THE PROBLEM IN LEARNING READING FACED BY THE STUDENT AT THE FIRST YEAR OF SMK HARAPAN KARTASURA

A’ISYAH, SITI (2010)

Abstract
This research aims at describing the problems in learning reading faced by the students at the first year of SMK Harapan Kartasura and the alternative solutions done for solving the students’ problems in learning reading. This research was done 10 until15 May 2010. From this research is a descriptive qualitative study in which the data are taken from interview, events, informants, and documents. The techniques of collecting data are interview, questionnaire, observation and test of learning reading faced by the students and alternative solutions done for solving the students’ problems in learning reading. The result of the research shows that the problems in learning reading faced by the students at the first year of SMK Harapan Kartasura are vocabulary, meaning, main idea, and pronounciation. There are some alternative solutions done for solving the students’ problems in learning reading, namely; for vocabulary the teacher gave the vocabulary which is difficult for the students first and gave the meaning of each difficult vocabulary. For meaning the teacher asked the students to open the dictionary first and if the students still do not understand, the teacher gave explanation about the content. For main idea, the teacher gave explanation what the main idea is and gave an example of the main idea in the text. For pronounciation the teacher gave the motivation to practice students’ English in students’ daily life and the teacher pronunced the difficult words first, and then was followed by all the students together.

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
As everybody knows, reading is one of the most important skills in
learning language besides listening, speaking and writing. The fundamental
goal of any reading activity is knowing enough science concepts and knowing
the language (i. e, comprehending /understanding) (kustaryo, 1988:1). It is a
cornerstone for a child’s success in school and indeed, throughout life.
Without the ability to read well, opportunities for personal fulfilment and job
success inevitably will be lost. Therefore, the students were given reading
subject matter. In reading, the students are expected to have a competence of
comprehending the text.
Reading is one of the skills in learning English. It is defined as an
understanding a message conveyed by the writer through visual and nonvisual
information, Smith (1971) in Fauziati, (2002:139);It is important to
learn reading since it (1) helps us learn to think the new language, (2) helps us
build a better vocabulary,(3) makes us more comfortable with written
English,(4) can help us plan to study in English-speaking country.
The reading activity needs a process by which people comprehend
what they read. That process happens when they face written symbols, they
look at them through their eyes then their mind will process them. Since then,
a process of viewing changes into a process of comprehending. This process
is called a cognitive process. Reinking and Scheiner (1985) in Kustaryo
(1988:2) suggest that reading is an active cognitive process of interacting with
printing and monitoring comprehension to establish meaning.
Considering the importance of English in the international affairs, the
Indonesian government has chosen it as the foreign language to be taught.
English teaching aims at developing the students’ skill, so the students can
communicate to other people from the writings and take part of globalization
era and can understand the required information in books that are written in
English language. In mastering English, students are expected to have four
skills of English language; one of the four language skills that must be
learned by the students, is reading. Reading ability is needed by the students
since both local and national tests of reading are in writings form.
In reading, students are expected to have a competence to understand
and comprehend English text, both scientific text and literary text. The
problems are not just in translating word by word but also in comprehending
the content of the text. As the students, they are expected to master reading
literary work because comprehending literary work is important.
There are many reasons why the writer focuses on reading study
because the ability of Reading comprehension by the students in the first year
of SMK Harapan Kartasura still low especially in vocabulary development,
understanding the text, catch the message of the text of the literary work.
From the reason above, the researcher would like to find the factors
concerning with the problems of Reading comprehension faced by the first
year students of senior high school in learning English, entitled “THE
PROBLEM IN LEARNING READING FACED BY THE STUDENT AT
THE FIRST YEAR OF SMK HARAPAN KARTASURA”.
B. Problem Statement
Based on the background of the research, the writer formulates the
problem as follows:
1. What are the problems faced by the students at the first year of SMK
Harapan Kartasura in learning reading?
2. What are the solutions in learning reading faced by the first year of SMK
Harapan Kartasura?
C. Limitation of the Study
From the background of study and problem statements, the writer limits
the problem about learning reading comprehension faced by the student at the
first year of SMK Harapan Kartasura and the solution to the problems of
learning reading faced by by the students at the first year of SMK Harapan
Kartasura.
D. Objective of the Study
Every research should have a certain objective. It can be used as the target
that should be attained in carrying out the research. The objectives of this
research are as follows:
1. To describe problems of the students at the first year of SMK Harapan
Kartasura.
2. To describe the solution of the students problems in learning to read
English.
E. Benefit of the Study
There are two benefits of this study. They are theoretical benefit and practical
benefit.
1. A theoretical benefit is that the result of the research can be used as the
references for them who want to analyze the reading comprehension of
literary work.
2. Practical benefits are (a) the teacher can know how the student’s reading
comprehension of English language to analyze what the problem that
they have (b) after knowing about the student’s problem the teacher is
able to choose an appropriate method of teaching literature based on
student’s problem (c) if the teachers have an appropriate method and
materials to teach, it can help the students in increasing their ability in
comprehending literary work.
F. Research Paper Organization
The writer organizes this research paper in order to make easier to
understand. There are five chapters in this research paper.
Chapter I is introduction. It covers background of the study, problem of
study, objective of the study, benefits of the study, limitation of the study, and
research paper organization.
Chapter II is review of related literature. This chapter describes previous
study, the notion of reading, notion of reading comprehension, and factors
influencing reading comprehension.
Chapter III is research method. This chapter deals with type of the
research, object of the study, data source, method of collecting data and
technique or for analyzing data.
Chapter IV is the result of the data analysis; it describes the result of the
study and the discussion of it.
Chapter V presents conclusion and suggestion.