Developing Reading Comprehension and Analytical Thinking Abilities of Grade 9 Students by 4MAT with 5W1H Technique

Abstract

Background and Aims: Reading is essential in daily life, especially in the modern era, when information is available from diverse sources across various media. Reading serves as a crucial tool that enables readers to seek new knowledge and expand their understanding. In particular, reading for comprehension helps readers grasp the main ideas, key points, and events from a text. Additionally, analytical thinking is a fundamental skill that contributes to the development of higher-order thinking abilities. It allows individuals to discern facts and understand the underlying reasons behind occurrences. Based on these reasons, the researcher is interested in conducting this study with the following purposes; 1) compare the reading comprehension ability of Grade 9 students from learning through the 4MAT model combined with the 5W1H technique before and after the lesson, 2) compare the analytical thinking ability of Grade 9 students from learning through the 4MAT model combined with the 5W1H technique before and after the lesson, 3) compare the reading comprehension ability of Grade 9 students from learning through the 4MAT model combined with the 5W1H technique after the lesson with a criterion of 70% and 4) compare the analytical thinking ability of Grade 9 students from learning through the 4MAT model combined with the 5W1H technique after the lesson with a 70% criterion.

Methodology: The sample group in this research consisted of 35 students from Grade 9 class 5, during the first semester of the academic year 2024. The sample group of students was from Phongsiriwittaya School, Dan Khun Thot District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The research instruments used included: 4 lesson plans of 4MAT with the 5W1H technique, totaling 12 hours, a reading comprehension test, and an analytical thinking test. Data was then analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, and t-test.

Results: The research findings showed that 1) The reading comprehension ability of Grade 9 students from learning through 4MAT with 5W1H technique after the lesson was significantly higher than before the lesson at the .05 level of significance, 2) The analytical thinking ability of Grade 9 students from learning through 4MAT with 5W1H technique after the lesson was significantly higher than before the lesson at the .05 level of significance, 3) The reading comprehension ability of Grade 9 students who received 4MAT with 5W1H technique was significantly higher than the 70% criterion at the .05 level of significance, and 4) The analytical thinking ability of Grade 9 students who received the 4MAT with 5W1H technique was significantly higher than the 70% criterion at the .05 level of significance.

Conclusion: The research findings indicate that the 4MAT with the 5W1H Technique enhances students' reading comprehension and analytical thinking skills. This is because students develop both the left and right hemispheres of their brains in a balanced manner. Additionally, they engage in both individual and group activities, which encourage them to construct knowledge independently through diverse learning activities, leading to a deeper understanding.