The objectives of this study are to explain how teaching reading
comprehension using comics can improve students’ comprehension of texts and to
find out the significant difference in reading achievement between the students who
are taught using comics and those who are taught using conventional materials. The
participants of the study are the students of VIIIA and the students of VIIIB at SMP
Negeri 2 Batang. Each class consists of 40 students.
In this study, the writer used quasi-experimental research design. Two intact
groups, which had already been organized into two groups, were experimental group
and control group. Both groups were treated differently. At the first meeting, both
groups were given a pre-test with the same test. Then, the treatment was given to the
experimental group. At the end of the treatment both groups were given a post test
and ended with questionnaire.
The analysis of the data showed that the students’ achievement on the pre-test
was 74.0 for control group and 73.3 for experimental group. However, in the post-test
they showed the different mean scores. The mean score of the control group was 78.5
and that of the experimental group was 83.3.
Based on the result, it could be seen that the treatment gave a significant
improvement in the students’ ability in reading comprehension and also significant
difference in reading achievement. Based on the observation and questionnaires,
comics as a medium could motivate the students to read the material. Beside that, it
also helps the students to understand the material and improve their vocabularies.