Journal of Excellence in English Language Education

Volume 2 No. 1 (2023) ISSN: 2829-4394 (Online)

Teachers’ Strategies in Teaching Reading

Comprehension to the Second-Grade Students
of Senior High School
Anggi Oktavia Nur Hs1, Kisman Salija2, Munir3*

1,2,3
English Education Department, State University of Makassar, Indonesia
*Corresponding E-mail: munir@unm.ac.id

Abstract
The purpose of this study is to find out teacher strategies in teaching reading comprehension at SMAN 2 Jeneponto.
Based on the research problem, it is evident that the purpose of this study is to describe the tactics employed by
English teachers in teaching English to second-grade students at Senior High School 2 Jeneponto. This study is
descriptive qualitative. Observation interviews and documentation were used to compile the data. The tactics for
improving students' reading skills were based on Jeremy Harmer's premise of teaching reading: "Reading is not a
passive ability; students must be involved with what they are reading." And the students' reactions are positive, with
the majority of them finding the teaching reading skills to be enjoyable and interesting. This research shows that
teachers employ many teaching strategies in teaching reading comprehension, including scaffolding and the QAR
strategy. According to this study, those tactics are beneficial in teaching reading comprehension since they can aid
students in understanding the material. Students who struggle with reading will find it easier to grasp reading
comprehension. The teacher can more readily give the material to the students when they utilize this technique.
Because the students are more engaged, those tactics can benefit the teacher. Students can also discuss their ideas
with their friends.

Keywords: Teacher Strategies, Teaching, Reading Comprehension.

1. Introduction Reading learning takes priority. However, the

Reading is one of the linguistic abilities that are
essential for learning a foreign language.
Among the four other language skills, reading
is a productive talent. It is supported by
Vassiliou’s statement (2011:7) that reading is
a fundamental skill which increasingly needed
in almost every sphere of life as the written
word is present everywhere. In addition,
reading skill is always present in every
learning theme as contained in the school
syllabus. Sukrawan (2012) states based on his
observation and experience as an English
teacher, 70 percent of the national final exam
is a reading ability test.
problem faced by students is their lack of
reading comprehension. It was backed up by
Hasibuan’s (2017) reports in her journal that
the majority of students still received a poor
score of roughly 70 in English, particularly in
reading comprehension. The reasons for this
are that students were uninterested in reading,
did not comprehend the text properly, and
wasted time looking up the meaning in a
dictionary. Finally, the majority of the kids
were unable to comprehend what they were
reading.
One of the cornerstones of the act of reading is
reading comprehension. At the same time, the

