Students’ Perspectives on Jukugo Kanji Learning Difficulties in Indonesia

Abstract

This research focuses on how students perceive the difficulty of learning kanji. Kanji are the most difficult characters to learn. There are many things to learn in learning kanji, one of which is jukugo kanji. Learning jukugo kanji is one of the challenging aspects of mastering the Japanese language, especially for foreign students. The complexity of the structure, similar meanings, and limited learning strategies cause many students to have difficulty understanding and memorizing the jukugo kanji. The formulation of the problem in this study consists of: (1) what are the difficulties faced by Japanese language students in learning jukugo kanji? (2) What strategies do students use to deal with Jukugo Kanji learning difficulties? The approach used is a mixed method, which combines qualitative and quantitative data.  The subject of the study was to interview students of the Japanese study program from various universities in Indonesia. The number of respondents for the questionnaire was 130 students, and for open questions there were 89 respondents. Data collection techniques through questionnaires and open-ended questions. The data analysis technique in this study is carried out by integrating quantitative and qualitative analysis in accordance with a mixed-methods approach. The results of the research are expected to provide a real picture of the challenges faced by students and become a reference in designing strategies or teaching materials that are more effective and in accordance with the needs of learners.