Using Reading Habit to Increase Student’s Ablity in English
Khadik sulisman
INTRODUCTIONIn global era, English is one of a way to keep our existance. As we know , English is an international languge, which is used by all people arround of the world to communicate or to other purpose. There are many way to increase our ability in English. One of them is by reading. Reading give more advantages for us. By reading we will get many knowledge also. If we related to ability in English, by reading especilly reading English textbook, will increase knowledge and information in English. As we know, reading is not popular habit, especially in Indonesia. In Indonesia reading is not main habit, Indonesian are still in lack in reading. Condition where reading is not in their daily activities, and condition where Indonesian suppose reading is not their necessity. In the reading, If we compare with another country, Indonesian are still left behind in reading habit. We can find in formal occasion for example in a school, student usually to read a book if their teacher ask them to read. They didn’t read book out of school. Lack reading habit give negative effect to the student. Student who lack of reading, especially reading textbook or another English book, they just have minimum ability in English. They will face some dificulties in English learning process. Student just get little information or knowledge. Because they don’t read more. The speaking ability is also impacted by intensity of reading. Student who have more quantity in reading, they will speak or spell word easyly. Reading is done not just in the school , reading should do wherever and whenever. Student who always read text book , they will construct a sentence easyly. They always find the variety of English pattern, and it is usefull to master English. (Jerermy Harmer,2000; 99-98) state that Reading is useful in languae acquisition. That is true, in my opinion by reading, we can acquire more knowledge and new one. By reading we can increase number of vocabulry. ‘ if we do more, we will get more’ , if we read more we will also get more.
The important thing in this problem, is awereness. Awareness that by reading , especially Reading English textbook will help us. Reading Will bring us in a better condotion. Understanding how important reading habit is, will make student love reding English textbok and also by reading activity it will helps us to remember about something and we will not miss any news. In this article will explain about how to make us love to read, advantage of reading, encourage student to read intensively (to be their habbit). Finally this article is purpused to Indonesian student to make reading as main habit. By this purpose, will encourage student in better thingking, will bring Indonesian student especiallyinto smart thinking. Who have more knowledge. The most important of reading , habit especially readng in English textbook, will increase their ability in English. That is increase our skill in grammar, speaking, and also reading skill. Reading as a Habbit in Indonesia In Indonesia Reading is not most habit by Indonesian. They just read a books if they need some information or if they looking for something. Reading in Indonesia for some people is not become daily actifities. They just spend their time just for chatting, talking with their friends, and also just to watching TV. It is big problem, if them just little number, its not big problem, but if they make them as their activities to fullfill their freetime it is not good . If we compare Indonesian with the other east nation we are still left behind from other. For Example Japan, almost Japanese people like to read. Reading is one of their daily actifivities. By this habbit, or ritual will give good impact to the pepole and also to the nation. As we know, Japan is Nation which creative, productive and also centre of technology. It can’t be separated by their people daily activities who make reading became their daily activities and also priority. Many people in developing countries still struggle with the basic needs such as food, clothes and housing so that they do not have idea or budget for books, even for education. Because of that situation, the culture of reading habit is far from their reach. Even though some of them already have a better living, their thought is still focused on something that is more real, functional, comforting, money- value or something that can improve their prestige like jewelries, hand phones, luxuries housing & cars, expensive toys, etc. Because the culture of reading is not formed yet, the society spend most of their free time for watching TV or chatting. For some family who has realized the important of books and education, it is still hard for them to increase the reading interest and habit of their children because they have to spend more money for buying books that are getting more expensive. Libraries are rare. Even many schools have no libraries. But there are still some ideas to increase children's reading habit in the midst of not ideal condition. If we related to increasing Englis ability, reading English textbooks is good way to do it. In english textbooks normally give good thing to the reader, new thing for the reader. For example if we read English novel or other textbooks, we will get new words, and indirectly if we dont understand what the meaning of the word, we will looking for in dictionary. By read a novel, we directly will get new experience. If we relate between reading and speaking, if the people have more times to read english textbooks they will speak fluantly. The will pronun the word easyly. In Indonesia just some people who like to read English textbooks. They usually like to read Indonesian textbooks, they think that if they read English textbooks they will spent mor time and also it is not interesting activities. The Problem Why Indonesian are Lazy to Read a. Indonesia still lack of representative libraries Library is the important facility to increase interest of reading. If the nation has good, many and also library which has complete collaction of the books it will help the reader. Library also should has fresh, good looking place.good library also should has good books, books which can fascinate student’s or people interest to read books. If we relate to increasing english ability, library should provide good, English textbooks, provide many more English text books which usefull for the people to increase their ability in English. Jeremy Harner (200;110) stated that the Library should have range of different genres(Factual, novel, adaptation of film etc). Good libraray is heterogenous library. It means that library has many genres thet is provided. By this , student will get many option which book will be read. Which English books should read primarly. As we know some school, university or maybe goverment library ar not proper. They just have small place and also thier place is not reorsentative. b. Awareness advantage of reading. Indonesian still stack iin a condition that reading is nit important habbit. They like to play phone, music in their freetime. If some people are aware advantage of reading they will do it. Actually reading give more advantages to the reader. Some people who make reading as ther daily activities will have different thingking with the another people. c. Family environment Family is one of the aspect why reading become a boring activity. Some people who have good family background, they will like to read. For example, when the people still a child, the parents give example to them to read. Parents also should show to their children to read. If the children since a child interested to read, in the future it will be good for them. They will be love to read. To love a reading, need long time. Advantages of reading, especially English textbooks. a. Increase the skill in speaking. Some people who like read, especially reading an English textbooks, they will have more experiances. For example, they will pronun the difficult word easily. People who usually read English textbooks, will get vocabullary, and remember how to pronun it words. They will speak fluently, because they usually pronun much words. If they find difficult word, they will find it word in a dictionary, by this way in the future if the people will say it word, they still remember how to pronun it word. b. Increase the grammar ability. English can’t separate with the grammar. Some people who like to read, they will know or understand the role of the grammar. If they already usually find many more form of sentences, indirectly will help to undertstand the role of grammar. Reading also give understanding to the reader how form of active or passive voice, phrases, clauses and other part of speech. c. Cross cultural understanding. This one of advantages of reading. People who usually read, novel, story from other nation, or an English novel, they will learn culture from the foreign people. They will know , how condition of the society of the other nation. They will know how the other people life in society. By this way, this wil help them to decrease what should be done if they meet the other people from other country. How to increase Interest in Reading Reading habit is not instant ritual. To make reading as a habit, we can use some ways. a. Provide good Library. If we talking about reading, we can’t separate with the place , that is library. Library shoukd give impact to reading. For example in universuty, school, or public, goverment should provide represent library. Good lobrary that is library which has complete collection, has good place and also has interesting concept. Good libraray can catch interest in reading. b. Embed to love reading since a child. To make reading as our habit is not easy. The best way to do it, Parents should embed love read books since child. By this way, they will read books in the next. If they don’t read, they will feel don; comfort. Make reading as daily activities is good way. Patrents should give more money to their child to buy good books. Parents also should show to their child that they love to read. c. The writer should packing interesting book. By this way , it will can catch interest in reading. They will think that the book good to read. The writer should insert the interesting content to make the reader want to read. (this is my paper. . .but not finish yet)... and I will finish this soon
