IMPROVING THE READING COMPREHENSION ABILITY OF GRADE VIII STUDENTS OF SMP NEGERI 13 YOGYAKARTA THROUGH THE MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES-BASED TECHNIQUES IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF 2013/2014

摘要

The objective of the study was to improve the eighth grade students’ reading comprehension by using the Multiple Intelligences–based techniques in SMP Negeri 13 Yogyakarta. udThis was an action research study which consisted of two cycles. The researcher worked collaboratively with the English teacher, the students and the collaborator. The subjects of the study were 34 students of VIII A of SMA Negeri 13 Yogyakarta in the academic year of 2013/2014. The data were qualitative data and quantitative data. The qualitative data were obtained by observing the teaching and learning process, and interviewing the students, the teacher and the collaborator. The data were in the form of field notes, interview transcripts and photographs. Meanwhile, the quantitave data were collected through assessing the students’ reading comprehension by means of the pre-test and post-test. The data were the students’ reading comprehension scores. udThe results of the study show that the uses of the Multiple Intelligences–based techniques are effective to improve the students’ reading comprehension. By using various techniques offered by the Multiple Intelligences–based techniques, the students show improvement in vocabulary and grammar mastery, and other reading comprehension skills, such as understanding references, recognizing the writer’s tone and feeling, and distinguishing the true and the false statements as well as finding the main ideas. Various Multiple Intelligences–based techniques also improve the class activities. The classroom interaction and the students’ participation increase by the use of group discussion. The findings are also supported by the quantitative data. The mean scores of the students’ reading comprehension test show improvement from 63.34 in the pre-test to 69.53 in the post-test. Therefore, the use of the Multiple Intelligences–based techniques can improve the students’ reading comprehension.