Jurnal Ilmiah Mahasiswa (Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris)

STKIP PGRI Bandar Lampung)

http://eskripsi.stkippgribl.ac.id/

THE INFLUENCE OF USING PARTNER READING STRATEGY

TOWARDS STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION AT THE
EIGHTH GRADE OF SMPN 17 BANDAR LAMPUNG
IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF
2021/2022

Sinta Ari Mellinda1, Akhmad Sutiyono2, Febriyanti3

123STKIP
PGRI Bandar Lampung
sintaarimellinda@gmail.com1, sutiyonolpg@yahoo.co.id 2,
febriyanti.pascaunila@gmail.com 3

Abstract: This research aimed to know the influence of Partner Reading strategy towards
students’ reading comprehension. This research used Quasi-experimental design. The
population was 306 students from 10 classes. The sample was taken by using Cluster Random
Sampling technique. There were two classes for the sample. First class was experimental class
(VIII.7) and the second class was the control class (VIII.8) with the total sample is 63 students.
The instrument of the research was multiple choices which consisted of 40 questions test. In
calculating the data analysis, the writer used t-test formula. Based on the data analysis, the
writer got the result that Hα was accepted. It was obtained that ttest = 2.96, ttable for α = 0.05 was
1.67 and for α = 0.01 was 2.39 (2.96 > 1.67 < 2.39). It meant that there was influence of partner
reading strategy towards students’ reading comprehension at the eighth grade of SMPN 17
Bandar Lampung in 2021/2022.

Keywords: Partner Reading Strategy, Reading Comprehension.

INTRODUCTION
Reading is an active process that can make readers identifying about several
things that they have not known. Reading can be defined as finding messages of a text.
To read successfully, we need to constantly connect what we already know about the
information to the words the writer has written. Wallace (2010:4) states that reading as
interpreting means as respond for a written text as a piece of communication. It can be
said that in reading process where the reader do the communication with the writer, then
reader should have understanding to what their reading as the reacting.
Reading comprehension should be mastered by the learners because it is very
important for language learners. Based on the 2013 curriculum, junior high school
students use a lot of texts in their learning activities. They will learn about the social
function, structure, language elements and topics of the text. According to Karen (2007:
2), reading comprehension is a process to construct the meaning to coordinating a
number of a complex process that includes wordreading, word and world knowledge
and fluency.Therefore, reading comprehension is very important for students. Students
'reading comprehension has a big influence on students' learning process. The students
need to master the reading skill because this is a bridge to understand various books that
 Sinta Ari Mellinda, Akhmad Sutiyono, Febriyanti.
The Influence of Using Partner Reading Strategy towards Students’ Reading Comprehension at
the Eighth Grade of SMPN 17 Bandar Lampung

they read and to get information from text materials such as novels, magazines,
newspaper, brochures, even the online article in the internet.
There are lots of techniques in teaching and learning English that teachers can
use to increase students' reading comprehension. Strategy of teaching reading English
should be considered by the teacher in teaching. The appropriate strategy must be
chosen by teacher to make students be motivated and active in the learning process. One
of them is the Partner Reading Strategy. According to Kuhn (2008:45), Partner reading
is fun and effective strategy for promoting reading fluency and reading comprehension.
In partner reading strategy, students are paired with their classmate. It is technique
where the students work together with the partner in processing information and
improving their reading performance each other. Partner reading strategy provides
students an active activity because they ask be active during learning process.
However, the ability to understand a reading text for junior high school students
is still lack. Based on preliminary research in the eighth grade of SMPN 17 Bandar
Lampung, most of students don’t understand the content of the text because they don’t
know the meaning of words, especially uncommon words. The problem also influences
students’ ability in identifying the reference word of the text. Other than that students
also have difficulties in finding the main idea of the text and the supporting information
that is asked in the questions. The difficulties of finding the information also influence
students in determine the inference.
Based on this explanation above, writer decided to conduct research that focuses
on implementing Partner Reading Strategy in learning reading comprehension. The
writer takes the title: “THE INFLUENCE OF USING PARTNER READING
STRATEGY TOWARDS STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION AT THE
EIGHTH GRADE OF SMP N 17 BANDAR LAMPUNG IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR
OF 2021/2022.”
The research of partner reading strategy has been conducted by other
researchers. Nevertheless, there are still the differences between this research and them.
One of them is journal by Ardiana (2015), and the title is “Improving the Students
Reading Comprehension in Narrative Text through Patterned Partner Reading”. There
are some differences between Ardiana’s journal and this research. Her journal aimed for
finding the using of Patterned Partner Reading strategy improve the students reading
comprehension whereas the objective of this research is to know and describe the
influence of Partner Reading Strategy towards students reading comprehension. Then,
this research uses quasi experimental design, and she used a Classroom Action Research
(CAR). The material used in that research is narrative text whereas this research uses
descriptive text as the material. Other than that, the instruments of her journal were
observation sheet and test sheet and this research used multiple choice tests that consist
of 40 questions with 4 options (A, B, C, and D).

