CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Reading is one of the language skills that is needed to be mastered by the

student. That enable to the learner to understand the information clearly when
doing reading. However, some people are not interested in reading because they
do not have good topic for reading. Reading is one of the basic english skills for
the students when they join english lesson in the classroom. Kenyon (2008:5)
states that when the researcher plan reading sessions with your learners, make sure
that there is time to talk about the text (passage, story and to write). Thus, the
readers can explain what they have read from the story or passage and they also
can write some messages and explore their ideas in reading.

The activity of reading is an understanding written text to involve

perceptions and thinking of the readers which consist of two process such as
comprehensions and word recognizing. Reading comprehensions is a capability of
understanding meaning, symbol, sentences, and connected words. While word
recognizing refers to the process of perceiving how the written symbols
correspond to one's spoken language (Pang et al.,2003:06). Moreover, word
recognition refers to the process of making sense of words, sentences, and
connected text. Based on the statement it is clear that reading is activity that
involves students' perception and thought in improves the reader's understanding a
written or printed material that they had learnt in the classroom.

Bernhardt (2011:7) states that reading comprehensions as the process of

stimultaniously extracting and constructing meaning thought interaction and
involvement with written language. Assesing fluency, accuracy, and
comprehension will often provide insight as to whether a text is too easy or
difficult. As the student recognize the difficulty of answering comprehension
question, it shows the text might be difficult too for the students, and they will not
memorize the information from the text that being read. Conducting reading
instructions is best way to lead their understanding of the text that they read.

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However, in reality, reading is difficult skill in language especially the students
who are still difficult to understand the content of the reading text. Generally, the
teachers only provide text for students and teachers ask students to read and look
for the answer of the existing text with aids namely English dictionary and the
students do it individually or work with their partner.

Reading comprehension is the ability to read a text, process it, and

understand the meaning (Brassell and Rasinski 2008:18). The students will be
difficult to understand the content of the written or printed material without
vocabulary and grammatical mastery so that the students must master vocabulary
and grammatical features that influence their reading comprehension especially in
understanding the text meaning. In this case the students must master well
vocabulary grammatical features to make them easier in understanding reading
text especially in identifying general information, specific information, textual
meaning and textual references which are stated in the reading text.

Based on the interview in preliminary observation with the English

teacher, it was found that the students had low achievement in reading
comprehension. From the four skills, reading has become the problem that was
often faced by the tenth grade students class AP 1 of SMK N1 Mas Ubud. The
researcher found the students have problem in reading especially in identify
general information, specific information, textual meaning and textual references
in reading text. In learning process of students, the students still had problem in
reading comprehension. This problem could affect the students' reading
comprehension and make them fail in answering the question especially about
identifying general information, specific information, textual meaning of
descriptive text.

The technique that used by the English teacher is still conventional

technique the teacher use reading aloud in which the teaching technique was
monotonous. The teacher commonly focused on reading aloud in improve reading
comprehension. For example, the teacher just distributed the reading text and had
the students to repeat after the teacher, and then try one by one read the reading
text. Sometimes, the teacher asked them to silent reading and directly answer the

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related question without any additional activities for pre-reading and during
reading. The teacher never applied certain technique that emphasized on
comprehending the text and reading comprehension at the first point in teaching
and learning process.

The teacher technique was not appropriate for teaching which a class have
different characteristic of the students. In the technique the teacher just gave
instruction and did not give more explanations, the teaching and learning process
is unstructured and makes the students become bored. It makes student could not
find out what is the text about and then the reader could not answer the following
questions. They also did not have discussion session to figure out the answer.
Because they work individually and the teacher only focused on the student who
more active or who would not active in the teaching learning process. Therefore,
the teacher should use an appropriate teaching technique in order to improve
students' ability especially in reading comprehension and make teaching learning
process more interested and meaningful; one of the techniques is Numbered
Heads Together technique with picture.

To solve the problem above, the researcher is tries to apply one of

cooperative learning technique to improve the students' achievement in reading
comprehension. this present study, the researcher chooses Numbered Heads
Together (NHT) technique with picture. Numbered heads together (NHT)
technique is a reading technique that is used to guide students through a text. NHT
helps students construct meaning before, during and after reading. Students would
connect what they read with what they have learned in the past, the students
would be expected to understand what the topic is about and extent of the
information. The students firstly divided into some groups, where each students' is
given a number. Then the teacher poses a question to the students. After that the
teacher asked the students to discuss with their groups to figure out the answer
finally the teacher calls a specific number to answer the question correctly.

NHT is one of effective technique for engaging the students. It helps

students to learn new material with the use of questioning and heads together to
figure out the answer of the question correctly. NHT can provide the students with

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a structure to guide them through the reading material. It can make the students
interested and pay attention to the material. NHT technique guides students to be
more active in teaching learning process. They can easily get clear and specific
information of the text and involve their knowledge in reading comprehension.
The students can also share their opinion to the others about what they have learnt
in discussion session with their group. Furthermore, this technique gives an
opportunity for the students to get knowledge and share their ideas to the other
students. The implementation of NHT technique is easy to be understand by the
students it also gives a new style in reading activity. The new style is the students
have a group and each member of the group have different number. By making
group, the students are assisted in determining ideas which are used in reading.

Based on the explanation above, NHT technique is needed by the students

to overcome difficulties in reading comprehension. In reading comprehension, it
is important to conduct the research to improve reading comprehension through
Numbered Heads Together with Picture, Moreover, the researcher believes that
NHT technique could improve the students reading ability. Teacher can motivate
the students to be more active to share their opinion with others in learning
process. Therefore, the researcher wants to conduct a research with entitled "The
Use of Numbered Heads Together with Picture to Improve Reading
Comprehension of the Tenth Grade of SMK N 1 Mas Ubud Academic Year
2019/2020.

