Abstract:
Reading English texts is essential for senior high school students due to its
integration into daily life uses for reading practice. This study investigated the
attitudes of students at a vocational high school in Ciamis toward reading English
texts for academic purposes, using the framework of Systemic Functional
Linguistics (SFL). A case study approach was employed, utilizing qualitative data
collection methods which are observations and interviews to gather
comprehensive insights into students' attitudes and the obstacles they encountered.
The findings revealed a lack of interest and motivation in reading English texts,
influenced by cultural perceptions, instructional methods, and individual
competencies. In terms of attitudes, the study highlighted the significant impact of
affect, judgment, and appreciation on students' attitudes towards reading English
texts. For affect, emotions such as joy, confusion, and shyness were prevalent,
with students demonstrating various levels of engagement and confidence. For
judgment, indicators of satisfaction and dissatisfaction varied across classes. For
appreciation, recognition of the value of learning tasks differed among the classes.
Regarding obstacles, students identified challenges such as pronunciation
difficulties and comprehension issues that hindered their reading abilities. The
study underscores the need for educators to adopt more engaging and relevant
teaching strategies to improve students' attitudes and abilities in reading English
for academic purposes. Incorporating multimedia and interactive reading materials
aligned with students' social media habits can foster a positive attitude toward
academic reading. Based on the SFL findings, future research should explore the
effectiveness of integrating technology and social media tools into the curriculum
to enhance reading skills. Longitudinal studies examining the impact of these
interventions over time would provide deeper insights into their long-term
benefits. Furthermore, comparative studies involving different educational
settings and demographic groups could identify best practices and scalable
solutions for improving reading attitudes and proficiency among diverse student
populations.
