ENGLISH CLUB ABSENTEEISM AND PARTICIPATION STRATEGIES IN A VOCATIONAL SCHOOL

Shyerent Berdy; Ria Saraswati

doi:10.35760/jll.2025.v13i2.524

Penulis

Shyerent Berdy Esa Unggul University Penulis
Ria Saraswati Universitas Esa Unggul Penulis

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35760/jll.2025.v13i2.524

Kata Kunci:

absenteeism, English Club, extracurricular activity, participation strategy, vocational high school

Abstrak

Extracurricular English Clubs are expected to provide students with additional space to practise English beyond regular classroom instruction, yet many clubs struggle to sustain attendance. This study investigated absenteeism in the English Club of an Indonesian vocational high school and identified instructor-centered strategies that may improve participation. One research question guided the study: what individual and school-related factors explain students' absenteeism in the English Club, and what strategies can be used to address the participation issue? The study employed a qualitative phenomenological design supported by questionnaire data from sixteen English Club members and semi-structured interviews with fifteen participants representing active, passive, and former members. The data were interpreted through thematic analysis. The findings show that individual absenteeism was strongly related to low self-esteem in English skills, anxiety when performing English, psychological fatigue, safety concerns, and difficulty managing competing activities. School-related absenteeism was shaped mainly by uncertain extracurricular schedules during school renovation, weak attendance accountability, the absence of meaningful sanctions, and students' perception that English Club attendance was not treated seriously by the school. Students preferred strategies related to respectful instructor behaviour, mastery of lesson content, varied teaching methods, confidence-building support, practical learning materials, and clearer operational discipline. The study concludes that absenteeism in the English Club is not merely a student motivation problem; it is produced by the interaction of affective, institutional, pedagogical, and operational conditions.

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