1.2 Research Problem

Based on background of the research above, students of the tenth grade

students of SMK N 1 Mas Ubud. Students still had problems in English,
especially in reading comprehension, such as identify general information,
specific information, textual meaning and textual reference. The solution that can
be offered to overcome the problems is to change the technique which is used
previously by teacher with new technique which is more effective to teach the
students. It can be solved by implementing a better technique to improve students"
reading comprehension. The technique that can be used to improve students'
achievement in reading comprehension is NHT. Based on the elaboration above,

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the research problem can be formulated as follows: can reading comprehension of
tenth grade students of SMK N 1 Mas Ubud in academic year 2019/2020 be
improved through NHT with Picture?

1.3 Objective of the Study

There are so many different techniques to improve students' achievement

in reading comprehension. As a study which is strongly related to scientific
investigation, misunderstanding may occur easily due to unclear direction on the
aim of the study. Based on the problems faced by the students, the researcher must
find a solution to solve the problems. Generally, finding a solution of the research
problem is the main objective of the scientific study. The present study id
conducted to answer the research problem. The objective of the present study is to
find out whether or not reading comprehension of tenth grade students of SMK NI
Mas Ubud in academic year 2019/2020 can be improved by used the
implementation of NHT with Picture.

1.4 Limitation of the Study

Reading actually have a broad and wide scope of coverage, so limitation of

the study is necessary. There are many things that can be taken as the subject
matters to be observed by people who want to do a research in this field. Since
reading have a lot of things to be observed, the researcher needs to narrow down
the area of this study. Thus, the researcher limited the investigation which is
focused on improving reading comprehension of the tenth grade students of
SMKN 1 Mas Ubud in academic year 2019/2020 by using numbered heads
together NHT technique with picture about historical place. Since the school
implemented 2013 curriculum, in the present research, the researcher focused on
the third main competency and basic competency.

The third main competency is understanding, applying, analyzing factual

knowledge, conceptual, procedural based on their curiosity about knowledge,
technology, art, culture, and humanities with humanitarian insight, nationalities,
state, and civilization related to the cause of phenomena and events, and wipe
procedural knowledge in field of specific studies in accordance with their interests

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to solve the problem. Besides, the basic competency is focused on the third basic
competency (3.4) distinguish social function, text structure, and language features
of some descriptive text oral and write by giving and asking information related to
famous historical place and historical building, in accordance with the context of
its use. In addition, reading comprehension in the present study particularly
focused on identifying general information, specific information, textual meaning
and textual reference.

1.5 Significance of the study

This research is concerned with the use of NHT technique with picture to
improve reading comprehension The significance is expected to give beneficial
contribution to tenth grade students of SMK N I Mas Ubud. The present study is
expected to indicate significance both theoretical and practical information on the
importance of implementing NHT with picture in teaching reading
comprehension. The researcher hopes that this research gives a significance for
both the teacher and the students as well as theoretical and practical In addition to
the target of this research, the research would have both theoretical and practical
significance that is explain as follows:

Theoretically, the findings of this study are expected as a guide study of

reference for the next research. Besides, it can contribute the new research finding
about using NHT technique with picture in teaching reading comprehension. In
other words, this study may give information about the technique that can be
implemented in teaching learning process especially about teaching reading
comprehension by applying the present technique. Besides that, the findings of
this present study are very useful for the English teacher, the students even the
other researchers as well. As known this research will be place in the library, this
study is expected to enrich theories and can be used as reference for future studies
related to NHT technique in improving reading comprehension of tenth grade
students of SMKN 1 Mas Ubud in academic year 2019/2020.

Practically, the outcomes of the present study are expected to give

contribution and feedback to the English teacher, students of SMKN 1 Mas Ubud,

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and the other researcher. First for the English teacher, the finding is hoped to be
able to improving the student reading comprehension. The teacher also can
conduct the lesson well since this technique do and brings a worth finding in
teaching learning process, and the teacher can solve students' problem in reading
comprehension. second for the students of SMKN 1 Mas Ubud, they may have
new experience and great improvement of reading comprehension when they join
reading class. In addition, the students' ability in reading comprehension also
could learn in different learning situation by using NHT technique. This is
actually what they need in reading class and they are expected and able to
comprehend the reading passage. Third for the other researchers, it is hoped that
this study can be uses as empirical and reference to do further research in the
future especially the research that uses classroom action research.

1.6 Definition of Key Term

The title of the present study is "The Use of Numbered Heads Together to
Improve Reading Comprehension of Tenth Grade of SMKN 1 Mas Ubud
Academic Year 2019/2020. The terms of scientific research sound complicated to
the readers because they are to broad, and the definitions does not give clear cut
clarification. As it is aim to give clear explanation to the topic that will be discuss
in this study and to avoid misunderstanding or confusion of the key terms which
are used in the present study on part of the readers. It totally important for the
researcher to define some operational definition related to the variables. Some
definitions of the important key terms are operationally defined in the present
research as follows:

1. Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension is interpreted as the students ability of the tenth

grade of 1 SMK N 1 Mas Ubud in academic year of 2019/2020 in understading
reading texts especially in finding out general information, specific information,
textual reference, and textual meaning of the text.

2. Numbered Heads Together (NHT) with Picture.

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 NHT technique is define as technique that used to improve reading
comprehension of tenth grade students of SMKN 1 Mas Ubud in academic year
2019/2020. Which consist of four steps: numbering, questioning, heads together,
and answering. In numbering, the teacher divides the students into several groups
which consist of 4 students in each group and have them number of so each
students' in each group has different number between 1,2,3,4 and 5. In
questioning, the teacher gives a task to read a descriptive text with picture about
historical place that can help the reader understand the text. Then the teacher asks
the students a question based on the text that administered by the teacher. In heads
together, the students put their heads together to figure out and make sure
everyone knows the correct answer. In answering, the teacher calls a number and
the students from each group with that number raise hand and provide answer to
the whole class.

