THE EFFECT OF THINK ALOUD STRATEGY TOWARD STUDENTS READING

SKILL: STUDY AT 9TH GRADE SMP NEGERI 19 MATARAM IN ACADEMIC YEAR

2013/2014

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the discussion on the background of the study, statement of the
problems, objective of the study, scope and limitation of the study, significance of the study,
assumption of the study, and definition of key terms.
1.1.

Background of the Problem

Language is one of the most important things in communication and it is used as a toll of
communication among the nations in all over the world. As an international language, English is
very important and has many interrelationships with various aspects of life owned by human
being. In Indonesia, English considered as the first foreign language and taught formally from
elementary school up to the university level.
The most often become to complain is the teachers ability in applying appropriate approaches,
methods, strategies or techniques in teaching or learning. So, many students are not interest in
learning English. Therefore, the English teach suggested in order to be able mastering of method,
such as, Nababan (1991: 4) notices that a qualified teacher is the teacher who is able to suit best
method or technique to the material that is being taught.
In English, there are four skills that should be mastered, they are: listening, speaking,
reading, and writing. The reading skill becomes very important in the education field, students
need to be exercised and trained in order to have a good reading skill.
Reading is also something crucial and indispensable for the students because the success of their
study depends on the greater part of their ability to read. If their reading skill is poor they are
very likely to fail in their study or at least they will have difficulty in making progress. On the
other hand, if they have a good ability in reading, they will have a better chance to succeed in
their study.

One of the methods researchers uses to get a clearer picture of what learners generally do
while reading in a foreign language is think aloud. This is one type of verbal reports, obtained
from the readers during reading (Cavalcanti, 1987).
Think-aloud means that readers report their thoughts while reading, but they are not expected to
analyze their behavior as in introspection (Cohen, 1987). By means of asking their subjects to
say out loud whatever goes through their minds, researchers hope to get a more direct view of the
mental processes readers are engaged in while reading (Rankin, 1988).
In order to master reading skill, a teacher as an educator have to use good method in
teaching learning process. In this case, the researcher concerns with the effect of think aloud

strategy toward students reading skill study at 9th grade SMP Negeri 19 Mataram in
academic year 2013/2014.
1.2. Statement of Problem
Based on the background of study above, the problem of the study is as follows:
1. To what extent is the achievement of students Reading skill in study at 9th grade SMP Negeri

19 Mataram in academic year 2013/2014?

2. To what extent is the effect of think aloud strategy toward students reading skill study at
9th grade SMP Negeri 19 Mataram in academic year 2013/2014?
1.3. Objective of the Study
Based on the research statement, this particular study aimed at finding out:
1. The achievement of students Reading skill in study at 9th grade SMP Negeri 19 Mataram in

academic year 2013/2014.

2. The effect of think aloud strategy toward students reading skill study at 9th grade SMP
Negeri 19 Mataram in academic year 2013/2014
1.4. Significance of the Study
The result of the study is expected to be used theoretically and practically:
1. Theoretically
a.

The result of this study is expected to be able to widen the skill of teachers in using think aloud
strategy in order to improve students reading skill.

b. As a reference to other researchers who want to study think aloud strategy more intensively in
teaching reading.
2.
a.

Practically

The result of this study is suggested to apply the think aloud strategy to increase the students
competence in English reading skill.

b. The use of think aloud strategy in reading can make the students are more enjoyable in doing
their tasks associated with the reading materials.
1.5. Hypothesis of the Study
A hypothesis is a statement of the research assumption about the relationship
between two variables that the researcher plans to test within the framework of the researcher
study (Kumar, 1993: 9).
The hypothesis of this study was prepared as a tentative answer for the research problem
stated previously. In this case the alternative hypothesis as read follow:
Think Aloud Strategy has effect toward Students Reading Skill
Because of statistical computation the alternative hypothesis need to be change into null
hypothesis (Ho)as follow:
Think Aloud Strategy has not effect toward Students Reading Skill
1.6. Scope and Limitation of the Study
The scopes of the study are limited to the subject and object investigated.
1. Subject
The subject of this study at 9th grade SMP Negeri 19 Mataram in academic year 2013/2014
2. Object
The object of this study is the effect of Think aloud strategy towards students reading skill.
1.7. Definition of Key Terms
In order to clarify the key terms used in this study, some definitions are put
1.

forward.

