Improving Reading Comprehension Skills Through Multisensory-Based Picture Story Media for Slow Learner Students in Grade VI of SD Negeri 003 Kaubun

Abstract

This study aimed to: (1) describe the implementation of multisensory-based picture story media in reading comprehension instruction for slow learner students, and (2) improve their reading comprehension skills through this approach. This study employed Classroom Action Research (CAR) using the Kemmis and McTaggart model, consisting of planning, action, observation, and reflection stages conducted in two cycles. The research was conducted at SD Negeri 003 Kaubun, East Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan, involving 29 sixth-grade students with six slow learner students as the primary subjects. Data were collected through tests, observations, documentation, and interviews, and analyzed using descriptive comparative techniques. The novelty of this study lies in the integration of picture-based narratives with multisensory stimulation as an adaptive strategy specifically designed to support slow learners’ reading comprehension difficulties. The findings showed that multisensory-based picture story media effectively improved students’ reading comprehension skills, with the average score of the six target students increasing from 54.00 in the preliminary condition to 65.67 in Cycle I and 77.16 in Cycle II, achieving 100% mastery. The study concludes that multisensory-based picture story media provides an effective and inclusive instructional alternative for improving reading comprehension and learning engagement among slow learner students.