98 IMPROVING ANALYTICAL EXPOSITION READING BY USING FEATURE WALKS STRATEGY TO THE ELEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS OF SMA KARYA IBU PALEMBANG Nurnajati UIN Raden Fatah Palembang nurnajati.light@gmail.com Abstract: The objectives of this study are to find out whether or not there is a significant improvement before and after the treatment on the eleventh grade students’ reading comprehension scores of SMA Karya Ibu Palembang by using Feature Walks strategy and to find out whether or not there is a significant difference on the eleventh grade students’ reading comprehension scores of SMA Karya Ibu Palembang between the students who are taught by using Feature Walks strategy and those who are not. In this study, the researcher used Quasi Experimental Design using pretest-posttest nonequivalent groups design. There were 60 students taken as sample. Each class consisted of 30 students from class XI IPA 1 as conrtol group and class XI IPA 2 as experimental group. In collecting the data, test was used. The test was given twice to both experimental and control groups, as a pretest and posttest. To verify the hypotheses, the data of pretest and posttest were analyzed by using independent sample t-test and paired sample t-test in SPSS program. The findings showed that the p-output from paired sample t-test (sig2-tailed) was 0.003 which was lower than 0.05 and t-value 3.254 was higher than t-table with df=29 (2.0452). The result of p-output from independent sample t-test was 0.022 which was lower that 0.05 and the t-value 2.355 was higher than t-table with df=58 (2.0017). It means that teaching narrative reading by using Feature Walks strategy had significant effect on the students’ reading comprehension scores. Keywords: Feature Walks Strategy, Analytical Exposition Reading Achievement INTRODUCTION Language is the window to the world. It means that language can open our mind, and give much knowledge to explore our mind. According to Javed, Xiao, and Nazli (2013, p. 130), language is an effective way to communicate our feelings. It is also used for communication (Brown, 2000, p. 5). Therefore, the use of language is very effective as an individual needs to communicate with others, both by written or spoken. One of language in the world that many countries use for communication is English. English is considered as a first language, second language and foreign language. Patel and Jain (2008, p. 20) state that English as a foreign language has a very complex system of vowels. According to Richard and Willy (2002, p. 2), English is the language of globalization, international communication, commerce and trade media, pop culture, different motivation for learning, it come to play language. So, it is important for people to learn English, because English is used in every aspect of the society life. mailto:nurnajati.light@gmail.com 99 However, in Indonesia, English is functioned as a foreign language. It is considered as one of foreign language subjects to teach. The government has considered English as one of the most important foreign language and the compulsory foreign language subject that must be learnt by students in every school level. Based on Kemendikbud (2013, p. 91), English is a foreign language subject from elementary school up to university level. The objective of teaching and learning English is to bring up students to have better understanding in using the language it self. In learning English, there are basic skills which are very important to be mastered. According to Brown (2000, p. 232), English has four skills, reading, listening, speaking, and writing. The students should master four language skills, hence they can use English actively. Reading is one of the important skills in learning English. Sweet and Catherin (2003, p. 935) state that reading skills occupy a uniquely important position in overall cognitive development and critically supportive of educational success. It means that reading is an important part that needs to be developed. By reading, the students can get much information and knowledge, and also the students can improve their ability in English. The goal of reading is comprehension. Good readers do not always try to understand every word, especially at the first time they read for comprehension. According to Richards and Renandya (2002, p. 277), the primary purpose for reading is sometimes overlooked when students are asked to read difficult text; raising students awareness of main ideas in a text and exploring the organization of a text are essential for good comprehension. Cripe and Angela (2011, p. 3) state that the good ability in reading can help students to gain what students want to know. By learning reading, students are able to comprehend and to get much information from the text. Based on the explanation above, it can be concluded that reading plays very important role for the process to achieve a proficiency in English. Therefore, the students must have ability in reading comprehension. Reading can affect the intellectual of students in every field of study for widening students’ mental horizons and especially reading take a part for emotional growth, too. As one of English skills, reading is taught at school and it is supported by School- based Curriculum (KTSP 2006) of Senior High School especially for the eleventh grade students. There are many kinds of reading texts that students should learn in the first semester. There are narrative, report, spoof, procedure and exposition