Improving Students’ Reading Comprehension Using Experience-Text-Relationship (ETR) Method (a Classroom Action Research at the Eighth Grade Students of SMP Negeri 3 Mojolaban in the Academic Year of 2011/2012)

Oleh :
Jarmianik - K2208037 - Sekolah Pascasarjana

This research focuses on the implementation of Experience-Text- Relationship (ETR) method to improve students’ reading comprehension of the eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 3 Mojolaban in the academic year of 2011/2012. It is aimed at (1) finding whether and to what extent the use of ETR improves students’ reading comprehension and (2) describing what happens when ETR method is implemented in teaching reading at the eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 3 Mojolaban. This study used classroom action research method. The research was conducted in two cycles. In the first cycle, the research was done within four meetings and the second cycle was conducted in three meetings. Each cycle consisted of four steps namely planning, implementing, observing, and reflecting the action. The data were collected by means of test, observation, interview, and questionnaire. The test consisted of pre-test and post test. The scores got from the tests were quantitatively analyzed by using the formula of descriptive statistics. In order to know the improvement of students’ reading comprehension, the mean score before action was compared with the ones got after the action. On the other hand, the result of interview, questionnaire, and other documents were analyzed by using qualitative method proposed by Burns. The method included data gathering, codification, comparison, interpretation, and data reporting. The results of the research show that ETR method is able to improve both students’ reading comprehension and class situation. The students always got improvement in reading scores from pre-test to post test 2. Students’ ability in finding out all reading indicators including main idea, purpose of text, reference, explicit information, implicit information, reference, and word meaning improved. The students’ mean score of pre-test was 39.3. The score increased to 63.8 in post test 1 and it finally rose to 73 in post test 2. In addition, using ETR method, the students did not comprehend a text through translating word by word. Consequently, they did not spend much time for doing any exercises following certain narrative text. Moreover, the students were interested in reading class activities. Since the students were interested in the class, they were active in joining the class. The students’ interest also made the students able to focus on the lesson. They paid attention during reading class. The students’ full attention made the class atmosphere conducive for teaching and learning process.