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TEACHING READING BY USING SQ3R TECHNIQUE

TO THE SECOND YEAR OF

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

By

SAEPUL APANDI

UNIVERSITAS INDRAPRASTA PGRI

2011
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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1. The Background of Problem

Nowadays, English becomes more important in our country. It is the

most favorite foreign language used and taught in all grades of education field.

Our ministry of National Education has recognized it as the main foreign

language subject for Elementary level to University level. Moreover, today it

is one of four lessons which are decided by Ministry of National Education as

a passing subject on the last national examination for Junior High School and

Senior High School. It means that if students do not reach the current settled

score, they have to repeat the exam and can not continue to the government

school in the next grade.

Currently, efforts towards the improvement of the national education

standard have been pushed forward; one of them is the improvement of

curriculum. Educational Department renews the curriculum every ten years

and on previous years they have settled curriculum 2006 or it is called School

Based- Curriculum (KTSP). The framework of curriculum 2006 for Junior

High School has been stated that there are four actionable competences for

students in English lesson: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing.

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Reading is one of the four basic skills in English. It is the activity that

we usually do in our daily life. Nowadays, reading is very familiar and

important activity for the children to adult, especially in every kind of

students’ subject learning. However, in the fact there are some difficulties for

the students in understanding the text book of English. Reading is not just

sitting down at the desk with dictionary and a note book, When we read, we

allow our mind to accept and absorb every knowledge and take us into a world

of adventure, un consciously by reading we will know the use of words and

the use of language.

Reading is the learning activity which requires the skill, because

reading is not only look at the material, but also understand it. When students

read whatever subjects in mother-tongue, we could pass it twice or more for

better understanding and comprehending moreover for the foreign language, it

could be a certain skill to get the contents. In fact, most of students do not

know how to read effectively, usually they read the material once, when they

can not understand it they read for twice and then if they do not understand

they will look for the dictionary for the meaning. This activity, of course need

more time, actually they have no longer.

Having seen those facts, the writer feels that the students need special

treatment in order to help them to improve their English especially for reading

skill even though they have been studying English since four years from

Elementary class, but their ability in English reading are still limited.
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SQ3R, the abbreviation of Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review,

is not a new technique in reading comprehension of English. This method was

designed to help people become more active in their reading and retain

information more easily. If the students discipline their selves to use these

tools, they will feel better prepared for class, have a better grasp of the

material, and perform better on exams as well.

By using SQ3R technique, the students learn not only the particular

skill, but also their good understanding in the target language. It sought to

immerse the learners in the same way as when they learn the first language.

When the reading activity is conducted by SQ3R technique, it is hoped that

the students could get more than reading skill; they will also be familiarized to

speak and listen within the target language environment.

One of the basic notions in the SQ3R is that reading material is

recognized as a mean of providing students with additional practice in and

understanding English. Practically, the teacher asks various questions based

on the particular reading material, from these questions the teacher lead the

students into simple English conversation. Having seen this notion, reading is

subordinate of this purpose.

Based on the explanation above, the writer interests to know more

about the SQ3R technique correlated with reading skill.

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2. Identification of the Problem

Based on the background of the problem above, the problem in this

research will be identified as follows:

2.1. How to prevent students from reading particular English material

word by word?

2.2. How does the SQ3R technique match to be used in teaching

reading to the second year students of SMP Al Qalam Jakarta.

2.3. How the SQ3R technique can improve and develop students’

reading comprehension at the second grade of SMP Al Qalam Jakarta?

2.4. What are the difficulties faced by the students in learning reading

by using SQ3R technique?

2.5. What are the problems faced by the teacher in conducting teaching

reading by using the SQ3R technique?

2.6. How is the students’ impression in learning reading by using the

SQ3R technique in the classroom teaching and learning process?

3. Formulation of the Problem

Based on the identification and limitation of the problem above, the

problems are formulated: “How does the teacher teach reading by using SQ3R

technique in the second year students of SMP Al Qalam Jakarta?”

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4. Benefits of the Research

The writer hopes some benefits which are could be reached by doing

this observation, namely:

4.1. The Writer

After observing and knowing the results of this research, the writer

hopes that she will know well all about the SQ3R technique and could try

to be applied in teaching reading. Furthermore, this observation is as a

source of information to improve her knowledge better and better.

4.2. Teacher

For English teacher in general is able to create good condition of

study and guide students to the meaningful learning. Also, thus study can

be considered as the measurement whether she has succeeded to get the

purpose of teaching her students in the reading skill and how far her

technique’s achievement in teaching reading.

