THE INFLUENCE OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING TECHNIQUE AND READING INTEREST ON STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31851/tmems054Keywords:
Project-Based Learning, Reading Interest, Reading Comprehension, EFL Learning, Student Engagement, Experimental StudyAbstract
This study investigated the influence of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) and students’ reading interest on reading comprehension among senior secondary learners. It also examined the interaction effect between instructional technique and reading interest on students’ reading achievement. The study employed a quantitative experimental design involving an experimental group taught using Project-Based Learning and a control group taught through conventional instruction. Data were collected using a reading comprehension test and a reading interest questionnaire and analyzed through analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings revealed that students taught through Project-Based Learning achieved significantly higher reading comprehension scores than those taught using conventional methods. In addition, students with high reading interest demonstrated better performance compared to those with low reading interest. The analysis further indicated a significant interaction effect between instructional technique and reading interest on reading comprehension. These findings suggest that Project-Based Learning can serve as an effective instructional strategy for improving students’ reading comprehension, engagement, and motivation in English language learning. This study contributes to the development of innovative teaching strategies by highlighting the combined role of instructional methods and learner motivation in enhancing reading achievement in EFL classrooms.
References
Afflerbach, P., Cho, B. Y., & Kim, J. Y. (2022). Clarifying reading comprehension: A framework for reading research and instruction. Reading Research Quarterly, 57(2), 481–499. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.421
Aulia, N., Suryani, N., & Wahyuni, S. (2022). The effectiveness of project-based learning in improving students’ reading comprehension. Journal of English Language Teaching, 11(2), 145–154. https://doi.org/10.24036/jelt.v11i2.116345
Chen, C. H., & Yang, Y. C. (2023). Revisiting the effects of project-based learning on students’ academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 39, 100520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100520
Condliffe, B., Quint, J., Visher, M. G., Bangser, M., Drohojowska, S., Saco, L., & Nelson, E. (2021). The impact of project-based learning on student outcomes: A systematic review. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 43(3), 373–399. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737211015715
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2021). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Duke, N. K., & Cartwright, K. B. (2021). The science of reading comprehension instruction. The Reading Teacher, 74(6), 663–672. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1993
Fatmawati, D. (2024). The effect of project-based learning on students’ cognitive and metacognitive skills. Journal of Educational Research and Evaluation, 8(1), 55–63. https://doi.org/10.23887/jere.v8i1.61234
Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2021). How to design and evaluate research in education (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Grabe, W., & Stoller, F. L. (2022). Teaching and researching reading (3rd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367421990
Guo, P., Saab, N., Post, L. S., & Admiraal, W. (2022). Effects of project-based learning on students’ engagement and learning outcomes. Educational Psychology Review, 34(1), 123–146. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09633-1
Guthrie, J. T., & Klauda, S. L. (2022). Engagement and motivation in reading. Handbook of Reading Research, 6, 431–452. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429467409
Guthrie, J. T., Klauda, S. L., & Ho, A. N. (2022). Modeling relationships among reading instruction, motivation, engagement, and achievement. Reading Research Quarterly, 57(1), 87–108. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.364
Han, J., & Hiver, P. (2022). Project-based language learning: A review of theory and practice. Language Teaching Research, 26(4), 693–712. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820939357
Hidayati, N., & Susanto, A. (2024). Reading interest and its impact on students’ comprehension achievement. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 15(1), 110–118. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1501.13
Hmelo-Silver, C. E., & Chinn, C. A. (2022). Problem-based and project-based learning: Constructivist approaches to teaching and learning. Educational Psychologist, 57(2), 95–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2021.1985347
Kim, Y., & Park, H. (2021). Effects of instructional approaches on EFL reading comprehension. Asian EFL Journal, 25(3), 122–140.
