Meningkatkan Pemahaman Membaca Teks Recount dengan Menggunakan Mind Mapping Technique pada Kelas VIII SMP N 18 Solok Selatan

Reading is an important skill among the four language skills stated in the English current curriculum. The important of reading can be proved from the percentage of the items on Junior High School National Final Exam (UN), dominated by reading. Meanwhile, from the researcher experience in her class, most of the students got difficulties in comprehending recount texts. It could be seen from the result of exams given by teacher. Therefore, the researcher conducted the research by using mind mapping to solve this problem. The purposes of this research were to explain to what extent Mind Mapping Technique could improve students‟ reading comprehension of SMPN 18 South Solok on reading recount text and the factors that influence the improvement of students‟ reading comprehension. This research was a classroom action research (CAR). It was done in two cycles. In conducting this research was helped by a collaborator in designing plan, action, observation sheet, and reflection. The instrumentations of this research were test, observation sheet, field notes and interview. The result of this research was analyzed through two techniques. The quantitative data was used to analyze the students‟ reading comprehension on recount text through reading test. Then, qualitative data was analyzed through the result of observation sheet, field note and interview. It was used to explain the factors that influence the improvement of students‟ reading comprehension on recount text through Mind Mapping Technique. The finding of this research showed the process of teaching and learning through Mind Mapping Technique had better improvement. The improvement could be seen at the result of the test; the students‟ average score at the end of cycle 1 was 63, and improved at the end of cycle 2 was 68. The factors that influence the improvement of students‟ reading comprehension of recount text were: (1) the students‟ willingness to do all of the procedure of Mind Mapping Technique, (2) interesting material and media, (3) classroom atmosphere, (4) students‟ participation, and (5) teacher performance. In conclusion, the application of Mind Mapping Technique can better improve the students‟ reading comprehension on recount text at grade VIII of SMP N 18 South Solok.