Efektivitas Metode Multisensori terhadap Kemampuan Memahami Materi Luas Bangun Datar Sederhana pada Siswa Slow Learner

The Effectiveness of the Multisensory Method on the Ability to Comprehend the Concept of Area of ??Simple Plane Figures among Slow Learners

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of the Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, and Tactile (VAKT) multisensory approach in improving the ability of slow-learning students at State Elementary School 002 North Sangatta to understand the concept of the area of simple plane figures. The study employed a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test control group design. The study population comprised all fourth-grade slow-learning students, with a sample of 24 students divided into two groups: an experimental group of 12 students receiving the VAKT intervention and a control group of 12 students receiving conventional instruction. Data were collected using a cognitive ability test covering squares, rectangles, and triangles; the test's reliability was verified using Cronbach's Alpha (alpha = 0.87). Preliminary data analysis using the Shapiro-Wilk test indicated a normal distribution (p > 0.05), while Levene's test showed homogeneous variance (p > 0.05). The independent samples t-test on post-test scores revealed a significant difference between the groups (t = 4.185; p = 0.002), with the experimental group demonstrating significantly higher achievement than the control group. Cohen's d yielded an effect size of 1.38, categorized as a large effect. Field challenges—such as student mental fatigue due to weather conditions and fine motor difficulties in manipulating learning aids—were acknowledged as actual limitations but did not invalidate the data. The study concludes that the VAKT multisensory approach is significantly effective in mitigating cognitive barriers and enhancing the understanding of geometric concepts among slow-learning students in an inclusive school setting.