Students Vocabulary Mastery and Their Reading Comprehension at the Selected Private Junior High School in Airmadidi

  • Ate Gueen Simanungkalit
  • Jenita E. Tombeng

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the extent of students' command of vocabulary and their level of reading comprehension among 8th-grade students in a selected private junior high school. It also sought to determine whether a significant correlation existed between students' vocabulary mastery and their reading comprehension. The research followed a quantitative approach, employing descriptive and correlational methods. The study included a sample of 90 students selected through purposive sampling. Two tests were employed as research instruments, one assessing vocabulary mastery and the other measuring reading comprehension. Mean Score and Pearson Correlation Coefficient were used for data analysis. The findings of this study revealed the following: (a) Students exhibited a very low level of vocabulary mastery, suggesting a lack of proficiency in vocabulary; (b) The level of reading comprehension among students was also notably low, indicating a limited understanding of their reading material; (c) A significant relationship was identified between students' vocabulary mastery and their reading comprehension. This implies that a higher level of vocabulary mastery corresponds to improved reading comprehension. However, the correlation was observed to be weak, suggesting the possibility of other influential factors impacting reading comprehension.

References

Achmad, M. (2022). The Correlation between Students’ Vocabulary Mastery and Reading Comprehension of Students at SMA Negeri 13 Makassar. EDULEC: Education, Language and Culture Journal, 2(3), 205-218.
Ali, I. R. I. (2010). The correlation between students’ vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension. [Unpublished bachelor’s thesis]. Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah.
Amrhein, V., Nievergelt, F. K, & Roth, T. (2017). The earth is flat (p> 0.05): significance thresholds and the crisis of unreplicable research.” Peer J 5: e3544.
Aprilia, N. (2019). The correlation between students’ vocabulary mastery and their reading comprehension in descriptive text at State Senior High School Pekanbaru. Doctoral dissertation, Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau.
Arikunto, S. (2013). Dasar-dasar evaluasi pendidikan (Second ed.). Bumi Aksara.
Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2013). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. Guilford.
Beck, I., & Mckeown, M. G. (1985). Teaching vocabulary: Making the instruction fit the goal. Educational Perspectives, 11-15. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
234746230_Teaching_Vocabulary_Making_the_Instruction_Fit_the_Goal#full-text
Beck, I., & Mckeown, M. G. (2014). Effects of vocabulary instruction on measures of language processing: Comparing two approaches. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 29 (4), 520-530. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2014.06.002
Bishry, H. (2018). The Correlation Between Vocabulary Mastery and Reading Comprehension. Tarbawi: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 14(2), 63-68.
Carlo, M. S., August, D., McLaughlin, B., Snow, C. E., Dressler, C., Lippman, D. N., & White, C. E. (2004). Closing the gap: Addressing the vocabulary needs of English-language learners in bilingual and mainstream classrooms. Reading Research Quarterly, 50(1), 3-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.39.2.3
Fahriany, F. (2015). Schema theory in reading class. Indonesian Journal of English Education, 1(1). DOI: 10.15408/ijee.v1i1.1192
Hashemi, A. (2021). The effects of using games on teaching vocabulary in reading comprehension: a case of gifted students. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 9(2), 151-160.
Lusianah, N. (2017). Reading habit, vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension of secondary school students of Patra Mandiri. The Journal of English Literacy Education: The Teaching and Learning of English as a Foreign Language, 4(2), 132-146.
Nurdini, H., & Marlina, L. (2018). Vocabulary journal as a learning tool for students in learning vocabulary through reading at junior high school. Journal of English Language Teaching, 6(1), 272-285. https://doi.org/10.24036/jelt.v6i1.9720
Perfetti, C. A. (2007). Reading ability: Lexical quality to comprehension. Scientific Studies of Reading, 11(4), 357-383. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888430701530730.
Perfetti, C., & Stafura, J. (2014).Word knowledge in a theory of reading comprehension. Scientific Studies of Reading 18(1). DOI: 10.1080/10888438.2013.827687
Septiana, A. R., & Hanafi, M. (2022). Vocabulary Mastery and Reading Comprehension of It Education Department Students. Jurnal Eduscience (JES), 9(2). https://jurnal.ulb.ac.id/index.php/eduscience/article/view/3070
Shanahan, T. (2005). The national reading panel report: Practical advice for teachers. Learning Point Associates. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED489535.pdf
Stahl, S. A., & Nagy, W. E. (2006). Teaching word meanings. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Sudirman, S. (2020). The Correlation Between Vocabulary Mastery and Reading Comprehension at the Second Year Students of Smpn 3 Gunungsari. Jo-ELT (Journal of English Language Teaching) Fakultas Pendidikan Bahasa & Seni Prodi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris IKIP, 4(2), 122-133.
Swanson, E., Vaughn, S., Wanzek, J., Petscher, Y., Heckert, J., Cavanaugh, C., & Kraft, G. (2019). A synthesis of read-aloud interventions on early reading outcomes among preschool through third graders at risk for reading difficulties. Reading Research Quarterly, 54(3), 375-400. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0022219410378444
Tamboy, A. S. (2020). The Correlation Between Mastery of Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension Students: Case Study SMP Swasta Tenera PTPN IV Kab. Langkat. Cendikia. Media Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan, 11(1), 39-44.
Ulfatussarifah. (2017). The Effects of Vocabulary and Grammar Mastery Toward Students Reading Comprehension of Grade X of State Senior High School Students in West Jakarta. Journal of English Language teaching, 1(2), 197-211. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30998/scope.v1i02.2257
Published
2023-10-04
How to Cite
SIMANUNGKALIT, Ate Gueen; TOMBENG, Jenita E.. Students Vocabulary Mastery and Their Reading Comprehension at the Selected Private Junior High School in Airmadidi. SUMIKOLAH: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, [S.l.], v. 1, n. 2, p. 104-112, oct. 2023. ISSN 2985-3842. Available at: <https://ejournal.unklab.ac.id/index.php/sumikolah/article/view/1021>. Date accessed: 04 oct. 2025.
Section
Articles