texts. However, Miller and Veatch (2010, p.20), indicate that comprehension of expository text is an 100 unfamiliar idea, but is vital to making sense of the text. According to Holley and Dansereau (2014, p. 129), the difficulty in reading expository text caused by lack of prior knowledge is predictably high for the reading of expository text, and it become much higher when authors use unfamiliar, precise, technical vocabulary to present and discuss unfamiliar, complex concept. Furthermore some students were less motivated in reading expository text. Based on the syllabus, the eleventh grade students of senior high school in the odd semester should learn analytical exposition text. Cahyono and Purnama (2009, p. 1) explains that an analytical exposition presents the argument in such a way that it sounds like the writer is an authority on the subject and so it does not use first person pronoun (e.g. I, we or us), extravagant language or cliches. It is also one of the difficult genres that students learn in understanding text. It is caused by the students who had difficulties in composing analytical exposition text. For example, in identifying thesis statement, arguments and reiteration (restatement) of the text. They still cannot understand what the text tells about, identify the topic and main ideas of this text, and identify generic structure and language feature of the analytical exposition text. Based on the preliminary study interview and observation at SMA Karya Ibu Palembang on April 14 th , 2016, the researcher interviewed the teacher of English and the students at eleventh of Karya Ibu Palembang. The researcher also did small test about analytical exposition texts of the eleventh grade students in SMA Karya Ibu Palembang. After conducting a small test to the eleventh grade students of SMA Karya Ibu Palembang, the researcher found that the avarages score of students reading comprehension in analytical exposition text was lower than narrative and report text. Because of that, the researcher focus on analytical exposition text. The problems of the eleventh grade students in SMA Karya Ibu Palembang included: (1) the students assumed that an analytical exposition is uninteresting text, (2) the students had difficulties in comprehending the content of analytical exposition such as in finding main idea and information of the text, (3) the students had lack of vocabularies especially in scientific term. That is why the teachers needs to be creative in teaching process. To solve these problems above, it is suggested that a teacher of English can use an applicable teaching reading strategy in order to make students easy to comprehend the text that can make a reading instruction goes well, enjoyable and easier. One of the teaching strategies that could help the students comprehend reading text is Feature Walks Strategy. According to Akhondi, Malayeri and Samad (2011, p. 15), students who 101 struggle with comprehension of expository text are likely to improve their comprehension if they learn text features. Kelley and Grace (2008, p. 18), add that feature walks improve the students ability to comprehend expositoy text, it appears that a study to determine the effect of text Feature Walks on comprehension of expository text was appropriate. Moreover, Kelley and Grace (2008, p. 22) describe Feature Walks Strategy as students enter higher grades, they will find more complicated vocabulary and complex content in text books and informational texts. It means that this strategy is appropriate for the senior high school students. Therefore, Kelley and Grace (2007. p. 23) state that explicit instruction of text features, and text feature walks enable students to make quality predictions, anticipate their learning, and comprehend non-fiction text more fully. They also added that the goal is to have students anticipate what the main idea of the text is going to be and how the text feature relates to this main idea. From this background, researcher is interested in conducting research with the title “Improving Analytical Exposition Reading By Using Feature Walks Strategy To The Eleventh Grade Students of SMA Karya Ibu Palembang”. LITERATURE REVIEW The Concept of Reading Comprehension According to Woolley (2011, p. 15), reading comprehension is the process of making meaning from text. The goal is to gain an overall understanding of what is described in the text rather than to obtain meaning from isolated words or sentences. To comprehend the text information, students develop mental models or representations of meaning of the text ideas during the reading process. The RAND Reading Study Group (2002, p.11) defines that reading comprehension as the process of simultaneously extracting and constructing meaning through interaction and involvement with written language. It means that a reader have to try to interact with the text for making meaning from term or concept that exists beyond the text which is called as the extraction part of the process of constructing meaning. To construct meaning, the readers must monitor their understanding and apply strategic effort. The National Reading Panel Report (2006, p.28) also defines that reading comprehension is the act of understanding and interpreting the information within a text. Thereby, comprehension is about the construction of meaning more than about passive remembering. In addition, reading has been emphasized in the holy Qurán as follows: 102 Mean : So high [above all] is Allah, the Sovereign, the Truth. And, [O