Enhancing Reading Comprehension for Magister Degree Students

Through Self-Reflection
Harbi Putra
Magister Program of English Education, Faculty of Language and Art, Jakarta State University,
Indonesia
[email protected]

Siti Drivoka Sulistyaningrum

Magister Program of English Education, Faculty of Language and Art, Jakarta State University,
Indonesia
[email protected]

Abstract
Self-reflection has been hailed as a potential avenue into work-based learning. However,
the purpose of this research is to use self-reflection to improve the reading skills of B2 and
C1 students at the CEFR level. This finding is expected to be a reference for the education
sector, government, business, and academia in promoting, designing, and implementing
self-reflection learning in English reading. Two sets of analyses were performed in this
study. To begin, the authors examine the self-reflection of master students enrolled in an
English proficiency program. Second, the authors examine the Internet search for self-
reflection learning in reading. More specifically, the authors used Google Classroom and
web resources to analyse real-world data from a reading self-reflection task of 14 students
in reading B2 and C1. Based on the findings from the examination of the identified self-
reflection reading task, students still had some difficulties in understanding the context of
the reading. Self-reflection has been identified as a key topic in talent development from
the point of view of work-based learning. Policymakers, educators, researchers, and
participants should investigate ways to encourage, create, and implement microlearning
to help individuals learn on the right track through valid knowledge and ethical thinking.

Keywords: Reading Comprehension, Self-reflection, CEFR, Magister Students

Corresponding Author:
Harbi Putra, Magister Program of English Education, Faculty of Language and Art, Jakarta State
University, Indonesia – Jl. R.Mangun Muka Raya, RT.11/RW.14, Rawamangun, Kec. Pulo Gadung,
Kota Jakarta Timur, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 13220

INTRODUCTION been read, and understanding the construction of

meaning in a text. Meanwhile, Kintsch (2005,
Reading is a process where we understand p.71) states that understanding is not a unified
the meaning of the text. In the reading process, process; students can find some information
there is something called understanding, which through several components of the reading
means that, in this case, students must have an process. According to Woolley (2011:5), which
understanding of what they are reading, which is states that reading comprehension is the process of
called reading comprehension. Let's look at the making meaning from texts. This statement is also
definition of reading comprehension as stated by supported by Horowitz (2014), who argues that
Healy (2002, p.3). Reading comprehension is reading comprehension is a complex cognitive
about understanding; namely, understanding the process in which the reader must also be
written word, understanding the content that has intentional and thoughtful while reading,

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monitoring words and their meanings as the liked to read anything but lecture materials and
reading progresses. So, they can not only read the they argued that reading was tedious and
text but also get the meaning and can compose difficult. Besides that, Mufliha (2021) the
sentences. limitation of technologies, students that don’t
The purpose of this study is to strengthen activate the camera during learning, the teacher
reading comprehension skills in English can’t observe the students’ respond to the material
proficiency courses for teachers through self- that have been prepared, and other problems.
reflection. As a matter of fact, the teacher's role Nevertheless, previous research has
must shift from lecturing to training and mentoring suggested that self-reflection can help students gain
students while they practice reading methods; the more confidence in the goal–means relationship,
emphasis should be on practicing. Moreover, implying that they will have stronger levels of self-
reading comprehension is being highlighted as a regulation. As a result, self-reflection can be used
skill that should be taught and mastered rather than as a strategy or solution to improve reading. This
simply as a sub-skill in implementing foreign gap prompted the researcher to conduct this study.
language conversation activities. Two research questions are formulated in response
Therefore, one way to improve students' to the previously stated problem: 1) What are the
abilities in reading comprehension is to give them CEFR reading comprehension skills difficulties for
space to understand and look for their strengths magister students 2) How can an integrative
and weaknesses through self-reflection. Self- strategy based on self-reflection practices help to
reflection is one way that we can recognize the develop self-reflection learning skills?
strengths and weaknesses that exist within us. The purpose of this study is to determine the
According to Sedairia (2019) one of these skills extent to which an integrative strategy based on
is self-reflection; which is considered as advanced reflective practices can improve reading
critical thinking strategy because of the significant comprehension and self-reflection learning skills of
role that it plays in developing EFL students’ magister students enrolled in an English
ability to understand, interpret, and reflect upon proficiency for teachers course. This study is also
the meaning of what is being read; that is, beneficial to both students and lecturers because it
improving reading comprehension. Self-reflection can yield valuable findings in the field of using
is very important for students in understanding a reflection and self-learning practices to teach
lesson, especially for those who are interested in reading comprehension to English master's
language learning, where they will be more students.
qualified to determine their learning needs and
goals. Also, equip them with specific terms related METHODS
to the field being discussed. However, the
application of self-reflection in learning will have a The researcher employed qualitative content
good impact on student achievement. As in the analysis in this study. According to Johnson
results of research presented by Brown (2019), the (2014), the primary focus of qualitative research is
study found that when students are given a clear the collection of qualitative data. The content
statement of course goals and feedback about their analysis method was used in this qualitative study
work through self-reflection and instructor to find the answer to the research question. The
communication, they have a solid understanding purpose of content analysis is to identify specific
of their academic progress. characteristics of a material. This method can be
Based on the previous research, there is still used to analyse a wide range of written or visual
limited discussion about how teacher enhance materials, including textbooks, web pages,
reading comprehension skill especially for CEFR newspapers, speeches, and other types of
level with the efficient strategy. Utami (2021) documents. This descriptive content analysis must
stated that the results of this study showed that be used, particularly to describe the specific content
during the learning-from-home policy students of official documents.

