PENGARUH METODE PHONICS DALAM MENINGKATKAN KEMAMPUAN MEMBACA SISWA KELAS 1 SDN GADINGKULON 02 MALANG

Reading is a fundamental skill that must be possessed by every student from an early age. However, in reality many elementary school students still experience difficulties in reading, especially in early reading stages. This problem was also found at SDN Gadingkulon 02 Malang, where most first-grade students were not yet fluent in reading. Therefore, an effective and enjoyable learning method is needed. One such method is phonics, which emphasizes the relationship between letters and sounds (phonemes) to help students recognize and blend words.
This study aims to determine the effect of the phonics method on improving the reading skills of first-grade students at SDN Gadingkulon 02 Malang. The research used a quantitative approach with a pre-experimental design (One Group Pretest-Posttest Design). The sample consisted of 10 students selected purposively. The instrument used was a reading ability test, including pretest and posttest. Data were analyzed using a normality test and a hypothesis test 9paired sample t-test) with the help of SPSS 24.
The result showed a significant increase in the students average scores after the application of the phonics method. The average pretest score of 69 increased to 84 in the posttest. The paired sample t-test showed a significance value of 0,0001 < 0,05, indicating a significant effect of the phonics method on students reading ability. Therefore, the phonics method has proven to be effective in improving the reading skills of first-grade students. This method also creates a more enjoyable and interactive learning atmosphere, making it suitable for use in elementary school reading instruction.