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 Teachers’ Strategies in Teaching Reading Comprehension to The Second Grade Students of Senior High School
person is using his awareness and
comprehension of phonemes (language's
specific sound "components"), phonics (the
relationship between sounds, letters, and
words), and ability to comprehend or generate
meaning from the text. Students' ability to
generate and comprehend spoken and written
language is the purpose of teaching and
learning. Some people consider that someone
who can speak successfully in English is a
successful English learner. They do not realize
that a good English learner is fluent in all facets
of the language. The majority of Indonesian
teachers experience difficulties in the
classroom, one of which is the use of tactics.
In the classroom, a variety of reading tactics
have been used to make the situation more
enjoyable. What needs to be considered right
now is how knowledge is conveyed. As we all
know, teacher-centered techniques in
traditional classrooms do not produce active
students and result in language learning that is
calcified. It is insufficiently effective in
promoting language acquisition. Arrafi (2019),
states through great reading instruction,
teachers help each student in the classroom
become a fluent and successful reader.
Teachers who are effective use some strategies
and procedures. However, to address the needs
and learning styles of each student in the
classroom, the teacher can employ a variety of
strategies and skills.
Based on informal interviews with an English
teacher and a second-grade student at SMA
Negeri 2 Jeneponto. Students had trouble
grasping comprehension. Because most
students lack vocabulary, finding the meaning
of words and percipient words is difficult for
them. They also have difficulty
comprehending the contents of the text.
Students cannot understand what they are
reading since they don't know how to apply
reading skills like skimming and scanning.
Students must pay attention to how they read
and what they can do to increase their
comprehension of a text, one of which is to
establish a reading comprehension strategy. It
was established that strategy is highly
important in the teaching and learning process
based on the problem outlined above.
Furthermore, the teacher's technique is one of
the most important aspects in determining the
success of reading instruction. By doing this
study, the researchers hoped to learn more
about teacher's strategies in teaching reading
comprehension to senior high school second
grade students to analyze English teacher
tactics, the researchers must first determine
which methods are employed by English
teachers and how they are implemented in the
classroom.
2. Literature Review
2. 1. The Concept of Reading
Comprehension
Reading comprehension is a difficult ability
that necessitates the reader's active
engagement with the material. The interpretive
interplay between what the reader learns from
the text and what the reader already knows
helps the reader make sense of how the book's
concepts interact. The statement implies that
understanding is the most important
component of reading. Because the goal of
reading is to comprehend the information.
Comprehension mechanisms must be
understood to study reading.
According to McNeil (2012), comprehension
is the process of making sense of a text. From
an interaction aspect, reading comprehension
is absorbing knowledge from context and
synthesizing disparate pieces into a new whole.
Reading, according to Cahyono (2011), is
defined as the flow of means quickly extracting
the desired information from a transcription.
2. 2. Teaching Reading Comprehension
Strategies, according to Brown (2007: 119),
are unique techniques of approaching
challenges or task modes of operation for
accomplishing a specific purpose, planned
design for regulating and manipulating certain
information. Based on the explanation above,
this means that the teacher’s techniques are
based on the method’s implementation
approach. The instructor can also use this
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Volume 2 No. 1 (2023)
strategy to plan what content to utilize and how
to teach to be successful in the learning process.
Reading is considered an interaction activity
between language and the mind from a
psychological standpoint. Pre-reading
activities, reading activities, and post-reading
activities are all included in the reading class
activities (Mukhroji, 2011).
A teacher, according to Mufarokah (2013:1), is
one of the members of the educational staff
who bears considerable professional-
pedagogical responsibility in the learning
process for the success of education,
particularly for the future success of their
students. But if it is linked to teaching and
learning, Ahmadio and Prasety (2007:11)
stated methods will be understood as a general
pattern of student activities within the
realization of teaching and learning to attain
the goals printed. According to Vacca & Vacca
(1999;53), there are some ways for teaching
reading comprehension; scaffolding, think-
aloud, reciprocal teaching, Question-Answer
Relationship (QARs), KWL, and SQ4R.
3. Research Methodology
This research used a descriptive qualitative
research method. Descriptive qualitative study
is concerned with the accumulation,
elaboration and interpretation of understanding
which is presented in narrative and visual data
to obtain such a concept about certain
interesting phenomena (Gay, Geoffrey, &
Peter, 2012). The research method is an
important aspect of research. Based on the
research problem, it is evident that the goal of
this study is to characterize the techniques
employed by the participants. English teacher
in teaching reading comprehension to second-
grade students in Senior High School.
It may be inferred that descriptive qualitative
is the process of analyzing descriptive data
acquired in the field. Using descriptive
qualitative, the researchers can learn about the
teacher's tactics for teaching reading
comprehension. to the second-grade students
at Senior High School 2 of Jeneponto. The
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Journal of Excellence in English Language Education
ISSN: 2829-4394 (Online)
research was about an Analysis of the English
teacher strategies in teaching reading
comprehension in the second grade of junior
high school 2 Jeneponto. Cluster sampling was
used in this study to determine how to identify
a research object depending on an individual's
characteristics. In this situation, the research
subject was a senior high school teacher,
especially an English teacher in second grade
and the students of Senior High School 2 of
Jeneponto.
A research instrument is a tool or facility that
is used by a researcher to collect data so that
the result of the research was better, more
accurate, complete and systematic. An
instrument could be a form of observation
checklist, questionnaire, interview guide, and
test. In this research, the researchers used
observation and interviews.
4. Findings and Discussions
The researcher’s findings consist of a
description of the data found in the research
field including the answer of the teacher's
tactics in teaching reading comprehension to
senior high school second-grade students were
included in the research question. The
researchers discovered that the teacher
employed two strategies: scaffolding and
QARs (Question, Answer Relationships). The
teacher employed this method since the student
was aware of the text's significance and
comprehension.
4. 1. Scaffolding
The first strategy that the teacher used was
scaffolding. The scaffolding strategy was used
by teachers when students encountered
difficulties, and teachers needed to provide
tailored help to the needs of the students. For
example, in the classroom, the teacher assisted
students in learning how to read the text
correctly. Scaffolding taught students how to
read properly and then told them to read the
text; however, when the students noted words
in the text, the teacher assisted them and also
questioned the students about which words in
 Teachers’ Strategies in Teaching Reading Comprehension to The Second Grade Students of Senior High School
the text they did not know. And with these
tactics, pupils were anticipated to be able to
read and adapt their reading styles by British
and American standards, allowing them to
repeat the process, such as by asking the
question, using simple language, using visual
media, using gestures, and generating
questions.
4. 2. The Implementation of Scaffolding in
Teaching Reading Comprehension English
Teacher of Senior High School
To teach reading comprehension, five types of
scaffolding were used. They were asking
questions, using basic language, utilizing
visual media, employing gestures, and
generating questions. The following are the
four steps in implementing those scaffolding
techniques in teaching reading comprehension:
4. 2. 1. Text Selection
During this phase, the instructor chose the
appropriate text to utilize in teaching reading
comprehension, taking into account the text's
difficulty, age appropriateness, and language
complexity. The teacher should choose a text
that engaged pupils to the maximum extent
possible, assisting them in comprehending the
material. During this phase, the teacher began
to inform the students about the types of
material that were covered in the book.
4. 2. 2. Text Orientation
Text orientation is the phase in which the
teacher offered the students an overview of the
text. The overview offered information about
the text's major theme, genre, and author's
position. Because the goal of reading was to
grasp the author's intention in communicating
with the readers, this practice was critical in
assisting pupils in comprehending the text. The
teacher then moved on to the pre-test phase.
4. 2. 3. Aural Orientation
In this phase, the teacher gave the students a
more in-depth understanding of the text by
reading it again. Its goal was to provide a
model for children on how to read fluently by
allowing them to hear the text's rhythm. It was
beneficial to assist them in being more focused
and enjoying the lesson. It also aided students
in gaining a deeper grasp of the book, as they
received the knowledge of basic components
of the text in the previous phase.
4. 2. 4. Language Orientation
This phase focuses more on the language
characteristics of the author. It is beneficial in
having a better comprehension of the author's
language. It is possible that studying the
language will aid the pupils' learning by
providing them with appropriate instruction
reading techniques. Finding unfamiliar
terminology is an example of this behavior.
This activity demonstrates that the text
contains not only common terms but also some
unusual ones. It should be noted that the
author's language is pretty challenging.
The teacher opted to translate the material after
learning that it contained some unknown
words. The teacher used a scaffolding method
known as generating questions in this
assignment. In this case, students posed the
question by writing unknown terms on the
board, which they then answered by looking up
the definitions. The ability to compose a
question after reading a text and then answer it
independently is referred to as question
generation.
4. 3. Question Answer Relationship (QARs)
and Implementation in Teaching Reading
Comprehension
The findings of the research were discovered
in the field through observation and interviews.
It had something to do with the question-
answer interaction that teachers utilize when
teaching reading comprehension in SMA
Negeri 2 Jeneponto. The researchers obtained
some data after looking into the question-
answer interaction employed by teachers when
teaching reading. The research findings are
summarized in the next paragraphs. Giving the
proper questions, thinking and searching
inquiries, integrating with experience, and on
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 Journal of Excellence in English Language Education
Volume 2 No. 1 (2023) ISSN: 2829-4394 (Online)

