Junior High School Students’ Difficulties in Reading English Texts

Differences in stress levels between junior high school students and college students during online learning

This study examines community related factors influencing academic achievement and expectations among junior and senior high school students in Greece, drawing upon Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory. Data was collected from a sample of 193 students using a multistage cluster sampling method. Overall, the study found several significant associations between various factors and academic performance and expectations among junior and senior high school students: Previous academic performance in Mathematics and Language and Literature was positively associated with present performance and expectations score in the total sample, regardless of the class attended in the previous year. Present grades were positively associated with neighborhood support, safety, and activity in both junior and senior high school students, with stronger associations found in junior high school students. Expectations score was positively associated with neighborhood support, safety, activity, and friendships in the total sample, with stronger associations found in junior high school students. Junior high school students' expectations were strongly associated with motivation, perceived support from friends, family, and teachers, as well as neighborhood support and safety. Senior high school students' expectations were also strongly associated with motivation, perceived support from friends, family, and teachers, as well as neighborhood support and safety, though to a lesser extent compared to junior high school students. These findings highlight the relationship between individual, social, and environmental factors affecting academic development during adolescence. Implications for educators, policymakers, and practitioners are discussed within the context of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach to promoting student success. Received: 17 July 2025 / Accepted: 09 October 2025 / Published: 05 November 2025

The trajectories of the supratemporal and infratemporal retinal arteries are associated with the position of the nerve fiber layer defects of glaucomatous eyes. However, no reports have thus far been published on changes in the retinal artery trajectory (RA trajectory) along with growth. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in the RA trajectories of elementary and junior high school students and the associations with axial length (AL). Prospective cross-sectional observational study. In total, 122 right eyes of healthy elementary school students (61 boys, 61 girls) and 170 right eyes of healthy junior high school students (83 boys, 87 girls) were studied. The AL was measured and color fundus photographs were taken, and used for the analysis. The RA trajectory was plotted in the color fundus photographs and fitted to a second-degree polynomial equation, [Formula: see text], using ImageJ. The coefficient "a" represented the steepness of the trajectories. The differences in the RA trajectories and ALs of elementary and junior high school students were determined using the Mann-Whitney test. The association between the RA trajectory and AL was determined using the Spearman rank correlation. The AL and the RA trajectory of the junior high school students were significantly greater than those of the elementary school students (P < 0.001). The RA trajectory was significantly associated with the AL in both elementary (r = 0.26, P = 0.005) and junior high (r = 0.32, P < 0.001) school students. Junior high school students have a longer AL and narrower RA trajectory than do elementary school students. A longer AL is associated with a narrower RA trajectory in both elementary and junior high school students.

A Longitudinal Study of Learning Engagement of Math and Science Gifted Students in Junior and Senior High School

The purpose of this Community Service activity is to assist teachers in developing reading teaching materials based on Micro Reading Skills, which serve as the foundation for improving reading skills and addressing challenges related to reading English texts. This initiative was carried out using a mentoring approach, which included presentations, hands-on practices, and demonstrations to engage teachers effectively. The methodology employed to assess the progress involved qualitative data analysis, which was based on direct observation of changes in teachers' abilities to apply the micro reading skills taught during the mentoring sessions. The activity focused on key components of micro reading skills, such as vocabulary acquisition, sentence comprehension, cohesive devices, theme-rheme relationships, and thematic progression patterns, which are essential to overcoming reading challenges. Teachers were equipped with strategies to decode complex texts and improve reading comprehension through the identification of these components. One of the significant outcomes of this program was the noticeable increase in teachers' understanding of how to implement these micro reading skills to address the difficulties students face while reading English texts. The participants' enthusiasm and active involvement during the mentoring sessions were inspiring, and the teachers expressed a strong desire to deepen their knowledge and continue developing specialized teaching materials focused on reading skills. This community service activity has not only provided immediate knowledge to the teachers but also sparked a lasting interest in refining their instructional approaches. Furthermore, the enhanced capabilities of the teachers will contribute to better student outcomes in reading comprehension, making this community service initiative an invaluable investment in both the professional development of teachers and the academic success of students.

