Proceeding of 2nd International Conference of Arts Language And Culture ISBN 978-602-50576-0-1

LISTEN-READ-DISCUSS IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

READING COMPREHENSION: A CASE STUDY OF PRIVATE
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL IN LAMPUNG

Rija Dwiono
Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta
[email protected]

Abstract: Listen-Read-Discuss (L-R-D), a strategy which has been found to

be a powerful means of improving reading comprehension by prominent
experts. On the contrary, the students at Private Islamic Senior High School
in Lampung who achieved scores above the minimum standard of
competency was under half of total amount. This showed there was a contra-
side between the theories and the implementation. A descriptive qualitative
study was carried out by using case study investigating on L-R-D
implementation. The data were obtained from observation, questionnaire and
interview. The data which were analized qualitatively, inductively and
interpretively, resulted in three emerging issues: the several weaknesses
during the process of L-R-D implementation in reading comprehension class
and the problems faced by the teacher and the students in teaching and
learning reading comprehension by using L-R-D.

Keywords: Descriptive Qualitative, Case Study, LRD strategy, Teaching

Reading Comprehension

INTRODUCTION
Indonesians learn English as a foreign language. According to Harmer that English
as a foreign language described situation where student were learning English in order
to use it with any other English speaker of the world-when the student might be tourist
or business people. Student often studied EFL in their own country (Harmer, 2007).
Indonesians start learning English from elementary school until at university level as a
compulsory subject.
Reading as receptive skill has important part in English. Reading helps students to
build their vocabulary, improves student for understanding on written work. Moreover,
by reading students can discover new things. Even in now days book, magazine, journal
and internet are great learning tools which require the ability to read and understand
what is read in English. By reading, student will have more experience to elevate their
knowledge and their ability in English.
In fact, based on the experience of the researcher in teaching and learning English in
Indonesia, the students have difficulties to comprehend English text on magazine, book,
journal or TV, even to comprehend text in their English school books, while they have
to read their compulsory books or other materials related to their lesson. Students still
got confused to answer the question of the comprehension in reading text. There are
many possible reasons that might it happens. One of the reasons could be the teacher
teaches the students monotonously and ineffectively. Teacher does not use variety

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strategy and material in teaching reading to stimulate students’ motivation in learning

reading. Teacher teaches the students with techniques or strategies which is difficult to
be understood by students, so students become bored and lost attention to learn. The
impacts are students will feel bored to read the text, cannot understand the text and
cannot comprehend the text well.
Hence, the teacher should consider appropriate strategy for developing mastery in the
learning activity which can encourage students’ interest, their focus in learning reading
comprehension and strategy which can be understood by students easily. It is supported
by Burner, that effective learning, including learning how to be an effective teacher,
needs something to get it started, something to keep it going, and something to keep it
from becoming random or misguided (cited in Manzo & Casale, 1985). To comply what
Burner says about what is needed to make an effective learning, the teacher can use one
strategy which was introduced by Manzo & Casale-Manzo, Listen-Read-Discuss.
LRD had been proven by Rusyida (2009) in his thesis that teaching reading through
Listen-Read-Discuss strategy gave positive effect to students’ reading comprehension.
Moreover, McKenna & Stahl (cited in Karin, 2007; 10) that LRD is a viable
instructional strategy when students have too limited a vocabulary to comprehend
informational text (Karin). Based on the explanation above, Listen-Read-Discuss is one
strategy which has effectiveness, meets the needs in teaching and learning reading
comprehension and can be a powerful means to the student for improving their reading
comprehension.
After doing preliminary research which was conducted at a private senior high
school in Lampung. The researcher found that the students’ reading comprehension was
still low although the teacher had used Listen-Read-Discuss in teaching in the
classroom. The students still got confused to read the material in English. The students’
ability in reading was still low. It can be known by the fact that only 27 students
achieved score above KKM, but 43 students got score under the criterion of minimum
mastery (KKM). This case showed that applying this strategy still cannot improve the
students’ reading comprehension. It could be inferred that most of students still had
difficulties in their reading comprehension although they had been taught by using
Listen-Read-Discuss.
Moreover, by interviewing the students, it was found that most the students at the
eleventh grade of that school still had difficulties in comprehending the text. Sometimes
they also did not focus on their lesson because they lost motivation in learning and they
felt so difficult to learn. However, field of improvement was still available. English
teacher there could possibly find the other ways with this strategy to run better. Thus,
the researcher decided to describe the process of the applying Listen-Read-Discuss in
reading class and found out more obstacles faced by both the teacher and the students.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

