173 JOURNAL OF ENGLISH EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY Vol. 01 No. 03, October 2020, pp. 173-184 Available online at: http://jeet.fkdp.or.id/index.php/jeet/issue/current ISSN: 2721-3811 (media online) The Use of CIRC Strategy on Students’ Reading Comprehension Skill Imam Nur Aziz English Language Department, Faculty of Tarbiyah, Institut Keislaman Abdullah Faqih Gresik imamnuraziz@gmail.com Abstract Reading is the most and useful skill for people. It is an activity that can update any information or knowledge. This research aims to know the effect of CIRC strategy on students' reading comprehension skills in the description text. This study used a quasi-experimental in which design involves two groups, namely the experimental group and the control group. The research was conducted in the experimental class consists of 20 students, and the control class consists of 20 students. The results show that The minimum score of pre- tests in the experiment class was 44, and the maximum was 84. While the minimum score of pre-tests in the control class was 44and, the ceiling was 78. On the other side, the mean of each group was different. The mean score of the pre-test experiment was 68,00, and the mean score of pre-test control was 61,50, and The minimum score of post-tests in the experiment class was 80, and the maximum was 92. While the minimum score of post- tests in the control class was 68, and the maximum was 84. On the other side, the mean of each group was different. The mean score of the post-test experiment was 85,00, and the mean score of post-test control was 75,30. Key Words: CIRC, Reading Comprehension, Cooperative Learning. http://jeet.fkdp.or.id/index.php/jeet/issue/current http://u.lipi.go.id/1580741566 mailto:imamnuraziz@gmail.com 174 I. INTRODUCTION Reading is the most and useful skill for people. It is an activity that can update any information or knowledge. We can get this information or knowledge from many sources, such as books, novels, poems, magazines, newspapers, and any other (Aziz, 2019). If we read more, we will be able to get information and knowledge more too. Reading is also an important tool for academic success (Aziz & Dewi, 2019). If the students have good ability in reading, it enables the students to get a better opportunity in achieving their study. On the ten contrary, if the students have poor knowledge in translation, it allows the students to face difficulties in completing their studies. In order, our reading skill can increase, we should practice our reading more and more. So, we will have a good sense of English (Durukan, 2011). Good readers can understand the individual sentences and, therefore, the organizational structure of a chunk of writing. they'll comprehend ideas, follow arguments, and detect implications. They know most of the words within the text already. Still, they'll also determine the meaning of the many of the unfamiliar words from the context - fielding this, and they'll use their dictionary effectively to try and do so. therefore, good readers can extract from the writing what's essential for the actual task they're employed in, and that they can bonk quickly (Varisoglu, 2016). There are many strategies in improving students reading comprehension; one of them is Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC). CIRC is a learning strategy that combines cooperative learning with increased reading, writing, and art skills in language (R. E. Slavin, Stevens, & Madden, 1988). In this strategy, students are involved in various cooperative activities in teams consisting of four to five members (Mubarok & Sofiana, 2017). In reading skills, students read aloud with their partners, identifying the grammatical components of the story; practice vocabulary, decoding, and spelling; and write compositions in response to stories. So they can receive instruction directly in reading comprehension skills. In the art of writing, a structured writing process is used where students work with teammates to plan, arrange, revise, edit, and publish compositions. The cooperative approach presents an innovative approach which is a shift from the paradigm in the field of language teaching. Cooperative learning is a learning approach that is rooted in communicative language teaching (CLT) learning. Five elements build the essence of this approach, among others, positive dependence, individual accountability, face-to-face interaction, interpersonal skills, and group processing (Jahanbakhsh, AliAsgariZamani, & Garman, 2019). The results show that Student Reading and Composition (CIRC) 175 can work significantly and better to increase reading comprehension knowledge. Reading comprehension is the primary concern as a general indicator in the achievement of reading because understanding a text is an integration between the text's meaning of the passage (Soden et al., 2015; Stanley, Petscher, & Catts, 2018). Understanding a reading can be understood as the ability to understand and use text for learning and is a fundamental skill that must be learned by language learners (Soden et al., 2015). Individual differences in reading comprehension is a cognitive-linguistic ability (Stanley et al., 2018). cognitive-linguistic factors of learners have an impact on their reading comprehension. Therefore, English teachers have to activate the cognitive process and motivate the students’ attention and stimulate their interest to learn English reading (Aziz, 2019). Because the primary context of reading comprehension should be able to be placed in the early years of elementary school, thus in the next level, students can develop their reading comprehension skills. II. LITERATURE REVIEW A. Understanding Cooperative Learning The teaching of shade in constructivist