A Comparative Study of Learning Models in Improving Reading Comprehension Skills in Elementary School

Abstract

This research study aimed to determine: the effect of Contextual learning model on 5th grade students’ reading comprehension skills; the effect of SAVI learning model on 5th grade students’ reading comprehension skills; which learning model that can be used to improve these 5th grade students’ reading comprehension skills. A total number of 50 students of grade 5 from two ‘A’ accredited Public Elementary Schools in Tangerang, Indonesia, participated in this study. This quantitative study applied quasi-experimental research design and used validated pre- and post-tests of reading comprehension as the instruments to collect the data. Statistical analysis of both t-test and ANOVA test was used in analysing the data. The results of t-test revealed that both computation of SAVI and Contextual learning models gained smaller sig value (2-tailed) than 0.05 which also confirmed that these two learning models gave significant effect on reading comprehension skills of the students. Additionally, the average achievement reached by the students who were taught reading comprehension by SAVI was 81.54 and those who were taught by Contextual learning model was 83.12. These findings indicated that Contextual learning model was more effective to be used in improving students’ reading comprehension skills.