IMPROVING READING COMPREHENSION OF THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS OF SMP MUHAMMADIYAH 1 DENPASAR IN ACADEMIC YEAR 2022/2023 THROUGH NUMBERED HEAD TOGETHER (NHT)

Reading is like opening a window to the world. Especially for students, good reading comprehension can develop their way of thinking and creativity which will increase their achievement in learning. However, preliminary research shows that most students in class VIII D at SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Denpasar for the 2022/2023 school year have problems in reading comprehension. They were difficult to understand the meaning of words, recognize the meaning of sentences, identify certain information, and so on. Therefore, the aim of the study was to find out whether the reading comprehension of class VIII students of SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Denpasar can be improved through the Numbered Heads Together technique. To achieve these goals, researcher conducted classroom action research. Research instruments in the form of tests and questionnaires were provided to collect the required data. The data were then analyzed by comparing the results of the pre-test and post-test which showed a significant increase in the average score of the subjects from pre-test to post-test. The data shows that the average score of the subjects in the pre-test was 50.83, post-test I was 66, and post-test II was 74.83. As supporting data, a questionnaire was also given at the end of the last cycle and the results showed a positive response to the application of the Numbered Heads Together technique. Based on the results of the research, it can be concluded that the reading comprehension of class VIII students of SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Denpasar for the 2022/2023 academic year can be improved through the Numbered Heads Together technique.