AN ANALYSIS OF THE ELEVENTH-GRADE STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN COMPREHENDING FAIRY TALES AT SMK 1 MUHAMMADIYAH PADANG

ABSTRACT
Gelegar. 2025. An Analysis of the Eleventh Grade Students’ Ability in Comprehending Fairy Tales at SMK 1 Muhammadiyah Padang
Advisor: Fitrina Harmaini, S.S., M.A.
The purpose of this study is to describe the ability of the eleventh-grade students in comprehending fairy tales at SMK 1 Muhammadiyah Padang in the academic year 2024/2025. The population of this study was the eleventh-grade students at SMK 1 Muhammadiyah Padang, totaling 89 students from three classes. The researcher used convenience sampling technique to select 14 students as the sample. The instrument used was a reading comprehension test consisting of 25 short-answer items, covering three indicators: character traits, setting of time and place, and moral messages. The test was scored by two raters, and the reliability was measured using the Pearson Product Moment formula. The result showed a correlation coefficient of 0.72, indicating that the test was reliable.
In general, the results showed that the overall ability of the students in comprehending fairy tales was low. This was supported by the fact that 13 students (92.86%) had low ability and only 1 student (7.14%) had high ability. In terms of character traits, 11 students (78.57%) had high ability and 3 students (21.43%) had low ability. In identifying the setting of time and place, 7 students (50%) had high ability and 7 students (50%) had low ability. Meanwhile, in identifying moral messages, all 14 students (100%) were in the low ability category.
Based on the result of data analysis, it can be concluded that students’ ability in comprehending fairy tales was generally low, especially in identifying moral messages. In this regard, the research proposes some suggestions to English teachers, students, and future researchers. English teachers are encouraged to apply varied instructional strategies, such as story mapping, guided discussions, and inferential questioning, to enhance students’ higher-order thinking skills. Students are advised to actively practice reading comprehension through identifying narrative elements and discussing story meanings. Finally, future researchers are suggested to explore the use of multimedia and interactive storytelling to improve students’ comprehension of literary texts.
Keywords: Reading Comprehension, Fairy Tales, Character Traits, Setting, Moral Message