International Journal of English Teaching and Linguistics

English Teachers' Perceptions of the Challenges in Teaching Reading Comprehension at Muhammadiyah Vocational High School in Pekanbaru

2026-04-25T13:16:45+07:00

This study aimed to explore English teachers’ perceptions of the challenges in teaching reading comprehension at Muhammadiyah Vocational High School in Pekanbaru. This research employed a qualitative research design, with data collected through semi-structured interviews involving four English teachers. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis to gain an in-depth understanding of teachers’ experiences and perspectives. The findings reveal that teachers are aware of various challenges in teaching reading comprehension, with students’ limited vocabulary mastery identified as the most prominent factor affecting their understanding of texts. Other contributing factors include low motivation, lack of self-confidence, limited reading habits, and students’ preference for short and visual content. External influences such as mobile phone distractions and limited parental support also affect students’ engagement in reading activities. These challenges are interpreted as multidimensional issues involving linguistic, psychological, and contextual factors. In response to these challenges, teachers apply various instructional strategies such as scaffolding, translation, differentiated instruction, and interactive learning activities. Teachers also demonstrate adaptability, patience, and professional commitment in addressing students’ difficulties. Furthermore, teachers view these challenges as part of the teaching process that requires continuous reflection and adjustment. Therefore, effective teaching of reading comprehension depends on teachers’ ability to adapt instructional practices to students’ needs and classroom contexts.

The Relationship between Parental Involvement and Students’ English Ability in Elementary School 003 Batang Peranap

2026-06-16T11:24:15+07:00

This study aimed to determine the relationship between parental involvement and students’ English ability at SDN 003 Batang Peranap. Low levels of parental involvement in supporting learning at home are suspected to affect students’ basic English language skills, such as reading, writing, and vocabulary. This study employs a quantitative approach with a correlational design. The study sample consisted of 38 students, comprising 22 third-grade students and 16 fourth-grade students, selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected via a questionnaire to measure parental involvement and a multiple-choice test to assess students’ English ability. Data analysis employed Pearson’s Product-Moment correlation. The results indicate a significant positive relationship between parental involvement and students’ English ability, with correlation coefficients of 0.630 (third grade) and 0.529 (fourth grade), and significance levels of < 0.05 for each. This suggests that the higher the level of parental involvement, the better the students’ English ability. Therefore, cooperation between parents and teachers is necessary to optimally support the students’ learning process.

The Correlation between Students’ Habit in Listening to Authentic Materials and their Listening Skill of Eleventh Grade Students at SMKN 2 Pekanbaru

2026-05-02T11:46:31+07:00

This study was motivated by the fact that many eleventh-grade students at SMKN 2 Pekanbaru have not developed consistent habits of listening to authentic materials. The use of authentic materials is believed to provide exposure to natural language use, including pronunciation, intonation, and real speech patterns. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the correlation between students’ habit of listening to authentic materials and their listening skill. This study employed a quantitative method with a correlational design. The participants were 128 eleventh-grade students selected through random sampling. Data were collected using two instruments: a questionnaire consisting of 20 Likert-scale items to measure students’ habit of listening to authentic materials, and a listening test consisting of 20 true–false items to assess students’ listening skill. The data were analyzed using Kendall’s tau-b correlation. The results showed that there was no significant correlation between students’ habit of listening to authentic materials and their listening skill, with a negligible positive correlation (τ = 0.022, p = 0.731). This finding indicates that students’ habit of listening to authentic materials was not significantly correlated with their listening skill. These findings suggest that improving students’ listening skill may require not only the development of listening habits but also the integration of effective learning strategies, structured teacher guidance, and more sustained exposure to authentic materials.