Think-aloud have been described as "eavesdropping on someone's thinking." With this

strategy, teachers verbalize aloud while reading a selection orally. Their verbalizations include
describing things they're doing as they read to monitor their comprehension. The purpose of
the think-aloud strategy is to model for students how skilled readers construct meaning from a
text. The think-aloud strategy asks students to say out loud what they are thinking about when
reading, solving math problems, or simply responding to questions posed by teachers or other
students

2.

Reading is a kind of activity in translating written symbols into corresponding sound.

Reading skills enable readers to turn writing into meaning and achieve the goals of

independence, comprehension, and fluency.

3. Reading skill is the capability of understanding or getting information from reading material.

4. Strategies
According to Gony and Kingsmey (1974:12) the strategy is a process of individual behavior
which modified or changed through practice or learning on the other hand.
5. Effect is words indicate things, which arise out of some antecedent, or follow as a consequence.

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter presents about some related information topic of the recent study. It is intended
to provide some theoretical concepts which could support this investigation. The discussion is
presented under the following sub headings:
1) Theory of think aloud, 2) Using of think aloud, 3) The nature of reading, 3)Concept of
reading, 4) Aspect of Reading Comprehension, 5) Comprehension Skill, 6) The related Study
and 7) The Role of Background Knowledge in Comprehension, and 8) Theoreticalframe work.
2.1. Theory of Think aloud
In this research, it was decided to implement the think-aloud strategy because it was used as
an instructional approach, and also because this strategy helped readers to comprehend more
easily what was being read by them. Afflerbach and Johnston cited by McKeown and Gentilucci
(2007), claim that think-aloud serves firstly as a method of measuring the cognitive reading
process, then as metacognitive tool to monitor comprehension. In that sense, the think aloud is
appropriate for this study because through this strategy the students can monitor their
comprehension process.
Another definition of this strategy is provided by Pressley et al. in McKeown and
Gentiluccis (2007) work: think-aloud is one of the "transactional strategies" because it is a joint
process of teachers and students working together to construct understandings of text as they
interact with it (p. 1). Through the interactions that think aloud promotes, a better understanding
of the texts may emerge in the classroom. Think aloud is also a process in which readers report
their thoughts while reading (Wade 1990). It helps students to reflect upon their own reading
process.

In a similar way, Keene & Zimmerman, (1997) declare that think aloud is a technique in
which students verbalize their thoughts as they read (p. 1). Thus, this strategy is useful because
students are verbalizing all their thought in order to create understanding of the reading texts.
Another illustration about think aloud is provided by Tinzmann in Teacher Vision website
(2009), he says that:
When students use think out loud with teachers and with one another, they gradually
internalize this dialogue [...] it becomes their inner speech, the means by which they direct their
own behaviours and problem-solving processes. Therefore, as students think aloud, they learn
how to learn, and they develop into reflective, metacognitive, independent learners, an
invaluable step in helping students understand that learning requires effort and often is difficult.
This argument encloses all the issues that imply think-aloud in a reading process. Think
aloud are also used to model comprehension processes such as making predictions, creating
images, linking information in text with prior knowledge, monitoring comprehension, and
overcoming problems with word recognition or comprehension (Gunning, 1996 in teacher
vision). These sub-strategies will be defined in the ensuing sections.
The think-aloud is a technique in which students verbalize their thoughts as they read and
thus bring into the open the strategies they are using to understand a text (Baumann, Jones, &
Seifert-Kessell, 1993; Davey, 1983; Wade, 1990). Readers' thoughts might include commenting
on or questioning the text, bringing their prior knowledge to bear, or making inferences or
predictions.
These comments reveal readers' weaknesses as well as their strengths as comprehenders and
allow the teacher to assess their needs in order to plan more effective instruction
2.1.1. Using of Think Aloud
How to use this strategy
a.

