Globish (An English-Indonesian journal for English.
Education and Cultur.
Vol.
No.
January 2026, pp.
P-ISSN: 2301-9913.
E-ISSN:2597-9132
DOI: http://dx.
org/10.
31000/globish.
CIRC AND READING COMPREHENSION ACHIEVEMENT: THE
EFFECT AND THEIR INTERACTION WITH SELF EFFICACY
1Gysela Debby Utari, 2Annisa Astrid, 3Deta Desvitasari 1,2,3 Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang.
Indonesia E-Mail: gyseladebby29@gmail.
Abstract This study aimed to examine the effect of Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) on studentsAo reading comprehension achievement, viewed from their level of self-efficacy.
The research was conducted at SMAN 2 Unggulan Talang Ubi and applied a quantitative approach with a factorial experimental design.
The population of this study was all eleventh-grade students which in total amounted to 174 students, and the samples were selected using purposive sampling .
Two classes were chosen which each amounted to 35 students per class: one taught using the CIRC method and the other with a conventional strategy.
Data were collected through a reading comprehension test and a self-efficacy questionnaire, the reading comprehension test uses multiple choice questions and has 40 questions with 4 texts, where each text consists of 10 questions.
The questionnaire has 25 questions using a 4 Likert scale, both of which were tested for validity and reliability.
A twoway ANOVA was used to analyze the data.
The findings of this study are as follows:
There was a significant difference in studentsAo reading comprehension achievement between those taught using the CIRC method and those taught using a conventional method.
There was no significant difference in reading comprehension achievement between students with high and low self-efficacy.
There was no significant interaction between the teaching method and studentsAo self-efficacy level in influencing reading comprehension achievement.
These results indicate that CIRC is an effective teaching strategy to enhance studentsAo reading However, studentsAo self-efficacy alone may not directly influence achievement without additional support or intervention.
The study underscores the importance of applying interactive and student-centered instructional methods to improve learning outcomes.
Keywords: CIRC.
reading comprehension.
self-efficacy.
teaching strategy.
How to Cite: Utari.
Astrid.
, & Desvitasari.
CIRC and reading comprehension achievement: The effect and their interaction with self-efficacy.
Globish: English-Indonesia Journal for English Education and Culture, 15.
, xxAexx.
https://doi.
org/10.
31000/globish.
INTRODUCTION
Reading comprehension plays a vital role in the language learning process, particularly in EFL (English as a Foreign Languag.
It is not only a medium for acquiring knowledge but also a foundation for academic and personal development (Yang, 2.
Reading is a guessing process, according to Grellet .
, and what one Received November 21, 2025.
Revised November 10, 2025.
Accepted December 11, 2025
P-ISSN: 2301-9913 | E-ISSN: 2597-9132
takes to the text is frequently more significant than what one discovers there (Yanah Mulyanah & Yulianjani, 2.
Reading involves more than decoding words.
Furthermore, (Klingner et al.
, 2.
argues AuReading comprehension is a multicomponent, highly complex process that involves many interactions between readers and what they bring to the text .
revious knowledge, strategy us.
as well as variables related to the text itself .
nterest in text, understanding of text type.
Ay that means this process not only reads the text, such as articulation, expression, and On the other hand, the students try to understand the entire what is conveyed by the author in the text both implied or not.
To comprehend the meaning and get the contents of the text, the students are required to understand the text.
As a result, the process of reading comprehension becomes a weakness in students (Riyadi et al.
It requires readers to construct meaning through an interactive process of connecting prior knowledge, interpreting language, and making inferences (Grabe & Stoller, 2019.
Masduqi, 2.
(Klingner et al.
, 2.
emphasized that reading comprehension is a complex activity shaped by multiple factors, including the reader's background knowledge, motivation, strategy use, and the text itself.
In Indonesia, studentsAo reading comprehension remains a significant challenge.
Based on the (PISA, 2.
Indonesia ranked among the bottom three countries in ASEAN in terms of reading literacy, with approximately 70% of students performing below Level 2.
Other data from PIRLS .
also showed a decline in Indonesia's reading score from 548 in 2016 to 544 in 2021 (Fishbein et al.
, 2.
These findings reflect deeper educational issues, such as limited reading habits, inadequate resources, and low engagement.
(Hasanah, 2.
pointed out that lack of reading materials, inability to infer word meaning, and minimal parental motivation often hinder students' reading development.
Similarly.
Iftanti (Laili, 2.
found that EFL students in Indonesia lacked consistent reading habits despite formal instruction at school.