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 CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL REVIEW

2.1 Theoretical Review

Every scientific study should be based on some theoretical background

and empirical evidence and it should contribute practical significance of the
present study. Theoretical review is about related theory that is used in this
research. The researcher uses relevant theories to give more evidences in this
research. Besides the relevant theories which are taken from some sources to
support the underlying theories are concisely conducted on the ground of the
theoretical basis. The relevant theories that related to the study and support the
research, as the result the researcher will describe and discuss as follows: Reading
Comprehension, Numbered Heads Together Technique, and Assessment of
Reading Comprehension

2.1.1 Reading Comprehension

Reading is a process to get information from a text and also as section of

language skills that is important in improving the students' ability. Reading is one
of skill that students have to master in the class. The important part of reading
comprehension the text as students should have good reading comprehend
because it will help they in learning other skill such as listening, writing and
speaking. Wolley (2011) states that reading comprehension is the process creating
meaning from the text. He continues stating that the goal of reading is to increase
the general understanding of what is described in the text rather than to get
meaning from isolated words or sentences.

Brown (2004: 185) states that reading is likewise a skill that teachers
simply expert learner to acquire. Most formal tests use the written words as a
stimulus for test-taker response even oral interview may require reading
performance for certain tasks. Reading comprehension is the process of
knowledge, and the information found in the text. It involves extending student

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vocabularies and knowledge of the word, developing their knowledge of English
grammar and their decoding skill, developing their reading fluency and

extending Their ability to comprehend what they read and view from the literal
level to the inferential and critical levels to improve their knowledge.

In addition, Johnson (2008:4) states that reading is constantly developing

skill. Like others skills, the students get better at reading by practicing
Conversely, if students do not practice, they will not get better and their skills may
deteriorate because reading practice helps the students become better readers.
Reading integrates visual and nonvisual information During the act of reading, the
visual information found on the page is combined with nonvisual information
contained in the head of the students to create meaning of the text that they have
learnt In that way, what is in the head is just as important as what is on the page in
the process of creating meaning (reading) based on the text.

Furthermore, Broughton et al. (2003 89) reading is a complex skill.

Reading is not only reading aloud some words or reading some words silently, but
also as an activity to get information from the text by executing symbol stated in a
text In addition, Johnson (2008 :7) states that reading helps students become
better writer .Through reading, students have incidental contact with the rules of
grammar. Students develop a sense for the structure of the language and grammar
and increase their vocabulary. All of the definitions above suggest that reading
especially reading comprehension is thinking a thinking process in acquiring the
message of the text. One's prior knowledge has an importance role in processing
new information.

Smith (2004:2) states that reading is properly employed for all manner of
activities when people endeavors to make sense of circumstances; its original
meaning is interpretation It means that the readers can achieve many thoughts
about written text that they read. The readers need an understanding for creating
meaning with written text, Therefore, comprehension means the series of action
concurrently putting and building sense by using interaction and participation with
the written text. Thus, reading is comprehending-making sense of what is read.

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Reading is important skill that enables someone to find some information for their
knowledge and they can share the information for everyone when they need it.
Learning to read is an important educational goal. For both children and adults,
the ability to read opens up new worlds and opportunities.

Reading comprehension is essentially defined as the ability to understand

the information which has been read. Reading comprehension is a process to
recognize the text and remember information in the text. Without reading
comprehension, the readers could not understand the information on the reading
text. It involves extending students' vocabularies and knowledge of the words,
developing their knowledge of English grammar and their decoding skills,
developing their fluency and extending their ability. When the readers are able to
recognize the words meaning in the text reading, they are able to comprehend
what they had been read.

Caldwell (2008:177) states that reading comprehension is about relating

background knowledge to new knowledge contained in the written texts. Students'
ability can help them to comprehend and understanding a text quickly If students
know a lot about a topic, then, students will use this knowledge to interpret the
text, to make inferences, to create visual images, and to evaluate the authors point
of view. It can be assumed the wider we have background knowledge, the easier
we comprehend what we are reading. It is because we have been already familiar
with the topic and we do not need to think hard to catch the idea of the text we
have read before.

According to Snow (2002:10) Reading comprehension is a part of reading

elements because understanding the context of the important in reading activity.
Comprehension is meaning construction process, involving integral interaction
between text and reader. Reading comprehension requires motivation, mental
frameworks for holding ideas, concertation and good study technique and
strategies. Good readers recognize and get meaning from word they see in print
and use their knowledge to begin forming a mental nation of the topic. Through
reading, the readers have to relate the information that is written on the text with

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their background of knowledge, thus, the students can easily comprehend the text
that they already read in the classroom.

Klinger et al. (2007:8) describe that reading comprehension is a

multicomponent and highly complex process that involve many interactions
between readers and what they bring to the text (previous knowledge and strategy
use) as well as variables elated to the text itself (interest in reading text and
understanding of the text types). It means that comprehend the reading text, the
readers must have cognitive capacities for instance, attention, critical and analyze
ability, memory visualization ability and various type of knowledge. The
knowledge that should be mastered by the students is in linguistic, topic,
vocabulary and comprehension knowledge.

Snow (2002:11) states that reading comprehension is the process of the

simultaneously extracting and constructing meaning through interaction and
involvement with written language. Comprehension entails three elements such
as: the students who does the comprehension, the text that is to be comprehend
and the activity in which comprehension is a part. To comprehend the text, the
students must have a wide range of capacity, ability, knowledge and experience
that the students bring to act of reading. The students can understand what the
writer means and they understand not only the meaning but also the context of the
text. Through reading, the readers have to relate the information that is written on
the text with their background of knowledge, thus, the students can easily
comprehend the text that already read in the classroom.

Furthermore, Brassell and Rasinski (2008:18) state that reading

comprehension is the ability in taking information from written text after that
doing something with it, in a way that demonstrates knowledge or understanding
on the information. The reader can be categorized if they are able to act on,
respond to, get the meaning and transform the information that is implicitly
described in the text though a demonstrated understanding. One way that could be
used to check the students' comprehension is through short answer task. Besides,
Johnson (2008:3) states that reading is practice of using text to create meaning;
therefore, if there is no meaning being created, there is no reading taking place.