Explain that reading is a complex process that involves thinking and sense-making; the skilled
reader's mind is alive with questions she asks herself in order to understand what she reads.

b. Select a passage to read aloud that contains points that students might find difficult, unknown
vocabulary terms, or ambiguous wording. Develop questions you can ask yourself that will show
what you think as you confront these problems while reading.
c.

While students read this passage silently, read it aloud. As you read, verbalize your thoughts, the
questions you develop, and the process you use to solve comprehension problems. It is helpful if
you alter the tone of your voice, so students know when you are reading and at what points you
begin and end thinking aloud.

d. Coping strategies you can model include:

Making predictions or hypotheses as you read: "From what he's said so far, I'll bet that the
author is going to give some examples of poor eating habits."

Describing the mental pictures you " see" : "When the author talks about vegetables I should
include in my diet, I can see our salad bowl at home filled with fresh, green spinach leaves."

Demonstrating how you connect this information with prior knowledge: "'Saturated fat'? I know
I've heard that term before. I learned it last year when we studied nutrition."

Creating analogies: "That description of clogged arteries sounds like traffic clogging up the
interstate during rush hour."

Verbalizing obstacles and fix-up strategies: "Now what does 'angiogram' mean? Maybe if I
reread that section, I'll get the meaning from the other sentences around it: I know I can't skip it
because it's in bold-faced print, so it must be important. If I still don't understand, I know I can
ask the teacher for help,"

e.

Have students work with partners to practice "think-aloud" when reading short passages of text.
Periodically revisit this strategy or have students complete the assessment that follows so these
metacomprehension skills become second nature.

2.2. The Nature of Reading

Reading is an active cognitive process of interaction with print and monitoring
comprehension of establishing meaning which means the brain does not work in reading, the
pupils get information by comprehending the massage and the teacher motivate the pupils to read
(Lado, 1961: 65). Furthermore, Gloria (1988: 43) States that the definition of reading
comprehension is most likely to occur when pupils are reading what they want to read, or at least
what they see some good reasons to read.
Lado (1961: 56):
Reading in the foreign language consists of grasping meaning in the written language. In this
case, reading foreign language is the grasping of full linguistics meaning of what is to read in
subject within the common experience of the culture of which the language is a central part. He
further maintains that linguistics means to include the denotation conveyed by language to all
speakers of it is as opposed to meaning that are receptive only by those have specific background
information not known by the other speakers in general. In other word, there are some purposes
of reading such as reading for specific items of information, for general and detail information in
a given field, etc. other types of reading, for example readings for literary appreciation are
properly the real of reading in the native language.

Learning to read a new language, the pupils must read carefully, some aloud; moreover
some questions are also important of the passages, as in the following statement by Berry (1956:
44):
There must be question on the text, this essential. The questions are to help the pupils
understanding every detail on the passage, for example, the passage is about hide and seek. It
means that the questions on the passage are able to facilitate the pupils understanding of the
passage; the children are playing hide and seek in the playground, and the question are (1) who is
playing hide and seek in the playground ? (2) What are the children playing in the playground?
(3) What are they doing in the playground and where are they playing hide and seek?
Psychologists and the reading experts have been conducting extensive research in the nature
of reading and the sequential development of language skill. Among discoveries of the
researchers, as stated by Lewis and Sisk in Gerry (1956: 34) are:
(a) reading is not a single skill but an interrelated process of many skill, (b) reading is
development process, in other words, reading comprehension develops sequentially as pupils
nature, (c) there are developmental pattern from grade to grade and from year to year, but wide
variations in reading ability exist among pupils in any grade or of any age, and (d) there are no
basic reading comprehension which can be taught or learned once or for all, they are merely
simpler or more difficult levels of reading proficiencies, which can be taught to pupils who are
ready to learn.
2.3. Concept of Reading
Although, on the world wide level, the format of teaching reading skill may differ according
to local circumstances, the 1994 English GBPP Stresses the implementation of teaching reading
skill in an integrated skill unit. It means that reading is thought integrated with the other
language skill. Such as, teaching vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and the way construct
sentences, paragraphs and texts.
The development of reading skills mostly occurs in this stage. To be effective reader, the
pupils should be able to (1) scan; (2) skim; (3) read between the lines; (4) read intensively; and
(5) deduce meaning from the context.
2.3.1. Reading Process

