THE EFFECT OF MIND MAPPING TO STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN READING COMPREHENSION AT THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS OF SMP SWASTA AL-MUKMIN

Abstract

The students of the eighth grade at SMP Swasta Al-Mukmin had difficulty in understanding the text which caused them could not find the main essence of the text. Thus, this research was conducted to know the effect of mind mapping on students’ ability in reading comprehension. This research was conducted using a quantitative quasi experimental design. The sample was divided into two groups, namely experimental group and control group which consisted of 35 students for each. This research used pre-test and post-test in the form of reading comprehension test as the research instrument. The research result concluded that the students who were taught by mind mapping had a better reading comprehension. The data analysis showed the pre-test mean score of experimental group was 55.4 while the control group was 54.5 and the score was increased after applying mind mapping. The post-test mean score of experimental group was 77.7 and 69.5 for control group. The value of mean score of both groups was calculated using T-test. It was obtained the value of T-count was 3.96 while T-table was 1.66 under the degree of freedom 68 and the degree of significance 5%. Since T-count value was higher than T-table value, the hypotheses were proved. Therefore, it is stated that Ha (alternative hypothesis) was accepted and Ho (null hypothesis) was rejected. Based on this research result, it is suggested that the English teachers apply the mind mapping technique since this technique is one of many ways teachers can apply to enhance students reading comprehension of texts easily and efficiently.

Full text

EXCELLENCE Journal of English and English Education p-ISSN: 2807-6389
Volume 2 | Number 1 | June | 2022 e-ISSN: 2807-2103
English Education Study Program, FKIP UNIVA Medan
31
THE EFFECT OF MIND MAPPING TO STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN
READING COMPREHENSION AT THE EIGHTH GRADE
STUDENTS OF SMP SWASTA AL-MUKMIN
Siti Aminah Hasibuan
Department of English Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education,
Universitas Pembinaan Masyarakat Indonesia, Medan
E-mail: sitiaminahhasibuan04@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The students of the eighth grade at SMP Swasta Al-Mukmin had difficulty in understanding the text
which caused them could not find the main essence of the text. Thus, this research was conducted to
know the effect of mind mapping on      This research was
conducted using a quantitative quasi experimental design. The sample was divided into two groups,
namely experimental group and control group which consisted of 35 students for each. This research used
pre-test and post-test in the form of reading comprehension test as the research instrument. The research
result concluded that the students who were taught by mind mapping had a better reading comprehension.
The data analysis showed the pre-test mean score of experimental group was 55.4 while the control group
was 54.5 and the score was increased after applying mind mapping. The post-test mean score of
experimental group was 77.7 and 69.5 for control group. The value of mean score of both groups was
calculated using T-test. It was obtained the value of T-count was 3.96 while T-table was 1.66 under the
degree of freedom 68 and the degree of significance 5%. Since T-count value was higher than T-table
value, the hypotheses were proved. Therefore, it is stated that Ha (alternative hypothesis) was accepted
and Ho (null hypothesis) was rejected. Based on this research result, it is suggested that the English
teachers apply mind mapping technique since this technique is one of many ways teacher can apply to
enhance students reading comprehension of texts easily and efficiently.
Keywords: mind mapping, ability, reading comprehension
ABSTRAK
Siswa kelas delapan SMP Swasta Al-Mukmin mengalami kesulitan dalam memahami teks yang
menyebabkan mereka tidak dapat menemukan intisari teks. Oleh karena itu, penelitian ini dilakukan
bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh mind mapping terhadap kemampuan membaca pemahaman siswa.
Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan desain kuasi eksperimen kuantitatif. Sampel dibagi
menjadi dua kelompok yaitu kelompok eksperimen dan kelompok kontrol yang masing-masing terdiri dari
35 siswa. Penelitian ini menggunakan pre-test dan post-test dalam bentuk tes pemahaman membaca
sebagai instrumen penelitian. Hasil penelitian menyimpulkan bahwa siswa yang diajar dengan mind
mapping memiliki pemahaman bacaan yang lebih baik. Analisis data menunjukkan nilai rata-rata pre-
test kelompok eksperimen adalah 55,4 sedangkan kelompok kontrol adalah 54,5 dan skor meningkat
setelah menerapkan mind mapping. Nilai rata-rata post-test kelompok eksperimen adalah 77,7 dan 69,5
untuk kelompok kontrol. Nilai mean skor kedua kelompok dihitung menggunakan uji-T. Diperoleh nilai T-
hitung sebesar 3,96 sedangkan T-tabel sebesar 1,66 dengan derajat kebebasan 68 dan derajat
signifikansi 5%. Karena nilai T-hitung lebih tinggi dari nilai T-tabel, hipotesis terbukti. Dengan
demikian, dinyatakan bahwa Ha (hipotesis alternatif) diterima dan Ho (hipotesis nol) ditolak.
Berdasarkan hasil penelitian ini, disarankan agar guru Bahasa Inggris menggunakan teknik mind
mapping karena teknik ini adalah salah satu dari banyak cara yang dapat diterapkan guru untuk
meningkatkan pemahaman membaca teks siswa dengan cara mudah dan efektif.
Kata kunci: pemetaan pikiran, kemampuan siswa, pemahaman membaca

