The Effect of Schema Theory on Reading Comprehension

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents brief discussion of the background, research
question, and the objective of the research, significance of the research, limitation
of the research, hypothesis, and definition of key terms.
1.1 Background
Reading is a complicated, actively thinking mental activity, a thinking
process to experience, predict, verify and acknowledge information according to
readers‟ previous information, knowledge and experience, and also an interactive
language communication between readers and the writer through text (Yu-hui, et
al:2010)
Smith（1985）in Yu-hui, et al: 2010pointed out that in order to
understand language, a reader must utilize direct and implicit information. Direct
information refers to words written down, while implicit information includes
knowledge of structures and words of a language in a text and knowledge of the
discussed topic and certain experience. Based on the characteristics of reading
process, the development of reading models can be classified into three phases:
Bottom-up Model, Top-down Model, Interactive Model.
Bottom-up Model came into being in 1960s, which emphasizes that
reader, taking reading materials as information input, start from letters and words
recognition and then combine information continuously to accomplish reading
activity. This model highlights that reading must be done in a fixed sequence to
get word meaning gradually and readers comprehend the reading materials mainly
by language knowledge. In this model, readers‟ implicit information, that is, one‟s
knowledge and life experience, is neglected and one‟s active processing of
information is not taken into consideration. Following this model, teachers would
concentrate mostly on words; sentence 1
patterns and grammatical knowledge relate
to the reading material but pay little attention to relevant background knowledge
when teaching reading.

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During late 1960s and early 1970s, Goodman (1967, as cited in Peglar,
2003), proposed a reading model based on psycholinguistics, named as “Topdown Model”. The model takes concept theory as basis, and points out that
readers predict reading materials according to previous syntax and semantic
knowledge and make confirmation and modification during reading process. The
model assumes that reading process is based on readers‟ previous knowledge and
is a circulating process of predicting, verifying and confirming. Under the
guidance of this model, teachers would pay too much attention to students‟
previous knowledge, that is, implicit information in the reading process and
overlook basic language knowledge teaching.
In 1977, Rumelhart published Towards an Interactive Model of
Readingas citedin Peglar 2003, which holds that in fact reading process is a
complicated “interaction” process of many types of language knowledge,
including letters, words, syntactic patterns and semantic meaning etc., that is,
interaction of direct and implicit information; language processing interacts at
different levels.
In generally, the teaching of reading is based on intensive approach
where the lesson consist of a core text (reading selection) and a list language
points (grammar and vocabulary). In intensive reading, the reading has
relationship with background knowledge in reading comprehension. According
Anderson et al (1997:369)as cited in (Carrell and Eisterhold: 1983) “every act of
comprehension involves one’s knowledge of the world as well”.

3

Reading comprehension is commonly known as an interactive mental
process between a reader‟s linguistic knowledge, knowledge of the world, and
knowledge about a given topic. For instance, Nuttall (1996)as cited in Pratami
(2011) believes that reading comprehension is a process of activating the
knowledge of the word combined with the appropriate cognitive skill and
reasoning ability to get ideas from the print i.e., the transfer of a message from
writer to reader. So, the relationship between background knowledge and reading
comprehension is schema theory.
There are some advantages that can be taken from schema theory, the
first one is it helps the students to connect their idea with past experience, or
background knowledge toward reading text. The seconds is helps the students in
understanding and interpreting of new things based on the existing schema in
mind. And the third is helps students to understanding not only thing and
experiences, but also the language describing these thing and experiences,
including written and spoken form.
Rumelhart(1980 as cited in Yu-hui et al: 2010), proposed three possible
reasons why students cannot understand a text: first, students lack proper schema.
Under this condition, students cannot understand the meaning contained in the
text at all. Second, students may possess adequate schema, but the author does not
provide enough clues to activate the schema. Therefore, students still cannot get
the meaning. If adequate clue is provided, students can understand the text. Third,
students interpret the text in a consistent way but deviate from the author‟s
intention. Under this condition, students seem to understand the text but

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misunderstand the author‟s intention. So, it will be better if the students have
capability in interpreting the author intention deeply and also the students have
more vocabularies to deny misunderstanding of the author purpose or the
information that is given by author in a text.
Based on the researcher experiences in reading subject (reading 1 until
reading 4 subject), many techniques the lecturer used to improve reading skill in
the classroom like Jigsaw, SQ3R, Pre-reading techniques, etc . Unfortunately,
some students are still poor in reading comprehension.
Based on the explanation above, the researcher was interested to
investigate the effect of schema theory on student reading comprehension at 4th
semester students‟ of English Study Program of Muhammadiyah University of
Bengkulu in Academic Year 2011/2012.
1.2 The Problem of the Research
Based on the background and explanation above the problem was
formulated:
“Was there a significant effect of schema theory on fourth semester
students of English study program of Muhammadiyah University of Bengkulu in
Academic Year 2011/2012?”

1.3 The objective of the Research
Based on the problem of the research, the objective of the research was to
know whether there was an effect of schema theory on fourth semester students of

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English study program of Muhammadiyah University of Bengkulu in Academic
Year 2011/2012.
1.4 Significant of the Research
The results of this research were expected to be useful for lecturer and
students as follow:
1. For reading lecturer; the results of this research may become teaching
technique increasing students‟ reading motivation and can make students
interested in reading comprehension.
2. For students; the results of the research can give great motivation for them to
develop their reading ability especially in improving their reading
comprehension skills.
1.5 Limitation of the Research
This research was carrying out at the fourth semester students of English
study program of Muhammadiyah University of Bengkulu in Academic Year
2011/2012. The researcher focuses on the scope of the effect of schema theory on
students reading comprehension.

1.6 Hypothesis
The formulas of hypothesis were:

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H0

:

There is no significant difference in reading post-test score
average between the student who is give schema and those who is
not give schema

H1

:

There is significant difference in reading post-test score average
between the student who is give schema and those who is not give
schema

1.7 Definition of Key Terms
1. Effect is defined as the outcome resulted from the introduction
independent variable.
2. Schema theory is an active organization of past reaction, on past
experience.
3. Reading comprehension is commonly known as an interactive mental
process between a reader‟s linguistic knowledge, knowledge of the world,
and knowledge about a given topic.