4.3. School

The result of the research will give the extensive information about

the ways to teach reading and it is hoped that the result can be practiced

by the English teacher to improve and increase the teaching English.

4.4. Common Society

English is one of the International languages nowadays, and

become more and more important in the future. Although English is

considered as the foreign language in our country, the teaching methods

and techniques are hoped to be applied as the ways native language learn.
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CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

1. Reading

1.1. The Definition of Reading

Reading is one of the basic skills which everyone accepts as

essential for survival in the modern world. Reading covers a whole range

of activities in school, from being able to recognize letters of the alphabet,

through being able to read words and sentences, and finally to being able

to read anything which is put in front of us.

Read as in Oxford Learner’s Pocket Dictionary means “look and

understand (written or printed). It was stated in Webster’s Dictionary that

the word read is to go over or become acquainted with or get through the

contents of a book, magazines, newspaper, letters, etc.

From two definitions above, it could be understood that reading

is learning activity which requires the skill, because reading is not only

look at the material, but also understand it. When we read whatever

subjects in mother-tongue, we could pass it twice or more for better

understanding and comprehending, moreover for the foreign language, it

could be a certain skill to get the contents.

Mary Finocchiaro (1973 : 119) explains more about reading, she

said that:

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Reading is bringing meaning to and getting meaning from printed

or written material, reading is a language related process, students
should be helped to respond to the visual symbols which represent the
same auditory signals to which they had responded previously.

Mary States that the source of reading is printed or written

material and reading is not just passing by the certain material, but to bring

and get meaning, and she stated that reading is responding of the visual

symbols, it means that the person who reads is someone who can respond

from the reading passages, obviously we could call the responding is the

skill of reading. From the sentence “the students should be helped”, it is

clear that the technique to respond the reading matter must be given to the

students, absolutely it need the suitable method of teaching reading

comprehension for the students in the classroom.

Reading is usually attached by the word “Comprehension”, it is

in Oxford Learner’s Dictionary means: “power to understand something,

exercise to improve one’s understanding” and Webster’s School New

Dictionary and Office States that comprehension means: “to grasp with

the mind, conceive”.

Based on the statement above, the writer thinks that when we

read a passage, at the same time we push our minds to understand it. So,

Comprehension is a term which is directly related to the ability of

understanding of a passage.

Comprehension is the word that usually used for understanding

the students could be given by the several questions after reading to check
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them whether the passage has been understood, if the students understand

the passage well, they will answer correctly the questions given. So, the

certain test is a measurement to know how far the students’ reading

comprehension. Furthermore, when the passage is listened to the students

rather than read, it is called Aural Comprehension.

1.2. The Importance of Reading

Considering the importance of reading, Allah SWT has stated

in holy Quran stated in surah named “The Clot” (1980 : 60) :“Read, in

the name of thy Lord Who createth. Createth man from a clot. Read, and

thy Lord is the most Bounteous. Who teacheth by the pen. Teacheth man

that which he knew not”.

Based on that surah, Allah SWT has stated that islam encourages

every moslem to read. “Read” means reading written material of

knowledges or sciences and reading all the natural and creation in the

world, includes our own selves. Clearly, based on the surah, our religion

always supports his believers to give priority to reading activity.

1.3. The Aim of Reading

Reading is general activity; it means that readers or students will

not only read any materials inside the classroom in teaching learning

process, but also outside in the free space. It means that they will not only
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read the school text-book, but also they will read magazines, newspapers,

novels, or any other source of materials in target language (English).

From this wide reading activity the students will absorb more

vocabularies that have a lot benefit in communicative interaction. This

fact, of course shows that teaching reading could have special interest and

attention. Reading material could dot be concentrated as the supporting

material for speaking and writing skills only. Reading activity could not

only be understood as the supporting skill to the speaking and writing

skills.

There are two kinds of reading as Barry Sesnan (1997: 145) has

written in his book, they are Reading for Study and Reading for Pleasure.

Reading can be for pleasure as when we read a novel or a

magazines, reading can be simply to receive information as we read a
long-awaited letter from home, and we may read because we want to
know more about the topic covered by a book, this is reading
considered as a type study.

When we talk about reading for the students in the classroom, the

purpose of reading is for learning and developing their knowledge, but

because English is not our mother tongue even second language, the

students have to learn the language first.

2. SQ3R Technique

2.1. The Nature of SQ3R Technique

A large number of teaching techniques are based on the ideas

how the languages are learned within the techniques, for instance the
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language is learnt under the circumstance that the students have to learn

the second or foreign language as they learn their mother tongue or first

language. Most of the methods developed over the past few centuries are

still in use in various part of the world.

SQ3R technique can make the student active in learning process.

