Enhancing Reading Comprehension Through the Know-Want-Learn (KWL) Strategy: An Insight to Private Junior High School

Abstract

This study examined how the Know-Want-Learn (KWL) approach affected ninth-grade students' reading comprehension at SMP Swasta Cinta Rakyat 3 Pematangsiantar in the 2024–2025 academic year. A quantitative experimental design was utilized, involving two groups: an experimental group of 31 students who were instructed using the KWL strategy and a control group of 31 students who received traditional teaching methods. Data were collected through pre-tests and post-tests, which included multiple-choice questions centered on descriptive texts. The findings, processed with SPSS version 25, indicated notable enhancements in reading comprehension among students taught with the KWL strategy. The experimental class showed a mean score increase from 31.61 to 74.19, while the control class improved from 39.03 to 69.68. The alternative hypothesis was accepted after statistical analysis revealed that the significance value (Sig. 2-tailed) was 0.000, which is less than 0.05. These results show that by utilizing prior knowledge, establishing learning objectives, and promoting reflection, the KWL strategy successfully improves students' reading comprehension. Therefore, integrating the KWL strategy into classroom practice can provide a more engaging and structured learning experience, supporting the development of students’ comprehension skills and overall language proficiency.