Teaching English for Tertiary Students in Pesantren: A Narrative Using Hybrid Learning

The problem in English learning is determining how learners and teachers adjusted to remote learning methods. This study identified and evaluated the English learning difficulties encountered by students in non-English departments. This study included students from five different academic programs, namely Islamic Education (PAI), Management of Islamic Education (MPI), Akhwalusy Syakhshiyah (AS), Primary School Teacher Education (PGMI), and Islamic Banking (PS). The qualitative research was used in this study, along with a phenomenological approach. The data were obtained from a questionnaire through Google Form to students in these departments. The questionnaire discussed challenges that students had when learning English with an online system, materials that students did not grasp, and students' expectations for English language learning. The data were analyzed by including several research and ideas related to previously formulated materials in the questionnaire. This study was supposed to be taken into account while developing techniques and strategies for English language acquisition for non-English students in higher education. This study resulted that the dominant problems faced by respondents were online learning systems (54.8%), and applications used as learning media (29%). Other problems included limited internet network access, difficulty in understanding English courses, lack of detailed material exposure, and laziness.


INTRODUCTION
Most people speak English as a second (or even third) language.English, unlike the first language, must be taught methodically.English will be learnt, studied, grasped, and mastered by fostering the concept of psycho-language.Because nurture indicates that people require supervision and teaching when learning English, learning English and other foreign languages is done institutionally and formally.
Learning English focuses on students' knowledge of theory (concept) and practice (applied), so students can use English based on their individual needs, interests, and goals.The difficulty of English is not just theoretical, but also practical.Susanthi's study (2021) found that students had difficulty in pronouncing English words and practicing grammar correctly.
Internal and external influences might have an impact on the problems that students confront.Internal influences include student personalities, such as interests (Harlina & Yusuf, 2020) and motivation in studying English (Marnina, 2018), while external factors are related to learning environment (Alawiyah et al., 2019), context socio-cultural differences with the cultural context in English (Syairi, 2013), educational background and learning experience in English (Megawati, 2016).
Indonesia is currently reforming and modernizing in a number of sectors.The Indonesian government's response to the COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in a number of adjustments in all aspects of society, including education.The use of remote learning is an option in the present teaching and learning implementation; the goal is to avoid COVID -19 transmission (Ferri et al., 2020), and familiarize educators and students with technological advances in education (Coman et al., 2020;Nugroho et al., 2021).
Learning English focuses not only on theoretical growth, but also on the application of linguistic talents.In this case, a lecturer must tailor English instruction to the actual scenario.This is undeniably difficult; moreover, the English learners come from non-English study programs.Direct learning has become fundamentally a tough habit to break.This type of learning may create an actual and real-time link between lecturer and student, allowing lecturers to see student improvement based on the theoretical and practical abilities provided.This study is called as hybrid learning that integrates online learning and offline learning (synchronous and asynchronous), and fit to the current situation (Hastini et al., 2020;Pamungkas, 2023).
The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze challenges encountered by students in Non-English study programs while learning English using a hybrid learning approach.The purpose of this study was to investigate students' perceptions on hybrid learning in English courses.There were various factors that were expected to constitute a list of assessments in learning using a hybrid learning system, particularly in disciplines with a large percentage of practical characteristics (skills).What becomes the unique point in this study is the locus of the study, which located at Pesantren.It was also to overview the hybrid learning system applied by a university in a Pesantren.Certainly, there would be some considerations before taking the internet and technology development as media in learning activities.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Modernization is a process of social, political and economic transformation aimed at adopting more modern values, technology and systems (Vinogradova et al., 2016).This involves changes in various aspects of society, including culture, infrastructure, education, industry, and government.Modernization often occurs in response to global developments and technological advances.This can be triggered by various factors such as globalization, urbanization, industrialization, and technological revolution.Modernization can also be seen as an effort to improve the quality of life and achieve economic progress.
Modernization in education refers to efforts to adopt and implement technological, methodological and curriculum innovations in the education system.The main goals of educational modernization are to improve the quality of learning and teaching (Jun-Guang & Xi, 2016), prepare students to face the demands of the ever-evolving world of work as the 21 st century skills (Malik, 2018), and promote inclusion and equal access to education (Abylkassymova, 2020).
