Developing Reading Material through PBL Strategy Using MASH for Mentally Retarded Students at SLB Negeri Cerme

Reading is a crucial skill that should be taught for all levels of students in learning English, included special education for mentally retarded students. Even though, it is difficult to teach reading for them. The mentally retarded students of SLB Negeri Cerme also have difficulties in learning English, even the teacher only teaches English as an introduction and there is no more reading materials in the textbook. To solve those problems, the researcher developed reading material through PBL strategy using MASH. Project-Based Learning (PBL) strategy is effective and important to build the students’ ability in social and literacy skill. Besides, MASH (Macromedia Flash) will support the material by showing pictures, videos, and exercises related to the topics in order to the students will be more interested and motivated in learning English, especially reading. The Research and Development design uses ADDIE model with some changes, those are: Analysis, Design, Development, validation, Implementation (Try Out), Evaluation, and Final Product. The study was conducted in SLB Negeri Cerme, involving 9 mentally retarded students. The researcher identified need analysis by doing interview with English teacher and distributing questionnaire to 9 mentally retarded students. The result of the students’ questionnaire related to the target needs and learning needs showed that the students desired learning reading to understand the text, increase vocabulary, and answer the questions of the exam correctly. Moreover, the researcher did not find more reading material in the textbook. Those results guided the researcher to develop reading material based on their needs. The researcher created a design instruction called material prototype as a framework that was used in developing syllabus and media. The activities of the learning were involving the principle of PBL strategy; Essential questions, Plan, Schedule, Monitor, Assess, and Evaluate. There were two experts to assess the product which were an English teacher who assessed ...