REGISTER JOURNAL Vol. 12, No. 1, pp.49-61 p-ISSN: 1979-8903 ; e-ISSN : 2503-040X DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18326/rgt.v12i1.49-61 Website: http://journalregister.iainsalatiga.ac.id/index.php/register/ 49 Developing Students’ Reading Skills on Islamic Texts through SQ3R Method in an EFL Class Abdul Gafur Marzuki IAIN Palu gbudiperwira@gmail.com Submission Track: Received: ……………… Final Revision: ……………… Available online: ..................... Corresponding Author: Name & E-mail Address ABSTRACT This study aims at analyzing the development of students’ reading skills on Islamic texts in EFL class in Indonesia through SQ3R method. The research was designed as a collaborative classroom action research which was carried out at TBI-4 FTIK IAIN Palu. The subject of the research was the third semester students of TBI-4 FTIK IAIN Palu consisting of 24 students. The research was conducted in one cycle through stages of planning, acting, observing and reflecting. The cycle consists of three meetings. The researcher with his collaborator collected the data by using observation checklists, field notes, camera recording, and test. The result showed that the SQ3R method could develop students’ reading skills. This fact was supported by the result of achievement test. There were 19 students out of 24 (75%) who got score greater than 80, there were 6 students who could not reach the score. The research was stopped after the third meeting of cycle 1 in which the result of students’ achievement test had met the criteria of success. Based on this finding, the researcher concludes that the implementation of SQ3R method in teaching and learning process can develop students’ reading skills on Islamic texts. Keywords: Developing, Reading Skills, SQ3R method. INTRODUCTION English has long been the prominent foreign language studied by the students from schools up to university level in Indonesia. The teaching of English in Indonesia, particularly at university level is intended to develop the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) (Marzuki, 2016). To attain those ultimate skills, the lecturers of English are always encouraged to find out an effective teaching method that he or she may apply in the teaching of English. mailto:gbudiperwira@gmail.com Abdul Gaful Marzuki 50 The teaching of English to university students, in particular is strongly encouraged to bring the students to be able to perform written and oral communication fluently and accurately both individually and in groups (Marzuki, 2017). Moreover, there is a tendency that reading text has become the main component of English since the students meet many texts regarding to their study subject (Gersten et al., 2001; Jitendra, 2011; Marzuki et al., 2018). This has forced the English lecturers to maximize their efforts on performing the teaching techniques in the area of reading text to enable students to capture the information conveyed by the text (Harmer, 2007; Wei et al., 2012; Gunning, 2013; Joseph et al., 2016). The lecturers must be aware of students needs including their motivation for reading and the purpose that reading has in their daily lives. Learning to read for a variety of purposes is essential to success in studying and to learning in general, especially for EFL students. For them, the ability to read may open new worlds and opportunities. It enables them to gain new knowledge, enjoy literature, and do everyday things that are part and parcel of modern life, such as, reading the articles, magazines, brochures, and so on. Through reading they can share the challenges, fears, thrills, and achievements of those they are reading about (Radcliffe, 2004; Williams, 2005; Harmer, 2007; Morgan-Thomas, 2012; Li et al., 2014). The main target in teaching reading is to enable the students comprehend the reading texts. Comprehension is the main part in reading. Basically, reading is conducted for the purpose of conveying meaning through comprehension. When reading comprehension breaks down, the students need to find ways to improve their understanding. This is where the importance of knowing the methods and strategies of how to teach reading come in, so as to facilitate the reading process and give students a clear sense of what they are reading. Students get frustrated when they do not understand what they are reading and as the matter of fact, they become unmotivated. A lecturer needs to design and teach different methods or strategies in order to help students close the gaps in their understanding. The ultimate challenge for the lecturer knows exactly which approach, method or strategy is useful, workable, joyful and most beneficial to teach, since each student needs something different. In line with the previous statement, the researcher shares his considerations of why they are interested in terms of teaching reading. First of all, the researcher REGISTER JOURNAL Vol. 12, No. 1, pp.49-61 p-ISSN: 1979-8903 ; e-ISSN : 2503-040X DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18326/rgt.v12i1.49-61 Website: http://journalregister.iainsalatiga.ac.id/index.php/register/ 51 recognizes what happen relating to the teaching and learning process when he was conducting pre-observation at TBI-4 FTIK IAIN Palu. He also interviewed several lecturers of English who were teaching the students and who had ever taught those students. The real problems faced by most of students in relation to reading skills include determining the main idea of a paragraph, identifying the generic structure and answering comprehension questions of a text. They also cannot do their exercises or evaluation exactly in the time determined by the lecturer. Hence, the students need an extra time to finish their works. These problems were identified by the researcher based on the pre-observation of teaching and learning process in the classroom and the result of students’ works of both