New Language Dimensions
Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026): Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026): New Language Dimension, June 2026

Classmate Support and English-Speaking Development in Vocational EFL Classrooms: Students’ Perceptions and Experiences

Dinda Puspita Anjani (Universitas Negeri Surabaya)
Prakasit Sophakul (Ban Chan Bua School)
Him'mawan Adi Nugroho (Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Jun 2026

Abstract

This study investigates vocational high school students’ perceptions of classmate support during English-speaking activities and its role in developing students’ confidence, fluency, and accuracy in speaking English. This qualitative research involved 98 eleventh-grade vocational students in East Java, with nine representative students in in-depth interviews. Data were collected through classroom observations, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews, and were analysed using the interactive model. The findings show a positive perception of the support provided by classmates. Cognitively, students view the support of their classmates as positive encouragement that helps them continue to develop. Affectively, students feel more comfortable and confident speaking because of emotional encouragement such as applause, praise, and attention from classmates. Conatively, students demonstrate active behaviour such as practicing together, giving positive feedback, and imitating the behaviour of friends who are more confident in speaking English. Moreover, the study reveals that classmate support contributes significantly to the improvement of students’ English-speaking skills. Supportive classmates enhance students’ confidence, promote greater fluency through regular practice, and improve accuracy through constructive peer correction. Overall, classmate support plays an essential role in fostering a collaborative learning environment that supports the development of vocational high school students’ English-speaking skills.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

nld

Publisher

Subject

Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

New Language Dimensions emphasizes on the publication of original articles as an academic network providing appealing and interdisciplinary discussions on literature, language and teaching. It is expected to reach out wider reader and writers, bringing the academic dialogue into multiple audiences ...