To address these issues, it is important for teachers to implement effective instructional strategies.
(Amri, 2.
stated that learning strategies are essential tools for achieving learning objectives, and (Asmedy, 2.
reinforced the idea that strategic instruction helps both students and teachers in the learning process.
One approach that has gained attention is Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC).
cooperative learning model that integrates reading and writing activities (Slavin, 1995, as cited in (Mubarok & Sofiana, 2.
CIRC encourages students to work collaboratively on reading tasks, identify main ideas, discuss vocabulary, and summarize texts (Calderyn et al.
, 1998.
Mubarok & Sofiana, 2.
This strategy aligns with the principles of cooperative learning, which emphasize student interaction, shared responsibility, and meaningful engagement (Gupta & Ahuja, 2.
Several previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of CIRC in improving studentsAo reading comprehension.
For example, (Manik et al.
, 2.
found that students taught with CIRC showed higher reading achievement compared to those taught with conventional methods.
Similarly, (Nasution, 2.
and (Pransiska, 2.
reported positive outcomes in secondary schools using this approach.
(Mariana et al.
and (Nurmianti, 2.
also highlighted its success at university and junior high school levels, respectively.
However, most of these studies focused solely on cognitive outcomes and did not consider psychological or affective variables such as self-efficacy.
Self-efficacy, defined as studentsAo belief in their ability to succeed in academic tasks (Bandura, 1.
, plays a significant role in learning.
(Guthrie & Wigfield, 2.
explain that students with high reading self-efficacy are more likely to approach reading tasks confidently, persevere in the face of challenges, and perform better overall.
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(Bandura, 1.
identified four major sources of self-efficacy: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and emotional states.
StudentsAo perception of these experiences influences how they interpret their capabilities and determine how much effort they are willing to invest (Feist & Feist, 2002.
Dodds, 2011, in (Mastur.
Several studies have confirmed a strong relationship between self-efficacy and reading achievement (Abbott, 2017.
Chou, 2019.
Rachmajanti, 2017 in (Apriliyani & Usuludin, 2.
(Umam et al.
, 2.
emphasized that self-efficacy not only shapes students' motivation but also influences the strategies they choose while reading.
(Boakye, 2.
added that students with high self-efficacy demonstrate more persistence, invest more energy, and achieve better comprehension results than their peers with lower self-belief.
Despite the extensive research on CIRC and self-efficacy, there is a notable gap:
few studies explore the combined effect of CIRC and studentsAo self-efficacy on reading comprehension, particularly in the Indonesian senior high school context.
Most prior research either focused on CIRC alone .
, (Afebri et al.
, 2021.
Berliana et al.
, 2.
or treated self-efficacy as a separate construct without examining its interaction with instructional methods.
To fill this gap, the present study aims to investigate the effect of implementing the CIRC strategy on studentsAo reading comprehension achievement, viewed from their level of self-efficacy.
The research specifically addresses the following questions: .
Is there a significant difference in studentsAo reading comprehension achievement between those taught using CIRC and those taught using conventional methods? .
Is there a significant difference in reading achievement between students with high and low selfefficacy? .
Is there any interaction between the teaching method and studentsAo selfefficacy in influencing reading comprehension outcomes? The novelty of this study lies in its attempt to integrate both cognitive and affective factors in assessing reading comprehension.
By examining not only the effect of teaching strategy but also how studentsAo beliefs about their reading abilities shape learning outcomes, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of reading pedagogy in Indonesian high schools.
RESEARCH METHOD
This study applied a quantitative approach with a factorial experimental design to examine the effect of Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) on studentsAo reading comprehension achievement, viewed from their level of self-efficacy.
The research was conducted at SMAN 2 Unggulan Talang Ubi in the academic year 2023/2024.
The population of this study was all eleventh-grade students which in total amounted to 174 students, and the samples were selected using purposive sampling .
Two classes were chosen which each amounted to 35 students per class: one class was taught using the CIRC method, and the other was taught using strategy that is usually used by the teacher at the school.
The instruments used in this study were a reading comprehension test and a selfefficacy questionnaire.
The reading comprehension test uses multiple choice questions and has 40 questions with 4 texts, where each text consists of 10 questions.
The reading comprehension test consisted of pre-test and post-test questions designed to measure studentsAo understanding of narrative and procedure texts.
Meanwhile, the self-efficacy questionnaire was developed based on BanduraAos theory and included statements CIRC and Reading Comprehension Achievement: The Effect and Their Interaction with Self Efficacy Utari.
Astrid.