Learning engagement is a critical factor influencing junior high school students' English learning outcomes and overall academic development. Under the current educational context that emphasizes core competencies and efficiency-oriented burden reduction, enhancing students' engagement in English learning is of great practical significance. Based on theories related to learning engagement, this research first defines the concept of English learning engagement and then systematically analyzes practical strategies for improving junior high school students' engagement in English learning. The study focuses on three dimensions: strengthening teachers' emotional support, enhancing students' English learning self-efficacy, and promoting home-school collaboration. It explores how creating a supportive classroom atmosphere, reinforcing positive learning experiences, and establishing a collaborative educational mechanism can effectively promote students' learning engagement. The findings suggest that coordinated efforts across multiple dimensions and stakeholders can significantly enhance junior high school students' engagement in English learning, providing valuable implications for English teaching practice.

Comparing the centrality symptoms of major depressive disorder samples across junior high school students, senior high school students, college students and elderly adults during city lockdown of COVID-19 pandemic—A network analysis

The purpose of this study was to compare the incidences of macular irregularities of elementary school (ES) and junior high school (JHS) students. This was a prospective cross-sectional observational study of 122 right eyes of 122 ES students (8–9 years) and 173 right eyes of 173 JHS students (12–13 years). Vertical cross-sectional images of the macula were obtained by optical coherence tomography. The eyes were classified based on the vertical symmetry of the posterior pole, and then sub-classified as convex-, flat-, concave-, or dome-shaped based on the direction of the curvature of the retinal pigment epithelium. One hundred and two eyes (83.6%) were placed in the symmetrical group in the ES students and 149 eyes (86.1%) in the JHS students. Twenty eyes (16.4%) were placed in the asymmetric groups in the ES students and 24 eyes (13.9%) in the JHS students. In symmetrical group, 78 and 118 eyes had a convex-shape (76.4 and 79.2%), followed by 22 and 29 eyes of dome-shaped group (21.6 and 19.4%) in ES and JHS students respectively. Because the incidences of the posterior pole shapes were not significantly different between the groups, it is likely that the macular irregularities develop before the age of ES.

Reading is an essential skill in learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) because it plays a significant role in developing students’ academic abilities and knowledge. One of the rapid reading techniques introduced at the Madrasah Aliyah level is skimming, which is used to obtain the general idea and main points of a text without reading it in detail. However, based on preliminary observations at MA Muhammadiyah Bengkulu, many students still experience difficulties in applying skimming techniques effectively. Therefore, this study aims to analyze students’ difficulties in reading English texts using skimming techniques and to identify the factors causing these difficulties. This research employed a descriptive qualitative approach. The participants were 15 tenth-grade students of MA Muhammadiyah Bengkulu selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and documentation. The data were analyzed using Miles and Huberman’s interactive model, which includes data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that students faced several difficulties in applying skimming techniques, such as identifying the main idea, understanding vocabulary, locating word references, making inferences, and finding detailed information in the text. The main factors contributing to these difficulties were limited vocabulary mastery, students’ lack of understanding of skimming strategies, and insufficient practice in reading English texts. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that students’ skimming ability still needs improvement through more structured reading instruction, appropriate strategy application, and continuous practice in order to help students comprehend English texts more effectively and efficiently.

The main problem of this research was, “is it effective to apply RCRR (Read, Cover, Remember, Retell) Strategy in teaching reading descriptive text to the eighth grade students of state Junior High School 50 of Palembang? This study was conducted to find out whether or not is it effective to apply RCRR strategy in teaching reading descriptive text entitle Borobudur Temple and Lake Toba to the eighth grade students of state Junior High School 50 of Palembang. This research was pre-experimental method with one group pretest-postetst design. The Population and sample of this research was eighth grade students at State Junior High School 50 of Palembang which consisted of 35 students. It was taken by using cluster random sampling method. The data were collected by using written test. The results of this research reveals, the average of the students’in pre-test was 59.85 while the students’ average score in the post-test was 78,14. The result of matched t-test calculation was 9.8 and it was higher than 1.691 as the critical value with 0.05 % significance level one tailed testing with df 34. It could be concluded that the application of RCRR (Read, Cover, Remember, Retell) Strategy to the eighth grade students of Junior High School 50 of Palembang was effective.

