The Relationship Between Vocabulary Mastery and Reading Ability
DOI:
10.29303/jcar.v8i1.13211Published:
2026-03-11Downloads
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the relationship between vocabulary mastery and reading ability among eleventh-grade students at MA Ar-Raufiyah Lendang Jaran, East Lombok. Employing a quantitative correlational design, the research sought to determine the degree of association between the two variables without manipulation. The sample consisted of 20 students, selected through purposive sampling based on their active participation in English classes. Data were gathered using two instruments: a vocabulary mastery test and a reading comprehension test, both validated for reliability with a coefficient value of 0.789. The data were analyzed statistically using the Pearson Product Moment correlation test. The results revealed a strong and significant positive correlation (r = 0.789, p < 0.05) between students’ vocabulary mastery and their reading ability. This finding indicates that students with a higher level of vocabulary mastery tend to achieve better comprehension in English reading tasks. The study highlights the importance of integrating vocabulary instruction into reading activities to improve students’ overall English proficiency.
Keywords:
Vocabulary Mastery Reading Ability Quantitative Correlational Research EFL students MA Ar-Raufiyah Lendang JaranReferences
Alwasilah, A. C. (2014). Pokoknya rekayasa bahasa: Dari kebijakan ke perencanaan bahasa. Bandung: Kiblat Buku Utama.
Anderson, R. C. (1984). Role of the reader’s schema in comprehension, learning, and memory. In R. C. Anderson, J. Osborn, & R. Tierney (Eds.), Learning to read in American schools (pp. 243–257). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Asholahudin, S., Sari, D., & Rahmawati, N. (2023). The correlation between students’ vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension among EFL learners in West Java. Journal of English Language Teaching Research, 5(2), 112–120.
Chall, J. S. (1983). Stages of reading development. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Crystal, D. (2003). English as a global language (2nd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Daeli, R. M., Telaumbanua, Y. A., Zebua, E. P., & Harefa, T. (2025). English Language Learning: Visual Arts to Improve The seventh Graders’ Vocabulary of UPTD SMP Negeri 2 Gunungsitoli Alo’oa. Journal of Classroom Action Research, 7(4), 1633-1638.
Depdiknas. (2013). Kurikulum 2013: Kompetensi dasar mata pelajaran bahasa Inggris untuk SMA/MA. Jakarta: Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan.
Djiwandono, P. I. (2011). Tes bahasa: Pegangan bagi pengajar bahasa. Jakarta: Indeks.
Effendi, R. (2021). The influence of vocabulary mastery toward students’ reading comprehension at senior high schools in Indonesia. Journal of English Language Studies, 6(1), 45–54.
Faradila, Q., Thohir, L., Arafiq., & Amin, M. (2024). Mother Tongue Interference Toward Students' Ability In Producing English Sounds. Journal of Classroom Action Research, 6(2), 418-424.
Fikni, Z., Arfah, H., & Wati, L. (2025). Investigation of English Proficiency in Rural Students at SMK Pariwisata Aiq Bual in The School Year 2025/2026. Journal of Classroom Action Research, 7(4), 1796-1804.
Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2015). How to design and evaluate research in education (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Grabe, W. (2009). Reading in a second language: Moving from theory to practice. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Grabe, W., & Stoller, F. L. (2011). Teaching and researching reading (2nd ed.). Harlow, England: Pearson Education.
Harmer, J. (2007). The practice of English language teaching (4th ed.). Harlow, England: Pearson Longman.
Hasanah, N. (2020). The correlation between students’ vocabulary mastery and their reading comprehension achievement. Journal of English Education and Applied Linguistics, 3(1), 34–42.
Milton, J. (2009). Measuring second language vocabulary acquisition. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Nation, I. S. P. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Nation, I. S. P. (2013). Learning vocabulary in another language (2nd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Oakhill, J., Cain, K., & Elbro, C. (2015). Understanding and teaching reading comprehension: A handbook. New York, NY: Routledge.
Putri, M., & Priyanti, D. (2023). The effect of contextual vocabulary learning strategies on students’ reading comprehension. Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics, 8(2), 175–189.
Rahman, A. (2022). Teaching English in rural Madrasah Aliyah: Challenges and strategies. Journal of English Pedagogy, 9(1), 60–72.
Richards, J. C., & Renandya, W. A. (2002). Methodology in language teaching: An anthology of current practice. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Rumelhart, D. E. (1977). Toward an interactive model of reading. In S. Dornic (Ed.), Attention and performance VI (pp. 573–603). New York, NY: Academic Press.
Schmitt, N. (2010). Researching vocabulary: A vocabulary research manual. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Sugiyono. (2017). Metode penelitian pendidikan: Pendekatan kuantitatif, kualitatif, dan R&D. Bandung: Alfabeta.
Suryani, E. (2018). The difficulties of teaching English in rural schools of Lombok. Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 2(1), 1–10.
Tarigan, H. G. (2008). Membaca sebagai suatu keterampilan berbahasa. Bandung: Angkasa.
Tarigan, H. G. (2015). Pengajaran kosakata. Bandung: Angkasa.
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Putri Haris Tia, Yulia Agustina, Andri Suherman, M. Adib Nazri

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
- Authors who publish with Journal of Classroom Action Research, agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY License). This license allows authors to use all articles, data sets, graphics, and appendices in data mining applications, search engines, web sites, blogs, and other platforms by providing an appropriate reference. The journal allows the author(s) to hold the copyright without restrictions and will retain publishing rights without restrictions.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in Journal of Classroom Action Research.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).