One important aspect of educational modernization is the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in the classroom.ICT has brought significant changes in the way we learn and teach.With access to the internet, students can access various online learning resources such as videos, articles and electronic Teaching English for Tertiary Students in Pesantren: A Narrative Using Hybrid Learning books.Apart from that, technology also allows direct interaction between teachers and students through online learning platforms or communication applications.
Aside from ICT, education modernization entails the creation of more interactive and collaborative teaching approaches (Ilomäki & Lakkala, 2018;Liu et al., 2023).Traditional passive teaching techniques in which the instructor served as the center of information have given way to a more active approach in which students are given the option to actively engage in the learning process.Projectbased learning approaches, for example, allow students to apply their knowledge in real-world situations by generating projects or answers to specific challenges.
Modernization of education also involves developing a curriculum that is relevant to the needs and demands of the times (Minarti et al., 2022).The curriculum must include 21 st century skills i.e., problem solving, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.Besides, education must also prepare students to face technological changes and global trends that continue to develop.
Inclusion and equal access to education are also concerns in educational modernization.In this digital era, it is important to ensure that all students have equal access to technology and learning resources (Chan, 2023).Efforts should be made to bridge the digital divide that exists between pupils from various socioeconomic backgrounds.Aside from that, education modernization entails the establishment of a more comprehensive and competency-based evaluation system.Evaluation includes examining students' practical and social abilities in addition to typical academic evaluations such as written examinations.
In recent years, modernizing English learning material in Islamic boarding schools has become an increasingly important concern.As traditional Islamic educational institutions in Indonesia, Islamic boarding schools have begun to embrace technology and modern media to boost English language instruction for students.The usage of online learning software or applications is one method of modernizing English learning media in Islamic boarding schools.Students may study English freely using electronic devices such as cellphones or tablets using this program.This software often includes features like as practice questions, online dictionaries, and audio or video courses.As a result, students may learn English whenever and wherever they choose.
Islamic boarding schools can also use e-learning platforms to increase access and improve English learning quality.Students can use the e-learning platform to access learning resources online via the internet.Text, audio, video, or a mix of the three can be used to create learning materials.Students can also communicate with professors or other students using the platform's discussion or forum capabilities.Islamic boarding schools may give students with more engaged and enjoyable English instruction through the use of an e-learning platform.
Modernizing English learning media in Islamic boarding schools can boost students' motivation and interest in studying, in addition to the benefits of access and engagement.The utilization of current media, such as online learning apps or e-learning platforms, may make English learning more exciting and enjoyable for students.Furthermore, interactive elements like as practice questions or online conversations can boost students' active engagement in the learning process.
However, it is crucial to recognize that the upgrading of English learning media in Islamic boarding schools must be done with caution.Islamic boarding schools must select media and technologies that are appropriate for their requirements and characteristics.The use of modern media must also be matched with a learning strategy that is consistent with Islamic boarding school principles and Islamic beliefs.

METHOD
Language learning is the deliberate and purposeful acquisition, production, and use of a second language (Sundari, 2018).Cognitively, second language acquisition covers mental processes such as perception, memory, and information processing, which assist students in absorbing knowledge, solving problems, and preparing for the future using their second language (Latifah, 2016).Second language knowledge is a collection of concepts found in a second language, such as grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and others.Second language learners with this understanding may overcome any second language obstacle and identify how this knowledge can help their surroundings.
Because the prior idea of cognitivism stresses the cognitive element, students' grasp of English cannot be examined, assessed, and evaluated properly.In contrast to constructivism, English learners are supposed to focus not just on cognitive aspects, but also on practical aspects (generalization) (Latifah, 2016).It implies that their English knowledge must be flexible enough to meet their academic and non-academic interests, allowing them to discover anything new about English in the context of their surroundings.
Contrary to popular belief, remote learning poses a problem for English learners who employ the constructivism philosophy and technique.The fact was that it was difficult to optimize English learning, which stressed skills and practice based on the Annual Learning Plan (RPS).Due to the students' demographical region of settlement, the challenges that frequently emerged were likely in the form of limited internet connectivity in utilizing and running interactive and real-time applications, such as Zoom Cloud Meeting.
