Chapter 1: Research

We are required to write about chapter 1 for our research which include:

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

1.0 Background of Research

            Our Ministry of Education put a weigh on literacy in Malaysia National Blueprint 2013-2025. Moreover, one of the students' aspiration is the ability to master English as second language. Thus, reading is one of the important skills in language learning. However, most of the young learners seems uninterested to read the English text. As Day and Bramford (1998) mentioned that the students learning to read a second language do not read and they do not like reading.  Sometimes the text is used by teachers as the medium of to teach language point or because of the examination or syllabus. Therefore, it is very important to encourage the young learners to read. It is simplistic that the more the students read, the better they become at it (Day and Bamford, 1998). The positive attitudes towards reading will motivate the young learners to read on their own outside the classroom.

1.1       Statement of the Problem

            Reading is an essential skill in learning a language. Thus, it is important for young learners to have a positive attitude towards reading skills. However, most of the young learners are not interested in reading literary text.

            In the new curriculum, KSSR, the young learners are required to learn literature. The literature materials are consists of a short story, a comic novel and a set of poems. If the young learners are not adopting a favourable attitudes towards reading, they will only rely on their teacher. Therefore, it will not bring any benefit to the students as they are not able to comprehend the text. As the consequence, the young learners are not able to score well in examination.

1.2       Research Objectives

This research has two main objectives which are:

1.) To identify the factors that influenced the young learners' reading attitudes towards English text.

2.) To study the suitable approach to encourage the young learners to read.

1.3       Research Questions

Based on the research objectives, the research questions are:

1.) What are the factors that influenced the young learners' reading attitudes towards English text?

2.) What are the suitable approaches to encourage the young learners to read?

1.4       Significance of the Study

            It is very important for teachers to understand why the students especially young learners are not motivated to read. As the new curriculum emphasizes on literature components as one of the topic covered in the examination, it is essential skill that the students should adopt. If the students have the positive attitudes towards reading the materials, they might not have trouble to understand the text.

            Other than that, the this study can also help to understand the young learners' preferences in reading the literary text. The significant of this study is to find solution to encourage the students to read literature works.

1.5       Limitation of the Study

The participants of this study will young learners from primary school. The young learners who are required to learn literature are aged from 10 - 11 years old.

1.6       Definition of the Terms

1.6.1 Young Learners

Young learners are usually associated with the students from primary school. As supported by Rixon (1999), young learner is children between the ages of 5 years old to 12 years old. They tend to have certain characteristics. According to Clark (1990), young learners are children who developing conceptually, have no real linguistics purpose, developing basic skills, egocentric and easily bored.

1.6.2 Reading Attitudes

According to Oxford Dictionary, reading is the action of reading written or printed material while attitude is a settled way of thinking or feeling about something. Reeves (2002) said that reading attitude can be defined by three components that involve cognitive (personal, evaluative beliefs), affective (feelings and emotions), and conative (action readiness and behavioural intentions).

1.6.3 Reading Materials

Collins Dictionary stated that reading material is any matter that can be read; written or printed text. It means that reading material can be in any form as long as the people can read them. For example, the journal article in internet and storybook in the library.