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Reading is constantly developing skill; reading especially reading comprehension
will be better with more practice.

In conclusion, reading comprehension is useful for gaining information

from text and the skills can evaluate the student vocabulary and then they also try
to interpret the meaning. In the present study, reading comprehension is defined as
the process of constructing meaning from the especially in identifying general
information, specific information, textual meaning and textual reference. It is an
active activity that try to catch or identify the idea of the passage. Furthermore,
reading makes students understand and they can comprehend what they read and
also can get new information or knowledge to improve the developed their
reading ability in reading comprehension.

2.1.2 Numbered Heads Together (NHT) with Picture

NHT is a technique that helps reader to learn new material with the use of
questioning and heads together from reliable source. NHT helps the readers
comprehend what they read. This technique is interesting and wonderful at the
start of any unit of work, meeting discussion. It elevates thinking and discussion,
open up opportunities for possible investigation and the formation of hypotheses.
NHT helps the reader comprehend what they read and understand what they have
already read. The teacher can easily modify material to meet students' learning
needs any level in any content area and it can keep the students' attention on
reading comprehension. It will make the students easier to develop their
knowledge and they also can share it to the others.

Slavin in Arends (2012:361) states that group focus of cooperative

learning can change the norm of youth culture and make it more acceptable to
excel in academic learning task. Cooperative learning can benefit both low and
high achievers, thus providing specials help for peers who share youth-oriented
interest and language. And the second important effect of the cooperative learning
is wider tolerance and acceptance of people who are different by virtue of their
race, culture, social class, or ability. The other important effect of the cooperative

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learning is to teach students' skills and students ability of cooperation and
collaboration.

Furthermore, Jolliffe (2007:39) explain that cooperative learning strategy

require the students to work together in small group to support each other to
improve their own learning. To work effectively certain five key elements needed
to be in place. The five elements include: the first positive independence (the
student must feel that they need each other, the second individual accountability
(every member has learned the material), the third group processing ( it helps all
group members achieve while maintaining effective working relationship among
members), the fourth small group and interpersonal skill (provide the motivation
to use the individual skill in order for group to function effectively), and the last
face to face interaction(build an effective communication between the students).

NHT technique is aimed to reinforce learning, foster the sharing of

successful responses to the whole class or entire group, decide how information
will be shared among learning members as well as to create the students to be
independent, responsible, and to be cooperative learner at the same time. Mandal
(2009:99) state that NHT technique is one of cooperative teaching technique
where a team of four students is established by the teacher. Each member is given
different number between 1,2,3, and 4. Question are asked of the all group. Group
work together to answer the question so that all can verbally answer the questions
to the whole of the class. This could be used for comprehension exercises and if
the members of each group cannot answer the question, so the other members can
help them to give the answer of the question and make sure everyone knows the
correct answer.

Based on Richards and Rodgers (2007:199), there are some step for
implementing of NHT technique. The first is called students number off in item.
The teacher should divide students in some group and the teacher gives number of
each member in a group. The second is the teacher asks a question based on the
material that they had learnt and the questions are usually easy and difficult based
on their level agreement. The third is heads together in which student put their
heads together to figure out and make sure that everyone knows the answer and

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can explain the answer. And the last one is the teacher calls a number and students
with that number raise hands and provide answer to the whole class.

According to Kagan (2009:6-20), NHT is a technique to convey the idea

that each student has a number and that all the students in the team put their best
answer. NHT is learning method when each student is given a number and they
make a group work. These cooperative learning strategies promote discussion on
both individual and group accountability. Cooperative learning method forces to
do an interaction instead of self-understanding. Learning cooperatively will help
students communicate about what they do not know as well as what they have
known that based on the text that has been read.

On the other hand, teaching reading comprehension by using numbered

heads together will more interesting when the teacher can combine media in
teaching learning process. It will help students in developing reading
comprehension. picture is a media which is can help in implemented the
technique. Picture can help student to imagine what the real meaning of a text. For
example, descriptive text. Turk (2003:181) stated that people are naturally more
interested in things and picture than in abstract words. Event adults look through
books for picture. Therefore, visual aids have a greater impact, the people
especially the students will be easy to imagine the meaning of picture.

In addition, add that picture can be used to provoke questions and answer
which can develop into a very involved conversation. In order words picture
actually good tools to help teacher in teaching and improving students in reading
comprehension it can makes the reader easy to understand the text if helped with
picture and also the picture can help student in finding the real meaning of the
text. According to Wright (1989:136) picture have major role to play in
development of students' skills listening and reading. It can be used more
effectively to develop and sustain motivation in producing positive attitudes
towards English and to teach reinforce language skills.

In this present study the researcher using NHT technique. NHT techniques
will more interesting when the teacher can combine the technique with picture as

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a media in the teaching learning process. It will help assist students in developing
reading comprehension. Picture is one of learning media that can be used to
explain the subject matter. The use of picture as a media or means of delivery of
the lesson, not only interesting but also can pay attention of students clarify
information of the text. Picture that are used in reading text not explain the text
completely, but it can be used motivate the reader. In order picture are actually
good media to help teacher in teaching learning process to improve the students'
ability in reading comprehension.

In addition, NHT technique with picture is an effective way to be used in

improving the students' reading comprehension this is one of cooperative learning
techniques. Macpherson (2002:62) states that objective of the technique is
encourage individual accountability of the group's members. It indirectly trains
the students to share information to each other, listen and speak accurately so that
they will be more productive in the teaching learning process. Besides, this
technique also helps the students to be able to work cooperatively in a team or
group. According to Arends (2012:371), there are four steps of NHT namely
numbering, questioning, heads together, and answering.

1. Numbering

In this step, the teacher divides the students into several groups which
consist of 4/5 students in each group and teacher give them number off so each
student on team has different number between 1, 2, 3, and 4 , 5 .

