English Departement College of Teacher Training and Education (STKIP) PGRI West Sumatera Abstrak

TEACHING READING BY COMBINING SAVE THE LAST WORD FOR ME AND MAKING TEXT CONNECTIONS STRATEGY AT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL Oleh: Torkis Dibimbing oleh : Hevriani Sevrika, M.Pd English Departement College of Teacher Training and Education (STKIP) PGRI West Sumatera Abstrak Bahasa Inggris adalah subjek yang harus dipelajari di Indonesia sejak sekolah dasar sampai perguruan tinggi. Walaupun bahasa Inggris telah dipelajari bertahun-tahun, tapi para siswa masih memiliki kesulitan khususnya dalam reading. Diantara kesulitan itu adalah kesulitan dalam menemukan topik, ide pokok, dan informasi tertentu, kesulitan dalam menghubungkan isi teks dengan pengetahuan mereka, dan pengetahuan yang minim tentang pemahaman isi teks. Oleh karena itu, guru harus bisa menemukan strategi yang menarik dalam proses belajar mengajar sehingga membuat para siswa senang dan tertarik untuk belajar bahasa Inggris dan mampu dalam melakukan aktivitas reading. Makalah ini membahas bagaimana mengajarkan reading dengan menggunakan dua strategi yaitu Save the Last Word for Me dan Making Text Connections. Save the last word for me adalah salah satu strategi yang dapat digunakan untuk mengembangkan kemampuan dalam pemahaman reading siswa. Dalam penerapan strategi ini, para siswa dibimbing untuk memahami sebuah teks, kemudian guru meminta siswa mengomentari pendapat penulis atau mempertanyakan ide penulis. Kemudian siswa tersebut akan mendiskusikan pendapat atau opini degan teman kelompoknya. Dengan begitu, semua siswa dapat memahami isi teks yang telah mereka baca. Making text connection adalah salah satu strategi yang dapat digunakan untuk mengembangkan kemampuan reading. Strategi ini merupakan strategi yang tepat untuk membantu para siswa memahami teks dan dapat mengatasi kesulitan mereka dalam memahami teks bacaan. Strategi ini membimbing siswa untuk memahami teks dengan baik, karena dalam strategi ini, siswa dapat menghubungkan isi teks yang mereka baca dengan diri mereka sendiri, dengan teks yang pernah mereka baca dan dengan hal-hal yang berkaitan dengan dunia luar. Maka dapat disimpulkan bahwa penggabungan dua strategi ini dalam pengajaran reading dapat meningkatkan kemampuan siswa dalam memahami sebuah teks dan menambah kemampuan berfikir siswa. Key words

: Save the Last Word for Me and Making Connection Strategy, Teaching Reading

Introduction Reading is an important skill that is

message, and some points of understanding

taught by an English teacher. By reading,

for

enriching

their

knowledge.

While

the readers can have a lot of information,

reading is a medium for students to get

Keterangan : * Penulis ( Mahasiswa Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris ** Pembimbing (Staf Pengajar Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat

knowledge, it is also useful for adding their

vocabularies, it is caused by the students did

sight

for

not understand what was the text about.

entertaining, for finding good news, even

Second, they got a trouble in defining

ideas in the reading itself. Particularly,

particular information of the texts, such as:

reading can be said as an activity which is

topic, main idea, and other information of

done for getting an understanding of a

the texts. Third, they were not able to

certain passage. By doing reading, the

conclude what did the text talk about, so

students can understand the information in

they could not tell the general information of

their reading text. In other words, reading

the text. In addition, the teacher still applied

also be done to enlarge knowledge about

an old monotonous strategy, such as:

everything for the students. Thus, an English

translation method, in which the students

teacher has responsibility to make the

just

students have good ability in reading

understanding. It made that the students

because it is useful for their knowledge field

were bored in learning reading. Therefore,

and their environment of learning.

the motivation of the students for reading is

of

many

things,

such

as:

In the School – Based Curiculum (SBC)

–

Kurikulum

Tingkat

Pendidikan

curriculum

(2006)

Satuan for

translated

the

text

without

low. There are many strategies which can

the

be combined by the teacher to teach reading,

second grade senior high school, the

first, Save the Last Word for Me strategy.

students should acquire reading activity in

This strategy helps the students to process

classroom to learn about many texts which

an essential understanding of a text and get

have covered in genre of text. It is also

the most important word from the text. The

mentioned that students are demanded to be

second strategy is Probable Passage strategy.

able to improve their reading ability and also

Probable

passage

study about the structure of the texts. Based

learning

reading

on this passage, the students must be able to

discussion, and writing. This strategy has

achieve reading as its function for them.

complete activity to integrate reading into

strategy is through

included prediction,

Unfortunately, when the writer held

writing form. Third, Partner Prediction

practice teaching at a Senior High School,

strategy, this is a strategy which provides

the writer found that the students had some

students to predict the events which might

difficulties in reading. First, they had lack of

be happen in the text with their partner. It


activates students’ creative in thinking in predicting the possible even which may

build meaning.” Also, Seyler (2004:3) says that reading is a process to obtain and

existed in the text before reading the text completely and create their interaction of partnership.

