The Use English Kahoot Platform in Improving Student’s Reading Ability at SMPN 21 OKU

Abstract

This study aimed to determine whether the use of Kahoot significantly improved students' reading ability at SMP Negeri 21 OKU. Reading is a crucial language skill that enables students to understand information, gain knowledge, and achieve better academic performance; however, many students struggle with comprehending narrative texts, particularly in identifying main ideas, locating specific information, and understanding vocabulary in context. This study employed a pre-experimental method with a one-group pretest-posttest design. The population consisted of all seventh-grade students at SMP Negeri 21 OKU in the 2025/2026 academic year, with class VII.C (32 students) selected as the sample through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a multiple-choice reading ability test and analyzed using a Paired-Sample t-test via SPSS. The results showed a significant improvement in students' reading competence, particularly in determining main ideas, locating information, and understanding vocabulary, with a significance level below 0.05. These findings indicate that Kahoot is an effective and engaging interactive media for enhancing students' reading competence and classroom involvement.