METHOD
 Sinta Ari Mellinda, Akhmad Sutiyono, Febriyanti.
The Influence of Using Partner Reading Strategy towards Students’ Reading Comprehension at
the Eighth Grade of SMPN 17 Bandar Lampung

This research used a quantitative design, namely Quasi-experimental design. In

this study, researcher used a Quasi Experimental design to know the influence of using
Partner Reading strategy in teaching reading comprehension. According to Creswell
(2009), quasi experimental design involves control group and experimental group. In
this research, the writer used students in the eighth grade of SMPN 17 Bandar Lampung
as the population of the research. The total number of the population is 306 students
from ten classes. While, in this research writer took two classes for the sample of the
research. One class is VIII.7 as experimental class which learnt by using Partner
Reading Strategy and VIII.8 class is control class which learnt by using the
conventional technique. In determining the sample of the research, the writer used
cluster random sampling technique. The writer drew a random sample of the class
which was used as the sample of the research. In this research, the writer used multiple
choice tests that consist of 40 questions with 4 options (A, B, C, D).

ANALYSIS DATA
Data Normality Test
After the calculation obtained the result of the experimental class is =
3.46 and 3.13 for the control class, while, 7.81 and 11.31. It means the data have
normal distribution.

Homogeneity Test
Based on the data, is 1.24 Ftable at significant level of 0.05 is 1.84 and 0.01
is 2.38. It means that variance of the experimental class and control class is
homogeneous.

Hypothesis Test
Based on the calculation on significance level 5% (α = 0.05) and 1% (α = 0.01)
the value t-test (2.96) was bigger than the t-table (2.67 and 2.39).

RESULT
Based on the data analysis by using t - test and testing of the hypotheses, the
writer got the result that Ha was accepted. It was showed by test was higher than table
with significance level 5% and 1% (2.96 > 1.67 < 2.39). It means that there is an
influence of using Partner reading strategy towards students' reading comprehension at
the eighth grade of SMPN 17 Bandar Lampung in 2021/2022.

DISCUSION
Learning English is very important for students and a well learning method is
needed in teaching English. Based on the preliminary research that conducted in the
eighth grade of SMPN 17 Bandar Lampung, the researcher found that students face
problems in learning English, especially in learning reading. Most of students don’t
understand the content of the text because they don’t know the meaning of words,
especially uncommon words. The problem also influences students’ ability in
 Sinta Ari Mellinda, Akhmad Sutiyono, Febriyanti.
The Influence of Using Partner Reading Strategy towards Students’ Reading Comprehension at
the Eighth Grade of SMPN 17 Bandar Lampung

