Didascein: Journal of English Education

TEACHING READING COMPREHENSION USING NEUROLOGICAL IMPRESS METHOD AT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Lina Ayudiyah — 2025-03-31

Reading is a fundamental skill in education, and its importance cannot be overstated. It plays a crucial role in language learning and academic success. The goals of this study were to determine whether there was a significant improvement and whether there was a substantial difference in students’ reading comprehension achievement before and after the implementation of the Neurological Impress Method. The Neurological Impress Method for eighth-grade students at SMPN 7 Palembang. This study was conducted over 12 meetings, employing a quasi-experimental methodology. 68 students were selected as a sample using the convenience sampling technique. There were two groups: control (VIII.9) and experimental (VIII.10). Pre-test and post-test were administered to both groups during data collection. The researcher analyzed the data using SPSS version 26. Based on the outcome of the Paired Sample T-Test, the p-value was 0.000, which was less than 0.05, and the t-value was 8.308, which was higher than the t-table df=33 (2.035). Therefore, it is possible to conclude that students' pre-test and post-test scores improved significantly in the experimental group taught using the Neurological Impress Method. Following the results of the Independent Sample T-Test, the p-value was 0.004, which was less than 0.05, and the t-value was 2.984, which was higher than the t-table df=66 (1.997). As a result, students' pre-test scores differed significantly between the control and experimental groups. The findings of this study demonstrated that the Neurological Impress Method improved students' reading comprehension and could be used as an alternate method for teaching reading comprehension

SELF-ESTEEM AND READING COMPREHENSION:

Aisya Perdana Asmaja — 2025-03-31

Reading is emphasized as a crucial activity for personal development and academic achievement. Strong reading comprehension skills not only support students’ academic performance but also contribute to the development of critical thinking and the expansion of knowledge. Understanding the factors that influence reading comprehension, such as self-esteem, is essential and worth exploring, particularly in the context of secondary education, where foundational skills and cognitive growth play a significant role in learning outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between self-esteem and reading comprehension achievement among tenth-grade students at MA Patra Mandiri in Palembang. To analyze the correlation between students’ self-esteem and their reading comprehension achievement, a correlational research design was applied. The study involved nine classes of tenth-grade students, and a sample of 116 students was drawn using a convenience sampling technique. Data were collected using a ready-made self-esteem questionnaire adopted by Kartika (2023) and a reading comprehension test. The findings indicated that the correlation coefficient (r) was 0.125, which was lower than the critical value of the r-table (0.180). Based on these results, it can be concluded that there was a low but insignificant correlation between self-esteem and reading comprehension achievement of tenth-grade students at MA Patra Mandiri Palembang

THE USE OF CHATGPT IN ENGLISH WRITING ACTIVITIES:

Natasya Aprodi Giani — 2025-03-31

The rapid development of artificial intelligence has influenced education, including the use of ChatGPT in language learning. ChatGPT can revolutionize many aspects of education, such as retrieving information, responding to specific questions in a variety of subjects, participating in open discussions, writing and editing essays and reports, creating software code, mentoring students by elucidating programming concepts, supplying sample data for databases and analysis, and carrying out computations. This study investigated students’ perceptions of using ChatGPT in English writing activities at the English Education Study Program of UIN Raden Fatah Palembang. A quantitative approach was used with 136 fourth-semester students as the research participants. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire focusing on six aspects: ChatGPT usage, impact on writing, reliability and accuracy, contribution to learning goals, user experience and satisfaction, and training needs. The findings showed that most students had a positive view of ChatGPT, especially in brainstorming and organizing ideas. About 91.3% of students had used ChatGPT in class, and 94.9% had prior experience. Although only 8.7% used it regularly, ChatGPT was seen as helpful for improving efficiency, creativity, and confidence. Students also recognized its limitations, such as the necessity of information verification and avoiding over-reliance. The study concludes that ChatGPT can be a valuable tool for academic writing when it is combined with strong digital literacy and ethical use.

USING YOUTUBE VIDEOS TO ENHANCE THE EFL STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY MASTERY

Robi Soma — 2025-03-31

Vocabulary is one of the important elements of language. It supports students to be able to master four skills in English. YouTube Videos as a digital-based learning medium can demonstrate language skills better than using audio, which is usually used in conventional teaching. This research aimed to find out whether students who were taught using YouTube videos could improve their vocabulary mastery compared to students who were not taught using YouTube videos. This research used a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design. The samples used in this research were students in Class VIII C and VIII D. To collect the data, the researcher used the research instrumentation in the form of vocabulary to measure the students’ prior knowledge before the treatment and to see the students’ treatment results. Furthermore, to analyze the data, the researcher used the t-test. Based on the results collected after conducting this research, the results of the research showed that there was a significant effect of using YouTube videos on vocabulary mastery in students in the experimental class. Students’ English vocabulary learning using YouTube videos was more effective than without using the conventional way of teaching vocabulary. In conclusion, YouTube videos could be used as an alternative way to teach vocabulary to EFL students, especially in the Indonesian context.

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF CAKE APPLICATION FOR STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILLS

Audrin Bianca Mareta — 2025-03-31

A great use of information and communication technology (ICT) has recently affected language pedagogy. ICT usage shifts how English is taught and learned. Many people nowadays use mobile apps as a solution for language learning. One of the smartphone applications that students have been using lately is the Cake application. This study investigates students' perceptions and benefits of using the Cake application in English learning at Sandika Sukajadi High School, Banyuasin. A quantitative method featuring a survey design was employed as the research framework. 104 students, who were selected using a total sampling technique, participated as the sample in this study. A closed-ended questionnaire, distributed using Google Forms, was used to collect the data, which was then analyzed using percentage analysis. The findings revealed that most students perceived positively of using the Cake app for learning spoken English. This study found that (1) the Cake app is a helpful, user-friendly, and interesting tool for students in the English learning process, and (2) the Cake app has many benefits for students in improving their English speaking skills. With its flexibility, it enables students to manage their self-paced learning. Students can have a greater chance to improve their speaking skills using the Cake application.