Using SQ4R to Improve Students’ Reading Comprehension in Vocational High School

This study intends to enhance the first semester comprehension skills of Class X TKJ students at SMK Nagara Kedunggalar using the SQ4R approach. Action research in the classroom is used in the study. Only one cycle of three sessions was used for the research. Participants in the study include the author, an English teacher, and 26 TKJ students in the tenth grade from SMK Nagara Kedunggalar. Both qualitative and quantitative data are present in this study. The qualitative information was gathered through student and English teacher interviews, as well as observation of the teaching and learning process. The results of the pre- and post-tests for reading comprehension are used to generate the quantitative statistics. The three action research methodologies are used to conduct the study in a methodical manner. They include preparation, execution, observation, and reflection. The pupils must meet five benchmarks, including the ability to identify the main concept of a narrative work, identify references and vocabulary, and create a conclusion or summary. Additionally, the students' interest and participation can be increased by using the SQ4R approach. The majority of students are able to get past whatever issues they may have with the signs. According to the advancement of the mean value of the students' pre-test and post-test scores, the implementation of the SQ4R approach can improve the students' reading ability. Their post-test scores had a mean value of 83 while their pre-test scores had a mean value of 39. This accomplishment demonstrates how the SQ4R approach can help pupils' reading comprehension skills.


INTRODUCTION
Students' moral principles, critical thinking skills, and creativity can all be enhanced by reading proficiency. This demonstrates the significance of reading comprehension as one of the language proficiency standards that must be met at every educational level. Reading comprehension is the cornerstone of teaching other disciplines as well as Indonesian. The ultimate purpose of reading is to comprehend the subject matter. Reading comprehension, according to Dalman (2013:87), is cognitive reading (reading for understanding).
Gaining understanding is the primary goal of reading comprehension (Somadayo, 2011:11;Domingo & Aguillon, 2021). Reading comprehension is the process of understanding what you have read by: 1) being able to understand the words and expressions the author uses, 2) Mahastu, et al. Using SQ4R to Improve Students' Reading Comprehension in Vocational High School being able to understand both the explicit and implied meaning, and 3) being able to draw inferences.
SQ4R is a technique created specifically for use with narrative and explanatory texts (Epcacan, 2009;2016). It started out as the SQ3R approach. After Applegate et al. added the reflect step, it became SQ4R. (1994). This technique consists of six steps, with survey being the first. The learner initially looks at the text heading, the author, and the publication date during the Survey step. then quickly scans the headline, subheadings, graphics, bold, and italicized text. The pupils then read the opening and closing sentences of each paragraph. The next is a question. The learner now prepares inquiries that the text can respond to. The "who, what, where, why, and how" questions are used to prepare the questions (Gozniczak, 2007:48). Read the third. The pupil reads the text slowly at this point. During the reading stage, the student may highlight the passages that contain answers or provide vocal or nonverbal responses to the questions posed (Gozniczak, 2007:48;Epcacan, 2009:216). Reflect is the fourth step. The learner now summarizes the book and provides written or verbal responses to questions posed following the reading stage. When answering the questions, care should be taken to avoid using the textbook (Epcacan, 2009:261). Recite is fifth. At this point, the student assesses their comprehension of the material they have read and rereads the text, pausing at each question to review and correct their conceptualization of the material. The student is compelled to take part in the recital process first-hand during this stage (Carter, 2011:13). The sixth is a review. After completing the aforementioned procedures, the student summarizes the reading material, provides answers to any questions they had trouble understanding or remembering, and goes over the reading text once more (Epcacan, 2009:261). For the reader to learn, this step compels them to engage in the repetition and recital process (Carter, 2011:13).
In order to understand and describe the implementation of teaching reading to class X students at senior high school of SMK Nagara Kedunggalar in the 2018/2019 academic year, the researchers were interested in watching the activities of the teaching process. The purpose of teaching English, the curriculum and syllabus, the classroom activities, the teacher's role, the student's role, the role of instructional materials, the classroom procedure, and the kind and procedures of tests are some of the topics that were studied in this research. The researchers were interested in picking the study's topic based on the backdrop described above entitled "SQ4R Classroom Action Research Improving Students' Reading Comprehension in Vocational High School".

