PERSETUJUAN KOMISI

UJIAN TESIS MAGISTER KEPENDIDIKAN

Nama Mahasiswa : Yasni

NIM : 1209463

Nama Tanda Tangan Tanggal

Prof. Dr. Mukhaiyar ___________________ ___________________

Pembimbing I
Tanda Tangan Tanggal

Prof. Rusdi, M.A.Ph.D

Pembimbing II ___________________ ___________________

Direktur Program Pascasarjana

Universitas Negeri I Ketua Program Studi Konsentrasi

Prof. Dr. Nurhizrah Gistituati, M.Ed.,Ed.D Prof. Dr. Yeni Rozamela

NIP. 130 526 501
 ABSTRAK

Yasni, 2014 Meningkatkan Pemahaman Membaca Teks Narasi Dengan

Mengaktifkan Latar Belakang Pengetahuan di Grade VIII.4 pada SMP 29
Padang. Konsentrasi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris. Program Pasca Sarjana
Universitas Negeri Padang.
Pemahaman membaca merupakan salah satu aspek penting yang harus
dikuasai oleh siswa dalam mempelajari Bahasa Inggris. Berdasarkan pengalaman
dan pengamatan peneliti, kemampuan membaca pemahaman teks-teks narasi
siswa masih rendah. Hal ini disebabkan oleh beberapa faktor diantaranya siswa
kurang mempunyai pengetahuan tentang strategi membaca, sehingga sulit untuk
menemukan informasi atau memahami ide dari teks yang dibaca
Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menjelaskan seberapa jauh
pengaktifan latar belakang pengetahuan dapat meningkatkan pemahaman
membaca siswa grade VIII.4 pada SMP 29 Padang melalui penelitian tindakan
kelas. Penelitian dilaksanakan dalam 3 siklus. Dalam melaksanakan penelitian,
peneliti dibantu oleh seorang kolaborator dan menggunakan tes pemahaman
membaca teks narasi, lembaran observasi, catatan lapangan, dan interview
sebagai syarat penelitian.
Temuan penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa kemampuan membaca
pemahaman siswa meningkat setelah latar belakang pengetahuan mereka
diaktifkan. Pada siklus I nilai rata-rata kemampuan siswa meningkat menjadi
50.48 jika dibandingkan dengan sebelum strategi in diterapkan yaitu 40.34. Pada
siklus II nilai rata-rata siswa meningkat menjadi 61.31, sementara pata siklus III
menjadi 71.10. Peningkatan tersebut dipengaruhi oleh beberapa faktor, yaitu
kesenangan dalam membaca teks narasi, suasana belajar mengajar, serta media
pembelajaran.
Berdasarkan data yang didapat dari penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa
dengan mengaktifkan latar belakang pengetahuan dapat meningkatkan
kemampuan membaca pemahaman teks narasi siswa path SMP 29 Padang dengan
baik Oleh karena itu, disarankan agar peneliti harus terus menggunakan strategi
ini dalam meningkatkan pemahaman membaca teks jenis lainnya.

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 ABSTRACT

Yasni, 2014. Improving Students' Reading Comprehension of Narrative Text

By Activating Background Knowledge At Grade VIII. 4 Of SMA N 3
Padang. English Education Section. Graduate Program. State University of
Padang.

Reading comprehension is one of the important aspects in studying

English that has to be mastered by the students. Based on researcher's experience
and observation, students' reading comprehension of narrative text was still low.
The problem was caused by several factors, one of them was they lack of
knowledge about reading strategy. As a result it was hard for them to get
information or ideas of the text.
The purpose of this research was to explain whether activating background
knowledge could better improve students reading comprehension of narrative text
SMA 29 Padang through classroom action research. The research was done in 3
cycles. In conducting the research, the researcher was helped by a collaborator
and used reading comprehension of narrative text, observation, field note and
interview as instruments of the research.
The findings of this research showed that the students' reading
comprehension of narrative text improved after their background knowledge was
activated. In cycle I the mean score of students' reading comprehension of
narrative text increased to 50.48 if it was compared to the previous result at the
last semester that was 40.34. In cycle II the score increased to 61.31, while in
cycle III became 71.10. The increasing was influenced by several factors, such as
the enjoyment in reading the narrative text, the teaching and learning atmosphere,
and the teaching media.
Based on the findings, it is concluded that activating background
knowledge can better improve students' reading comprehension of narrative text at
Grade VIII 4 of SMP N 29 Padang well. Therefore, it is suggested to the
researcher should continue applying this strategy in improving reading
comprehension of other genre of text.