In very real sense, reading process is a progress report. It means that a major reason for
the lack of forward motion in attempts to develop more effective reading in striation was a
common failure to examine and articulate a clear view of the reading process it self. Knowledge
is non-cumulative in improving reading instruction largely because either ignore the reading
process and focus on the manipulation of teacher or pupils behaviors of because they related
reading as an unknowable mystery.
Goodman, in Long, H Michael and Jack C Richards (1988: 11) says that: (1) Reading is what
reading is and everybody knows that; usually this translates to reading is matching sounds to
letters; (2)Nobody knows how reading works. This view usually leads to a next premise;
therefore, in instruction, whatever works is its justification.
Both views are non-productive at best and the worst seriously impede progress.
Furthermore, the effort has been to create a model of the reading process powerful enough to
explain and predicate reading behavior and sound enough to be a base on which to build and
examine the effectiveness of reading instruction. This model has been developed using the
concepts, scientific methodology, and terminology of psycholinguistics, the interdisciplinary
science that is concerned with how thought and language are interrelated.
2.3.2. Reading as a Language Skill
From the four integrated skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing skill), the writer
is interested to come up with a more elaborate description about reading skill as what Tarigan
(1987) cited from Huda (2000) calls that reading skill as the third skill that the children have
gained after speaking and before writing.
To the same extent reading should be stimulated when the students need to create the
sense condition. In other words, the students will be guided to find the real answers of question
they have in mind. Purposeful reading is encouraged by creating an interest in content, by trying
in the new experience with personal background of the learning, by systematically extending the
reading vocabulary (Betts).
Ying (2001) states that reading is the process of recognition, interpretation and
perception of written or printed material. Meanwhile Godman says reading is a psycholinguistic
guessing game, consisting of cycle of sampling, predicting, testing and confirming.
Ying continues her statement that reading is a process of hypothesis formation and
verification, it is communicative act between a writer and reader. Consequently, the readers
understanding is unlikely to be 100% accurate, as Wallace (1982) cited from Ying (2001) puts it:

The mother tongue speaker learns to be content with approximate meaning. (H)e is satisfied
with a meaning which makes sense of the context.
According to Grellet (1981) reading may be classified as four simply categories, intensive
reading, extensive reading, skimming and scanning (Cited in Ommagio, 1986) Suhirman (2002)
further mentions as follows:

Firstly, intensive reading is reading activity that is being related to further progress in language
learning under the teacher guidance. In this type of reading, control from a teacher is compulsory
and it will provide a basis for elucidation of difficulties of structure, and for the extension of
vocabulary. To the same extent, Finnonchiro (1983) also glanced that the intensive reading when
the students attention should be focused on all expression, nations sound, structure and cultural
allusions will be unfamiliar to them in passage.

Secondly, extensive reading is developed at the students own pace according to his individual
ability (Rivers, 1968 and Suhirman, 2002). In this extent, the activity is not completely
controlled by the teacher. The students have learner to read without the teachers role. The
extensive reading activity is mostly concerned with the purpose of training students to read
directly and fluently by his/her own employment, without the aid of the teacher. Structures in the
test will be already familiar to him and new vocabulary will be introduced slowly in such a way
that its meaning can be deduced from the context.

The third is skimming

There are great many materials related to each professional area, the students must be taught to
be selective. Skimming techniques will enable them to select the worth reading.
Method of Skimming

Preview
By previewing, the student can find out whether a specialist in a certain fields written book or
article and whether it contains the information he/she is seeking.
Overview
In over viewing, the student can discover the purpose and scope of the material, and can find
sections that are the special interest to him.
Survey
Through survey, the student will get the general idea of what the material contains.
In short, skimming is the skill that helps the students read quickly and selectively in order to
obtain a general idea of the material.

