Abstrak
AN ANALYSIS OF EIGHTH GRADERS' READING SKILL PROBLEMS AT MTS NEGERI TARAKAN THROUGH BROWN'S THEOR Y Abstract This study aims to analyze the reading skill challenges faced by eighth-grade students at MTs Negeri Tarakan using Brown's theory. This study focused on identifying the specific problems students encountered in reading English texts based on Brown's theory and analyzing the factors that contributed to these difficulties. This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach with data collection techniques consisting of documentation, observation, and semi-structured interviews. The research subjects consisted of six eighth-grade students from Class VIII-D, selected through a purposive sampling technique based on various levels of reading proficiency, and an English teacher. The data were analyzed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model, which consisted of data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions, with source triangulation to ensure data validity. The research findings revealed that the reading difficulties experienced by students stem from limited vocabulary, poor understanding of sentence structure, and problems with fluency and pronunciation. In addition, psychological factors such as anxiety, low motivation, and a lack of self-confidence also play a major role in exacerbating students' reading difficulties. This study further indicates that anxiety about using a foreign language significantly affects reading comprehension, leading students to avoid active reading activities. Therefore, it can be concluded that students' reading difficulties are not only cognitive and linguistic in nature but are also heavily influenced by affective factors that create an "emotional filter" in the English language learning process.