THE ABILITY OF CLASS X STUDENTS IN UNDERSTANDING EXPOSITION TEXT AT SMA 1 NEGERI KERUMUTAN

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the ability of tenth-grade students in understanding exposition texts at SMA Negeri 1 Kerumutan. The research is important because students’ comprehension of exposition texts remains a challenge, particularly in identifying text structure and linguistic features, despite the emphasis on text-based learning in the Merdeka Curriculum. This study employed a quantitative descriptive method with a field research approach. The population and sample consisted of 36 tenth-grade students selected through a total sampling technique. Data were collected using a written test designed to measure students’ understanding of exposition text structures, including thesis, argumentation, reiteration, and linguistic features. The data were analyzed using descriptive quantitative analysis through score classification, percentages, and mean scores. The findings showed that the students achieved an average score of 83.3, indicating a relatively strong level of comprehension. Students performed best in identifying thesis statements (86.1), while difficulties were still found in identifying reiteration sections (79.8) and interpreting certain linguistic features. These findings highlight the need for more interactive and analytical learning strategies to improve students’ comprehension of exposition texts, particularly in deeper text analysis activities.