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The target population of the current study In the English proficiency for teachers
contained students at English Magister Students in course, all students were expected to write a self-
on of Universities in Jakarta. There are 14 reflection report of no more than three pages in
participants were involved in the study from 3 order to demonstrate their overall reflection of the
classes. The Participants in this study were 4 course on four main points:-self-evaluation of their
Magister English Major Students who have taken understanding of the concepts and applications of
with random sampling from 14 Students taking an reading in the web source:
English proficiency for teacher’s course offered as • self-evaluation of their reading development
course at one of the universities in Jakarta of (from all assignments they have done);
academic year 2022. They were selected because • self-evaluation of their problems on reading;
they were considered successful students in • self-suggestions of how to improve their
Reading, identified by their report in the individual reading.
self-reflection reading task. Initially, students with In this study, the final self-reflection report
the highest scores of the listening task were was used as a data source because it can collect
targeted. participants' thought processes while attempting to
However, after ranking all students achieve their learning goals (i.e., learning English
according to the scores received, five students were reading skills), allowing the researcher to observe
found to gain the same score in the bottom rank of how they regulate their own learning through their
the group. All of them were then included as the views of learning progress, a shift in their beliefs
participants of this study, making the total number about learning, and a shift in their psychological
of 14 participants. The selected participants were needs (Boekaerts & Cascallar, 2006).
heterogeneous in terms of faculty and year of The researcher conducted a review of the
study. For data analysis, researcher used results of the reading self-reflection task that had
Halliday’s systematic functional linguistic. been carried out by the students by dividing them
into two categories, namely table B2 CEFR Level
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION and C1 CEFR Level, with the following results:
Table 1. Reading B2 Self-Reflection Analysis
Verb / Circums
Name Sentence / Clause Participants Conjunction
Transitivity tance
Student A After doing this Exercise, I realize that I have to I, Doing After doing this Exercise After
practice a lot. I still make many mistakes in this Reading Reading Practice That
reading practice especially in part 1 and part 4. I Make I have some problems in
have some problems in reading part 1 (match reading part 1 (match
different sentences session, In this section, you different sentences
read four short texts, such as adverts, product session, and also in part 4
descriptions, etc. Then you match different (Complete the text or fill
sentences with each of those texts.) and also in in the blanks session).
part 4 (Complete the text or fill in the blanks
session).
Student B I had difficulty in locating the information in the I Locating I had difficulty in locating Because of..
questions because some of the content are Reading the information As well as…
similar to one another. Enrich To overcome this That
To overcome this problem, I think I need to read problem, I think I need to Although
the statements more carefully as well as pay read the statements more
attention more on the context clues, i.e., the carefully
surrounding sentences.
I need to keep in mind that although it is
explicitly mentioned in the text does not mean
that it is the right answer. By carefully reading
the options as well as the paragraph surely will
help us in choosing the correct answer.
I believe that I need to enrich my vocabulary and
knowledge by reading more and more passages.