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Concept of Reading
Reading is an interactive process in which reader’s prior knowledge of the subject
and the purpose for reading, operate to influence what is learned from text (Ifrianti,
2009). Moreover, According to Johnstone & King (2006; 2), reading is decoding and
understanding text. Readers decode written text by translating text to speech, and
translating directly to meaning. Based on the theory above, it can be stated that reading
is a process in decoding and understanding written texts in which reader’s prior
knowledge of the subject operate to influence what is learned from the text.
Furthermore, Harmer states that reading is useful for language acquisition. Provided
that the students more or less understand what they read, the more they read, the better
they get at it (Harmer, 2009). In addition Patel and Jain (2007; 113) state that reading is
an important activity in life with which one can update his/her knowledge. It means that
reading has usefulness for providing more understanding in subject learning and it has
important part in life which can update her/his knowledge.
Based on the theory above, it can be concluded that reading as a process in decoding
and understanding written texts and to get meaning full of the texts in which reader’s
prior knowledge of the subject operate to influence what is learned and read.

Concept of Reading Comprehension

Comprehension is the intentional thinking process that occurs as we read (Panel,
2016). In addition, Tankersley (2003; 9) states that comprehension is the center of
reading. It can be known that to comprehend in reading need intentional thinking and
more focus to able get understanding of the text. Moreover, Karen states that when
comprehension is deep and thorough, a reader is able to understanding, evaluating,
synthesizing, and analyzing of information and gaining through an interaction between
reader and author. Reading comprehension is a highly interactive process that needs
evaluating, synthesizing, and analyzing of information and gaining through an
interaction in reading. So, the readers are able to construct the meaning on the text.
Furthermore, Successful comprehension enables readers (or listeners) to acquire
information, to experience and be aware of other words (including fictional ones), to
communicate successfully, and to achieve academic success. And it can be measured
from some criterisa commonly used in measuring students’ reading comprehension
mastery, they are: 1. Main idea (topic), 2. Expression / Idioms / phrases in context, 3.
Inference ( Implied detail), 4. Grammatical Features, 5. Detail (Scanning for a
specifically stated detail), 6. Excluding facts not written (unstated detail), 7. Supporting
ideas, 8. Vocabulary in context (Brow, 2003).

Concept of Teaching Reading Comprehension

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In reading, there are elements frequently asked questions that can build students’
reading comprehension. The teacher should notice of each element to build up students’
ability in comprehending the text. The following elements are:
a) Phonemic awareness
Phonemic awareness is the knowledge that words are made up of a combination
of individual sounds. For example, the word cat is made up of three sounds
(phonemes) /c/ /a/ and /t/. When these three sounds are combined fluidly, they
make up the word cat.

b) Phonics
Phonic is the relationship between a specific letter and its sound. Only as it
relates to the written word. Some children have a good sense of phonemic
awareness, but to differing degrees. Failure to master phonics is the number one
reason that children have difficulty learning to read.

c) Fluency
Fluency is the ability to read text accurately and smoothly. It helps children
move from decoding words to sight-reading. This means that less energy is spent
on deciphering each word and more is spent on comprehending what is read.

d) Vocabulary
Vocabulary is the words in the sentence. From the sentences, we have to know
every word on the page to understand what we are reading.

e) Text comprehension
Text comprehension is the interaction that happens between reader and text.
More than merely decoding words on a page, comprehension is the intentional
thinking process that occurs as we read comprehension should be emphasized
from the very beginning, not only after a child has mastered decoding skills. (Panel,
2016)

Problem in Teaching Reading Comprehension

The problems in teaching reading comprehension deal with the teaching strategy, and
selection of teaching materials. Moreover, According to Baradja (2004 cited in
Budiharso 2004: 54), there are five facts that exist as issues in teaching reading. The
problems in teaching reading are as follows:
1) The students’ mastery of the basics
The basic knowledge is the ‘foundation of reading’. It is quite logic that the learners
of reading must achieve the basic knowledge at appropriate levels.
The students’ habit of slow reading
Slow readers generally have poor comprehension. Therefore, slow readers are at a
disadvantage in many ways. In Indonesian context, students try to read very slowly
as if they want to understand a word of the passage.

2) The students’ in ability to figure out

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inferences, implications and main idea in reading an English text, students are
concerned with two factors, to decode the text as what the writer says and to be
familiar with content schema, that include culture and background knowledge. The
mastery on these factors will provide students with accurate inferences.
3) Text selection
In the text selection, teachers are not confident to choose the reading materials.
Teachers mostly really upon English textbook available by which modifications are
not required.
4) Exercise to include
Exercises following the reading passage have been questioned as they impose the
teachers to implement teaching. Strategies at some artificial ways to format
exercises in the traditional comprehension follow a passage. Modification to the
exercise is hard to do since it wastes time and energy.