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CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter presents brief discussion of, concept

of

reading

comprehension , the purpose of reading, level reading, schema theory, type of
schema theory and previous of study.
2.1 Concept of Reading Comprehension
There are some definitions of reading. They can be different from each
other and depend on the purpose of why people read. For beginners, people read
just to know the written symbols and also to articulate or to pronounce the written.
But for the higher level of senior high school or university, the purpose of reading
become that is reading comprehension.
Nuttal (1996) says that: “Whatever your reason for reading is not very
likely that you are interested in the pronunciation of what you need and even less
likely that you are interested in the grammatical structure used, you need because
you wanted to get something from the writing”. It means that, we can read words
because we are being able to identify and decode single letters. In other hand, we
read word by fitting, its general visual “shop” into a sense context.
Ur (1996) as cited in Pratamistates that reading understands all the words
in order to understand the meaning of a text. Another opinion reading is one of the
skills, which is learnt in reading is useless without sufficient comprehension.

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According to Langan (2002) in Pratami (2011)reading comprehension is
the capability of understanding what the reader read. In this understanding the
readers should recognize eight skills, they are recognizing definition and
examples, enumerations, headings and sub heading, signal words, main idea in
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paragraphs, and short selections, knowing how to outline, how to summarize and
understanding graphs and tables. Comprehension is achieved gradually, as you
move from a general feeling about what something means to deeper level of
understanding.
2.2 The Purpose for Reading Comprehension.
Comprehension in reading is needed by the readers to get know what
they read. At least, there are five main purposes for comprehensive reading. First,
reading for specific information, second, reading for specific application, third,
reading for pleasure and entertainment, fourth, reading for ideas, fifth, reading for
understanding (Newnue: 2011)
1. Reading for specific information
Commonly, reading for specific information is used to look for specific
or limited information. For example, when the students at elementary school
recognize of simple symbols, words and sentences. It means they are looking for
specific information and finding it quickly. Another example such as looking up a
word in the dictionary or a number in the telephone book is involving reading for
specific information.
2. Reading for application

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Reading for application is used to describe a special task. Includes for
this type is reading a cake recipe or following instructions to make or fix
something. Read a book written by author procedurally. For example, read the
instructions how to switch on the computer.
3. Reading for pleasure and entertainment
Usually, this type purpose of reading is liked by most of the human who
want to get pleasure or entertain in their reading. This includes reading popular
magazine, novels, anecdotes, comics and others similar books.
4. Reading for ideas
This type of reading concerns how to get ideas in the text, and also
finding the concepts of the presented information. The reader skims through major
topics, headings, illustrations and conclusion in order to get a general idea of the
content.
5. Reading for understanding.
Reading for understanding is needed by the students to comprehend the
relation between information and knowledge of the subject. They also understand
the relation of topics to sentences, paragraphs and the main idea. For example,
students reading an economic textbook must carefully compare and contrast
similarities and differences of the facts and data presented in order to understand
the subject.
The most important for the explanation above is comprehension. It is
important for the readers, because without comprehension, it is impossible to

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know what the readers read after. It be better if the readers know the
comprehension of reading.
There are three levels of reading comprehension. First, literal reading,
second, aesthetic reading, third, critical reading. Literal reading is the ability to
follow directions and understand exact words, meanings and characters. Aesthetic
reading is the ability to appreciate artistically and overall quality of what is being
read. Critical reading is the ability to make factual distinctions between common
ideas, fact and opinion.
2.3 Level of Reading.
Level of reading consist of: pre-reader, beginner, intermediate, advance,
and professional level ( Nopriyanti: 2010).
1. Pre-reader
Pre-reader books are for young children and adults that have not yet
learned to read the language the book is written in, or have just started to learn to
pronounce and read simple words. A pre-reader's vocabulary is typically small. A
pre-reader is likely to have difficulty reading and understanding long words and
sentences. These books should use of a lot of pictures and are likely to be read out
loud with a parent or educator present. Pre-reader books should be part of
Wikijunior. Use {{reading level |pre-reader}} to add a book to this category.
2. Beginner
Books at the beginner skill level are intended for young children that can
read on their own. Beginners can understand longer sentences and have a higher
vocabulary than pre-readers. However, beginners are likely to have some

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difficulties still with pronunciation and comprehension when new vocabulary is
encountered or introduced. These books are likely about basic subjects and use a
minimum amount of difficult vocabulary. Difficult words that are used should be
properly introduced. These books are likely to still rely heavily on pictures. Use
{{reading level |beginner}} to add a book to this category.
3. Intermediate
Books at the intermediate skill level are intended for readers at an
average adult reading level. Sentence structures are likely to be more diverse and
more difficult vocabulary is often used without an explanation. An intermediate
reader is more likely to understand new words and vocabulary just from the
context and usage. These books are likely to provide more in depth information
about a subject than a beginner level book would, which may require using and
explaining some specialized jargon. These books should be accessible to readers
without any particular expertise in the subject area and should avoid using jargon
without explanations. Use {{reading level |intermediate}} to add a book to this
category.
4. Advanced
Books at the advanced skill level depend on more background knowledge
and understanding of more specialized vocabulary than is common for
intermediate readers. Some subject-specific jargon is likely to be used without
explanation, but a heavy reliance on subject-specific jargon should be avoided to
increase readability and comprehension. Use {{reading level |advanced}} to add a
book to this category.

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5. Professional
Books at the professional skill level tend to be highly subject-specific and
require extensive background knowledge among readers. Jargon tends to be used
extensively, and readability is often sacrificed for precision. These books may be
dry and academic and not welcoming to most readers. Use {{reading level
|professional}} to add a book to this category.
2.4 Strategy for Reading Comprehension
For most second language learners who are already literate in previous
language, reading comprehension is primarily a matter of developing appropriate,
efficient comprehension strategies. Some strategies are related to bottom-up
procedures and another enhances the top-down process. Following are ten such
strategies, each of which can be practically applied to your classroom technique
(Douglas: 2001).
1. Identify the purpose in reading
How many times have you been told to read something and you don‟t
know why you‟re being asked to read it? You end up doing only a mediocre job of
retaining what you “read” and perhaps were rather slow in the process. Efficient
reading consist of clarify identifying the purpose in reading something. By doing
so, you know what you‟re looking for and can weed out potential distracting
information. Whatever you are teaching a reading technique, make sure students
know their purpose in reading something.

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2. Use graphemic rules and pattern to aid in bottom-up decoding (for
beginning level learners)
At the beginning levels of learning English, one of the difficulties student
encounter in learning to read is making to correspondence between spoken and
written English. In many cases learner have become acquainted with oral
language and have some difficult learning English spelling conventions.

