INCREASING STUDENT’S READING COMPREHENSION ACHIEVEMENT USING P2R TECHNIQUES THROUGH SHORT STORIES TO THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS OF SMP NEGERI 54 PALEMBANG

Reading is a very important skill for students because by strengthening reading
skills, students will experience more significant progress and development in all other
areas of learning. South Sumatra Province is ranked 30th with a score of 55.51 in the
overall list of provinces in the medium category. It can be said that the level of interest
in reading in South Sumatra is still relatively low compared to other provinces. The aim
of this research is to find out whether short stories can improve students' reading
comprehension at SMP Negeri 54 Palembang and whether the application of the P2R
technique is able to improve students' reading ability at SMP Negeri 54 Palembang. In
this case, the researcher will use qualitative data and quantitative data in this action
research. The research sample consisted of 65 students consisting of class VIII. 3 32
students and class VIII.10 33 students. The research results show that short story media
can improve students' reading abilities in junior high school. Using appropriate
techniques and choosing the right techniques can increase students' interest in learning
and ultimately improve student learning achievement. The application of the P2R
technique can improve junior high school students' reading abilities. The increase in
short story reading test results using the P2R technique was followed by changes in
student behavior. In the pre-test there were still some students who showed negative
behavior.
Keywords: Reading Comprehension, P2r Techniques, Short Stories