Problem in Learning Reading Comprehension

Students with reading problems lack many of the basic components of reading. They
cannot read well, even to comprehend the text. They demonstrate multiple problems
associated with low comprehension, including poor decoding, fluency (accuracy and
speed of reading), and vocabulary (Klingner, 2007). While, vocabulary is the meaning
and pronunciation of words that we use in communication (Transkersley, 2003).
Therefore, in teaching and learning reading comprehension there are some problems
that will be faced by the students, they are as follows:
1) Decoding
Students with reading problems have difficulty decoding words and sentences.
Children see words and read them without struggling, even if they dont know the
meaning of every word.
2) Inference making
Numerous studies have demonstrated that poor comprehenders have difficulty
drawing inferences when reading.
3) Working memory
Verbal working memory weakness may be a consequence of poor language
comprehension.
4) Knowledge
Without an appreciation of the meanings of words, there can be no comprehension
5) Prior knowledge
Prior knowledge about a text predicts comprehension of it and it is plain that
complete lack of knowledge will result in a complete lack of comprehension
(Nation, 2016).

The procedure of teaching reading comprehension through LRD

The procedure of teaching reading comprehension through LRD based on the
Taxonomy of procedures for teaching EFL reading and variations in teaching reading
comprehension through LRD based on Manzo & Casale-Manzo (1985; 11) as follows:

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a. Pre-Activities
1) Teacher greets the students.
2) Teacher gives brainstorming to students.
3) Teacher stimulates students’ curiosity.
 Students predict what they will read.
4) Facilitating the task.
 Teacher informs the class that teacher will present presentation which will
cover all details of the material, but they will need to read to discover what
questions these detail answer.
b. Whilst Activities
1) Teacher presents the information from the text in the customary lecture style.
2) Reading
Give the students times to read the textbook version of the same material.
3) Teacher puts the students into teams and provides times for students to delve into
a topic in greater depth.
4) Checking comprehension and facilitating comprehension.
Discuss the material students have heard and read. Teacher can use question,
adapted and extended from Smith in Manzo & Casale, these questions
recommended for provoking a fruitful discussion following reading:
a. What did you understanding most from what you heard and read?.
b. What did you understanding least from what you hear and read?.
c. What questions or though did this lesson raise in your mind about the content
and/or about effective reading and learning?.
c. Post Activities
Practicing reading skill.
1) The teacher gives the score and does reflection.
2) The teacher closes the meeting.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The researcher used descriptive qualitative research. Qualitative research is a
research that produces descriptive data in the form of written words or oral from the
subject and its behavior that can be observed, therefore the goal of the research is an
individual understanding and its background completely (Setiyadi, 2006). Creswell
(2012; 626) qualitative research is a useful inquiry approach for exploring and
understanding a central phenomenon. To learn about this phenomenon, the inquirer asks
participants broad, general questions, collects the detailed views of participants in the
form of words or images, and analyzes the informationfor description and themes.
The researcher used qualitative research. Qualitative research is a research that
produces descriptive data in the form of written words or oral from the subject and its
behavior that can be observed, therefore the goal of the research is an individual
understanding and its background completely (Setiyadi, 2006). By the qualitative
research, the researcher focused on the teaching learning reading comprehension
process by using Listen-Read-Discuss (LRD) at the eleventh grade of the second
semester of senior high school in Lampung

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Research Subject
The sample of population as the subject and as the source of the data in this research
were the English teacher of eleventh grade of second semester and the eleventh grade
students of the second semester of private senior high school in Lampung. There were
two classes consisted 70 students. The researcher took one class as the sample of this
research and the data was obtained from the students of XI A class consisted of 36
students. The researcher used XI A and English teacher as the research subjects.

Data Collecting Technique

Tesearcher conducted the observation, interview, questionnaire as triangulation to get
the data of this research. And analyzed the data by qualitative descriptive with the steps
based on Miles and Huberman (1994; 10) model of qualitative data analysis.

DISCUSSION
The researcher analyzed the data that had been reduced in data reduction and
displayed it in the form of table and report. The analysis was done based on data
collected by each instrument. And the results are as follows:

Observation result
The researcher observed of teaching learning processes that were done by the teacher
in two meetings. The classroom atmosphere in teaching learning reading comprehension
by using LRD was the students looked active and enthusiasm to follow each step, but
some of them looked less responsive, bored, did not focus or even made noisy and
chatting each other. From the data gained through observation, the researcher assumed
that the teaching learning reading comprehension by using LRD was still less effective
and maximal. There were problems that could not solve by teacher during the teaching
process despite the teacher had followed the procedure well based on the manzo and
casale’s. There were still many weakness in several sides. The problems were; The
teacher did not manage the time well. Some steps in LRD sequences were done in hurry
by the teacher. The teacher did not have time to give feedback or reflection to the
students. She only discussed the material without discussed about the students’
difficulties in learning reading comprehension by using LRD. In addition, the students
looked bored in teaching and learning process. That was indicated that the students were
not had interest in learning reading comprehension by using LRD.

