IMPROVING READING COMPREHENSION OF GRADE VIII STUDENTS THROUGH DISCOVERY LEARNING AT MTs DDI UJUNA PALU
Keywords:
Discovery Learning, Reading Comprehension , Pre Experimental ResearchAbstract
This investigation examined the effectiveness of Discovery Learning in improving the reading comprehension of eighth-grade students at MTs DDI Ujuna Palu. The study addressed students' persistent difficulties in understanding written texts, which had negatively affected their reading performance. Discovery Learning was applied as a learner-centered approach that encouraged active participation and independent knowledge construction through guided inquiry. A quantitative pre-experimental method with a one-group pre-test and post-test design was employed. Due to the limited population, all twelve eighth-grade students participated through total sampling. Reading comprehension was measured using equivalent achievement tests administered before and after the intervention. The pre-test determined students' initial reading ability, while the post-test assessed learning gains following the Discovery Learning sessions. The data were analyzed by comparing mean scores and conducting a paired-sample t-test to determine whether the improvement was statistically significant. The results revealed a substantial increase in students' reading achievement, with the mean score rising from 58.75 on the pre-test to 77.50 on the post-test. The calculated t-value exceeded the critical value, indicating that Discovery Learning had a statistically significant effect on students' reading comprehension. Overall, the findings suggest that Discovery Learning effectively enhanced students' reading comprehension while promoting greater classroom engagement, active participation, and learner autonomy throughout the instructional process.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Abdul Fattah, Nur Sehang Thamrin, Wahyudin Wahyudin, Mawardin M. Said
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