Empowering Reading Comprehension in EFL Vocational School Students through Folktale

Recognizing the imperative of enhancing students' comprehension in reading, especially within the context of vocational schools, the need for innovative learning approaches becomes crucial. This research aimed to assess the effectiveness of employing folktales to enhance the reading abilities of eleventh-grade students at SMK Tiwikrama Mamuju. Conducted through a pre-experimental design, the study incorporated both pretest and posttest assessments with an intervention in between. The research was conducted during the academic year 2022/2023, involving three classes comprising a total of 105 students. Utilizing purposive sampling, a sample size of 23 students was selected for the study, with the reading test serving as the primary research instrument. The data analysis unveiled a noteworthy improvement in students' mean scores, escalating from a pre-test score of 48 (categorized as very poor) to a post-test score of 75 (categorized as good). The calculated t-test value of 21.09 exceeded the critical t-table value of 2.074 at a significance level of α=0.05. This higher t-test value led to the rejection of the null hypothesis and the acceptance of the alternative hypothesis. Consequently, the utilization of folktales demonstrated a significant enhancement in the reading abilities of eleventh-grade students at SMK Tiwikrama Mamuju.


INTRODUCTION
The Indonesia national education system emphasizes four crucial English learning skills: reading, listening, speaking, and writing.Vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation are three essential elements that complement these skills (Ali, 2022).Among these skills, reading is considered essential because it significantly affects language acquisition and overall learning outcomes.The acquisition of reading skills then is very much dependent on language development (Aswad et al., 2023).Despite its importance, the teaching of reading has been disregarded in certain educational institutions, as observed by (Maltepe, 2016).
Effective English teaching, especially in reading, is paramount, as success in's overall language proficiency.Through reading, individuals have the opportunity to broaden their perspectives, gain fresh insights, and improve their problem-solving skills (Noviasmy et al., 2023).Regrettably, society still undervalues the importance of reading, resulting in a large number of people being labeled as poor readers and reading low-quality materials (Allington & McGill-Franzen, 2021).
The main issue identified at SMK Tiwikrama Mamuju is that students struggle to comprehend the material they read.A significant number of students struggle with comprehending texts, lacking the ability to identify implicit and explicit information (Bakti & Ali, 2023).The lack of motivation among students to read is a widespread problem, worsened by the traditional teaching methods used in reading classes (Rahman et al., 2022).The teacher-centric approach, characterized by reading from textbooks and answering subsequent questions, contributes to boredom and lack motivation (Moon & Kwan, 2022).
The effectiveness of folktales in enhancing students' reading achievement at SMK Tiwikrama Mamuju is explored in this research.By using cultural narratives and a more interactive teaching method, the study aims to boost students' comprehension, motivation, and overall reading performance.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Academic success and effective communication depend on the fundamental skill of reading comprehension in language acquisition.In the realm of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education, empowering students to comprehend written texts is of paramount importance.In this literature review, the focus is on exploring current research and theories that aim to improve reading comprehension among vocational school students, using folktales as a pedagogical tool.

Importance of Reading Comprehension in EFL Education
Understanding the significance of reading comprehension in EFL education is foundational.According to Anderson and Pearson (1984), reading comprehension is not merely the ability to decode words but involves constructing meaning from text, a skill essential for academic achievement and lifelong learning.The relevance of this skill is amplified in vocational education, where students need to comprehend specialized texts related to their chosen fields.

Challenges in EFL Reading Comprehension
EFL learners often face challenges in comprehending English texts due to linguistic and cultural differences (Lwin, 2017).In the context of vocational schools, these challenges may be intensified as students are required to engage with technical and discipline-specific content.Identifying effective strategies to overcome these challenges becomes crucial for educators.
Folktales have long been recognized as powerful tools for language learning and cultural understanding (Satriani, 2019).Incorporating folktales into language instruction can provide contextualized and engaging content, fostering a deeper connection to the language and promoting cultural awareness (Lantolf et al., 2014).This approach can be particularly beneficial in EFL settings, offering a bridge between language acquisition and cultural comprehension.

Folktale-Based Pedagogy in Language Instruction
Research has shown that integrating folktales into language instruction positively impacts various language skills, including vocabulary acquisition, grammar comprehension, and oral proficiency (Hasanah & Ali, 2022).Additionally, the narrative structure of folktales can enhance reading comprehension by providing a context for understanding, which is crucial for EFL learners (Lwin, 2015).
While the integration of folktales in language instruction has been explored, limited studies specifically focus on its impact on reading comprehension in the EFL vocational school context.An empirical study demonstrated the positive effects of using folktales on reading comprehension among Indonesian EFL learners, suggesting the potential applicability of this approach to vocational school settings (Ratminingsih et al., 2020).
The cultural significance of folktales has the potential to elevate students' motivation and interest in reading.Educators play a key role in fostering a positive and effective learning environment and promoting a heightened sense of connection between students and the learning content Hasanah (2023).This aspect is particularly crucial in vocational education, where sustaining student engagement with subjectspecific materials poses a frequent challenge.The integration of culturally familiar narratives is identified as a valuable strategy that can further contribute to creating a positive and effective learning environment.

