The Use of Local Legend in Teaching Narrative Reading

A Paper
Accomplished for
Folklore Subject
Lecturer: Ali Mustafa, Ph. D

By:
Muhammad Jumadi (NIM. 157835458)

PASCASARJANA PENDIDIKAN BAHASA DAN SASTRA INGGRIS

UNIVERSITAS NEGERI SURABAYA

Kampus Ketintang Gedung K9
Jl. Ketintang, Surabaya 60231 Tlp./Fax: +6231 8293484
2016

The Use of Local Legend in Teaching Narrative Reading

PENGGUNAAN PASSIVE VOICE DAN TATA

BAHASA INGGRISNYA MASIH PERLU
DIPERHATIKAN...
ABSTRACT

This paper will discuss about the use of Local Legend in Teaching Narrative. This
Paper tries to offer some answers for some problems which are found in the
process of teaching and learning narrative text by the eighth grade class A
students of SMP N 1 Badau. The problems were that they were uninterested in
reading lesson and they got low motivation in learning English especially in
reading class. Consequently, the students got difficulty to understand the
grammatical construction in the text they read; they did not know the meaning of
unfamiliar vocabulary. Besides, the reading materials in the text book were not
interesting to them because the stories often came from other countries and the
reading texts were not appropriate to the students background knowledge.
Key words: Teaching Technique, CTL, Local Legend, reading comprehension
1. INTRODUCTION
Reading as one of the language skills presented in teaching learning activity
takes important role in both receptive and productive language skills. It can
broaden and enlarge the students knowledge, because most of communicated in
written form. Moreover reading can introduce students new vocabularies (words,
clauses, and sentences) structure and grammar which are necessary in developing
other skills such as listening, speaking and writing. Specifically, reading brings
students to get comprehension, which will lead them to understand and respond to
what they read.
However, reading comprehension is a complex process, it does not happen
automatically. First of all, the reader must be able to decode the words.

McNamara (2007) said that readers can decode the words, but have not developed
sufficient skills to comprehend the underlying deeper meaning of the sentences, the
paragraphs, and the entire text. To help the reader decode each word, it is necessary
to read the reading materials loudly.
Many problems have happened when the writer taught reading. The writer
saw that the eighth grade students of SMP N 1 Badau (The Place where the writer
teaches), especially class A were uninterested in reading lesson and they got low
motivation in learning English especially in reading class. Consequently, the
students got difficulty to understand the grammatical construction in the text they
read, they did not know the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary. Besides, the reading
materials in the text book were not interesting to them because the stories often
came from other countries and the reading texts were not appropriate to the
students background knowledge. Hence, it was difficult for the students to
comprehend the text.
Therefore, the writer chooses local legend as a teaching material that
hopefully can solve the problem found. It is the more suitable choice for learning
story in learning narrative text because the stories are familiar to the students,
transmission of values and entertainment value. In addition, narrative provides the
readers with enjoyment when they encounter the climax and resolution of the
problem. This is the most exciting part of narrative.
2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A Local legend is usually a rumor or story based on a true, twisted, or
fictional event that happened near ones own area. There are many of Local
Legends from West Kalimantan, some of them has been written in a book 12
Cerita Setengah Sejarah : Twelve Legend of Middle Pesaguan Land Cerita
Rakyat wilayah Pesaguan (2009) by Rajain. Rajiin is a credible local legends
editor which write many books which contain local legend in Tumbang Titi,
Legenda Panji Lawah and Legenda Batu Menanti are the examples of the local
legends in the book.
The legend of Panji Lawah is story of a man who always called people to
gather in a village meeting. Panji Lawah is the name of gong [music instrument]
with loud sound to call people. The moral value of the local legend is to be
disciplined in our duty. The story is originally from Titi Buluh village at Tumbang
Titi.
The legend of Batu Menanti is a story about two lovers who wanted to
married. The characters involved are the lovers and the womans parents. The
moral values of the local legend are that the reader was taught not to be selfish.
Batu menanti is located in Setabak hill near Titi Buluh village. The name of Batu

Menanti (waiting stone in English) is derived from the story that the woman wait
for his lover to fulfill her parents requirements.
By reading local legend text, it is easy for the students to comprehend the
narrative text and they are interested in reading narrative text because the students
ever read in Indonesian form and they will learn the stories in English. Besides,
they would appreciate their local stories and their local wisdom. Furthermore,
reading class would become enjoyable.
Based on the syllabus of Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan (KTSP) (the
school in which the writer teaches still adopt this curriculum) , narrative text is
taught to the eighth grade students of Junior High School. It means that they have
to acquire the competence in reading monolog text. Thus, to reach that stage, they
must have deeper understanding.
One of the language skills that students must acquire is reading. The ability
to comprehend a reading will be helpful in students development because as long
as they are still students in school, there is always activity related to reading. For
example, when they will have a test, they must read the lesson. Besides,
comprehension is also necessary if one wishes to learn from textbooks and
manuals, enjoy great literature, or simply follow directions in a cookbook. Hence,
comprehension is absolutely necessary for readers to reach the ultimate goal of
reading.
However, reading comprehension is a complex process, it does not just
happen. Readers need to pass some steps to reach the ultimate goal of reading.
Bamberger (1975:13) indicates that reading is complex process which
comprises various developmental stages. Still, Bamberger adds that first of all, the
readers must have a perceptual process during which symbols are recognized. In
other words, the readers must be able to decode the words. After decoding process,
the readers must construct meaning of those words. McNamara (2007, xi) states
that readers can decode the words, but have not developed sufficient skills to
comprehend the underlying, deeper meaning of the sentences, the paragraphs, and
the entire text. To help the reader decode each word, it is necessary to read the
reading materials loudly. This is supported by Dechant and Smith (1977:136) that
the most usual way of teaching reading is to go through the spoken word.
Moreover, Nuttall (1981:19) says that reading aloud is often used as one
form of pronunciation teaching. Then, McNamara (2007: xi) emphasizes that
comprehension refers to the ability to go beyond the words, to understand the
ideas and the relationships between ideas conveyed in a text.
3. Discussion

