<![CDATA[Vocabulary mastery is essential in English language learning because it supports students in understanding and using English effectively. However, junior high school students may have difficulty identifying, understanding, and applying unfamiliar vocabulary, creating a need for instructional strategies that provide meaningful opportunities for participation. This study aimed to explore how an English teacher implemented the Vocabulary Self-Selection Strategy (VSS) in vocabulary instruction and to identify the challenges encountered during its implementation. A qualitative descriptive design was employed. The participants consisted of one English teacher as the primary participant and eighth-grade students who participated in the observed classroom activities at a junior high school in Karawang. Data were collected through classroom observations conducted on April 22 and April 29, 2026, and a semi-structured teacher interview. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings showed that the teacher implemented VSS through lesson preparation, word selection, nomination, collaborative discussion and meaning negotiation, clarification and confirmation, and vocabulary reinforcement and application. The implementation was teacher-guided and adapted to students’ learning needs rather than applied rigidly as a fully student-led procedure. The study also identified five main challenges: differences in students’ vocabulary proficiency, variations in participation, students’ reliance on Bahasa Indonesia, limited instructional time, and the need to adapt instructional procedures to classroom conditions. These findings indicate that successful VSS implementation depends on teacher facilitation, scaffolding, classroom management, and instructional flexibility while maintaining meaningful student participation in vocabulary learning.]]>