RESEARCH METHOD
This study adopts a quantitative research method, employing a pre-experimental design with a one-group pre-test-post-test structure to evaluate the effectiveness of the folktale reading technique in enhancing the reading abilities of eleventh-grade students at SMK Tiwikrama Mamuju.The research process involves defining the population and sample, specifying the research location and timeframe, selecting the research instrument, conducting data collection, and performing data analysis.The dependent variable assessed is students' reading abilities, recognized as a vital conduit for acquiring new ideas, facts, and experiences from textual sources, while the independent variable is the application of the folktale reading technique during the learning process.
The population comprises eleventh-grade students from three classes at SMK Tiwikrama Mamuju in the academic year 2022/2023, totaling 105 students.Utilizing a cluster sampling technique, a sample of 23 students from Class XI is selected for the research.The chosen research instrument is a Reading Test administered before and after the treatment, consisting of twenty multiple-choice questions and lasting for 90 minutes.This pre-test aims to gauge the students' baseline knowledge and reading abilities.
Data analysis involves scoring the students' test results based on predefined reading criteria and employing automated data analysis through Microsoft Excel's Data Analysis menu.These analytical approaches aim to comprehensively assess the impact of the folktale reading technique on the students' reading abilities.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
The research focused on class XI, comprising 23 students, and employed a systematic approach encompassing pre-test, treatment, and post-test phases.The pretest, administered before the folktale-based treatment, aimed to assess students' initial reading abilities.The researcher presented twenty multiple-choice questions to gauge their prior knowledge, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the students' baseline proficiency.Subsequently, the treatment phase unfolded over one month, spanning five meetings, each dedicated to teaching the scanning technique.Various folktale texts of West Sulawesi, Indonesia, such as "The Legend of Samba Paria," "The Origin of the Name Kampung Paummisang," "I Karake' Lette'," "The Origin of Mermaid," and "The Legend of Pamboang," were employed to engage students in focused reading activities, emphasizing the application of scanning techniques to enhance their reading skills.
Following the treatment phase, the post-test was administered to evaluate the effectiveness of the folktale technique in enhancing students' reading abilities.Similar to the pre-test, the post-test consisted of twenty multiple-choice questions, lasting for 90 minutes.The researcher aimed to measure any discernible improvements in students' reading abilities after the implementation of the folktale-based treatment.This structured approach allowed for a comprehensive assessment of the impact of the folktale technique on students' reading comprehension skills within the context of vocational education.
1.The comparison of the rate frequency and percentage of the Students' pre-test and post-test  1 demonstrates a significant improvement in student performance following the treatment, with notable shifts in classification levels.The pre-test revealed 17% of students in the very poor category, decreasing to none in the posttest.The poor classification decreased from 57% to none, indicating enhancement.Similarly, the fair classification saw a shift from 26% to 22%.The good classification showed a considerable improvement from none in the pre-test to 35% in the post-test, while the very good classification increased to 43%.The data analysis highlights a positive impact on students' reading abilities across diverse classification levels.Additionally, a clear transformation in scoring distribution indicates the treatment's effectiveness, emphasizing a substantial improvement in student performance from predominantly poor scores in the pre-test to a dominance of very good scores in the post-test.Table 2 indicates a significant improvement in mean scores, revealing a noteworthy increase from 48 in the students' pre-test to 75 in the post-test.This substantial rise, amounting to a difference of 27, underscores the efficacy of the applied folktale technique in enhancing students' reading skills.The discernible improvement observed before and after the implementation of the folktale technique leads to the conclusion that this strategy proves to be effective in fostering advancements in students' reading abilities.H0) and the acceptance of the alternative hypothesis (H1).This clear-cut outcome emphasizes the statistical significance of the findings, affirming the efficacy of the folktale technique in enhancing students' reading abilities.

Analysis T-test Value and T-table Value
The observed improvements in students' performance, as delineated in the analyses of both Table 1 and Table 2, align consistently with prior research emphasizing the effectiveness of innovative teaching methods in bolstering reading comprehension.The positive impact of the folktale reading technique on students' classification scores echoes findings by Qodriani and Kardiansyah (2018), emphasizing the effectiveness of incorporating culturally relevant narratives in language instruction.Furthermore, the shift from a predominant presence in the "poor" classification in the pre-test to a dominance of "very good" scores in the post-test aligns with the research which emphasizes the significant positive effects of utilizing folktales in EFL reading instruction (Zamzami et al., 2023).These outcomes underscore the potential of incorporating folktale-based methods as a powerful tool in addressing diverse reading abilities among students, ultimately contributing to more equitable and enhanced language learning outcomes.
The evident improvement in mean scores, as depicted in Table 2, resonates with previous research affirming the positive impact of innovative teaching strategies on students' academic performance.The substantial increase from a pre-test mean score of 48 to a post-test mean score of 75 reflects the effectiveness of integrating the folktale technique into the instructional approach.This outcome resonates with research findings that emphasize the crucial role of engaging teaching methods in enhancing students' motivation and academic achievement (Rahman et al., 2023).Furthermore, the considerable difference of 27 points between the pre-test and post-test mean scores

Table 2 . Mean Score and Standard Deviation of Students' Pre-Test and Post-Test
Mean Score and Standard Deviation in pre-test and post-test

Table 3 . Analysis T-test Value and T-table Value Students' Pre-Test and Post-Test
Table 3 highlights a considerable difference between the t-test (21.09) and the critical t-table value (2.074) at a 5% significance level.The substantial excess of the t-test value over the t-table value (21.09 > 2.074) leads to the rejection of the null hypothesis (