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“The Correlation between Students’ Motivation and Reading

Comprehension in Reading English Text” (a research conducted at

the seventh grade students of Junior High School 1 Batudaa

Academic Year 2012/2013).

Dwi Oktavia Nur Kaharu

English Department

Letter and Culture Faculty

State University of Gorontalo

Email: dwi.kaharu@gmail.com

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to find out whether motivation and reading

comprehension in reading English text have positive correlation or not. The

population of this research is seventh grade students of Junior High School 1 Batudaa

and the sample of this research is 22 students. This research used quantitative

correlation research design. It was used questionnaire and reading test to collected the

data. In analyzing the data, it is used descriptive and inferential statistic. After,

collecting and analyzing the data, it was found that tcount ≥ tlist (5.558 ≥ 2.086) , α =

5%, α = 20 and tlist = 2.086. It means that (Ho rejected and H1 acceptable) and 60.60%

is determined by motivation. Based on this finding, it can be concluded that there is

positive correlation between students’ motivation and reading comprehension in

reading English text. It is proved by the result of the research and testing hypothesis.

Therefore, the findings could be useful for the other researchers and teachers in

improving students’ motivation by conducting applying students’ motivation in learning

English to develop students’ reading comprehension in reading English text.

Key Words: correlation, motivation, reading comprehension.

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INTRODUCTION

In this world every student has skill and skill is important to support their

study and the skill divide into four types. Those are listening, speaking, reading and

writing skills. It should be owned by all students including to the reading skill,

because having a reading skill the students can enrich their vocabularies and they will

be able to get the information about content of text.

Reading is not only to read word by word, sentence by sentence, or paragraph

by paragraph but also the reader should recognize the information beyond the text; in

order they can express the information from the text that have been read in their

writing or speaking interaction. To make successful comprehension in reading

English text is necessary the students having a skills of reading. Therefore, to make

the students having a good comprehension in reading English text effectively needs

some supports. One of them is motivation. According to Iskandarwassid & Sunendar

(2008) “Reading is determined by motivation” (p. 246). In this case, the students can

be successful to comprehend in reading English text if their teacher gives an

appropriate motivation based on students’ characteristics. This argument is similar

with the opinion of Guthrie, Laurel, Stephen & Nichole (2007, p. 310) study (as citied

in Saddhono & Slamet, 2012, p. 91) they stated that reading comprehension would be

more effectively if it is being supported by motivation. In this case, from these views,

it can be concluded that reading comprehension and motivation have strong

relationship because reading comprehension will be supported by motivation.

Talking about motivation, that motivation consists of intrinsic and extrinsic

motivation. Sardiman (2010) stated the intrinsic motivation comes from inside factor

while the extrinsic motivation comes from outside factor. For example, students want

to achieve the goals caused by self-driven themselves called intrinsic motivation. If

the students want to achieve the goals because of other person called extrinsic

motivation (p. 89). In addition, McClelland (1960) (as cited Siagian (2004, pp. 167-

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171) classified intrinsic and extrinsic motivation into three indicators, they are:

achievement, affiliation, and power. The both of motivations are very important to

give encouragement to the students in doing activity especially to make student

successful to comprehend the content of text.

In fact, many students argued that reading is something that make their bored

and waste their time to read especially for long text, by having poor comprehension

they feels dislike with long text. This problem is found the researcher when she

conducted teaching practice II at Junior High School Batudaa especially seventh

grade students; the researcher has found some students difficult to understand the

content of text. The other problems found of many students do not understand reading

text because less vocabularies in reading English text. Therefore, teacher as a guide,

should promote the students to be successful in reading activities by doing this, the

students will get a strong motivation improving their ability in reading.

Theory of Motivation

Motivation is one of the important things that needed by every student. But,

not all of the students have similarly motivation in learning English especially in

reading English text. By motivation, we can achieve the goals. According to

Webster’s (1957) (as cited Pasaribu & Simandjuntak, 1983, p. 50) argue “Motive

leads to action.” While, Donald (1959) (as cited Pasaribu & Simandjuntak, 1983,

p.50) state “Motivation is an energy change within the person characterized by

effective arousal and anticipatory goal reaction.”

In learning activity, motivation have important role because it is can make the

students to achieve the goals in reading comprehension (Pasaribu & Simandjuntak,

1983, p. 52). Therefore, the researcher can concluded that motivation is an action to

achieve the goals.