theories of learning is cooperative learning. The model of this learning developed from constructivism theory learning, spring from ideas of Piaget and Vygotsky (Santrock, 2018; E. R. Slavin, 2012). Based on the research of Piaget, the first time said that knowledge built of children's ideas (Piaget, 1929). Theory-based on cooperative learning is the basis of the constructivism approach theory in the study is an approach in which the student must find and transform the complex of information individually, investigate the information with instruction do and revise it if needs. Cooperative learning as the main strip in education practice includes the central piece in education practice; one other thing is to upgrade the attainment of students’ achievement (Slavin Robert, 1995). Also, some positive consequences which develop the relationship between teamwork, an acceptance toward classmate that has a feeble-minded in academic level and upgrade self-esteem. The other reasons are an appearance or awareness that students are needed to learn for thinking, finishing problem, integrate and applicate the ability and their knowledge, that is, learning cooperative is tools which are useful for reaching those matter (Slavin Robert, 1995). Cooperative learning is a learning model in which students teach in small groups who have different ability levels. In finishing the group task, every member is doing together and helps to understand the learning materials. The teaching of cooperative learning agree with human character as a social creature who interdependence complete 176 with other people, have purpose and accountability together, sharing division of labor, and same feel. In exploit the reality, study learning together will train the students to share the knowledge, duty, and accountability. They will learn to realize each other. Cooperative learning is teaching activities that working together with the group and construct the concept to finish the problem-based. The group consists of 4-5 students, heterogeneous (ability, gender, and character), there is control and facilities, and ask the resulting accountability of group are report or presentation (Altun, 2017). Cooperative learning divided become six phases (Jauhar, 2011): Phases/stages The teacher of activities Explains the purpose and motivate the student. The teacher explains the learning purpose will be reached on the lesson and motivate the student to study. Provide the information The teacher provides the information to students with demonstration methods or through reading material. Organize the student in the groups of study The teacher explains to the student. Conduct the work team and study The teacher conducts the groups of study do their duty Evaluation The teacher evaluates the study result about material have been learned, or each of group presents the study result Give appreciation to individual or group who get the group result such as by giving a reward The teacher looks for manners to appreciate, neither effort nor the result of study individual and group Based on Roger and David Johnson, there is five substance which should be applied in cooperative learning below: 1) Positive interdependence 2) Individual accountability 3) Face facing promotive interaction, 4) Participation communication 5) Group process evaluation From the principle above, we can conclude that collaborative learning Convince the students’ to have primary substances for reaching the purpose. Each student’ have a duty with the role that supports, connects, completes, and interdependence each other with other students’ in the group, finishing the problem 177 togetherness, with face to face promotion interaction, and a useful purpose will not be achieved. The Elements of Cooperative Learning Those are seven of elements in cooperative learning below: 1) Students’ in the group have to assume that they are team 2) Students’ are responsible for everything in their group/team 3) Students’ have to observe that all of the members in their group have the same purpose 4) Students’ have to divide the duty/task and some responsibility between the member of the group 5) Students’ will get an evaluation or given appreciation which going to get for all of the groups/team 6) Students’divided leadership qualities and they need skill for learning together during the learning process 7) Students’ are going to ask account for all of the materials individually in cooperative learning Thus, the students should have the human spirit in the group, and students must have accountability between the member of the team. The factor of supporter is motivation from the group during the learning process, which they have to teamwork for finishing the task. B. Understanding of CIRC Method Two kinds of language skills must be mastered since the existence of the world of education, namely students’ skills in writing and reading. Learning these two skills would be a prerequisite to master any skills. The acquisition of reading skills underlying the invention of the Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) strategy. CIRC strategy development resulting from an analysis of the standard teaching problems such as reading, writing, language art, and revealed something from reality. One of the main focuses of CIRC activities is to make use of more productive time. Students study in cooperative teams coordinated by the teaching of the reading group, to meet the objectives of the aspects such as reading comprehension, vocabulary, and message reading in the material being studied (Halimah, 2014). CIRC is one of the methods that are developed from Cooperative Learning. In Cooperative Learning, students will sit together in a group to master the lesson from the teacher. The important thing is students help each other to be successful. Cooperative learning gives ideas that students have to make pleasant cooperation in education and responsibility to their friends in one group with as good as the result of training (Ferguson-patrick & Ferguson-patrick, 2016). Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) is also a School-based 178 program that targets reading, writing, and language arts in grades 2 through 8. The principle program elements are direct instruction, related activities story, and integrated language arts or writing instruction. Each student is paired with another student and then assigned to a group of students at the same or different reading levels. This learning team works cooperatively on related activities program. All activities involve teachers’ presentations, team practices, peer pre-assessments, additional practices, and also testing. Students are encouraged to cooperate and help one another because students’ scores on individual assessments are summed to form team scores (R. E. Slavin, 2015). Cooperative, integrated reading, and composition (CIRC) strategy is one of the learning strategies through cooperation, is designed to improve reading, writing, and other language skills in the upper grades education. CIRC strategy presents a structure that increases not only opportunities for direct teaching in reading and writing but also applying composition writing techniques. CIRC strategy is developed to support traditionally used through the “skill-based reading groups” approach. This study conveys to collaborate with finding reading achievement ways in the descriptive text (Durukan, 2011). III. METHOD The design of this research was conducted in experimental research design. The researcher used a quasi-experimental model by non-randomized control-group pretest and posttest design. Quasi- experimental is one approach of research that uses two groups; those are the experimental group and the control group, which the experimental group as a class that gets the treatment and the control group that did not receive the treatment. Variable Variable is a critical term in research. Every research involves variables to be measured. 1. Independent variable: The independent variables antecedent to dependent variables and are known or are hypothesized to influence the dependent variable in which is the outcome. In experimental studies, the treatment is the independent variable, and the result is the dependent variable. The independent Variable used the CIRC method. 2. Dependent Variable: The dependent Variable is students’ reading comprehension skills in the descriptive text in the first grade of MTs in Tuban. The research was conducted in the test class consists of 20 students, and the control class consists of 20 students. The researcher took the students VII A as an experimental class and the students' VII B as a control class. 179 IV. RESULT AND DISCUSSION A. Description of the Data To find out how effective the CIRC method on the ability to read critical reading skills on descriptive text. The researcher used a quasi-experimental research design. The result of the data obtained by providing tests to the experimental class and control class after giving treatment. The subject of this study is divided into two categories. They are (VII A) as an innovative class and (VII B) as a control class in which the number of each class consists of 20 students. The researcher gave the test as a research instrument. The test is given before the students are given treatment. Then the researcher provides treatment to the experimental class using the CIRC method and control class using the conventional method. And the last the researcher gave a post-test to both innovative class and control class. The description of the pre-test score In this part, the researcher presented the result of the students’ reading scores in the pre-test. The descriptive statistics of the pre-test was shown in Table 4.1 below. Table 1 The descriptive statistic of pre-test score N Mea n Std. Devia tion Std. Err or 95% Confidence Interval for Mean Min imu m M ax im u m Lowe r Boun d Up per Bou nd Pre- test Expe rime nt 20 68.0 0 9.625 2.15 2 63.50 72.5 0 44 84 Pre- test Cont rol 20 61.5 0 9.012 2.01 5 57.28 65.7 2 44 78 Tota l 40 64.7 5 9.774 1.54 5 61.62 67.8 8 44 84 Table 1 showed the students’ score before getting the treatment. The minimum score of pre-tests in the experiment class was 44, and the maximum was 84. While the minimum score of pre-tests in the control class was 44and, the ceiling was 78. On the other side, the mean of each group was different. The mean score of the pre-test experiment was 68,00, and the mean score of pre-test control was 61,50. Tabel 2 The Descriptive statistic of post-test score N Mea n Std . De viat ion Std. Err or 95% Confiden ce Interval for Mean Min imu m Ma xim um 180 Lo wer Bou nd Up per Bou nd Post- test Expe rime nt 20 85.0 0 4.0 78 .912 83. 09 86.9 1 80 92 Post- test Cont rol 20 75.3 0 4.0 67 .90 9 73. 