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86 so it can be summarized that there is an interaction between teaching
methods and students’ intelligence in teaching reading comprehension.
D. Discussion of the Result of the Study
Based on the computation result of data analysis, it can be explained as follows:
1. Contextual Teaching and Learning Method is more effective than Grammar Translation Method to teach reading comprehension.
The method of Contextual Teaching and Learning in learning reading gives opportunities for students to understand the passage through
the real experience. The students learn better if the situation around them is created naturally. It will be more meaningful if the children experience
what they learn, not only to know what they learn or just memorize what the teacher transfers to them. Creating a setting in which students learn as
realistically as possible is a goal of Contextual Teaching and Learning method Nurhadi and Senduk, 2003: 34. It is also supported by Gholam,
et al., 2008: 2 who state that in constructivism, transferring knowledge is done by involvement in authentic tasks in meaningful situations. The main
feature in transferring knowledge is that learning always takes place in a context; therefore, transferring knowledge should also take place in an
authentic contextualized situation. Nobody learns to use a tool by following a set of rules. They must use those tools in real world situations
for the learning to be appropriate and effective. Moreover, students who are taught using Contextual Teaching and
Learning method will have critical and creative thinking through searching, observing, investigating, and analyzing Nurhadi and Senduk,
2003: 43. The use of inquiry in the reading activity needs the students’
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87 involvement to find answers themselves and ask the questions along the
way. The students view themselves as learners in the process of learning and they look forward to learning. They exhibit curiosity and ponder
observation. They ask questions and use the questions to lead them to activities generating further questions or ideas http;www.youthlearn
.orglearningapproachinquiry.asp. By presenting variety of different types of texts, they search who are the participants, what they do, where,
when, and how they do that, the events, the complication, the resolution, and the code. After that they observe, investigate and finally analyze them.
Questioning used by the teacher to check the students’ understanding, to encourage students’ responses, and to know what the
students have known make the students confident to express their answers. In addition, the students that work in a small group have the opportunities
to ask questions freely among the members. Even the students who are shy to ask questions to the teacher are motivated to study together with their
friends Nurhadi and Senduk, 2003: 47. The implementation of learning community really provides students more time to share their ideas or
knowledge to each other. Wehrli in AABB Conference 2003: 4 says the advantages of implementing learning community are the students are
actively involved and stimulate peer group learning and it helps participants explore pre-existing knowledge and build on what they know.
It also facilitates exchange of ideas and awareness of mutual concerns and develops leadership, teamwork, communication, and collaboration skills.
Then, modeling by the teacher or the students improves the students’ performance. After seeing how the teacher or their friends answer the
questions of text, the other students imitate like what they did. A long with
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88 this, the students have self-confidence to present or retell what they have
learned in front of the class Nurhadi and Senduk, 2003: 49. As it is stated by Wehrli in AABB Conference 2003: 4 that role modeling is intentional
teaching strategy in which learners listen and observe role model performing regular duties of the profession andor “thinking out loud”. The
advantages of role modeling can be subtle but powerful learning. It tends to generate high learner interest.
Reflection is one of the components of CTL which has also given great contribution to the improvement of students’ reading comprehension.
Kemmis in Zakia Ahmad, 2006: 2 states that reflection is not just an individual, psychological process. It is an action oriented, historically
embedded, social and political frame, to locate oneself in the history of a situation, to participate in a social activity, and to take sides on issues.
Therefore, a reading development program according to Nuttal in Zakia Ahmad, 2006: 2 should be to enable students to enjoy or at least feel
comfortable with reading in the foreign language, and to read without help unfamiliar authentic texts, at appropriate speed, silently and with
adequate understanding. After that, the teaching learning process needs feedback. According
to Stiggins as cited by Amin, et al., 2007: 3 there are two types of assessment: formative assessment, that is, assessment for learning, and
summative assessment, or assessment of learning. In fact, authentic assessment requires both. Boston in Amin, et al., 2007: 3 say that
summative assessment is a test that is usually given at the end of a term, semester or year, the purpose of which is to measure proficiency.
O’Malley Pierce in Amin, et al., 2007: 3 states that formative
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89 assessment takes place during a course of teaching and is used essentially
as feedback to the teaching learning process. According to Amin, et al., 2007: 3 it is an ongoing process of collecting information about the
students’ performance through various techniques of classroom assessment. The purpose of this is not only to measure proficiency, but
also to improve it as well. In this case, the teacher gives the score through the performance of the students during the teaching and learning process
easily. Finally the students feel comfortable to join the class. On the other hand, Grammar Translation Method is unnatural
method. The natural order of learning a language is listening, speaking, reading and writing. That is the way how the child learns his language in
natural surroundings, but in Grammar Translation Method the teaching of language starts with the teaching of reading. So, speech is neglected,
consequently the students feel shy of communicating through English http:en.wikipedia .orgwikiGrammartranslation
. Grammar Translation Method also rather attempts to teach language
through rules and not by use. In fact, researchers in linguistics have proved that to speak any language, whether native or foreign, entirely by rule is
quite impossible. Language learning means acquiring certain skills, which can be learned through practice and not by just memorizing rules. The
students who have learned a foreign or second language through this method find it difficult to get proficiency in the second language
approximating that in the first language http:en.wikipedia
.orgwikiGrammartranslation
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90 2. The students having high intelligence have better reading comprehension
than those having low intelligence. Intelligence is one key to be successful in learning. Students who
have high intelligence will solve the problem of learning without difficulty. High intelligence toward the method of learning strongly affects
the success of learning reading and surely can affect the student’s reading comprehension.