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Types of Motivation

Herzberg (1959) in Pardee’s journal (1990, p. 10) divided motivation in two

types that are Hygiene (intrinsic) and motivational (extrinsic) motivation.

Intrinsic Motivation

Sardirman (2010, p. 89) “Intrinsic motivation is active’s motive not comes

from outside but it is from inside to achieve the goals.” And Ryan & Deci (2000, p. 2)

state “Intrinsic motivation has emerged as an important phenomena for educator a

natural wellspring catalyzed or undermined by parent and teacher practices.” In

addition, Herzberg (1959) study (as cited Pardee’s journal, 1990, p. 10) has classified

intrinsic motivation into 6 parts that are: achievements, recognition, work itself,

responsibility, advancement, and growth.”

Based on the opinion of some theories above, the researcher can

concluded that intrinsic motivation is an activity or encouragement that comes from

inside to achieve the goals and classified into 6 parts.

Extrinsic Motivation

Sadirman (2010, p. 90) states “Extrinsic motivation is an active motive

that have function because of external factor.” Sadirman (2010, pp. 92-95) also has

classified extrinsic motivation into some parts, they are:

Giving scoring

Scoring is a symbol that used in learning activity. Students will have

motivation if teacher gives good values.

Gift

Gift can include a motivation because to make students interest to read,

the teacher will give gift something like chocolate, pen, etc. it can make the students

fell motivated.

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Competition

Competition given by the teacher to make the students motivated in

learning and doing their task.

Ego-involvement

Raising awareness to the students can make them felt, how the important

task and take it as a challenge to study hard. The students would be strived with all

power to achieve good achievement. It is symbol of pride and self-esteem.

Giving test

The students will study hard if they will do the examination. Therefore,

this is the step to increasing students’ motivation.

Praise or Reward

Give some praises or rewards to the students who success to do their

homework or examination.

Punishment

Punishment will be faced negatively the by the students but if punishment

give with true and wisely it will be good motivation.

Interest

Learning process will run well if the students interest. It can be a main

thing of motivation.

In addition, McClelland (1960) (as cited Siagian, 2004, pp. 167-171) has

classified intrinsic and extrinsic motivation into three indicators, they are:

achievement, affiliation, and power. It can classify into some points that are:

Achievement

- Has willingness to achieve goals

- Doing feedback on their progress

- Takes risk to accomplish their goals

- Has responsibility to achieve goals

- Giving reward

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Affiliation

- Wants to belong to the group.

- Doing something effectively if wants work to group

Power

- Has pleasure or interest to achieve the goals

- Likes to win arguments.

- Giving response or power to achieve the goals

- Enthusiastic to do something

Based on the explanation above, the researcher can concluded that motivation

can divides into two motivations namely: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. It is

supported by some theory of experts and from McClelland’s theory (1960)

motivation of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation classified into three indicators

namely: achievement, affiliation, and power.

Theory of Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension is understood with the content of text. For example, the

students can answer well the questions given by the teacher even written and spoken

can concluded the students understand about the text. According to Saddhono &

Slamet (2012, p. 64) reading comprehension is a process that involves critical

thinking that use by reader to get information, knowledge, add vocabulary and

delivered by written. Thus, Cooper (1986) in Mansa’s research, (2010, p. 10) says

that “Reading comprehension is a process which the reader may construct meaning

by interacting with the text.”

Based on the explanation of some theories above, the researcher can concluded

that reading comprehension is reading activity that must involve thinking process to

get information the content of text and can delivered by written and spoken.

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The Aspects of Reading Comprehension

Arie (2012) from his blog has divided aspect reading into two parts that are:

mechanical and comprehension skills.

a. Mechanical skill

- Introduction from of letter

- Introduction elements of linguistics (phoneme, word, phrase, sentence etc)

- Introduction of spelling

b. Comprehension skill

- Understanding the simple meaning (lexical and grammatical)

- Understanding the meaning

- Retell text with own words

Teacher as Motivator for Student in Reading Comprehension.

Teacher who that have function as instructor needs role in learning process and

interaction with student also. Sardiman (2010, p. 145) state “Teacher as motivator is

important in learning especially in reading comprehension.” In this case, teacher must

give encouragement to make successful comprehend to reading English text.

