Effect of Word AttackStrategy towardstheStudentinReading Descriptive Text

Abstract

This article discusses about the effect of Word Attackstrategy towards students‟ reading skillin descriptivetext. The problem of this research is “Does teaching reading withWord Attackstrategy significantly affectson students‟ reading skill at grade eight of SMP N 1 GunungMalela”. So,the purposeofthe research was to find out the effect ofWord Attackstrategy towards students‟ reading skillin descriptivetext. To solve the problem of this research, the researcher used some related theories ; Grellet (1999), Nunan (1991), Moreillon (2007) and Patel, Jain (2008), Linse (2005), Snow et al (2002), Dorn and Soffos (2005 ) and Cunningham in Bouchard (2005).This research was conducted by usingquantitative research design because the researcherwantedto find out the effect of Word Attackstrategy towardsstudents‟ reading in descriptivetext. The population of this researchwas from the thirdyear of students in SMPN 1 GunungMalela . There were two classes as a sample. 25students from experimental group and 25students from control group, so the total sample was 50 students. The researcher used Cluster Purposive technique in taking the sample. The research finding showedthat the mean of post-test in experimental group was higher than the mean of post-test in control group, that was (71.2 > 63.8). Then, the result of the hypothesis testing showedthat Tobswas higher than Ttable, that was (3.87 > 1.67). It means that Hawas accepted and Howas rejected.Finally, itwas concludedthat there wasa significant effect ofWord Attackstrategy towards students‟reading indescriptivetext. Theresearchersuggestedthe reader to useWord Attackstrategy in reading descriptivetext, because it provedthat thisstrategy was helpful for students in reading descriptive text.