The Correlation Between Reading Motivation and Reading Comprehension

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Background of the Study

English has four language skills that must be taught to the students from elementary school till university and now days it is taught at kindergarten level. In Garis-Garis Besar Pengajaran Bahasa Inggris SMP (2006), it is stated clearly: "The curricular objective of teaching English is to improve students' ability in the four language skill, namely: listening, speaking, reading, and writing". Then according to the 2006 SMP curriculum, fifteen subject units must be covered in each semester. Each subject unit is divided into five parts, namely: structure, reading, vocabulary, conversation, and composition.

From the curricular objective and the division above, it is obvious that the teaching of reading is a part of SMP program that must be covered in the teaching learning process. Moreover, the teacher should develop the students' ability, since reading can enrich the students' experience and their intellectual ability.

But in fact, only very few of students do like reading. This is probably because they lack of motivation to read. Shepherd (1998) said that a student who doesn't read because of lack of motivation does not get the practice he needs in reading skill. Then, Hedge (2007) said that motivation to read and interest the subject matter of the book are the strongest factors in successful reading.

From the quotation above, the writer understands that motivation deserves good deal of attention as a factor in successful reading development. Motivation is commonly thought of as an inner drive, impulse, emotion or desire (need)  that more one particular action.

Students are motivated to read the text because it's a need and important for them, particularly for knowledge. Moreover, the students who needs to the language, will be motivated positively to learn. From the explanation above it can be said that motivation in seen as the fulfillment of needs. Therefore, it is figured that success in a task is also due to the fact that someone is motivated.

Moreover, Frank (1996) said that motivation is a diffuse concept and it is often tied to the other factors such as interest, need, value, attitude, aspiration and incentive that influence the energy and direction of behavior. Eddy William (1994) added that an ideal starting point for motivation the students are to read to discover their wants, need, and interest, and then to select texts and devise activities that are appropriate.

From the quotation above, the writer understands that the finding the students motivation in reading is a very important factor, in order to motivate them to read the text. In this study, the writer wants to describe about reading comprehension. Further, the writer attends to investigate the students’ motivation in learning reading comprehension.

Since this study discus the students’ motivation in learning reading comprehension so reading comprehension needs to be discussed.  Reading comprehension is the result of as interaction between the perceptional of graphic symbol that represent language and reader's language skill and knowledge of the world. It means that the reader tries to recreate the meaning intended by the writer.

They are also trained for further education at university or other learning institution, however the emphasis should primarily be put on reading. Reading is very important activity in human's life. Thought reading, someone can get various kinds of information and sciences useful for her/himself. In learning process, this activity must be taken into account because the acquisition of students' knowledge is mostly through assignment and reading.

SMP Negeri 20 is chosen as the location of this study because the students of the school still get difficulties to master reading comprehension. There are some factors that make them difficult to master reading comprehension and one of them is their motivation in learning English. This information gotten when preliminary study was conducted. Therefore the writer tries to know deeply the relationship  between  students’ motivation and their ability in mastering reading comprehension.

1.2 The Problem of the Study

The statement of problem is the beginning activity of the research process and it is the most difficult. The problem leads the researcher to what she has to do as to answer her problem. In line with the statements written above, the problem of this research activity is as follows: Is there a significant correlation between students’ reading motivation and reading comprehension?

1.3 The Aim of the Study

Based on the problem of the study, so the aim of this study is to investigate if there is a significant correlation between the students’ reading motivation and reading comprehension.

1.4 Postulate and Hypothesis

1.4.1 Postulate

Postulate is a something, the correctness of which is believed. It is very important to support variables in a research. Based on the problems of study, some postulates can be formulated as follow:

1.  Reading is very important activity in humans' life. Thought reading, someone can get various kind of information and sciences useful for her/himself. In learning process, this activity must be taken into account because the acquisition of students' knowledge is mostly through assignment and reading.

2.  Motivation is a something that is very important to get the success of learning.

1.4.2 Hypothesis

    Hypothesis is a guiding idea, tentative explanation of statement of possibilities, serving to imitate an adequate observation and search the relevant data, and other consideration and predict the certain result. Based on the problem, so the hypothesis of this study is:  There is a significant correlation between the students’ reading motivation and reading comprehension.

1.5 The Significance of the Study

This study is expected to have both academic and practical contributions.

1.      Academically, to help teacher/researcher to find out the alternative way of  making students interested in learning reading comprehension.

2.      Practically, it can be used to see the influence of students’ interest  in learning reading comprehension.

1.6 The Organization of the Study

This study will consist of five chapters. Chapter one is introduction that  will include the background of the study, the problem of the study, the purpose of the study, the hypothesis, the significance of the study,  the variable definition, and organization of the study.

Chapter two is the review of literature which will cover definition of reading comprehension, a brief description of breading, kinds of readings, and the theories of motivation.

Chapter three is method of study that will include the design of the study, population and sample and the instrument of collecting data, and data analysis. Chapter four is the result of the study which will cover the data analysis and discussion.  Finally, chapter five will consist of conclusions and suggestions.