They

may need to be given hints and explanations about certain English orthographic
rules and peculiarities. While in many cases you can assume that one to one
graphemes-phoneme correspondence will be acquired with ease, other relationship
might prove difficult. Consider how you might provide hints and pointers on such
patterns as these:
 “short” vowel sound in VC patterns ( bat, him, leg, wish, etc)
 “long” vowel sound in VCe (final silent, e patterns (late, time, bite, etc)
 “long” vowel sound in VV patterns (seat, coat, etc)
 Distinguishing “ hard” c and g from ”soft “ c and g (cat vs, cit game vs
gem, etc)
3. Use efficient silent reading technique reading technique for relatively
rapid comprehension ( for immediate to advanced levels)
If you are teaching beginning level students, this particular strategy will
not apply because they are still struggling with the control of a limited vocabulary
and grammatical patterns. Your intermediate to advocated level students need not

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be speed reads, but you can help them to increase efficiency by teaching a few
silent reading rules:
 You don‟t need “pronounce” each word to yourself
 Try to visually perceive more than one word at a time, preferably phrases
 Unless a word is absolutely crucial to global understanding skip over it
and try to infer its meaning through its context

4. Skimming
Perhaps those two valuable reading strategies for learners as well as
native speakers are skimming and scanning. Skimming consist of quickly running
one‟s eyes across a whole text (an essay, article, or chapter, for example) to get
the gist. Skimming give readers the advantages of being able to predict the
purpose of the passage, the main topic or message, and possibly some of
developing or supporting idea. This given them “head start” as they embark on
more focused reading. You can train students to skim passage by giving them,
say, 30 seconds to look through a few pages of material, have them close their
books, and tell you what they learned.
5. Scanning
The second in the “most valuable” category is scanning, or quickly
searching for some particular pieces or pieces of information in a text. Scanning
exercise may ask students to look for names or dates to find a definition of key
concept, or list a certain number of supporting details. The purpose of scanning is
to extract certain specific information without reading through the whole text. For

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academic English, scanning is absolutely essential. In vocational or general
English, scanning is important in dealing with genres like schedule, manuals,
form, etc.
6. Semantic Mapping or Clustering
Readers can easily be overwhelmed by a long string of idea or events.
The strategies of semantic mapping, or grouping idea into meaningful clusters,
help the readers to provide some order to the chaos. Making such semantic maps
can be done individually, but they make for a productive group work technique as
students collectively induce order and hierarchy to a passage.
7. Guessing
This is an extremely broad category. Learners can use guessing to their
advantages to
 Guess the meaning of word
 Guess grammatically relationship (e.g a pronounce references
 Guess discourse relationship
 Infer implied meaning (“between the lines”)
 Guess about a cultural reference
 Guess the content message
8. Vocabulary analysis to make guessing pay off when they don’t
immediately recognize a word is to analyze of what they know about
it. Several techniques useful here:
a. Look for prefixes (co-inter, u, etc) that may give clues.
b. Look for suffixes (-tion, -live, ally, etc) that may indicate what part of
speech it is

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c. Look for roots that are familiar (e.g. intervening may be a word a
student doesn‟t know, but recognize that the root vencomes from
Latin” to come” would yield the meaning‟ to come in between”)
d. Look for grammatical contexts that may sign information.
e. Look at the semantic context (topic) for clues.
9. Distinguishing between literal and implied meanings.
This requires the application of sophisticated top-down processing skill.
The fact that not all language can be interpreted appropriately by attending to its
literal syntactic surface structure make special demands on readers. Implied
meaning usually has to be derived from processing pragmatic information, as in
the following example:
a. Bill walked into the frigid classroom and immediately notice Bob,
sitting by the open window.
“Brrl” he exclaimed, simultaneously eyeing Bob and the open
Windows, “It‟s sure cold in here Bob”
Bob glanced up from his a book and growled, “Oh, all right, I‟ll close
the window‟s
b. The policemen held up his hand and stopped the car.
c. Mary heard the ice cream man coming down the street. She
remembered her birth day money and rushed into the house.
(Rummerlhart, 1977:265)
Each of these excerpts has implied information. The request in (a) is
obvious only if the reader recognize the nature of many indirect requests in which

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we ask people to do without ever performing question. We can‟t be sure in (b) if
the policeman literally (physical) stopped the car is hand, but the assumption is
that is a traffic policeman whose hand sign was obeyed by a driver.
Rummerlthart‟s classic example in (c) lead the reader, without any other context,
to believe Mary is going into the house to get money to buy ice cream until the
last few words supplied”….and locked the door!”.
10. Capitalize on discourse markers to process relationship
Many discourse markers in English signal relationship among idea as
expressed through phrases, clauses, and sentences. A clear comprehension of such
markers can greatly enhance learners‟ reading efficiency. Table 18.2 enumerates
almost one hundred of these markers with which learners of intermediate
proficiency level ought to be thoroughly familiar.
Table 18.2.Types of discourse markers (Mackay, 1987: 254).
National category/meaning
1. Enumerative.

Introduce

Marker
in First(ly), second(ly), third(ly), one,

order in which points are to be two, three,/ a, b, c, next, then, finally,
made or the time sequence in last(ly), in the first, second place, for
which actions or process took one thing/for another thing to begin
place

with,

subsequently,

eventually,

finally, in the end, to conclude.

2.5

Schema Theory

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The theory with role of background knowledge in language
comprehension is known as schema theory. According to this theory, meaning is
not only found in the words on reads or hears. It is a process of interaction
between what is in the reading or spoken passage and the readers or listeners
previous knowledge.
Ideally they bring meaning from the outside of world and combine them
with the present in the present in the passage they read or heard to help their
comprehension. Hence it could be stated that schema theory is a personification of
background knowledge to unravel the meaning of the through involving previous
experience.
To understand the role of background knowledge in reading
comprehension, it is often useful to draw a distinction between formal schemata
(Background knowledge of the formal, rhetorical organizational structures of
different type of text) and content schemata (background knowledge of content
area of a text) (Carrelland Eisterhold: 1983).
The role of background knowledge or schemata reading comprehension
is very urgent and dominants for the reader. Good reader are the ones who do not
concrete on individual words nor read word for word, but “ read by content”,
making guesses of what they are going to read next, trying to get the meaning of
unknown words using the content.
In this case to use these types of knowledge, a good reader use „context
meaning”, which available on a text. In other word, the way of reading passage is
organized affects readers‟ understanding of difficult words. In this way the reader

