WORKPAPER

ABILITY IN READING COMPREHENSION BY

USING SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION
METHOD


PREPARED BY:
BAIHAQI MA
Lecturer of English Teaching




2012




UNIVERSITY OF ISLAM TAMIANG
2012

ABSTRACT

Reading is a very significant thing everybody needs to live his or her life
better, for through reading people can gain the knowledge and information from all
over the world without must around it. Small group discussion is one of the
alternatives among various language teaching techniques that can be applied to
teach reading comprehension.


















1. Introduction
A. The General Concept of Reading
Hornby (1994:1425) declares: Reading is the action of person what who
reads. Reading is one of four skills in English that the students should acquire. It is a
very important skill that the students need for the success of their studies.
Moreover, Zintz and Maggart (1999:15) state:
Reading is one more than seeing word clearly, more than pronouncing
printed word correctly, more than recognizing the meaning of isolated word.
Regarding requires you think, feel, and imagine. Effective reading is
purposeful. The use one make of his reading largely determines what he
reads, why he reads, and how he reads.
As stated above, reading is not just seeing and pronouncing words in the text.
Many experts have defined the definition of reading. Rubin (1997:3) states: Reading
is a complex, dynamic process that involves bringing of meaning to and getting
meaning from the printed page. Furthermore, Gunning (1992:19) states:
Reading is an interaction between the author and the reader. To understand the print
message, the reader must perceive, interpret, hypothesize, and evaluate their reading.
These processes occur in varying degrees depending on the readers familiarity with
the content of the text and with their purpose reading.
Meanwhile, Smith and Robinson (1990:6) perceive: Reading is defined as an
active attempt to understand the writers message. When a reader reads, she or he
interacts with, and tries to reconstruct, what a writer wishes to communicate. For
that purpose, the reader must have enough background to make contact with the
writer.
From all of definitions of reading above, we know that the experts themselves
define reading in various ways, but based on the definitions of reading the experts
above, it can be concluded that reading is an active and interactive activity to
reproduce the word mentally and vocally and tries to understand the content of
reading text.
B. Skills of Reading
Finochiario (1999:25) states: There are some skills needed to comprehend a
reading text namely scanning, skimming, predicting, guessing the meaning,
paraphrasing and summarizing the writers idea.
The quotation above tells us that to be able to understand a reading text well,
one has to master some skill, they are:
1. Scanning
Scanning is a reading skill used to find out specific information from the
reading material. In scanning, one only tries to locate specific information and
simply lets his or her eyes wander over the text until he or she finds what she
or he is looking for, whether it is a name, a date, or an object.
2. Skimming
By skimming, the readers read the material quickly to get the gist, the essence,
and a global comprehension of the paragraphs, for example, getting the main
ideas. In skimming, they should not look up any words or stop to ask the
meaning of a word.
3. Predicting
The readers sense and experience help him to predict what the writer is likely
to say next. The reader who can think along with the writer in this way will
find the text relatively easy. The ability to predict depends on both the
background knowledge of the reader and the content of the text.
4. Guessing the meaning
This is the skill of knowing the meaning of a word by considering its context.
The reader will be able to do this by guessing the meaning from the context in
which the word is used.
5. Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is a valuable tool to determine how clear a readers
understanding is. It is the skill of restating the writers idea on sentences in a
simpler and more concise way.
6. Summarizing the writers idea
It is a skill of telling the writers main point of the text. The readers should tell
the purpose of the writer on his or her text.
From the definitions above, we can conclude that the purpose of reading is,
principally, for understanding the message in the text. Zintz and Maggart (1999:15)
declare:
There are four steps that occur during the reading act, those steps are perception,
comprehension, reaction and integration. Perception is the ability to pronounce the
word as a meaningful unit. Comprehension is the ability to make individual words
evoke useful ideas as they are read in context. Reaction requires judgmental actions
and feeling about what the author has said. The final step, integration is the ability to
assimilate the idea or concept into one's background experience so that it is useful as a
part of the total experience of the individual.