EXCELLENCE Journal of English and English Education p-ISSN: 2807-6389
Volume 2 | Number 1 | June | 2022 e-ISSN: 2807-2103
English Education Study Program, FKIP UNIVA Medan
32
A. Introduction
Reading is a basic language skill in
the life of every human being. Humans in
every aspect of their lives require reading
activities to obtain various information
needed in living their daily lives. Therefore,
reading skills are important things that must
be mastered. Reading is an interactive
process in which readers involved in,
exchanging ideas with author through the
text. Exchanges usually cover a goal and
take place in the chosen context or setting.
Burnes and Page (1991) stated that reading
understands written discourse. In line with
Burnes, Hornby (1995) stated that
understanding is a process of comprehension
of the text. Thus, students are able to inform
themselves by understanding the content of
reading texts. In addition, Heilman (1981)
also stated that reading comprehension is a
multi-faceted process full of multi-faceted
thinking and language skills that can be a
process of thinking about the sense of a
written idea through meaningful
interpretation and interaction.
Reading is not only just reciting
written symbols, but it also requires the
readers to understand number of information
exists in the text they read. Therefore, it can
be said that actually the essence of reading is
understands. Anderson (2003) stated that
'meaningful reading' consists of four main
parts, namely reader, text, strategy, and
fluency. When a reader reads a text, he or
she combines the background of a particular
topic with data from the text to create
meaning that encourages understanding.
Readers use good reading strategies in
reading the text. To get a faster and better
understanding, he uses his ability to read at
an appropriate speed (fluency). Therefore,
reading comprehension learning needs to be
taught seriously in junior high schools by
using the right model. Thus, it is obvious
that one of the goals of reading for students
is to understand the content of the reading
and not only just to be able to read.
Reading English in Indonesian system
of formal education is one of the language
skills that students should learn from
education levels ranging from elementary
school to university. Since in Indonesia that
English is still learned as foreign language,
thus, reading has important role in the
learning process and that reading English
texts has important role in foreign language
learning plans.
Given the important role of reading
comprehension in learning activities in
junior high school, reading comprehension
is an important skill for students to master.
But in reality, the intermediate reading
comprehension students is still low. Facing
students with low reading comprehension
skill and low reading interest, teachers must
be creative and wise to choose the right way
or strategy in carrying out their teaching
process to achieve the goals or objectives of
the lesson or create a teaching and learning
process that can facilitate students to learn
English language easily and more fun.
If you look at the problems that occur,
it is suspected that one of the causes is the
use of learning models that are less
effective. The learning model is a systematic
procedure or pattern used as a guide to
achieve the expected learning objectives. An
effective learning model can help to improve
student activity and learning outcomes.
One of the effective learning models as an
effort to understand reading is the Mind
Mapping model. According to Suyanto
(2015), the concept of Mind Mapping rests
on how the brain stores information. The
brain has the flexibility to store significant
information from word to word and even
columns. In order to remember quickly, the
brain needs a way so that its stored parts are
often expressed in various forms. Asmiaty
(2001) in Patria, Sukirlan, and Simanjuntak
(2013) also stated that mind mapping is
good to train students 
comprehension because it helps the students
easier to understand the story and make
them more creative and imaginative in
drawing pictures and symbols. According
to Moi & Liane (2007) in Patria et al.
(2013), mind mapping helped students show
an understanding the text better because they
can see the content relationship visually, and
look for the keywords of answering the
questions. Mind mapping learning model is
a model designed to assist students in the
process of understanding reading, storing
information, and helping students compile