In this technique the students are trained to survey reading text quickly,

to make questions by themselves and to read the whole text more

carefully in order to answer the questions.

SQ3R is an active reading exercise designed to help you get a

fuller understanding of your reading materials. The method was

introduced in 1946 by Francis Pleasant Robinson in a book entitled

Effective Study. The learners will need to keep a pen and some paper on

hand to use this method.

Robinson (1970:10) states that SQ3R stands for survey,

question, read, recite, and review. “The method is most useful for helping

students develop good reading habits, since it involves all the steps you

must work through to really understand a difficult book or chapter”.

In line with the notion of SQ3R technique, Mortimer and Van

Doren (1972:22) stated in their book:

SQ3R technique through out your work to increase the

effectiveness of your studies. The acronym stands for “Survey,
Question, Read, Recite, Review” and describes a systematic approach
to making full use of your time when reading any technical material.
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From the definition above, it can be concluded that The SQ3R

technique which are applied in teaching reading process will make

students accustomed to study more effective and systematic. By using this

technique hoped students can motivate themselves in learning English

language because they are given chance to active.

2.2. The Principles of the SQ3R technique

As the theory finder of the SQ3R technique, Robinson (1973:70)

made a brief explanation of this current technique, he stated:

Step 1

Survey the book or passage. Take a quick look at the main parts of the

article or book. While you are reading or surveying the different parts of

the book, guess what the book or passage is about. The title, introduction,

subheadings and summary will contain the main ideas of the book. Read

the questions at the end if there are any. Look at the captions of pictures,

charts and other graphics.

Step 2

Ask a question about each different part. If the title of the article is "The

Alaskan Ulu," for example, turn the title into a question, "What Is an

Alaskan Ulu?" It's a good idea to write the questions down as you go

along, especially when you are new to the SQ3R method. Write a

question in your own words for each section of the article.The questions
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prepare you to look for the answers when you read and set a purpose for

reading the section.

Step 3

Read one section at a time, keeping your questions in mind. As you read

each section, try to find answers to your questions. Reread all the

captions and subheadings. Pay attention to any words that are italicized

or written in bold letters. Study the pictures and other visual aids. Ask

yourself what you already know about any of the main ideas. Read

slowly if a passage is more difficult.

Step 4

Say or write what you have read about each section in your own words.

You don't have to write the answers in complete sentences. Just jot down

a key word or two for each answer. See if your answers help you

understand the main idea of each section. Underline or highlight the main

points. Continue through every section, answering questions and

checking to see if they relate to the material you're reading.

Step 5

Review the chapter or passage by writing questions about any part that

you have highlighted or written questions about. Go through the entire

chapter looking for important points. Ask yourself the questions you have

written, and answer them without looking at your notes. Make flash

cards, and use them and your notes to test yourself to see how well you

have learned the material

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CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHOD

1. Purpose of the Research

The purpose of this research is to describe how to teach reading by

using the SQ3R technique at the second year students of SMP Al Qalam.

2. Place and Time of the Research

The place of the research is SMP Al Qalam Jakarta, which is located

at Jl. Cipinang Cempedak 1/14 Polonia Jakarta Timur 13440.

The writer did the research for two months, from September until

Oktober 2010, twice a week, Monday and Thursday.

3. The Method of the Research

This research is considered as the descriptive qualitative one. The

instruments used for attaining data are: observation, interview and discussion.

For the observation, the writer as the researcher will observe the

English teacher at SMP Al Qalam Jakarta in teaching reading by using SQ3R

technique. To gain the data from the interview, there were two English

teachers of the school that will be interviewed.

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4. Subject of the Research

The writer used 45 of the second year students randomly chosen as the

sample.

5. Procedure of the Research

The instrument which is used for collecting data in this research is

the result of the observation, interview and discussion.

Observation, the writer will observe the students’ condition while

they are studying reading with the treatment of SQ3R technique.

Interview, the writer will do in-depth interview with the students to

know their impression from the treatment given before.

Discussion, the writer will share the knowledge about the teaching

method, especially the SQ3R technique with the English teachers in SMP Al

Qalam.

6. The Technique of Data Analysis

After doing the procedure of the research, the result of the

instruments will be collected then formulated into the number of the particular

systemic in the descriptive qualitative research. The result is aimed at

emphasizing the extensive information about the students’ impression and the

effectiveness of the SQ3R technique in the teaching reading.

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CHAPTER IV

THE RESEARCH FINDINGS

1. Step of Teaching Reading by Using SQ3R Technique

The implementation of Direct within the classroom teaching and

learning process was conducted in eight meetings. The four meetings or

two weeks were used to teach reading texts which is in the form of

Recount Text and four other meetings were used to teach reading text

which is in the form of narrative text. The classroom interaction in every

single meeting was based on the principles of SQ3R technique.

