Audio-Visual Learning as an Instructional Strategy to Improve Reading Comprehension in Primary Education

Abstract

Reading comprehension is one of the essential literacy skills that supports students' academic achievement at the elementary school level. However, many students still experience difficulties in understanding, interpreting, and evaluating written texts. This study aimed to examine the effect of YouTube-based audio-visual learning media on the reading comprehension ability of sixth-grade students at SDN 2 Gebangilir, Cirebon Regency, Indonesia. A quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design was employed. The participants consisted of all 23 sixth-grade students selected through total sampling. Reading comprehension was measured using a validated essay test covering literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, including the Shapiro–Wilk normality test and paired-samples t-test. The findings showed that the mean pretest score was 64.891, which increased to 87.935 after the implementation of YouTube-based audio-visual learning media, with an average improvement of 23.044 points. The Shapiro–Wilk test confirmed that both datasets were normally distributed (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the paired-samples t-test revealed a statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores (t = −10.582, p < 0.001), indicating that the intervention significantly improved students' reading comprehension. The results suggest that integrating YouTube-based audio-visual media into elementary reading instruction enhances students' comprehension by providing multimodal learning experiences that promote engagement, facilitate cognitive processing, and support deeper understanding of written texts. Therefore, YouTube-based audio-visual media can be considered an effective instructional strategy for improving reading comprehension in elementary education.