exercise and evaluation. The researcher finds that the students get the problems not only because they find unfamiliar word(s), then, they are wasting time to open the dictionary or ask their friends about the meaning of the word(s), but also because they cannot comprehend the content of the text. The phenomena pointed out that the majority of the students of TBI-4 FTIK IAIN Palu have low ability and motivation in reading comprehension. Second of all, the students have to read and answer the question related to the text as fast as possible. For this reason, the researcher considers that lecturers of English should be able to motivate the students in order that they can capture messages conveyed by the text. Finally, to solve the problems stated previously, the researcher is eager to implement SQ3R as an effective method to improve students’ reading skills. The SQ3R is a useful method for fully absorbing written information. SQ3R stands for “Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review.” It provides the students with a systematic approach for studying a text assignment. By using the SQ3R to actively read a text, the students can get the maximum benefit from their reading time. It also enables them to comprehend the reading texts as well as answer the reading questions precisely (Artis, 2008; Holes, 2008; Feldt et al., 2009; Baier, 2011; Carlston, 2011; Ari, 2014; Al- Ghazo, 2015). Since the researcher has a great interest in solving the problems in teaching reading especially at university, he conducted his research involving the students of TBI-4 FTIK IAIN Palu and designed it in the form of Classroom Action Research (CAR). To be more specific, the research question that is necessary answered was how Abdul Gaful Marzuki 52 can the students’ reading skills of TBI-4 FTIK IAIN Palu be developed through SQ3R method? RESEARCH METHOD The research was designed as a collaborative classroom action research which was carried out at TBI-4 FTIK IAIN Palu. The subject of the research was the third semester students of TBI-4 FTIK IAIN Palu consisting of 24 students. The researcher and the collaborator would collaboratively design lesson plan, prepared instructional material and media, and implemented the action plan. The research was conducted in cycle through stages of planning, acting, observing and reflecting (Stringer, 2008; Bogdan & Biklen, 2010; Fraenkel et al., 2011; Kemmis, McTaggart & Nixon, 2013; McNiff, 2013; McKernan, 2013). The cycle consists of three meetings. The researcher with his collaborator collected the data by using observation checklists, field notes, camera recording, and test. The criteria of success in this research focused on the area of concerned. Since the researcher conducted the research in the area of teaching reading through SQ3R, the criteria of success covered the classical achievement on reading test. In other words, this research was successful if 70% of the students get scores equal or greater than 80. It is based on the Minimum Criteria of Success used in this classroom. RESULTS & DISCUSSION The Result of Evaluation During cycle 1, the students were assigned evaluation of each meeting after they were treated through the SQ3R method. The results were described as follows: Meeting 1 In the first meeting there were 23 students joined the class. All of them were given evaluation after the researcher implemented the method in teaching process. The researcher limited the time for the students to complete the evaluation in order to avoid them to do another activity that is not dealt with the evaluation. The students were enthusiastic to finish it. He asked the students to change their sitting position because the evaluation was individual work. All of the students had answered the questions punctually. The researcher collected their evaluation sheets. He also checked their REGISTER JOURNAL Vol. 12, No. 1, pp.49-61 p-ISSN: 1979-8903 ; e-ISSN : 2503-040X DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18326/rgt.v12i1.49-61 Website: http://journalregister.iainsalatiga.ac.id/index.php/register/ 53 answered and scored the result based on the scoring system that he already prepared. It was found that there were 7 students who got the score less than 80. The highest score that had been achieved by the students was 90 and the lowest score was 65. Meeting 2 In this second meeting, there were 23 students who attended the class. All of them joined actively the teaching and learning process. They were also asked to accomplish the evaluation to measure their understanding about the material that they had learned. They had to finish their work properly in the time that has been determined by the researcher. It is because he would not hesitate to collect the unfinished worksheets. As a result, the students concentrated and were active in answering every question that was appeared in the evaluation. It was found that there were only 3 students who got the score less than 80. The highest score was 100, and the low score was 70. Meeting 3 In the third meeting as the last meeting of implementing the plan, there were 24 students who attended the class. The researcher asked the students to indentify the main idea and answered 6 comprehension questions. As in the two previous meetings, the students were obligated to finish their work punctually. They seemed enthusiastic and happy to conduct their evaluation. It was found that all the students collected their works at the same time and all the questions were answerable. It was proved by the result of the evaluation that there was only 1 student who got the score less than 80. The highest score was100 and the low score was 75. The Result of the Observation on Lecturer’s Performance The observation was done at the same time the researcher and the students conducted teaching and learning process in the classroom. The observation was done in order to know how far