AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS' INTEREST IN EXTENSIVE READING IN THE POST COVID-19 PANDEMIC AT SMAN 2 SOLOK (X IPA)

Abstrak

Reading is one core skill in learning English as a foreign and second language that gives an important impact. According to Krashen, Lee, & La, students can develop better writing ability, good language structure grammatically, and high vocabulary by reading [1]. These skills occur because students who like to read will absorb more information from their reading material, increase vocabulary, and can understand the use of grammar in a variety of readings. It means reading is the foundation of developing other skills like speaking and writing. Reading influences intellectuality and knowledge, making the students think critically. People cannot be active or informed citizens unless they can read [2]. Although reading is important, The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) stated, that the percentage of Indonesian reading interest records stands at 0.01 percent. It means, that only 1 out of 1000 people in Indonesia loves reading [3]. All activities will be performed less effectively and efficiently if there is no interest [4]. Moreover, interest is essential for academic success. Recognizing how students interest is very important to know which teaching techniques are suitable to be applied. One way to be interested in the activity of reading is by implementing Extensive reading. In extensive reading, students have the freedom to select what kind of material they want and enjoy reading with a suitable reading level for them. They can get more knowledge and information from books, magazines, newspapers, and so on from printed and online media. Several previous studies examined the students’ interest in extensive reading. Sivakumar et al (2021) found that interest in extensive reading positively contributes to students, particularly during pandemic Covid-19 by Internet-based extensive reading materials [5]. According to Putra et al (2020), the implementation of an extensive reading program that has been carried out for 10 weeks can promote high school students' motivation to read English [6]. It is necessary to know students’ interest in extensive reading, so its application will get more attention and can be useful to improve the quality of students' reading and also adapt to conditions like the Covid-19 pandemic. Post the pandemic Covid-19, an education policy in the emergency of Covid-19 was implemented by the Minister of Education and Culture to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. The changes in the English learning process also happened by this condition. Even though the pandemic period and various learning processes for adjusting to conditions at that time have passed, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic period is still influential in normal life. Those learning policies significantly also affected the practice of English skills including the reading program in SMAN 2 Solok. Based on the researcher’s teaching practice experienced from August until October 2021, SMAN 2 Solok especially at grade X IPA also implemented Extensive Reading in the form of the Literacy program. The activity involves free reading where students can choose their books with various genres outside of academic reading. It was usually done 15 minutes before class. However, this activity was not carried out properly because of the change in the learning process in the pandemic Covid-19. As the result, this activity is often missed to start the discussion of learning material earlier in class without realizing how important and interested students were in the activity. METHOD The design of this research is descriptive research. Descriptive research is defined as a research method used to describe the existing phenomena as accurately as possible [7]. The population was all the students of grade X IPA in SMA N 2 Solok in the 2022/2023 academic year. The total population was 208 students and they were distributed into 6 classes. The researcher used the cluster random sampling technique to determine the sample because the number of populations was distributed in groups (classes). According to Refnita (2018:145), a cluster is sampling in which intact groups, not individuals, are randomly selected [8]. One class that was chosen as the sample was grade X IPA 1 consisting 31 students. The data ware collected through questionnaires. The questionnaire is valid in terms of content because it was determined by lecturer judgment. The result of the analysis by the Alpha formula by Arikunto (2014) showed that the questionnaire was highly reliable [9]. It was supported by a total score of 0.73 (High Reliable). The researcher collected the data on students’ interest in an extensive reading in the post Covid-19 pandemic by using questionnaire through some procedures as follows: First, the researcher gave the questionnaire to the students. Second, the researcher asked the students to respond to the questionnaire, Third, the researcher collects the questionnaire that had already been collected after 25 minutes. Then, the researcher read the students’ responses. The researcher gave a score according to the student's response to the questionnaire by using the Likert scale criteria: 5 for strongly agree (SA), 4 for agree (A), 3 for undecided (U), 2 for disagreeing (D), and 1 for strongly disagree (SD). The researcher analyzed the data based on the procedure below: First, the researcher made the table of questionnaire scores. Next, the researcher found the mean and standard deviation of students’ score in each aspect. After that, the researcher classified the students’ interest in an extensive reading into very high, high, moderate, low, and very low interest. Finally, the researcher counted the percentage of the students who had very high, high, moderate, low and very low interest. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS Based on the result, the students at SMAN 2 Solok (X IPA) generally had a moderate interest in extensive reading in the post Covid-19 pandemic. It was indicated by the data that 18 students (58%) had a moderate interest. Specifically, the students' situational interest in extensive reading post the Covid-19 pandemic was low. It was proved by the fact that 11 students (35%) were categorized as having low interest. Then the students' personal interest in extensive reading in the post Covid-19 pandemic was moderate. It was represented by the fact that 12 students (39%) were categorized as having moderate interest. 