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can read and understanding the meaning of passage without stopping to look up
every new word I dictionary. Otherwise, the readers have to guess the meaning in
the context. The context to make predictions about the meaning of the text or use
textual and lexical cues to build a meaning in mental representation.
Anderson et al (1977 : 369) in(Carrelland Eisterhold: 1983), suggested
that every act of comprehension involves one‟s knowledge of the world as well.
This idea is quite simple but it is one worth reminding ourselves of when we
consider comprehension in a second or foreign language and specially reading
comprehension in EFL/ESL.
Background knowledge or schemata theory has been the most neglected
in EFL/ESL reading. It related to: the reader than contributes more information by
the print on the page. That is, readers understand they read because they are able
to take the stimulus beyond its graphic representation and assign it membership to
an appropriate group of concepts already stored in their memories. The readers
bring to the task a formidable amount of information and ideas, attitudes and
beliefs. This knowledge, coupled with the ability to make the linguistics
predictions, determines the exceptions the reader will develop as the reads. Skill
in reading depends on the efficient interaction between linguistic knowledge and
knowledge of the world.
In schema theory, comprehending a text is an interactive process between
the readers‟ background knowledge and the text. So this activity requires the
ability to relate the textual material to one‟s own knowledge. Nunan (1996:7)
recognized the schemata as a useful concept in understanding how the reader is

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able to interpret text. It is evident that order to making successful reading
comprehension, the readers should have enough schemata in other hands; every
act of comprehension involves one‟s knowledge of the world simultaneously.
2.5.1 Types of schema
Generally, there are three major types of schemata, namely,linguistic
schemata, formal schemata and content schemata, which are closely related to
reading comprehension (Salmi:2011).
1 Linguistic Schemata
Linguistic schemata refer to readers‟ existing language proficiencyin
vocabulary, grammar and idioms. They are the foundation of otherschemata. As is
known, linguistic knowledge plays an essential part in textcomprehension.
Without linguistic schemata, it is impossible for the readerto decode and
comprehend a text.Therefore, the more linguistic schemata a reader has in his
mind, thefaster the reader acquires information and the better understanding
thereader may get.
2 Formal Schemata
Formal schemata are the organizational forms and rhetoricalstructures of
written texts. They include knowledge of different text typesand genres, and also
include the knowledge that different types of texts usetext organization, language
structures, vocabulary, grammar and level offormality differently.
Formal schemata are described as abstract, encoded,internalized, coherent
patterns of meta-linguistic, discourse and textualorganization that guide
expectation in our attempts to understand a meaningpiece of language. Readers

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use their schematic representations of the textsuch as fictions, poems, essays,
newspaper articles, academic articles inmagazines and journals to help
comprehend the information in the text.Studies show that the knowledge of what
type and genre the text is canfacilitate reading comprehension for readers because
the type of the text willoffer detailed evidence of the content of the text.
Nonetheless, compared702Schemata (background knowledge) and Reading
Comprehensionwith the linguistic and content schemata, the formal schemata
offer lesspower in the reading process (Carrell, 1984 in (Salmi: 2011).
3 Content Schemata
Content schemata refer to the background knowledge of the contentarea of
a text, or the topic a text talks about. They include topic familiarity,cultural
knowledge and previous experience with a field. Content schematadeal with the
knowledge relative to the content domain of the text, which is the key to the
understanding of texts. Since one language is not only thesimple combination of
vocabulary, sentence structure and grammar but alsothe bearer of different levels
of the language‟s culture. To some extent,content schemata can make up for the
lack of language schemata, and thushelp learners understand texts by predicting,
choosing information andremoving ambiguities.
2.5.1 Applications of Schema Theory to ESL Reading
Carrell (1988b:245) in Stott (2010) lists numerous ways in which relevant
schemata may be constructed, including lectures, visual aids, demonstrations, reallife experiences, discussion, role-play, text previewing, introduction and
discussion of key vocabulary, and key-word/key-concept association activities.

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Examples of such contextualization include, for example, showing pictures of a
city before asking the students to read a text about that city, or playing a video clip
from a film adaptation of the novel the class is about to study. Although helpful,
these pre reading activities are probably not sufficient alone and teachers will
need to supply additional information.
2.6

Previous Study
In this research, there are some previous studies about reading

comprehension strategies. It can be seen on the table 1 follow:
No Researcher
1 Ansori
(2001)

2

Ferbasari
(2005)

3

Suramto
(2002)

Title
Investigated about
increasing student‟s
reading
comprehension
through SQ3R at
second semester of
English
Study
Program Universitas
Bengkulu

Result
The score of experimental was
72.50 and control group was 60.67
in the testing significant differences
was 22.30 and 10.29 the significant
different 0.5% and DF=60, t table
2.20,
t
obtained
was
5.96(5.96>2.20). it means that there
was a significant different between
the mean score of two groups. It is
can be conclude that SQ3R
technique gave significant effect on
student reading comprehension.
The
effect
of Jigsaw technique was the technique
thejigsaw technique that could be used in learning
toward
students‟ process,
because
of
its
reading
interdependence to get information
comprehension
from the text.
achievement
Investigated reading The result of the research described
strategies that are that there were 4 strategies, Catu
used by second year strategies skimming strategies,
students at SMUN 1 SQ3R strategies and selecting
Argamakmur.
strategies.

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2.6.1 Summary
From the data in the table above, there are 4 researchers who have
researched about reading comprehension. From the result, the researcher Ansori
(2001) found out the increasing of student reading‟ comprehension through SQ3R
at the second semester of English study program University of Bengkulu.
The researcher Ferbasari (2005) found out the Jigsaw technique was the
technique that could be used in learning process, because of its interdependence to
get information from the text.
And the last researcher Suramto (2002) found out reading comprehension
strategies those are used by second year student at SMUN 1 Argamakmur, those
are Catu strategy, Skimming strategy, SQ3R strategy, and the last selecting
strategy.
Based on the researcher result that had been done by some researchers
above, so it can be concluded that there are some strategies that can be applied in
teaching reading, especially reading comprehension such as SQ3R, Jigsaw
technique and the technique that will be used by the researcher is schema theory
technique. Through this technique the researcher hopes that the result will be
positive. It means that it can increase the students reading comprehension ability
in comprehending English test.