Considering our newest curriculum, the School-Based Curriculum

or KTSP, by utilizing the SQ3R Technique, the writer taught reading

based on the stages of Genre-Based Approach, they are: BKOF (Building

Knowledge Of the Field), MOT (Modeling Of the Text), JCOT (Joint

Construction of the Text) and ICOT (Independent Construction of the

Text).

1.1. Building Knowledge of the Field (BKOF)

In this stage, the teacher introduced the lesson by using active

preliminary conversation, for teaching recount text, the two principles

of SQ3R Technique, they are Survey and Question which were given

to the students such as:

-“What did you do in the last holiday?” or

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- “What is your best experience in your life?”, or

- “Can you tell me the event that you hate it forever in your live?”

After guiding the students with the conversation, the teacher

encouraged them with the principles of Survey and Question steps of

SQ3R with the illustration below:

- Step of Survey

 The title, headings, and subheadings

 Captions under pictures, charts, graphs or maps.

 Review questions or teacher-made study guides

 Introductory and concluding paragraphs

- Step of Question

 Turn the title, headings, and/or subheadings into questions;

 Read questions at the end of the chapters or after each

subheading;

When the teacher give a good performance in this stage, the

students will have an active stepping stone to get more difficult

problem in the next stage.

1.2. Modeling of the Text (MOT)

This stage is aimed at introducing the example of the text. The

teacher read aloud first as a model for her students; then the students

repeated her. To make different with the conventional method of the

teaching, the teacher usually gave the instruction in English, such as:
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“you, in the back of the class (pointing to the particular student), read

the first paragraph of the text, please!”, or

“Please read the second paragraph of the text together, and I want

every student in the first row, read the text!”.

To make clearly, the teacher used the step of “Read” in SQ3R,

this step can be done as the following illustration:

 Answer questions at the beginning or end of chapters or study

guides.

 Reread captions under pictures, graphs, etc.

 Note all the underlined, italicized, bold printed words or

phrases.

 Study graphic aids

 Reduce your speed for difficult passages.

 Stop and reread parts which are not clear.

 Read only a section at a time and recite after each section

1.3. Independent Construction of the Text (ICOT)

This is the last step of Genre-Based Approach (GBA). This

stage is aimed at measuring the students’ understanding about the

precious teaching technique. At the end of this stage, the student will

be assessed based on their understanding of the reading text.

The step of SQ3R used in this last stage is Review which can

be concluded as the examples below:

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 After you have read and recited the entire chapter,

write questions in the margins for those points you have

highlighted or underlined.

 If you took notes while reciting, write questions for the notes you

have taken in the left hand margins of your notebook.

In the first stage of GBA, i.e. Building knowledge of the Field

(BKOF), two steps of SQ3R are represented, they are Survey and

activity. The second stage of GBA, a step of “Read” of SQ3R is

performed, while for the last stage of GBA, two steps, i.e. Recite and

Review are finally conducted.

2. Analysis

From the findings of the research, it was concluded that by applying

the SQ3R Technique strategy, the improvement of the students’ reading

comprehension came true. The improvement could be examined from the

criteria of the success used in the study. Firstly, the least improvement of 39% as

the minimum improvement of the success criteria had been passed over (see the

data of pre-test and post test below). Secondly, based on the research instruments

used (observation sheets and field-notes).

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3. The Result of Questionnaire and In-Depth Interview

The Result of the Questionnaire

No. Statement Positive Negative

perception Perception
About SQ3R Technique as general
1. Students’ happiness 66% 34%
2. Understanding the lesson material 55% 45%
3. Developing skill in English 73% 27%
4. Motivation in learning English 80% 20%
SQ3R Technique and English Skill
1. Developing reading skill 88% 12%
2. Developing Speaking skill 93% 7%
3. Developing writing skill 57% 43%
4. Developing listening skill 60% 40%
5. Understanding main idea and general 73% 27%

idea
6. Understanding definite and undefinite 77% 23%
7. Understanding synonym and opposite 48% 52%
AVERAGE 70% 30%

The overall calculation shows that the students who appreciate

good impression with the teaching reading by using SQ3R Technique were

70% and the students who still underestimate with the current method are

around the 30%. There are some other important things based on the

resulted data. The ability to know the synonym and opposite of the words

can not be increased by the SQ3R Technique as the students’ perception.

The understanding of the lesson material and the developing writing skill

are two facets that should be learned more by the teacher that applies

SQ3R Technique, because the students’ positive perception about them

almost the same with the negative one. This of course should be corrected

for the next research.