the researcher in this case as a lecturer of English performed the action that he has already constructed in lesson plans. There were 29 items would be observed by collaborator through the observation checklist. The collaborator putted a Abdul Gaful Marzuki 54 tick ( ) on one of option columns for each item. The options were yes or no the items were conducted by the researcher. Since this research was planned for three meetings, the researcher wants to carry out the results in three parts; meeting 1, meeting 2 and meeting 3. The results are as follows: Meeting 1 Based on the result of observation checklist in meeting 1, it could be seen that the researcher did not implement all the items. He did not give reward to the students who have done the given task. For example: Praise, compliment or thank. It is very important to do in while-activity because the students were motivated to join the lesson. Thus, they can find out the answer of their curiosity by following the lesson until the end. Another important point that the researcher did not asked the students about their opinion toward the in while activity. Finally in post activity, he also did not draw orally the materials were carried out for the next meeting. Based on the result, the researcher evaluated himself and thought more for the better performance to the next meeting. Meeting 2 In meeting two, all the items were conducted by the researcher. He managed the time well and he was energetic enough to present the lesson. He asked the students pre- questions related to the topic. He implemented the SQ3R method carefully and systematically. He was also more active to control and guiding the students during the implementation of method. What he did in this meeting was much better than the previous meeting. But he still has to work hard and prepare himself well to enter the next meeting in which it was the last meeting to teach. It also meant that the third meeting was the last chance for the lecturer to apply the SQ3R method in cycle 1. Meeting 3 In meeting three, the researcher did all the items. He implemented the SQ3R method step by step as what he has already planned. It means that he has done all the aspects suggested in this method. He also controlled and guided the students actively during the implementation of the method. It indicates that the researcher at the time was in well preparation. REGISTER JOURNAL Vol. 12, No. 1, pp.49-61 p-ISSN: 1979-8903 ; e-ISSN : 2503-040X DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18326/rgt.v12i1.49-61 Website: http://journalregister.iainsalatiga.ac.id/index.php/register/ 55 The Result of the Observation on Students’ behavior The investigated components of the table above are related to students’ behavior during teaching and learning process in meeting 1 up to meeting 3. The findings show that in meeting 1 none of the students asked questions related to the lecturer’s instruction toward the topic. They did not pay attention to the topic because there was not an opening question to trigger their interest. In while activity, half of students could neither hear the lecturer’s voice clearly nor grasp the lecturer’s instruction. The students often asked about what they had to do after having an instruction. Then in post activity, only some of students responded actively the lecturer’s questions related to the reflection of the lesson. The same scales from meeting 1 until meeting 3 are in the implementation of SQ3R Method. Since the class was the English reading class and it was difficult to have student’s concentration on reading, the researcher applied the SQ3R method carefully, a little bit slowly and energetically. He raised her voice in order to have the students’ attention. Especially in meeting 1 which the first opportunity for her to introduce the method and he failed to conduct several important points in pre-activity. Although, the students were not given a stimulus question at the first meeting, they still focused on reading. That is one of the benefits of the SQ3R is that it may enhance motivation to reading. It is easy to use and adapt ourselves in this case was the students. They were comfortable with its components. What were happened at the second and the third meetings during teaching and learning process in the classroom were the same. On the other hand, the result of the observation had no different. The lecturer’s performance at the last two meetings of implementing action was much better than her performance at the previous meeting. So, it also affected the students’ behavior in reading class. They could hear the lecturer’s voice as well as grasped the instructions given to them. They also could respond or answer the lecturer’s pre-questions in pre-activity. Then, they could interact and involve actively in the implementation of the SQ3R method in while activity. Finally, in post activity, they could respond the lecturer’s questions related to the reflection to previous lesson and finish their evaluation punctually. Abdul Gaful Marzuki 56 The Result of the Observation on Lecturer’s Document Preparation The investigated items of table above is related to lecturer’s preparation on lesson plan, teaching materials, teaching media, evaluation sheet and scoring sheet during the class activities. The data show that, first, all the items in meeting 1 were available. The researcher prepared the lesson plan included the implementation of SQ3R method. He also prepared the teaching materials in the form of power point, so he needed In-focus and Notebook to show the materials to the students. The lecturer used the projector and the notebook to show the pictures in order to support the implementation of the method as well as to entertain the students. For post activity, the researcher also prepared evaluation and scoring sheets. Second, the data shown in meeting 2 are same with meeting 1. It means that the researcher readied