Students who have high intelligence have high curiosity. They also learn by full of self confidence, responsible to the learning assignment,
autonomous, and hard effort to attain a higher competence, and always enjoy in learning process. By high intelligence, students have hard effort
optimally to achieve the success. As it is stated by Gardner that intelligence encompasses the ability to create and solve problems, create
products or provide services that are valued within a culture or society Gardner, 1999: 41-43.
On contrary, students who have low intelligence are passive recipient of knowledge; they only receive what teacher has said. They always
depend on someone else, don’t try hard, give up easily in the face of challenge, and do not have desire to improve their competencies. Students
who have low intelligence are discouraged to involve in doing learning activities, lazy to learn, get bored easily, and they do not feel pleasure in
classroom. It happens because they have less capacity to learn and carry on abstract thinking. They often meet problem when dealing with reading
comprehension. Low intelligence is the cause of reading disability when appropriate educational adaptations are not made.
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91 3.
There is an interaction between teaching methods and students’ intelligence.
Success of learning includes not only the teaching methods but also the students’ intelligence. Students’ participation and involvement in
learning activities is strongly affected by the teaching method. Grammar translation method cannot motivate the students because it is teacher-
centered; the teacher is regarded as the source of knowledge. Whereas contextual teaching and learning method is student-centered; the students
should actively participate in learning activities. In contextual teaching and learning method teaching reading gives
opportunities for the students to understand the passage through the real experience. The students find the type of the text by searching who are the
participants, what they do, where, and how they do that, and the like. Then if they find difficulties they can express their questions to the teacher or
their friends in a small group. They can also make model from the teacher or their friends in answering the questions of the text Nurhadi and
Senduk, 2003: 34-51. The students having high intelligence have high curiosity, self
confidence are responsible for the learning assignment, autonomous and effort to attain a higher competence. It is stated by Gardner 1999: 41-43
that intelligence encompasses the ability to create and solve problems, create products or provide services that are valued within a culture or
society. Therefore, when they are taught using contextual teaching and learning they understand the passage easily; they have creative thinking
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92 and do the assignment better. The students do not depend on the teacher’s
translation and explanation. They try to find the meaning and the message from the text by themselves or they will ask friends that work in a small
group. Nurhadi and Senduk 2003: 47-51 said that questioning and modeling used by their friends or their teacher can improve the students’
performance. Then, the teacher gives the score through the performance during the teaching and learning process. Finally the students are free to
join the class. The students who have high intelligence have high ability in comprehending the various text types. It is revealed by Fathi, et al., 2009:
12 that the multiple intelligence program was effective in improving the reading comprehension skills of the students in experimental group,
compared to the control group whose individuals were left to be taught conventionally. That is why contextual teaching and learning method is
more effective for the students having high intelligence in teaching reading comprehension.
On the other hand, in grammar translation method the teaching of the second language starts with the teaching of reading. It is unnatural order.
The natural one is listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Then translation is the easiest way of explaining meanings or words and phrases
from one language into another. Since the passages are also taught through the medium of the mother tongue, the teacher may ask comprehension
questions on the text taught in the mother tongue http:en. wikipedia.
orgwikiGrammar translation .
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93 In learning the second language the students having low intelligence
prefer reading to listening. In fact, according to Nurhayati, a Malay psychologist
membiasakannya mendengarkan … sejak dalam kandungan, membantunya untuk tumbuh dengan intelegensi tinggi, kemampuan
berbahasa yang baik, dan kepribadian yang baik pula
http:10091fda.blogspot.com201103benarkah-al-quran-dapat-merang sang.html
. They are also passive recipient of knowledge. They depend on the teacher’s explanation to read the text. They do not have initiative. They
just wait for the teacher’s translation to know the meaning and the message of the text. That is why when they are taught using grammar
translation method they become active, listen carefully to the teacher’s explanation to read the text and enjoy the teacher’s translation to know the
meaning and the message of the text. They become enthusiastically in learning process because they can respond the questions in the mother
tongue. Even, they can communicate with the teachers without linguistic problems
http:en.wikipedia.orgwikiGrammar translation . Finally, they
do not get difficulty in doing the assignment. So, grammar translation method is more effective for the students having low intelligence for
teaching reading comprehension. This is supported by Sue, et al., 2009: 2 who state that therefore the correlation between reading and intelligence is
strongest when the child is a proficient reader. Therefore, there is an interaction between teaching methods and
students’ intelligence in teaching reading comprehension. Contextual teaching and learning method is suitable for students having high
intelligence and grammar translation method is suitable for students having low intelligence.
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94
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION, IMPLICATION, AND SUGGESTION
