THE EFFICACY OF INNOVATIVE MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT IN ENHANCING STUDENTS' READING OUTCOMES: A CASE STUDY AT SMA SWASTA SINAR PEMBANGUNAN

Abstract

This study aims to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of contextualized instructional materials in enhancing the reading comprehension of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students. Grounded in the Research and Development (R&D) methodology, this research utilized the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) model to create tailored reading resources for secondary education. The participants consisted of 30 students from Grade XI at SMA Swasta Sinar Pembangunan, South Sumatra, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using expert validation sheets and a pre-experimental reading comprehension test (pre-test and post-test). The results from the paired-sample t-test indicated a significant improvement in student outcomes, with the mean score rising from 61.45 to 85.70. Furthermore, the calculated N-Gain score of 0.63 falls into the "Effective" category, demonstrating that integrating local Palembang wisdom into reading materials significantly boosts students' engagement and linguistic retention. This study concludes that pedagogical agency in material development is vital for mitigating reading difficulties in the Indonesian secondary school context.