Kim, Y., & Park, H. (2022). Reading motivation and comprehension performance in EFL contexts. System, 108, 102833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2022.102833
Klauda, S. L., & Guthrie, J. T. (2021). Relationships of reading motivation and engagement to reading comprehension. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 65, 101962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2021.101962
Klauda, S. L., & Guthrie, J. T. (2023). Effects of classroom instruction on students’ reading motivation and comprehension. Reading Psychology, 44(2), 121–139. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2022.2064789
Koda, K., & Yamashita, J. (2021). Reading to learn in a foreign language: An integrated approach to foreign language reading. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429431387
Kokotsaki, D., Menzies, V., & Wiggins, A. (2021). Project-based learning: A review of the literature. Improving Schools, 24(3), 267–283. https://doi.org/10.1177/13654802211013500
Krapp, A., & Ryan, R. M. (2022). Interest, motivation, and learning: The role of intrinsic motivation in education. Educational Psychologist, 57(3), 171–185. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2022.2030593
Linnenbrink-Garcia, L., Patall, E. A., & Pekrun, R. (2021). Adaptive motivation and emotion in education. Educational Psychologist, 56(3), 195–210. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2021.1938707
Mokhtar, A. A., Rahman, N. A., & Abdullah, N. (2022). Reading strategies and comprehension performance among ESL learners. International Journal of Instruction, 15(2), 671–686. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2022.15237a
Nation, I. S. P. (2022). Learning vocabulary in another language (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009093874
Pratama, R., Santoso, D., & Wulandari, T. (2021). Student-centered learning and engagement in EFL reading classrooms. Journal of Language and Education, 7(4), 52–63. https://doi.org/10.17323/jle.2021.11564
Rahmawati, D., & Lestari, S. (2023). Implementing project-based learning to improve students’ reading comprehension. Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 14(1), 45–54. https://doi.org/10.24036/jeltl.v14i1.12145
Renninger, K. A., & Hidi, S. (2022). The power of interest for motivation and engagement. Educational Psychologist, 57(3), 167–170. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2022.2051455
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2022). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford Press.
Sari, N., & Widodo, H. P. (2022). Project-based learning in EFL classrooms: Enhancing students’ motivation and reading performance. TESOL Journal, 13(3), e00689. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.689
Schiefele, U., Schaffner, E., Möller, J., & Wigfield, A. (2022). Dimensions of reading motivation and their relation to reading behavior and competence. Reading Research Quarterly, 57(2), 403–423. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.388
Sun, Y., Zhang, L. J., & Wang, L. (2023). Reading motivation and engagement in second language reading. System, 113, 102987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2023.102987
Taboada Barber, A., Buehl, M. M., Kidd, J. K., & Beck, J. S. (2021). Reading motivation and reading comprehension in middle school students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(5), 847–862. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000631
Teng, F. (2022). The effectiveness of task-based and project-based learning in second language education. Language Teaching Research, 26(6), 1091–1112. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820938819
Wigfield, A., Klauda, S. L., & Cambria, J. (2023). Influences of reading motivation on reading comprehension and achievement. Educational Psychologist, 58(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2022.2124215
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Shelvi Carmelia, Hanni Yukamana, Mulyadi Mulyadi

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright Notice
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
In order to assure the highest standards for published articles, a peer review policy is applied. In pursue of the compliance with academic standards, all parties involved in the publishing process (the authors, the editors and the editorial board and the reviewers) agree to meet the responsibilities stated below in accordance to the Journal publication ethics and malpractice statement.
Duties of Authors:
- The author(s) warrant that the submitted article is an original work, which has not been previously published, and that they have obtained an agreement from any co-author(s) prior to the manuscript’s submission;
- The author(s) should not submit articles describing essentially the same research to more than one journal;
- The authors(s) make certain that the manuscript meets the terms of the Manuscript Submission Guideline regarding appropriate academic citation and that no copyright infringement occurs;
- The authors(s) should inform the editors about any conflict of interests and report any errors they subsequently, discover in their manuscript.
Duties of Editors and the Editorial Board:
- The editors, together with the editorial board, are responsible for deciding upon the publication or rejection of the submitted manuscripts based only on their originality, significance, and relevance to the domains of the journal;
- The editors evaluate the manuscripts compliance with academic criteria, the domains of the journal and the guidelines;
- The editors must at all times respect the confidentiality of any information pertaining to the submitted manuscripts;
- The editors assign the review of each manuscript to two reviewers chosen according to their domains of expertise. The editors must take into account any conflict of interest reported by the authors and the reviewers.
- The editors must ensure that the comments and recommendations of the reviewers are sent to the author(s) in due time and that the manuscripts are returned to the editors, who take the final decision to publish them or not.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post online a pre-publication manuscript (but not the Publisher final formatted PDF version of the Work) in institutional repositories or on their Websites prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (see The Effect of Open Access). Any such posting made before acceptance and publication of the Work shall be updated upon publication to include a reference to the Publisher-assigned DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and a link to the online abstract for the final published Work in the Journal.











