Teaching and Learning English Using Theory of Multiple Intelligences

20 naturalistic and existential intelligences. Naturalistic intelligence is the ability to recognize and classify both the animal and plant kingdoms, to make other consequential distinctions in the natural world and to use this ability productively. Existential Intelligence: those are people who concerned with questions regarding the human conditions such as the meaning of life, death, and love Gardner, 1995. This study will refer to the eight out of nine intelligences mentioned above because the last intelligences or existential intelligences is perplexing enough. Besides, it relates more to spirituality, which will be very complex to be learned through English le ssons since humans‟ spirituals are various and complex in the way they feel and accept. Furthermore, touching existential intelligences would relate to religion, as it is concerning human‟s value of life and existence. Meanwhile, SMK Negeri 1 Klaten is a state school which had multi-religions students. It would be very sensitive to discuss something related to religion in English lesson.

b. Teaching and Learning English Using Theory of Multiple Intelligences

MI is a philosophy of learner-based that describes the intelligences of human as having multiple dimensions that must be acknowledged and developed in education Richards Rogers, 2001. People‟s MI can be fostered by external factors. In education, MI become teaching and learning strategy for every material and every subject Chatib, 2009, including in English lesson. It is expected that learning English will not only develop the linguistic intelligence of the learners PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 21 but also the other intelligences. Language links to life through senses which involve other intelligences, and the other intelligences support the linguistic intelligence as well Richards Rogers, 2001. Learners have MI but not all of them are prominent and well-developed. It means that learners are different and thus, have different style of learning. Learning style can be defined as how information is acquired well and successfully Chatib, 2009. Further, Chatib 2009 explained that learning style of the learners can be found by analyzing their intelligences‟ tendency. MI focuses on the differences of learners, needs, and learning styles Richards Rogers, 2001. Learners are unique and therefore the instruction must be developed to respond to their uniqueness Richards Rogers, 2001. Covering students‟ different learning styles can be done through activities based on MI theory, as it was the aim of this research. Chatib 2009 stated that MI theory can be applied in any topic of any subject at school, and that its point is how to make teaching and learning process become easier to absorb by students. In teaching and learning based on MI, the learners are engaged in a personality development and successful language learners. When the students are aware of their intelligences, they can, afterwards, develop themselves to become more well-rounded individuals Richards Rogers, 2001. This is the role of MI approach in instructional process. Richards and Rogers 2001 formulate taxonomy of language-learning activities for MI, which provide suggestions for teaching-learning activities, as it is described in Table 2.1. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 22 Table 2.1 Taxonomy of Language-Learning Activities for Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Intelligence Lectures Student speeches Small- and large-group discussions Storytelling Books Debates Worksheets Journal keeping Word games Memorizing Listening to cassettes or talking books Using word processors Publishing creating class newspapers or collections of writing LogicalMathematical Intelligence Scientific demonstrations Creating codes Logic problems and puzzles Story problems Science thinking calculations Logical-sequential presentation of subject matter. Spatial Intelligences Charts, maps, diagrams Visualization Videos, slides, movies Photography Art and other pictures Using mind maps Imaginative storytelling Painting or collage Graphic organizers Optical illusions Telescopes, microscopes Student drawings Visual awareness activities BodilyKinesthetic Intelligence Creative movement Hands-on activities Cooking and other “mess” activities Field trips Role plays Mime Musical Intelligence Playing recorded music Singing Playing live music piano, guitar Group singing Music appreciation Mood music Student-made instruments Jazz Chants Interpersonal Intelligence Cooperative groups Conflict mediation Peer teaching Board games Group brainstrorming Pair work Intrapersonal Intelligence Independent student work Reflective learning Individualized projects Journal keeping Options for homework Interest centers Inventories and checklists Self-esteem journals Personal journal keeping Goal setting. Self-teachingprogrammed instruction PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 23 Those are examples of activities for teaching-learning based on MI theory. Table 2.2 mentions some additions of activities for the natural intelligences Gunawan, 2007, p.132-133: Table 2.2 Learning Activities Based on Natural Intelligences Natural Intelligences 1 Classifying and recognizing kinds of plants and animals 2 Making journals related to natural phenomena; taking notes of what happens surrounds and the effect to the learners. 3 Learning food chains. Beside those activities, Uno and Kuadrat 2009 mentioned that doing outdoor activities and seeing outside through windows are situations that can be set for natural intelligences. Teaching and learning based on MI provides teachers and learners of large numbers of activities which are attractive and effective Chatib, 2009. Besides, developing MI means developing problem solving skills, because intelligences is the ability to solve problems and generate new problems to solve Gardner as cited by Campbell, 1999. According to Krulik and Rudnick 1995, “problem solving is the means by which an individual uses previously acquired knowledge, skills, and understanding to satisfy the demands of an unfamiliar situation.” p. 4. Thus, developing MI based materials includes many problem-solving activities. There are many problem-solving activities for MI based activities. Most frequently used problem-solving activities or strategies mentioned by Krulik and Rudnick 1995 are pattern recognition, working backward, guess and test, experimentation or simulation, reductionexpansion, organized listingexhaustive listing, logical deduction, divide and conquer. Further, Krulik and Rudnick 1995 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 24 mentioned some examples of problem-solving strategies, which are multiple- choice questions for students to select correct answers, open-ended questions that require students to make decision, performance question that requires students solve a given problem completely and correctly. The problem that is presented may have multiple solutions and multiple answers, but they all lead to the same answer. Another activity is imagination. In any sequence, every step needs deliberate effort and creative imagination. Creative imagination is quite controllable, and generally enjoyable. This is the power to see things in the “mind‟s eye” that enable us to create a mental picture of almost anything whenever people wish Osborn, 1979. This imagination can be used to solve problems. Some examples of imagining activities are writing, reading, puzzle, and games. Games can be used to develop MI based activities. There are interactions, cooperation, imagination, logic thinking in playing a game. The various games and activities of games, could employ MI to add variation in learning. A game can be defined as any contest play among players that operates under constraints rules for an objective winning Boocock and Schild, 1968. Games in language learning can also increase students‟ energy, motivation, and help them develop their language and other skills. Games include interaction of the players that play cooperate with or against somebody. Then, problem solving skills can be developed through games because the players have to think of alternative strategies and decision making. Games are commonly interactive and provide PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 25 opportunities for players to analyze problems and manage real life situations. They make decisions, meet deadlines, control projects, and experience the consequences of their actions Davies, 1981. According to Boocock and Schild 1968, although games are familiar for amusement, they can be directed for certain objectives, such as for education.

6. KTSP Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan or School Based Curriculum.