Reading instruction in the early years of schooling focuses around the questions of either (1) decoding/spelling or meaning/comprehension first, or (2) skill development or engagement with literature first. Teaching programs which reflect these contrasts have been around since the 1950s. Experts and researchers from the two camps have asserted their arguments that attempt to give the public the "true" assumptions about what they believe as the more effective and superior method of teaching the beginning readers to read. Many studies have also been conducted in order to prove all the assumptions argued.
This research is then carried out to identify which method is more effective. The methods, in fact, have been used in many kindergarten schools in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta and Serpong. Moreover, due to the lack of such study in Indonesia, this study could be a pioneer research guiding the kindergarten schools programmers and teachers to determine the most effective way of teaching reading to their learners.
There were two observed classes from two different schools, school I in Jakarta, and school L in Serpong. The classes were given a pre-test at the beginning of the observation days, and a post-test at the end of the observation days. From the results of the tests and class observations, it was found that the class using phonics method gained greater results in achieving the curriculum demand on reading ability for primary grade students.
The statistics data analysis of the test results with a=0.05, and also the observation reports, that indicate the differences of the instructional implementation in the two classes, could be the evidences about the superiority of the phonics method in teaching reading to kindergarten students.
However, this study suggests a balance instruction between the two methods. It is aimed at attaining a more comprehensive and balanced teaching reading instruction to kindergartners.
The limitations and shortcomings on this study are honestly admitted by the writer. Therefore, more researches conducted after this study is very much hoped, not only to add new enlightenment on these issues, but also to eliminate the insufficiencies of the previous studies. |