JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching
Vol. 14 No. 4 (2026): October

Students’ Challenges and Teacher’s Strategies in English-Medium Instruction Practices: Voices from Vocational High School

Adellia Ersanda Putri Purwanto (Universitas Brawijaya)
Frida Unsiah (Universitas Brawijaya)
Khairil Azwar Razali (International Islamic University)



Article Info

Publish Date
12 Oct 2026

Abstract

The use of EMI in vocational high schools is on the rise as part of efforts to improve students’ English proficiency and their competitiveness in the global workforce after graduation. However, the implementation of EMI still faces various challenges, particularly regarding students’ English proficiency levels, which necessitates the use of appropriate teaching strategies. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the challenges faced by students as well as the strategies employed by teachers when implementing EMI in vocational high schools in Indonesia. This study uses a mixed-methods approach, involving 85 11th-grade students from three classes and a subject teacher who implements EMI. Students completed a questionnaire to collect quantitative data, while the teacher conducted semi-structured interviews to gather qualitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that students still rely on translators, have difficulty following the teacher’s instructions in English, and lack confidence in interacting in English during the learning process. To address these challenges, the teacher implemented various strategies when using EMI, including language simplification, translanguaging, material repetition, peer tutoring, and game-based learning to enhance student engagement during the learning process. The results of this study also indicate that the successful implementation of EMI in vocational high schools requires gradual language support, adequate teacher preparation, and contextualized translanguaging procedures.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

jollt

Publisher

Subject

Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

OLLT is an open access journal which provides immediate, worldwide, barrier-free access to the full text of all published articles without charging readers or their institutions for access. Readers have the right to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of all ...