Educational Journal of Learning Technology
Vol. 4 No. 1 (2026): Educational Journal of Learning Technology (September 2026)

An An Analysis of Vocational High School Students' Difficulties in Translating English Descriptive Texts into Indonesian: A Systematic Literature Review

Nur Laili yusuf (STIT Miftahul Midad Lumajang)



Article Info

Publish Date
28 Sep 2026

Abstract

Translating English texts into Indonesian is essential for Vocational High School (SMK) students' professional communication readiness. However, many students still face significant difficulties, especially with descriptive texts. This systematic literature review (SLR) identifies and analyzes the difficulties and causal factors SMK students face when translating English descriptive texts into Indonesian, drawing on publications from 2016 to 2026. Using a qualitative-synthetic approach based on the PRISMA framework, the study analyzed 20 accredited empirical articles from Google Scholar, ResearchGate, ERIC, and Garuda. The findings reveal that translation difficulties stem from linguistic and non-linguistic factors. Linguistic factors include limited vocabulary, weak grammar, and syntactic differences between English and Indonesian. In contrast, non-linguistic factors involve reliance on literal translation, low self-confidence, and limited use of translation tools. Lexical errors dominate, followed by omission, grammatical, syntactic, and addition errors. These findings highlight the need for targeted pedagogical strategies to improve SMK students' translation competence.

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Journal Info

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contents

Publisher

Subject

Computer Science & IT Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences Other

Description

(1) Science education: Educational Innovation, Educational Psychology, Primary and Secondary Education, Vocational Education, Curriculum Development, Instructional Strategies, Learning Processes, (2) Education in Learning: New Learning Models and Applications, Learning Models, Curriculum, Learning ...