40 77.2 0 68 84 Total 40 80.1 5 6.3 47 1.00 4 78.1 2 82.1 8 68 92 Table 4.2 showed the students’ scores after getting the treatment. The minimum score of post-tests in the experiment class was 80, and the maximum was 92. While the minimum score of post-tests in the control class was 68, and the ceiling was 84. On the other side, the mean of each group was different. The mean score of the post-test experiment was 85,00, and the mean score of post-test control was 75,30. Normality Test Table 3 Result normality test of pre-test and post-test in experiment class and control class Tests of Normality Class Kolmogorov- Smirnova Shapiro-Wilk Stat istic df Sig. Stat istic df Sig. studen ts' readin g score Pre- test Experi ment (CIRC ) .200 20 .03 5 .899 20 .04 0 Post- test Experi ment (CIRC ) .219 20 .01 3 .865 20 .010 Pre- test Contro l (Conv ention al) .108 20 .20 0* .944 20 .291 Post- test Contro l (Conv ention al) .218 20 .01 3 .930 20 .158 *. It is a lower bound of real significance. a. Lilliefors Significance Correction Data normality test using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov method. The requirement of data is said to be normally distributed if significance or value p>0,05. According to the result of the data normality test above shows, the result pre-test of experiment class significance is 0,35. It is shown that data normally distributed because significance is 0,35> 0,05. While the result pre-test of control class significance is 0,200, it is shown that data normally distributed because significance is 0,200 >0,05. Meanwhile, the 181 result of the data normality test above shows that the result post-test of the experiment class significance is 0,13. It is confirm that data normally distributed because significance is 0,13 > 0,05. While result post- test of control class significance is 0,13. It is shown that data normally distributed because significance is 0,13> 0,05. Thus, it can be concluded that result pre-test and post-test in experiment class and control class both of them are normally distributed. It can be seen from the significance of both of them is more than 0,05. 1. Homogeneity Test A homogeneity test is performed to find out whether the data from the two groups have the same level of data variance or not. The data to be tested for homogeneity is the result of the pre-test of the experiment class and control class. The decision-making criteria are if the significance is more than 0,05. Table 4 Result homogeneity test of pre-test Based on the result of the homogeneity pre-test shows that the level of significance is 0,811. Homogeneity test of the post-test. Homogeneity tests were also performed on post-test data. Post-test data result obtained from test scores given to the experimental class and control class after being treated, namely the cooperative learning type CIRC Method for innovative class and conventional method for the control class. The decision-making criteria are if the significance is more than 0,05. This analysis uses a statistical computation with SPSS 20.0 for Windows program that is One Way Anova. Table 5 result homogeneity test of post- test Based on the result of homogeneity post-test shows that the level of significance is 0,586. Data Analysis and Research Hypotheses Based on the results of the normality test above, it is concluded that the data are typically distributed. Then the researcher uses the parametric analysis in this study using the T-test. Hypothesis testing using a t-test aims to determine differences in average the students’ reading skills. Table 6 Result of T-test of independent samples test Test of Homogeneity of Variances Levene Statistic df1 df2 Sig. .058 1 38 .811 Test of Homogeneity of Variances Students' Reading Score Levene Statistic df1 df2 Sig. .301 1 38 .586 182 Independent Samples Test Result Levene 's Test for Equali ty of Varian ces t-test for Equality of Means F Si g. T df Sig. (2- taile d) Mea n Diff eren ce Std. Err or Diff eren ce 95% Confide nce Interval of the Differe nce Lo we r U pp er Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed .3 01 .58 6 7.53 2 38 .000 9.70 0 1.28 8 7.0 93 12. 30 7 7.53 2 38. 00 0 .000 9.70 0 1.28 8 7.0 93 12. 30 7 Based on the table above, the calculations on the average difference test the students’ reading skill between pretest and posttest can be seen if the significance or sig (2-tailed) >0,05. Then, the Null Hypothesis (Ho) was accepted, and the Alternative Hypothesis (Ha) was rejected. While, if the significance or sig (2-tailed) < 0,05. Then, the Alternative Hypothesis (Ha) was accepted, and the Null Hypothesis (Ho) was rejected. It appears that the probability value was at significance (2-tailed) was 0,000. Based on the results of the t-test output, obtained a value of sig (2-tailed) was 0,000 < 0,05. Then, according to the basis of the decision- making it can be concluded that Ho was rejected, and Ha was accepted; it means that there are an effect and difference between the average learning outcomes of the experimental class and control class. Based on the information shows that Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) method on the ability to read critical reading comprehension skills on the descriptive text at MTs Islamiyah Kebomlati Plumpang Tuban was an effect and also significant differences between experimental group and control group. By using the Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) strategy in the class, the students are more motivated and enthusiastic in following the lessons, and the students are more interested in reading critical reading skills on descriptive text compared to using the conventional method. It can be concluded that the Cooperative, integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) method on students’ critical reading comprehension skills at the first grade of MTs Islamiyah Kebomlati Plumpang Tuban more useful and desirable in the learning process. V. CONCLUSION Based on the result of the study above shows that Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) method on the ability to read critical reading skill on the descriptive text at the first grade of MTs 183 Islamiyah Kebomlati Plumpang Tuban was an effect and also significant differences between experimental group and control group. The students are more motivated, more interested, and enthusiastic in following the lessons by using Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) method. Thus, the CIRC method is more effective than conventional means. 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