The fourth is scanning

Scanning helps the student search quickly of the specific information he wishes to get
from the material, such as finding the meaning of a word in a dictionary, finding the heading
under which required information appears an index, finding statistical information in tables,
charts, or graph, and finding the answers to certain questions from the text.
The procedures for scanning are as follows. First, specific information must be located.
Next the clues which will help to find the required information have to be decided, then, find the
clues. Finally, read the section containing the clues to get information needed. In this technique,
the students are trained to think of clues to help them find the specific information. These clues
may be a word or words, punctuation, alphabetical order, numbers, etc.
From linguistics point of views, reading is recording and decoding process. Not like
speaking which just involves an encoding process reading applies decoding process by which a
reader must grasp and guess the meaning of written words used in writing scripts, reading the
symbols to the oral language meaning (Anderson in Tarigan (1991) and Suhirman (2002)). In
short, reading can be defined as bringing meaning to and get meaning from points or written
materials (Finnochiro and Banama in Tarigan, 1987, and Suhirman, 2002). It is true by reading
people get to know the other people scientific achievement, or some happening in other region of
the country. Through reading we can improve our skill and enlarge our human development
achievement.
2.4. Aspects of Reading Comprehension
According to Sheng (2003) reading comprehension questions measure students ability to
read with understanding, insight and discrimination. This type of question explores the ability to
analyze a written passage from several perspectives, including students ability to recognize both
explicitly stated elements in the passage and assumptions underlying statements or arguments in
the passage as well as the implications of those statements or arguments. Because the written
passage upon which the questions are based presents a sustained discussion of a particular topic.
There are six types of reading comprehension questions. These types focus on these aspects.
(1) The main idea or primary purpose of the passage;
(2) Information explicitly stated in the passage;
(3) Information or ideas implied or suggested by the author;
(4) Possible applications of the authors ideas to other situations, including the identification of
situations or processes analogous to those described in the passage;
(5) The authors logic, reasoning, or persuasive technique;
(6) The tone of the passage or the authors attitude as it is revealed in the language used.

2.5. Comprehension Skill

According to Hilerachi (1983) most of the reading professional list three categories of reading
comprehension.

Literal comprehension has to do with understanding or with answering questions about what an
author said.

Inferential comprehension refers to understanding what an author want by what was said.

Critical reading has to do with evaluating or making judgments about what an author said and
meant. Edgar put it well when he referred to these three categories as reading the lines
.reading between the lines..and reading beyond the lines.

2.6. The Role of Background Knowledge in Comprehension

Ommagio (1986) writes that cognitive psychologist in the late 1960s place great
emphasis on the importance of meaningfulness and organization of background knowledge in the
learning process. Ommagio (1986) quotes Ausubels (1968) views that learning which involve
active mental process must be meaningful to be effective and permanent. In the second language
comprehension process, at least three types of background knowledge are potentially activated:
Godman describes that reading as a psycholinguistic guessing game involving the
interaction between thought and language. Efficient readers do not need to perceive precisely or
identify all elements of the text. Rather, they select the fewest, most productive cues necessary to
produce guesses about the meaning of the passage and verify the hypothesis as the process
discourse further (In Ommagio, 1986).
Along with Godmans idea, Ommagio (1986) also maintains that the efficient language
users will take the most direct routine to their goal comprehension. He describes reading as a
sampling process in which readers predict structures. Clearly, Ommagio (1996) included as in
the comprehension process all three types of background knowledge: comprehenders make use
not only of the linguistic information of the text, but also of their knowledge of the world and
their understanding of discourse structure to make sense out the passage. In line with the above
statement, as Ommagio (1986) cited from Kolers (1973) also maintains that reading is only
incidently visual. Thus, the reader then contributes more information by the print on the page.
Finally, Ommagio (1986) presents Yorios statement who isolates the following factors in
reading process, those are:
1. Knowledge of the language.
2. Ability to predict or guess in order to make correct choice.
3. Ability to remember the previous cues, and