Desvitasari C
P-ISSN: 2301-9913 | E-ISSN: 2597-9132
measuring studentsAo confidence in performing reading tasks.
Both instruments were tested for validity and reliability before being used in the actual research.
To analyze the data, a two-way ANOVA was employed.
This analysis aimed to determine: .
whether there was a significant difference in reading comprehension achievement between students taught using the CIRC method and those taught using conventional methods, .
whether students with different levels of self-efficacy showed significant differences in their reading achievement, and .
whether there was a significant interaction between teaching method and studentsAo self-efficacy.
The significance level was set at 0.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
RESULTS
This section presents the findings of the study in three main parts.
The first part discusses the results of validity and reliability testing for both the reading comprehension test and the self-efficacy questionnaire.
Ensuring the accuracy and consistency of these instruments was an essential step before data analysis.
The second part outlines a sequence of statistical analyses to answer the 3 research problem Each finding is followed by a discussion to interpret its significance within the context of the study.
The third part presents a discussion of the findings in relation to Bandura and SlavinAos theory and also previous studies.
Validity and Reliability of Instruments Before conducting the main analysis, the instruments used in this study, namely the reading comprehension test and the self-efficacy questionnaire were tested for their validity and reliability to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the data.
The reading comprehension test consisted of 60 multiple-choice items that measured various reading skills, including identifying the topic, finding the main idea, scanning for specific information, recognizing word references, guessing word meanings, and making inferences.
The content validity of the test was established by aligning the items with the English curriculum for the eleventh grade, as reflected in the test blueprint.
Furthermore, construct validity was measured using Pearson ProductMoment correlation based on tryout results from 70 students.
The r-table at the 0.
significance level .
f = .
The results showed that 49 items were valid and retained, while 11 items were excluded due to low correlation values.
Therefore, the test was considered to have acceptable construct validity.
In terms of reliability, the internal consistency of the reading comprehension test was measured using CronbachAos Alpha, which yielded a score of 0.
This indicates that the test had good reliability and could be trusted to measure studentsAo reading achievement consistently.
The self-efficacy questionnaire used in this study was adapted from the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (TASES), originally developed by Sagone and Caroli .
and later adapted into Indonesian by Darmayanti et al.
It consisted of 25 Likert-scale items categorized into four dimensions: self-engagement, self-oriented decisionmaking, others-oriented problem-solving, and interpersonal climate.
The validity of this instrument had been previously confirmed through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).
For reliability, the CronbachAos Alpha result was 0.
815, which indicates a high level of internal consistency.
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In conclusion, the results of the validity and reliability testing showed that both instruments were appropriate for use in this study.
The following table summarizes the Table 1.
Summary of Instrument Validation and Reliability Instrument Type Method Result Interpretation Pearson 49 of 60 Good construct Validity Reading Correlation items valid Comprehension Reliabilit CronbachAos Test Reliable Alpha CFA .
dapted 25 valid
Validity Valid
TASES)
Self-Efficacy Questionnaire Reliabilit CronbachAos Highly reliable Alpha Descriptive Statistic The results of descriptive analysis of reading comprehension show a range of score 10-34 for pre-test experimental, 11-35 for post-test experimental, 24-36 for pretest control, and 18-38 for post-test control, which can be seen more clearly in table 2.
Table 2.
Descriptive Analysis of Reading Comprehension Test Descriptive Statistic Minimum Maximum Post-test Experimental Post-test Control Valid N .
Mean
21,80
32,77
Prerequisite Analysis The Result of the Normality To determine whether the data were normally distributed, a normality test was conducted using both the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk methods.
These tests were applied to the pre-test and post-test scores of both the experimental and control The results are presented in the following table 3 below.
Table 3.
The Result of the Normality Tests of Normality Kolmogorov-Smirnova Shapiro-Wilk Class Statistic Sig.
Statistic Sig.
Pre-Test Experimental ,192 ,002 ,051 CIRC
Post-Test
Hasil
,102
,200*
,963
,290
Experimental CIRC
Pre-Test Control
,100
,200*
,975
,578
Conventional Post-Test Control
,142
,072
,958
,204
Conventional This is a lower bound of the true significance.
Lilliefors Significance Correction CIRC and Reading Comprehension Achievement: The Effect and Their Interaction with Self Efficacy Utari.
Astrid.
Desvitasari P-ISSN: 2301-9913 | E-ISSN: 2597-9132 The results of the normality tests using the Shapiro-Wilk method indicate that all four sets of data, namely the pre-test and post-test scores of both the experimental class (CIRC metho.
and the control class .
onventional metho.
are normally distributed.
