Microsoft Word - ACUITY, VOL 1 NO.1 2017 61    The Effect Of The Direct Method On The Reading Comprehension Ability Of Second Year Students At Sltp Advent 4 Paal Dua, Manado Marlin Marpaung marlin.marpaung@unai.edu Universitas Advent Indonesia ABSTRACT This study is to find out the reading comprehension ability of the students at SLTP Advent 4 Paal Dua Manado, when being taught using the Direct Method and the Lecture Method. The population of this study was seventy-six second year students at SLTP Advent 4 Paal Dua Manado, who were divided into two groups, the experimental and control group. The main problem of this study is to find out the effect of the Direct Method in teaching reading comprehension. The result showed that there was no difference in the reading comprehension ability of the students who are taught using Direct Method and students who are taught using Lecture Method. But there was slightly difference between the mean score of post-experimental and post-control. Therefore, the suggestion for English teachers is to teach the reading comprehension using the Direct Method because the Direct Method can improve students’ ability in reading comprehension. Key words: Reading comprehension, Direct Method. Introduction Nowadays, English plays an important role in the world. It is the key to the international currencies of technology and commerce. Especially in facing the era of globalization, such as in free markets, businessmen and women for instance who want to sell their products, mechanics who have to read instruction manuals, doctors who need to keep up with developments in their fields and students whose courses of study included English, realized the key demand of learning this language (Hutchison and Waters, 1986). It is important to be learnt in order to be able to communicate with people from other countries and to help some people improve their careers. Foreign language is offered as a course in all junior and senior high school and universities with the aim to provide students with the ability to comprehend particular discourse as well as to communicate with other English speakers. Reading is one of the four fundamental skills in English that a person should master. It is one of many factors that determine a persons’ success in acquiring knowledge which in turn affects one’s life career. De Boer and Dallmann (1970) state that: “in this age of communication, our attention is constantly being drawn to the new technological means of telephone, telegraph, radio, television, teletype and satellite as instruments of communication. Indeed, 62    some voices suggest that the new media will soon replace the book. Yet technology has not replaced reading. The printed page reaches millions still untouched by electronics, and for those who can take advantage of the newer devices. Reading still serves unique purposes. It is the key to unlock the bodies of knowledge.” In Indonesia, English is offered as a compulsory subject in junior and senior high school. Teachers need to choose particular methods or techniques to facilitate learning. As Lardizabal at, al (1991) said that a good teaching method is one that makes use of principles of learning by doing and permits the operation of these principle such as readiness, exercise and effort. A method should meet different needs, interests, aptitudes and emotional maturity of the students. It should provide growth and development in knowledge, ideas, habits, skills and abilities; attitudes and sentiments. There are nine methods according to Larsen- Freeman (1986), the grammar translation method, the direct method, audio- lingual method, community language learning, silent way, suggestopedia, total physical response and the communicative approach. One or more of these needs to be applied to teaching reading comprehension. Background of the Study Finocchiaro (1973) mentions four skills of language: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Reading means interpreting written language. Students should be able to interpret written language, if they are stimulated with reading activities from the beginning of language instruction. As Larsen-Freeman (1986) states reading activities in the target language should be taught from the beginning of language instruction and the fundamental purpose of learning a foreign language is to be able to read its literature. In explaining the reading lesson, the teacher should demonstrate, not translate the lesson. It is desirable that students make a direct association between the target language and meaning and that students should learn how to ask questions as well as answer them. Teachers who use the Direct Method intends that students learn to get involved in practice, reading and have mutual interaction or communicate in the target language, to think in the target language without any translation. For this purpose above, the researcher prefers to use this method in teaching reading comprehension. The purpose of this study is to find out the effect of the Direct Method on the reading comprehension ability of the second year students at SLTP Advent 4 Paal Dua, Manado. Related Literature Gouin and Berlitz are the first two reformers in the history of modern language teaching. Gouin set about devising a teaching method that would follow from these insight. And thus the series method was created, a method that taught learners directly (without translation) and conceptually (without grammatical rules and explanations). A generation later, largely through the efforts of Berlitz, applied linguists finally established the credibility of such approaches in what became known as the Direct Method. 