THE USE OF MODIFIED JIGSAW STRATEGY
TO IMPROVE THE STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION IN NARRATIVE TEXT AT FIRST GRADE
OF SMAN 2 MALANG
Abdul Hamid Aly
English Department of Teacher Training and Education Faculty
Islamic University of Malang
E-mail : Sayidhasan5@gmail.com
Abstract: This
article describes
the way of Modified Jigsaw Strategy can improve the
first grade students’ Reading Comprehension in narrative text of SMAN 2 Malang. The
students experienced difficult to comprehend reading texts which 25% of the class failed to
reach the standard minimum of the school, most of students obtain score under
75 which the standard score of the school. This study used Classroom Action
Research (CAR) as the research design. The subjects of this study were one
class of the first grade students which consisted of 31 students. The
procedures of the study covered four steps: planning, implementing, observing,
and reflecting. The data gathered were in the form of quantitative,observation and
checklist and the field note of the teaching and learning process, and
qualitative data,reading
comprehension test. The result is the average of students’ score is 85.32 and
the criteria of success have been reached and the students’ reading comprehension was improved.
Keywords: Students’ Reading Comprehension,
Modified Jigsaw Strategy, and Narrative text.
INTRODUCTION
Reading is important to do. In addition, it has forced people to be up
to date from news of the new information across different countries.
In senior high school syllabus, reading is focused on how the
students can understand kinds of texts according to the topics given. It is
crucial to note that to reach the aim of reading skill students will need some
strategies as the way of their reading activity in order to make easy to
understand some text from passage. Practicing one strategy to improve their
reading skill in order to make them easy to understand is a necessity. This
case is supported by Brown (2000:16) who stated that recognizing a whole models
of exercises, activities, or task based are becoming aware of the purpose of
learning that is being a part of language classroom. When reading makes them
enjoyable and easy to understand they will know and get the main idea of text
or article which then leads them to a better reading skill. Instead, Duffy
(2009:4) voiced that to improve student’s enthusiasm in reading we must do two
things for them: firstly, we have to have the goal of reading a text; secondly,
we should give the student the exams that will make them understand objectives
of reading the text.
In addition, there is a question to answer. Some strategies are developed
by some experts of education. Instead there are many strategies that could be
applied for reading but only one way which will be enjoyable for learning and
main strategy in this study as well, jigsaw strategy. This strategy is
specialized for reading skill in teaching and learning English. To improve
reading comprehension skill it is suitable to use jigsaw strategy. It could be
pinpointed as Crawford (2005) described that this strategy will help the pupils
to be able to understand the text that they read. Such an “expert” they will
lead each other of their portion. Besides, it will have an action and rules in
teaching and learning and knowledge of deep understanding and higher order of
thinking.
A number of problems were identified at second year students of SMAN 2
(Public Senior High School). In addition, out of 31 students, only 5 students
got above 7.5 and the average score of the student is 63.25 whereas the SKBM (standard
of minimum score) of the school was 7.5. Apparently, those problems occurred
because the students have less interest in reading. This was caused from both
the text of passage and the activity of reading. Firstly, the students felt
lazy because the text is too long and the text was not interesting. Secondly,
the students of SMAN 2 especially the first grade students gain less interest
in reading that was caused by the way of learning or the activity in the class
that they learned individually whereas they need pair or partner to share the
information, opinions, or their arguments about the text. In conclusion, the
students of SMAN especially the first grade students have less interest in
reading that was caused by the text which was too long and the inappropriate method
of teaching and learning.
Accordingly, it is asserted
that the students of SMAN 2 especially first grade students gained the problem.
Furthermore, based on the statement above, the researcher will conduct the
research to improve the first year students of SMAN 2 Kota Malang under title
“The use of Modified Jigsaw Strategy to Improve the Students’ Reading
Comprehension in Narrative Text at First Grade of SMAN 2 Malang”.
METHOD
The researcher employed strategy of jigsaw as
the strategy in order to improve the reading comprehension of the
second grade of SMAN 2 MALANG. The research design deployed is CAR (Classroom
Action Research). According to Latief (2013:143) classroom action research for English
subject is to develop a strategy or English learning technique in the learning
and teaching process in order to solve the problems that the teachers and students
faced in the classroom. Clearly, the planning of the action includes
some steps: (1) preparing teaching procedure, (2) designing the lesson plan,
(3) preparing instructional material, and (4) setting the criteria of success.