my own were the four tactics utilized by the respond to her question. He gave students 5-10
teacher in teaching. The teacher employed all seconds to reflect and craft responses. If
of the tactics to effectively teach reading students did not offer to answer before 5
comprehension since students could readily seconds had passed, the number of students
understand the information when they were who volunteered to answer would grow.
given a question-answer relationship. When
students worked in groups, they were able to 4. 3. 2. Thinking and Search Question
comprehend the material. They talked with
their peers and completed the module task The teacher required pupils to consider how
from the textbook. The students were first ideas from the text may be applied in this
invited to read and narrate the narrative in frontstrategy. Students would have to go back over
of the class. It was also utilized to determine the section and figure out what the major idea
their comprehension of the text. When the is, which relates to how the material or ideas fit
students still did not get it, the teacher would together. If the students were unsure about the
explain it again or three times before moving meaning of the material, the teacher advised
on to the next topic. The teacher should also them to consult a dictionary. The teacher did it
know the student well enough to comprehend to assist the children in becoming autonomous
the subject that the teacher is teaching so that learners. When the student has found the key
the student can gain a thorough understanding idea and difficult terms, they can do this task
of the subject. It can be seen in the following not only at school but also at home. Initially,
explanation. the teacher instructed the students on how to
apply what they discovered in a dictionary to
4. 3. 1. Giving the Right Question transform the meaning they discovered into
something practical. Students may be
The teacher utilized this method frequently, perplexed by numerous definitions of the same
and the terms used in the question were often word at first, but they will eventually become
the same words used in the text. Students were accustomed to doing so on their own. The
expected to return to the passage and find the pupils were able to deduce the meaning,
correct information to answer the questions, spelling, and pronunciation of the vocabulary
which may be found somewhere in the passage. from these methods.
The teacher had done a good job of preparing
for the class. He came up with a list of According to the above interview, students are
questions that he would ask students. That was more engaged in asking questions that they do
used to ensure that the learning process ran not understand. Also, for making the workout
well, and he also anticipated the response if easier to complete. In addition to the stories
pupils inquired about the prior lecture. It aided from the textbooks, the teacher occasionally
the teacher in raising student interest and provided supplementary materials. The
encouraging active learning. The goal is set by teachers projected the short story on the LCD
the teacher, who asks pupils to explain why projector for all of the pupils to see. One
they answered the way they did. Because student was in charge of reading, while others
students frequently did not react, the teacher read silently while listening to their classmates.
did not ask more than one question at a time. It To test their comprehension, the teachers asked
was because they couldn't figure out which other pupils to recount the narrative on their
question the teacher wanted them to respond to. terms. Reading, listening, and speaking were
Asking questions throughout the lesson would all incorporated into this activity. Furthermore,
not only make it more participatory, but it grammar at the same time creates correct and
would also allow the teacher to assess and intelligible dialogue. The professors then
enhance student learning. The teacher would asked the students other evaluation questions,
use this method to increase student such as the moral message of the story as
understanding by waiting for the kids to perceived by the student.