2. Questioning

In questioning, the teacher gives a task to read a descriptive text with

picture that can help the reader understand the text. Then the teacher asks the
students a question based on the text that administered by the teacher. The
question can be varied. They can be very specific and in question form.

3. Heads Together

In this part, the students put their heads together to figure out and make
sure everyone knows the answer.

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 4. Answering

In this case, the teacher calls a number and students from each group with
the number, raise their hands and provide answer to the whole class.

2.1.3 Assessment of Reading Comprehension

Assessment is process of collection and information analysis to measure

achievement of students' learning result. In order to know the students'
achievement, teacher can administer a test and a result can be used as a feedback.
Brown (2004:185) stated that the assessment of the reading ability does not end
with the measurement of comprehension. Method of assessment varies with the
type of responses students and student's responses can be spoken or written.
Assessment of reading should be ideally be authentic. Assessment shows how
well they are able to extract information and analyze that they are reading.

Caldwell (2008:8) states that assessment can happen at any points in a

lesson. It can be a planned and carefully thought-out procedure. It is also
applicable in reading class. Commonly, people will think that assessment is done
after students read a certain reading passage then they will have some question
that have been prepared to be answered. In fact, the assessment and be done
before student read the reading passage. They do not need the whole text, but they
just need to activate their prior knowledge and try to relate to the topic. This kind
to assessment will require students to actively join the class since the question,
that is going to pose, is thought-out procedure.

Brown (2004:4) states that assessment is. ongoing process to

encompasses a much wider domain whenever a student responds to a question,
offers a comment, or tries out a new word or structure the teacher subconsciously
makes an assessment of the students' performance. So that, it can be said that
assessment is used to determine the quality of the student work. According to
Hammer (2001:100), assessment can be explicit when the teacher says "that is
good" while assessing the students' performance. On the other hand, it can be
implicit when the teacher pass on the next students without any comments or
corrections. They may misconstrue with silence as something else. As the result,

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when the teacher gave a test which cannot make the students misconstrue and
decrease their motivation in learning those materials in reading comprehension.

Pang et al. (2003:18) states that "There are two forms of reading
assessment. The first is to find out how well children are reading in order to help
them improve(diagnosis)". Diagnostic assessment is about giving feedback and
assistance to learners. The second is to measure how much progress has been
made. Both assessments are needed for effective reading instruction. In the
beginning reading, assessment is normally done by listening to students' reading
aloud. Teacher assesses word recognition and fluency in this way. Beyond this
stage, assessment should focus primarily on text comprehension.

There is a purpose in doing the assessment. According to Caldwell

(2008:43), the basic purpose of any assessment is to gather the information in
order to decide if students comprehend and learn about the material which they
have learned. Besides, there are two more assessment purpose for school and
students. For school, assessment is used to judge the effectiveness of the school.
for the students, it is for measuring and monitoring learning progress of the
students cross a school year. When the teacher gives an assessment for their
students, the assessment should be appropriate with the material which has been
taught by the teacher to the students. In regard with the reading comprehension,
there are some design for assessing the students' comprehension.

According to N'Namdi (2005:57) states that assessment is one of important

a tool that measure a learner's knowledge and ability. It shows the areas in the
reading program where learners have weakness and strength in reading text. It
shows they are able to extract information and analyze from a text that is being
read. On the other hand, it usually can be used by the teacher to help them
evaluation. According to Brown (2001:384) test in plain words is a method of
measuring a person's ability or knowledge in given domain. A test has the purpose
of measuring. Some measurements are rather board and inexact, while others are
quantified in mathematically precise terms.

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 Furthermore, McNamara (2007:107-108) states the assessment of reading
comprehension is a critical part of designing and implementing programs that
teach reading strategies, such as assessing students, reading comprehension ability
and skills before an intervention allows potential weakness of and individual
reader to be diagnosed. Training can be adjusted to meet the needs of that reader
to maximize the impact of the intervention. Effective interventions should also
assess and monitor students' progress in the development or improvement of
reading comprehension skills. An assessment needs to consider who is
undertaking the test and when the best time to do the test. Caldwell (2008:26)
states that there is a tendency to think of assessment as something that happens
after instruction.

Alderson (2000:1) states that all of the aspect of reading is important, but
will probably never be brought together into a coherent and comprehensive
account of what is we do when we read. The inevitable complication when we
consider the complexities of analyzing text since the nature of what we read must
have some relation to how we read, then text analysis must be relevant to theories
of reading. Furthermore, Caldwell (2008:26) states that there is tendency to think
of assessment as something that happen after instruction, something part apart
from instruction such as asking students to answer question after they have read
the textbook chapter or story. There is also tendency to think of all measure as
paper, pencil, and eraser rests. Assessment and evaluation of students
understanding and ability is an ongoing process.

Assessing reading can be done by administering a series of test that the

researcher gave to the students. When students taking a reading test, the effect can
be both increasing and decreasing students' comprehension especially in reading
texts. In addition, As stated by Brown (2004) assessing reading can be done by
some kinds of reading tasks, they are reading aloud, written response, multiple-
choice, short answer task, picture-cued items, matching task, editing task, gap
filling task, cloze task, impromptu reading plus comprehension question,
skimming, scanning, editing, ordering task, information transfer, summarizing and

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responding the last one is note-taking and outlining. All of those kinds of reading
tasks are used based un the reading comprehension types.

In this present study, the researcher admninistered short answer task to

assess the students' achievement in reading comprehension after being taught
through NHT technique with picture. Moreover, purpura (2004:136) states that
short answer task can be used to test several areas of grammatical ability, and are
usually scored as right or wrong with one or more criteria for correctness or
partial credit. Furthermore, the researcher in the present study assess the students'
reading comprehension by using short answer test. By using short answer task, the
students should give the answer or idea about the test. They directly answer the
question by using a complete and grammatical sentence. This kind of test is a
good way for measuring the students' reading comprehension.