The implementation of the action was designed in one cycle which
consists of four meetings. The first meeting was used to introduce the
narrative text and the way to use Jigsaw strategy on learning process, practiced
the strategy, and got closer to the students; moreover, the second and third
meeting were used to teach the students narrative texts using Jigsaw strategy,
and the researcher included a group discussion as the part of teaching and
learning activity in the classroom. In addition, the last meeting was a test of
reading comprehension in order to know students reading comprehensions
progress.
Assuredly, Crawford
(2005) and Harmer (2007) reasoned the phases of the modified jigsaw are,
firstly, the students are divided into 5 or 6 groups as their home group and
read the different materials in one group that they will receive; secondly,
after they have read the material, the students are expected to move to other
group as ‘expert group’ with the same material and discuss it together in group.Certainly,
the researcher adds an activity by taking note and filling in the chart.
Thirdly, the students get back to their home group for presenting what they
have gotten from presenting the materials. Finally, the teacher gives them the
evaluation and feedback for clarification.
During
the implementation of the actions, both of the collaborator teacher and the
researcher observed the students using observation checklist and field notes.
Besides, these instruments were used to record student’s progress and to collect
qualitative data.
Next,
the researcher analyzed the data which was obtained from observation checklist,
field notes, and test referring to the criteria of success. Finally, the
researcher drew a conclusion on the teaching and learning process whether the
teaching result met the criteria of success or not. Indicator of success here was a sign to
determine that the use of jigsaw strategy already succeeds in solving the
problems of first grade students of SMAN 2 Malang. The indicator of success in
this strategy during the teaching and learning process was 75% of students’
scores were increased to be above of score 75 on the school basis of the
minimum mastery of learning standard.
The research was conducted for two months
through the beginning of February up to the end of March 2015. The subjects of
the study werefirst grade students. The research was focused on one class,
namely the second semester students of X MIA 4 class. The class had 31 students,
13 male and 18 female students, and the researcher used the class based on some
reasons:1. Most of them had difficulties in comprehending a reading text
especially narrative text. 2. Most of
themhad low motivation in reading. 3. Most of them judged that reading is a
boring activity.
FINDINGS
AND DISCUSSIONS
In accordance, the data obtained from the instruments
of this research, the researcher found that teaching reading comprehension
skills using Modified Jigsaw Strategy could improve the students reading
comprehension skills. It could be seen from the result of the test that the problem
found in the class such was the mean of the students reading was 63.25, meaning
that 5 students got score above 75 which became SKBM of the school. In fact,
after Modified Jigsaw Strategy had been implemented the mean score of the
students was 85.32 and only 2 students got score under 75 which is the standard
score of the school. In other word, 80% of students could handle their lack of
reading comprehension in narrative text,
Firstly,
calculated observation checklist more than 90% of the students were involved in
group to discuss the text given by the researcher, active to respond to teacher
question and instruction. The
researcher assumed that all activities of teaching reading comprehension skill
using Modified Jigsaw Strategy could improve their activity and their reading
comprehension skills. It could be seen from the result of the instruments that
the researcher usedthe
researcher found that the students were interested in the teaching and learning
material. They understood about the material. Here could be prove that they
were active, motivated, and serious with the teaching and learning process in
the first meeting although they were further tired because they had physical
exercise. However, the data in the second and last meeting showed that most of
students became motivated, enthusiastic, disciplined, and enjoyed the teaching
and learning process. This was shown in their activities such as the finishing
the task on time, paying attention on to researcher’s instruction and answering
the questions given. Moreover, they looked happy and relaxed to do all
activities.
Secondly, the
researcher drew conclusion based on the field note data that at first meeting,
some students had difficulty to understand the explanation given about the
steps of Modified Jigsaw Strategy, but in the following meeting their reading
comprehension skills and motivation was better or improved. Furthermore, based
on the field notes the use of Modified Jigsaw Strategy solved their lack of
reading comprehension in narrative text. The problem found in the class such
was the mean of the students reading was 63.25, meaning that 5 students got
score above 75 which became Standard Minimum Score of the school. In fact,
after Modified Jigsaw Strategy had been implemented the mean score of the
students was 85.32 and only 2 students got score under 75 which is the standard
score of the school. In other word, 80% of students could handle their lack of
reading comprehension in narrative text; they looked very happy to do each
learning activity, for they were very active to share their understanding in
group and gave feedback to the researcher.
Lastly, the test which could measure the students’
reading comprehension skills improvement since the action of this cycle was
implemented. Certainly, the
number of students who reached the criteria of success of this research is
increased from 25 % to 93% of all of students. In addition, the mean score of
students when doing preliminary test was 63.25 then the student’s mean score
improved, to 85.32 when answering the reading comprehension test.
