Abstract:
Reading is a fundamental skill essential for academic success; however, in reality, there are still students who
struggle with reading because they cannot comprehend the commands or content within books. This skill is
particularly vital, as much of human knowledge is acquired through reading. Speaking and reading are uniquely
important in the development of communication and knowledge. This research aims to determine whether the
use of Montessori-based word wall educational games can influence early reading skills of first-grade students
at Sanggar Pandan Guidance, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This study employs a quantitative approach using an
experimental method. The research was conducted at Studio Bimbingan Aisyiyah, located on Jl. Kijing No. 15,
Kampung Pandan, Kuala Lumpur. The population consists of first-grade elementary students at Sanggar Pandan
Guidance, with a sample size of 8 students. The instruments used were performance tests and observations,
while the data analysis techniques included expert judgment validity testing and one-sample t-test hypothesis
testing. The results show that during the pre-test (before using the educational games), students' early reading
skills were categorized as “fair” with a percentage of 58% and a t-value of 177.193 > 1.89458. After implementing
the word wall educational games, the post-test results indicated a significant improvement, with students
achieving a “good” category at 84.37% and a t-value of 105.417 > 1.89458. Based on these findings, it can be
concluded that the use of Montessori-based word wall educational games is effective in improving the early
reading skills of first-grade elementary students at Sanggar Pandan Guidance, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
