72
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
This research is entitled “Designing Speaking Material based on Multiple Intelligences for fourth grade students of SDN Bogem 2 Sleman, Yogyakarta. The
aim of this research is to provide the speaking material for the students in order to improve their motivation in learning and encourage them to try to speak English
in the class.
A. Background
SDN Bogem 2 is located in Bogem, Tamanmartani, Sleman, Yogyakarta.
This is one of the Elementary Schools in that area. Most of the students come from the surrounding countryside. Most of them speak Javanese in their daily
conversation. English becomes one of the subjects taught in this school. Based on the class observation and the interview with the teacher, the English teacher of
SDN Bogem 2 Yogyakarta said that she had difficulty in teaching speaking to the
students. They have less motivation and feel reluctant to speak English. The writer observed that the students lack exposures to spoken texts that enable them to try to
speak in English. Moreover, the teacher used very little English in the class while teaching. The teacher explained in Indonesian, and the students responded in
Indonesian. Based on the interview with the teacher, if the teacher speaks in English while teaching, the students will not be able to understand the materials
and tend to do other unnecessary activities when the teacher is explaining in front of the class.
73 The four grade students have different characteristics from one another.
There are 34 students in the class. Each of them has hisher own way of learning. The teacher faces difficulties in accommodating all students’ learning style. This
material is designed in order to help the teacher find various activities that are interesting for the students and accommodate the students intelligences.
Therefore, the writer designed the speaking material based on the Multiple Intelligences theory. The Multiple Intelligences theory, which was proposed by
Howard Gardner, states that there are eight intelligences in human. They are verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal,
bodily-kinesthetic, musical, and naturalist intelligence. Students with dominant
verbal-linguistic intelligence and have very good development in this intelligence can communicate well in words and sentences. Students with dominant logical-
mathematical intelligence perform well in mathematical calculations, logical
thinking, problem-solving and also reasoning Champbell, Champbell,
Dickinson, 1996. Students with dominant visual-spatial intelligence tend to
think in three-dimensional picture rather than words and are able to see the object, remember, and make the similar image of the object Beachner Pickett, 2001.
Students with dominant bodily-kinesthetic intelligence learn a lot when they are involved in the physical activity body movements. Students with musical
intelligence learn fast through music or songs. Students with interpersonal intelligence enjoy working in groups, while students with intrapersonal
intelligence like dealing with themselves, in reflecting or self-learning. Students
74
with dominant naturalistic intelligence have good ability in classifying things and
enjoy outdoor learning, when they can interact directly with the nature.
B. Material Description