variables
There are two research variables in this study, independent var
9.4 Population and Sample
In this section, the writer will describe (1) population and (2) sample, as follows:
9.4.1 Population
Arikunto (1997:102) said that population is the whole subject research. Maurice, et.al. (1987:110) stated that population was the entire set of individuals, items or score from which a sample is drawn.
In this study, the population will be all the second grade at SMA Negeri Bangun Jaya in academic year 2010/2011.
The population of the investigation is described in the following table.
TABLE 1
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
| No | Class | Students |
| 1 2 3 | XI I.A XI I.S.1 XI I.S.2 | 37 32 32 |
| Total | 101 | |
(Source: SMA Negeri Bangun Jaya in the academic year 2010/2011)
9.4.2 Sample
Richards, et.al. (1992:245) state that the sample is any group of individual which is selected to represent a population. Sample is a part of representative of population investigated (2002:109). For this investigation the writer will use the statement by Arikunto (1997:109) if the subjects are more than one hundred, it is not better to take all of them.
From the explanation above the writer will take one case as the sample of this investigation. The writer will use the cluster random sampling to choose the sample. It will be done by writing the names of three classes from the second grade students at SMA Negeri Bangun Jaya in the small pieces of paper and then put them in the glass then mixed. Based on this technique, the writer got the students of the class XI I.S 1 as the experimental group consisting of 32 Students.
9.5 Technique for Collecting the Data
9.5.1 Test
The data are collected by giving the students a test. There are two kinds of test, they are pre- test and post- test. The best used to know the students ability in reading comprehension. According to Hornby (1995:1233), a test is a short examination of knowledge or ability, consisting of question that must be answer or activities that must be carried out.
The test that is used in this research is an objective test and the writer will used one type of objective test, which is multiple choice. Multiple choice can be scored objectively and can measure learning out come directly. The test consist…………….
9.5.2 Validity
According to Richards, et.al. (1985: 304), validity means the degree to which a test measure what is supposed to which is intended. According to Isaac and Michael (1985:120). There are three aspect of validity corresponding to the three aims of testing may be content validity, criterion-related validity and construct validity.
In this study, the writer will use content validity. To make the test material having high degree of content validity, the writer consulted it to the curriculum or syllabus of SMA Negeri Bangun Jaya and also consulted them to his two thesis advisor in constructing them. By doing this, the writer hopes that the test materials really measure the students’ mastery in reading.
9.5.3 Reliability
The reliability of the test material is evaluate thorough internal consistency reliability, it is measure to which the items or part of a test homogenous or consistent with each other (Richards, et. Al. 1991:146).
To find out the reliability of the test, the writer will hold the try out test at SMA Negeri…………… In this case, the will take the students from class……. To know the reliability of the test items, the writer will use Kuder Richardson 21 (KR-21) formula:
KR-21 = 
Vt = 
Where: KR-21 = Reliability Coefficient
K = Number of item in the test
M = Means of Test Score (Average Number of the students’ answer)
Vt = Total Variant
t = Constant Numbers
SX = Students’ Total Score
N = Total Student Number
(see Arikunto 2002:164)
9.6.3 Matched t-test
The writer will calculate the mean of score from pre-test and post-test in experimental group
10. Tentative Schedule
Preparation
- Library research Nov 2010
- Stating the problems Dec 2010
- Making the design January 2011
- Having Seminar April 2011
Data Collection
- Pre-test and Pos-test May 2011
Analyzing the Data June 2011
Writing the Thesis
- Writing the thesis draft chapter by chapter July 2011
- Consulting the draft with advisor chapter by chapter July 2011
- Having thesis seminar August 2011
- Reproduction August 2011
11. Tentative Organizing of the Thesis
Tentative, the organizing of the thesis will consist of:
Chapter I : Introduction
