Challenges and Strategies in Navigating the TOEFL Reading Section Among Selected Indonesian EFL Learners

In an era where English proficiency dictates global academic and professional mobility, mastering the TOEFL Reading section remains a significant hurdle for many Indonesian EFL learners. Despite familiarity with widely endorsed strategies such as skimming, scanning, and vocabulary enhancement, consistent application under exam pressure remains elusive. This study addresses a critical gap in existing research by investigating not only the types of challenges faced by TOEFL takers but also the cognitive and strategic dissonances that hinder their performance. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study collected quantitative data from the reading scores of 15 test-takers at an English Language Center in Tondano, North Sulawesi, and complemented it with qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal persistent difficulties in time management, complex vocabulary processing, and inference-based questions, despite students’ awareness of effective strategies. Notably, the study uncovers that the mere knowledge of techniques is insufficient without strategic internalization, adaptive focus, and real-time cognitive flexibility. Students identified vocabulary expansion, active reading, and timed practice as the most impactful strategies, yet gaps between awareness and execution remain. The study’s contribution lies in offering a nuanced understanding of these strategic breakdowns and advocating for targeted pedagogical interventions, including strategy-focused curricula and individualized practice modules. These findings hold wider implications for TOEFL preparation programs, suggesting the need for personalized, cognition-aware teaching models that not only transmit strategies but also cultivate their consistent application in high-stakes contexts.