ESP NEEDS ANALYSIS OF PHARMACEUTICAL TERMINOLOGY IN VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH CLASSES

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the English vocabulary learning needs of tenth-grade pharmacy students in a vocational high school setting, particularly within the context of English language instruction, with a focus on pharmaceutical terminology. Using a descriptive qualitative design, data were gathered through questionnaires, interviews with three English teachers, and analysis of the teaching module used at SMK Muhammadiyah Karanganyar, Pekalongan Regency. The findings show that students face major difficulties in pronunciation, lack of exposure to pharmaceutical terms, and limited integration of relevant vocabulary in classroom materials. Most of the English lessons still focus on general vocabulary, while students express strong interest in learning pharmacy-related content. Teachers have implemented a variety of strategies such as digital media, project-based learning, and games; however, these approaches are still not aligned with specialized vocabulary needs. The teaching module also lacks pharmacy-related materials, emphasizing general procedural texts. These results underline a mismatch between English instruction and the professional demands of pharmacy students. The study recommends the development of ESP-based teaching modules specifically tailored to the pharmaceutical field, along with teacher training to support more effective and relevant English learning for vocational pharmacy students.
Key Words : ESP, Needs Analysis, Pharmaceutical Terminology