C. The Definition of Reading Comprehension
According to Bromley (1992:209), Comprehension is understanding, the
ability to get the meaning of something. It is an active cognitive process that requires
the construction of meaning from incoming information and prior knowledge. In
relation to reading, Rubin (1997:315) states: Reading comprehension is a complex
intellectual process involving a number of abilities. The two major abilities involve
word meanings and verbal reasoning, without word meanings and verbal reasoning,
there would be no reading comprehension.
In other words, we can say that to get the information that is given by the
writer, the reader must have the ability to comprehend the written source. In the
process of the construction of meaning through the interaction with the written
source, two sources are involved; the new incoming information and existing
information. Moreover, Rubin (1997:194) claims:
Reading comprehension is a complex intellectual process involving a number of
abilities. The two major abilities involve word meaning and verbal reasoning.
Without word meaning and verbal reasoning, there would be no reading
comprehension; without reading comprehension, there will be no reading. Moreover,
comprehension cannot be separated from the reading process itself. There would be no
reading without having comprehension in it. Comprehension is very essential in
reading process. Someone does not really read if he or she does not understand what is
being read, even if he or she can pronounce the words perfectly.
Furthermore, Smith and Robinson (1990:205) state: Reading comprehension
means the understanding, evaluating and utilizing of information and idea gained
through the interaction between the reader and the author.
Meanwhile, Tarigan (1999:343) states: Reading comprehension means the result of
comprehending new information to what one already knows and to find the answers
of cognitive questions of the written material. In addition, Mc. Bride (1993:91)
defines: Reading comprehension is considered as an effective skill besides listening,
speaking, and writing in getting information.
From the definitions above, it can be summed up that reading comprehension
means comprehending or understanding new information and ideas presented in
the printed page and utilizing them as the application of interaction between the
reader and the author.
D. The Level of Reading Comprehension
Smith (1997:317-318) says: There are four levels of reading comprehension;
literal comprehension, interpretation, critical reading, and creative reading.
Based on the statement above, we know that there are four levels of reading
comprehension, they are:
1. Literal comprehension
The lowest level of reading comprehension is literal comprehension. Literal
comprehension is getting the primary, direct, literal meaning of an idea in
context. The readers are only able to use the information which is stated
explicitly in the text. The readers are able to answer such as questions that
simply demand them to recall from memory what the exact words given in
the book. Although it only needs little or no thinking on the part of the
readers, it gives them opportunity to practice in recalling and reproducing
statements of facts and have a place in detailed factual reading.

2. Interpretation
The next level is interpretation. In interpretation readers read between the
lines, make connection among individual stated idea, make inferences, draw
conclusions, or experience emotional reaction. To answer the questions at the
interpretative level, readers must have problem-solving ability and be able to
work at various levels of abstraction. Obviously, children who are slow
learners will have difficulty working at this level as well as in the next two
categories.
3. Critical reading
Critical reading is at higher level than the other two categories above because
it involves evaluation. To be able to make judgment, a reader must be able to
collect, interpret, apply, analyze, and synthesize the information. Smith
(1997:11) declares: Critical reading includes such skills as the ability to
differentiate between fantasy and reality, and the ability to discern
propaganda techniques. Critical reading is related to critical listening
because they both require critical thinking.
4. Creative reading
The highest level of comprehension is creative reading. Creative reading uses
divergent thinking skills to go beyond the literal comprehension,
interpretation, and critical reading levels. In creative reading, the reader tries
to come up with new or alternative solutions to those presented by the writer.
Smith and Robinson (1990:225-226) state: Creative reading involves the
imaginative treatment of ideas in both inductive and deductive thinking,
resulting in new insight, fresh ideas, and new organization or pattern of
thought.
In order to be able to acquire the four types of comprehension needed by the
students to cope with the reading texts, they must be helped to develop and expand
their comprehension level. By using the appropriate teaching techniques, a teacher
can increase students' reading comprehension level. By doing so, the students can
maximize themselves in reading for the purpose of getting information.
2. Explanation

