CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of

the study, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, and the definition of key

terms.

1.1 Background of the Study

The educational development today cannot be separated from the development of science

and technology. The education demanded always move along with global technological

development. In relation to education, teaching and learning in the class was demanded to be

innovative and creative. In this case in English lessons especially reading skills are very low

mastered by the students today.

Today's technology advances rapidly, but it is still lacking in improving students' reading

skills. Reading is one of the four skills which needs to be learned besides listening, speaking, and

writing. Reading has the considerable role in the language teaching to strengthen the skills which

are acquired by the students in listening, speaking, and writing (Maxom, 2009: 139). Reading

skill affects the other skills learning process. Besides, the students have to be able to achieve

reading competencies as urged by the national curriculum. However, based on the preliminary

observation in VIII E Class of SMP Raden Fatah, Cimanggu, Cilacap, the students found out

reading is the most difficult skills to master. They could not understand the content of the

English texts well. For example, after reading a text, they did not manage to tell what the text

was 2 about. Furthermore, they could not answer the questions related to the text correctly. The
condition influences other students’ English skill. This difficulty was caused by some problems.

The problems arose from some factors. They were, teacher-centered, relying materials from

course book and LKS most teachers use textbooks and printed materials to teach students, those

materials are often delivered in a monotonous way so that the students are getting bored, lack of

media to support the teaching and learning processes the availability of interactive multimedia

sources, lack of opportunities for the students to involve actively in the teaching and learning

process because of limited time, students’ low motivation, the students’ passiveness during the

English teaching and learning process, and lacked of vocabulary mastery in understanding texts.

All of these factors contributed to the low level of the students’ reading comprehension. Besides,

the students felt a strong fear of reading, especially reading aloud the English text since it would

be so starkly displayed on public. For example, when the teacher asked one of the students to

read the text aloud individually among the students, he was not confident and did not want to

read. This condition made insecure learning and tended to drop off students’ motivation in

learning. In addition, the class is categorized as a large class consisted of 38 students. Each

student has unique needs and abilities.

1The most salient individual difference in the class is a range of proficiency level across

the class and differences among students especially in reading abilities. The teacher found it hard

3 to apply the appropriate teaching techniques for reading which were suitable for students.

Consequently, the conventional teaching techniques used nowadays could not help students with

various abilities to accomplish the teaching goals. Considering the facts above, the teacher need

to search effective ways to improve the teaching and learning process of reading in English at

Class VIII E of SMP Raden Fatah Cimanggu, Cilacap. One of the methods which is appropriate

to be applied in the teaching and learning process is interactive multimedia i.e. Macromedia
Flash software. Macromedia Flash as Interactive Multimedia enhances the process of teaching

and learning reading, which belonged to macro skills that is considered difficult to accomplish.

The software was used by considering the factors contributing to difficulties in reading. This

software helped the teachers by providing some materials especially for reading. Moreover, it

also can attract the students to enjoy the class, the teenager students were very interested with the

use of technology in the process of teaching and learning. That is why,

This research which can improve the teaching and learning process of reading through

the use of media which can integrate what the students’ wants, needs, and also lacks with their

enjoyment. Based on the explanation above and due to the problems in the teaching and learning

process of reading in English at VIII-E class of SMP Raden Fatah, Cimanggu, Cilacap, the

researcher was interested to find a solution in order to facilitate students in learning reading. In

this research, the researcher focused on making reading activities more interesting and enjoyable.

The researcher conduct a 4 research on “Improving the Students’ reading skill through

Interactive Multimedia of the 8th grade at SMP Raden Fatah, Cimanggu, Cilacap in the academic

year of 2013/2014 . ”

1.2 Statement of the Problem

This study attempted to aforementioned problem background in the teaching learning

process at VIII-E class of SMP Raden Fatah Cimanggu, Cilacap that could be identified as

follow questions:

1. Which can reduce the desire of students to master the material being taught?

2. What is the difficulty of the students in understanding the subject matter?

 3. What is the use of computer-based learning media especially Macromedia Flash to

visualize English subjects?

4. Why students are afraid in reading aloud and writing in English?

5. What are the possible solution to facilitate students in learning reading.

1.3 Objectives Of The Study

This study aimed to achieve the following objectives:

1.Lack of willingness and active participation of the students in understanding the

material subject taught by the teacher, which can reduce the desire of students to master the

material being taught.

2. Students get difficulty in understanding the subject matter, one because of learning

media used by teachers are less attractive to students’ willingness in learning become less.

3. The use of computer-based learning media especially Macromedia Flash to visualize

English subjects especially reading has not been developed by teachers of SMP Raden Fatah

Cimanggu, Cilacap. The teacher had a little experience in teaching English. Therefore, the

teacher needs information and experience in applying appropriate teaching media for specific

learning environment.

4. The students are reluctant to perform reading aloud, and writing in English since it

would be so starkly displayed on public.

5. the solution in order to facilitate students learning reading is by making activities more

interesting and enjoyable.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The study is deemed significant to the following:

English teacher – this research should be helpful to the English Teachers, particularly those

teacher who handle English subjects, because it enables teacher to make this research as a

reference to strive for innovation in developing the teaching of reading.

Students- this research can be helpful to the students because it can give experience and new

challenges as an effort to develop their reading skills.

English Education Department, of Baybay Central School. – this study could be helpful to

the English Education Department of Baybay Central School because it enables them to provide

a quality education and a institution concerned with the profession of teachers, the researcher

gives information about the implementation of Interactive Multimedia as an effort to improve the

teaching and learning process of reading in English, so teachers have consideration to implement

the technique which is useful to improve the quality of English teaching and learning process.

1.5 Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study focused in improving the reading in English at Class VIII E of SMP Raden

Fatah Cimanggu, Cilacap. To delimit its scope, the study concentrated explained in the

background of the problem, the researcher and the teacher put the limitation of the problems on

reading skill and the efforts to improve the teaching and learning processes. Furthermore,
Interactive Multimedia is seen as an effective technique to improve students’ reading skill. It also

has not ever been used by the teachers of Baybay Central School as a technique in teaching

reading. In light of this view, the researcher conducted a research study to fulfill her curiosity by

focusing it on improving students’ reading skill by using Interactive Multimedia at grade VI

pupils of Baybay Central School in the academic year of 2021-2022.

1.6 Definition of Terms

To make the readers understand more this research, the following terms hereby

operationally defined:

Interactive multimedia is a method of communication in which the programs outputs depend

on the users inputs, and the users inputs, in turn, affect the programs outputs. Simply put, it refers

to the different ways in which people process and share information, or how they communicate

with one another. Interactive multimedia allows people to connect with others – whether that’s

people or organizations – making them active participants in the multimedia they consume.

Macromedia Flash as Interactive Multimedia enhances the process of teaching and learning

reading, which belonged to macro skills that is considered difficult to accomplish. The software

was used by considering the factors contributing to difficulties in reading. This software helped

the teachers by providing some materials especially for reading.