Finally,

Making

Text

Connection strategy, it is a srategy which

construct the meaning or a comprehension based on words existed in the reading text. Then, Linse (2005:69) adds that reading is a

can activate the student’ thought for connecting the information of the text with themselves, another text, and the world. By combining two or more strategies in

set of processes which involves the readers’ skills in creating sense or desire and deriving meaning from printed words. The

teaching reading, the teacher can improve students’ ability in reading. Especially, the combination of two strategies is done for reaching the goal of reading and improving

definition tells us that reading as same with the printed words. In the definiton is talked that reading is a series of activities which is

motivation for reading. done to get meaning from the text. Review of Related Literature In the cases, reading is means as an activity which is done to adopt the information existed in a certain text. According to Wallace (1992:2), “reading refers to an interpretation the meaning of a written text as a form of communication between the readers and the written text itself.”

Beside

that,

Nunan

(2003:68)

proposes that “reading is a fluent process of readers combining information from a text

Teaching Reading In teaching reading, there many important aspects which must be attended. In order to get what we want, teaching reading includes potentially interesting ways to be taught. Nunan (2003:74-75) states that there are some activities which must be done by the teachers for making the students to read in their classrooms. a. The

teacher

explores

the

students’

background knowledge of reading.

and their own background knowledge to


b. The teacher prepare the students to build their vocabularies.

be reached by the teacher in teaching reading. Fisrt, the teacher should make the

c. The teacher helps the students to get the

students are able to read a range of texts in

comprehension of the text which they

English. Second, the teacher should make

read.

the

students

can

adapt

reading

style

d. In reading, the teacher also must help the

according to range of purposes and apply

students to increase the students’ reading

different strategie (e.g. skimming, scanning)

rate.

as appropriate. Third, the teacher has to

e. The teacher makes the students reading by using good strategies. f. The teacher also encourages students to transform strategies into skills.

make the students build the knowedge of the language which will facilitate development of students’ reading ability. Fourth, the teacher must be able to guide the students in

g. The teacher needs to do an assessment

developing awareness of the structure of the

and evaluation in the teaching reading.

text in reading. Finally, the teacher must

h. Finally, the teacher leads the students to

lead the students to take critical stance to the

have continuous improvement in his/her

content of the text.

teaching reading.

Save the Last Word for Me Strategy

Moreover, Linse (2005:71) states

There are some experts who give

that teaching students how to derive as well

definitions of save the last word for me

as analyze and synthesize what they have

strategy. McLaughin and Mary (2002:123)

read is an essential part of the reading

state that save the last word for me is a

process. Furthermore, Hedge (2008:205)

strategy which provides the the structure to

notes that there are some goals which must

discuss the information and ideas in the text;


to make the connections to and evaluations

a. The teacher divides the students to sit in

of the information presented in the text.

some groups. Each group will consist of

Beside that, Crawford et al (2005:99) states

three students.

that Save The Last Word For Me strategy guides the students to make the connection

b. The teacher asks students to read all or part of the text silently.

between a text and another text. After that,

c. The teacher guides the students to use a

Stone (2009:102) also give the definition

piece of paper, then instructs them to

that Save the Last Word for Me strategy is a

state agreement/disagreement with the

strategy in which allows the students for

author and gives them some questions

deeper understanding of the text. Stone also

while they are reading.

adds his idea that the students can get

d. The teacher has the students discuss the

infromation of the text and share it. Then,

text with their group. Each member of the

continuously,

group should select a comment or

Rasinski

and

Padak

in

Brunner (2011:85) also states that Save the

question

Last Word for Me strategy is made to

discussed.

from

the

notecard

to

be

enhance students’ understanding of text

e. The teacher asks the students to react to

material, as well as to foster group

the comment or question by sharing

interaction and problem solving.

opinion or agreement/disagreement about

Procedure of Save the Last Word for Me

the material.

Strategy According to Brunner (2011:85)

f. The teacher asks the students to have “last

word”

by

summarizing

the

states that the procedures of save the last

discussion or by offering his or her own

word for me strategy are:

opinion. It is based on the comment or


agreement/disagreement which they have

The

Procedures

of

Making

Text

to

Keene

and

Connection Strategy

gotten.

According

Making Text Connection Strategy According to Cappellini (2005:67), making text connection is a strategy for students to learn their reading with another reading. Then, Guinning (2010:4) states that making

text

connection

depends

on

Zimmermann (2007:252),

steps should be done by the learners in following making text connection strategy. The steps are : 1.

discuss the connection of text to self,

connection to their own lives. Students make

text

three connections in doing the strategy: text

2.

and

text

to

text

Then, the teacher guides the students to

ask them to state and record these

strategy that provides students with an

connections on whiteboard underneath

understanding of what the students read.

the appropriate column heading: text to

Then, Nettles and Holly (2010:76) explains

self

that making text connections is a strategy

connections,

connections

which personalizes the connection between

and

text text

to

world

to

text

connections.

the readers and their experience. In the

of the strategy to the students.

world,

understand the kinds of connection and

state that making text connection is a

important aspect which delivers the meaning

to

connections.

to text, text to self and text to world.

strategy, the students’ experiences is an

The teacher reads a short text to the class that interests to the students and

students’ comprehension of the text and its

Moreover, Harvey and Anne (2007:133)

mention five

3.

