Visual-Textual Integration in Comics: Enhancing Grade VIII Reading Comprehension Through Iterative Classroom Intervention
Keywords:
epistemic justice, decoloniality, school management, educational leadership, managing diversity, conceptual frameworkAbstract
Reading comprehension remains a persistent challenge in Indonesian junior high school English language classrooms, with traditional instructional approaches frequently failing to engage low-achieving readers. This study investigates the effectiveness of short comics as a visual-textual scaffold for enhancing reading comprehension among Grade VIII students. Employing a two-cycle classroom action research (CAR) design, the study involved 36 students at SMP Negeri 1 Batanghari, East Lampung, Indonesia (2024–2025 academic year). Data were collected through multiple-choice reading tests (pre-test, post-test I, post-test II), classroom observations, and documentation. Quantitative analysis revealed significant improvement: pre-test baseline showed only 36.11% of students meeting the minimum completion criteria (MCC); after Cycle I, 55.55% achieved MCC; by Cycle II, 80.55% demonstrated mastery. Mean scores increased from 51 (pre-test) to 65 (post-test I) to 79 (post-test II). Observation data indicated enhanced student engagement, critical thinking, and confidence in reading activities. The findings align with cognitive load theory and dual coding theory, demonstrating that integrating visual and textual information through comics reduces cognitive overload and facilitates deeper comprehension. This iterative CAR approach illustrates how systematic reflection and instructional refinement strengthen intervention effectiveness. The study contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting multimodal pedagogies in English language teaching, particularly for struggling readers. Implications suggest integrating short comics into secondary ELT curricula and developing teacher professional development programs in visual literacy. Future research should explore comic effectiveness across proficiency levels, examine long-term retention, and investigate comic design features that optimize learning outcomes.
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