Student C I had difficulties in terms of vocabulary, reading I Found I had difficulties in terms And
speed, lack of focus, identifying main ideas, and of vocabulary, reading Or
understanding language structure (grammar). I speed, lack of focus,
found many new words or phrases such as "start identifying main ideas,
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from scratch", "extravagance", "alter", "pitfall", and understanding
"pre-empt", "out-dated", "reinvigorated " , 88 language structure
"bulk", and so forth. (grammar).
Student D In order to improve this Do Because
deficiency, I need to do reading That
practice a lot because practices For
make perfect. Based on some In order
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Student C I had difficulties in terms of vocabulary, I Found I had difficulties in terms And
reading speed, lack of focus, identifying main of vocabulary, reading Or
ideas, and understanding language structure speed, lack of focus,
(grammar). I found many new words or phrases identifying main ideas,
such as "start from scratch", "extravagance", and understanding
"alter", "pitfall", "pre-empt", "out-dated", language structure
"reinvigorated " , "bulk", and so forth. (grammar).
Student D In order to improve this Do Because
deficiency, I need to do reading That
practice a lot because practices For
make perfect. Based on some In order
sources, including James
Scrivener, the strategy that can
be used for this kind of reading
is scanning. According to
Scrivener, scanning is a kind of
fast reading for specific
individual pieces of information.

Table 2.
Reading C1 Self-Reflection Analysis
Verb / Conjunc
Name Sentence / Clause Participants Circums tance
Transitivity Tion
Student A I realize that there are so many vocabularies that I didn’t I Solving I realize that there That
really understand My are so many So
I have some difficulties in guessing the correct gap It vocabularies that I Or
because at my point of view it It's hard to decide which didn’t really Because
one is the most suitable to filling the gap. understand
In this Reading C1 I realize that the vocabulary is more In this Reading C1 I
difficult. It is difficult to answer if I didn’t know the realize that the
meaning. sometimes I didn’t know the meaning or vocabulary is more
sometimes I also forgot the meaning. To solve this difficult.
problem maybe I can check in dictionary the next time I
practice because it can't be direct solving.
Student B Although the statement mentions patronage and I Find we still need to find Although
sponsorship which correlate with the notion of charity, we We Seen the implied meaning And
still need to find the implied meaning as it cannot be seen Made as it cannot be seen As
explicitly. Then I made a wrong implication which led to Learned explicitly. In order
the wrong answer. Here I learned to
Here I learned to carefully think about the author’s carefully think about
implied and intended meanings in order to obtain the the author’s implied
correct answer. and intended
meanings in order to
obtain the correct
answer.
Student C I only managed to answer 2 out of 6 questions. Most of I Managed I only managed to That
the questions that are wrong are part of looking for the It Read answer 2 out of 6 For
main idea and interpreting the implied meaning. Tried questions. And
It is the same as the previous assignment, at the beginning Use It is the same as the Because
I read the instructions and questions well. While, I tried previous When
to make some predictions regarding to the text. assignment, at the If
Read the text and guessing the meaning of words that I beginning I read In order
do not know. Sometimes I use the context and the rest of the instructions
the text to help me. and questions well.
Take notes! Because it will help you to highlight the
important points.
Think about different ways when using the text. It means
when we read information leaflet, find some specific
information there. If we read a message, try to think how
it would be replied.
Skim and scan both shorter and longer texts. It is good
idea in order to get general idea of what the texts are
talking about.
Practice, reflect, and evaluate. These kinds of activity will
lead me into the better one.

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Student D Finding the detailed information Finding And

Finding and fitting the missing paragraphs Reading where
Reading the options Deciding
Deciding the main idea of each paragraph
Finding the cause of why the character mentioned the
‘romantic novels where the entrapped heroine finds her
freedom and salvation through music.