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 Teachers’ Strategies in Teaching Reading Comprehension to The Second Grade Students of Senior High School

4. 3. 3. On My Own kids. The pupils then read the story from their
textbook and do the teacher's tasks. The
The teacher utilized this approach to determine teacher would occasionally ask the pupils to
whether or not the students understood the text complete worksheets, perform a performance,
after they had read it. These questions did not and so on. The professors would wander about
need the student to read the passage, but he or the students while they were reading and
she had to answer the question based on their debating with their peers, stopping by each
background or prior knowledge. Students' group to check on their progress and offer
background knowledge about a topic could be assistance. "Do you have any questions or have
used to answer these questions. On My Own, you understood?" the teacher questioned her
questions often include the words like In Your pupil in the third observation. The teacher went
Opinion, based on your experience, and did not over those questions again before continuing
require pupils to refer to the passage. Consider his lesson. Students can participate in
someone or something you know. He believed agree/disagree conversations using this
that by reading the book, students would be method.
able to expand their experiences with the texts
they read, making it easier for them to absorb The students acknowledged their talents and
and extract information from them. The tried to improve them as a result of this method
teacher also inquired about the vocabulary that of grouping based on competence level.
the kids had memorized, because repetition Lower-level pupils were inspired to succeed
should be spaced out over time. As a result, for after seeing their peers succeed at higher levels.
children to remember the words you teach The pupils were divided into three groups
them, they must use them again. It means that based on their skill level: elementary,
the teacher should make the pupils enjoy their intermediate, and advanced. The students were
learning in class so that they would pay divided into groups based on their level of
attention to the teacher. She also permitted proficiency. It made it easier for the teacher to
students to skim or scan the book depending on choose things for them. The teacher would
their interests, because he believed that if have been torn between giving the more
pupils had a large vocabulary in their heads, it challenging or simpler materials if they hadn't
would be easier for them to comprehend the been divided into groups based on their skill
texts. Students should memorize five words levels. Making them based on their talents, as
and their meanings at each meeting. They seen in the quotations above, was a key step in
retain the words from the passages they have enhancing the kids' abilities and designing the
read. The students had ten vocabularies to materials. When the reading text was easier,
learn in a week, which were called out one by such as short stories for intermediate students,
one by the teacher. but the reading text was more difficult for
novice students, such as a daily activity text.
4. 3. 4. Working in the Group Discussion Because the students' levels of proficiency
differed, the materials they were provided
Students would finish their tasks in small differed as well. The goal of grouping the
groups using this technique. Students worked students, according to the English teacher, was
as a team to not only study the subject but also to improve all of the students' English skills.
to help each other grasp it because cooperation This goal was similar to the goal of
is an effective way to learn and improve. The Cooperative Learning, which is to raise all
exercise's success hinges on their collaboration. student’s achievement.
Every kid would have texts and would have
good communication with all group members, 4. 3. 5. Combining with Experience
and they would need to practice
communicating positively. According to the In this method, the teacher invited the students
data, the teacher would generally begin to blend their prior knowledge with their
distributing the five different materials to the personal experiences to further their grasp of