Interview result
From the result of interview to the teacher, the researcher concluded that teacher
applied LRD in teaching reading comprehension was running well although there were
some weaknesses in many sides. And the teacher had difficulties in applying the steps
of in teaching reading comprehension by using LRD. Many of the problems that faced
by teacher and the students. It can be explained as follows:

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Table 1
Teachers’ Interview Result

No Problems
1 Teacher had problem to understand the reading materials that were taught to the students.
Teacher had difficulties if the students cannot achieve mastery of the basics, the students read very
2
slowly, and the students cannot figure out inferences, implications and main idea.
Teacher had problems in designing or modifying the question and the exercise to engage students’
3
interest in learning reading comprehension.
4 Teacher had problems to establish or choose the teaching material.
Teacher had problems to give a feedback for the students in the process of teaching reading
5
comprehension.

Questionnaire result
The questions in questionnaire were designed into yes and no question. The
questionnaire is aimed as the proponent proof of the result interview to students of
students’ problems and their opinions in learning reading comprehension by using LRD.
Based on the questionnaire filled by the students, the researcher could describe students
response was varied and it was described in table as follows:
Table 2
Questionnaire Result

Percentages
No. Question
Yes No
Does Listen-Read-Discuss help you to comprehend the text?
1 78% 22 %
2 Do you have problem in learning reading comprehension by using LRD? 92% 8%
Do you think that your teacher is able to make you being active during
3 39% 61%
learning reading comprehension by using LRD in the class?
Do you have problem in understanding the meaning of a word or a sentence
4 72% 28%
in the text?
Do you have problem to comprehend and figuring out of the inference of the
5 69% 31%
text?
6 Do the texts that were given by the teacher can attract your interest? 67% 33%
7 Do you need a long time to read and understand a text? 94% 6%
Do you have problem to memorize words, sentences and the text that you
8 58% 42%
had been discussed before?
9 Except in the class, Do you interest to use and practice to read English text? 28% 48%

Based on the data number one, most of students agreed that LRD helped them to
comprehend the text. However, referring to the data number two, there were 92% had
problem in learning reading comprehension by using LRD, it can be concluded that
majority of the students had problem in learning reading comprehension by using LRD.
One of the reasons could be because teacher could not be able engage them to be active
during the teaching and learning process and the texts were used by the teacher during
the teaching learning process could not able to attract the students’ interest. Moreover,
the students claimed that they have problem during the process of the learning process
such as they had difficulty to translate a word or a sentence in the text because of their
lack vocabulary mastery, they had problem to comprehend and figuring out of the
inference of the text, most of the students had students habit of slow reading, and
students rarely practice to use or read English text at beyond of the classroom.

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CONCLUSION
Having discussed the result of the research, it can be concluded that:
1. Teaching and learning process by using LRD was still less effective and not
maximal. It happened because there were many problems that faced by the teacher
and the students during the process of teaching and learning. The problems appeared
from the teacher and the students that influence each other, so the process of teaching
and learning became less effective and not maximal. In other hand, the classroom
atmospheres in teaching and learning reading comprehension by using LRD were the
students looked active in learning reading comprehension by using LRD. But, many
of them looked less respond and did not have motivation.
2. The problems faced by teacher in teaching reading comprehension by LRD were :
a) Teacher had problem to manage the times.
b) Teacher had problem to understand the reading materials that were taught to the
students.
c) Teacher had difficulties if the students cannot achieve mastery of the basics, the
students read very slowly, and the students cannot figure out inferences,
implications and main idea.
d) Teacher had problem to design or modify the question and the exercise to students
in teaching reading comprehension.
e) Teacher had problem to choose the teaching material in teaching reading
comprehension.
f) Teacher had problem to give a meaningful feedback or reflection for the students
in the process of teaching reading comprehension.
g) Teacher had problems in supporting, stimulating and engaging the students to
listen the presentation from the teacher, read the text and discuss the text.
3. The problems faced by students in learning reading comprehension by LRD were:
a) The students have no good vocabulary mastery.
b) The students had problem to decode words and sentences.
c) Students had problem to get main idea of the text and to figure out the inference
of the text.
d) Student had habit of slow reading.
e) Students had problem in working memory to remember the text.
f) Students had problems with finding motivation and interest in learning reading
comprehension. Then, they were being passive during learning process and they
did not confidence, they felt afraid to make a mistake in learning reading.

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