2.2 Empirical Review

The focus of the present study is to investigate the application of

numbered heads together particularly whether or not the reading comprehension
of the tenth grade of SMKN 1 Mas Ubud improved by using numbered heads
together. The empirical review is provided to show the use of numbered neads
together. In order to show the strength of the present study, the researcher made
this empirical review to review studies that had been previously conducted by
other researcher that might be similar with this study. In this part, the researcher
describes two empirical review that explained about researcher which were related
to the present study. They are the empirical review as follows:

For the first similar research is conducted by juniawati (2016) entitled

"improving reading comprehension through numbered heads together of the eight
grade students of SMPN 4 petang in academic vear 2015/2016". The main
purpose of the research was to figure out whether or not numbered heads together
to improve students reading comprehension. The result of the study had proven
that numbered heads together was an effective technique to improve reading
ability especially in reading comprehension. It could be seen from the progressing
in mean score of the pre-test and post-tests from the first cycle until the last cycle

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after the researcher applied NHT technique to the eight grade students of SMPN 4
petang.

The second research was done by brahmanda (2016) entitled "improving

reading comprehension of the eight grade students of SMP N Sila Chandra
batubulan in academic year 2015/2016 through numbered heads together". The
objective of the present study was to know whether or not reading comprehension
of the eight grade students of SMPN sila Chandra batubulan can be improve
through numbered heads together technique. The result of the present study had
proven that numbered heads together was effective technique to improve students'
reading comprehension. It could be seen from progressing of the mean score.

The strength of both researchers showed the students were successful to

improve their reading comprehension by using numbered heads together. The
students can get the score more than the minimum passing grade in that school
from cycle I and cycle II after they had been taught through numbered heads
together. The weakness both of researcher is in implementing of the technique
both of the researcher implemented the steps unclear that can make the students
confused about the activity that the researcher gave to them. Furthermore, when
they arranged lesson plan, the steps in the lesson plan and the theory did not
match with the real teaching. In the present study, the researcher used NHT with
picture and also with clear steps in lesson plan to avoid the students' reading
comprehension confusion about learning how to find general information, specific
information, textual meaning, and textual reference of the text. In addition, the
researcher made the lesson plan that had clear steps in which the steps in whilst
activity based on theory of Kagan in Arends(2007:355).

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 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHOD

3.1 Subject of The Study

The present study was conducted at SMK N1 Mas Ubud especially the
tenth grade student of X AP1 class in academic year 2019/2020. The X AP 1 class
consisted of 36 students in which 15 males and 21 females. The researcher
chooses this class because based on interview that had been done to English
teacher in SMKN I Mas Ubud The result of the interview suggested the student's
ability in reading comprehension was still poor. The students in this class are still
difficult to comprehend reading text, especially in finding out general information,
specific information, textual meaning of the text. It meant the subjects, ability in
reading comprehension was poor. Therefore, immediate improvement is really
needed by using effective technique in reading comprehension.

3.2 Research Design

The design of the present study is a classroom action research which

concern with improving reading comprehension through numbered heads together
(NHT) technique with picture to improve student reading comprehension. Ary et
al. (2008:512) state that action research is about talking action based on research
and researching the action taken. It can be used to enhance everyday work
practice to resolve specific problems and to develop special projects and
programs, in education, action research can be applied to such areas as curriculum
development, teaching strategies, and school reform.

Ferrance. (2000:1) stated that action research is a process in which

participants examine their own educational practice systematically and carefully,
using the technique of research. This research is carry-out within the context of
the teacher's environment on questions that dealt with educational matters at hand.
The teacher as researcher began the research with a cycle from question, gathering
data, reflection and then deciding the course of action. The solution from the
problem which is attempt to solve led the action research into other areas of study.

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In conducting classroom action research, the teacher might work alone in
conducting the research or might be supported by the administrators in schol,
university scholar, and others.

Dawson (2007:18) states that action research begins with a process of

communication and agreement between people who want to change something
together. It means that three must be an agreement between the researcher and the
participant to solve a certain problem that occurs within the community. This can
be summarized that the action research is used to give changes of result in
teaching and learning process whether to find out solution for problems exist or to
develop more understanding of our teaching and learning process.

Ary et al. (2008:519) stated that there are some steps in conducting the
teaching and learning process such as planning, action, observation, and
reflection. In planning, the researcher makes the instrument to collect the data. In
action, the researcher implements the plan or changes a practice and collect data
that collected from a variety of source. In observation the researcher synthesizes
and analyzes the data and key issues related to the problem which is identified. In
reflection, the researcher reflection on and interprets the information and
communicates or reports it into others. It is simple process and if teachers learn
how to use it , it would meet many of their teaching goals.

In relation to this present study, classroom action research is concern on

improving reading comprehension of the subject under study through numbered
heads together. A classroom action research is stopped when it has achieved a
satisfactory outcome. The present research is divided into two cycle that consisted
of two session in each cycle. In each cycle, there are four steps: planning, action,
observation, and reflection. The result of post-test in cycle 1 is used to a basis to
revise the planning in the next cycle. Thus, revising planning began in the next
cycles. Revising planning was expected to achieve the satisfactory outcome. To
make it clear, the figure of the steps in each cycle could be seen in the following
figure. The figure was adapted from the book Kemmis and Mc Taggart (2010).