READING
One linguistic ability that must be taught in language classes is reading. Either for their careers, their studies, or just for fun, students need to be able to read books in English. The process of learning a language involves reading as well. Some of the language will linger in students' minds as part of the language acquisition process when they are exposed to intelligible linguistic inputs. The acquisition process will go more smoothly if the reading materials are really fascinating and captivating. Students can learn vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and even good examples of English writing, such as how sentences, paragraphs, or texts are put together, through reading literature. Reading texts can also present intriguing subjects and encourage conversation. (Fauziati, 2015:113 Regarding reading comprehension, some professionals have made statements. According to Fauziati (2015:117), in order for students to understand and interpret the meanings or ideas presented in the reading text, they must be familiar with the ways in which sentences are used to carry meaning in a discourse and how they are organized into paragraphs through analysis. We can identify the sentences that contain the primary idea and form the body of the paragraph as well as the sentences that serve as a complement to the main idea. These phrases may be used singly or collectively to directly or indirectly support or develop the main topic.

NARRATIVE TEXT
One of the most effective ways to communicate with others, according to Meyers (2005:52), is through narrative. Anderson in Dwi Noviansari's use of graphic organizers to teach narrative literature in senior high school. It must describe a noteworthy occasion for the audience to be interested. We might even imagine our story as a motion picture where the audience can see and hear individuals speaking and acting. As a result, it needs to be clear and precise, with the events listed in an efficient manner. According to the description given above, a narrative text is one that recounts a tale about an intriguing topic with the intention of entertaining the reader or spectator.
According to Widaningsih (2009), the objective of narrative texts can be to reflect, entertain, inform, clarify, or influence. To better illustrate a teacher's argument or the significance of what they are trying to teach, however, anecdotes or narrative material should be used. They claimed that using stories to communicate was more engaging.

SQ4R TECHNIQUE
Using the SQ4R approach is one way to read a textbook more reflectively. Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Reflect, and Review is sometimes known as SQ4R. According to Joseph Agbebire (2012:90), there are six phases that can aid in reading comprehension, reflection, increased retention, and efficient review:

S SURVEY
Before you start reading a chapter, quickly scan it. The topic headings, figure captions, and summaries should be examined first. Try to obtain a general idea of what is coming. This book is divided into manageable sections, so if you'd like, you can just read one section at a time.

Q QUESTION
Make one or more questions out of each topic title as you read. Is there more than one stage of sleep, for instance, if you read the heading "Stages of Sleep"? "What phases of sleep are there?" How do they vary? You can read with purpose by asking questions.

R1 READ
SQ4R's first R stands for read. Look for the solutions to the questions you posed as you read. From one topic heading to the next, read in brief "bites" before pausing. You might only want to read one or two paragraphs at a time when reading challenging content.   Peverly et al., 2003). If you're having trouble summarizing the key points, skim each section once more. There isn't much purpose in reading more until you can recall what you just read. Turn the following topic heading into questions once you've read a brief "bite" of text. then continue reading the heading below. As you read, keep an eye out for the answers, and before continuing, repeat the passage or make notes. Keep asking yourself, "What is the main theme here?" Continue the sequence of questions, reading, and recitation until you have finished a chapter (or just from one Knowledge Builder to the next, if you want to read shorter units).

R3 REFLECT
Try to think about what you are reading as you read. Connecting new information to information you already know well or to personal experiences is a potent way to do this. Try to connect the concepts you encountered to your own life. You've surely realized that it is particularly simple to recall things that are personally significant. The SQ4R method's final step may be the most crucial. You will learn more if you can engage your reading with more sincere curiosity (Hartlep & Forsyth, 2000).

R4 REVIEW
When you're finished reading, glance back over a chapter or a portion, or peruse your notes. Then repeat the recitation and quiz yourself one more to check your recollection. Make frequent, active review a habitual component of your research.

METHODOLOGY
Qualitative research is a component of this study. To determine the percentage of students at SMK Nagara Kedunggalar who are proficient readers in the eleventh grade, the researchers used the SQ4R method in this study.

SUBJECT OF THE RESEARCH
Students in SMA's class XI make up the study's subjects. There are 20 pupils in the class, 10 of whom are female and 10 of whom are male. They are in their mid-teens or older. During the teaching and learning process, the teacher uses Indonesian as the language of instruction. Because of a few reasons, the authors decide to focus on SMA class XI. First off, the majority of students struggle with English reading comprehension. As a result, their reading scores are below average. They were also more enthusiastic during music lessons, culture lessons, etc.

DATA COLLECTING METHOD
The data is gathered using three different methods: testing, interviews, and observation. These methods were explained in detail as follows: OBSERVATION Before, during, and after the motions, the researchers observed the teaching and learning process as it gathered the information. When the researchers used the actions, observation was used to separate everything that occurred during the teaching and learning of the 19 English lessons. Three sections make up the observations. Prior to the study, there was first the observation. The goal is to gather as much information as possible regarding the circumstances surrounding the teaching and learning process in the classroom. It is crucial since the findings from the initial Mahastu, et al. Using SQ4R to Improve Students' Reading Comprehension in Vocational High School observation guide the research's course of action. Second, the research-based observation. It is to ensure that the actions are well-implemented and to care for the actions. The authors provide a sheet of observations that required multiple steps to implement the activities and was sent to the collaborator.

