The Use of Problem Based ( PBL ) Learning in Teaching Reading Zulkipli

This study was aimed at examining the effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in Teaching Reading. This study belongs to a pre experimental research. The population of this study was all the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Selong which consisted of nine classes with 302 students. However the researcher just took one class as a sample of the study and there were 34 students in this class. To get the data, the researcher used the research instrument namely objective test in the form of multiple choice tests. Furthermore, in analyzing the data, the researcher used SPSS 17.00 for windows. Based on the obtained data, the mean score of pre-test was 6.78 and the mean score of the post-test was 10.34.Iit means that, there was a difference between the mean score in pre-test and post-test. In testing hypothesis, the researcher found that t value (df= 33) = 16.216, p = 0.000. It showed that the value of significant level (p value) was lower than 0.05. Therefore, the alternative hypothesis was accepted. This data showed that problem-based learning was effective in teaching reading for the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Selong.


Introduction
In learning English there are four skills that should be mastered by the students, those are listening, reading, reading, and writing.These four skills are regarded as the serious problem for them.They commonly feel anxious when they are assigned to do the task, especially when they are asked to understand an English text.Among these four skills, reading is one of the skills that should be taught intensively, since this skill is considered as a more important skill than other skills.
In Junior High School, reading skill is very urgent thing.There are so many things that are presented in the form of texts (Genres).The teacher can use the reading text to teach some kinds of English elements such as teaching grammar through the text, teaching vocabulary through the text, teaching pronunciation through the texts, etc.These elements can be taught interestedly in the teaching learning process.
Reading skill is also very crucial to help the students to understand many kinds of tests that are frequently used to measure their ability such as in final examination test where most of questions are presented in the form of reading text.Furthermore, by reading, the students can get some information and knowledge.Via reading the students can also develop their grammar and structure understanding and enlarge their vocabulary mastery.
Furthermore, the fact shows that many students do not like to read text.It is caused by their lack of vocabulary mastery so that they are anxious to understand the text, even to get the meaning of the text being read.This condition is caused by many factors such as they are rarely to read, they are lazy to open their dictionary to find the meaning of words available in the text, etc.These problems may affect their ability to have low ability in understanding the text given.
The teacher's methods to teach reading are important factors that may affect the students' ability in reading skill.There are some kinds of methods that can be applied by the English teacher to develop his/her students' ability in reading skill.One of the methods that can be used is Problem-Based Learning (PBL).Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method that challenges students to learn, work cooperatively in groups, and to seek solutions in real world problems.These problems are used to engage students' curiosity and initiate learning the subject matter.
This research was aimed at finding out whether or not problem based learning (PBL) was effective in teaching reading and the extent effectiveness of problem based learning (PBL) in teaching reading for the eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 1 Selong.

Method
This research applied pre-experimental design with one group of pre-test and post-test.Mc Millan and Chumacher (2001) explained that in one group pre-test and post-test design, a single group of subjects is given a pre-test (O1), then the treatment (X), and then the post-test (O2).The pre-test and post test were the same but they were given at different time.Arikunto (2010) stated that all of the elements which is researcher wants to investigate in research field is called population research.It is also stated that population is any individuals having the quality or characteristic in common from which a researcher may get the data.Based on the above definitions, population is the whole subjects that are going to be investigated.The target population of this research was all the eight grade students of SMP Negeri 1 Selong which consisted of seven classes; those were VIII-A, VIII-B, VIII-C, VIII-D, VIII-E, VIII-F, VIII-G, VIII-H and VIII-I with 302 students.
According to Sugiono (1999), sample is a number of individuals for a study in such a way that the individuals represent the larger group from which they are selected.In taking a sample, the researcher used a cluster random sampling technique.This technique was used because all population had the same opportunity as the sample of the study and the characteristics of population were homogenous.In this case, the researcher randomly selected those classes, and the class chosen was VIII-E which consisted of 34 students.
In collecting the data, the researcher used an instrument.Instrument is the main key in research activity (Arikunto, 2006).Therefore, in collecting data, the researcher used objective test in the form of multiple choice test.Then, in collecting the data, the researcher took the data from pre-test and post-test.In addition, pre-test was given to the subject before conducting treatment by using problem based learning, meanwhile post-test was given after conducting treatment by using it.
Furthermore, in analyzing the data, the researcher firstly found the mean score (M) and standard deviation (SD) of students.Next, the researcher analyzed the normality and homogeneity of the data to know whether or not the data normal and homogeny.The last, the researcher analyzed the hypothesis testing which aimed at knowing whether the alternative hypothesis was accepted or not In this way, the researcher used SPSS 17 for windows.

Results and Discussion
Based on the gained data, the highest score on pre-test was 9.00 and the lowest score was 4.00 with the mean score was 6.78 and standard deviation was 1.12, while on post-test, the highest score was 14.00 and the lowest score was 8.00 with the mean score was 10.34 and standard deviation was 1.38.Those results showed that, mean score of post-test was higher than mean score of pre-test.In other word, the mean score after applying the treatment by using problem based learning was higher than before treatment was conducted.Then, after calculating normality test by using One-Sample K-S test (SPSS 17 for windows), the values of Kolmogorov-Smirnov in pre-test and post-test were more than the values of the significance (p) = 0.05.The value of Kolmogorov-Smirnov in pre-test was 979 and in post-test was 1.439, while values of Sig.(2-tailed) of pre-test was 2.93 and post-test was 0.32.Those all values were higher than the two-tailed at 0.05.Next, the result of homogeneity testing showed that the value of Levene's Statistic was 0.994 at p = 0.323.The value of p = 0.323 was greater than 0.05, it implied that the data was homogenous.Furthermore, the result of hypothesis testing showed that the value of t (df = 31) = 16.216 at level significant (2 tailed) p = 0.00.It means that the value of level sig (2 tailed) p = 0.00 was lower than 0.05 while t-test value was higher than 0.05.so the alternative hypothesis (Ha) was accepted and the null hypothesis (H0) was rejected.
After collecting and calculating the obtained data, the researcher found that problem based learning was effective in teaching reading.It can be seen from the mean scores and standard deviation (SD) of posttest was greater than pretest.It clearly indicated that there was improvement students' reading after treatment using problem based learning method.Tentatively, it can be said that the treatment has been given by the researcher to the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Selong was successful.Then, based on the normality and homogeneity testing results It was proved that the data normal and homogenous.At last, referring to the result of hypothesis testing, the researcher found that the alternative hypothesis (Ha) was accepted and the null hypothesis (H0) was clearly rejected.So, it can be concluded that problem based learning was significantly effective in teaching reading for the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Selong.
This study was also supported by the theory of Jogthong (2010).He stated that problem based learning is effective to activate students in reading comprehension as they are focusing on solving the problem and help them to gain listening input from instructions with peers, introducing problem, grouping students, providing resources, observing and supporting students, and conducting the follow up and progress assessment.Thus, problem based learning can be considered as a powerful alternative way of teaching reading.

Conclusion
Based on the research result and discussion, it can be concluded that he students' mean score of experimental group in pre-test was lower than post test.It means that the students' in post test were better than those in pre test.Then, Problem Based Learning (PBL) is effective in teaching reading for the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Selong.It can be seen from the value of the significance level (p )= .00 which was much lower than the significance level of (p) 0.05.These values proved that the null hypothesis was rejected and the alternative hypothesis was accepted.