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 Initial reflection

Cycle I : Planning Action Observation Reflection

Cycle II: Revised Action Observation Reflection

Next cycle

3.3 Research Procedure

The research procedure is the procedure which is used in this classroom

action research. It is divided into some cycle and each cycle consisted of four
interconnected activities. The purpose of research procedure is to make it easy for
the researcher in finding data which is valid and accurate. In this classroom action
study, the researcher explaining the research procedure referred to the real
activities which are done by the researcher for this research in every step of initial
reflection, planning, action, observation, reflection of the research. In this study,
the researcher and subjects did some process which is expected to improve
reading comprehension of the tenth grade students of SMKN 1 Mas Ubud read
2019/2020. All of the activities took place repeatedly in the four of cycle. The
research procedure briefly describe as follows:

3.3.1 Initial reflection

In this classroom action study is done by conducting an interview,

observation, administering pre-test. initial reflection is done in order to know how
the subjects' pre-exiting ability in reading comprehension. It is done through the
interview to the English teacher and observation to the students of the classroom
during teaching and learning process. Moreover, in order to know exactly the
subject's ability, it could be done through pre-test which is administer to obtain the
real problem of the subjects under study. The result of the pre-test is used by the

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researcher as the basic consideration in making planning which is done in next
steps. This test is aimed to know how far the subjects know and understood about
the topic that is given by the teacher and also to check the score of the subject
before applied the NHT technique with picture.

3.3.2 Planning

As previously mentioned, the subject of the present classroom action study

is the tenth grade students of SMKN 1 Mas Ubud. The understanding of the
present study is substantially based on the fact the subjects under study had still
low in reading comprehension ability. Before the present classroom action study
could be successfully carried out, the researcher is prepared planning for all the
session. With the planning it could help the researcher in applying and application
in numbered heads together. Planning is arranged for doing something in this
stage, there are many activities organized that had been done in action phases
related to identifying problems, such as;

1. Making lesson plan based on the syllabus used in SMKN 1 Mas Ubud and
topic in every cycle of this classroom action study. The lesson plan will be as the
controller in teaching learning process by using numbered heads together with
picture.

2. Preparing teaching material which can be appropriately used in teaching

reading comprehension for the tenth grade students of SMKN 1 Mas Ubud.
Researcher will prepare that are suitable for teaching reading skill through
numbered heads together with picture.

3. Preparing the teaching media picture that will be used by the teacher. The
picture will be taken from internet about historical place.

4. Constructing post-test at the end of each cycle that researcher is

administering questionnaire to the subject under study. Post-test focused on
figuring out students' achievement in reading comprehension.

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 5. Constructing the questionnaire that researcher is administered in the end of
the last cycle to know the subjects' responses toward the implementation of
numbered heads together with picture.

3.3.3 Action

Action refers to what the researcher does in the classroom and how the
classroom would be managed. This is an important activity that the researcher
conducted in the study. Action could be defined as the real form for the planning.
The action of the present study is the activity that researcher did in the teaching
and learning process. The activity that is done by the researcher in the classroom
related to improving the subjects' reading comprehension by using NHT. The
researcher conducted the lesson plan in the classroom. Based on the lesson plan
during learning activities, there are three phases such as pre-activity, whilst-
activity, and post-activity. Those activity can be described as follows:

In pre-activity, some activities are conducted in order to get subjects

attention. In this part, the activities included greeting the subjects before the
learning process started. The researcher asked one of the subjects to lead the
prayer and it was continued with checking the subjects' attendance. The researcher
give motivation for the student to make the student interest in teaching learning
process. Then the researcher asked some questions to brainstorm the material
which has been studied previously. The researcher also explained the indicator of
competency achievement which should be achieved by the subjects in the teaching
learning process and delivered the outline of the materials about how to identify
general information, specific information, textual meaning, and textual reference
of the reading text.

In whilst-activity, the researcher applies numbered heads together with

picture. Based on 2013 curriculum, there are four main activities namely
observing, questioning, exploring, associating and communicating. In observing
the researcher will give a material then the subject observing a descriptive text
with picture related to the topic. In questioning the researcher will simulate the
subject to ask a question what they did not know about the material. In exploring

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and associating the researcher will apply the step of numbered heads together
Then teacher divides the students into several groups which consist of 4 students
in each group and gives them number of so each student. In each group has
different number between 1, 2, 3, and 4. Then the teacher will administer a
descriptive text about historical place with picture and ask the subject to observe
it. Next the teacher asks a question based on the text that administered by the
teacher. Then the students to put their heads together to discuss and to figure out
and make sure everyone knows the correct answer of the question. In
communicating, the researcher calls a number and the students from each group
with that number raise hand and provide answer to the whole class.

In post-activity, the researcher reviewed the topic through briefly

conclusion to remind the subjects' memory about what they have learned and ask
the subjects difficulties during the teaching learning process by using NHT
technique with picture. In the post-activity, the researcher administered post-test
that is given at the end of each cycle. This session is used to measure the subjects
progressing reading comprehension after discussed in the next session; thus; the
subjects learned from the mistakes they have made in the first cycle during the
teaching learning. The teacher also tell to the students about the next material And
the last the researcher make a conclusion in the end of the teaching learning
process and the teacher close the class saying good bye to the students.

3.3.4 Observation

In the observation, the researcher observed the subjects' responses on the

application of numbered heads together with picture in teaching reading
comprehension. Observation is also aimed to know the effectiveness of numbered
heads together with picture in improving the subject reading comprehension and
also to know whether the technique being apply is able to improve reading
comprehension of the grade tenth SMK N 1 Mas Ubud in academic year
comprehension of the grade tenth 2019/2020. In this part, the researcher observed
the subject progress after being taught through question answer relationship with
picture in teaching and learning process especially in learning comprehension and

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also their responses toward numbered heads together. The researcher collected the
subjects' progress and responses by using research instrument.