INTERVIEW
To increase information which cannot be gotten through observations, the researchers used interview. The dept-interview is the solution in getting the data. Before arranging the interview, the researchers prepared the guidelines. The interviews consisted of the grade X's students of SMA, the English teacher, and the head master of SMA.

CONDUCTING THE THESIS
The author used interviews to supplement information that could not be obtained through observations. The method for gathering the data is the departmental interview. The researchers prepared the criteria before setting up the interview. The grade X students from SMA, the English instructor, and the headmaster of SMA participated in the interviews.

TECHNIQUE OF ANALYZING DATA
The types of data that are studied are qualitative and quantitative data. Four stages of investigation were done on the qualitative data. Fauzi (2015) explains that a qualitative data study can be completed in multiple stages, including data collection, data reduction, data display, and conclusions (drawing and verifying). All the information, including the interview texts and outlines, were gathered in the first step. Data minimization is the next phase. The researchers have outlined and paraphrased the interview's text. Data display comes in third. The compressed data had been organized and compressed. Texts, outlines, and interview text are the different types of data display. Then, the fourth is making assumptions (illustration and confirmation) (illustration and confirmation). Based on the results of the students' reading acts, outlines, and interview material, the inference was drawn. The authors had collaborated to produce the efficient outcomes when composing the inference. Analysis had been done on the quantitative data.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
One cycle makes up the research. After realizing the action, the researchers administered the test to determine the state of the pupils' reading comprehension. the completion of research done in collaboration with SMK Nagara 2 Kedunggalar's English instructor. The pre-test for this study is now available. Planning, action, observation, and reflection are some of the processes the researchers must do when conducting a classroom action research project. The results of the pretest, which was administered before the first meeting, revealed that the pupils had poor reading comprehension. Only two out of the 26 pupils achieved the minimum standard score, and the remaining 24 students failed. The kids struggle to understand the questions, determine the goal of the narrative text, and derive the primary idea from it. They also have a limited vocabulary. Three meetings are held in cycle 1 from July 22 through July 24, 2019. The researchers prepared some lesson material (using SQ4R), a lesson plan, and documentation properties during the planning phase. The researchers can then put the action into practice using the three learning process steps of opening, main activity, and closing. In meetings two and three, it is put into practice. The pupils shown an interest in learning English throughout the first through third meetings as a consequence of the observation phase. Additionally, the pupils are attentive to what they are studying and ask the teacher probing questions. The third meeting's post-test, which was provided, revealed some development and a higher score than the pretest. Last but not least, the researchers evaluated the teaching and learning process during the phase of reflection. The outcome of the observation revealed that the children had made some progress as a result of the intervention.
It is clear from the table above that students' reading comprehension has improved. Passing KKM students from a pre-test score rise of 7% to a post-test score increase of 84% The test's outcomes demonstrated the pupils' growth in their ability to comprehend narrative texts. The difference in mean scores between the pre-test and post-test demonstrates that the post-test has a higher mean score than the pre-test. One could almost say that their scores have improved. It occurs when the students pay closer attention to the researchers' explanation and work harder in their studies. The application of the SQ4R method also aids pupils in improving their reading comprehension, particularly when it comes to topic narrative texts.
Based on the information obtained from the pre-and post-tests, the researchers came to a number of conclusions that address the issue raised in the research's problem statement in chapter one, which is the success of the students in reading comprehension when employing the SQ4R technique. The researchers were able to pinpoint some of the reasons why TKJ pupils' reading comprehension is so low during this process. The kids experience several obstacles, such as a lack of vocabulary due to their lack of reading habits. The teacher did not then provide the students with a detailed explanation. Additionally, the teacher doesn't use a variety of teaching techniques that would encourage student participation in the learning process. The final factor is a lack of resources for teaching and learning, such as learning facilities or media.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Based on the result and discussion, using SQ4R method to teach student's reading comprehension at the Tenth Grade of SMK Nagara Kedunggalar in the Academic Year of Mahastu, et al. Using SQ4R to Improve Students' Reading Comprehension in Vocational High School 2019/2020 can be concluded that the result of mean value of the pre-test in the X TKJ class before the treatment is 39. It means that the score did not reach KKM (75). It means that they were below the minimum mastery criteria KKM (75). While, the students' pos-test score after treatment is 83. So, there is significant improvement before and after treatment by using SQ4R method.