Research into online instruction as an alternative to traditional teaching has indicated its role in facilitating student learning with the use of technology in times of COVID-19 pandemic. However, an intriguing question is how to conduct this mode of teaching English reading within the Vietnamese context. In Vietnam, little information has examined the challenges that high school teachers and students encountered in implementing online English reading classes to meet the needs and interests of the student and facilitate instructional practices. This study is therefore aimed to look into this area of interest. A mixed-methods study was used with fifty teachers and one hundred high school students. Data were collected from questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings show that online instruction in reading classes challenged teachers and students to use technology, prepare lesson contents, and assess student comprehension. Implications are provided to teachers and students for the sake of the quality of online instruction.

Keywords:

challenges, online instruction, reading classes