Using Online Short Stories to Improve the Reading Comprehension Ability

Muhammad Lukman Syafii

Abstract


Abstract

 Reading materials can be obtained from many sources, like storybooks, magazines, and the Internet. Online Short Stories is one of the Internet resources with images and sound and quizzes. This study was aimed at benefiting these readily used materials to improve the eighth graders’ reading comprehension of narrative texts. The Online Short Stories are combined with five worksheets that consist of guiding questions on comprehension, namely: Self Monitoring Card, Key Concept, Story Map, Reading Journal, and Reading Log which are used for intensive and extensive reading activity. This study implemented classroom action research design and had taken 34 eighth graders of MTs Al-Islam Joresan Mlarak Ponorogo as the subjects 2017/2018 academic year. Based on the results of the students’ tests as well as their on-going assessments, it is found out that the students’ reading comprehension was gradually improving. It means that there was a positive effect of using Online Short Stories towards the students’ reading ability. The result shows that the combination of materials and worksheets that were implemented in both cooperative and individual learning had facilitated the students in improving their reading comprehension ability, as well as their social skills. Therefore, it is very important to implement this strategy to order to improve the students’ reading comprehension.

 Keywords: Online Short Stories, Improvement, Reading Comprehension Ability


Full Text:

PDF

References


Anderson, M., & Anderson, K. (1998). Text Types in English 3. South Yarra: Macmillan Education.

Anderson, N. J. (2003). Scrolling, Clicking, and Reading English: Online Reading Strategies in a Second/Foreign Language. The Reading Matrix: An International Journal, 3:3. (Online). (www.readingmatrix.com), accessed on November 26, 2010.

Argarini, D. (2008). Improving Students’ Reading Comprehension through Intensive and Extensive Reading Activity at MTsN 3 Surabaya. (Unpublished thesis). Malang: Universitas Negeri Malang.

Atmadja, W. (February 27, 2009). “Smart house” to Encourage Reading Habit among Students. Jakarta Post. (Online), (www.thejakartapost.com), accessed on 10 March 2010.

British Council. (Online). http://www.learnenglishkid.britishcouncil.org/short-stories.

Busthomi, N. R. (2009). The Effectiveness of Extensive Reading Activity in Increasing Reading Comprehension and Reading Speed of English Texts of Ninth Grade Students of MTsN Negeri 1 Pamekasan. (Unpublished thesis). Malang: Universitas Negeri Malang.

Depdiknas. (2006). Peraturan Menteri Pendidikan Nasional no 23 tahun 2006 tentang Standar Kompetensi Lulusan untuk Satuan Penidikan Dasar dan Menengah. Jakarta: Depdiknas.

Effendy, H. (2005). Developing Multimedia CD-Rom Courseware to Elevate Students’ Vocabulary Mastery in Senior High School. (Unpublished Thesis). Malang: Universitas Negeri Malang.

Ellery, V. (2005). Creating Strategic Readers. Newark: IRA.

Harmer, J. (2007). The Practice of English Language Teaching. Harlow: Pearson Education.

Hopkins, D. (2008). A Teacher's Guide to Classroom Research. New York: Open University Press.

Kemmis, S., & McTaggart, R. (1988). The Action research Planner. Gee Long: Deakin University Press.

Khamim. N. (2009). The Effect of Multimedia to Assist The Teaching of Descriptive Paragraph Writing at SMPN 37 Semarang. (Unpublished Thesis). Malang: Universitas Negeri Malang.

Klingner, J. K., Vaughn, S., & Boardman, A. (2007). Teaching Reading Comprehension to Students with Learning Difficulties. New York: The Guilford Press.

Li, R.C., & Hart, R.S. (2002). What Can the World Wide Web Offer ASL Teachers? In J. C. Richards, & W. A. Renandya, (Eds). Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current Practice (pp.295-302). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Male, M. (2003).technology for Inclusion: Meeting the Special Needs of All Students. Boston: Pearson Education.

McKnight, K. S. (2010). The Teacher’s Big Book of Graphic Organizers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Mikulecky, L. J. Using Internet-Based Children’s Literature to Teach EFL. The Internet TESL Journal 13 (11), November 2007, (Online), (http://iteslj.org/), accessed on February 7, 2010.

Mochtar, T. M. T., & Saad, M. R. M. Enhancing Reading through the Internet. In Muhammad K. K. & Malachi, E. V. (2007). Internet and the English Language Classroom. Petaling Jaya: Sasbadi. Sdn. Bhd.

Neyman, P. F. (2002). Helping Children Learn to Think in English Through Reading Storybooks. Internet TESL Journal 3 (8), August 2002. (Online), (http://iteslj.org/), accessed on February 7, 2009.

Nuttal, C. (1982). Teaching Reading Skills in a Foreign Language. London: Heinemann Educational Books.

O’Malley, J. M., & Pierce, L. V. (1996). Authentic Assessment for English Language Learners: Practical Approaches for Teachers. White Plains, NY: Addison Wesley.

Renandya, W. A., & Jacobs, G. M. (2002). Extensive Reading: Why Aren’t We All Doing It?. In J. C. Richards, & W. A. Renandya, (Eds). Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current Practice (pp.295-302). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2001). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching (2nd ed). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Rong-Chang. (2010). (Online). http://www.rong-chang.com/qa2

Silva, J. P. (2006). Extensive Reading through the Internet: Is It worth The While?. (Online), (http://www.readingmatrix.com/articles/silva/article.pdf), retrieved on February 2, 2010.

Tyner, B., & Green, S. (2005). Small Group Reading Instruction: A Differentiated Teaching Model for Intermediate Readers, Grades 3-8. Newark: IRA.

Ur, P. (1996). A Course in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Vacca, R, T., & Vacca, J. A.L. (1999). Content Area Reading: Literacy and Learning across Curriculum. (6th ed). New York: Addison-Wesley.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.18326/rgt.v11i2.168-191

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.




Copyright (c) 2018

License URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

In the aim of improving the quality of the Journal since 19th October 2016 this journal officially had made cooperation with ELITE Association Indonesia (The association of Teachers of English Linguistics, Literature & Education). See The MoU Manuscript.