4. Ability to make the necessary associations between the different cues selected.
2.7. The Related of Study
As the comparison of this research, here are some researches of The Effect Think Aloud
Strategy Toward Students Reading Skill. The first researcher is Alexander Moreno cardenas
( 2009 ) with title The Impact Of The Think-Aloud Strategy In The English Reading
Comprehension Of Efl 10th Graders, he found that the students increased their engagement in
the activities because of the think-aloud strategy. Through the use this strategy they could
interact and construct meaning from the texts at once when they developed the reading tasks.
Second, it is important to highlight that the role of the teacher as a guide was crucial in thinkalouds because he could assist and foster students to use reading strategies such as predicting,
visualizing, and prior knowledge in order to comprehend the reading texts. Being the teachers
role only as a guide, students then are the main protagonists of the reading process. Third,
another positive impact of the think-aloud strategy, is that students constantly mentioned that
they had an enhancement in some specific aspects of English language such as: pronunciation,
vocabulary, and listening skill.
2.8.

Theoretical Frame Work

Based n the theoretical description and result of the relevant studies, the writer arrives at
theoretical framework of this study.
In teaching and learning process, especially in English, many problems and activities face by the
students and also the teachers. But, mostly the success of the students in learning the English
should be determined by themselves. Beside the students study the English at the school, they
should hard at home, that is by repeating again what they are getting at the school from the
teacher to recognize or memorize the materials.
In English language teaching in Indonesian, reading is placed in high priority, we can see it from
the curriculums. Senior high school curriculums, junior high school curriculum, even at
elementary school emphasize the English language teaching on the reading comprehension
ability.
Therefore, reading is the most important language skills for students t study hard, by
reading the knowledge of the pupils will gradually increase, beside developing their ability in
other language skills. But reading without comprehension is means nothing because reading
comprehension is an active process to get the information from the text.

By teaching four language skill in interactively, that is involves reading, listening, speaking and
writing. In this case is limited for the reading skills itself to involve the pupils in learning
activities i.e.; (1) To expands the pupils knowledge and art; (2) to motivates the student to be a
good personality in their country; (3) to expands the pupils social intercourse. So that in this
case, the ability of the pupils will be increased by using textbook with are published by
Depdikbud (Government) and Yudistira (Private Publishing Company).

CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Method of The Study
The recent study was an experimental research to find out the result of a certain
technique. According to hadi (1988: 56) that is an experimental design is one of the precise
methods to examine the cause and effect because of the fact, instruction toward a group and
experimental sample. The instructional activity was designed only to teach reading skill students
by using Think aloud strategy as a techniques toward the experimental group, the group of
sample would have test to measure the effect that students get after treatment. The result of the
test would be analyzed and compare using statistical computation.
This study tries to describe the effect of treatment of two distinction, Think aloud strategy and
reading skill, the research design is pre-test and post-test. Therefore, the design is called a pretest and post-test control group design. The study design is adopted from Ary, et.al (2002: 308).
Table 3.1 Randomized group, pre-test and post-test
Group
Pre-test
Independent variable
Post-test
E

Y1

Y2

Y1

Y2

Notes :
E = experimental group
C = control group
Y1 = pre-test
X = treatment on the experiment group
Y2 = post-test

This research design will present several characteristics; (1) it has two groups of
experimental subjects or treatment group and control group; (2) the two groups compared with
respect two measurements of observation on the dependent variable; (3) both groups will be
measured twice, the first measurement serve as the pre-test and the second as the post-test; (4)
measurement on the dependent variable for both groups will be done at the same time with the
same test; and (5) the experimental group manipulated with particular treatment.
3.2 Population and Sample
3.2.1Population
Population is represent entire/all subject research. Nawawi ( 2003) in Iskandar ( 2009 : 118)
population is grand total of subject research which can be consisted of by the human being,
object, animal, flora, symptom, assess the test or event as data source owning certain
characteristic in a research. While according to Sudjana ( 2005 : 74) population is totality of all
value which possible, result of counting/calculating or measurement, quantitative and also
qualitative hit the certain characteristic from all clear and complete corps member is which wish
learned by the nature
In this study, the population of the study includes all nine grade students of the SMPN 19
Mataram in the academic year 2012/2013. there are as the population and for observation the
samples are only 40 students consist of 2 classes namely experimented class and control class
SMPN 19 Mataram.
3.2.2Sample
Sample is shares or proxy from accurate population ( Arikunto, 2006 : 87). While in big
dictionary of Indonesian, sampel is an used by example of from the lion's share. While according
to Sugiyono ( 2003 : 56) sampel is " some of amount and characteristic owned by population, As
for becoming sampel of at this research is all student of nine grade class.
Suharsimi (2006) stated that if the subject is less than one hundred it is better to take the
entire subject. Furthermore, if the subject is more than one hundred it can be taken between 1015% or 20-25% or more that it. in this research the writer take 40 students as the sample. 20
students is students who join who experimental group and 20 students as a control group.
3.3 Instrument
In any scientific research, instrument for collecting data was absolutely important. The
accuracy of the result of research was mostly dependent on how accurate the use of instrument.
Before research carried out, the instrument for the data collection should be well prepared.