63    Richards and Rodgers cited Brown (1994) and summarized the principle of the Direct Method into several points: 1) classroom instruction was conducted exclusively in the target language, 2) only everyday vocabulary and sentences were taught, 3) oral communication skills were built up in a carefully traded progression organized around question-and-answer exchanges between teachers and students in small, intensive classes, 4) grammar was taught inductively, 5) new teaching points were taught through modelling and practice, 6) concrete vocabulary was taught through demonstration, objects and pictures: abstract vocabulary was taught by association of ideas, 7) both speech and listening comprehension were taught, 8) and correct pronunciation and grammar were emphasized. Greogorio (1973) said, “logically, Lecture Method is classified as an authoritative teaching procedure. The authoritative method is a procedure by which the instructor teachers by means of some kind of exposition, either oral or written. The aim of Lecture Method is to develop the act of listening and to develop creative thinking and reasoning.” Larsen-Freeman (1986) mentioned that reading in the target language should be taught from the beginning of the language instruction; however, the reading skill will be developed through practice with speaking. Furthermore, it was stated that a fundamental purpose for learning a foreign language is to be able to read its literature. Robinson (1969) gives a broad definition of reading as the reading act, which is subdivided into six large interdependent parts: word recognition, association of meaning with printed symbols, literal comprehension, interpretation, evaluation and assimilation. Manroe and Rogers (1964) mention four components of the total reading process: word perception, comprehension of the ideas by the words, reaction to these ideas and assimilation or integration of the ideas with previous knowledge or experiences. Although there four aspects of the reading process occurs almost simultaneously, each one needs to receive careful attention during the early stages of learning to read. Witty, Freeland & Moore (1963:3) gives special values to reading: 1) Effective reading is necessary in order for any person to become well-informed generally and to acquire specific information in many fields. 2) Through wide reading, one may become a more interesting person; for as Thomas Carlyle stated: ‘all than mankind had done, though, gained, or been, it is lying as in magic preservation the pages of books.’ 3) Another reason for learning to read effectively is that success in school depends to a large degree on rapid, skilful reading. 4) Effective reading will help most people prepare for and make progress in their work, for today most jobs require skill in reading. 5) Through reading, a pupil may obtain other benefits, too; for as Jhon Masefield said ‘the days that make us happy make us wise.’ Related Studies Ruhupatty (1997) found out the effect of the interactive method compared to the lecture method on reading comprehension of the freshmen of Universitas Klabat. She used experimental research in doing the study. The population of her 64    study were 333 students. She concluded that Interactive method and its’ practices can be used to improve and develop students ability in the four sub skills of reading comprehension general verbal, literal meaning, implied meaning and appreciation. Legoh (1997) assessed the reading comprehension ability of the second year students of SMU Advent Tompaso II. He used the Descriptive Method to gather the data. The data was gathered through a test given to the 60 second year students. The results of the study showed that second year students were fairly competent in literal comprehension, least competent in inferential comprehension, least competent in general verbal factor and least competent in appreciative comprehension. The Conceptual Framework of the Study The Direct Method The Lecture Method The Reading Comprehension Ability Method of Research In carrying out this study, the researcher used descriptive method in which data collected during the research was explained and analysed as Winarno (1982) said that descriptive method is not only up to the collection of the data, but it is also including the analysis of the interpretation of the data meaning. Experimental research was used to see the effect of the Direct Method in classroom to the teaching of reading comprehension. This research was in a form of group study. The subject studied were seventy-six students divided into two groups. Thirty-eight students in experimental group and thirty-eight students in control group. The experimental group got the treatment (Direct Method) which control group was treated using conventional method. The length of time used in doing the experiment was about one and a half months, starting September 16 up to October 30. Technique of Research 1. Library Research. Library research was the first technique she used to get information about the studies. 65    2. Classroom Observation. The researcher made a classroom observation before conducting the research and will teach the second year students using the Direct Method. Description of Population The population of this study was seventy-six second year students of SLTP Advent 4 Paal Dua, Manado who were enrolled in two classes. Thirty-eight students for experimental group and thirty-eight students for control group. For quasi-experimental design there was no randomization of the population to be applied to the experimental and control group, the equivalence of the groups is unlikely (Best, 1981). Both classes of the two groups, the experiment or the control groups were held in the morning. Instrument The researcher consulted with several key persons regarding the construction of the instrument, the advisor, the English teacher of SLTP Advent 4 Paal Dua Manado, Unklab English lectures and the curriculum before constructed them. The test which was given to students was considered valid since the material was taken from the current lessons treated in classrooms, entitle “Communicative and Meaningful English for 2 SLTP, 1994 curriculum. Sixty items were given to both groups, experimental and control group at the beginning of the experiment. During this stage, the researcher paid attention to anything that looked odd or difficult for the students to understand; after which, she simplified it, for example the instruction into simple form so the students may understand it easily. The procedure of Collecting Data Before conducting the experiment, a pre-test was given to the experimental group and control group. The experiment was conducted over one and a half months only. There were 24 meetings for both groups, 24 x 80 minutes, so the total experiment were 1920 minutes. During the experiment period, the researcher taught the experimental group used the Direct Method and the control group used the Lecture Method. At the end of the experiment the post-test was given to the both groups. The result of the tests or pre-test and post-test datas were analysed using the Z test. Statistical Treatment The following statistical treatment was used to examine whether the hypothesis was accepted or not. To compute the significance of the difference between the two means, a Z test was used (Nazir). There was treatment given to the experimental group and the most important things included in the treatment were the materials, lesson plan and procedures applied to the experimental group. The first treatment is the material. Particularly for the second year students of Junior High School, the school has chosen the Communicative and Meaningful English for 2 SLTP as their textbook. 