A.

Background
This study is intended to investigate the effectiveness of the use of
multimodal text to students’ reading skill. It is important because reading
is one of factors to get success in teaching English. To do it successfully,
we have to understand what the words mean.
Reading skill is important part of learning English, but many
students find it difficult. Supported by Mede (2010) as cited in
Phantharakphong & Pothitha (2014), EFL (English Foreign Language)
learners have certain difficulties when reading English because they are
not aware of the effective ways of reading and understanding a text, which
could cause resistance and affect they attitudes towards reading in English.
Brashdi (2006) stated that for some students, reading skill is one of the
difficult things to do because, in reading, the students need more
vocabulary, knowledge and understand the context. To make reading
easier, the teacher has to prepare appropriate media and apply it in learning
process. To appropriate media in teaching reading should be determined
with student learning style.
Based on the researcher’s observation in MTs Miftahul Khoer
Cilengkrang, there is a problem that researcher found there. The problem
is the students find it difficult to understand the texts. Then, when the
teacher asks the students, only a few students give a good response,
because they do less understand what they read. To improve the students
reading skill, researcher use has to use a media to teach it, so the
researcher tries to using multimodal text media in this research. Because
multimodal texts can be very beneficial for both students and teachers to
use as a learning aids. As texts are “no longer restricted to print
technology” (Heally, 2008, p.5), means that students have the opportunity
to use a range of multimodal texts. Teachers can makes students more
interesting when English learning in reading skill to use non-printed rather
than a textbook.

1
 Kress (2010) described multimodality as a simple concept best
understood by examining examples of the ways modal resources are used
in socially situated contexts. Specifically, he illustrated a familiar use of
multimodality, the combination of images and words used in road signs to
provide drivers with essential information that can be read and interpreted
quickly. Bezemer & Kress (2008) words, audio, images, hyperlinks, and
video are examples of modes; traditional print and electronic texts are
media by which multimodal messages can be presented.
Leeuwen (2005) notes multimodality means the combination of
different semiotic modes. Jewitt (2006) defined multimodality as two
means of representation and communication, such as still image, gesture,
posture, speech, music, writing, or new configurations of the elements of
these. According to (Sankey, Birch, & Gardiner, 2010) with the use of
multimodal text, students can choose their own learning object, or
representation, which best suits their capital preference based on their
dominant learning style. The advantages of multimodal texts are it can be
very beneficial for helping students and teachers when English learning in
reading skill (Healy, 2008, pp.5).
There are several research regarding reading skill. First research by
Khalidiyah (2015) indicates that there are significant effects improving
students’ reading skill by using animated video. Second, a research by
(Suryani, 2015) indicates that there is an effect improving students’
reading skills by using the mind map technique. However, this research is
different from the previous research where the previous research focuses
on reading skill by using quantum learning and reading skills by using the
mind map technique, while this study focuses on investigating students’
reading skill by using multimodal text.

2
A. Research Questions
There four research questions regarding the problem mentioned in the
background.
1. How good is the student’s reading skill before using multimodal
text?
2. How is the process of using multimodal text for teaching to improve
their reading skills?
3. How good is the student’s reading skill after using multimodal
text?
4. How significant is the difference between the student’s reading
skill before and after using multimodal text?
B. The Research Purpose
Regarding the research problems above, the study aims:
1. To find out the student’s reading skill before using multimodal text
2. To find out the process of using multimodal text for teaching to
improve their reading skills?
3. To find out the student’s reading skill after using multimodal text
4. To find out the significant difference between the student's reading
skill before and after using multimodal text.

C. The Significances of the Research

This research is expected to become a source of information about
how to improve students in reading skills and then expected to give some
ideas and understanding to English teachers about the importance of
multimodal text method to be applied in reading skills. Practically, this
research gives significances to:
1. Students
The result of this research is expected to help students enhance
their reading skill by using multimodal text.
2. Teachers
This research can be applied to all teachers to improve students'
interest in reading and determining the best strategies in

3
 teaching and learning process to maximize their potential in
learning English especially in reading skills.
Theoretically, this study can be beneficial information for curriculum
planner as evaluation for creating improvement for student in reading skill.
D. Framework of Thinking
Reading skill is one of the language skills in English which gives a huge
input to the learner. Reading is an activity to get information, or idea from
the text what the researcher mean at the messages in the printed page. It
means that a process to understand what we read. Zimelman, et. al. in
Farris (2004:324) stated that reading means getting meaning from print.
Reading is not phonic, vocabulary, syllabication, or other “skills,” as
useful as these activities may be. The essence of reading is a transaction
between the words of an author and the mind of a reader, during which
meaning constructed. This mean that the main goals of reading instruction
must be comprehension: above all, we want readers to understand what is
on a page.
In addition, Nurhadi as cited in Hidayatullah (2007:7) says that
reading is the complex and complicated process. Because it involves the
internal and external factors of the readers. The internal factors mean
everything that has relationship with the reading materials and the
environment where the reading taking place. In addition, Thinker in Abbot
(1988) defines that reading is identification and recognition of printed or
written symbols that serve as stimulus for the recall of meaning build up
through pass experience.
According Cress (2010) multimodality is a framework that requires
a collective interpretation of two or more scripts, visuals, videos, graphics,
animations, sounds, music, gestures and facial expression for producing
meaning.
Jewitt and Kress (2003) said that multimodal texts present
information across a variety of modes including visual images, design
elements, written language, and other semiotic resources. Walsh (2015)

