THE INFLUENCES OF INTEREST IN LEARNING ON THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE SCORES OF IAT IAIN TAKENGON

Abstract

English plays an essential role as a global language, yet many students in Indonesia still face challenges in developing adequate proficiency. This study aims to explore students’ interest in learning English and the difficulties they encounter in the learning process. The research employed a qualitative descriptive approach by distributing interview-based questionnaires through WhatsApp Messenger to students of IAIN Takengon. Ten open-ended questions were designed to capture students’ perspectives on their interest, difficulties, preferred methods, and perceptions of English learning. The findings reveal that most students demonstrate relatively low interest in learning English, particularly due to difficulties in understanding grammar such as past simple and past tense. Students also reported struggling when lecturers delivered lessons entirely in English, which often reduced their motivation. However, some students recognized the importance of English as a key competence in the era of globalization. In terms of learning preferences, students favored approaches emphasizing listening and reading, along with vocabulary memorization through practice-oriented activities. These results suggest that enhancing students’ interest requires adaptive teaching strategies, integration of diverse media, and motivational reinforcement. In conclusion, students’ interest plays a critical role in determining their learning outcomes, highlighting the need for more communicative and engaging English learning practices in higher education.