Digital distraction, attention span, and academic reading engagement in Indonesian EFL reading classes

Muhammad Bayu Anggara Pratama Putra; Fiftinova FIftinova

doi:10.32332/joelt.v14i1.12592

Authors

Muhammad Bayu Anggara Pratama Putra Language and Arts Education, Universitas Sriwijaya, Indonesia
Fiftinova FIftinova Language and Arts Education, Universitas Sriwijaya, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32332/joelt.v14i1.12592

Keywords:

attention span, EFL reading, reading engagement, semi-structured interviews, thematic analysis

Abstract

Reading engagement in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context is closely associated with students’ ability to sustain attention while processing academic texts. However, limited attention has been given to how students experience attention span as part of their reading engagement, particularly in digitally saturated learning environments. This study explored Indonesian EFL university students’ experiences of attention span and reading engagement in an academic reading class. Using a qualitative follow-up design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with selected students who had previously completed a questionnaire and agreed to participate in the interview phase. The interview data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns in students’ accounts. The findings revealed four major themes: personal interest as a motivational entry point into reading, reading duration as a natural boundary of sustained attention, reading environment as a condition for concentration, and digital distractions as disruptors of reading flow. The study shows that attention span and reading engagement are not fixed individual traits but dynamic processes shaped by motivational, cognitive, environmental, and technological factors. The findings suggest that EFL reading instruction should not only focus on comprehension skills but also support students’ attention management, self-regulated reading strategies, and creation of low-distraction reading environments. This study contributes to EFL reading research by highlighting attention span as an important condition for sustaining meaningful reading engagement.

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