The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ awareness of reading strategies in ‘Communicative English Skills’ (CES) across three Ethiopian universities. A sample of 600 first year regular students and 72 English language teachers were part of the research population. The sample of students was obtained through a random sampling technique (lottery method) and the teachers were selected using a purposive sampling technique; respectively. A descriptive quantitative research design was used for this study. Thus, the data were collected through questionnaires from students and their English teachers. Quantitative analysis of data was made using frequency and percentage. The result indicated that students of the three Ethiopian universities have very limited awareness of both cognitive and metacognitive reading strategies. This problem emanates from students’ limited exposure and poor habit of reading in English, their lack of motivation for reading texts in English and their teachers’ instructional problems of teaching reading and reading strategies. The recommendations are that students should maximize their exposure of reading texts in English and comprehensively invest their time and efforts to improve their reading habit. The English teachers should teach students the overall conceptualizations of reading and its strategies when they teach reading. The teachers should also provide students with technical and professional support and motivation to make them be cognizant of reading.

Abstract. This research aims to develop supplementary reading materials for 10th-grade high school students in Jayapura, Papua. It is designed to help students understand English texts while introducing international, national (Indonesian), and local (Papuan) cultures. The study uses the research and development (R&amp;D) model with the ADDIE approach. The needs analysis involved 220 students, followed by small group trials with 22 students and field trials with 65 students. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews and analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. The results show that the developed materials meet students' needs, which were identified through a needs analysis focusing on students' reading difficulties, interests, and cultural exposure. The materials address these needs by incorporating culturally relevant content and interactive exercises. Additionally, they help improve students' reading comprehension through various strategies, such as text-based questions, vocabulary-building exercises, and pronunciation practice. The materials feature texts of 300–400 words, 30–40 new vocabulary words, vocabulary lists, and engaging images. Topics include historical sites, traditional foods, art, and customs. The implementation phase received positive feedback from students, teachers, and subject matter experts with an overall rating of 3.25 and 4.00, which is "very good." This research emphasizes the need to include intercultural values in English reading materials. Future material development should consider including localized and worldwide cultural values to improve students' involvement and understanding in reading English text. The resources are thus suitable as supplemental reading materials for enhancing English literacy and intercultural understanding.Keywords: intercultural values, material development, reading skills, research and development, senior high school

Aims: The study aimed to analyze the knowledge level on reproductive health among junior high school students in a rural district, Keruak, East Lombok. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out among seventh and eighth-grade students (n=139) in Junior High School 3 Keruak, East Lombok, from March to April 2015. All participants answered a validated questionnaire consisting of 66 questions regarding reproductive health, STIs (sexually transmitted infections), and HIV-AIDS. Results: The students had low scores in all three topics. They obtained the highest score on a reproductive health topic and the lowest score on STIs topic. Students in the eighth grade had a better score in reproductive health and HIV-AIDS than those in the seventh grade. Male students had better knowledge of reproductive health and HIV-AIDS than female students (p

The results of a survey conducted by PISA show that the achievement of students' numeracy skills in Indonesia is relatively low, with many students having difficulty applying basic mathematical concepts in everyday life. This condition requires 21st-century learning to not only focus on mastering content, but also on developing numeracy skills that are integrated into various subjects. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the achievement and improvement of numeracy skills of grade VIII junior high school (JHS) students through the realistic mathematics education (RME) approach. The research method used is a quantitative method with a quasi-experimental research type, which was conducted at a junior high school in North Central Timor Regency. The instrument used was a numeracy ability test sheet. The data obtained were analyzed using the t-test. The results of the study showed that the achievement and improvement of numeracy skills of grade VIII junior high school students who studied through RME approach were higher than students who studied without the RME approach. Specifically, students taught with the RME approach showed better understanding in solving contextual problems and applying mathematical concepts, and experienced a more significant increase in scores between the pretest and posttest. It is recommended for junior high school mathematics teachers to implement RME to facilitate students' numeracy skills. It is recommended for junior high school mathematics teachers to implement RME to facilitate students' numeracy skills.

