Teaching bahasa Indonesia to non-native speakers: Strategies, challenges, and innovations

Journal of Language, Literature, Social, and Cultural Studies, Volume 3 Number 3 (Nov 2025), p. 359-374 e-ISSN: 2986-4461 DOI: https://doi.org/10.58881/jllscs.v2i2 https://ympn.co.id/index.php/JLLSCS Teaching bahasa Indonesia to non-native speakers: Strategies, challenges, and innovations Budi Susanto1, Ida Bagus Artha Adnyana2, Rodolfo P. Dizon Jr3, Zanyar Nathir Ghafar4, Nadia Indri5, Temitope Michael Ajayi6 Yayasan Mitra Persada Nusantara, INDONESIA1 Politeknik Negeri Bali, INDONESIA2 Pampanga State Agricultural University, PHILIPPINES3 Technical Institute of Sulaimani, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region IRAQ4 University of Bejaia, Aboudaou Campus, 06000, ALGERIA5 University of Ibadan, NIGERIA6 1Email: 2Email: Abstract - The instruction to teach Bahasa Indonesia to non-native speakers has become increasingly vital within the expanding context of global mobility, academic exchange, and cross-cultural engagement. The primary aim here is not only to enhance students’ linguistic competence but to cultivate genuine intercultural understanding, recognizing that successful communication extends well beyond rote memorization or grammar drills. The methods centre on authentic use of language—encouraging dialogue, collaborative tasks, and meaningful immersion activities. By integrating cultural content—sometimes through digital resources, sometimes by direct community engagement— educators address both pragmatic language needs and critical sociocultural nuances that learners must grasp to become confident speakers. Technology, notably apps, virtual classrooms, and gamification techniques, has dramatically altered access and interaction, offering more dynamic, learner-centred environments compared to traditional instruction. There is a shortage of teaching materials specifically designed for non-native speakers from diverse linguistic backgrounds, and instructors must constantly adapt to different levels of learners’ prior knowledge. The equilibrium between linguistic precision and communicative fluency remains a perennial challenge; programs must avoid focusing so heavily on rules that spontaneous speech becomes stilted, yet also ensure students develop sufficient accuracy. It becomes clear that the combination of communicative and culturally embedded strategies—supported by practical technological innovations—yields the most significant advances. Classroom engagement increases, and learners retain both language and cultural context more successfully. Effective instruction for non-native speakers necessitates a holistic philosophy. This involves the deliberate alignment of curriculum, teaching methods, and assessment with the specific needs of diverse learners, while also taking full advantage of contemporary technology and opportunities for cultural interaction. Such an approach equips students with This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 359 Journal of Language, Literature, Social, and Cultural Studies, Volume 3 Number 3 (Nov 2025), p. 359-374 e-ISSN: 2986-4461 DOI: https://doi.org/10.58881/jllscs.v2i2 https://ympn.co.id/index.php/JLLSCS not just linguistic skills but also the intercultural competence essential for meaningful real-world communication in Indonesia and across global contexts. Keywords: Bahasa Indonesia, language teaching, pedagogical strategies, teaching challenges, language learning, intercultural competence 1. Introduction Language learning has long served as a vital foundation for cross-cultural understanding, effective education, and global mobility (Kramsch, 2014; Richards, 2014). In recent decades, especially in an era marked by accelerated globalization, the teaching of Asian languages to nonnative speakers has witnessed remarkable expansion. This growth has been fuelled by factors such as intensified international collaboration, booming tourism sectors, increased trade links, and scholarly exchanges across borders (Gil, 2017)). Within this broad context, Bahasa Indonesia stands out as the national language of the world’s fourth most populous country. The language has drawn substantial attention from a diverse array of learners, educators, and policymakers worldwide, all intrigued by both its practical and cultural significance. Bahasa Indonesia is spoken, either as a first or second language, by more than 270 million people—a testament to its centrality in Indonesian society (Paauw, 2009; Sneddon, 2003). The language not only facilitates internal cohesion and national unity across Indonesia’s vast archipelago but also supports broader ambitions in the realms of regional diplomacy, cultural identity construction, and sustainable economic development. In essence, Bahasa Indonesia is more than a mode of communication: it is a binding element in a country characterized by extraordinary ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity. The global surge of interest in Bahasa Indonesia can be attributed to several interrelated factors. Indonesia’s emergence as a major economic power in Southeast Asia, with increasing influence in international business forums and organizations, has naturally heightened the demand for linguistic competence among professionals in business, diplomatic, and academic fields (Wahyuningtyas, 2021; Rini, 2014 in Subandiyah et al., 2023). Additionally, Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage, dynamic arts scene, and multifaceted social fabric position language learning as a portal to deeper cross-cultural understanding and mutual respect (Suhardi, 2015). Notably, within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Bahasa Indonesia often acts as a key lingua franca, particularly in contexts linked to maritime activities, international trade, and tourism (Lowenberg, 1991)). Despite its growing relevance, the field of teaching Bahasa Indonesia to non-native speakers remains relatively understudied, especially in comparison to prominently taught languages such as English, Mandarin, or Japanese (Odlin, 1989). This lack of robust research poses both challenges and opportunities for language educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers. The present study seeks to address this research gap by systematically exploring effective teaching strategies, identifying persistent obstacles in the field, and highlighting innovative instructional practices that can better support the learning journeys of non-native speakers. Teaching Bahasa Indonesia to foreign learners transcends mere linguistic transfer; it is fundamentally a cultural endeavour. Language, as emphasized by Sapir 1921)and Kramsch, 2014), serves as a dynamic vehicle for culture, identity, and worldview. Through the process of acquiring Bahasa Indonesia, learners gain valuable access to Indonesia’s societal norms, hierarchical structures, and core traditional values. This perspective is closely a (...truncated)