4
defines that multimodal texts are those texts that have more than one
‘mode’ so that meaning is communicated through a synchronization of
modes. He points out that printed or linear texts are monodal texts,
whereas multimodal texts using of variety of sensory modes and working
in synchronized way to convey meaning. In other words, multimodal text
can be a combination of spoken and written languages, still or moving
images which can be found on paper or electronic screen. It makes the
students learning change from only printed to screen pages. In order to
improve students’ reading skill, teachers have to integrate technology into
their English reading skill classroom to make the students interested in
learning English. In that classroom, the students will be exposed to
multiple genres of texts and in the multimodal forms which combine
words, images, and sounds as resources of learning.
To attract students’ in performing reading skill program, the use of
non-printed multimodal text as the reading materials was implemented
during the program. Walsh (2006) characterizes multimodal texts as the
texts which consist of more than one “mode” (a kind of meaningful sign or
symbol) so that the meaning of the text can be conveyed through a
“synchronization of modes”. It means that the meaning of multimodal
texts can be understood by bringing together all of the different modes
included in that text. In this case, students may read the multimodal text on
a piece of paper (printed) or on the electronic screen (non-printed) such as
computer which also include sound. Furthermore, Bearne (2007) describes
any multimodal text might combine elements of a variety of semiotic
resources including “gesture, movement, posture, facial expression,
images (moving and still, real or drawn), sound (spoken words, sound
effects and music), writing (including font and typography)”.

5
E. Research Methodology
1. Research Design
Research design of this research is mix method. Using of a
mixed-method design can make the results more presentable to a
hostile audience, e.g. using quantitative work to back up qualitative
work (Todd, Nerlich, McKeown, & Clarke, 2004). The research
focuses on mix method with the explanatory sequential mixed
methods design. The researcher chooses the mix method with the
explanatory sequential methods design for research design because
the research needs to be clearly and more detailed. Here, quantitative
is dominant than qualitative. Quantitative method is to find out the
significant between the students’ reading skill before and after using
multimodal text and qualitative method is to find out the process of
using multimodal text. For the research, quasi experiment will be used
by the researcher because just one class that consists of before and
after to conduct the experiment.
Thus, this research wants to find out the using multimodal
text to improve reading skill.
2. Research Site
The research plan taken from Junior high school of MTs
Miftahul Khoer Bandung West Java. The researcher chooses this
school because the researcher wants to find out problem of learning
process in reading skill. Then, the researcher finds out the problem
especially the comprehension of students in reading skills can
provide research for improving students’ MTs Miftahul Khoer
Cilengkrang
3. Research Participants
The participants is active in making informed decisions
throughout all aspects of the research process for the primary
purpose of imparting social change; a specific action (or actions) is
the ultimate goal.

6
 There are several participations of this research to support the
researcher get an information to collect data for research:
a. A population is a group of individuals who have the same
characteristic (Creswell, 2012). Population (For quantitative) the
population in this research is the member of students in 8th grade
of MTs Miftahul Khoer Cilengkrang which consist of two
classes. It is the grades of 8A, 8B. The total of student is 53
students.
b. The sample is the target population that the researcher plans to
study for generalizing about the target population (Creswell,
2012). Sample (For quantitative) 8A,8B consist of 53 students.
The sample is taken from the population in 8th grade of MTs
Miftahul Khoer Cilengkrang. Sample for qualitative take 10
students to do the interview.
c. Sampling technique for quantitative and qualitative data: This
research uses the sampling technique by non-probability sampling
method with no random sampling. It means the researcher
chooses one class that consists of before and after to conduct the
experiment and doing an interview to 10 students.
4. Research Instruments
This research will use test and observation to answer the
research question and the test.

a. Test
The test will be conducted before the researcher doing a
treatments using multimodal text to teach. The purpose of
doing a test is to find out the ability of student in reading skill
before and after using a multimodal text. The test will be
conducted by two steps. First, pre-test and second post-test.
b. Observation
According Creswell (2008), observation is an instrument of
collecting data that can be used to obtain a comprehensive

