An Analysis of Senior High School Students’ Difficulties in Learning Historical Recount Text

Abstract

Abstract: An Analysis of Senior High School Students’ Difficulties in Learning Historical Recount Text. Objectives: This study described the senior high school students’ difficulties while learning historical recount text in English class and analyzed the causes of their difficulties. Methods: This study used a test, a questionnaire, and an interview. Findings: This study showed that 67% of students considered historical recount text as difficult materials. Students’ average score was 52.94 or below the minimum criteria of mastery learning. 23.5% of students passed the minimum criteria, while 76.5% of students did not pass it. Students’ difficulties in the “high” level of difficulty were about the social function, text structure, and main idea. Meanwhile, grammar features and arranging text had a “moderate” level of difficulty. The causes of these difficulties were the lack of vocabulary mastery, the lack of understanding about the concept of recount text, and the lack of grammar understanding. Conclusion: Students face difficulties in reading historical recount text materials due to the lack of English vocabulary mastery, grammar, and text concept. Keywords: English, reading, historical recount text, learning difficulties, senior high school. Abstrak: Analisis Kesulitan Siswa Sekolah Menengah Atas dalam Belajar Teks Cerita Sejarah. Tujuan: Studi ini mendeskripsikan kesulitan-kesulitan yang dihadapi oleh siswa sekolah menengah atas saat belajar teks cerita sejarah di kelas Bahasa Inggris dan menganalisis penyebab dari kesulitan-kesulitan tersebut. Metode: Studi ini menggunakan tes, kuesioner, dan interview. Temuan: Studi ini menunjukkan bahwa 67% siswa menganggap teks cerita sejarah sebagai materi yang sulit. Nilai rata-rata siswa adalah 52,94 atau di bawah nilai kriteria ketuntasan minimal. 23,5% siswa mencapai kriteria minimal, sedangkan 76,5% siswa tidak mencapainya. Kesulitan siswa yang berada di level “sulit” meliputi fungsi sosial, struktur teks, dan ide utama. Di sisi lain, fitur bahasa dan penyusunan teks memiliki level kesulitan “sedang”. Penyebab dari kesulitan ini antara lain karena kurangnya penguasaan kosakata, konsep tentang teks cerita, dan pemahaman tata bahasa. Kesimpulan: Siswa menghadapi kesulitan dalam keterampilan membaca pada materi teks cerita sejarah karena penguasaan kosakata bahasa Inggris, tata bahasa, dan konsep teks yang kurang. Kata kunci: Bahasa Inggris, membaca, teks cerita sejarah, kesulitan belajar, SMA. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23960/jpp.v11.i2.202109