New York History Winter 2015© 2015 by The New York State Historical Association 84 The Right to Sit: Symbolic Expression and the Pledge of Allegiance in New York Public Schools, 1969–1973 Aaron G. Fountain Jr., Indiana University at Bloomington On January 31, 1970, the New York Times ran a profile article on twelve-year-old Mary Frain, a junior high school student in Queens who had recently won a court case that granted her the right to sit during the Pledge of Allegiance.1 She had refused to stand in silence or leave the classroom while her classmates recited the Pledge. Her defiance derived from her objection to the phrase “liberty and justice for all,” believing that it contradicted the current plight of marginalized groups. “That’s not true…for the blacks and poor whites,” she said. “The poor have to live in cold miserable places. And it’s obvious that the blacks are oppressed.” Despite the legal victory and the comfort provided by her parents, she had experienced bullying from some of her peers, who called her a commie and recited the Pledge to her in the schoolyard, and from complete strangers, who made prank calls and wrote demeaning letters to her home. Her classmate and fellow plaintiff, Susan Keller, had transferred to a private school because her mother feared the very real prospect of bullying. Unforeseen to Frain, she would only enjoy her newly granted freedom briefly. In February 1970, her father was dismissed from his teaching job at the College of New Rochelle. This forced the family to move from their home because of their inability to pay rent.2 Frain’s situation was one of several incidents involving students who refused to stand and salute to the flag for political purposes. Between 1969 and 1973, a number of junior high and high school students in New York 1. The phrase “The Right to Sit” comes from a news brief in the “Nation” section in Time, December 9, 1969, 12. 2. “Girl Hears a False Note in Pledge of Allegiance,” New York Times, January 31, 1970, A33; “New Rochelle Girls College Dismisses Controversial Sociology Profess,” New York Times, February 22, 1970, A47; Charles Elster, telephone interview with author, July 7, 2012. Administrators at the College of New Rochelle never gave their reasons for not renewing William Frain’s contract, but Frain believed that his leftist political views led to his dismissal. Fountain Jr. Symbolic Expression and the Pledge of Allegiance in New York Public Schools, 1969–1973 85 refused to comply with a state law requiring participation in the Pledge of Allegiance. These students asked to remain seated because they could not, in good conscience, recite the final phrase “liberty and justice for all.” In their views, it belied the widespread racial discrimination faced by minority groups. They argued that remaining seated was a constitutionally protected form of political expression. In response, school authorities threatened them with suspension if the pupils rejected both of the schools’ alternatives: either stand silently or leave the classroom. Most students complied, but some still refused and were suspended. The students who were suspended contacted the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to seek legal representation . Their cases were heard by school boards and federal courts, which usually ruled in their favor. The outcome expanded political selfexpression rights that were granted to students in the 1969 U.S. Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines, a case that school authorities ignored until legal action forced their compliance. This article contributes to the existing scholarship on the Pledge of Allegiance. Although the Pledge might appear as a minor ritual recited mostly by schoolchildren, it has been at the center of political debates over the meaning of patriotism for decades. The scholars who have studied controversies over the Pledge have focused largely on the legal challenges by Jehovah’s Witnesses, the addition of the words “under God” in 1954, the 1988 Presidential election in which the Pledge became a political weapon, and Michael Newdow’s Supreme Court case to remove the phrase “under God” from the Pledge in 2002.3 In his study on the history of the Pledge, political scientist Richard Ellis documented...