This study was qualitative research.In this study, we employed phenomenology as an approach to earlier theories (Hasbiansyah, 2008).This approach was to find out and uncover an implied meaning of non-English students' problems in learning English through hybrid learning system.The use of phenomenology was to construe and validate that the studied subject and phenomenon of English learning was that of truth, based on the experience of the researcher in teaching English for non-English students.Phenomenology was also used by Blegur (2020) in identifying and describing the problems of foreign students in studying Statistics.In this study, we were required to teach English for several study programs at the Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universitas Nurul Jadid.We enrolled students in five study programs in the Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universitas Nurul Jadid, in Probolinggo, East Java Province, Indonesia.The study programs were Islamic Education (PAI), Management of Islamic Education (MPI), Akhwalusy Syakhshiyah (AS), Primary School Teacher Education (PGMI), and Islamic Banking (PS), and only 31 people completed the questionnaire.We utilized a Google Form questionnaire to collect data on challenges with learning English with a hybrid learning system, which we shared with a group from each study program.The data were then analyzed using any concept in language teaching policy and instrumentation.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The key point in this study is that students in the five study programs come from a variety of educational backgrounds, including Science Program (25.8%),Social Science Program (29%), Religious Program (22.6%),Computers Program (6.5%), Accounting Program (3.2%), Governance & Office Automation Program (3.2%), and Language Program (9.7%).Meanwhile, 12 students (38.7%) had formal English course experience, while 19 students (61.3%) did not take any classes at all.From a total of 31 pupils, 23 reported to having issues learning English using the existing online method (74.2%), whereas the remaining eight students did not (25.8%).As a result, the majority of responders are graduates of the Social Sciences program, and the majority of them have no prior experience enrolling in an English course.Respondents' most common issues were with online learning systems (54.8%) and applications used as learning media (29%).Other issues were insufficient internet network connection, trouble comprehending English classes, a lack of extensive content exposure, and laziness.
Implementing online learning in the realm of education is tough.In order to enable and carry out learning, instructors and students must be able to adapt to the most recent technical and learning media innovations.Nonetheless, students in this study had difficulties due to a lack of online network access.The finding of this study was also in line with the results of Argaheni's study (2020) that the limited internet quota and the lack of knowledge and skills of teachers and students in running the latest applications and learning media were two obstacles.The problem of limited internet access does not only occur in villages and remote areas, but also in urban areas (Surahman et al., 2020).
Furthermore, Argaheni (2020) also adds that the impacts that arise during the implementation of online learning include students become passive learners, online learning still confuses students, learning is too focused on enriching theory rather than practice, and students experience stress.A recent study on 204 students at the Department of Psychology, Mulawarman University identified 14 students with a very high stress (6.9%), 55 students with high stress frequency (27%), 80 students with moderate stress (39.2%), 44 students with very low stress frequency (21.6%), and 11 students with very low stress frequency (5.4%) (Lubis et al., 2021).Scientifically, this can be justified through the research findings of Hasanah et al. (Hasanah et al., 2020) that 55.8% of students experience stress due to a boring online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.In addition, stress is also caused by the weight and number of tasks that are quite large during the COVID-19 pandemic (Deliviana et al., 2020).Certainly, it will impact the psychological aspects of students, whereas psychological aspects are internal factors in a student that can determine success in learning (Nur & Damayanti, 2021).
A recent study of 204 students at Mulawarman University in the Department of Psychology discovered 14 students with very high stress (6.9%), 55 students with high stress frequency (27%), 80 students with moderate stress (39.2%), 44 students with very low stress frequency (21.6%), and 11 students with very low stress frequency (5.4%) (Lubis et al., 2021).Scientifically, this can be justified through the research findings of Hasanah et al. (2020) that 55.8% of students experience stress due to a boring online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.In addition, stress is also caused by the weight and number of tasks that are quite large during the COVID-19 pandemic (Deliviana et al., 2020).Certainly, it will impact the psychological aspects of students, whereas psychological aspects are internal factors in a student that can determine success in learning (Nur & Damayanti, 2021).
Academic stress is a sort of stress experienced by many pupils in school.Academic stress is induced by pressure (direct or indirect) to get high grades, length of study, and several duties (Harahap et al., 2020).Inadequate networks, additional expenditures to purchase quotas, not all lecturers delivering learning materials optimally, number of assignments, not comprehending the contents, difficulty managing time, being easily distracted, and limited study facilities can all contribute to academic stress (Putri & Ariana, 2021).