A. The Description of Traditional Technique and Small
Group Discussion

A.1. Traditional Technique in Teaching
Jacobsen (1999:211) states: When a teacher uses the traditional setting, or
model, he begins with an objective and presents primary instructions to the class.
Primary instruction is mostly presented in the form of lectures, text book readings,
or possible combination of any of these procedures.
From the quotation above, it can be concluded that in the traditional teaching
technique, the students focuses all attention to the teacher and discourages
communication among students.
By using this technique, the teacher does not need to divide her students into
small groups, she just discusses the lesson in large group or in classroom setting. The
students have only a little chance to express their opinion because the teacher speaks
all the time. They get knowledge just from the teachers explanation. All that they
have to do is just listen to their teacher and make notes for the useful information.
This technique is a technique without groups work. The students only receive the
knowledge from their teacher; they do not explore the knowledge themselves.
Regarding the management of the class, the problem of classroom
management has long been recognized as a complex thing. Traditional technique is a
technique without groups, it means that the teacher does not divide their students
into groups. It is the most time-consuming and energy-draining activities to run a
class of 30-40 students. An activity carried out in the traditional technique does not
involve an individual participation.
Jacobsen (1999:211) says: The traditional technique is just with rows and
desks and teacher desks at front, and this might be ideal when a teacher is
presenting a lesson to the entire class, but students tend to physically separate from
the teacher and most likely to be ones causing problems.
Richards and Rodgers (1999:84) suggest: Learner roles are closely related to
the functions and status of the teacher. The traditional technique is totally teacher-
dependent. From this statement it can be summarized that if the teacher does not
give information, students will never get the information. It is true because in this
technique, the teacher is considered as the only source of information. The learners
have a passive role. They just receive the information given by their teacher.
From the descriptions above, we know that the use of traditional technique in
teaching is not effective anymore to be implemented in the classroom nowadays. In
recent days, the teaching learning process is more focused on the students as the
subject of study. The teachers are supposed to be able to make the students more
active and participate directly in each of activities in the classroom. Therefore, the
use of an appropriate technique in teaching is quite needed.
A.2. Small Group Discussion in Teaching
As explained earlier that technique in teaching is one of the main factors that
determines the success of a teaching and learning process and it is also one of the
determiner factors of the purpose of study achievement, so it is reasonable enough to
think that the appropriate technique selection in teaching is considerably important.
Among the various pedagogical techniques used in teaching, small group discussion
is one of them. Small group discussion is a discussion within a group consisting of
three or more students. Johnson (1995:76) defines: Small group discussion is
discussion of three or more people interacting face to face, with or without an
assigned leader in such a way that each person influences, and is influenced by
another person in the group. A good teacher should be able to make the situation
and condition in the classroom as attractive as possible in order the students fell
excited and more interested in learning and the use of small group discussion in
teaching is a suitable alternative. In group learning, students may enjoy from time to
time getting away from the usual pattern of learning. In the case of learning reading,
by using the small group discussion, the students may enjoy their learning activity
escaping the ordinary pattern of reading a story or article aloud at sight. But
conducting a learning activity by implementing the small group discussion is not
easy to do. Applying a small group discussion learning even for the Senior High
School students still has get more directions from the teacher. Furthermore, Johnson
(1995:78) suggests: Students should be arranged so that each student can see all
other members of his group and can be heard without shouting and disturbing the
other groups.
Most of the teaching learning process lately focuses on the teacher (teacher-
centered), where as this type of teaching and learning process is proven less
effective. Therefore, it is hoped that by using the small group discussion technique,
the process of teaching and learning will be better and the target of learning is able
to be achieved. The using of small group discussion in teaching, especially reading
comprehension, will enable the students to get the meaning of passage by getting
information from his friends and teacher. The students can share the difficulties the
reading text to each other and provide themselves with the knowledge. Barker
(1999:168) declares: The members of the group know well enough to really trust
each other, and they still have to determine each others skills, knowledge, situation
and attitudes. They often feel comfortable and lost.
From the descriptions above we know that using of small group discussion in
a teaching learning process is not only able to increase the students intellectual skills
but also develop their social relationship
B. The Process of Small Group Discussion in The
Classroom
The classroom organization does not deal directly with the reading process,
or with materials, methods, or approaches to teaching reading comprehension. Yet
without good classroom organization and classroom management, reading
instruction may be totally ineffective. It is enough for teachers to know what
organizational patterns and management techniques are conducive in learning.
Nunan (2000:91) points out that setting in the classroom are important. Setting here
refers to the classroom arrangements specifying or implying the task, and it also
requires consideration whether the task is to be carried out wholly or partly in the
classroom. For example, an activity involving small groups will be an important
factor influencing roles and relationship.
Besides the classroom management explained above, the appropriate
technique in grouping the students is also one of the factors that determines whether
the small group discussion learning can run well or not. Two opposite tendencies
exist with regard to the number of people in a group. The larger the group, the
greater is the pool of talent and experience available for solving problems or sharing
the effort. On the other hand, as the size increases, fewer members have the chance
to participate, and indeed the differences in relative participation increase to the
point where one or two members begin to dominate. Barker (1999:159) purposes:
The best size in terms of total interaction and greatest efficiency is some where
between five and seven members.
Small group discussion learning is considered succeed if it is able to produce
a communicative class. There are many ways to build a communicative class, some
of them are:
1. Jigsaw
Group with five students are set up. Each group member is assigned some
unique material to learn and then to teach to his group members. To help the
students in the learning, students across the class working on the same sub-
section get together to decide what is important and how to teach it. After
practicing in these expert groups the original group reform and students
teach each other. Test assessment follows.
2. Think-pair-share
It involves three steps of cooperative structure. During the first step
individuals think silently about a question posed by the instructor.
Individuals pair up during the second step and exchange thoughts. In the
third step, the pairs share their responses with other pairs, other teams, or the
entire group.
3. Three-step Interview
Each member of a team chooses another member to be a partner. During the
first step individuals interview their partners by asking or clarifying
questions. During the second step partners reverse the roles. For the final
step, members share their partners response.
4. Round Robin Brain Storming
Class is divided into small groups (4 to 6) with one person appointed as the
recorder. A question is posed with many answers. After the think time,
members of the team share responses with one another round robin style. The
recorder writes down the answer of the group members. The person next to
the recorder starts and each person in the group in order give an answer until
time is called.

