Cultural aspects delivery in Indonesian multilingual and multicultural EFL context: Learners’ voices
Cultural aspects delivery in Indonesian multilingual and multicultural EFL context: Learners’ voices

Summary/Abstract: Its rich linguistic and cultural composition make Indonesia the world’s second most multilingual and multicultural country. However, UNESCO reports that a great number of Indonesia’s indigenous languages are vanishing, partly due to enthusiasm and widespread use of English in society, particularly among the youth. The phenomenon is of concern to the government since a language’s death leads to the erosion of its respective cultures. Considering this phenomenon and the inseparability between language and culture, this study aimed to reveal Indonesian English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ voices regarding cultural aspects delivery in their foreign language (FL) classrooms, especially the English ones. An online questionnaire was administered to 420 secondary school students, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 of them. While the study found that Indonesian EFL learners admitted the importance of teaching target language cultures to enhance intercultural communication and language learning motivation, conformity to native English speaker (NES) cultures was found to be less favored in English classrooms compared to other FL classes. Instead, learners emphasized the inclusion of Indonesian cultures to preserve their national identity and world cultures to prepare them for wider international engagement. These findings underline the importance of balancing the global use of English with the preservation of the country’s linguistic and cultural heritage. The study urges inclusive and context-sensitive EFL policies that consider the voices of learners while integrating perspectives from other related stakeholders. Thus, future research should investigate textbook authors and policymakers’ perspectives, identifying potential misalignments that might hinder the realization of effective and successful EFL education in Indonesia.

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