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CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHOD

This chapter discusses about (1) Research Design, (2) Population and
sample, (3) Research Instrument, (4) Procedure, (5) Data Collection and (6)
Analysis technique
1.1

Research Design
The design of this research was Quasi-experimental. Quasi-experimental

designs are similar to randomized experimental designs in that they
involvemanipulation of an independent variable but differ in that subjects are not
randomly assigned to treatment groups (Ary:2010:316). Experiment has two
criteria‟s: (1) there were at least two groups include in the study, a control group
and experiment group; and (2) the subjects were randomly assigned to one of
those groups.
In this research, the students were divided into two groups; they were
experimental group and control group. Each group had been treated by using
different treatments. In the experimental group the researcher taught by using
schema theory technique, while in the control group researcher taught without
schema theory technique. Before giving treatment the researcher gave pre-test
“reading test” to the two groups. The purpose of pre-test was to know do the two
groups have the same ability or not. After giving treatment to the two groups, the
researcher gave the post-test “reading test” to the two groups. It gave in order to
whether the using schema theory technique in experimental group was success or

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not in increasing the students‟ ability in reading and in control group without
applying schema theory.
Table 1. Table of Groups
Groups
Experimental group
Control group

Pre-test
Y1
Y1

Treatment
X1
X0

Post-test
Y2
Y2

Where:
Y1: pre-test
Y2: post-test
1.2

X1: using schema theory technique
Xo: without using schema theory technique

Population and Sample
1.2.1

Population

Population is the all members of any well defined class of people, event, or
objects (Ary: 2010:148). The population of this research was the fourth semester
students of English Study Program of Muhammadiyah University of Bengkulu.
They were 141 students. There were 5 classes; they were IVA, IVB. IVC, IVD,
and IVE as the table below:
Table 2 the Population Number
Classes

A

B

C

D

E

∑

Number of Student

30

33

32

25

21

141

Source: Taken From the English Study Program of Muhammadiyah university of Bengkulu 2011/2012.

27

1.2.2 Sample
Ary (2010:148) states sample is the small group that is observed. The
samples of this research were the students of class IV D consists of 25 students
and IV E consist of 21 students, the reason why did the researcher take these
classes because after the researcher did the pre-test, class IV D and class IV E
have same average score.
1.3 Instrument of the Research
The instrument used in the research was a reading test. According to
Sharon (2012) reading test is the process of observing and measuring learning.
Teacher evaluate a student‟s level of achievement and skill for the purpose of
supporting and improving students learning and the researcher chose a reading test
in order to know the students reading comprehension ability before and after
given treatments. There were 20 items that had beengiven far this test where it
was taken from 4 English texts (In Good Company by Ane Marie Dryton and
Charles Skidmore), test consisted of 20 items.
1.4 Data Collecting Technique
The researcher did the following steps in order to get the date:
a.

Administrating Pre-test
The researcher gave pre-test to the students in order to know the
students‟ preliminary reading ability of two classes before conducting
treatment.

28

b. Treatment
The treatment had been done four times. The researcher applied schema
theory technique in reading test for the experiment class and without
using schema theory technique for control class.
c.

Administrating Pos-test
The post test had been given after conducting the treatment four
meetings. Post- test had been given at the end of treatments in order to
know the increasing of their students‟ reading ability at two classes.

1.5 Research Procedure
In this research, to get the data the researcher used two groups:
experimental and control class. In teaching and learning process,
researcher taught by using different techniques, but with same amount of
time and the same materials.
1.5.1

Treatment for Experimental Class
1. Treatment 1
In this treatment the researcher taught the students by using schema
theory technique, with the following steps:
a. The researcher entered to the classroom and gave greeting
b. The researcher asked the students understanding about schema
theory
c. The researcher
students

explained about the schema theory to the

29

d. The researcher gave questions to build the students background
knowledge
e. The researcher gave English texts.
Topic: ANN LANDERS
1. The researcher asked the students to read the text.
2. The researcher gave 10 questions related to the topic which was
being discussed and the time was given only 20 minutes to answer
the questions
3. After the students finished in answering the questions, so the
researcher asked them to discuss their answer together in the class
in order to found out the correct answers.
2. Treatment II
a. The researcher entered to the classroom and gives greeting
b. The researcher took the picture in front of the class to build the
students background knowledge
c. The researcher gave English texts.
Topic: THE PROMISE
2. The researcher gave10 questions related to the topic which was
the questions

30

3. Treatment III
b. The researcher gave video in front of class to build the students
background knowledge
Topic: THE CHINESE HOROSCOPE
the questions
4. Treatment IV

31

b. The researcher did the realia in front of class to build the
students background knowledge
Topic: MR. FOX‟S BIRTHDAY
being discussed and the time was given only 20 minutes to
answer the questions
researcher asked them to discuss their answer together in the
class in order to found out the correct answers.
3.5.2

Control Class
In the control class the researcher gave the same topics with
experiment class but without using schema theory. It means that, the
researcher applied the common technique which was applied by reading
lecturer when teaching reading in the class room.
In this treatment the researcher had been done four times and
taught the students without using schema theory technique, with the
following steps:
a. The researcher entered to the classroom
b. The researcher gave greeting

32

Topic:
2. The researcher gave10 questions related to the topic which was
the questions
3. After the students finish in answering the questions, so the
3.5.3

Pos-Test
After the researcher gave the treatment to the experiment class, the
researcher gave the post-test to experiment and control class. The
purpose of post-test was to know the effect of schema theory technique in
their reading ability. In order to get data the researcher did the following
steps:
1. The researcher gave a post-test in experiment and control classes. The
topic of pest-test was the same in the pre-test. There were 20 items
had been given to the students in this test and the topics were used,
Ann Landers, The Promise, The Chinese Calendar, Mr. Fox‟s
Birthday. And the time given for the students to do test is only 60
minutes.
2. Then the researcher gave greeting to the students and explained about
reading test.

33

3. The researcher collected the data by using reading test to know the
students ability in reading IV subjects at Muhamadiyah university of
Bengkulu.
4. The researcher controlled while the students during the reading test.
5. The researcher used handy cam to take the picture and recorded the
activities to make the data more reliable.
6. After the students finished doing the test, so the researcher and
collected and corrected it.
3.6

Data Analysis Technique
1. After the researcher gave reading test in experiment and control classes:
the researcher classified the students‟ ability in reading based on the
score collected and corrected it.
2. The researcher gave the score for reading test by using key answer.
Then the researcher analyzed the result of reading test to know
student ability in reading subject for experimental through schema
theory technique and control class without schema theory.
3. The data of this researcher wastotal number of score wrote by students
in reading test based on schema theory which gave as treatment for the
experimental class, and the students score in control class and after get
the score, the researcher compares the two both groups :

