This study investigated the effect of the Herringbone Technique on the reading comprehension achievement of tenth-grade students at SMK Negeri 2 Palembang. Many students at SMK Negeri 2 Palembang. Many students still had difficulties in understanding English texts, especially in identifying main ideas, supporting details, and test structures, which often lowered their academic performance. To address this, the Herringbone Technique, which organizes information through the 5W+1H structure, was introduced as an alternative strategy. The research used a quantitative quasi-experimental design with 75 tenth-grade TKR students in the 2023/2024 academic year, consisting of 38 students in the experimental group and 37 in the control group. Data were collected from pre-test and post-test scores of a
40 items multiple-choice test, classroom observations, and documentation of students’ learning activities, with instruments adapted from English Academy and Quizizz and validated by English teachers at SMK Negeri 2 Palembang. The data were analyzed using normality and homogeneity tests, descriptive statistics, paired sample t-test, and independent sample t-test. The findings showed that the experimental group’s mean score increased from 67.1 (pre-test) to 86.5 (post-test), while the control group rose from 55.74 to 66.35. These results were obtained from a 40 multiple-choice reading comprehension test given before and after treatment. Paired sample t-tests confirmed significant improvement in both groups (p < 0.001), and an independent sample t-test of the post-test scores indicated a significant difference (t=17.575, df=73, p=0.024) with a mean gap of 20.22 points. Supported by classroom observations and documentation, these findings demonstrate that the Herringbone technique was more effective than conventional methods in improving reading comprehension. This study provides English teachers with a practical strategy to address students’ reading difficulties, supports educators in enhancing teaching methods, and serves as a reference for researchers interested in effective comprehension strategies in vocational high schools.