Navigating Intercultural and Pedagogical Challenges: A Case Study of a Foreign ELT Teacher in Indonesia’s Dual-Curriculum Secondary School

Hilarius Raditya Priambada Purba; Kristela Novena  Gultom; Leil Badrah  Zaki; Hendra  Nugraha; Chariyani  Tindaon

doi:10.36312/jolls.v6i3.5389

Authors

Hilarius Raditya Priambada Purba Universitas Internasional Batam https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6404-0640
Kristela Novena Gultom Universitas Internasional Batam
Leil Badrah Zaki Universitas Internasional Batam
Hendra Nugraha Universitas Internasional Batam
Chariyani Tindaon Universitas Internasional Batam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36312/jolls.v6i3.5389

Keywords:

Intercultural English language teaching, Dual curriculum implementation, ICT integration in ELT, Foreign ELT Teacher, Merdeka curriculum

Abstract

This case study investigates the instructional challenges and adaptation strategies of a foreign English Language Teaching (ELT) teacher in a private secondary school in Batam, Indonesia, that implements both the Merdeka Curriculum and the Pearson Edexcel system. Using a single-case qualitative design, the study aims to (1) identify the pedagogical and technological challenges encountered by the teacher, (2) examine how she integrates Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to mediate instruction under these constraints, and (3) analyze how she negotiates curricular and intercultural demands between the two curricula. Data were collected through three classroom observations (approximately 80 minutes each) and one 45-minute semi-structured interview with a Filipino teacher who has taught in Indonesia for over twelve years and were examined through thematic analysis. The findings, presented as context-bound themes rather than generalizable outcomes, indicate that the teacher encountered challenges related to language barriers, limited instructional resources, technological disruptions, and the adaptation of curriculum content to the Indonesian sociocultural context. In response, she employed strategies such as simplified instruction, peer-supported learning, culturally localized materials, and flexible use of available technology. Within the boundaries of this single case, these strategies illustrate forms of teacher agency, intercultural responsiveness, and curriculum mediation that appear to support classroom-level inclusion; establishing their effectiveness or their alignment with international teaching standards would require further evidence from learners or outcome data. The findings suggest that intercultural sensitivity and flexible pedagogical approaches, supported by adequate institutional structures, are central to sustaining dual-curriculum ELT practice.

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Author Biographies

Hilarius Raditya Priambada Purba, Universitas Internasional Batam

English Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Education, Universitas Internasional Batam, Jl.Gajah Mada, Baloi Sei Ladi, Kota Batam, Provinsi Kepulauan Riau, Indonesia
Kristela Novena Gultom, Universitas Internasional Batam

English Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Education, Universitas Internasional Batam, Jl.Gajah Mada, Baloi Sei Ladi, Kota Batam, Provinsi Kepulauan Riau, Indonesia
Leil Badrah Zaki, Universitas Internasional Batam

English Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Education, Universitas Internasional Batam, Jl.Gajah Mada, Baloi Sei Ladi, Kota Batam, Provinsi Kepulauan Riau, Indonesia
Hendra Nugraha, Universitas Internasional Batam

English Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Education, Universitas Internasional Batam, Jl.Gajah Mada, Baloi Sei Ladi, Kota Batam, Provinsi Kepulauan Riau, Indonesia
Chariyani Tindaon , Universitas Internasional Batam

English Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Education, Universitas Internasional Batam, Jl.Gajah Mada, Baloi Sei Ladi, Kota Batam, Provinsi Kepulauan Riau, Indonesia

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