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JALL (Journal of Applied Linguistics and Literacy), ISSN 2598-8530, September, Vol. 4 No. 2, 2020

Received Accepted Published

August 2020 September 2020 September 2020

TEACHERS’ STRATEGIES IN TEACHING READING

COMPREHENSION

Gendis Nadira Dwiningtiyas

Gendis [email protected]
English Education Study Program, Department of Language and Art
University of Bengkulu
Dedi Sofyan
[email protected]
English Education Study Program, Department of Language and ArtUniversity of
Bengkulu
Hilda Puspita
[email protected]
English Education Study Program, Department of Language and Art
University of Bengkulu

ABSTRACT
This research aimed to figure out the strategies used by English teachers in
teaching reading and how they applied the strategies. This research was designed
as descriptive qualitative research. Participants of the research were two English
teachers who teach in second grade of the school. Each English teacher had eigh
meetings that observed by the researcher. The instruments of the research were
strategies checklist and interview. The instruments were used to figure out the
strategies used and how the English teachers applied the strategies in teaching
reading comprehension. The result of the data were analyzed and broken down
into three stages; they were Data Reduction, Data Display, and Drawing
Conclusion or Interpretation. The result showed that the teacher one used several
strategies in teaching reading comprehension. The strategies were brainstorming,
reading aloud, and asking for specific information. While the teacher two used
nine strategies. They were encouraging the use of dictionaries, reading aloud,
reread for checking comprehension, evaluating comprehension in particular tasks,
and asking questions for specific information. Both teachers applied and
combined the strategies divided into three stages of teaching reading
comprehension. The stages were pre-reading stage, while reading stage, and post
reading stage. The strategies applied were very effective in teaching reading
comprehension in that school. It was proven by the students’ motivation, students’
attention, and teachers’ ease in teaching and learning process.
Keywords: Reading Comprehension and Teachers’ Strategies.
INTRODUCTION

Teaching strategy is generalized plan for a lesson or a lesson which

includes structure, desire learner behavior, in terms of the goals of instruction, and
an outline of tactics necessary to implement the strategy, Antoni (2010). Teachers
strategies often expect students to develop their reading skill by osmosis
(absorption) and without help. In the osmosis approach, it is believed that if a
teacher teaching reading comprehension to the target language all day, they will
improve their reading comprehension. Moreover, according to Brown (2004), the
aim of teaching reading is to make students become effective and efficient
readers. In order to get the target, the teacher needs to use strategy of reading
comprehension.
There are many strategies that teachers can use when they are teaching
reading comprehension. According to Setiyadi (2006), some of the strategies are
created and used by using authentic material and approaches, reading aloud in the
classroom, comprehension question, check the level of difficulty of the text, use
pre reading activities to prepare students for reading. In addition, teachers also
may use the other strategies such as developing vocabulary of children, not to
continue reading without understanding, grasping the heart of matter, using
contextual clues, teach reading strategies, visualizing what is written, provide a
variety of reading purpose, identify texts and tasks, and so on.
Adler C.R, (2001) stated that teaching reading comprehension strategies are
conscious plans-sets of steps that good readers use to make sense of text.
Comprehension strategy instruction helps students become purposeful, active
readers who are in control of their own reading comprehension. Adler C.R made
seven strategies here appears to have a firm scientific basis for improving text
comprehension. They are monitoring comprehension, metacognition, graphic and
semantic organizers, answering questions, generating questions, recognizing story
structure, and summarizing.
In teaching reading, a teacher may use many different strategies. In order to
use any instructional technique effectively, anyone who teaches must understand
the principles and assumptions upon which eachspecific technique is based. There
is certainly no shortage of descriptions or labels for activities that may be

