ABSTRACT
The objectives of the study are to find out whether or not (1) there is a
correlation between vocabulary mastery and reading ability (2) there is a
correlation between grammatical competence and reading ability and (3) there is a
correlation between vocabulary mastery and grammatical competence
simultaneously and reading ability.
The correlation method is used in this research that was carried out at
English Department of Teacher Training and Education Faculty, Sebelas Maret
University in September 2014 with total of the population is 70 students. The
sample of this research is 30 students from Class B which was taken randomly
using simple random sampling. The data of vocabulary mastery, grammatical
competence, and reading ability in this research were collected using test. The
data are then being analyzed using simple correlation and multiple linear
regressions.
The research findings show that (1) there is there is significant positive
correlation between the students’ vocabulary mastery and reading ability with the
coefficient of correlation (rx1y) 0.5469 and the significance of coefficient of
correlation (to) 3.4571 which is higher than t table at the level of significance a =
0.95 for n = 30 is 1.70 (2) there is significant positive correlation between the
students’ grammatical competence and reading ability with the coefficient of
correlation (rx2y) 0.5377 and the significance of coefficient of correlation (to)
3.3753 which is higher than t table at the level of significance a = 0.95 for n = 30
is 1.70 and (3) there is positive significant correlation between the students’
vocabulary mastery (X1) and grammatical competence (X2) simultaneously and
reading ability (Y) with Fo (8.22) which is higher than Ft at the level of
significance a = 0.05 and the df (degree of freedom) for n = 30 is 3.35.
From the results of the study, it is known that (1) the first hypothesis
stating that there is a positive and significant correlation between vocabulary
mastery and reading ability is accepted (2) the second hypothesis stating that there
is a positive and significant correlation between grammatical competence ad
reading ability is accepted and (3) the third hypothesis stating that there is a
positive and significant correlation between vocabulary mastery and grammatical
competence simultaneously and reading ability is also accepted. It can be
concluded that reading ability will simultaneously follow the increase and
decrease of vocabulary mastery and grammatical competence.
Key words: correlation study, vocabulary mastery, grammatical competence,
reading ability