Specifically, the significance values .
-value.
for each dataset exceed the threshold of 05, with the pre-test experimental group showing a significance of 0.
051, the post-test experimental group at 0.
290, the pre-test control group at 0.
578, and the post-test control group at 0.
Since none of these values fall below the commonly accepted alpha level of 0.
05, the assumption of normality is satisfied for each group.
This implies that the data do not significantly deviate from a normal distribution, and thus parametric statistical tests, such as the paired-sample t-test or the independent-sample t-test, are appropriate for further analysis.
The normal distribution of the data also suggests that the data collection process was conducted properly and consistently, without any indication of bias or irregularity in the scoring.
The Result of Homogeneity Test To examine whether the data from each group have equal variances, a test of homogeneity of variance was conducted.
This procedure is used to assess whether the assumption of equal variance across groups is met.
The results of LeveneAos Test are presented in the following table 4 below.
Test Post-Test Table 4.
The Result of Homogeneity Test Group Sig.
Control
, 878
Result Homogenous Based on the LeveneAos Test for Equality of Variances, the significance value (Sig.
for the "Based on Mean" method is 0.
Since this value is greater than 0.
05, it indicates that there is no significant difference in variance between the groups.
Therefore, the assumption of homogeneity of variances is met.
This indicates that the data distribution in the control group is relatively stable and does not show extreme differences in variance, making it appropriate for further parametric analysis such as independent samples t-test.
Hypothesis Testing The hypothesis testing was conducted using a two-way ANOVA to examine the effect of teaching method (CIRC vs.
and self-efficacy level .
igh vs.
on students' reading comprehension achievement.
The results are presented in the following table:
Table 5.
The result of Two Way ANOVA Tests of Between-Subjects Effects Dependent Variable: readingresult Type i Mean Source Sum of Sig.
Square Squares Corrected Model
13227,384a 4409,128 24,791 ,000 324253,83 1823,19 Intercept
324253,831
,000
Method
13029,233
13029,233
73,260
,000
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SELFEFFICACY1
4,480
29,593
SELFEFFICACY1
Error
11738,059
Total
353149,000
Corrected Total
24965,443
R Squared = ,530 (Adjusted R Squared = ,.
4,480
,025
,874
29,593
,166
,685
177,849
The analysis showed that there was a significant difference in studentsAo reading comprehension achievement based on the teaching method (Sig.
= 0.
000 < 0.
This finding suggests that the CIRC method was more effective than strategy that usually used by the teacher at the school in improving students' reading performance.
The method encouraged students to interact, collaborate, and process texts more actively, which contributed to better comprehension outcomes.
However, the analysis also revealed that there was no significant difference in reading comprehension between students with high and low self-efficacy (Sig.
= 0.
> 0.
This indicates that studentsAo belief in their ability to succeed did not independently influence their performance in reading tasks.
Although self-efficacy is generally associated with motivation and persistence, it may not directly affect test results if not supported by effective instructional practices.
Lastly, there was no significant interaction between the teaching method and studentsAo self-efficacy level (Sig.
= 0.
878 > 0.
This means that the effectiveness of the CIRC method did not depend on whether students had high or low self-efficacy.
Both groups benefited similarly from the method, suggesting that CIRC can be effectively implemented across diverse student profiles.
These findings indicate that while students' internal factors such as self-efficacy remain important, the role of instructional strategy, particularly cooperative methods like CIRC plays a more substantial role in improving academic outcomes.
DISCUSSION
The results of the two-way ANOVA revealed that the teaching method significantly affected students' reading comprehension achievement.
This means that there is a significant difference between students taught using the CIRC method and those taught using the conventional teacher strategy.
This result aligns with (Slavin, 2.
who developed the CIRC model as a cooperative learning strategy that emphasizes student interaction, group-based learning, and integration of reading and writing tasks.
According to Slavin.
CIRC enhances comprehension because it encourages students to be actively involved in the learning process through peer collaboration and mutual The findings are also supported by (Klingner et al.
, 2.
who argued that collaborative reading instruction improves comprehension by allowing students to engage in discussion, clarify meanings, and negotiate understanding together.
The structured cooperative elements of the CIRC method contribute to deeper text engagement, which leads to improved comprehension outcomes.
The second finding showed that students' level of self-efficacy did not significantly influence their reading comprehension achievement.
This result contrasts with the theory of (Bandura, 1.
who stated that self-efficacy is defined as an individualAos belief in their capability to succeed that can positively affect motivation, effort, and academic performance.
