THE STUDY OF THE STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN ENGLISH LESSON AND ITS EFFECT ON THEIR READING COMPREHENSION ABILITY AT ELEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS OF SMA N 1 PETANAHAN IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2012/2013

Abstract

This research is intended to know whether there is correlation between the students’ interest in English lesson and reading comprehension ability and to know how far the students’ interest in English lesson and its effect on reading comprehension ability of the second semester at eleventh grade students of SMA N 1 Petanahan in the academic year 2012/2013. And in this study the researcher uses descriptive method. The result of the coefficient correlation between students’ interest in English lesson and reading comprehension ability, namely r_statistic was 0.410. And it was compared with r_table with the respondent of 40 with the level of significant 5% was 0.312. It means that r_statistic was higher than r_table, so the null hypothesis was rejected and the working one was accepted. And the degree of correlation coefficient is categorized as medium with the r-value between (0.40 – 0.599). And, the determinant Coefficeint (R Square) is 0.168 or 16.8%. It means that the students’ reading comprehension ability can be predicted by the students’ interest 16.8%. And, It found the value of Y, that the students who have 53 score in interest will get 69.25 score for reading ability. It means that the students’ interest in English lesson can affect the students’ reading comprehension ability.

Key words: study, students’ interest, reading comprehension ability