34

The data was analyzing by using T-test formula:
T c=

Ary (2010: 172)
Note: Tc

= t-count

X1
X2

= mean score for control class

∑X1

= sum of students‟ score in experimental class

∑X2

= sum of students‟ score in control class

n1

= The number of the students in the experimental class

n2
3.7

= mean score for experimental class

= The number of the students in the control class

The Criteria of Scoring
To find out the description of students‟ reading comprehension, the

score of test had been analyzed by using formula:
Level of mastery =

x 100%

In determining the students‟ reading comprehension, the percentage an
interval criterion of ability was used. The criteria as below:

35

Table 3. The Percentage Interval Criteria of Ability (Rachmadie: 1986:14)
Interval

Qualification

90-100%
80-89%
70-79%
<70%

Very good
Good
Sufficient
Insufficient

36

CHAPTER IV
RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS

This chapter presents brief discussion of the pre-test result, treatment, the
post test result, analysis of pre-test and post-test and discussion.
4.1

Result
The population of this research was the fourth semester students of

English Study Program of Muhammadiyah University of Bengkulu in Academic
Year 2011/2012. The sample in this research was divided into two classes.They
were4D class as the experimental class (treatment with schema theory), and class
4E as the control class (without schema theory). The total number of the sample
was 46 students.The treatment was conducted from the 24th of May 2012- 6th of
June 2012 on fourth semester students‟ of English Study Program of
Muhammadiyah University of Bengkulu.
4.1.1 Description of the Pre-Test Result
The pre-test was conducted on the 24th of May 2012.The pre-test was
given before the treatment period to see the starting point of the experimental
class 4D and the control class 4E, and also it employed to know the students‟
ability before giving the treatment. The instrument used in getting the data of pretest was the item of essay reading comprehension, which consisted of 20 items.
In the experimental class the researcher used the schema theory as a
treatment while in the control class the researcher taught without using schema
theory. In the pre-test the researcher asked to students to answer the questions

35

37

based on the topic given. The topics are: Ann Landers, My Promise, Chinese
Horoscope, and Mr. Fox Birthday. The purpose of pre-test is to know the
students‟ problems in reading comprehension such as how to connect their idea
with past experience (background knowledge) and also thing.
The average scores of the pre-test of both groups were different.It can be
seen that in experimental class, the result shows that the total score was 903, and
the mean score was 36.12. Furthermore, in the experimental class the highest
score who gained by students was ≥ 50 for 1student and lowest score was ≤ 40 for
18students (In Appendix I).While in the control class, the result shows that the
total score was 1114, and then mean score was53.04. Furthermore, in the control
class the highest score who gained by students was ≥50 for 14students and the
lowest score was ≤ 40 for 1 student(In Appendix II).
The result of pre-test score of two classes showed that score of the
experimental class was 903, and the control class was 1114, the mean score of the
experimental class was 36.12 and the control class was 53.04. While
standarddeviations of two classes were 2.30and t calculation (t-count) of two
classes were 0. 25. The t count was consulted with the value of t-table in
significant 0.05 (5%) level and degree of freedom (df) was (25+21-2=44). The
value oft-table 44df0.05 (5%) level in two tailed was 2.0154. Thus, the t-count <
t-table (-7.35<2.0154).So, the conclusion that H0 is accepted and H1 is rejected.
In others words, there was no significant difference in pre-test between
experimental class and control class. It means that the students‟ ability was the
same grade they could be accepted as sample in this research.

38

4.1.2 Treatment
After giving the pre-test for the two classes, the researcher gave the
treatment for the experimental class. In teaching and learning process, the
researcher used schema theory in the experimental class while in the control class
did not give any treatment but only came and shared texts that had some questions
as the data. It meant that in the control class the researcher taught by using
lecturer method by giving text then explained the instructions for them to do, such
as; asking them to read the text for 15 minutes, asking them to answer related
questions on the text, asking them to submit their answer sheets, and asking them
to discuss the right answers of the questions that they had done before.
4.1.2.1 Experimental Class (by using schema theory)
Treatment I
The first treatment was conducted on 25thof May 2012. In this treatment
the researcher taught the students by using schema theory technique, with the
following steps: first, the researcher entered to the classroom and gave greeting.
Second, the researcher asked the students understanding about schema theory.
Third, the researcher explained about the schema theory to the students and the
researcher gave questions to build the students background knowledge then, the
researcher gave English texts with the topic: ANN LANDERS. Fourth, the
researcher asked the students to read the text and the researcher gave 10 questions
related to the topic which was being discussed and the time was given only 20
minutes to answer the questions. After the students finished in answering the

39

questions they were asked to submit it. Next, the researcher asked them to discuss
their answers together in the class in order to make them know the correct
answers. Based on the students‟ results, sothe researcher concluded that the
students did not really understand about the schema theory yet (see appendix III)
because some of them still answered by the wrong answers.
Treatment II
The second treatment was conducted on 26thof May 2012 at C15 building.
The steps that had been done by researcher during this treatment were; entered
and gave greeting. In building the background knowledge of the students that
related, the students were given a picture. Next the researcher gave English text
with the topic; “THE PROMISE”, shared the text which consisted of 10 essays to
the students after they had finished reading it by giving 20 minutes to answer the
essays and the researcher asked them to submit their test after they had finished
doing it. The test results that had been submitted by students were corrected at
home.The result showed that 50% students had understood about the reading text
and they looked so relax and enjoy during teaching and learning process (see in
Appendix IV).
Treatment III
On28thof May 2012 the researcher conducted the third treatment at B6
building. Atfirst step, the researcher entered and gave greeting for the students to
make them closed to the researcher. Asking students understanding about the
schema theory became the second step in this treatment. The third step was the

40

researcher gave video to build the background knowledge students that related to
the test. English texts with the topic:”CHINESE HOROSCHOPE” was given
then, asking them to read the text for 5 minutes.The fourth was sharing the text
which consisted of 10 essays to the students by giving 20 minutes to do the
questions. Finally, the researcher asked them to submit their paper after they had
finished in answering the questions. As usual both researcher and students discuss
the correct answers in order to make the students understood the correct answers
of the questions that they had done. As the result by using schema theory in this
treatment the researcher found that 70% students had understood about the
reading text and this matter can be seen from the students‟ answer sheets (see
Appendix V).
Treatment IV
The fourth or lasttreatment was conducted on 29thof May 2012. Entering
and giving greeting became the starting step in doing this treatment. Then,the
researcher gave the realia in building students‟ background knowledge. Next was
the researcher gave English text with the topic was”Mr. FOX‟SBIRTHDAY” to
read for 10 minutes. 10 essays were given after the students finished reading the
text where in doing this activity the students were only given 20 minutes to do the
questions.At last, the researcher asked them to submit their paper. Andthe answers
had been corrected at home. As the result by using schema theory in the treatment
the researcher found that 70% students had understood about the reading text it
can be seen from the students‟ answer sheets (see appendix VI).