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 SURAT PERNYATAAN

Dengan ini menyatakan bahwa :

1. Karya tulis saya ini dengan judul Improving Students' Reading
Comprehension of Narrative Text By Activating Background Knowledge At
Grade VIII 4 Of SMP N 29 Padang adalah sah dan belum pernah diajukan
untuk mendapatkan gelar akademik di Universitas Negeri Padang maupun di
perguruan tinggi lainnya.
2. Karya tulis ini murni gagasan, pemikiran, dan rumusan saya sendiri, tanpa
adanya bantuan tidak sah dari pihak lain, kecuali arahan dari Tim
Pembimbing dan Tim Penguji, serta masukan dari mahasiswa yang hadir pada
seminar proposal dan seminar hasil penelitian.
3. Di dalam karya tulis ini tidak terdapat hasil karya atau pendapat yang telah
ditulis atau dipublikasikan orang lain, kecuali dikutip secara tertulis dengan
jelas dan dicantumkan sebagai acuan di dalam naskah saya dengan disebutkan
nama pengarangnya dan dicantumkan dalam daftar pustaka.
4. Pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sesungguhnya, dan apabila dikemudian hari
terdapat penyimpangan dan ketidakbenaran pernyataan ini, saya bersedia
menerima sanksi akademik berupa pencabutan gelar yang telah saya peroleh
karena karya tulis saya ini, serta sanksi lainnya sesuai dengan norma dan
hukum yang berlaku.

Padang, 12 January 2016

Saya yang menyatakan,

YASNI
NIM. 1209463

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Alhamdulillah, that is the first word the researcher could express to show

her deepest thanks to Allah for miracle for completing this thesis entitled

"Improving Students' Reading Comprehension of Narrative Text By Activating

Background Knowledge At Grade VIII.4 Padang”.

The researcher wishes to express her deepest gratitude and appreciation to:

1. Prof. Rusdi, M.A.Ph.D and Prof. Dr. Mukhaiyar as her advisors who

generously have given their great deal of time, helpful guidance, and

encouragements, and unlimited guidance which have significantly contributed

to the completion of this thesis.

2. Prof. Dr. Mukhaiyar, M.Pd., Dr. Desmawati Radjab, M.Pd., and Prof. Jalius

Jama, M. Ed., Ph.D., her contributors who have given much suggestions,

advices, supports, valuable contribution to make this thesis become more

useful and valuable.

3. All lecturers at the Graduate Program State University of Padang, who have

kindly supported, motivated and have given useful knowledge, well-educated

services and great support to the researcher during the process of study.

4. Her beloved parents Sidar and Rabi’ah and my husband Jufriyandi for their

love care and support. Her brother and sisters, Ramadhan, Asril, Eli, also her

nephew and niece Kur. Un amore per sempre.

5. Dra. Dritayani the headmaster of SMP 29 Padang for giving her spirit and

motivation.

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6. Ichie who keeps reminding me to accomplish this thesis soon.

7. All of friends in English Education Section, Graduate Program of State

University of Padang.

Finally, the researcher realizes that this thesis is far from perfect. So, any

comments and contributions to the development for further research are really

appreciated. Hopefully, this thesis is useful for everyone.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRAK ....................................................................................................... i
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................... ii
SURAT PERNYATAAN................................................................................. iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................... iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................ vi
LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................... viii
LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................... ix
LIST OF AFPENDICES .................................................................................. .. x
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Problem............................................... 1
B. Identification of the Problem ............................................. 3
C. Limitation of the Problem ................................................ 4
D. Formulation of the Problem .............................................. 4
E. Research Questions ........................................................... 5
F. Purpose of the Research ..................................................... 5
G. Importance of the Research ............................................... 5
H. Definitions of the Key Terms : .......................................... 6

CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE

A. Review of the Related Theories ...................................... 7
1. Reading Comprehension of Narrative Text ................ 7
2. Activating Background Knowledge ............................ 12
B. Review of the Related Finding......................................... 20
C. Conceptual Framework ................................................... 21

CHAPTER III. METHOD OF THE RESEARCH

A. Kind of the Research ....................................................... 24
B. Setting and Participants .................................................... 25
C. Instrumentations .............................................................. 26

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 D. Procedures of the Research ............................................. 29
E. Technique of Collecting the Data .................................... 35
F. Technique of Analyzing the Data .................................... 36

CHAPTER IV. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

A. Findings ............................................................................ 40
B. Discussion ........................................................................ 65

CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND SUGGESTION

A. Conclusions ....................................................................... 69
B. Implications ....................................................................... 70
C. Suggestion ......................................................................... 70
BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................... 72
APPENDICES ................................................................................................. 75

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 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Indicators of Reading Comprehension of Narrative Test ................ 27

Table 2. Indicators of Activating Background Knowledge............................ 28

Table 3. Students' Reading Comprehension Score in Cycle 1 ....................... 45

Table 4. Students' Reading Comprehension Score in Cycle IL ..................... 53

Table 5. Students' Reading Comprehension Score in Cycle III ..................... 63

Table 6. The Result of Students' Reading Comprehension Score on the

Three Cycles..................................................................................... 68

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 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. The Cbnceptual Framework of the Research ................................. 20

Figure 2. Action Research Procedure ............................................................ 29

Figure 3. The Result of Students' Achievement per Indicator in Cycle I. ..... 46

Figure 4. Students' reading comprehension test achievement in Cycle L ..... 47

Figure 5. The Result of Students' Achievement per indicator in Cycle IL ... 55

Figure 6. Students' reading comprehension test achievement in cycle IL ..... 56

Figure 7. The Result of Students' Achievement per indicator in Cycle III ... 64

Figure 8. Students' reading comprehension test achievement in cycle III .... 64

Figure 9. The Comparison of Students' reading comprehension test

achievement ................................................................................... 67

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