An analysis of students' difficulty factors in learning English vocabulary in eighth grade at SMP Negeri 11 Tarakan
This study aims to analyse the difficulties experienced by Year 8 pupils in learning English vocabulary and to identify the factors causing these difficulties at State Junior High School No. 11, Tarakan. This study employed a qualitative descriptive approach. The research subjects were pupils in Class VIII-I at State Junior High School 11 Tarakan and an English teacher. Data collection techniques included classroom observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation. The data were analysed through the stages of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. The results of the study indicate that students experience several difficulties in learning English vocabulary, namely difficulties with pronunciation, spelling, understanding vocabulary meanings, and using vocabulary in appropriate grammatical and communicative contexts. Difficulties with pronunciation arise from differences between the sound systems of English and Indonesian, whilst difficulties with spelling stem from discrepancies between spelling and pronunciation in English. Furthermore, pupils also experience difficulties in understanding the meaning of vocabulary in context and constructing sentences according to correct grammatical rules. This study also found that internal and external factors influence difficulties in learning vocabulary. Internal factors include low motivation to learn, anxiety, a lack of self-confidence, and limited strategies for memorising vocabulary. Meanwhile, external factors included teaching methods and classroom practices, limited learning resources and facilities, a lack of family support, and exposure to English outside the classroom, which is often passive. Therefore, cooperation among teachers, schools, parents, and pupils was required to create a more effective and meaningful vocabulary-learning experience.