Muhammad], do not hasten with [recitation of] the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you, and say, "My Lord, increase me in knowledge." ( Q.S At-Thahaa:114). Relate to the verse above, reading cannot be separated from comprehension. According to Westwood (2008, p. 30), comprehension is reading a text with full understanding drawn on the reader’s background experience, general knowledge, vocabulary, syntactical awareness and word identifications skills. In addition, Baker (2008, p. 25) states that comprehension is the understanding of what is being read and it is the goal of reading. It means as the process of obtaining meaning from connected text. It involves vocabulary as well as thinking and reasoning. Therefore, comprehension is not a passive process, but an active one. The reader actively keeps with the text to construct meaning. Reading comprehension can be described as understanding a text that is read. It means a process of construction or making meaning. Meanwhile, Linse (2006, p. 71) states that reading comprehension refers to reading for meaning, understanding, and entertainment. Buehl (2009, p. 5) argues that reading comprehension results when readers can match what they already know with the information and in ideas in the text. There are some factors that can influence students’ reading comprehension. August and Shanahan (2006, p. 121) mention that related to the individual (e.g. word level skills, motivation), the text (e.g. story structure), and the social context (e.g. home literacy practice, demographic). Some factors above are needed in order to have good ability in reading comprehension. The Concept of Analytical Exposition Text Exposition is a type of oral or written discourse that is used to explain describe, give information or informs. In exposition text divided into two analytical exposition and hortatory exposition. In this case, focus on analytical exposition. Priyana, Riandi, and Mumpuni (2008, p. 132) state that the analytical exposition texts is text to argue a case for or against a particular position or point of view and it proposes a suggestion at the end of the argumentation. Coffin (2001, p 5) states that analytical exposition text is a spoken or written text that is intended to persuade the listeners or readers that something is 103 the case. Analytical exposition text can be found in scientific books, journals, magazines, newspaper, articles, academic speech or lectures, research report etc. In addition, according to Purwati and Yuliani (2006, p. 114), analytical exposition is designed to persuade the readers or listeners that something is the case. Wahidi (2009, p. 10) also explains that analytical exposition is a text that elaborates the writer’s idea about the phenomenon surrounding us to convince the reader that something is the case. The Concept of Feature Walks Strategy According to Kelley and Grace (2007, p. 5), text features are physical features of the text which highlight the important content. Knowledge about text features enables students to use them to improve their comprehension of the text. When students learn how to use text feature, they are able to make better predictions, anticipate their learning, and comprehend the content being studied and then if teachers recognize and focus on three factors text feature, text organization, and text content,then comprehension will be enhanced. Similarly, Hedin and Conderman (2010, p. 20) assert that informational text is an exceptional way to teach comprehension due to the text features and large selection of unique words that require students to use context clues to determine the meaning of words. Akhondi, et.al. (2011, p. 18) claim text features make it easier for students to find and manage the important information in the text. They added that presenting information in the form of text features helps students hold each bit of information in their short-term memory and they then can process or connect the background knowledge in their long-term memory. According to Lubliner (2001, p. 10) states that text features in reading help students use their predictions in detail and increase their predictions of the text, thus it can upgrade their reading comprehension. Kelley and Grace (2007, p. 227) added the teacher must select texts that provide clear examples of the text features and structures are intent on teaching students to recognize and use to improve their comprehension. RESEARCH METHOD Based on the problems and the objectives, the method of this study was an experimental design. (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2007, p. 283) state that a quasi experimental designs indicates that the experimental and control groups have not been equated by randomization henece the term non equivalent. The equivalence of groups can 104 be strengthened by matching, followed by random assignment to experimental and control treatments. In this study, the researcher used the pre-test post test non equivalent groups design. The population in this research was the students of the eleventh grade students in SMA Karya Ibu Palembang. Furthermore, the sample of this study was taken by using convinenvce sampling. Cresswell (2012, p. 145) states that in this technique, the researcher selects the participants because they are willing and available to be studied.Then, the researcher determined the class of sample by using teacher recommendation. The teacher recommended to take XI IPA 1 class and XI IPA 2 class as sample. The number