Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Mastery as Determinants of Junior High School Students’ Descriptive Writing Performance
Abstract
This study investigates the influence of reading comprehension and vocabulary mastery on the descriptive writing skills of junior high school students in East Jakarta. A quantitative research design was employed, with data collected from 70 eighth-grade students at two public schools. Three standardized instruments were administered to measure students’ reading comprehension, vocabulary mastery, and descriptive writing performance. The data were analyzed using multiple regression to determine the extent to which the independent variables predicted students’ writing abilities. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between reading comprehension, vocabulary mastery, and descriptive writing skills. Among the predictors, vocabulary mastery showed a stronger effect than reading comprehension, indicating its central role in shaping students’ ability to produce coherent and vivid descriptive texts. The study emphasizes integrating reading comprehension strategies with explicit vocabulary instruction. Educational implications include curriculum development and teaching practices that promote reading engagement and lexical enrichment.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.30998/senndika.v2i2.8925
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