5. Three Minute Interview
Teachers stop anytime during a lecture of discussion and give team three
minutes to review what has been said then ask clarifying questions or answer
questions.
6. Numbered Head
A team of four is established. Each member is given numbers of 1,2,3,4.
Questions are asked of the group. Groups work together to answer the
question so that all can verbally answer the question. Teacher calls out a
number (two) and each two is asked to give the answer.
7. Team Pair Solo
Students do problem first as a team, then with a partner, and finally on their
own. It is designed to motivate students to tackle and succeed at problems,
which initially are beyond their ability. It is based on a simple notion of media
led learning. Students can do more things with help (mediator) than they can
do alone. By allowing them to work on problem they could not do alone, first
as a team and then with a partner, they progress to a point they can do alone
that which at first they could do only with help.
8. Circle the Sage
First the teacher polls the class to see which students have a special
knowledge to share. For example the teacher may ask who in the class was
able to solve a difficult math homework question, who had visited Mexico,
who knows the chemical reactions involved in how salting the streets help
dissipate snow. Those students (the sages) stand and spread out in the room.
The teacher then has the rest of the classmates each surround a sage, with no
two members of the same team going to the same. The sage explains what she
knows while the classmates listen, ask questions, and take notes. All students
then return to their teams. Each in turn, explains what they learned. Because
each one has gone to a different sage, they compare notes. If there is
disagreement, they stand up as a team. Finally, the disagreements are aired
and resolved.
9. Partners
The class is divided into teams of four. Partners move to one side of the room.
Half of each team is given an assignment to be able to teach the other half.
Partners work to learn and can consult with other partners working on the
same material. Teams go back together with each set of partners teaching the
other set. Partner quiz and tutor teammates. Team reviews how well they
learned and taught and how they might improve the process.
By choosing one of the ways stated above, combining it with the small group
discussion and applying it in teaching learning process, so the process of teaching
and learning will be better and the target of learning is quite possible to achieve.
C. The Teachers and Students Role in the Small
Group Discussion
The teaching of reading comprehension using a small group discussion
means that the class has to be communicative. Nunan (2000:10) informs: I too will
consider the communicative task a piece of classroom work that involves learners in
comprehending, manipulating, producing or interacting in the target language while
their attention is principally focused on meaning rather than form.
According to Nunan (2000:87):
The teacher in communicative classroom has three main roles. The first is to
act as facilitator for the communicative process, the second is to act as
participant, and the third is to act as an observer and learner. While the
student have more active role, they can communicate directly with each other,
rather than exclusive with the teacher. As an activity is carried out in a small
group work, it makes it possible for a greater amount of individual
participation than when it is done in the class teaching situation.

Thus, it is clear that using a small group discussion, the students and the
teacher can interact with each other in the classroom. Nunan (2000:87) then points
out: The interaction can be either between the teacher and the students or between
students as they interact in small group works. The writer here concludes that in a
classroom, students will be more motivated by cooperative interaction in a group.








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