of students of XI IPA 1 class was 30 students and XI IPA 2 class was 30 students. So, the total number of sample was 60 students. Then, the sample was divided into two groups, XI IPA 1 class as the control group and XI IPA 2 class as the experimental group. The total of population was 136 students consisting of four classes. There were 2 classes of science that consist of 60 students and 3 classes of social that consist of 76 students In this research, the test-question items which used for students’ pre-test was the same as it is given for students’ post-test activities. Before they implemented as research instrument, it must be analyzed or checked for their validity and reliability tests. The researcher had consulted the instrument with two validators to evaluate whether the components of the instrument are valid or not to be applied in research activities. They were the lectures of UIN Raden Fatah Palembang. The result from the validators showed that the test instrument and lesson plan were appropriate used in this research study. Furthermore, to find out the validity of the test question items, the researcher did try-out to know whether it was valid or not. From the result analysis of each question item, there were 46 questions considered valid since the scores of significance were higher than 0,355. It can be took 40 items from 46 items. In order to know if the contents of the test items are appropriate, the researcher checked the test materials to the curriculum. After try out, to measure the test, The researcher calculated the students’ score using Split Half in by SPSS version 20.0 programs with spearman-brown prophecy formula in internal consistency realibility. From the result of measuring reliability test using Split Half method, it was found that the p-output of Guttmann Split-Half Coefficient was 0.743. From the score it can be stated that the reliability of the test is reliable since the reliability was higher than 0.70. 105 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION In distribution of data frequency, the researcher got the interval score, frequency and percentage. The result of pre-test and post-test scores in control and experimental group are described in the following table: Table 1 Distribution of Data Frequency and Descriptive Statistic on Pre-test Scores in Control and Experimental Groups Control Group The Range of Score Category N Frequency Percentage (%) Min Max Mean Std. Deviation 85-100 Excellent 30 0 0% 45 75 65.4167 6.76207 75-84 Good 2 6.66% 55-74 Fair 26 86,6% <54 Poor 2 6.66% Experimen tal Group 85-100 Excellent 30 0 0% 35 75 62.3333 8.78217 75-84 Good 1 3.3% 55-74 Fair 26 86.6% <54 Poor 3 10% Table 2 Distribution of Data Frequency and Descriptive Statistic on Pre-test Scores in Control and Experimental Groups Control Group The Range of Score Category N Frequency Percentage (%) Min Max Mean Std. Deviation 85-100 Excellent 30 0 0% 45 75 65.4167 6.76207 75-84 Good 2 6.66% 55-74 Fair 26 86,6% <54 Poor 2 6.66% Experimen tal Group 85-100 Excellent 30 0 0% 35 75 62.3333 8.78217 75-84 Good 1 3.3% 55-74 Fair 26 86.6% <54 Poor 3 10% Furthermore, the researcher analyzed the normality and homogeneity of students’ pretest and posttest scores in experimental and control group. 0.864 for pre-test and 0.954 for post-test. Since, 1.393 and 1.540 was higher than 0.05, so it could be concluded that the data were considered normal. Then, normality test of the pre-test and post-test results of analytical Exposition reading of the Experiment group showed that Kolmogrov- Smirnov was 1.393 for pre-test and 1.540 for post-test. Since, 0.864 and 0.954 was higher than 0.05, so it could be concluded that the data were considered normal. 106 To compute homogeneity test, Levene statistics in SPSS 21 was applied. in the pre- test of experimental and control group were found that the significance level was 0.273. From the result of the output, it can be stated that the pre-test in experimental and control group was homogenous since it was higher than Hypothesis Testing In measuring means significant improvement. From the analysis, it was found that t obtained was 3.491 and t table (2.04), it means that t obtained is higher than t table and the p-output was lower than 0.005. It means that there was significant improvement and it could be mentioned that Ho is rejected and Ha is accepted. In measuring means significant difference. From the table analysis, it was found that the p-output was 0.022 and the t-obtained was 2.355. Since the p-output was lower than 0.05 level and the t-obtained was higher than the t-table (2.0017), it means that t obtained is higher than t table and the p-output was lower than 0.005. It means that there was significant difference and it could be mentioned that Ho is rejected and Ha is accepted. Based on the findings which have been described in the previous section, some interpretations were made as follows: First, The researcher found that the students faced difficulties before the treatments in experimental group. The problems were the students did not like to read English text, especially analytical exposition text. In fact, the students assumed that an analytical exposition is uninteresting text, the students had difficulties in comprehending the content of analytical exposition such as in finding main idea and information of the text, and the last the students had lack of vocabularies especially in scientific term. It could be stated that analytical exposition is one of the difficult genres that