From the data that had been obtained by the
instruments above, the researcher assumed that the use of Modified Jigsaw
Strategy could improve the students’ activity, motivation and score. The
students had positive attitude of their activity, and their score was improved
that the mean score of preliminary study was 63.25 and after the implementation
of the action, the mean score was 85.32 from the positive improvement above, it
could be concluded that all of the criteria of the study had been achieved.
Therefore, the researcher did not need to continue the next cycle.This finding was supported by a theory of Modified Jigsaw Strategy that
has been stated by Slavin(1994), Crawford (2005)this strategy requires student to be social person that they help each other by Jigsaw Strategy
and this strategy demonstrated a good development. Moreover the researcher
mixed 2 types of jigsaw strategy to make new innovation from two experts both
Crawford (2005) and Harmer (2007) that stated jigsaw strategy is one of
cooperative learning’s to improve reading comprehension skill of learners.
Such
as Freeman (2000: 168) attached the principles of jigsaw strategy are
The
jigsaw strategy is where all students discuss their problem in expert group
after having discussion in home group and each group member must encourage
feeling responsibility for participating learning and leader is distributed as
well. As
evidence, both observation checklist and field notes showed
that the students’ quality of learning in this class was improved meeting by
meeting. They had a positive attitude such as responsibility in their task and
respect each other toward the implementation of the researcher’s strategy such
as the improvement of the students’ activity to ask and answer the question
toward both the researcher and their friends, and they enjoyed doing all activities
of the Modified Jigsaw Strategy. They could understand the material easily and
catch the general idea of the text faster. Dealing with Harris and Graham (2007:2) Inserted
reading comprehensionis the process of constructing meaning by coordinating a
number of complex processesthat include word reading, word and world knowledge,
and fluency.
The argument of some experts and the finding above were supported by a
theory from Lau and Chan (2003) that students’ motivation was influenced by the
strategy used by the teachers in conducting teaching and learning processes. In
other word, the more appropriate the strategy is the more motivated the
students learn. In a line, Modified Jigsaw Strategy which was used by the
researcher covered some activities such:The material was narrative text which
was taken from some sources suitable for Senior High School. The researcher
conducted the research based on the lesson plan that had been planned which
took 2 x 45 minutes per meeting. The researcher divided the process of teaching
and learning into three parts I.e.: opening, main activity and closing.
To sum up, Elliot Aronson (1978 as cited in Najah, 2011) yielded jigsaw is
cooperative learning technique which was originally designed for fifth grade
and sixth grade class. It has been widely used in primary through college
classes. Furthermore, the teaching and learning through
Modified Jigsaw Strategy enhanced the students’ motivation. The high level
students helped the lower ones; the students work cooperatively and share their
ideas when in group discussion. They also exchanged the information they gained
from the paragraph. It made the students easier to comprehend the text rather
than they should read whole paragraph individually. That is why the student’s
reading comprehension skills in narrative text of the first grade students of
SMAN 2 Malang could be improved by Modified Jigsaw Strategy. By means, both
A.H. Najah (2011) and Khoiron (2014), previous studies which has similarities
in this study, could be proven that there were positive effect between Jigsaw
strategy and the students’ achievement of EFL students.
CONCLUSSIONS
AND SUGGESTIONS
The
result of this research dealing with improving students reading comprehension
in narrative text can be concluded that the use of Modified Jigsaw Strategy in
the classroom has to go through four meetings, three meetings were used to
implementation of Modified Jigsaw Strategy and one meeting to measure the
students’ reading comprehension in narrative text.
The
researcher achieved the criteria of success of this research successfully. The
criteria of success are obtained when 75% of the whole students score in
reading comprehension is ≥75. In fact, the result of the test demonstrated that
after the use of Modified Jigsaw Strategy in teaching and learning process, the
students’ score has increased. Therefore, this Modified Jigsaw Strategy solved
the students’ reading comprehension in narrative text at first grade of SMAN 2
Malang.
Based
on the finding above, the researcher recommended some suggestion that were
addressed to: firstly, the teacher of senior high school is suggested to use
Modified Jigsaw Strategy in teaching reading comprehension. It is suggested
because Modified Jigsaw Strategy can solve the problem found in teaching and
learning process. The teacher has to use an appropriate strategy in cooperative
learning method in teaching reading to create an active, interactive, and
communicative reading class. One of the strategies recommended is Modified
Jigsaw Strategy. Secondly,the future researchers have to consider the use of
Modified Jigsaw Strategy in improving students’ reading comprehension in order
to make more innovation for the next research findings; moreover, this research
can be experimented.
.
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Crawford.
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Harmer,
Jeremy. 2007. The Practice of English Language Teaching. UK: Longman.
Harris,
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