This research aimed to identify the difficulties faced by students in recognizing
main ideas within descriptive texts and to examine how teachers addressed these
challenges. A descriptive qualitative approach was utilized, involving tenth-grade
students from SMA Negeri 1 Panyabungan as subjects. Data collection methods
included reading tests, interviews, classroom observations, and questionnaires. The
reading test evaluated students’ ability to pinpoint main ideas in descriptive texts,
while the other instruments provided comprehensive insights into students’
difficulties, contributing factors, and the instructional strategies employed by the
teacher. Data analysis was conducted through data reduction, data display, and
conclusion drawing. The findings revealed that students continued to struggle with
identifying main ideas in descriptive texts. Major difficulties included limited
vocabulary, challenges in understanding sentences, difficulty in discerning main
ideas, and trouble comprehending lengthy descriptive texts. The reading test results
indicated that 10 students (43.48%) were categorized as high, 9 students (39.13%)
as medium, and 4 students (17.39%) as low in their ability to identify main ideas.
Additionally, the results from interviews, classroom observations, and
questionnaires highlighted that limited vocabulary, insufficient understanding of
main ideas and supporting details, low reading interest, challenges with English text
comprehension, and lack of motivation were primary contributing factors.
In summary, identifying main ideas in descriptive texts remains a significant
challenge for some students at SMA Negeri 1 Panyabungan. Therefore,
implementing effective teaching strategies, enhancing vocabulary, encouraging
consistent reading practice, and increasing motivation are crucial for improving
students’ reading comprehension.