The Effect of Guessing Word Game in Students Reading Comprehension Achievement Aprillyani Ginting* Dr. Sri MindaMurni, M.S** ABSTRACT This study deals with The Effect of Using Guessing Word Game Technique on Students Achievement in Reading Comprehension. The objective of the study is to find out whether Guessing Word Game Technique significantly affects students achievement in reading comprehension. The population of the study is the second year students of 2011/2012 of SMPN 28 Medan, where there are seven parallel classes with totally 280 students and the sample which is chosen randomly are two classes (40 studends). The sample is divided into two groups, experimental group taught by using Guessing Word Game Technique and control group taught by using conventional technique. The data were obtained by using multiple choice and analyzed by using t-test formula. The result of the research shows that t-observed (1.77) is higher than t-table (1.667) on df 78 and the level of significance 0.05. It means that there is a significant effect of using Guessing Word Game Technique in students reading comprehension achievement or in another words the hypothesis is accepted. Keywords : Guessing Word GAme, Reading INTRODUCTION Background of the Study Reading is an essential for at all levels. The students are required to be able to read because reading is the window of knowledge. Brown (2000:185) states that reading arguably the most essential skill for success in all context, remain a skill of paramount importance as we create assessment of general language ability. Educational Unit Curriculum (KTSP: Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan) about standard competence in reading states that student is expected to be able to comprehend the meaning (sense) of both interpersonal and
transactional written text formally in the forms of recount, narrative, procedure, descriptive, and report in the context of daily life. In reading skill, students are expected to get knowledge and understand about the context that has explained in the text. It means that students need to learn a considerable amount of information from a text. Therefore, students required abilities to understand and remember main ideas as well as number of details that elaborate the main and supporting ideas in text. They also need to link the text to their knowledge base. In fact, reading is not easy as people think. It is not easy to have the ability of draw meaning from the printed page and interpret the information appropriately. Based on the writer s observation and interview at SMP 28 Medan, there were some problems that caused the low students achievement. The main problem in reading was when they were asked to read a text, they did not understand the content of the text even when was the simple text and it had been read two or three times. Besides, they were also found the difficulties how to read some word and sometimes they were did not know the meaning of that word. The other problem was that the teacher still uses the conventional method in teaching the materials. The teacher just explains the materials and then given the exercises in written from. There was no variation or other teaching media used by teacher. The only teaching media were text book and blackboard. This method makes the students sometimes feel bored and sleepy, especially when it was taught in the last session. And those problems also found when the writer in Field Teaching Practice. Students were unable to comprehend the reading materials in the text, they only guess to understand the meaning on the text. Sometimes words on English had more than one meaning, the real meaning from the dictionary and meaning from the text is different. So the students felt confused and then they would be lazy to learn English. Considering that, the writer wants to give a solution especially in increasing the student s reading comprehension. The solution is by teaching reading using guessing word game. Because the guessing word game offers a challenge that will motivate the students to try to find the meaning by the content of paragraph. It gives much opportunity for the students to practice and repeat the sentence pattern and vocabulary. Besides, the guessing word is a kind of games that will makes the teaching-learning process more attractive than before. The students will feel fun, relaxed and enjoyable, and they will memorize the vocabulary in different way, that is by rewriting them. In examining the effectiveness of Gueesing Word Game, the research question is formulated as follows: - Does Guessing Word Game affect on Students Achievement in Reading Comprehension?
Guessing Word Game According to Klippel (1994:13), The basic rule of guessing games is eminently simple; one person knows something that another one wants to find out. Wright and Buck say (1990:169), Essentially, in guessing and speculating games, someone knows something and the others must find out what it is. In addition, according to Webster (1986:1008), Guessing games is game in which the participates compete individually or team in the identification of something indicate obscurely (as in riddles or charades). Based on the definition it can be concluded that guessing games is a game in which a person or participant knows something and competes individually or in a team to identify or to find out it. It is possible to learn a language as well as enjoy oneself the some time. One best way of doing this is trough games. Games can be applied in teaching learning English. This idea is supported by Wright, Betteridge and Buckby (1989:2). Games can be found to give practice in all skills (Reading, speaking, listening, and writing) in all stages on teaching learning sequences.. Beside on the statements above, it is clear that all skill can be applied in teaching, one of them is reading. There are many reasons a teacher uses games in teaching reading. Games give students chance to use English orally, it means that students can practice and develop their ability to speak English. Games provide fun and relax while remaining very much within the framework of language learning. It is expected for shy or slow learners can be active participants to show their ability and find their confidence in communicating in the foreign language. It says that guessing game give students do not feel bored during learning process. Nevertheless, the most important thing is to give the students in practicing their English. The teacher can teach many kinds of topics such as about animals, profession or people. Based on the statement above, we can conclude that guessing game give students more chance in formulating question. But we know that language classes are spent answering questions puts forth by the teacher or text book. So, by using this game students are asked to practice in formulating questions. There are several steps to apply guessing words game according to Wright and Buck (1990:73), the procedures are:
1. The teacher gives the card to the students which have a word, or a picture, which is this word, is new or difficult word that students ever hear it before from the text related to the topic. 2. The teacher asks the students to describe the word that they get. 3. After preparations teacher asks the students to write or to speak in front of the class. The students have to give the clue to their friend in order they get the meaning. 4. The rest of the class has to guess the word from the clue. 5. The one who describes the word gets the point if the class can guess the word. The Benefits of Using Guessing Word Game Guessing word game is considered as an effective and enjoyable technique to teach reading because it enables students to practice, express their idea, and discuss the meanings of new vocabulary. So, the guessing word is a kind of games that will makes the teaching-learning process more attractive than before. METHODOLOGY This study was conducted by using experimental design with two randomized groups, namely experimental and control groups. Both groups were given pre test and post test. The experimental group was taught by using guessing word game where card or picture used as the media of teaching while the control group was taught without using guessing word game. The Population and Sample The population of this research was the second year students of SMP Negeri 28 Medan. There were seven class of second grade SMP Negeri 28 Medan, where in every class consist of 40 students. The total of the students of SMP 28 Negeri 28 Medan are 280 students. And the samples of the research are VIII A and VIII D, where VIII A was as control class and VIII D as the experiment class. The Instrument for Collecting Data and Measurement The instrument for collecting data was multiple choices test. The writer gave the reading test to know the students reading achievement. The test consisted of 30 items. It was given to both of the groups, experimental and control group. 1. Pre Test
Before the treatment (teaching presentation), a pre test was given to both experimental and control groups. It was aimed to find out the homogeneity of the sample about descriptive reading which showed by the calculation of the mean both of groups. 2.Treatment/Teaching Presentation After conducting the pre test, the experimental and control group were teach by using the same materials but different treatments. The experimental group was teach by using Guessing Word Game while the control group was teach without using guessing word game procedure. The teaching treatment was done for six meetings included pre test and post test. 3.Post Test Having given treatment, a test would gave to both groups. The post test was exactly the same as the pre test way. It was intended to know the mean scores of experimental and control group. The results of the test are corrected accurately. The Validity and Reliability of the Test 1.The Validity There were some types of validity, namely: content, validity, criterion related validity, and construct validity, etc. This research applied construct validity, which concerns with how well the test subject matter and learning outcomes during the instruction period. The construction validity of the test must show that a test represents all materials and objectives to be obtained by students. 2.Reliability Reliability was a necessary characteristic of any good test; for it to valid at all, a test must first be reliable as measuring instrument. If the test is administrated to the same candidates on different occasions, then to the extent that it produces differing results, it was not reliable. The test in this study used objective test form. The scoring of the multiple choices test involved the subjectively, thus to find out whether the test are reliable, the writer used the inter-rater reliability.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The results of this research show that there is difference of the output between both of the groups, experimental and control groups, during the administration of the test (Pre-test and Post-test). It can be seen in the table below: Table 1. The Mean Score of Pre-test and Post-test between both of the groups No. Groups Pre-Test Post-Test 1. Control 53.1 65.1 2. Experimental 60.0 78.5 The table 1 showed that the mean score between both of the groups increased from pre-test to post-test. The mean score of control group increased from 53.1 to 65,1. there was 11.9 points increase in students mean score between pre-test and post-test. While in the experimental group, the results showed that the mean score of experimental group is higher than in control group. The mean score of experimental group increased from 60.0 to 78.5. There was 18.5 points increase in students mean score between pre-test and post-test. This different takes place because the effect of different treatment in each class. The Experimental group was treated by Guessing Word Game Technique whole in Control Group was treated without Guessing Word Game Technique. Moreover, the result of computing t-test shows that t-observed is higher than t-table as follows: Table 2. The Results of the t-test Calculation t-obs >t-table (p = 0,05) with df 78 1,77 > 1.667 (p = 0,05) with df 78 In testing hypothesis, the basic theory that writer used was the hypothesis is acceptable if t-observed > t-table. Based on the calculation of the t-test for the degree of freedom (df) 78, where the t-observed (1.77) is higher than t-table (1.667) at the level of significance of p=0.05. it can be said that Ho was rejected and ha was accepted, that the hypothesis it is predicted that there is a significant affect of using Guessing Word Game Technique on students Achievement in reading comprehension.
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION Based on the calculation of the result of the study by using t-test formula, the t-observed is 1.77 (see appendix) and t-table is 1.667 (p=0.05). It is obtained that t-observed > t-table. It means that the alternative hypothesis (Ha) is accepted. In other words, the using of Guessing Word Game Technique significantly affects the students achievement in reading paragraph. Based on the result of the study, the following suggestions are presented: 1. It is suggested that the teacher should choose suitable procedure in teaching reading. 2. It is suggested that the teacher could apply Guessing Word Game in teaching reading. 3. It is suggested that the students can increase their reading, especially descriptive paragraph through Guessing Word Game. REFERENCES Betteridge David and Michael Buckby, Games for Language Learning, New Edition: Cambridge University. Bond, Guy. L and Eva Bond Wagner. 1969. Teaching The Child to Read. New York: The Macmillan. Dubin, F., D.E. Eskey and W. Grabbe. 1986. Teaching Second Language Reading for Academic Purpose. California: Edison-Wesley Publishing Dubin, F., Elite Olshtain. 1990. Reading by All Means: Reading Improvement Strategies for English Language Learners. USA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Friederike, Klippel. 1994. Keep Talking. USA : Cambridge University. Grellet, Francoise. 1981. Developing Reading Skills. Cambridge: Cambridge university. Hill, Walter R. Secondary School Reading: Process, Program, procedure. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Hornby,A.S.1995. Oxford Advanced Learner s Dictionary. New York: Oxford University Press
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