41

4.1.2.2.Control Class (without using schema theory)
The researcher gave essays tothe control class on, 1st, 2nd, 4thand 5thof June
2012 where the steps were; first, the researcher entered to the classroom and the
researcher gave greeting. Then the researcher gave English texts with the same
topic as in experimental class. After that, the researcher asked the students to
read the text and the researcher gave 10 questions related to the topic which was
discussed and the time given was only 20 minutes to answer the questions. After,
the students finished answering the questions, so the researcher asked them to
discuss their answer together in the class in order to make them knew the correct
answers.And then, the researcher asked them to submit their test. After their tests
were submitted, the researcher corrected their tests. As the result without using
schema theory in the control class the researcher found that the mean score of the
students‟ score was 58.09without using schema theory was a little same to their
score in pre-test this was on the first day (1stJune 2012), whereas in the second
day (2nd June 2012) the mean score was 65.47, third meeting (4th June
2012)showed that the students‟ mean score was 77.14, and the last day 5th of
June 2012 showed the mean score was 57.85. (See Appendix VII). In the last
day, the mean score of control class underwent decreasing that was because of
some students did not answer the questions seriously.
4.1.3 Description of the Post-Test Result
The post- test was conducted on 6th of June 2012. After the researcher had
done the treatment to the experimental class by using schema theory, the post-test
was given at the end of the treatment period to the experimental class and the

42

control class. In the experiment class the researcher still explained about schema
theory to make the students focused what to do. The topic of post-test was the
same in the pre-test. There were 20 items had been given to the students in this
test and the topics were used, Ann Landers, The Promise, The Chinese
Horoscope, Mr. Fox‟s Birthday. And the time given for the students to do test was
only 60 minutes. Where, the steps were; the researcher gave greeting to the
students and explained about reading text. And thenthe researcher collected the
data by using reading test to know the students ability in reading IV subjects at
Muhamadiyah university of Bengkulu.The researcher controlled while the
students during the reading test.The researcher used handy cam to take the picture
and recorded the activities to make the data more reliable. After the students
finished doing the test, so the researcher and collected and corrected it at home.
Whereas in the control class, the researcher only came to the classroom, gave
greeting and gave the test directly.
The result of post-test in experimental class was different with the pre-test
score, it can be seen that the total score in pre-test result was 903, whereas in posttest was 2063 and the mean score in pre-test result 36.12 and post test was 82.52.
As compared the total score of the pre-test and post-test increased 1160, and the
mean score of pre-test and post test increased 46. 4. Furthermore, in pre-test result
there was 1 student who gained the score >50, it means that the students in pretest who gained the high score were5% and the lowest scores 95%, while in the
post-test result, there were 25students who gained the score >50, it means that the
students in post-test who gained the high score were 100%. Comparing the high

43

score of the pre-test to the post-test increase 100%, it can be concluded that there
was a significant difference between the result of pre-test and post-test scores, it
means that the treatment gave the effect to the experimental class (In Appendix
VIII)
The post-test of the control class shows that the total score was 1352,
while in the pre test was 1114and the mean score of the post-test increase 11. 34.
Further, in the pre-testthere were 14 students who gained the score ≥50. It meant
that, the studentsin pre-test who got the high score was66.6%, while33.4%
students get low score. The table shows that in post-test result there were 13
students gained the score ≥65. It means that the students in post test who got the
high score was 61.90% and the low score were 38.1%. It can conclude that there
was no difference between the result of pre-test and post test score ofthe students
control class. In other word, both pre-test and post-test scores were the
similarly.(In Appendix IX).
The average difference between the pre-test and post-test for the
experimental class.
Post-test

Pre-test

Gain

Total score

2063

903

1160

Mean score

82.52

36.12

46. 4

t-count

6. 29

-7.35

44

The average scores between the pre-test and post-test were compared to as
certain that the treatment produced a greater change to the experimental class, it
can be seen that the total score pre-test result was 903, while in post-test result
was 2063, and the mean score in pre-test result was 36.12, while in the post-test
82.52. As compared to the total score, so the pre-test increase 1160, the mean
score increase 46.4. Besides that the result of t-calculation (t-count) in pre-test
was (-7.35) while in post-test result was 6.29. As comparedthe t-calculation of the
post-test (13, 68) was consulted with the value of t-table in significant 0.05(5
percentage level) and degree freedom (df) was (46-2=44). The value of t-table 44
df 0.05 (5%) in two-tailed was 2.021. So t-count >t-table (6.29>2.0154), it means
there was significant difference between pre-test and post-test result.
Consequently the alternative hypothesis (H1) was accepted and null hypothesis
(H0) was rejected. In conclusion the hypothesis “There is an effect of schema
theory on students reading comprehension” was statistically acceptable or the
research hypothesis was accepted (The Calculation in Appendix X)
4.2 Discussion
On the basis of the result in this research, it was found that the teaching
English by using schema theory helped the students to build background
knowledge in reading comprehension. Schema theory is vital to develop
comprehension in reading (Hattenet all: 2010) and according to Anderson et al
(1997:369) in (Carrell and Eisterhold: 1983)“every act of comprehension involves
one’s knowledge of the world as well”.

45

Before the researcher implementing schema theory as a technique in order
to increase the students‟ reading comprehension, the researcher gave the two
groups‟ pre-test to see the score of both groups. From the pre-test score it was
known that there was significant difference between the two groups. In
experimental class, the result showed that the total score was 903, and the mean
score was 36.12 and highest score who gained by students were ≥ 50 for
1 students and lowest score was ≤ 40 for 18 students. While in the control class,
the result showed that the total score was 1114, and then mean score was 53.04
and the highest score who gained by students was ≥50 for 14 students and the
lowest score was ≤ 40 for 1 student. It means that the students‟ reading
comprehension was still limited and very poor.
In experimental class, at first treatment was conducted on 25thof May
2012. In this treatment the researcher taught the students by using schema theory
technique by giving questions to build the students‟ background knowledge. In
teaching process the studentslooked unhappy and some other students looked
confused because it was the first meeting and also they need to adapt themselves
with the teaching and learning process by using schema theory technique.Ministry
of Educational (2009) stated that adaptations are teaching and assessment
strategies especially designed to accommodate a student‟s needs so he or she can
achieve the learning outcomes of the subject or course and to demonstrate mastery
of concepts. Essentially, adaptations are “best practice” in teaching. A student
working on learning outcomes of any grade or course level may be supported