students learn in understanding text. It was supported by Miller and Veatch (2010, p. 20) who states that comprehension of expository text is an unfamiliar idea, but is vital to make sense of the text, in addition to Cahyono and Purnama (2009, p. 1) explains that an analytical exposition presents the argument in such a way that it sounds like the writer is an authority on the subject and so it does not use first person pronoun (e.g. I, we or us), extravagant language or cliches. It was proved that the result analysis of students’ pre-test scores in experimental group most of them categorized in fair level. Second, before the students were given treatment, the researcher had conducted the pretest in both control and experimental. After the students’ pretest scores obtained 107 from control and experimental groups, the researcher chose XI IPA 1 as a control group and XI IPA 2 as experimental group. It was because the students’ scores in control group were higher than the students’ scores in experimental group. It was also proved by the mean of pretest in XI IPA 1 which was higher than XI IPA 2 . It was because the students of XI IPA 2 did not focused in answering the questions. After the pretests, the students in experimental group were given the treatment by using Feature Walks Strategy. In the first meeting, the students discussed analytical exposition text entitled “Solar System” but they were confused about the steps of Feature Walks Strategy. They could not follow the rule of Feature Walks Strategy well. The researcher had to explain them again to make them understand. Nevertheless, when implementing Feature Walks Strategy on the students’ comprehension in reading analytical exposition the results was still low. Then next meeting the researcher gave them features about “Smoking in Restaurant ”. The students had to identify and predict the features from those text. It made the students could help the students to convey their ideas by stimulating their background knowledge. It was in lined with the statement of Akhondi et.al (2011, p.368). Who state that Text Feature can help reader locate and organization in the text. Presenting information helps students hold each bit information in their short term memory. The students then can process or connect the background knowledge in their long term memory. After that, we discussed the features from “Recycling”. They became interested in answering the questions related to the features correctly and fast, so it made the students identify the features easily. For the next meeting, the students found many difficult words in the texts. After they discussed all the features, they could make a conclusion about the Feature Walks Strategy of the texts nicely. Therefore, they could enlarge their vocabulary .The researcher found that the students were really interested. When the researcher taught reading comprehesion through Feature Walks Strategy to the experimental group, the students easier to understand and find the information of the texts and they thought that analytical exposition reading is interested subject after they studied it by using Feature Walks Strategy. It is related to Kelley and Grace (2010, p. 17) who mention that Feature Walks Strategy is aimed at enhancing reading instruction, which may be an effective tool enabling students to comprehend text. The last, based on the explanations above, it can be interpreted that Feature Walks Strategy improves the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process which then increases the students’ reading comprehension. The statement was supported by two previous related studies Purnamasari (2012) and Franco (2011). In addition, the 108 researcher would like to say that there was a significant improvement on student’s analytical exposition reading comprehension an experimental group taught by using Feature Walks Strategy. There was a significant difference on student’s analytical exposition reading comprehension scores between the students who were taught by using Feature Walks Strategy and those who were not. Therefore, the teacher of English can use Feature Walks Strategy as one of the alternative strategies in teaching reading analytical exposition. CONCLUSION Based on the findings and interpretation in the previous chapter, two conclusions can be drawn. First, based on the result of pretest to posttest, Feature Walks Strategy significantly improves students’ reading comprehension achievement of the eleventh grade students at SMA Karya Ibu Palembang. Second, there was a significant difference on students’ reading comprehension score who were taught by using Feature Walks Strategy and those who were taught by using the strategy that is usually used by the teacher of English at SMA Karya Ibu Palembang. Therefore, it could be assumed that Feature Walks strategy was effective to experimental group students at SMA Karya Ibu Palembang. Finally, the students got improvements from the implementation of Feature Walks strategy. It also could be seem from the result of the test, it implied that Feature Walks strategy could be used as an alternative strategy in teaching reading skill especially in analytical exposition text. REFERENCES Alqur’an surat At-Thahaa ayat114. Akhondi, M., Malayeri, F. A., & Samad, A. A. (2011). How to teach expository text structure to facilitate reading comprehension. The Reading Teacher, 64(5), 368- 372. doi:10.1598/rt.64.5.9 August, Diane & Timothy Shanahan. (2006). 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