EXCELLENCE Journal of English and English Education p-ISSN: 2807-6389
Volume 2 | Number 1 | June | 2022 e-ISSN: 2807-2103
English Education Study Program, FKIP UNIVA Medan
33
the important points of a reading. Through
the Mind Mapping learning model, students
will know the main topic of reading,
determine the main sentence, and then make
their own mind maps according to their
creativity.
B. Research Method
This study was performed
quantitatively by quasi-design of
experiments. McMillan and Schumacher
(2006) found that quasi-experimental studies
are not true experiments, but they are
superior in their studies because they
reasonably control the causes of most
ineffectiveness and are usually more
powerful than pre-experimental designs. It
states that it may be a design. Because quasi-
design of experiment focuses on treatment
and outcomes, we take information from
pre-tests and post-tests to understand
whether mind mapping is more effective
than descriptive methods in improving
student reading comprehension.
The total sample in this research was
70 students and they were divided into
experimental group and control group. Each
group consisted of 35 students. The
researcher used pre-test and post-test in
the form of reading comprehension test
as the research instrument.
There were some techniques applied
to obtain the research data.
1. Pre-test
Pre-test was a treatment applied for
experimental group and control group
before implementing the treatment.
2. Post-test
Post-test was done as the final exam after
completing the treatment for both groups.
It was intended to see if mind mapping is

comprehension.
The quantitative data were collected
from the score of pre-test and post-test of
both groups. The scores then were calculated
to obtain the average value (mean score) of
both groups. The mean scores then were
compared to find out the difference before
and after the treatment were carried out. The
mean score of both groups then were
calculated and analyzed using the following
formula.
M 

Where:
M : the mean obtained
 
N : the quantity of subject
Below formula was used to calculate the
variance.
  󰇛  
󰇜
  
Where:
s = deviation standard

xi = individual score


n = sample size
C. Result and Discussion
This research was conducted at SMP
Swasta Al-Mukmin of the eighth grade
students. Prior to the implementation of the
treatment, students were given a pre-test as
an effort to determine the students' initial
abilities. 
score before carrying out the treatment was
55.4 for experimental group and 54.5 for
control group. Table 1 shows the overall
scores of pre-test and post-test for both
groups.
Table 1. Pre-test and Post-test Score of
Experimental Group and
Control Group
Meeting
Pre-
Test
Post-
Test
Experimental
Group
55.4
77.7
Control Group
54.5
69.5
From the above table, it is seen that
there are differences of score between pre-
test and post-test of both groups. In
experimental group, the mean score
increased from 55.4 in pre-test to 77.7 in

