This action research project, conducted at SMA Parulian 2 Medan, compared the effectiveness of Think Pair Share Technique

(TPS) to traditional instructional approaches in developing achievement in reading comprehension. The subject of this research was the first year students which consists of 38 students, where male are 17 and female are 21 students This study was administered during a six week unit in February and March of 2008. Overall, PBL was found to be a more effective instructional approach for teaching simple machines than traditional lecture/discussion. Additional analysis provided evidence that PBL was more successful in meeting the needs of high and low ability students. In reading activity, we are not only reading the text, but also trying to understand what we are reading. There are four levels of reading comprehension, they are literal comprehension, interpretative comprehension, critical comprehension and creative comprehension. The writer would like to conduct a study about Improving Students Achievement in Reading Comprehension through Think Pair Share Technique. The problem of the study is formulated as follows : How to improve students reading comprehension by using Think Pair Share Technique? This study applied an action research with 2 cycles. Action research is a systematic process of solving educational problems and making improvements. The subject of this research was the first year students of SMA Parulian 2 Medan. It consists of 38 students, where male are 17 and female are 21 students. The quantitative data show that there was improvement of students achievement in reading comprehension which taught through Think Pair Share Technique (TPS). To motivate the students to improve their knowledge of reading comprehension and help the students to comprehend the text easily. To give the information for the English teacher in teaching reading comprehension through Think Pair Share. To increase the readers knowledge about TPS on reading comprehension. Cycle I The unsatisfactory result of students reading comprehension caused by the following problems. First, the reading teaching learning process is boring, students are not motivated to do it and they just keep silent listen to what the teacher read. The students did not responds to the teachers explanation. Action Interviewing the students opinion about English Learning question that consisted 20 items for the orientation test to the students. The teacher explained the definition of reading and reading comprehension.

The teacher explained about Think Pair Share (TPS) Technique The teacher gave the copies of the text to the students as example but they couldnt read the text till the teacher gives the instruction. Phase 1 (pre-activities) : Phase 2 (whilst- activities): Asking the students to read the text silently, Explaining the technique to the students. Assigning the students to sit in pairs,using a simple pairing scheme. Phase 3 (post activities): Giving the students some questions. The teacher motivated students Phase 1 (pre-activities) : Phase 2 (whilst- activities): Asking the students to read the text silently, Explaining the technique to the students. Assigning the students to sit in pairs,using a simple pairing scheme. The teacher gave 20 questions to students as test in the cycle 1 Observation The observation would be conducted to all process and of teaching-learning reading through Think Pair Share Technique. The purpose is to improve students achievement in reading comprehension. Cycle II Action Explaining the importance of reading comprehension and the function of Think Pair Share (TPS) technique more clearly.

Giving the copies of the text to the students as example but they couldnt read the text till the teacher gave the instruction. asking the students to read the text silently, explaining the steps and activities that the students do. Giving the students some questions.

Teacher gave the copies of the text to the students as example but they couldnt read the text till the teacher gives the instruction. asking the students to read the text silently. explaining the steps and activities the students do. asking the students to answer comprehension questions individually and circulating and providing assistance if needed. assigning the students to sit in pairs. Giving students 20 questions as test in the cycle II. Teacher gave the copies of the text to the students as example but they couldnt read the text till the teacher gives the instruction. asking the students to read the text silently. explaining the steps and activities the students do. assigning the students to sit in pairs. giving students 20 questions as test in the cycle II. Observation In this cycle the students were motivated and serious in the process of learning. They were very enthusiastic and have fun to apply the Think Pair Share Technique to improve students reading comprehension. Students activities in applying Think Pair Share Technique have showed that most of the students did not have significant

problem in reading comprehension.

Having

checked

the

students

reading

comprehension test, the writer found that the students scores showed an improvement from the orientation test to third test in cycle II. The students also more active and

rejuvenate by applying reading comprehension. 3.5 P Scoring the Test = Percentage of students who got above 75

The quantitative data found by analyzing the score of students. Where : X = the mean of the students n = the number of students The class consisted of 38 students. The data got from all the students, since each student attended the class in every meeting. The quantitative data were taken from reading test score. The score of students reading in orientation test, reading test in cycle I and reading test in cycle II can be seen in the following table:
The Score of Students From Orientation Test, Reading Test in Cycle I and Cycle II

The data show that there was improvement of students achievement in reading comprehension which taught through Think Pair Share Technique (TPS). The diary notes were useful for all students activities, students difficulties and students interest during the teaching-learning process. In the cycle II, they were more active and serious in reading text and the students had good interest in learning reading comprehension. Quantitative Data The reading test score was taken from Orientation-test, test of Cycle I, and test of Cycle II.

The improvement of the students reading comprehension achievement on narrative text can be seen from the mean of the students score from the orientation test, reading test in cycle I until reading test in cycle II as the following.

In orientation test, the total of students score was 2375 and the number of the students who took the test was 38 students. In reading comprehension test cycle I, the total of students score was 2680 and the number of the students who took the test was 38 students. In reading comprehension test cycle II, the total of students score was 2985 and the number of the students who took the test was 38 students. The researcher gave the students 20 items of reading test for each cycle. It was found out that the students score for the reading comprehension test kept increasing. Percentage of the Students Reading Test It had been proved that 97.36% students got the good score on their reading test. It can be conclude that TPS Technique worked effectively and efficiently in helping students in improving their Reading Comprehension. Qualitative Data At the end of the research, the students reading comprehension and scores kept improving in every reading test. Interview in the first time to the students was to know whether the students understood about narrative text or not. After interviewing, the students did not understand and comprehend the text well. Based on the data, it was found that there was an improvement of students achievement on reading comprehension which taught by applying Think Pair Share (TPS).There is an improvement of students reading comprehension if it is taught by using Think Pair Share (TPS). There were 6 students got standard score,that was 75 and another students failed. The students were active in Table 4.2.1 The

teaching and learning process. The students felt more enjoyable and interested in learning reading comprehension by using Think Pair Share (TPS). There were 6 students got standard score,that was 75 and another students failed. The students were active in teaching and learning process. The students felt more enjoyable and interested in learning reading comprehension by using Think Pair Share (TPS).