The findings are particularly important because identifying the main idea is a fundamental literacy skill that helps students understand texts, process information, and develop critical thinking abilities. Strong reading comprehension skills are increasingly recognized as essential for academic success across all subjects, making effective teaching strategies a priority for schools and educators.
Challenges in Indonesian Language Learning
In many elementary classrooms, Indonesian language instruction still relies heavily on teacher-centered approaches. Under this model, students often spend most of their time listening rather than actively engaging with learning materials. As a result, many struggle to determine the main idea of a paragraph and fully understand the meaning of a text.
According to the researchers, the ability to identify a paragraph’s main idea is a cornerstone of reading comprehension. Students who can recognize key information in a text are better equipped to analyze content, draw conclusions, and apply their understanding to other learning contexts.
Recognizing these challenges, the research team explored the potential of the Think Pair Share learning model, a cooperative learning strategy designed to encourage active participation and collaborative problem-solving in the classroom.
Learning Through Thinking, Pairing, and Sharing
Think Pair Share is a cooperative learning model that consists of three stages.
First, students are given time to think independently about a question or learning task. Next, they discuss their ideas with a partner, allowing them to compare perspectives and refine their understanding. Finally, students share the results of their discussion with the class.
This structured process encourages students to participate actively rather than passively receiving information. It also creates opportunities for communication, collaboration, and deeper understanding of learning materials.
Researchers noted that the model helps students become more confident in expressing ideas while strengthening their analytical and communication skills. By discussing reading materials with peers, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of the content and improve their ability to identify central ideas within a text.
Study Involved 50 Fourth-Grade Students
The study was conducted at SD Negeri 040443 Kabanjahe and involved 50 fourth-grade students divided into two groups.
- Class IV A served as the experimental group and received instruction using the Think Pair Share model.
- Class IV B served as the control group and continued learning through conventional teaching methods.
Before the learning intervention began, both groups completed a pretest to measure their initial ability to identify paragraph main ideas. After the instructional period, students took a posttest to assess changes in learning outcomes.
The assessment instrument was carefully tested before implementation. Out of 20 questions, 14 were declared valid, while the reliability analysis produced a Cronbach’s Alpha score of 0.914, indicating a very high level of consistency and reliability.
Significant Improvement in Student Performance
The results revealed a substantial improvement among students who participated in Think Pair Share activities.
Before the intervention:
- Experimental group average score: 64.80
- Control group average score: 51.20
After the intervention:
- Experimental group average score: 88.80
- Control group average score: 68.00
The data also showed that 96 percent of students in the experimental group achieved high-performance scores, compared to only 60 percent in the control group.
Statistical analysis confirmed that the difference between the two groups was highly significant. The significance value obtained was 0.000, indicating that the improvement was directly associated with the implementation of the Think Pair Share model rather than random variation.
Encouraging More Active Learning
According to Tania Agatta Br Sembiring and her colleagues from Universitas Quality Berastagi, the Think Pair Share model successfully increased student participation throughout the learning process.
Students were encouraged to think independently, discuss ideas with peers, and communicate their understanding to others. This combination of individual reflection and collaborative learning helped students grasp reading materials more effectively and identify the main ideas of paragraphs with greater accuracy.
The researchers observed that the classroom atmosphere became more interactive and engaging compared to traditional teaching approaches. Students not only improved their academic performance but also developed communication, cooperation, and confidence-building skills.
Implications for Education
The study highlights the potential of cooperative learning models to improve literacy outcomes in elementary schools. Think Pair Share offers a practical strategy for teachers seeking to strengthen students’ reading comprehension while promoting active classroom participation.
For schools, the findings suggest that investing in innovative teaching practices and teacher training programs can lead to better learning outcomes. By encouraging discussion, collaboration, and critical thinking, educators can help students develop both academic competencies and essential life skills.
The researchers believe that broader implementation of cooperative learning approaches such as Think Pair Share could contribute to improving literacy achievement and student engagement in Indonesian elementary schools.
Author Profile
Tania Agatta Br Sembiring is a researcher from Universitas Quality Berastagi whose work focuses on elementary education, innovative teaching strategies, and student learning achievement. In this study, she collaborated with Yunistita Singarimbun and Nurlia Ginting, both affiliated with Universitas Quality Berastagi and actively engaged in research on cooperative learning models and educational development at the elementary level.
Research Source
Article Title: The Effect of the Think Pair Share Learning Model on Indonesian Language Learning Outcomes in Identifying Main Ideas of Paragraphs Among Fourth-Grade Students at SD Negeri 040443 Kabanjahe, Academic Year 2025/2026
Authors: Tania Agatta Br Sembiring, Yunistita Singarimbun, and Nurlia Ginting
Affiliation: Universitas Quality Berastagi
Journal: Asian Journal of Applied Education (AJAE)
Volume: 5, Issue 3
Year: 2026
Pages: 537–554
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