There are three roles to make students successful comprehend to reading English

text, namely: the teacher write the difficult word and the students find it by using

vocabulary, the teacher give the change to students to reading English text and

answer based on the text, and the teacher do evaluate students’ answer to checking

their comprehension (Depdikbud, 1993, p. 22).

Based on the explanation above, the researcher can concluded that teacher’s role

is important because teachers as a guide for student must give their encouragement to

make student successful comprehend to reading English text.

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The Correlation between Students’ Motivation and Reading Comprehension

in Reading English Text.

Every student can read but not all of the students can get information or

knowledge from the content of text. It is caused by less motivation especially

extrinsic motivation in reading English text. To make the students successful

comprehend to reading English text needs motivation. Although, intrinsic motivation

that has by the students, they must have extrinsic motivation from the teacher or other

person also.

Guthrie, Laurel, Stephen & Nichole (2007, p. 310) study (as citied in Saddhono

& Slamet, 2012, p. 91) stated that “Reading comprehension would be more

effectively if it is being supported by motivation.” But, the teacher must to choose the

good motivation that appropriate student’s need. Therefore, motivation and reading

comprehension have correlation with each other. This aspect will be more deeply

explain in chapter IV after the researcher collecting and analyzing the data.

METHOD

This research used quantitative correlation method and the purpose of this

research is to know whether the students’ motivation and reading comprehension in

reading text have correlation or not. The population of this research is the seventh

grade students of Junior High School 1 Batudaa in academic year 2012/2013 which

consists of 152 students that has 7 classes and the sample of this research is 22

samples used Yamane’s formula and lottery’s style.

This research using two instruments to collecting the data, namely: questionnaire

and reading test. In questionnaire, the researcher distributes the questionnaire to the

students to observe students’ opinion about motivation toward their comprehension in

reading English text that contains 30 items based on McClelland’s theories (1960) (as

cited Siagian, 2004, pp. 167-171) but after the questionnaire did try out to the

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students, the researcher used 25 items in this research and in reading test, the

researcher used question from their English teacher based on descriptive and

procedure’s material that contains 50 items with multiple choice (A, B, C, D) but

after the reading test did try out to the students, the researcher used 25 items in this

research.

There are three times to collecting the data in this research. First, On May 21th

,

2013, the researcher distributed the questionnaire to some students by the helped

English teacher to try out of questionnaire before using in this research and it is took

about fourth minutes. Second, on May 23th

and 24th

, 2013, the researcher did try out

with distributed reading test to 52 students and the purpose of this time to observe

item of number’s questions that can use in this research or not and it is took about

two hours. And third, the researcher did data collection on May, 29th

, 2013 the

researcher distributed the questionnaire and reading test to 22 students. It is taken

about two hours.

This research used two steps in validity and reliability, those are: validity and

reliability for questionnaire and reading test. In questionnaire, the researcher used

opinion’s lecture about questionnaire of students’ motivation because this

questionnaire included internal validity non-test because instrument of this

questionnaire based on theory of some experts and the material based on this research

and reliability used formula Alpha Crombach. Although, the questionnare has

reliability with score 0.895 but items of 4, 9, 17, 20 and 30 are not use in this research

because the result of analyzing item got 0. And in reading test, the researcher used

formula Oller, 1979, p. 247 (as cited Nurgiyantoro, 2009, pp 139-140) to observe

facilitating index and discriminating power of reading test. From the result, after the

researcher did try out to 52 students, only 25 items that can used in this research.

Therefore, to analyzing the data, the researcher used descriptive and inferential

analysis. In descriptive analysis, the researcher used describes data which consists of

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following steps: mean, median, modus, deviation standard in form frequency table

distribution and use correlation and regression analysis. While, inferential analysis is

used to testing hypothesis’s research.

RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

A. Research Finding

The Result of Analyzing Data From Descriptive Testing

The result of X variable and Y variable will be analyzed by using

Excel program. In order to find out the mean, median, modus, and standard

deviation as what have been reported on the table 4.1.