According to Bandura, students who believe in their abilities are CIRC and Reading Comprehension Achievement: The Effect and Their Interaction with Self Efficacy Utari.
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P-ISSN: 2301-9913 | E-ISSN: 2597-9132
more likely to persist and succeed in academic tasks.
However, the findings in this study suggest that while self-efficacy may be important, it was not a dominant factor affecting reading achievement in this context.
One possible explanation is that the instructional method (CIRC) provided enough support and scaffolding that it reduced the gap between students with low and high self-efficacy.
This implies that effective teaching can help compensate for variations in studentsAo confidence levels.
The finding can be explained by the cooperative learning principles underlying the CIRC method.
According to (Johnson et al.
, 2.
cooperative learning promotes positive interdependence, which allows students with lower confidence levels to remain actively involved and supported during the learning process.
Through group discussion and shared responsibility.
CIRC provides equal opportunities for students to succeed, thereby reducing the influence of differences in studentsAo self efficacy on reading comprehension achievement.
This explanation is also supported by Meng, who states that group work is a cooperative activity that encourages more equal student participation and greater opportunities to use language compared to whole class Through small group interaction, students are more willing to express ideas, share opinions, and collaboratively solve problems, which can contribute to improved reading comprehension (Rahmawati & Suharti, 2.
In addition to personal beliefs like self-efficacy, other external factors may have contributed more strongly to studentsAo reading achievement in this study.
One of these factors is the learning According to (Harmer, 2.
a classroom that is supportive and comfortable can greatly influence how well students learn, especially in language learning contexts.
When students feel safe, respected, and encouraged both by their teacher and their classmates they are more likely to participate actively and try their best, even if they are not fully confident in their abilities.
In such a positive environment, students with low self-efficacy may still perform well because they receive ongoing help, motivation, and constructive feedback .
This kind of environment can reduce the pressure on students and help them focus on learning rather than their doubts.
The third analysis tested whether there was an interaction effect between teaching method and studentsAo selfAcefficacy.
The result of the analysis shows that there was no significant interaction between the two variables, meaning that the effect of the teaching method on reading comprehension was consistent, regardless of whether students had high or low selfAcefficacy(Lutfiah et al.
, 2.
This finding is supported by (Schunk & Pajares, 2.
who explain that selfAcefficacy often influences motivation and goal setting, but its impact can be overshadowed when external factors like structured classroom instruction and peer support are more prominent.
In such situations, even students with lower confidence can perform well because the method provides clear guidance and collaborative learning.
A study by (Maspufah, 2.
also found similar In her action research on thirdAcsemester university students, it showed that while students with higher selfAcefficacy were more engaged, the teaching model used in class had a stronger influence on reading improvement than selfAcefficacy alone.
This supports the idea that in supportive, wellAcstructured teaching contexts, selfAcefficacy may not be the main determinant of student success.
CONCLUSION
This study investigated the effect of implementing the Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) method on studentsAo reading comprehension achievement, viewed from their level of self-efficacy.
Based on the data analysis using two-way ANOVA, several conclusions can be drawn.
First, the results revealed that the Globish.
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January 2026, 133-143.
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ISSN: 2301-9913
CIRC method had a significant positive impact on studentsAo reading comprehension Students who were taught using CIRC outperformed those who were taught using conventional teaching strategies.
Second, the analysis showed that studentsAo self-efficacy levels did not significantly affect their reading comprehension Third, the interaction between teaching method and self-efficacy level was also not statistically significant.
This means that the effectiveness of the CIRC method in improving reading comprehension was consistent across different selfefficacy groups.
Overall, this study confirms that the instructional approach used by the teacher plays a critical role in determining student outcomes, particularly in reading The findings provide valuable insights for English teachers, especially at the senior high school level, to consider incorporating cooperative learning models such as CIRC into their classroom practices.
CIRC not only enhances comprehension outcomes but also fosters collaboration, critical thinking, and student engagement.
Although self-efficacy did not have a significant effect in this study, it remains an important aspect of learner development that should not be overlooked.
Teachers are encouraged to combine effective teaching methods with efforts to support studentsAo confidence and emotional readiness to learn.
Future research may explore how self-efficacy can be strengthened in the classroom alongside cooperative learning, or how other affective factors such as motivation and anxiety may interact with teaching strategies to influence reading Further studies can also examine the long-term effects of CIRC in different educational settings or with different text genres to enrich the understanding of its benefits and limitations.
This study was limited to a short-term intervention using two text types, narrative and procedure, and was conducted only with eleventh-grade students in a single school context, which may limit the generalizability of the results.
REFERENCES