Related to the research problems, the writer used reading test as an instrument. Ary (1979:
216) states that a test is a set of stimuli present to an individual in order to elicit responses on the
basic of which a numerical score can be designed. Moreover, Heaton (1975: 89) states that the
test used must be appropriate in term of our object, the dependable in the evidence provides, and
applicable to our particular situation. In this case, the researcher gave the students reading test in
using Think aloud strategy.
This study aimed at knowing the students achievement in Reading skill, where the students
was asked to tell by using Think aloud Strategy was used to make the students achievement in
reading skill (Nurgiantoro, 1995: 229).
3.4 Technique of Data Collection
The method of collecting data for this research is used testing. A test is a group of
questions, tasks or exercises for measuring individual or groups skill. The contents or the reading
task include factual question, determining a title and determining the main idea.
The test of those three aspects of reading comprehension was compiled by the writer
herself collecting information about the subjects, which are learned at SMPN 19 Mataram. For
those reason, the writer has compiled 25 items of multiple choice and 10 items of essay question
taken from various sources. Those choices from multiple choice questions are as follows:
a.

Factual questions

b. Determining a title
c.

: 16 items
: 4 items

Determining the main idea

: 5 items
Every question is valued at 4 points, thus a total of 100 points.
So, the essay questions are described a follows.

a.

Determining a title

: 4 items

b. Determining the main idea

: 6 items
There are 4 band scales to measure reading comprehension test in essay questions
described by Lucky Prang, an Australian PhD candidate (2003), the are as follows:
4
- Suitable title of reading passage given
- Idea of the text understood
3
- Title of reading passage suitable but not perfect
- Some difficulties in understanding some of the passage
2
- Title of reading passage is not very fitting
- Difficulties in connecting the different passage
1
- Not able to create a title
- Main idea of the text lost
3.5 Technique of Data Analysis

The technique of data analysis, will be used here is statistical analysis that is descriptive
analysis.
3.6 Hypothesis Testing
Before hypothesis testing, the researcher got the students scores of the experimental and
control group. The score check for the pre-test and post-test. The first step was the researcher
calculated the mean score of experimental group. For the purposes, to test the hypothesis, it was
used t-test with the level of significance 0.05 (5%).
Before testing the proposed hypothesis, the writer took students score of experimental and
control groups, which is the score for pre-test and post-test. Thus, the writer calculated the mean
score of the experimental group. For the purpose, the following formula is used:
Notes:
M = the mean score of experimental group
X = the deviation of score pre-test
N = the number of sample
= the sum of (sigma)
(Arikunto, 1998: 124)
Then, the formula that was used for the control group as follows:
Notes:
My = the mean score of control group
Y = the deviation score of pre-test and post-test
N = the number of sample
= the sum of (sigma)
(Arikunto, 1998: 124)
The mean score that obtain through the above formula was analyzed and interpreted.
Finally, the writer computed the hypothesis significant. It was to know whether the Ho was
accepted or not. For the sake of computation, it was used formula recommended by Arikunto
(1998: 300), the formula was as follows:
Where:
M=

mean deviation of each group

N = number of subject
X = deviation between pre-test and post-test (the experimental group)

Y = deviation between pre-test and post-test (the control group)

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