7
 picture of a situation. Alwasilah (2008) also states that by
observation, the researcher has their own understanding
about theory-in used and even respondent’s point of view
that could not be analyzed by interview or survey.
In this procedure, the data that needed has been
required in guidelines, and it collected by observing the
process of study as long as treatment of research. In this
participant of observation, when the researcher stands in the
research groups and plays the role as a teacher to observe of
the process of investigation clearly and specifically and
observed MTs Miftahul Khoer Cilengkrang in reading skill
to improve their reading skill by using multimodal text. This
research observes the condition of the class completely to
make the real report of the local circumstance. Then it has
been taken from headmaster’s data of the school. I hope the
specific situation and condition at MTs Miftahul Khoer
Cilengkrang should know deeply for the complete research
data.
5. Research Materials
This research materials the researcher will use multimodal
texts. The researcher will show any videos about short story to
find out their comprehension in reading skill. Because with
used video students will more interesting in reading skill than
textbook.
6. Steps of Conducting Treatments
The researcher will compare students’ reading skill before
using multimodal text and after using multimodal text to find
out and measure students’ comprehension.
7. Procedure of Collecting Data
The procedure that used by the researcher in this research for
collecting the data qualitative are through:

8
 a. Test
The test will be conducted before the researcher doing a
treatment using multimodal text to teach. The purpose of
doing a test is to find out the ability of student in reading skill
before and after using a multimodal text. The test will be
conducted by two steps. First, pre-test and second post-test.
b. Questionnaire
Questionnaire conducted before the researcher doing a
treatment by using English listening works in learning
process.
c. Interview
Interview conducted during the researcher doing a
treatment by using English listening works in learning
process.
8. Data Analysis
a. Qualitative
This research is to use a listening works strategy to improve
JHS students’ interest and skill in reading. According to
Creswell (2012), there are six interrelated steps involved in
qualitative data analysis and interpretation.
1. Preparing and organizing the data for analysis.
In this step, the researcher organizes the data obtained from
questionnaire and interview. The researcher analyzed field
notes from questionnaire and also transcribing the data from
the recorded interview.
2. Exploring and coding the data.
The data is analyzed by reading through the data to obtain a
general sense of the data. And then, the researcher codes the
data by examining the data according to what is needed to
researcher question.

9
 3. Coding to build description and themes.
a. The collected data through questionnaire then described
and explored by reading the reason “why”
b. The recorded data by interview for explored
4. Representing and reporting qualitative findings.
In this part includes questionnaire and interview are reported
in written form to describe the results.
5. Interpreting the findings
From this reporting and representing of findings, a qualitative
researcher interprets the meaning of the research. This
interpretation consists of advancing personal views, making
comparisons between the findings and the literature, and
suggesting limitations and future research.
6. Validating the accuracy of the findings
To check the accuracy of the research, the data analysis is
employed as the validation procedures. As Creswell (2012)
says that validation intends to have participants, external
reviewers, or the data sources themselves provide evidence of
the accuracy of the information in the qualitative report.
b. Quantitative
The researcher uses SPSS for analyze the quantitative
data. The “Statistical Package for the Social Sciences” is a
package of programs for manipulating, analyzing, and
presenting data; the package is widely used in the social
behavioral sciences (Landau & Everitt, 2004). The research
uses some ways to analyze the data, which have been gotten
from the research, they are:
a. Testing the normality of students’ reading skill
subject in the experimental and control groups for pre-test by
conducting the procedure as follows:
Determining the range of data (R), by using the formula:

10
 R= (high score-lowest score) + 1
Determining the length of class (P), by using the formula:
𝑃=𝑗
𝑘
Making the table of distribution frequency, for example:
Score Frequency Intermediate (i) f. xi
Determining mean (X), by using the formula:
𝑋=
Σ𝑓.𝑥 Σ𝑓
Determining the deviation standard, by using the formula:
𝑠 = √ Σ (𝑥𝑖 − 𝑋2 𝑛
Arranging the distribution of observation and expectation
frequency, for example:
Class limit Z Count Z Table Li Ei Oi
Determining chi square (𝑋2), by using the formula:
𝑋2 = 𝑂𝑖−𝐸𝑖2 𝐸𝑖
Determining normality distribution with criteria accepted, by using
the formula:
𝑋2𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 < 𝑋2𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒
b. Testing the differences between two interrelated
averages, by using the formula:
𝑆2 = (𝑛1 − 1) 𝑆1 12 − (𝑛2 − 1) 𝑆2 2 𝑛1 + 𝑛2 – 2
c. Testing the homogeneity of two variances, by some
steps:
 Determining score F by using the formula:
𝐹 = 𝑆1
𝑆2
 Determining the degree freedom of data:
𝑑𝑓1 = 𝑛1 − 1
𝑑𝑓1 = 𝑛1 − 𝑛2

11
  Determining homogeneity of data with criteria:
It called homogenous if F table > F count
It not called homogenous if F table < F count.
e. Hypothesis
The hypothesis is a tentative explanation that accounts for a set of
facts and can be tested by further investigation. Hypothesis should be
statements expressing the relation between two or more measurable
variables (Mourougan & Sethuraman, 2017).
𝐻0: There is no significant between the student's reading skill before
and after using multimodal texts.
It means is rejected because between before and after using
multimodal texts there is no significant in student’s reading skill.
𝐻𝑎: There is significant between the student's reading skill before
and after using multimodal texts.
It means is accepted because between before and after using
multimodal texts there is significant in student’s reading skill.

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