Improving the Students’ Reading Skill Through Roundtable

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A.    Background of Study

English is the first foreign language in Indonesia, which is taught from elementary level to university level. English is also intensively used in international communication, in written as well as in spoken communication. In addition, many books of science, technology, art and other published issues are written in English. In English language, there are integrated skills to be mastered such as: speaking, listening, reading and writing. As Haycraft states (1978; 8) that there are various skills in mastering language: respective skill, listening (understanding the spoken language), reading (understanding the written language), and productive skills-speaking and writing. 

In related to the written language, writing is a means of communicating ideas and informationwhich are related to the thinking process and expression of ideas in written form. It is important for the students to express their ideas and opinions. Writing is a complex activity. There are several process, mental and physical being carrier at the same time. Morsey in Tarigan (1986;4) states that writing is used by educated people to persuade and influence other people. The objectives like those can be received well by the people who can arrange their ideas and express them clearly.

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The responsibility lies on the teacher's shoulders to enhance their students' abilities to express themselves effectively. In order for students to communicate well they need to have to expand their cognitive academic language proficiency level. It contains the genres of power that leads to success. It is important for students to learn how to think critically and creatively. It is the teacher's responsibility to initiate this thought process. Writing improves a person's ability to think concisely and clearly. Students learn to organize their ideas in a cohesive and flowing manner.

    As teachers, we are given the responsibility of improving and enhancing students' writing, in both content and in organization.  In order for these children to succeed, they need to be equipped and well aware of the genres of power which rule the world. Whether oral or written, the different types of genres are a child's key to power, prestige and priviledge. By developing these styles of writing, a child is empowered to use this key to unlock any door that leads to success. Writing is a transitory verb, therefore, one should not just teach writing, but teaches to write something.  

Based on the diagnostic test result of the English teacher at VII of SMPN 1 Barombong Gowa. The mean score of the students’ achievement in reading English is very low. It is about 5.7 mean score but the standard of curriculum 6.5 and the target score is 7.5.

From the problems above the researcher will apply one of teaching strategy. This is an interesting strategy and it can increase the student’s reading ability, namely Roundtable. This strategy is designed to create the students’ Relating to the case above, the writer conducted a research under  the title : ” Improving the Students’ Reading Skill Through Roundtable at the Seventh Grade of Smp Negeri 1 Barombong”.

B.     Problem Statement

Based on the previous description, the researcher presents some research questions, as follow:

1.      How does the implementation of Roundtable Technique to improve the students’ writing skills at the second year students of SMA Negeri 1 Barombong Gowa?

2.      How is the improvement of the students’ writing content through Roundtable Technique?

3.      How is the improvement of the students’ writing organization through Roundtable Technique? 

C.    Objective of the Study

Based on the problem statement above, the objective of this research are:

1.    To explain the improvement of the students’ writing skills through Roundtable of the second year’s students of SMA Negeri 1 Barombong Gowa.

2.    To explain the improvement of the students’ writing content through Roundtable.

3.    To explain the improvement of the students’ writing organization through Roundtable.

D.    Significance of the Study

1.    The Theoretical Benefit

a.         The result of the research can be useful for students as strategy in writing in classroom situation.

b.        The result of the research can be useful for English teacher in implementing Roundtable in teaching learning process.

c.         The result of the research is used as reference for those who want to conduct a research of students’ writing skill.

2.    Practical Benefit

a.         The result of the research will help the teacher in increasing their writing skill

b.        The result of the research will give information to teacher about strategy in teaching reading in improving the students’ writing skill.

E.     Scope of the Study

The content is a very important component of writing which should be clear for the students to understand the message conveyed and gain information from it. The organization and content of writing is concerned with the ways to arrange and organize the ideas in order the