General Findings and Discussion
93 understanding the text
• The students have lack of vocabulary
knowledge • The students’
vocabulary knowledge improved. But they
still need more new unfamiliar vocabulary
to be learnt. • The students’
vocabulary has improved and they
know a lot of unfamiliar vocabulary.
• The students are lack in grammar
knowledge • Most of the
students were getting better but some of
them still had difficulties when
dealing with the grammar in the text.
• Almost all of the students have
understood the grammar and its
application in the text.
• The students are lack in the reading
comprehension skills • The students were
getting well in understanding
references, recognizing the
writer’s tone, distinguishing
between relevant and irrelevant statements
from the text. But they have not showed well
in finding the main idea of the paragraph
skill. • The students have
improved in all of the reading comprehension
skills.
2 The activities were
monotonous and not interesting.
The activities are more varied. However, the
class became noisy because of lack of
classroom management
The activities are more varied and controlled.
The students did the activities well.
3 The classroom
interaction was low. The interaction
between the teacher and the students and
among the students was getting better. The
class was no longer dominated with the
teacher’s explanation. The class interaction is
improved. The students did not felt
afraid to ask to their teacher. The teacher let
the students share their opinion during the
class. The primary role
94 But, some of the
students still felt afraid to ask to their teacher.
of the teaching and learning process was
not longer held by the teacher.
4 The students’
participation in the teaching and learning
process was low Most of students
actively and voluntarily participated
in the teaching and learning process and in
the group discussion. Yet, some students
remained kept silent or even disturb their
friend by asking them to have chit-chat.
Almost all the students actively and
voluntarily participated in the teaching and
learning process and in the group discussion.
Less students disturb the teaching and
learning process.
The table above describes the results of the implementation of the action.
It can be concluded that the use of the Multiple Intelligences–based techniques was effective in improving the teaching and learning process of reading.
Using picture and mind-mapping Visual-Spatial intelligence technique, music video Musical intelligence techniques and Socratic-questioning Logical-
Mathematical intelligence technique activities were effective in improving the students’ vocabulary. Even when the teacher reviewed the last meeting, the
students were still able to remember the vocabulary and recall it again. It was because the use of the teaching techniques which based on the sensory input
helped the students to make connections between their sensory experiences and language when the teacher asked them about the vocabulary. It was also useful
because the connection could be used by the students to activate their memory and background knowledge of the previous vocabulary when they were dealing with
95 the text as stated by Moreillon 2007:39. It would then help the students to
understand the text. Moreover, the students’ grammar knowledge has been improved by the
use of Socratic questioning Logical-Mathematical intelligence technique, peer sharing Interpersonal intelligence technique, crossword Linguistics intelligence
technique and board games Visual-Spatial, Bodily Kinesthetic intelligence techniques. The teacher used the Socratic questioning to develop and analyze the
grammar with the students. Instead of giving the material explicitly and directly, the teacher constructed the students’ grammar knowledge by the use of logical
thinking as a key to learning as stressed out by Moreillon 2007:64. Furthermore, the use of peer sharing, crossword and board games were also used to deepen
students’ grammar knowledge. In line with Harmer 2007: 201, the use of various techniques that have been implemented was one of the best options for students to
learn the grammar knowledge. Through the questions within the various activities, the techniques could give the students practices to recognize the application of the
grammar in the text. Futhermore, the use of board games Visual-Spatial, Bodily Kinesthetic
intelligence techniques, crossword Linguistics intelligence technique, true-false Logical-Mathematical intelligence technique, ideas-sketching Visual-Spatial
intelligence technique and Jigsaw Interpersonal, Bodily-Kinesthetic, and Linguistics intelligence techniques activities was proven to be effective in
improving the students’ reading comprehension skills. In the first cycle, the
96 students have improved their reading comprehension skill in understanding
references, recognizing the writer’s tone and feeling, and distinguishing the true and the false statements by using board games, crossword, true-false activities.
Meanwhile in cycle 2, ideas-sketching and jigsaw activities have improved the students’ understanding in finding the main ideas of paragraph. During the
activities, the students not only showed their improvement in their reading comprehension skills, but also attracted to the activities. It is because the students
were given challenging task that increase their motivation to read and comprehend text. As stated by Turner in Snow 2002: 41, the students gave greater energy
when they were dealing with limited but meaningful learning activity rather than when they were only told by the teacher. Therefore, as their motivation increased,
their reading achievements, in this case their reading comprehension skills, also increased.
Meanwhile, the classroom activities were also improved by the use of the Multiple Intelligences–based techniques. Previously, the same activities were
done by the teacher in every meeting. The Multiple Intelligences-based techniques enlightened the teaching and learning process of reading by giving various
teaching techniques and activities that can be done during the English class. As emphasized by Armstrong 2009: 73, these teaching techniques helped the
teacher by suggesting various kinds of teaching strategies that could be suited with the individual differences among the students. Beside, these teaching
techniques could easily be implemented in the classroom. Therefore, the teacher
97 might not longer being confused with their limited teaching techniques and used
them in the reading class activities. Finally, using group discussions also gave positive result in improving
students’ participation and the classroom interaction. Previously, the English teacher explained everything and gave a little chance for students to share their
ideas and opinion. Furthermore, there were only few students who actively involved in the reading class. By using group discussion, almost every students
get engaged and participated to the group discussion. As stated by Harmer 2007: 165, the group discussion triggered the students to get more involved and
participated rather than previous classroom discussion. Furthermore, in line with Farrell and Jacobs 2010: 15, group discussion can make the learning resources
are not longer relied heavily on the teacher. The students could also learn from their friends. Therefore, the classroom interaction could be also improved because
the students could work collaboratively with other students to do the activity and the teacher might help them during their learning activity.
Besides the improvement on the teaching and learning process of reading, the result of the pre-test and post-test also shows the improvement in the students’
reading comprehension ability. The following table presents the summary of the result of the pre-test and post-test.
98
Table 7. The Result of the Students’ Reading Comprehension Pre-Test and Post-Test
Text Frequency
Mean Standard Deviation
Pre-Test 32
63.34 15.71
Post-Test 34
69.53 12.41
Based on Table 8, there is difference between the mean score of the pre- test and the post-test. The students’ post-test mean is higher than the pre-test by
6.19 points. This justifies that the research objectives have been accomplished. In conclusion, all of the actions were effective in improving the teaching and
learning process of reading as well as the students’ reading comprehension ability.
99