Another issue we discovered was student laziness.In this study, students' laziness was induced by a lack of depth in the content presented and an online learning paradigm that was repetitive (i.e., primarily focused on theory).Learning that focuses solely on theoretical factors may cause pupils to become disinterested in participating in learning (Rochanah, 2020).Laziness indicates that students' motivation and interest in learning have decreased.The same finding was also found in the study of Pawicara and Conilie (2020) that monotonous online learning can cause students to feel lazy and bored.These studies imply that online learning can be monotonous, where teachers and students cannot interact directly.This condition also implies that teachers cannot oversee students' activities during the session.

Innovating Online Learning of English Subject for Non-English Students
Changes in learning approaches lead to shifts in learning emphasis toward digital-based learning.As a result of this change, students and parents are concerned about the continuity of the learning process.This must surely be considered prior to the implementation of remote learning, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19.Another consideration is the range of abilities that each student holds, which surely determines their readiness to face online learning.Rapid alterations in learning orientation are not usually accompanied by a readiness to participate in Teaching English for Tertiary Students in Pesantren: A Narrative Using Hybrid Learning online learning.Online learning preparedness influences students' active participation in online learning classes and timely completion of tasks (Kurniawan & Zakaria, 2021).
Similarly, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak, a number of educational institutions continued to use remote learning, leveraging e-learning apps and other free software to assist the continuation of learning as specified in the learning curriculum.If the teacher is unable to appear in person during the learning process, electronic media in the form of learning apps is used as a substitute.In actuality, the media is used as a learning information system that may store a wide range of learning tools and material.However, not all scientific subjects, particularly at the postsecondary level, can effectively employ distant learning medium.When deciding whether or not to employ media, assess the course's content and substance.This is because distant learning medium has a variety of restrictions and inadequacies.Courses geared on skill development and student practice, for example, cannot completely utilize distant learning media, even if employed as an alternative.
Hybrid learning is a flexible and sustainable learning strategy that combines online and offline learning.Yamin (2022) states that the learning process using the hybrid learning method not only has an impact on student learning outcomes, but also on students' activeness and increased digital literacy.Learning innovation is an element that can assist the learning process succeed in reaching learning objectives during the pandemic.Learning English as a skill demands certain strategies and media, as well as consideration of the signs of the proper curriculum in an educational institution.Through conversation and speech, students are expected to be able to converse and communicate in English in the context of this study.Speaking is a challenging talent to master since one must alter the articulation of foreign words (Prayogo & Widyaningrum, 2017).In addition, they also need to know and understand the sound system in the language (Muflihah, 2017).
Speaking skill is a highly important skill to communicate (Harianto, 2020).The media used to teach speaking skills vary based on the availability of facilities and the learner's readiness to absorb various learning media.At the very least, maximal contact between teachers and students, between students and different learning facilities, and between students enhances the efficacy of a learning media (Sholihah, 2020).
A study used audio messages to teach people how to talk.In practice, the lecturer chooses one of four types of speaking practice (reading a tale, delivering an announcement, making a speech, and discussion).Following that, students select a discussion subject and begin conversing while recording their interaction.Students present their recordings to the lecturer to obtain feedback and comments from the teacher.As a consequence, the instructor will be able to correct and discuss the recording with the other students (Sholihah, 2020).
The previous learning strategy was very light and did not take up much internet space compared to the Zoom Cloud Meeting app.Additionally, students will receive feedback on their recording and this will be discussed as a group in class.Aspects of real-time learning can be seen in how learning (including teacherstudent interactions) can take place and be completed at a given time.Therefore, studying can be convenient and effective.
The obstacles (problems) we see in teaching English to non-English speaking learners are the use of quota-consuming learning applications and the difficulty of accessing the Internet for students in certain areas.We recognize that teachers and students have their own assumptions and strategies in designing and implementing learning activities, but the aspect of physical availability and learning infrastructure remains is still a problem.If facilities and infrastructure can be improved and allocated to each student, then teachers have the power and freedom to identify interesting and real-time learning strategies.
In our research, we found that students are divided into domestic and foreign based on the geographical area where they live.Domestic people are those who stay in Pesantren, and foreigners are those who live outside of Pesantren.We believe that blended learning policies should (re)consider their geographical context so that learning can be objective for all student populations.
