PROMOTING READING CONFERENCE AS AN EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUE IN

TEACHING READING OF EFL LEARNERS

Khoiriyah
Nusantara PGRI Kediri University
[email protected]

Abstract
This study examines the effectiveness of reading conference technique in teaching reading of EFL
learners. Thirty two learners consisting of 12 males and 20 females from the second grade of English
Department at Nusantara PGRI Kediri University were participated in the study. To conduct the
study, pre-test were administered before applying treatment, while post-test were administered after
applying treatment. Quantitative method and pre-experimental approach were applied in this present
study and t- test was used to analyze the data. The analyses resulted in the finding that the score of
post-test exhibited significantly better than the score of pre-test. Thus, it can be said that reading
conference is effective in teaching reading at the second grade learners of English Department at
Nusantara PGRI Kediri University.

Keywords : effective, reading comprehension, reading conference technique

I. Introduction comprehending the meaning of written text.

Reading, which is one of the four Although it is actually a complex activity
language skills, can be classified into two involving both perception and thought, it is an
types; initial reading and reading everyday activity done by learners not only in
comprehension. Initial reading is an effort the classroom but also out of the classroom.
made by those who have not been able to read For instance: they read newspapers,
to learn reading (e.g., how to read the magazines, novels, bills, advertisements,
alphabet and combination of letters or simple menus, prices and fares, notices, manuals,
words), whereas reading comprehension is an schedules, announcements, invitations, forms,
activity aimed to understand the messages of articles, books, etc. It is supported by
a particular text (Williams, 1998 in Cahyono Mikulecky (2008:1) that reading is a
and Widiati, 2006). Thus, it can be said that conscious and unconscious thinking process.
reading deals with understanding written text. The reader applies many strategies to
The teaching of reading as a foreign language reconstruct the meaning that the author is
(EFL reading) can be generally included in assumed to have intended. The reader does
teaching of reading comprehension because this by comparing information in the text to
the goal is to enhance the learners’ skills in

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his or her background knowledge and prior In teaching learning process, the
experience. learners should be able to read the text to gain
In fact, many daily activities are some information what they have been read
linked with reading and everyone cannot and also followed by answering the questions
afford not to read on single day. Thus, having given. To reach this goal, the learners should
good reading proficiency is necessary for use reading strategies. Although reading is
learners. Moreover, in reading the readers considered to be an important language skill,
interact with the writer to comprehend the many learners are likely to be reluctant EFL
writer’s ideas. Weir and Singhal in Seken readers (Kweldju, 2000) and EFL reading is
(2004) state reading comprehension is commonly seen by university students as an
basically an interactive process of meaning uninteresting activity (Firmanto, 2005;
making between the reader and the author Kweldju, 1996; Rukmini, 2004 in Cahyono
through the text, which involves mental and Utami, 2006). In her study of English
activities and background knowledge. Thus, department students’ interest in reading,
by reading various literature, the learners can Kweldju (1996) found that the students were
gain information, knowledge or to establish not interested in reading their content area
existing knowledge and build their textbooks although they thought such
vocabulary. textbook were useful. She stated that the
Getting learners to read English texts reason behind this lack of interest included
is an important part of the English teacher’s students’ limited background knowledge,
job because of many reasons. First, many inability to understand the content of text, and
students want and need to be able to read complicated organizational structure of text.
English texts for study purposes, for future In Firmanto’s survey on what students do and
career or simply for pleasure. Second, the expect when reading, Firmanto (2005) found
more students read, the better readers they that reading was considered a boring and
become. Third, reading text provide good stressful activity because of some factors such
models for English writing, concerning as unsuitable texts (e.g., due to the text length
construction of phrases, sentences, paragraphs or unfamiliar vocabularies), teachers’ scarcity
and whole text. The last, good reading texts in employing pre-reading activities (e.g.,
can introduce interesting topics, stimulate explaining some difficult words or activating
discussions, excite creative responses, and the students’ prior knowledge), and
provide trigger or springboard for well- monotonous post-reading activities (e.g.,
rounded, fascinating lessons (Hamer, answering questions based on the texts and
1998:67) . retelling texts).

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 In fact, many learners of second grade after independent reading take place. Here,
of English department at Nusantara PGRI the lecturer will need to device a record
Kediri University are reluctant and system which suits her/his needs (see reading
unmotivated to read EFL reading and think comprehension questions) a relaxed setting
reading is stressful and monotonous activity. such as conference table or carpeted area
So, they only read the text that has been given (Houghton Mifflin, 1993). Moreover, reading
to them and they do not use an appropriate conferences can be used for both assessment
reading strategy during reading. Thus, they and instruction. The conferences should be
get some difficulties in reading kept brief and focused. The teacher can select
comprehension and they cannot answer the two to three students with whom to hold a
questions well such as: finding literal, reading conference each day (Ontario, 2005:
inferential, and critical comprehension, for 6). In addition, Jeffries and Mikulecky (2005:
instance: they do not understand to find an 21) state that reading conference is one-on-
important information stated in the text; find one conversation about the students’ book
the topic, main idea, and content of text; find with the other. By reading conference, the
implied information; and they do not know lecturer may ask various questions about
the meaning of some words in the text. Thus, expressive, factual, summarizing, sequential,
the lecturer should help the learners to change predictive, experiential, critical, inferential,
their inefficient reading habits and to avoid affective, etc. From students’ answers, it is
their indolence by teaching them using an usually easy to tell if they have read the book
appropriate reading technique to make them or other material and how well they have
interested and motivated to read EFL reading comprehended what they have read. During
materials. reading conference, the lecturer can help the
Out of the problems above, this learners express their ideas. The important
research applies reading conference as one of thing is for learners to gain confidence in their
technique in teaching reading to help the ability to communicate their reaction to their
learners in understanding the text that they reading.
have read. Reading conference is a kind of II. Method
conversation between the lecturer and the The research design of this study was
students to share or talk about what they have quantitative method and pre-experimental
read. It is in line with this statement that approach using One-Group Pretest-Post
reading conference is a brief discussion with Design because it was intended to know the
an individual child or small group of children. effectiveness of reading conference in
The conference may occur before, during or teaching reading. The subjects were 32