46

through use of adaptations and Joyce et al (1972) says that the students will be
easy to remember something if they pay attention on it
The second treatment was conducted on 26th of May 2012. The researcher
gave the picture to build the background knowledge students that related to the
test. In teaching process the students‟ looked happy but some other students still
looked confused. It can be seen by the students‟ positive respond; unfortunately
the scores of their task were still low. It might be caused by less motivation,
attention and also student problem solving in familiar and unfamiliar of text. (Din:
2008) motivation is the heart of teaching and learning process.
The third treatment was conducted on 28th of May 2012. The researcher
gave the video to build the background knowledge students that related to the test.
The students‟result of the task was good. The students‟ did not have problems
with reading comprehension and enjoyable with the video. It might be caused by
the students were familiar with the text and know how to answer the question
based on the texts and also they can relationship between a text and the
interpreter‟s background knowledge. According Snell (2006), meanings are
constructed in the interaction between a text and the interpreter‟s background
knowledge
The fourth treatment was conducted on 29th May 2012. The researcher
gave the realia to build the students background knowledge that related to the test.
In this treatment the student‟s result of the task was very good. The students‟ did
not have problems with reading comprehension after their background knowledge
stimulated. It was because the students were familiar with the text and know how

47

to answer the question based on the texts. So, the students shared their knowledge
or their idea and made the teaching process was active.Actively engaging students
motivates deeper thinking about course content, brings additional energy to a
classroom,

and

helps

an

instructor

pin

point

problem

areas(http://www.crlt.umich.edu/tstrategies/tsal.php).
Meanwhile, in the control class the researcher gave the same topics with
experimental class without using schema theory. It meant that, the researcher
applied the common technique which was applied by the lecturer when teaching
reading in the classroom. The researcher came to this class also for 4 times, and
from the result of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4thtreatments. Where for the first treatment the
researcher came to the classroom, gave greeting, gave the text to read for 15
minutes, and asked the students to answer the questions. All steps that the
researcher did in the treatment of control class were the same. The result of first
treatment in this class was 58.09, the second treatment was 65.47, the third
treatment was 77.14, and the last was 57.85. In control class the students had less
motivation in learning of reading.It might be caused by the students answered the
questions individually without sharing their background knowledge to other
students and also some of them did not do the test seriously, so that in the last
meeting the result was decreased. Pow (2006) Said that a systematic presentation
of teaching experiencein the form of a model can facilitate the sharing of teaching
experience with others bysupporting reflection on key elements within their
practice and applying a formal model to teaching experience sharingand to
develop this model in a participative way is innovative.

48

After doing four times treatments in the experimental class and taught four
times in the control class, so the researcher did post test. The post- test was
conducted on 6th of June 2012.There were significant differences of scores
between experimental class and control class where in experimental class score in
post-test was 2063 and the mean score post test was 82.52. The post-test result,
there were 25 students who gained the score

50, it meant that the students in

post-test who gained the high score were 100%, and the low scores were 0%. It
showed that schema theory was interesting technique to build their background
knowledge and also made them enjoyable in learning the reading comprehension
and they also felt more confident to answer the questions.While the post-test of
the control class showed that the total score was 1352, the mean score of the posttest increase 11.35. In post-test result there were 13 students gained the score ≥
65. It means that the students in post test who got the high score was 66.6% and
the low score was 33.4%. It can be concluded that there was no difference
between the result of pre-test and post test score of the students control class. In
other word, both pre test and post-test scores were the similarly.
Based on the discussion above, schema theory is one of techniques to
build students background knowledge. As stated by Rumelhart (1980), schemata
can represent knowledge at all levels-from ideologies and cultural truths to
knowledge about the meaning of a particular word, to knowledge about what
patterns of excitations are associated with what letters of the alphabet. We have
schemata to represent all levels of our experience, at all levels of abstraction.
Finally, our schemata are our knowledge. All of our generic knowledge is

49

embedded in schemata. (p. 41). It showed by the scores of students who taught
through schema theory was better than the students who were taught without it.
The researcher found the mean score in the experimental group was 82.52 while
the mean score in the control group was 64.38. The score indicates that the
difference between the means was significant at 5 % level and 44df (t count = and
6.29, t-table = 2.0154; t count

t table).

At the end of this research, the researcher can conclude that the alternative
hypothesis was accepted and the null hypothesis was rejected. In conclusion, the
schema theory has a positive effect to increase students‟ reading comprehension.

50

CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

This chapter presents brief the conclusion and suggestions based on the
finding of the research.
5.1

Conclusion
The result of this research reveals that the schema theory treatments

worked well and gave positive effect on reading comprehension of the fourth
semester students‟ of English Study Program of Muhammadiyah University of
Bengkulu. It was because schema theory did not only build the reading
comprehension and background knowledge of the students but also can increase
their interest and help students build the prerequisite knowledge, or remind them
of what they already know before introducing new material. From the result of
research, the researcher found the mean score in the experimental group was 82,
52 while the mean score in the control group was 64, 38. The score indicates that

the difference between the means was significant at 5 % level and 44df (t count
=and 6.29 t-table = 2.0154; t count

t table).It meant that there was significance

difference between the experimental class and control class.It showed that the
Alternative Hypothesis (H1) was accepted and Null Hypothesis (Ho) was rejected.
Therefore, it could be concluded there is a positive effect of schema theory on
fourth semester students of English Study Program of Muhammadiyah University
of Bengkulu in Academic Year 2011/2012.

51

5.2

Suggestions
After doing the research, the researcher would like to give the following

suggestion for:
1. Lecturers
It is suggested for who teach reading subject to use schema theory as
one of alternative techniques in teaching reading because schema
theory can increase the students‟ motivation and ability in learning.
2. The students
Schema theory can be used to motivate the students in reading skill
especially in improving their reading comprehension skill.
3. Further researchers
Further researchers are hoped to do research with the other reading
strategies, such as pre-questioning, SQ3R method. This research can
also be one of references for other researchers.

52

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Anderson and Pearson. 1987. “A Schema Theory view of Basic Process in
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Ansori. 2001. Investigated About Increasing Students Reading Comprehension
Through SQ3R at Second Semester of English Study Program University
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Ary, Donald. 2010. Introducing to Research in Education Eighth Edition. United
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Teachers.
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Language Pedagogy. Person Education Company.
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