THE EFFECT OF READING STRATEGIES AND STUDENTS COGNITIVE STYLE ON STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENT IN READING COMPREHENSION

The objectives of this study are to find out if: (1) students achievement in reading comprehension that taught by using ASK to THINK-TEL WHY strategy is higher than those that taught by using Guided Reciprocal Peer Questioning strategy, (2) students achievement in reading comprehension with field independent style is hihger than those with field dependent style, (3) there is interaction of reading strategies and students cognitive style in reading comprehension.An experimental research with factorial designed 2x2 was used in this study. There were 69 students from fifth semester of English department, Islamic State University (STAIN) of Malikussaleh Lhokseumawe in the 2012/2013 academic year as sample of this study. The students were from two classes that was assigned, and the classes randomly defined; one class used as experiment class that taught by using ASK to THINK TEL-WHY strategy and another class used as control class that taught by using guided reciprocal peer questioning strategy. Students cognitive style was measured by Embedde Figure Test to classify the students with field independent style and with field dependent style. Students achievement in reading comprehension was measured by given multiple choice test of reading text that covers the requirements of reading comprehension meaning.The data were analyzed by applying Two-Way ANOVA, comparing F_observed and F_table at the level of significance &#945;=0.05, the result reveals that (1) students achievement in reading comprehension that taught by using ASK to THINK TEL-WHY strategy (x &#773;=66.59) is higher than those that taught by using guided reciprocal peer questioning strategy (x &#773;=59.4) with F_observed=11.56>F_table=3.99, it means ASK to THINK TEL-WHY strategy affects reading comprehension better than guided reciprocal peer questioning strategy (2) students achievement in reading comprehension with field independent style (x &#773;=63.97) is higher than those with field dependent style (x &#773;=61.75) with F_observed=51.66>F_table=3.99, it means field independent style affects reading comprehension better than field dependent style (3) there is no interaction of reading strategies and students cognitive style, based on F_observed=0.52<F_table=3.99, it can be concluded that both of strategies are equally well to be aplicated to the students field independent style; field independent style affects better in reading comprehension no matter what strategy is used. Nevertheless, ASK to THINK TEL-WHY strategy is superior, which is suitable to be taught to any cognitive style of students.