4.1. The Result of Students’ Motivation (X) and Reading Comprehension (Y)

Variable

Data

Total

Score

Score

Min

Score

Max Range Mean Median Modus SD

X 1810 59 103 44 82.27 82 75 12.94

Y 1844 68 96 28 83.81 86 92 9.52

The Result Of Analyzing Data For Normality Testing

Normality data testing in this research is to testing normality data of students’

motivation (X) and students’ reading comprehension (Y) with using Chi Quadrate

(X2) formula. Hypothesis statistic testing as follows:

H0 : variable data normally distributed

H1 : variable data is not normally distributed

The result of normality data testing have been reported on the table and 4.9.

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Table 4.9 The Result of Chi Quadrate of students’ motivation and reading

comprehension

Variable The result of Xcount 2 ≤ Xlist

2 Criteria

X 2.18 ≤ 15.507 Normal

Y 1.63 ≤ 11.070 Normal

The Result Of Analyzing Data For The Hypothesis Testing

From analyzing of regression and correlation simple of students’ motivation

and reading comprehension got regression b = 0.441 and constanta a = 47.54.

Therefore, the correlation of two variables can be showing by regression linier

simple Ῠ = 47.54 + 0.441X.

Before the researcher did conculded of this research, the researcher did

analyzing of significance regression by using F testing and got fo = 7.64 > flist 4.35

with v1 = 1, v2 = 20, db = 5% (0.05) and flist 4.35. Therefore, Ho rejected and H1

acceptable. Based on calculation of significance regression can concluded that there

is correlation significance between students’ motivation and reading comprehension

in reading English text.

To testing simple correlation score of students’ motivation (X) and reading

comprehension (Y) getting coefficient correlation (r) = 0.7785. It means that score of

students’ motivation and reading comprehension has positive correlation. To testing

correlation of coefficient using t testing with α = 5%, dk = 20 and tlist = 2.086.

Therefore, tcount ≥ tlist (5.558 ≥ 2.086). It means that Ho rejected and H1 acceptable.

Based on the result analyzing itself can concluded that students’ motivation has

positive correlation between reading comprehension in reading English text with r2

=

60.60%. It means that 60.60% reading comprehension caused by motivation.

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Discussion

Based on previously chapter, motivation has correlation with reading

comprehension and from analyzing linier regression of students’ motivation and

reading comprehension is Ῠ = 47.54 + 0.441X. It means that students’ reading

comprehension would be increased or effectively if motivation that given is good

because good motivation would be give positive impact to students. It is supported by

Guthrie, Laurel, Stephen & Nichole (2007, p. 310) study (as citied in Saddhono &

Slamet, 2012, p. 91) “Reading comprehension is would be more effectively if it is

supporting by motivation.”

Therefore, based on analyzing data that reading comprehension is 60.60%

determined by motivation while, 39.40% is determined by other factors. The value of

correlation between students’’ motivation and reading comprehension consist of is rxy

= 0.7785 and r2

= 60.60%.

CONCLUSSION

The researcher can be proved by the result of research, namely: first, students’

motivation and reading comprehension has positive correlation with r = 0.7785.

Second, the value r2

of correlation between students’ motivation and reading

comprehension in reading English text is 60.60%. Third, the criteria of rejecting

hypothesis (H0) and accepting alternative hypothesis (H1) is if fo > flist. Based the

calculation that have been done on previous chapter, if is found fo = 7.64, while flist =

4.35 or 7.64 > 4.35 this can be interpreted that X variable and Y variable have

positive correlation. Fourth, the criteria of coefficient correlation determining

significance if tcount ≥ tlist. However, from the calculation, it is found that tcount = 5.558

and tlist = 2.086 or 5.558 ≥ 2.086. Fifth, based on point 4 calculations it can be

concluded that there is positive correlation and regression between motivation and

comprehension in reading English text. That is meant the motivation factor is very

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important to determine successfulness of reading as what have been drawn on

regression model: Ῠ = 47.54 + 0.441X.

Based on the calculation above can concluded that students’ motivation has

positive correlation with reading comprehension that is proved by the regression

analysis finding, namely fo = 7.64 > flist = 4.35 and correlation coefficient testing

value is tcount = 5.558 ≥ tlist = 2.086.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This journal is based on presented to English Department of letters and culture

faculty as partial fulfillment of requirement for the degree of sarjana pendidikan. In

this journal, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Rector of UNG, the

all of lectures and staffs at State University of Gorontalo, my two advisors, my two

examiners, my parents, and also my friends of English Department 09 to give their

suggestion, critic, pray, and motivated in finishing this journal.

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