JALL (Journal of Applied Linguistics and Literacy), ISSN 2598-8530, September, Vol. 4 No. 2, 2020 67
classified as pertaining to instruction. Harmer (2007) has said that a strategy is an
action that the teacher takes to attain one or more of her teaching-learning goals.
The strategy can also be defined as a general direction set for the teaching process.
The teacher should use many strategies in teaching reading such as
applyingvarious methods, media and games in order to keep the students
interested. Brown (2004) has noted that the fundamental feature of teaching
strategies is to make it easier to implement a variety of teaching methods and
techniques. The key is to create learning environments that are more interactive to
apply technology where applicable into the learning experience, and to use
appropriate collaborative learning strategies.
In effective teaching of reading comprehension, teachers lead students in
the classroom to become proficient and successful readers. Creative teachers do
not use only one specific method and technique, but implement many strategies
and skills to accommodate the needs andlearning styles of each student in the
classroom. Slavin (2000) has also noted that effective instruction is not a simple
matter of one person with more knowledge transmitting knowledge to another.
Therefore, successful teachers who teach reading realize that reading can be
taught by using a variety of strategies. The teaching must be modified by the
teachers depending on the students’ needs. According to Allington (2002), he
notes that creative teachers manage to get better results regardless of curriculum
materials, pedagogical approaches and/or reading programs.
It shows that the teacher has an important role in teaching students. Based
on the explanation above, the researcher assumed that the role of teachers is very
important to overcome students’ problem in learning reading comprehension. The
teachers should find out various strategies in order to increase the quality of
teaching and learning process. The teachers’ strategies in teaching reading
comprehension become a problem if not overcome soon. For this assumption, the
researcher was interested to do descriptive research entitled “English Teachers’
Strategies In Teaching Reading Comprehension (A Study At Second Grade
Students Of Junior High School 09 Of Bengkulu City)”to analize English teacher
strategies. This research was conducted on the Junior High School number 9
Bengkulu City. This research was only focusing on the English teachers’

JALL (Journal of Applied Linguistics and Literacy), ISSN 2598-8530, September, Vol. 4 No. 2, 2020 68
strategies of eighth grade of students in that school. The researcher wanted to
know what strategies used by the English teachers and how the English teachers
implemented the strategies in teaching reading comprehension.
This study aims to find out the teacher’s strategy and how they apply the
strategies in teaching reading comprehension at the second grade of junior high
school 09 in Bengkulu city. The research questions from this study are what are
the strategies of the English teacher in teaching reading comprehension in the
second grade of junior high school 09 in Bengkulu city?, and How do English
teachers apply the strategies in teaching reading comprehension in the second
grade of junior high school 09 in Bengkulu city?.
Some researchers have conducted research that focuses on the teacher's
strategy in teaching reading comprehension as follows: Janatun (2013) conducted
research under the title “Teacher's Strategy in Teaching Listening
comprehension”. She concluded that the teachers used various strategies in
teaching listening. The strategies used by teachers are categorized as bottom-up,
top-down and metacognitive. Second previous reserach was conducted by Ahmad
(2013) entitled “A Study on Strategies for Teaching Speaking and Reading
Comprehension Skills”. He concluded that the teachers applied three types of
stages in teaching reading namely pre-reading, temporary reading, and post-
reading stages.
Moreover, Susilowati (2013) conducted a research entitled “the Teacher
Strategy in Managing Large Classes in Teaching English in Class XI of
Muhammadiyah 1 Karanganyar High School in the academic year 2012/2013”.
She concluded that there were two main points found. First, the teacher's strategy
in managing a large class in teaching English. Second, the problems faced by the
teachers and the students during implementing the teaching strategies and the
solutions for the large class.
According to the research conducted by Setiawan(2014) entitle “A Study On
Teacher’s Strategies In Teaching Reading Comprehension In Second Grade Of
Student’s MTS Tarbiyatul Ulum”. He pointed out that the teachers in that school
used various strategies in teaching reading comprehension. The strategies were
not too effective because the teacher cannot combine the strategies well.

JALL (Journal of Applied Linguistics and Literacy), ISSN 2598-8530, September, Vol. 4 No. 2, 2020 69
 The next previous study was from Pulungan (2015) entitle “Teaching
Strategy on English Second Language Students”. The result showed that the
teachers strategies were very important to be applied in teaching English Second
Language Students. Moreover, Harida (2016) under the title “Englsih Second
Language Teaching” pointed out that English Second Language Students need an
appropriate strategy in teaching reading comprehension. Rully (2017) also stated
that the teachers can use more than two strategies in teaching reading
comprehension toward English Second Language students. This idea was taken
from his research under the title “Strategies in Teaching Reading”.
Another previous study was conducted by Muslaini (2017) under the title
“Strategies in Teaching Reading Comprehension”. The result of the research was
about the strategies that the teachers should use in teaching reading
comprehension. She said that the more strategies used in teaching reading
comprehension, the result would be better. The research conducted by Aidil
(2014) entitle “A Descriptive Study on Teaching Reading Comprehension
Strategies at Junior High School Students SMPN 3 Sabang. He said that the
students would be better studying reading reading comprehension if the teacher
used appropriate strategies. The other previous study was conducted by
Nurhamidah (2018) entitle “The Analysis of Teaching Strategies in Teaching
Reading Comprehension”. The research showed that strategies that teachers used
were very important. The teacher can combine more various strategies in teaching
reading comprehension.
The previous studies showed that the teachers’ strategies were very effective
in teaching reading comprehension. On the other hand, the use of too many
strategies would affect students’ performances in learning reading comprehension.
This reason was contradicted with the research that the researcher conducted in
Junior High School Number 9 Bengkulu City. This research showed that the
teachers in applying strategies only use two or three strategies. Combination of
some strategies was more appropriate compare to many strategies used by the
teachers. The students would be more focus if the teacher used fewer strategies
but well applied in teaching reading comprehension.