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2. The Result of In-Depth Interview

With the three major kinds of question in interview it can be

concluded that the three teachers pointed out the nature of teaching reading

in line with School-Based curriculum and Gene-Based Approach. They

also see SQ3R Technique is the familiar, popular and good approach and

method for teaching English, it is as measurement for the qualified school.

Finally, the respondents state that the SQ3R Technique can be absolutely

applied for the reading activity, although it seems to be a difficult one for

students.

It also can be summarized that every respondent hoped the SQ3R

Technique can be used in the English teaching. It can be a good learning

experience for the students in learning English and of course would be

better method than the traditional or conventional one.

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

1. Conclusion

1.1. The positive impression can be identified with the students’

happiness in learning reading by using SQ3R technique, they also got

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motivated to learn English, they understood the lesson material although it

is brought out with the English language and finally the particular method

can develop and improve their ability in English lesson.

1.2. For the purpose of reading skill, SQ3R technique helps the students

to understand the main idea, the general idea and the synonym and

opposite of the English words in the reading texts.

1.3. The SQ3R technique is well-known method in English teaching, it

seems to be the difficult method, because not every school applies it in its

teaching and learning process. The method has been applied well for the

school in a favorite school such as SSN (National-Based School) or SBI

(International-Based School).

1.4. SQ3R technique can be applied in reading activity in the

classroom. The simple way to do the SQ3R technique in reading activity is

to instruct the students with the native language. Every single instruction is

uttered in English.

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2. Suggestion

After drawing the conclusions, the Writer suggests some important

things based on teaching reading by using SQ3R technique:

2.1. As it has been mentioned previously that the teacher can be a factor

that influences the successful learning of the students, therefore the

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English teacher should be a qualified English Teacher with their a good

teaching technique in the classroom activity.

2.2. Teaching reading should be ‘made over’ from the conventional

approach which is in the form of teacher-centered instruction to the

students-centered learning.

2.3. SQ3R technique will not be a difficult one, if the teacher performs

creatively in the classroom teaching and learning. So, when the teacher do

the SQ3R technique, he or she should be ready to work hard, because the

teacher will not directly understand the instruction. By this case, the

teacher should try every single effort to make them understand.

2.4. The teacher should develop their knowledge of English continually

by attending formal lecture or seminar in teaching English to get wider

and proper view of teaching English by using SQ3R technique

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Alhamdulillah, with his blessing and the hard effort I have managed, this

paper entitled “Teaching Reading By Using SQ3R Technique To the Second Year

of Junior High School Students” is finally able to be accomplished.

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First and foremost, special gratitude goes to H. Mahmud Effendi, MA as

the headmaster of SMP Al Qalam Jakarta and Mahidin Syahidu, S.Pd I as the

curriculum staff for giving me such a beneficial opportunity to conduct the

research. To all students who were involved in this study and to all of the English

teachers in SMP Al Qalam during conducting this research.

A deep thank is also addressed to Prof. Dr. H. Sumaryoto, the Head of

Indraprasta University, for providing the opportunity to do this research, as well

as to his staff, for their kind services.

My deepest love and appreciation are addressed to my beloved wife,

Minarni. Thank you for your understanding and patience. To my parents, and my

only sister, I thank them for their endless love, pray and support. May God always

bless us.

Writer,

TABLE OF CONTENT
i

AKCNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................... ii
TABLE OF CONTENT ................................................................................... iv
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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1. The Background of the Problem ........................................ 1
2. The Identification of the Problem ...................................... 4
3. The Formulation of the Problem ........................................ 4
4. The Benefits of the Research ............................................. 5

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

1. Reading
1.1. The Definition of Reading ......................................... 6
1.2. The Importance of Reading ........................................ 8
1.3. The Aim of Reading ................................................... 8
2. The SQ3R technique
2.1. The Nature of SQ3R technique .................................. 9
2.2. The Principles of SQ3R technique ............................. 11

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD

1. Purpose of the Research .................................................... 13
2. Place and Time of the Research ........................................ 13
3. The Method of the Research ............................................. 13
4. Subject of the Research ..................................................... 14
5. Procedure of the Research ................................................. 14
6. The Technique of Data Analysis ....................................... 14

ii

CHAPTER IV RESEARCH FINDINGS

1. Step of Teaching Reading By Using SQ3R Technique ....... 15
2. Analysis ................................................................................ 18
3. The Result of Questionnaire and Interview ......................... 20
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CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

1. Conclusion .......................................................................... 21
2. Suggestion .......................................................................... 22

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