EXCELLENCE Journal of English and English Education p-ISSN: 2807-6389
Volume 2 | Number 1 | June | 2022 e-ISSN: 2807-2103
English Education Study Program, FKIP UNIVA Medan
34
post-test. Meanwhile in control group, the
mean score increased from 54.5 in pre-test
to 69.5 in post-test. The experimental group
experienced an increase of 22.3 points and
the control group experienced an increase of
15 points. This difference of scores showed
that there was significant effect of using
mind mapping in teaching reading
comprehension. It was proved by the higher
score achieved by experimental group which
was taught by using mind mapping than the
control group which was taught
descriptively.
Below table shows the percentage of
the increasing score for each group.
Table 2. Percentage of Score
Experimental Group and
Control Group
Variable X
(Experimental
group)
Variable Y
(Control
group)
52 %
47 %
Table 2 above shows that there is
difference by 5% between variable X (52%)
and Y (47%) which indicates that
experimental group score is higher than
control group score.
The data showed in table 1 above was
then calculated statistically using T-test
formula and obtained that T-count value was
3.96 and the T-table value was obtained as
1.66 with the degree of freedom 68 and
under the degree of significance 5%.
-
count is higher than T-table, the alternative
hypothesis     
out the result that T-count was higher than
T-table, it was concluded that the alternative
hypothesis was accepted which meant that
using mind mapping gave effect to the
   
comprehension. The result can be written
statistically as T-count > T-table (3.96 >
1.66).
The research data comparison of the
pre-test score and post-test score in
experimental group also showed
improvement. The percentage score in pre-
test of experimental group was 81 which
was categorized as good and the percentage
was increased to 86 which was categorized
as very good as shown in below calculation.
P=
 
= 81
Percentage of Pre-test Experimental Group.
Percentage of Post-test Experimental Group.
Where:
P = Percentage of the students reading
comprehension
S = total points of students scores
M = Maximum score points (the highest
score x the number of students)
Based on the current research
circumstances, it can be said that the
students felt easier in comprehending the
reading text using mind mapping. Thus, it
can be inferred that mind mapping can be
the right option among other techniques to
assist students in reading comprehension.
During the implementation of treatment, the
students also tried to involve actively by
answering the questions given and
responding the instructions as well.
Comparing both groups, this research
also figured out that there was found
obstacles in control group which was taught
descriptively or without mind mapping.
While in experimental group, during the
teaching learning process when the
treatment was given, it was found that mind
mapping motivated students more. After
giving elaboration of mind mapping, some
students actively asked some difficulties
they experienced. The class felt better and
less noise since they focused on
understanding the steps of mind mapping.
Students also actively participated in
discussing the texts and assignments given.
They also responded to the instructions
given and paid more attention to the lesson.
P=

 𝑥
= 86

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English Education Study Program, FKIP UNIVA Medan
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Mind mapping model has been proved
in many researches that it can help students
to be more engaged not only in reading but
other skills. One of the researches conducted
previously was by Panggabean, Lubis, and
Lubis (2010). The research was
implemented for the eighth grade students at
SMP N 6 Padang Sidempuan and concluded
that mind mapping had a great influence on
   Another research was
conducted by Kamelia, Agustina, and
Sudarmaji (2018) focusing as well on
   The result showed
that there was a difference in students
writing ability before and after being taught
by mind mapping. Another research
conducted by Lastari and Saraswati (2018).
The result indicated that there was a
    
writing skill after the implementation of
mind mapping.
This current research was conducted
to prove that mind mapping is effective as
well for reading comprehension. The result
shows there is significance effect on
using mind
mapping and this strategy can be used as a
     
comprehension.
D. Conclusion and Suggestion
This research examined if the
applying of mind mapping make students
easier in comprehending the texts such as
finding main ideas in the story, obtaining
necessary information from the story, and
many others. Referring to the assumption
made prior to conducting of the research that
 -count is higher than T-table, the
     
was obtained that T-count was higher than
T-table, then it was concluded that the
alternative hypothesis was accepted. This
means that using mind mapping is effective
in teaching reading comprehension for the
students. Therefore, it is suggested for other
researcher to conduct the same research
topic using mind mapping for other genres
of texts and with other teaching approach in
order to find out more the effectiveness of
mind mapping in reading comprehension.
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Volume 2 | Number 1 | June | 2022 e-ISSN: 2807-2103
English Education Study Program, FKIP UNIVA Medan
36
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DOI:
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3