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METHOD

The researchers used descriptive qualitative design in this study because this
study focused on certain phenomena in the school environment. In this case the
phenomenon was the activity of learning to teach English. This research also did
not need to provide care to the object of research. Then, the researchers observed
and explained the phenomenon as in fact as clearly as possible without
manipulation. Therefore, the appropriate design could be used in conducting this
research was descriptive research. The design of this study was descriptive
qualitative with direct observation. Descriptive method is a method used to check
the status of groups of humans, an object, condition, thought, and events that will
occur (Sugiyono, 2008).
Moreover, Two teachers were involved. They were chosen purposively.
They were teachers who had good quality on teaching strategies in teaching
reading comprehension and qualified as a professional teacher.The researcher
limited the participant by using purposive sampling. it meant that the selecting of
participants based on spesific purpose of the research (Musfiqon, 2012). So that,
the participation of this research were some good quality teachers in Junior High
School number 09 Bengkulu City. In this case, the researcher only took two
teachers who had good quality in teaching reading comprehension especially
english teacher in the students of class VIII in junior high school 09 of Bengkulu
city and it would be able to help researcher in answering the research question.
The teachers were volunteering theirselves to do an observation.
Research instrument was tool or facilitiy were used by researcher to collect
the data. The result of research were be better, more accurate, complete and
systematic. The instrument could be form of quiestionnaire, observation,
interview guided, and test. In this research, the researcher used strategy checklist.
A major goal for teachers is to have students become lifelong readers, writers, and
learners. To accomplish this goal, students need strategies and practice to achieve
ownership of their learning, Katherine (1995). With high-stakes tstrategies facing
both teachers and students, the teaching and learning process would be conducted
easier.

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 The teacher was observed by the researcher using the strategy checklist. In
this case, The researcher analyzed all the activity in the claass during the teaching
learning process especially for the teachers’ strategy in teaching reading
comprehension. In this stage, the researcher observed the teachers’ strategy how
they taught their student about reading comprehension and what the strategies that
the teacher used in class during the lesson from opening until closing.In this case,
The researcher observed whatever done by the English teacher related to the
teacher strategies in teaching reading comprehension in the classroom. It was used
to investigate the English teaching and learning process in the classroom. It
checklisted English teaching process that was conducted by the English teacher.
The strategy checlist was adopted from Sarjan (2017).

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

Findings
a. Teacher One
In the very first meeting, the first teacher prepared the teaching materials of
reading comprehension. She had one text book that same to the students called
LKS as the mian material in teaching reading compehension. So far, the students
could follow the instructions from the teacher to do all of the activities. Most of
them still being condusive in the classroom in the very begining of the activities.
The students were very enthusiastic with teachers command and order. Some of
the students were also active asked the teacher about what materials that they
would do in the teaching and learning process. Eventhough, there were few
students who really quite and much didn’t care about the materials to do. Based
on the researcher observation, the activities done by the teacher were very
impactful to the conductivity of the class and to catch students’ attention before
they started to learn. Those activities then were followed by applying teaching
strategies in the main activity of teaching reading comprehension.
Generally, teacher 1 was applying two main strategies in the teaching reading
comprehension in the eighth grade of Junior High School number 9 Bengkulu
City. The first strategy was reading aloud. This strategy was aimed to excercise
the students pronouncing english text. Second strategy was brainstorming. The
strategy was aimed to help studnets more understand about text especially

