THE IMPACT OF COLORS ON SMA NEGERI 1 TOMOHON STUDENT’S IMMEDIATE AND DELAYED RETENTION OF VOCABULARY

Abstract

This study intends to describe a cause effect relationship between independent variables, words printed in cool color and words printed in warm color on the dependent variable, word retention. This study was conducted at second graders of MIPA at SMA Negeri 1 Tomohon in the academic year 2015/2016 and the sample were 60 students randomly chosen from 179 students in all of 5 parallel classes to represent the population that using random sampling technique. The second grade of MIPA department consisted of 5 parallel classes with 179 students in all and 36 per class on the average. It is a quantitative research, the data are in form of test scores, and analyzed using the statistical technique (t-test), the results of statistical testing or analysis confirm that both the hypotheses dealing immediate is rejected which means that the alternative hypothesis is accepted, because at p (or α) =.05 and df = 62, the t (observed) is larger than the t (critical) or 3.023 ≥ 2.000. Similarly, the null hypothesis dealing with delayed retention was also rejected, because at p (or α) =.05 and df = 62, the t (observed) is larger than the t (critical) or 4.062 ≥ 2.000. In both immediate and delayed retentions, the subjects in cool color group outperformed those in warm color group. Based on this result, it can be concluded that words printed in cool color with white background more significantly affect students’ immediate retention than words printed in warm color with the same color background also similarly with immediate retention, it can be concluded that words printed in cool color with white background more significantly affect students’ delayed retention than words printed in warm color with the same color background. Based on the conclusion, it is suggested for English teachers to make maximal use of colors to help their students memorize new words in English. In addition, the information provided by this study is also important for textbook writers and teaching aid providers. Therefore, it is necessary that they make their textbooks and teaching aids colorful in order the students are interested in reading their textbooks and looking at the teaching aids used.