How Classroom Reading Activities Shape Students’ Motivation to Learn English: A Qualitative Study at Senior High School
Abstract
Students’ motivation to participate in English reading activities may decline when they encounter unfamiliar vocabulary, pronunciation difficulties, and complex texts without sufficient instructional support. This study explored how classroom reading activities influenced Grade XII students’ motivation to learn English at SMA Persada Bandar Lampung. A descriptive qualitative design was employed. Data were collected through four classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with one English teacher and ten purposively selected students, and analysis of lesson plans, teaching materials, worksheets, and classroom photographs. These sources were used complementarily to capture classroom practices, participants’ experiences, and supporting instructional evidence. Data were analyzed using the Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña framework through data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings showed that students’ reading motivation was dynamically shaped by linguistic difficulty, perceived competence, teacher mediation, and peer interaction. Teacher modelling, guided reading, vocabulary assistance, and constructive feedback made reading tasks more manageable and increased students’ confidence. In contrast, difficult pronunciation, limited vocabulary, and lengthy texts reduced attention and participation. Meaningful materials and collaborative reading also reduced anxiety and encouraged students to contribute to post-reading discussions. These findings suggest that reading activities become motivating when teachers combine appropriately challenging materials with gradual scaffolding, supportive feedback, and purposeful peer collaboration.
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References
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.31004/jele.v11i5.3156
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