66    The textbook consists of nine units. Five units for the first semester and four units for the second semester. Five units was consisted of fourteen reading passages and the researcher used the five reading passages from two topics for the experiment. The two topics had six subtopics of reading comprehension that were implemented in the classroom activities. The first is Health, consists of the three subtopics of Our Body, Medicine and Diseases and In the Hospital. The second topic is Clothes, consists of the three subtopics of Kind of Clothes, Making Clothes and Fabrics. The second treatment for the experimental group is the lesson plan. Before conducting the experiment, the researcher first directed students’ attention to the specific objectives in order to make sure that they knew their purpose and the last treatment is the procedures applied in teaching reading comprehension. The first thing that have done was introduced reading comprehension strategies and encourage the students to use the reading comprehension strategies by using the reading skills of scanning, skimming and guessing. The classroom activities of the experimental group start with a greeting, devotion, warming up, explain the purpose of reading, introduced the topic, read the passage and students did silent reading, asked students to read after the teacher, requested students to read one after the other in order to check the mispronunciation and asked the students to pronounce the word correctly, assigned students to answer questions by using the reading techniques such as scanning and skimming, encouraged students to guess the meaning, helped the students with difficult words by using pictures, checked students tasks, gave opportunities to the students to take note and gave conclusion of the lesson. Analysis and Interpretation of Findings The statistical tool used to decide whether to reject or accept the null hypothesis of no difference between the mean score of the two groups, the researcher put the data into the Z test formula. There was slight difference between the mean score in teaching reading comprehension using Direct Method and Lecture Method (see table 1). The mean score of post-experimental was 67.42 and the mean score of post-control was 64.82. However, to prove whether the difference was significant or not, the Z test was applied. The result of Z test (see table 2) shows that the calculated Z value was – 1.988 which was smaller than the critical value of 1.960 indicated that the null hypothesis stating that there was no significant difference in the reading comprehension ability of the students who were taught using Direct Method and the students who were taught using Lecture Method was accepted. It means there was no significant difference in the reading comprehension ability of the students who were taught using Direct Method and the students who were taught using Lecture Method. 67    Table 1 Mean difference of the Pre-Experimental and the Pre-Control of Second Year Students at SLTP Advent 4 Paal Dua Manado Subject Total Score of Pre-Ex Mean Score of Pre-Ex Total Score of Pre- Control Mean Score of Pre- Control Critical Value 95% 38 2398 63.11 2440 64.21 1.960 The statistical table of the obtained value of Z was -3.458 Table 2 Mean difference of the Post-Experimental and Post-Control of Second Year Students at SLTP Advent 4 Paal Dua Manado Subject Total Score of Post-Ex Mean Score of Post-Ex Total Score of Post- Con Mean Score of Post- Con Critical Value 95% Mean Diff of Post-Ex and Post- Con 38 2562 67.42 2463 64.82 1.960 2.6 Discussion: There is no significant difference between Direct Method and Lecture Method. After making a careful analysis, it is found that the calculated Z value was – 1.988 which was smaller than the critical value of 1.960 indicated that the null hypothesis stating that there was no significant difference in the reading comprehension ability of the students who were taught using Direct Method and the students who were taught using Lecture Method was accepted. Due to the time constrain, the result of the experiment makes no significant difference between these two methods. If the study was conducted longer, it will show significance result as proven by some studies of The Effect of Direct Method on Student’s Reading Comprehension (Mariani, 2015), Improving Reading Comprehension using Direct Method on the Eight Grade Student of SMP Negeri I Genteng (Inayah, 2015), Teaching Reading by using Direct Method for First Year Senior High School of MAN 3 Banda Aceh (Rosa, 2014) and Teaching Reading using Direct Method at the Fifth of SDN Paku Haji 2 Kab. Subang (Dwitya, 2012) Conclusion In condition that a teacher would like to use the Direct Method to teach reading comprehension, the teacher needs to be creative in choosing the activities in the classroom that may enable students to understand an authors’ ideas, give comments or reject the ideas. 68    Bibliography Best, Jhon. 1981. Research in Education. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Regents. Brown, H. 1994. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc. Brown, H. 1994. Teaching by Principles. An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy. London: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Dwitya, P. 2012. Teaching Reading using Direct Method at the Fifth Grade of SDN Paku Haji 2 Kab. Subang. STKIP Siliwangi. publikasi.stkipsiliwangi.ac.id/files/2012/10/08220160-febriana-d.pdf DeBoer, J., & Dallman, M. 1970. The Teaching Reading. New York: Holt. Rinchart and Winston, Inc. Dechant, E. 1994. Improving the Teaching of Reading. New Jersey: Prentice Hal, Inc. Durrel, D. 1956. 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