JALL (Journal of Applied Linguistics and Literacy), ISSN 2598-8530, September, Vol. 4 No. 2, 2020 72
descriptive text. From the strategies checklsted that the researchers did of teacher
1, these two strategies were significantly help students in learning reading
comprehension.
b. Teacher Two
At first, the teacher also prepared the teaching materials of reading
comprehension. The teachers at Junior High School number 9 Bengkulu City were
using text book that same to the students called LKS. The text was used as the
mian material in teaching reading compehension. Before she started the meeting,
she always asked the students to pray in order to teach them the value f of
religious. The second teacher was aldo doing the attendence list checked of the
students. She wanted to make sure that all of the students present in the class and
ready to join the teaching and learning process.
Teacher 2 was applying three main strategies in the teaching reading
comprehension in the eighth grade of Junior High School number 9 Bengkulu
City. The first strategy was encouraging to use dictionary. This strategy was
aimed to remind the students in using dictionary when they read the text. This
strategy was significantly helping students in finding the meaning of the words.
The next strategy was reading aloud. This strategy was aimed to excercise the
students pronouncing english text. Moreover, the strategy was also aimed to help
students more understand about text especially descriptive text. The last strategy
was evaluating comprehension in particular task. From the strategies checklsted
that the researchers did of teacher 1, these three strategies were significantly help
students in learning reading comprehension.
Discussion
This research was about the teachers’ strategy in teaching reading
comprehension at second grade students of Junior High School 09 Bengkulu City.
This research used descriptive qualitative research design. In this section, there
would be discussed the research finding of this study. All the data were collected
from two samples of English teachers of the school.
The data results of strategies checklist proved that the first teacher used
only Reading Aloud and Asking for Specific Information as the main strategies in
teaching reading comprehension. On the other hand, teacher two used

JALL (Journal of Applied Linguistics and Literacy), ISSN 2598-8530, September, Vol. 4 No. 2, 2020 73
Encouraging to Use Dictionary, Reading Aloud, and Evaluating Comprehension
in Particular Task.
All strategies used were very effective to help the students in learning
reading comprehension. It was proven by the condition of the classroom activities
and the students’ attention in following the teacher while explaining the materials.
The strategies used also gave benefit for the teacher. By having the combination
of strategies the teacher tought and manage the students easier.
In addition, the both teachers agreed that she used reading aloud was the
most suitable and appropriate strategy to teach the students in learning reading
comprehension. She pointed out that the most students difficulties in reading
comprehension was read and pronouncing the text. This reason became their
guidance to have reading aloud as theirr main strategy in teaching the students of
reading comprehension.
Those all strategies applied were combined by the teachers in teaching
reading comprehension. The combination of these strategies were more effective
rather than only used one strategy. It was also supported by the atmosphere of
teaching and learning process and the students’ attention in following the teaching
process. The students’ enthusiasim was also good while the teachers used more
various strategies in teaching reading.
From the teachers’ point of view, combination of strategies was very
effective in order to have a good quality of teaching reading comprehension. They
were feeling more comfortable in learning and understanding materials by using
various strategies. The findings also related with previous studies about teachers’
strategies in teaching subjects. The first research was from Janatum (2013) under
the title “Teachers’ Strategy in Teaching Reading Comprehension”. The findings
showed that the teachers had the difficulties to get the students’ positive response
of teaching and learning process. But then, the combination of various strategies
were really helped the teachers in gaining students’ positive response and having a
good quality of teaching.
Second previous research was from Ahmad (2013) entitle “Study on
Teachers’ Strategies for Teaching Reading Comprehension Skills”. These two
researchers showed that the role of theacher was very important and the teachers’

JALL (Journal of Applied Linguistics and Literacy), ISSN 2598-8530, September, Vol. 4 No. 2, 2020 74
strategy was very important in teaching and learning process. It was very helpful
to the students in mastering subjects in various ways. Importantly, the strategy
was significantly important to develop the goals of the teaching. The strategy
should be appropriate with the goals that wanted to be achieved.
This research was inline with previous researchs that conducted by Janatum
and Ahmad. The students faced difficulties in reading comprehension. Since
reading foreign language became their problems, the role of teacher was very
important to help students in overcoming their problem. Therefore, this research
was conducted to support previous findings. The teachers could find appropriate
and effective strategies to solve the students’ problem. Moreover the teacher could
combine the strategies to create better way in teaching reading comprehension.
CONCLUSION
In the implementation of the teachers’ strategies in teaching reading
comprehension, the teachers used some strategies in the pre-reading stage, while
reading stage and post-reading stage. The strategies that were used by the teacher
could develop the idea which readable. Technically, the strategy was combined by
the teachers with the others strategies like games and some jokes. It was meant to
make the teachers easier in helping the students to master the subjects. Not only
the meaning of the words, but also the contents of the texts with funny way but
serious. The combination of strategies was very important to apply in order to
help students in learning comprehension.

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