CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

In this chapter the researcher presents some points related to this

research. Those include background of the study, formulation of the research

problem, the purpose of the study, significance of the study, scope and limitation

of the study, definition of the key term and organization of the study.

A. Background of the Study

Language is the principle means for human to communicate, to transmit

information or to share idea. English is important language to develop culture,

science and as a means of communication with other nations in the world. In here,

reading is one of the four English skills that must be taught to the students of

Junior High School. In teaching and learning English, there are many methods to

teach students the materials or potencies of the students. The students who learn

English will be successful if the learning sources or method are relevant with the

students need. In reading class for example, the are some difficulties aspect, such

as they have difficulty to understand the content, meaning , pronunciation when

they read a text and they may face some difficulties in finding the appropriate

method for the English class especially reading class for the teacher.

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According to Nunan (2003: 63) reading is a fluent process of readers

combining information from a text and their own background knowledge to build

meaning. Based on the explanation, the writer concludes that reading is a process

to convey the text or information. In reading, the reader will know what they read

and challenged to response the ideas of the author. In order to make the text or

information that comes from the author can be understood and comprehend easily

by the reader. Based on Burt and Adams (2003: 33) reading is essentially the

process of getting information from written language. Reading is an important

tool for people of many societies, allowing them to access information which

might have otherwise been unavailable.

Reading is one of many ways to open our mind and get knowledge

because reading very important for students. Reading can not be separated from

learning activity; it becomes an activity which is always done in the classroom.

Based on the interview with English teacher at SMPN 1 Boyolangu, the writer

known that the English teacher usually teaching reading in the classroom using

total physical response (TPR). When the English teacher teaching reading using

total physical response (TPR), the English teacher has some problems included

the students felt that reading is difficult lesson because they difficulty to

understand the meaning and content when they read a text. The students still

confused when they met the same vocabulary in different text. The English

teacher say that the teaching of reading needed long of time allotment in the

classroom, so the students can understand content and meaning a text.

The result of observation and preliminary test showed that the teaching

of reading is the limited of time allotment in the classroom, the students still

confused when met new vocabulary difficult, the students have difficulty to

understand the meaning, and content a text. The students bored when they met

new long text in lesson English.

This condition motivates the researcher to conduct Classroom Action

Research (CAR) to improve students reading ability using task based learning.

Task based learning (TBL) is offers the students an opportunity to do exactly.

Task based learning as with content based instruction and a task based approach

aims to provide learners with a natural content for language use.

Task based learning is a different strategy to teach languages. Task

based learning is useful for moving the focus of the learning process from the

teacher to the students. Task based learning has the advantage of the getting the

student to use her skills. Task based learning aims at motivating language use and

providing a variety of learning opportunities for students of all levels and

capabilities. In task based learning, the tasks are essential to the learning activity,

it is based on the principle that learners may study more efficiently when their

minds are focused the text without their using the languages.

According to Willis (2003) a task is an activity where the target

language is used by the learner for a communicative purpose or goal in order to

achieve an outcome. It means the task is an activity in which students use

language to achieve a specific outcome. The activity reflects real life and learners

focus on meaning, they are free to use any language they want.
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There are some advantages of TBL method toward students reading

ability, for example motivation to learn language especially for reading ability, so

they can enrich knowledge, vocabulary literary, good pronunciation for reading

ability ,tasks provide a natural opportunity for revision and recycling, then give

teacher the opportunity to assess learners’ progress.

Based on the reason above, the researcher is interesting in carrying out a

study entitled “Improving Students Reading Ability by Using Task Based

Learning (TBL) for the Seventh Grade Students of SMPN 1 Boyolangu”.

B. Formulation of the Research Problem

Based on the background above, the problem of the study can be

formulated as: “How can task based learning (TBL) improve students’ reading

ability for the seventh grade students of SMPN 1 Boyolangu?”

C. Purpose of the Study

In line with the formulation of the research problem above, the purpose

of the study is “To know task based learning (TBL) can improve students’ reading

ability for the seventh grade students of SMPN 1 Boyolangu.”

D. Significance of the Study

The result of the study could give a valuable contribution especially

English teacher, student, school, writer and next researcher. These contributions

could be mentioned as follows:

a. For the English teacher

It will help the English teacher to choose the appropriate method in

teaching learning process especially in teaching reading in order to improve

students reading ability.

b. For the students

The result of this study can add new experience for the students in

learning process especially in reading, it is hoped that the research can be one of

the way to mastering English well.

c. For the school

It can improve the schools education quality, especially in English

improvement.

d. For the writer

It can motivate the writer to be better and more creative in teaching

English in the future.

e. For the next researcher

The result of the study can give the additional information to conduct

study in the same field.

E. Scope and Limitation of the Study

This research discusses a reading ability by giving task based learning

(TBL) from a reading text given to seventh grade students of SMPN 1 Boyolangu.

And the researcher only focuses in improving students’ reading ability with task
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based learning (TBL) on the students’ reading ability. This research only

conducted for the seventh grade students at SMPN 1 Boyolangu.

F. Definition of the Key Terms

Some words that are used in this study become key words. In order to

have a better understanding and to avoid misinterpretation about the terms used in

this study, they are:

a. Reading is useful for language acquisition. Provided that students more or less

understand what they read, the more they read, the better they get at it,

(Harmer, 2007: 99). Reading is an active process, and intrinsic part of the

classroom teaching. Reading is also the meaningful interpretation of printed

or written verbal symbols. In reading, must also be an interaction between the

text and the reader or receiver.

b. Task Based Learning (TBL) is a different strategy to teach languages. In task

based learning, the tasks are essential to the learning activity. Task based

learning is based on the principle that learners may study more efficiently

when their minds are focused the text without their using the languages.

According to Willis (2003: 4) a task is an activity where the target language is

used by the learner for a communicative purpose or goal in order to achieve an

outcome.
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G. Organization of the Study

Chapter I The Introduction, it is consists of background of the study,

formulation of the research problem, purpose of the study, significance of the

study, scope and limitation of the study, definition of the key terms and

organization of the study.

Chapter II Review of Related Literature, this chapter presents related

literature dealing with reading, teaching reading, reading ability, testing reading,

theory of teaching and learning, task based learning (TBL) and some previous

studies.

Chapter III Research Methodology, this chapter discusses the

methodology used in conducting this research. It presents the research design,

subjects and settings of study, procedures of the study, preliminary observation,

planning, implementing, observing and reflecting.

Chapter IV Research Findings and Discussion, this chapter presents the

research findings and the discussion. The research findings are based on the data

obtained during the teaching of reading ability using task based learning (TBL),

and the discussions are based on the research findings.

Chapter V Conclusions and Suggestions, this chapter discusses the

conclusion and the suggestion based on the research findings and discussion in

chapter IV.