Beyond specialist preparation: Non-english-specialist teachers’ self-supported pedagogy for young learners in Indonesian primary schools

Abstract

This study explores Indonesian primary school non-English-specialist teachers' self-supported teaching. The study found that classroom teachers teach English for Young Learners without English Education, which raises questions about students' elementary preparedness and how curriculum direction, institutional support, and classroom teachers' knowledge vary across schools. This research investigates how primary English teachers teaching non-English-specialism through learning resources and classroom challenges. Based on semi-structured interviews and observations, it discovered that self-study, internet, translated textbooks, bilingual explanation, song, game, visuals (pictures or videos), and co-working with peers are the teaching strategies teachers used to cope. Limited vocabulary, maladaptive phonetic systems, low confidence, limited preschool exposure to English and the mismatch between a language of higher preferential textual exposure compared to their first language were among the challenges. To make English useable, they had to use YouTube videos or other online materials, draw on their English learning experiences, provide some local language exposure, and experiment. However, a lack of teacher training in English teaching (teacher aid), poor material and curricular direction, expensive administrative costs, challenging time allocations for instruction, and confusing English instruction models hampered the effort. The results show that English non-specialists had pedagogical agency internally but needed professional instruction in pedagogy and classroom scaffolding.