himself with all the observed items above before entering the classroom. Third, the results in meeting 3 are almost same with the other meetings. The researcher had already equipped himself with those five components as shown in the table above, but unfortunately the electricity did not run well at the time. Therefore, he could not use the teaching media optimally. He just showed the pictures which was needed in applying the SQ3R to the students in pieces of paper. The Result of Achievement Test An important point that should be done by the researcher when conducting a research in the form of Classroom Action Research is that providing a test to the students. The researcher and his collaborator worked together to prepare an achievement test after implementing SQ3R method. There were 24 students who joined the test. The provided time to finish the test was 60 minutes. It was aimed at knowing whether or not the students could achieve the criteria of success in this research. The test was also used to measure how far the students could pass the lesson after learning reading skills through the SQ3R. The results of the test could be seen in the following table. The researcher has to explain firstly how to compute the individual score of each student before he computed the classical achievement. He used the formula, as follows: Achievement score Students’ score = X 100 Maximum score REGISTER JOURNAL Vol. 12, No. 1, pp.49-61 p-ISSN: 1979-8903 ; e-ISSN : 2503-040X DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18326/rgt.v12i1.49-61 Website: http://journalregister.iainsalatiga.ac.id/index.php/register/ 57 For instance, the student who is initialed “AR” obtained the score 26 as the result of adding the score that was gained in multiple choice and true false. It means that his correct answers on the test were 26 points where 18 points for multiple choice and 8 points for true false. After finding the obtained score (26), then, the sum was multiplied by 100 and divided by the maximum score (30). The individual score of “AR” is as follows: 100 30 26 xScore   86.6 The calculation of AR’s individual score was only as representative sample from other students’ scores on the test. After noting the individual score of the students, then, the researcher computed the students’ success in reading test classically by using the formula is as follows: The total of students who get scores greater than or equal to 80 Classical Achievement= X 100% The total of students who join the test It can be seen on the result of achievement test that there were 6 students who got score less than 80 and 18 students who got score equals or greater than 80. It means that the six students did not pass the lesson because their scores could not achieve the minimum criteria of success. So, the computation of the classical achievement is in the following: Classical Achievement The result above shows that the classical achievement 75% was greater than 70 %. It indicated that the result met the criteria of success. As stated previously in criteria Abdul Gaful Marzuki 58 of success that if individual achievement score was equal or more than 80 and the total classical percentage was at least 70%, it means that this study was successful. Reflection Based on the data that were collected in three meetings in cycle 1, the researcher presented the findings in a reflection as follows: The lecturer implemented well the SQ3R method in three meetings of action, the lecturer followed the steps suggested in the SQ3R method, namely survey, question, read, recite and review, The lecturer provided the SQ3R worksheet to help the students to manage their work well, the lecturer provided time limitation to apply every steps of the SQ3R method. It aims at having students’ attention and concentration toward the implementation of the method, then the lecturer explained well the teaching materials to the students including the generic structure of narrative text and the main idea of a paragraph. Next, the lecturer effectively controlled the time use, thus the teaching and learning process could be done punctually, after that he provided time limitation to have students attention and concentration toward the given task and evaluation, and finally the lecturer actively controlled the students during the implementation of the SQ3R method and the finish of task. While the result from the students’ reflection are as follows: The students looked concentrating to read the text; most of the students could understand the text as a whole without opening the dictionary to find out the meaning of difficult words while some (four) students still needed to open their dictionaries; and most of the students (eighteen) could finish their task, evaluation and reading test punctually. It means that they were motivated to finish every work that was given to them, while some students (six) who could not finish their task punctually were given 10 minutes as an extra time. Most of the students actively answer the questions from the lecturer; the students were enthusiastic and happy in joining the reading class especially in following the implementation of the SQ3R method; for the first time, the students were curious about what the given text tells about, then, after actively involved in the implementation of the SQ3R method, they were happy because they could answer their curiosity. REGISTER JOURNAL Vol. 12, No. 1, pp.49-61 p-ISSN: 1979-8903 ; e-ISSN : 2503-040X DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18326/rgt.v12i1.49-61 Website: http://journalregister.iainsalatiga.ac.id/index.php/register/ 59 CONCLUSION The implementation of SQ3R method performed by the researcher is effective to develop students’ reading skills of Islamic texts. The primary criteria to judge that the students have developments are that from the score they gained from the test. 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