An Analysis Speaking Problem Difficulties of Junior High School Students

Abstract

This study aims to examine students' difficulties in understanding English reading assignments. The research was conducted on Grade IX and VIII students of SMP 22 Jakarta who experienced challenges in comprehending English reading activities. This study utilized a descriptive qualitative research design. Using a purposive sampling approach, 30 Grade IX students and 31 Grade VIII students were selected as samples due to their low reading scores. Data were collected through document analysis and questionnaires, then analyzed through three main stages: data condensation, data presentation, and conclusion drawing or verification. After evaluating the data, it was observed that students faced four main difficulties in understanding reading assignments. The average percentage was 64.9% for Grade IX and 72.5% for Grade VIII. Furthermore, based on the percentages derived from the analysis of documents and questionnaires completed by the Grade IX and VIII students, the most challenging aspects were vocabulary, dictionary usage, and motivation in understanding English.