identifying the reference word of the text. Other than that students also have difficulties
in finding the main idea of the text and the supporting information that is asked in the
questions. The difficulties of finding the information also influence students in
determine the inference.
In this research, the writer taught reading by using partner reading strategy and
conventional technique. Partner reading strategy was taught in experimental class, while
conventional technique was taught in control class. The writer gave treatment based on
the procedure of partner reading strategy to the students in experimental class.
In the experimental class, the students are active enough during the teaching
learning process. They were learning the material of recount text through partner
reading strategy. Students read the text with their partner and tried to get and process the
information from the text. They read consecutively, the first reader read the text and the
partner (second reader) gave feedback to do the error correction of pronunciation.
Students also had opportunity to ask questions or tell opinion to their partner. At the
same time, they tried to comprehend the information of the reading text for retelling the
story by answering the questions related to the text that asked by partner. At the end,
they made paragraph summarized in ten words. But, all of the activity was still guided
by the researcher.
The teaching and learning process in the experimental class was run well. The
students followed the instruction given and they were able to collaborate and work
together with their partner to read and comprehend the text to retell and make paragraph
summarized. The students looked quite enthusiasts in partner reading activity. It can be
said that partner reading could have good effect to students’ reading comprehension.
The next treatment was on the control class, the writer applied conventional
technique for teaching reading recount text. It had been done to find out whether the
class taught by partner reading strategy is better than conventional technique. The
researcher gave the material of recount text to the students and asked to read effectively.
They were followed the instruction given by the writer. The activity is conducive but
the students were not really enthusiast during the lesson just like usual. It was proved by
the result of students' average score in control class were lower than the students in
experimental class.
Based on the data analysis by using t - test and testing of the hypotheses, the writer
got the result that Ha was accepted. It was showed by test was higher than table with
significance level 5% and 1% (2.96> 1.67 < 2.39). It means that there is an influence of
using Partner reading strategy towards students' reading comprehension at the eighth
grade of SMPN 17 Bandar Lampung in 2021/2022. It also proved the fact that the
average score in experimental class is higher than in control class 58.94 > 54.03 and the
result of difference test obtained 2.96 > 2.00 < 2.66. In other words, the average score of
students' reading comprehension which is taught through Partner reading strategy was
higher than who were taught through conventional technique
Based on the result of the research both in experimental and control class and also
the result of the hypothesis test, the writer concluded that the use of partner reading
strategy was more effective than conventional technique. It is related to the statement of
 Sinta Ari Mellinda, Akhmad Sutiyono, Febriyanti.
The Influence of Using Partner Reading Strategy towards Students’ Reading Comprehension at
the Eighth Grade of SMPN 17 Bandar Lampung

Kuhn (2008:45), who says that Partner reading is fun and effective pedagogical strategy
to support the development of students’ reading skill. This strategy can help the students
in understanding text with their partner. It gives more opportunity to students to ask or
to tell their opinion to their partner. It is expected for students to study without being
afraid, because they spend a lot of time with their classmates during learning. In partner
reading, students can increase their skills in finding main idea and supporting idea by
retelling story activity. Vocabulary mastery of students can also improve through error
correction activity. This theory is supported by Haag (2012) who explains that there are
lots of benefits of partner reading strategy. Partner reading gives same opportunity for
each student. In partner reading strategy, each member of the pair will have same time
in reading.
In the end of the discussion, the writer concludes that the using of partner reading
strategy in teaching English is an effective strategy to be applied in in the class,
especially in teaching reading comprehension. Partner reading strategy can help
students to improve their comprehension by doing lots of reading activities with their
partner. This strategy gives students big opportunity to read, to ask, to answer and to tell
their opinion easier because they work with their classmates.

CONCLUSION
Based on the result of the data analysis and hypothesis test, the writer concluded
that there is an influence of using partner reading strategy towards students’ reading
comprehension at the eighth grade of SMPN 17 Bandar Lampung in the academic year
of 2021/2022. It can be seen that the result ttest = 2.96, ttable for α = 0.05 is 1.67 and for α
= 0.01 is 2.39 (2.96 > 1.67 < 2.39). Other than that, the writer found that the average
score of students’ reading comprehension on the experimental who learnt by using
partner reading strategy is higher than control class who taught through using
conventional technique. It can be seen that the average score of experimental class is
58.94 and the average score of control class is 54.03.

RECOMMENDATION
Based on the result of the research, the writer would like to give some
recommendation in order to improve the quality of teaching and learning English
through partner reading strategy. For teacher, the writer suggested to measure students’
comprehension in reading to pair the students as partner. Teacher can conduct a reading
test for students to see the students’ reading score. Then, the score will use to be paired
students. In which students with the highest score is paired with the student who has the
lowest score. The writer also suggests recommendation to further researchers to conduct
the research of Partner Reading Strategy in Classroom Action Research type in which
students’ reading achievement will be measured before and after applying the treatment.
Based on theories from Kuhn, that Partner reading is fun and effective pedagogical
strategy to support the development of students’ reading skill, then, this strategy can be
used in Classroom Action Research type.
 Sinta Ari Mellinda, Akhmad Sutiyono, Febriyanti.
The Influence of Using Partner Reading Strategy towards Students’ Reading Comprehension at
the Eighth Grade of SMPN 17 Bandar Lampung

REFERENCES
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Kareen Haag. (2012). Partner Reading. A free resource for people passionate about
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http//www.liketoread.com/partner_reading.html.
Karen R. Harris et.al. (2007). Teaching reading comprehension to student
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