After that, the teacher delivers the second text to the students and asks them to repeat the activities above.


4.

5.

The teacher asks the students to

4. The teacher asks the students to discuss

comprehend the second text and make

the text content with their group. Each

the connection again between the text

member of the group should select a

and themselves, the world, and other

comment or question from the notecard

texts they have read.

to be discussed

When reading and making connection are

completed,

give

students

the

opportunities to discuss the connections which they have made with their classmates.

5. The teacher asks them to response the comment or the question by sharing their opinion or agreement/disagreement 6. The teacher asks the students to share their opinions about the questions or comments then lead them to have “last

Discussion The combination procedures of both

word” by getting the summarize from

strategies are: 1. The teacher divide the students into some groups. The groups will consist of three

opinion. 7. The teacher rereads the text for the

students 2. The teacher asks students to read all or

3. The teacher asks the students to use a piece of paper and leads them to write opinions

and

agreement/disagreement with the author and ask them to make the questions about the text which they read.

students and discuss the connection of the text to self, text to world, and text to text

part of the text silently

their

discussion or by offering his or her own

connections. Write these connections on the appropriate column heading: text to self

connections,

text

to

world

connections and text to text connections. 8. The teacher helps

the

students

to

understand the kinds of connections that


are possible. Then write the connections

do for students to get knowledge, it is also

using the grid.

useful for adding their sight of many things,

9. The teacher gives the students a second

such as: for entertaining, for finding good

the text to be read and make the

news, even ideas in the reading itself.

connections based on it.

Particularly, reading can be said as an

10. Then, the students are asked to read the

activity which is done for getting an

text and make the connections between

understanding

the text and themselves, the world, and

Therefore, in making the improve of

other texts they have read or written.

students’ reading ability the writer combine

11. When the reading is completed, the

save the last word for me and making text

teacher gives students the opportunities to deliver each type of connections. Write it on the board so that all students

of

a

certain

passage.

connection strategy in teaching reading. Thus, the students will be motivated in mastering the process of reading based on steps of combined strategies are given. In

can see the various types of connections their classmates which they have made.

addition, teaching reading by combining save the last word for me and making text connection strategy is the way to get the

Conclusion Reading is very important point to be

successful result for reading. References

learned

in

English

language.

Many

advantages can be gotten by the students

Anete, et al. 2010. Teaching Language Arts to English Language Learners. New York. Routledge.

through reading. The crucial function in reading is to make the student have a lot of information, message, and some point of understanding

for

enriching

their

knowledge. While reading is an activity to

Brunner, Judy Tilton. 2012. Now I get It. New York: Rowman and Littlefield Inc. Cappellini, Mary. 2005. Balancing Reading and Language Learning: A Resource for Teaching English Language Learners K-5. Stenhouse Publishers.


Crawford, Allan, et al. 2005. Teaching and Learning Strategies for the Thinking Classroom. New York: International Debate Assosiation Guinning, Thomas G. 2010. Reading Comprehension Boosters: 100 Lessons for Building Higher-Level Literacy. New York. Jossey-Bass Inc. Harvey, Stephanie and Anne Goudvis. 2007. Strategies that Works: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding Engagement. Stenhouse Publishers. Keene and Zimmermann. 1997. Teaching the Dimensions of Literacy. New York. Jossey-Bass Inc. Kendall, Juli and Outey . 2006. Making Sense: Small-Group Comprehension Lessons for English Language Learners. Stenhouse Publishers.

http://teaching-reading.com. Retrieved on April, 15th 2011. Nettles, Diane and Holly Diehl. 2010. 6 Strategies to Powerful Comprehension Instruction.London: Shell educational publishing Inc. Nunan, David. 2003. Practical English Language Teaching. New York: McGraw Hill Companies Inc. Seyler, Dorothy U. 2004. The Reading Context: Developing College Reading Skill. New York. Pearson Education Inc. Stone, Randi. 2009. Best Practice for Teaching Reading. New York: Congress Cataloging Publications. Wallace, Catherine. 1992. Language Teaching: A Scheme for Teacher Education. New York: Oxford University Press.

Linse, Caroline T. 2005.Practical English Language Teaching: Young Learners. New York: McGrow Hill Companies. MacLaughin, Maureen and Mary Beth Allen. 2002. Guided Comprehension: A Teaching Model for Grades 3-8. New York: Congress Cataloging Inc. Mickulecky, Beatrice S. 2008. Teaching Reading in a Language.


English Departement College of Teacher Training and Education (STKIP) PGRI West Sumatera Abstrak

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