3.3.5 Reflection

In reflection, the researcher would reflect the implementation of each cycle

which is to know the weaknesses and the strengths of her teaching. In addition, to
know how far the subjects' success, the researcher would collect the data from the
observation and the result of post-test since they are the important part of
reflection. The purpose of reflection is to evaluate the effectiveness of numbered
heads together in improving the subjects' reading comprehension. The researcher
collected data and tried to investigate the strength and weakness of the action to
consider the next action whether the researcher should stop the study. Based on
the result the researcher needed to revise some part of planning in order to get
improvement and better result in the next cycle

3.4 Research Instrument

The research instrument refers to tools which are used by the researcher in
collecting data. Research instrument can be defined as all instrument, which are
used by a teacher to simulate, activate or encourage the teaching and learning
process to achieve the teaching and learning objectives. The selection and
construction of appropriate, valid and reliable research instrument very essential
step of a scientific investigation. Without the instruments, the researcher cannot be
done this researcher because, the instruments are crucial and important in the
research. In this study, the research instrument that are applying in the form of test
(pre-test and post-test) and questionnaire. The research instrument of this
classroom action study would be briefly explained as follows:

3.4.1 Test

Test is an instrument use to measure the extent of the subjects'

understanding of the material provided. There are two kinds of test in this
research. They are pre-test and post-test. The result of the pre-test is to know pre-
existing achievement of reading comprehension and it is use as consideration in

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conducting the present study. The data of pre-test is used to guide the researcher
to make the lesson plan in the first cycle. Meanwhile, the post-test is given in the
end of each cycle. The post-test is given to the subject in order to know the
improvement of reading comprehension by using NHT technique with picture and
determine whether the research should be continued or not to the next cycle.

The test is in form of short answer task. The subjects are given four texts n
pre-test and post-test. Each text consisted of 5 questions of each text. The subjects
would answer totally 20 questions. The test focused on finding out general
information, specific information, textual meaning and textual reference of
descriptive text. The subjects answer the question with correct grammar the
answer of the pre-test and post-test are scoring by using the scoring rubric which
was adapted from Brown (2004:157). The scoring rubric that is used in the present
study can be seen in the following table.

Table 3.1

The Scoring Rubric of Short Answer Task

Scoring Criteria Score

The answer and grammar are correct 2
The answer is correct but the grammar incorrect 1
The answer and grammar are incorrect 0

3.4.2 Questionnaire

In order to get the additional data, the researcher administered the

questionnaire to the subjects. The questionnaire is gives to find out the subjects
responses toward the implementation of numbered heads together (NHT)
technique in teaching learning process of reading comprehension. The
questionnaire is administering at the end of the last cycle with 5 choices in order
to know whether the subjects' responses toward the numbered heads together
positively changed through the cycles. The 5 choices as follow: strongly agree
(Sangat Setuju/SS), agree (Setuju /S), undecided (Ragu Ragu/RR), disagree
(Tidak Setuju /TS), and strongly disagree (Sangat Tidak Setuju /STS). Those
choice were analyzed by using like rating scale ranging from 5 to 1, all answer

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from the subjects are accumulate to get total of each item answer and it is count in
data analysis.

3.5 Data Collection

Collecting the data in present study is the important step in order to answer
the research problem under the study especially in reading comprehension at
SMKN 1 Mas Ubud in academic year 2019/2020. In order to get the data, the
researcher used the research instrument which was divided into two different
kinds of instrument test, and questionnaire. There are two kinds of tests that are
conduct in the present study, pre-test and post-test. The process of collecting data
in the present study could be explaining as the following:

Firstly, the Pre-test is conduct before the implementation of NHT

technique with picture in teaching learning process the score of the pre-test is used
to find the pre-existing subjects' ability in reading comprehension and to know the
problem that the subject faced. Secondly, post-test was given in the end of each
cycle after teaching learning reading by using NHT technique with picture was
applied to improve the ability of grade tenth of SMK N 1 Mas Ubud in reading
comprehension. Pre-test score indicated the subjects' improvement in reading
comprehension and post-test is use to know the result of the action. Finally, at the
end of the last cycle, the researcher administered the questionnaire to know the
subjects' responses toward the use of NHT technique with picture in teaching and
learning process especially in reading comprehension.

The primary data that are require to answer the research problem are
collected through administering the pre-test and post-test. Meanwhile, the
supporting data are collected by administering questionnaire to the subject at the
end of the cycle. The questionnaire administered in order to know the subject
responses toward the implementation of numbered heads together (NHT)
technique with picture in teaching learning process. Therefore, there are
considerably three kinds of instrument use by the researcher to gather the data of
this present study, they are pre-test, post-test and questionnaire. They can be
described as follows:

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 1. Data showing the subject pre-existing ability in reading comprehension;

2. Data showing the subject progress in reading comprehension after the

implementation of NHT technique with picture; and

3. Data showing the subject response toward the implementation of NHT

technique with picture in teaching learning.

3.6 Data Analysis

The research data is obtained from the research instrument which are given
to the subject under the study. Pre-test is used to know the pre-existing reading
comprehension of the subjects and post-test was used to know the achievement of
the subjects after being taught reading through numbered heads together (NHT)
technique with picture. The questionnaire is administering to know the subject
responses about the use of numbered heads together (NHT) technique with picture
in teaching reading comprehension. Then the research should analyze to figure out
the achievement the subjects in reading ability especially in reading
comprehension. The procedures of data analysis are describing as follows:

1. The researcher used mean score formula when the data from the pre-test
and post-test are analyzing. The subjects' data obtained from the test which are
given by the researcher in pre-test and post-test should be calculated through the
mean score formula. The formula data analysis was as follows:

M= x
N
Where :

M = Mean score

 x = The sum of the total score

N = The total number of the subjects

2. Moreover, data showing the subject responses on the implementation of

numbered heads together with picture in teaching reading comprehension is

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quantified by administering questionnaire. The result of the questionnaire is
quantitatively analyzed through the following formula:

Percentage = total responses in an item = x 100 %

total responses on all item

3.7 Success Indicator

The success indicator in this study would be considered successful if 75%

of the subject can achieve the minimum passing grade. In which had been defined
in that school there are 36 students in classroom. it meant that 29 of 36 subject
should achieve the minimum passing grade of english lesson Based on the
curriculum that is use in the school the minimum passing grade was 70. It meant
that the present classroom action research could be stopped if 29 of all subjects
could achieve the minimum passing grade. As result, the research considered as
successful. Moreover, this study is considered successful if the students respond
toward the teaching learning is positive.