In order the teaching of narrative reading by using Local Legend reaches

maximal result, the teacher should design material and decide the approach.
Related to this concept, the use of Contextual Teaching and Learning
approach (CTL Approach) will be much more suitable. CTL approach emphasizes
the learning process through constructing not memorizing and teaching is
interpreted as an activity of inquiring process not only transferring knowledge to
the students. In CTL, student are expected to develop their own understanding
from their past experience or knowledge (assimilation). In achieving the goals of
CTL, there are some characteristics that should be concerned by the teachers.
Johnson (2002:65) characterizes CTL into eight important elements as follows:
1.

Making Meaningful Connections

Students can organize themselves as learners, who learn actively in
improving their interest individually, person who can work individually or
collectively in a group, and a person who can do learning by doing.
2. Doing Significant Work
Student can make relationship among schools and the various existing
contexts in the real world as business maker and as a citizen.
3. Self-Regulated Learning
Students do the significant work; it has purpose, it has connection with
others, it has connection with decision making and it has the concrete results or
products.
4. Collaborating
Students are able to work together. The teacher helps students in order to
work effectively in a group and teacher helps them to understand the way how to
persuade and communicate each others.
5. Critical and Creative Thinking
Students are able to apply higher level thinking critically and effectively.
They are able to analyze, to synthesize, to tackle the problem, to make a decision
and to think logically.
6. Nurturing the Individual
Students carry on their selves, understand, give attention, possess high
wishes, motivate and empower themselves. Students cannot get the success
without the support from adult people.
7. Reaching High Standards
Students know and reach the high standard. It identifies their purposes and
motivates them to reach it. Teacher shows to students how to reach what called
excellent.
8. Using Authentic Assessments

Students use academic knowledge in the real world context to the

meaningful purposes.
In designing material, the teacher must carefully select the narrative; here
are some steps to design the material;
- Collecting the document in order to view overall possible resources
related to local community
- Deciding and adapting the most relevant topics from the selected
document (the local legend stories)
- Translating into English (since the sources are written or narrated in
Bahasa)
- Giving illustration for the material, here the creativity of a teacher is
needed.
- Giving the task, the task is very crucial in material development. It is not
just a collection of instructions but also activity which should contain the
element of contextual teaching and learning. There were seven element
must be involved in the tasks, they are constructivism, inquiry,
questioning, learning community, modeling, reflection, and authentic
assessment.
In teaching learning process, here are some examples of possible steps to follow;
- The teacher distributes the story and the students are required to mention the
unfamiliar vocabulary.
- Before reading the story, the teacher made sure that all students have been ready
and would focus listening to the story.
- Next, the Teacher explains the local legend, the generic structure of narrative
text and grammatical features of narrative text in the story. In this case, the
writer explains more about the complication and the resolution of the story. So,
the students can easily find the problems and gets moral values from the story.
- Next, the teacher asks some students distributed the text of the story and the
test that students had to answer individually.
- The teacher gave a chance for the students to ask whether there were still any
unfamiliar words. Before starting to answer the questions, the teacher
emphasize to the students that they should be confident with their own answers
and if they still have difficulties they could ask the teacher
4. Conclusion
The use of local legend can engage students motivation in learning process,
particularly in reading activity because it is easy for the students to comprehend the

narrative text and they are interested in reading narrative text because the students
ever read in Indonesian form and they will learn the stories in English. They will
also appreciate their local stories and their local wisdom. The use of this material,
however, must be planned carefully by designing it and choose the appropriate
approach of teaching.

REFERENCES
Bamberger, R. (1975). Promoting The Reading Habit. Paris:Unesco Press
Dechant, EV, Smith, HP. (1977). Psychology in teaching reading, 2nd ed,
Prentice-Hall, Inc., United States of America
Johnson, Elaine B.2002. Contextual Teaching and Learning: What it is and why its
here to stay. California: Corwin Press
McNamara, R (ed.). (2007). Reading Comprehension Strategies, Theories,
Interventions, and Technologies, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc
Nuttall. (1981). Teaching Reading Skills in Foreign Language. London:
Heineman Educational Book. Ltd
Rajiin, Fransiskus.2009. 12 Kisah Setengah Sejarah: Diangkat dari cerita rakyat
wilayah pesaguan Tengah. Ketapang: Kantor Informasi Kebudayaan dan
Pariwisata