On the other hand, regarding the strategy for successful hybrid learning, Sholihah's study (2020) shows that English learning strategies cannot only be done through interface learning, but also non-interface learning (i.e., in the form of audio recording).The important point is how student learning outcomes get a feedback from lecturers.On the other hand, we recognize that a simple application also has an important role in certain circumstances and situations.Learning applications do not have to be applications that are equipped with various e-learning mode features.However, the use of applications must be value-oriented and taking into account the level of effectiveness.
In this study, the university regulated and used learning management system (hence LMS) which can facilitate the insider and outsider students.This model of LMS accounted for quite accommodative.It means that students can access their subject topics remotely and anytime when they are not available for internet service.
The LMS system has also been discussed in the research of Puspitasari and Hanayanti (2023).The research still uses the media during face-to-face learning in a blended scheme.This will result in an idea that the LMS has been appropriate to use for any scheme -it has been standardized based on the need of learning in any situation, in both remote and face-to-face learning.The use of LMS is needed as an asynchronous learning medium and also as a database to record learning activity reports for one semester.In this case, lecturers and students need to have literacy regarding this digital platform, so that it can enable them to interact asynchronously at one time.This literacy requires socialization in the use of LMS for the purpose of learning activities.Thus, digital literacy needs to be added as an important variable and aspect in the literacy component that a lecturer needs to have.
Gilster's terminology regarding digital literacy needs to be linked to the professionalism of a lecturer.Gilster identifies four key digital literacy competencies: knowledge assembly, evaluating information content, searching the Internet, and navigating hypertext.Knowledge assembly is related to the way a lecturer organizes knowledge.In this case, this literacy encourages a lecturer to be able to prepare learning topics and activities that are adapted to the current context and skills needs; certainly, by adapting to the technological devices that will be used as learning media in learning activities.
Learning topics and materials that will be provided during lecture activities also require information support.In this case, supporting information can be obtained via internet devices.In this competency, students and lecturers also have demands to involve greater sensitivity and curiosity about something; which will make them search in depth to find theoretical certainty of truth.Access to the internet provides flexibility in conducting in-depth searches and studies (in-depth web searching).
As an implication, the knowledge assembly and content information evaluation aspects will give rise to a condition where a student and a lecturer try to carry out systematic thinking concepts related to their findings about a learning topic.This condition will produce a frame of mind and an impression that no matter how much information they get on the internet, they still need to filter it.It may be that through this process the novelty of the knowledge being studied will be able to emerge, so that students will gain new things and experiences that they have never encountered.
As an illustration in learning English, Gilster's four aspects will guide students to search autodidactically and guided about what is different in one topic in English -what is different about one topic in English and how they use the internet to find out the theories or concepts that underlie these differences.For example, students find out what they can about the function of prepositions in sentences, where their knowledge of prepositions always leads to simple classifications in the form of in, at, on, and so on.If they use the internet to access things that can explain prepositions in sentences, what sentences that have prepositions look like, and how a number of prepositions function in sentences, then they will discover new things about prepositions that they may have never learned before.
Internet, English, and literacy are three things that cannot be separated from one another.The three are interrelated in creating a parallel causal relationship, and both contribute to language teaching.Literacy regarding digital devices and renewable technology in learning English cannot only increase their knowledge and skills in using the internet and digging up certain information on the internet, but also consider a number of important aspects in the different concepts they obtain from literature on the internet.

CONCLUSION
While adopting the e-learning system for English learning for non-English students, several barriers and challenges arise.Students and lecturers confront difficulties as well as limited internet access.This undoubtedly has an impact on the amount of student spirit in studying English, particularly on speaking abilities.We may infer that using learning programs that take a large amount of internet quota is not suggested in this study's learning circumstance and setting.It is important to highlight how pupils may become proficient in English; it is no longer about the degree of the application's benefits.We proposed a simple application to help practical aspects of English learning (especially speaking) in the context of the students' location and demographics.
The use of university e-learning system that can be applied in hybrid learning model is another option to implement hybrid learning.Currently, this program is still used to accommodate interface learning, and seems to be helpful.However, the most challenging situation is that lecturers need to adapt with developing technology and certain outputs of non-English students in each department.The LMS should be viewed as to facilitate and complement learning innovation.Future research is expected to oversee and evaluate the adaptation of elearning to the specific skill that becomes the target of an English subject in the second year, so that the use of e-learning and adequate e-media can help to foster and succeed the learning process.

Figure 2
Figure 2. e-learning management system