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Volume 2 No. 1 (2023)
the content presented by the teacher. These
questions were based on textual information,
but students were required to link it to their
own experiences. Although the answer was not
immediately in the text, the student had to read
it to respond to the question. Undirected
questions ask students to answer the question
using thoughts and knowledge not directly
expressed in the chapter. Students were asked
to consider what they had read and formulate
their ideas or opinions in response to these
questions. Teachers should allow their students
to respond to the exercise using their own
experiences, as this will aid them in fully
comprehending the text. If they came across a
tale or cases that were similar to their own, they
would speak in English for more than three
minutes. It provided an opportunity for them to
practice their English. In this situation, the
teacher had planned ahead of time what types
of texts would be taught. It was simple stories
that were employed there, and they decided
which stories were new, or difficult to
understand, and offered them before the
reading exercise. During reading, the teacher
encouraged the students to read the material
aloud. The teacher described what the text was
about after it was read. He went over the new
information with the students before asking
them to answer questions on the reading text.
The kids' new knowledge and information
could be increased as a result of this activity.
As a result, it provided them with additional
information. This practice also assisted the
teacher in managing the class rather than
simply sitting in front of them.
The teacher instructed the students in their
groups to read and comprehend the text. It
began with the first group and then moved on
to the next. The teacher requested the students
to speak in Bahasa Indonesia to debate and
explain the story from the text. The teacher, as
well as the students, employed the Indonesian
language to convey the story, as evidenced by
the artwork. When the teacher asked the
students to work in groups, they were able to
comprehend the texts. They had conversations
with their peers and completed the exercises in
the textbook or module. The teacher first
26
Journal of Excellence in English Language Education
ISSN: 2829-4394 (Online)
requested the students to read and narrate the
story in front of the class, blending their
knowledge with their personal experiences. It
was also utilized to determine their
comprehension of the text.
5. Conclusion
The following conclusion was proposed based
on the research findings and discussion in the
previous chapter. The tactics employed by the
teacher in the classroom to teach reading
comprehension in SMAN 2 Jeneponto are the
Scaffolding approach and QARs (Question-
Answer Relationships). Teachers utilized these
tactics to help students grasp the reading text
and to direct them to focus more on the text.
Teachers could also assist students in
developing the meaning included in the
reading text so that they could understand the
contents of the reading more readily. Based on
the information above, it can be inferred that
English teachers employ five different
scaffolding approaches at SMAN 2 Jeneponto
to teach reading comprehension, students
should ask questions, use plain language, use
visuals, use gestures, and generate questions.
The teacher uses four phases to implement
these scaffolding techniques: text selection,
text orientation, aural orientation, and
language orientation. The pupils respond
positively to the use of scaffolding in reading
comprehension instruction. They claim that the
teacher's assistance in teaching and acquiring
reading comprehension is critical in assisting
them in achieving better levels of
comprehension. Scaffolding helps anticipate
problems that students will confront and in
reducing students' confusion after an issue has
arisen. Scaffolding also allows the instructor to
adjust or improve learning activities when the
teacher has identified a problem that needs to
be addressed. As a result, scaffolding should be
used as a teaching approach in the teaching of
reading comprehension for those reasons.
 Teachers’ Strategies in Teaching Reading Comprehension to The Second Grade Students of Senior High School

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