This qualitative study investigates how Chinese higher vocational English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers design and implement instructional strategies to promote students’ self-regulated learning (SRL) in blended learning environments. Focusing on three research questions, the study examines the incorporation of SRL strategies in lesson plans, their implementation in classroom teaching, and the potential gaps between design and practice. Data were collected through document analysis of 15 lesson plans from five experienced EFL teachers and observations of their respective 40-minute classes, with analysis guided by the SRL protocol based on Zimmerman’s cyclical model and adapted from Spruce and Bol’s observation instrument. Findings reveal that teachers consistently integrated SRL strategies into their lesson plans, with the monitoring phase being the most thoroughly addressed through scaffolding, collaborative tasks, and the use of technology. Classroom observations confirmed the general implementation of these planned strategies, particularly for goal setting and progress monitoring, but also identified significant gaps: self-recording strategies were inconsistently enacted, and guidance for student self-reflection and causal attribution was largely absent. The study concludes that while vocational EFL teachers demonstrate strong competence in fostering SRL, especially in planning and monitoring, their practices require greater emphasis on the evaluative phase to fully develop students’ metacognitive skills. It is recommended that teachers focus more on cultivating students’ self-reflective capacities to better meet the demands of blended learning and future career development.