Improving students? reading skill by using jigsaw technique (A Collaborative Action Research Conducted to the First Grade Students of MA PPMI Assalaam Sukoharjo in the Academic Year of 2010/2011)

Oleh :
Sri Wachyuningsih - K2207043 - Fak. KIP

This study aims to identify: (1) whether or not teaching reading by using jigsaw technique can improve students? reading skill and (2) the class situation when jigsaw technique is applied during the teaching-learning process. In the research, the writer conducted a collaborative classroom action research from February 20th to May 1st, 2011 in the First Grade Students of MA PPMI Assalaam Sukoharjo. The writer conducted one cycle of action research and the cycle consisted of a series of steps, namely: planning the action, implementing the action, observing the action, and reflecting the observation result. The data of the research were collected by using some techniques including observation, interview, documents, and tests. Then, the qualitative data were analyzed by assembling the data, coding the data, comparing the data, building interpretations, reporting the outcomes. The quantitative data were analyzed by descriptive statistics to calculate the indicator achievement score and the mean score of pretest and post test. To identify whether or not teaching reading by using jigsaw technique can improve students? reading skill and to describe the situation when jigsaw technique is applied during the teaching-learning process, the research findings show that: (1) teaching reading by using jigsaw technique can improve some aspects of students? reading skill: (a) there is mean score improvement of some indicators after the action was implemented. The indicators are identifying the topic of the text, identifying the main idea of paragraphs in the text, identifying communicative purpose of the text, identifying certain information of the text, and identifying the meaning of certain words in the text. (b) There is two indicators score which is above the passing grade. The passing grade is 70. The indicators are identifying the topic of the text, and identifying communicative purpose of the text. (2) The students still lack of skill of inferring sentences meaning in the texts. It can be seen from some indicators score which is under the passing grade. The indicators are: identifying the main idea of paragraphs in the text, identifying certain information of the text, identifying the meaning of certain words in the text, identifying the meaning of certain sentences in the text, and identifying the chronology events in the text. There is two indicators score which decreased; those are identifying the meaning of certain sentences in the text and identifying the chronology of events in the text. (3) Teaching reading by using jigsaw technique can improve better classroom situation: (a) the class situation was more conducive than before the action was implemented, (b) the students paid good attention to the writer?s explanation, (c) students made the note for the teacher?s explanation although the writer did not ask them to do it (d) students built good communication and team work. Based on the research findings, it shows the improvement in some aspects of students? reading skill and class situation. It can be stated that English class was more conducive and students? reading skill was improved when the teacher applied jigsaw technique in the teaching learning process. It is recommended when applying jigsaw technique to teach reading, the teachers should guide the students to do the process well. Besides, the teacher should provide enough learning experience and material explanation. The students should be well involved in the discussion of the group. Jigsaw technique can be combined with the video or pictures to support the teaching materials.