Students' Attitudes Toward Reading For Academic Purposes: SFL Perspective (A Case Study at One of The Vocational High Schools in Ciamis)

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.