1. The Students' Interest in Extensive Reading in the Post Covid-19 Pandemic at SMA N 2 Solok (X IPA) Data on students’ interest were collected by questionnaire. Based on the result, It was found that the mean students’ score was 53.32 and the Standard Deviation (SD) was 12 (see appendix 4). To get more specific criteria connected to the Likert scale in this research which has 5 categories, the researcher used the criteria formula from Azwar (2012:148) to categorize students’ interests [10]. It was categorized as very high interest if students' scores were higher than 71, It was categorized as high interest if students' scores were in the range 59-71, It was categorized as moderate interest if students' scores were in the range 47-59, after that, it was categorized as low interest if students' scores were in the range 35-47, and the last it was categorized as very low interest if students' scores were lower than 35. Then, the researcher calculated the percentage of students’ interests as shown in Table 4.1. Table 1 The Percentage of Students’ Interest Classification of Reading Interest Range of Score Number of Students % Very High-Interest X > 71 0 0% High Interest 59 < X ≤ 71 5 16% Moderate Interest 47 < X ≤ 59 18 58% Low Interest 35 < X ≤ 47 8 26% Very Low-Interest X < 35 0 0% Total 31 100% Based on Table 4.1 above, it could be seen that 18 students (58%) were categorized as having moderate interest, 8 students (26%) were categorized as having low interest, 5 students (16%) were categorized as having high interest, and there was no student (0%) that categorized as having very high and low interest. Hence, the researcher concluded that the students’ interest in extensive reading in the post Covid-19 pandemic was moderate. Compared to the previous study that was conducted by Adiarti (2018), the elevent grade students of SMA YP Unila Bandar Lampung had a high interest in reading. It is proved by the percentage where 13 (43.4%) out of 30 students were categorized as having high interest [11]. Additional information, students in Adiarti’s research carried out the learning process with the face-to-face system before there was a Covid-19 pandemic. Different from Adiarti’s research, students in this study carried out the learning process not only face to face system but also through online and blended learning post the Covid-19 pandemic. Compared to the second previous study that was conducted by Syaputri (2018), the researcher found that students motivation and reading interest was classified as high [12]. 2. The Students' Situational Interest in Extensive Reading in the Post Covid-19 Pandemic at SMA N 2 Solok (X IPA) Based on the result of the score analysis, it was found that the mean of students’ score was 27.51 and the Standard Deviation (SD) was 3.26 (see appendix 6). It was categorized as very high interest if students' scores were higher than 32, It was categorized as high interest if students' scores were in the range 29-32, It was categorized as moderate interest if students' scores were in the range 26-29, after that, it was categorized as low interest if students' scores were in the range 23-26, and the last it was categorized as very low interest if students' scores were lower than 23. Then, the researcher calculated the percentage of students’ interests. These findings can be seen in Table 4.2 below: Table 2 The Percentage of Students’ Situational Interest Classification of Reading Interest Range of Score Number of Students % Very High Interest X > 32 3 10% High Interest 29 < X ≤ 32 6 19% Moderate Interest 26 < X ≤ 29 10 32% Low Interest 23 < X ≤ 26 11 35% Very Low Interest X < 23 1 3% Total 31 100% Based on Table 4.2 above, it could be seen that 3 students (10%) were categorized as having very high interest, 6 students (19%) were categorized as having high interest, 10 students (32%) were categorized as having moderate interest, 11 students (35%) were categorized as having low interest, and the last, there was only 1 student (3%) that categorized as having very low interest. Hence, the students’ situational interest in extensive reading in the post Covid-19 pandemic was low. One of the studies conducted by Utami & Nur (2021), entitled “An Analysis of Students’ Reading Interest During Learning From Home Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic”. Based on their results, students liked to read anything at home during the learning-from-home policy but students argued that reading activities during the learning-from-home policy in the Covid-19 pandemic era were tedious and difficult [13]. In addition relating to situational interest, Khadidja (2017) say that it was always the teacher who controlled everything in the classroom, and most of the time students were often bored and tired from spending too much time struggling with texts that they did not even find interesting [14]. Relating to situational interest, Santosa (2022) stated that one challenge in implementing the school literacy program during COVID-19 is students read in order to fulfill the obligation to fill out daily journals, not because of their own desires [15]. 3. The Students' Personal Interest in Extensive Reading in the Post Covid-19 Pandemic at SMA N 2 Solok (X IPA) Based on the result of the score analysis, it was found that the mean of students’ score was 25.80 and the Standard Deviation (SD) was 4 (see appendix 8). It was categorized as very high interest if students' scores were higher than 32, It was categorized as high interest if students' scores were in the range 28-32, It was categorized as moderate interest if students' scores were in the range 24-28, after that, it was categorized as low interest if students' scores were in the range 20-24, and the last it was categorized as very low interest if students' scores were lower than 20. Then, the researcher calculated the percentage of students’ interests. These findings can be seen in Table 4.3 below: Table 3 The Percentage of Students’ Personal Interest Classification of Reading Interest Range of Score Number of Students % Very High Interest X > 32 1 3% High Interest 28 < X ≤ 32 7 23% Moderate Interest 24 < X ≤ 28 12 39% Low Interest 20 < X ≤ 24 10 32% Very Low Interest X < 20 1 3% Total 31 Based on Table 4.3 above, it could be seen that 1 student (3%) was categorized as having very high interest, 7 students (23%) were categorized as having high interest, 12 students (39%) were categorized as having moderate interest, 10 students (32%) were categorized as having low interest, and the last, there was only 1 student (3%) that categorized as having very low interest. Hence, the students’ personal interest in extensive reading in the post Covid-19 pandemic was moderate. Based on the third finding of this research, the students of grade X IPA's personal interest in an extensive reading post the Covid-19 pandemic at SMAN 2 Solok was moderate. It is in line with research conducted by Yulianto et al (2021), entitled “Investigating Students’ Reading Interest on English Reading Materials Through Their Reading Habits During a Pandemic”, it was found that half (49%) of the total number of the participants get pleasure from reading English materials [16]. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS Based on the findings, it could be concluded that the student's interest in extensive reading in the post Covid-19 pandemic was generally moderate, situationally low, and personally moderate. The teacher is suggested to support students interest by facilitate the development of students’ interest in reading such as by improving the reading activity in school literacy program. The students are expected to more conscious of the importance of reading for success on their study and personal development. Then for future researchers, it is suggested to the further researchers to find out the specific cause of students’ situationally low and personally moderate in extensive reading post the Covid-19 pandemic Keywords: Reading interest, extensive reading, situational interest, personal interest