English Language Education

TEACHERS’ CHALLENGES IN TEACHING ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION (A CASE STUDY AT ONE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN CIAMIS)

2026-09-14T00:21:27Z

TEACHERS’ CHALLENGES IN TEACHING ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION (A CASE STUDY AT ONE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN CIAMIS) Putri, Alya Handaya Pronunciation is a crucial component of communicative competence in English and plays a vital role in ensuring intelligibility in spoken interaction. In the Indonesian EFL context, teaching pronunciation remains challenging due to factors such as limited exposure to authentic language, mother tongue interference, and insufficient resources. While previous studies have examined pronunciation teaching strategies, there is a lack of research integrating the psychological, linguistic, and pedagogical dimensions of teachers’ challenges, particularly in the high school setting. This qualitative case study investigates the challenges faced by three EFL teachers in a senior high school in Ciamis, Indonesia, and the strategies they employ to address them. Data were collected through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews, then analyzed thematically. The findings reveal five main challenges: low student self-confidence, limited time and resources, difficulties in connecting spelling and pronunciation, first language interference, and inconsistent practice. Teachers addressed these issues using ice-breaking, contextualized repetition, constructive feedback, bilingual explanations, and materials linked to students’ interests. The study concludes that effective pronunciation teaching requires a balance between technical accuracy and affective support, consistent practice, and adaptive strategies tailored to learners’ needs.

Teaching English Vocabulary through Sort Stories for Young Learners

2026-09-13T23:57:57Z

Teaching English Vocabulary through Sort Stories for Young Learners Bangsa, Bintang Wijaya Kusuma Vocabulary plays a fundamental role in English language learning, particularly for young learners who require meaningful and engaging learning experiences to acquire and retain new words. Short stories provide contextualized language input that enables learners to understand and retain new vocabulary more effectively, as new words are encountered within a meaningful narrative rather than as isolated items to be memorized. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate how teachers implement short stories in teaching English vocabulary to young learners. The participants consisted of one English teacher and fifth-grade students at an elementary school in Pangandaran. The data were collected through classroom observations conducted during English lessons and semi-structured interviews with the teacher and five students. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis by identifying, coding, categorizing, and interpreting emerging themes from the observation notes and interview transcripts. The findings revealed that the teacher implemented short stories through a structured sequence of strategies, including pre-teaching vocabulary before introducing the story, using visual media such as pictures and videos, presenting the story in a meaningful context, translation activities, guided reading aloud, memorization and repetition, question-and-answer sessions, and oral assessment. These strategies were organized around the short story rather than treating it as a stand-alone activity, and together they created a meaningful learning experience that encouraged students' active participation in vocabulary learning. In the course of examining this implementation, the study also found that students generally held positive perceptions of learning vocabulary through short stories: they considered storytelling enjoyable and interesting, and found it helpful for understanding and remembering new vocabulary because words were presented in meaningful contexts. Nevertheless, some students still experienced difficulty understanding unfamiliar vocabulary and memorizing new words, indicating that the teacher's continuous guidance and repeated practice remained a necessary complement to story-based instruction. Overall, this study concludes that short stories can serve as an effective medium for teaching vocabulary to young learners when supported by a deliberate and systematic instructional sequence, and it offers a detailed, classroom-based account of how one teacher operationalized this approach in practice.

The Predictive Effect of Negative Peer Behavior Dimensions on Speaking Motivation

2026-09-12T00:02:52Z

The Predictive Effect of Negative Peer Behavior Dimensions on Speaking Motivation Najwatilah, Anju Speaking motivation plays an important role in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning because it influences students’ willingness to participate in speaking activities. Although previous studies have extensively examined individual and positive social factors affecting speaking motivation, limited attention has been given to the predictive role of perceived negative peer behavior. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the predictive effects of negative peer behavior dimensions on EFL students’ English-speaking motivation and to identify the strongest predictor among them. This study employed a quantitative research design with a predictive correlational approach. The participants consisted of 75 undergraduate students enrolled in the English Language Education Program at a selected university in Indonesia, selected through disproportionate stratified random sampling. Data were collected using two five-point Likert-scale questionnaires measuring perceived negative peer behavior and English-speaking motivation. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman’s rank correlation, assumption tests, and multiple linear regression with Jamovi. The findings revealed that the regression model was statistically significant, F(3, 71) = 10.60, p < .001, indicating that the three dimensions of perceived negative peer behavior collectively predicted English-speaking motivation. The model explained 30.8% of the variance in English-speaking motivation (R² = .308). Among the three dimensions, Lack of Peer Support was identified as the only significant predictor (β = −0.445, p < .001), whereas Mockery-Based Responses and Negative Evaluation and Comparison did not significantly predict English-speaking motivation when analyzed simultaneously. In conclusion, perceived negative peer behavior significantly predicts EFL students’ English-speaking motivation, the absence of peer support has a greater influence on students’ motivation than other forms of negative peer behavior, emphasizing the importance of creating a supportive classroom environment that promotes positive peer interaction and active participation in speaking activities.

The Use of Kahoot in Developing Students' Vocabulary Mastery (A Case Study at One of Vocational High School in Ciamis)

2026-09-11T03:21:48Z

The Use of Kahoot in Developing Students' Vocabulary Mastery (A Case Study at One of Vocational High School in Ciamis) Sani, Wihda Puspita Students’ limited vocabulary mastery and difficulties in understanding, retaining, and appropriately using newly learned words remain significant challenges in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning, particularly because conventional teaching methods often provide limited opportunities for interactive and meaningful vocabulary practice. Although previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Kahoot in enhancing students’ motivation, engagement, and general English achievement, most have employed quantitative approaches and have paid limited attention to how Kahoot is implemented to develop vocabulary mastery and how teachers perceive its use in authentic classroom settings, particularly in vocational high schools. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate how an English teacher used Kahoot to develop students’ vocabulary mastery and to explore the teacher’s perceptions of its implementation in the classroom. This study employed a qualitative case study conducted at one vocational high school in Ciamis involving one English teacher and one tenth-grade class, with data collected through non-participant classroom observations and a semi-structured interview and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the teacher systematically integrated Kahoot into vocabulary instruction by introducing and reviewing vocabulary, facilitating interactive quiz activities, encouraging active participation, providing immediate feedback, and reinforcing vocabulary through classroom discussions. The implementation of Kahoot enhanced students’ engagement, motivation, vocabulary recognition, comprehension, recall, and appropriate vocabulary use, while the teacher perceived Kahoot as an effective instructional and assessment tool for monitoring students’ learning progress despite challenges related to internet connectivity, device availability, and students’ tendency to prioritize speed over comprehension. In conclusion, Kahoot functioned as an effective game-based instructional medium that created an interactive, engaging, and meaningful learning environment, thereby supporting the development of students’ vocabulary mastery in the EFL classroom.