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learners of the second grade of English higher than the mean of pre-test. It can be seen
Department at Nusantara PGRI Kediri in table 1.
University in academic year 2013/2014 Table 1.
consisting of 12 males and 20 females. The Average Score between Pre-test and Post-test
choice of accessible subjects is under a certain N = 32 Post-
Pre-test
consideration that they have studied English students test
Total score 1925 2199
since they were in Junior High School for at Mean 60. 2 68. 7
least eight years. So, they were assumed to
have enough experience in learning English in In addition, the score different of pre-test-
term of language skills and language post-test showed that the total score of pre-test
components. was 1925, and then total score of post-test was
Reading comprehension test was 2199. It means that student’s score of post-test
employed to collect the required data. The was increased. The minimum of D (total
researcher used simple random sampling in scoring of posttest-pretest) was 274 and the
determining the sample. The test was given in final result of was 6302.
the form of pre-test and post-test. Pre-test was Out of the result above, it can be seen
employed before treatment. Then giving that the mean different of pre-test and post-test
treatment to samples by teaching reading score were 8. 56. While calculation of the
using reading conference technique. After that, number of standard deviation score was 3955.
post-test was employed to assess the results of 9. Furthermore, the result of calculating t-test
the treatment. To know the difference between was 4. 28 and the degree of freedom (db) was
the average score of pre-test and post-test, t- 31. It means that Reading Conference is
test formula was used to analyze the data. effective to teach reading comprehension. It
III. Result can be seen from the table of differences level
The result of learners’ reading of significant from t-table and t-score below.
comprehension before and after being taught Table 2.
using reading conference technique showed The differences level of significant from t-
that the total score of pre-test was 1925 out of table and t-score
32 participants. So, the mean of pre-test was t-table
Signific
60. 2. While the total score of post-test was Db t-score 1% 5% Ho
ant
2199 and the mean of post-test is 68. 7. It (0.01) (0.05)
31 4.28 2.750 2.042 Signific Reject
means that the mean of post-test score was
ant ed

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 Based on the table above, the result of like to use reading conference as it was really
this research shows that t-score is 4. 28 at the helpful in studying especially to improve their
degree of freedom 31 and t-table is 2. 042 at reading comprehension achievement
the level of significance of 5% (0. 05) and 2. (Kurniawansah, 2012). Similar to the
750 at the level of significance of 1% (0. 01). previous research, the present study has
It means that t-score (4. 28) > t-table at the reaffirmed the effectiveness of reading
level of significance 5% (2. 042). conference technique on enhancing learners'
The data showed that t-score is higher reading performance. The positive effects are
that t-table in the significance 5%. Therefore, evident in post-test. It has also shown that this
the alternative hypothesis (Ha) is accepted and technique can be effectively implemented in a
(Ho) is rejected. It can be concluded that regular EFL classroom setting.
Reading Conference is effective to teach The present study has shown that the
reading at the second grade learners of English second grade learners of English Department
Department at Nusantara PGRI Kediri at Nusantara PGRI Kediri University as EFL
University. learners made progress after being taught
III. Discussion using reading conference. The statistical
The result indicated that Reading evidence lends its support to the positive effect
Conference technique is effective to teach of reading conference on enhancing learners'
reading at the second grade learners of English reading performance. Indeed, they gained
Department at Nusantara PGRI Kediri significantly higher scores after receiving
University as EFL learners. Comparing pre- instruction through this technique. Bergeron
test and post-test mean scores, reading and Melody (2002: 151) say that, “Ongoing
conference technique assisted reading conferencing is essential for keeping a close
comprehension of learners. Moreover, there watch on students’ progress and for providing
was a significant difference between pre-test the right subsequent lessons at the opportune
and post-test scores after instruction. It is in time…”.
line with the previous research on using Reading conference technique gives
reading conference technique to improve contribution to the second grade learners of
reading comprehension achievement, it is English Department at Nusantara PGRI Kediri
found that reading conference can effectively University. First, reading conference can
improve students’ reading comprehension. create a relaxed an atmosphere so that learners
Reading conference can help them understand will express their feeling about reading or
a lot in learning English reading. The students comment on the kinds of books they enjoy.
Second, they can enjoy and feel confidence in

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reading because they are allowed to choose the comprehend what they have read based on
material based on their level and interest. background knowledge and experience. In
Third, they get easier to comprehend what short, reading conference effects the learners’
they have read, such as: finding literal, reading comprehension of the second grade of
inferential, and critical comprehension, for English department at Nusantara PGRI Kediri
instance: they understand to find an important University.
information stated in the text, find topic, main Acknowledgments
idea and content of text, find implied I am grateful to anonymous reviewer
information, they know the meaning of some whose insightful comments on the earlier draft
words in the text. Finally, they can know their of this manuscript were invaluable. My special
strength and weakness in reading because the thanks goes to second grade learners of
lecturer gives them attention intensively. English department who have participated in
IV. Conclusion this study.
The present study has evaluated the
effectiveness of reading conference technique References
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