Table 4. Reading C1 CEFR Scores

Analysis of Reading B2 CEFR and C1 CEFR Level of Test
Participants
Level Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Based on the results from Tables 1 and 2, Student A 5/6 3/6 4/7
Student B 5/6 6/6 5/7
there is information that we can take based on
Student C 2/6 3/6 5/7
Haliday's systematic functional linguistics where
Student D 6/6 4/6 4/7
almost all students have the same vocabulary.
Starting from the participant's analysis used by
In the table above, we can see that almost all
students in writing Reading B2 self-reflection
students can do 50 percent of the total questions,
starting with (I), even though there was 1 student
although there are 2 students, namely student C
who did not write participant information in his
and student D, who have difficulty doing the test
self-reflection sentence. Furthermore, in the word
in Table 3: CEFR level B2 reading In this case,
verb/transitivity there are several different words
student C had difficulty doing the test in Part 2
among students, such as (Doing, Reading, Make,
because she had difficulty understanding new
Locating, Enrich, Found, Do) and there are several
vocabulary, understanding the information
conjunctions used, such as coordination
contained in the diagram, and also understanding
conjunctions (for, or, and) and some subordinating
what the author meant. Furthermore, student D
conjunctions (After, That, Because of, As well as, That,
had difficulty doing part 1 of the test because, at the
Although, Because, That, In order). Furthermore,
same time, she was on a trip, so his reading focus
there are additional statements made by students in
and concentration were not maximally exposed.
table 2 Reading C2 Self-reflection, such as in the
As for table 4, reading C1 CEFR Level from all
statements of participants who have more than one
tests, only 1 student did not reach 50% of the total
participant (I, We, My, It), and the verb/transitivity
questions, namely student C in part 1, where the
sentences used are more in-depth, such as (Solving,
difficulty experienced was almost the same as
Find, Seen, Made, Learned, Managed, Tried, Used,
reading B1 CEFR Level. However, the overall
Finding, and Deciding). Finally, in the conjunction
value of self-reflection is very good for students and
section, there are already various variations used,
can be done on a much larger scale.
such as coordinating conjunctions (So, Or, And,
Finally, the researcher looked at the
For) dan some subordinating conjunctions (That,
problems and what strategies were used by the
Because, Although, As, In order, If, When, where).
students in solving the reading of B2 CEFR and C1
Furthermore, in the table below we will see
CEFR Level difficulties. The following
the scores obtained by students at the Reading B2
information can be conveyed based on the results
CEFR level and Reading C1 CEFR level as
of the self-reflection task of Reading B2 and C1
follows:
CEFR level:
Table 3. Reading B2 CEFR Scores
Level of Test
Participants Table 5. Reading B2 CEFR problems and
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
Student A 4/7 5/6 6/6 11/15 strategies
Student B 5/7 5/6 5/6 14/15 Participants Problems Strategies
Student C 4/7 2/6 4/6 10/15 Student A Lack of Focus, find
3/7 Vocabulary, keywords, Close
Student D 4/6 5/6 9/15
more focus, attention,
Time or Elimination Recheck

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duration and information, finding the topic

Lot of text purpose of sentence, Reading
Student B difficulty in Comprehend the text particular the options,
locating the completely before paragraph, switched, Deciding
information in matching the fitting the the main idea of each
the questions statements. missing paragraph Scanning
because some paragraphs and and finding the
of the content the questions keywords
are similar to are hierarchy
one another
Student C Difficulties in Predicting,
terms of Clarifying In table 5, we can note that the problems
vocabulary, Questioning 5W experienced by student A and student C are almost
reading speed, 1H, Summarizing
lack of focus, the same, but both have different strategies for
identifying solving difficulties. Student A did focus, find
main ideas, and
understanding keywords, close attention, elimination, and
language recheck in solving difficulties, while Student C did
structure
(grammar). predict, clarify, and summarize to answer difficult
Student D Hard to define Reading practice, questions. Furthermore, student B and student D
the main idea scanning. focus
reading focus implicitly have the same difficulties, although they
more and find a
and
comfortable and
are explained in different ways, but both have
Concentration
were not appropriate place to different strategies for solving difficult questions, as
maximally do the reading shown in table 5. Furthermore, in table 6, the
exposed. activity. analyzing
Missing problems faced by students A, B, and C are almost
the context and
supporting
finding keywords
the same as those in table 5, while there is one
ideas or the
missing from the sentences student D who has a different level of problem
sentences were before and after the from the previous table. In the strategic section,
not easy to find. missing sentence. students A, B, and C still apply the same strategy
as in table 5. Only one student experienced a
Table 6. Reading C1 CEFR problems and
strategies
strategic change in dealing with very specific and
Participants Problems Strategies detailed questions in Reading C1 CEFR.
Student A vocabularies Focus, Find
that I didn’t keywords, close
really attention,
CONCLUSION
understand, Elimination and
difficulties in Recheck
doing filling gap
It can be concluded that self-reflection has
in paragraph, an influence on students' ability to improve reading
vocabulary is
become more
comprehension, even though there are some
complex difficulties experienced by students. As for the
Student B difficulty in comprehend the text
locating the completely before
results of this study, the researchers really hope that
information in matching the educators can apply self-reflection to students to
the questions statements.
because some
explore the extent of understanding they have
of the content gained so far. so that the output of the teaching and
are similar to
one another
learning process can be achieved. The researchers
Student C difficulties in Read the suggest that those who want to do similar research
terms of instructions and
vocabulary, questions well, Read
be able to do it on a large scale so that it has a broad
reading speed, the text and impact.
lack of focus, guessing the
identifying meaning of words,
main ideas, and Take notes, Think, REFERENCES
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Author Biodata:
My name is Harbi Putra. I was born June 20th 1990 at Duri, Bengkalis Regency Province of Riau. I
am studying Magister Program of English Education at State University of Jakarta. My hobby is
reading and traveling.

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