Teaching English for Young Learners (TEYL) in Indonesia: Policies, Implementations, and Future Directions
Main Article Content
Fadhlur Rahman
Asirah Asirah
Nizar Saputra
Muntasir Muntasir
Rizka Safitri
The teaching of English For Young Learners (TEYL) in Indonesia has become increasingly prominent in response to globalization and the growing need for English proficiency in academic and professional spheres. Despite this rising demand, the implementation of English education at the early childhood and primary school level encounters significant challenges. These include inconsistent educational policies, a lack of adequately trained teachers, and insufficient teaching and learning resources. This study investigates the current landscape of English language education for young learners in Indonesia by examining national education policies and classroom practices. The research identifies key issues such as the incongruent of a standardized curriculum, minimal pre-service and in-service teacher training specific to TEYL, and disparities in access to quality English instructions and materials between urban and rural schools. Therefore, this current study proposes a strategic roadmap aimed at enhancing the quality and effectiveness of TEYL in Indonesia. These include policy reforms, targeted teacher development programs, curriculum enhancements, and improved resource allocation. The findings are intended to inform policymakers, educational institutions, and practitioners in developing a sustainable roadmap for TEYL in Indonesia.
Azmy, K., Rahman, F., Muntasir, & Martunis. (2024). Utilizing First Language (L1) In Teaching English: Examining the Beliefs of English Lecturers at Indonesian Universities Regarding the Use of L1 In English Language Instruction. JTVE, Special Edition NARTC, 9(2).
Bachrudin Musthafa. (2010). Teaching English to Young Learners in Indonesia: Essential Requirements. Educationist, IV(2), 120–125.
BELHOUANE, H., & DERRADJ, A. (2023). The Effect of Socio-cultural Background on Learning English as a Foreign Language for Young Children.
Bland, J. (2019). Teaching English to Young Learners: More Teacher Education and More Children’s Literature! CLELEjournal, 7(2), 79–103.
Ching, F., & Lin, A. M. (2018). Contexts of learning in TEYL. In The Routledge handbook of teaching English to young learners. Routledge.
Darwis, N., & Hasanah, U. (2020). The Effectiveness of Using Teaching English for Young Learner (TEYL) Module for Pre-service Teacher Based on Teacher Training Approach. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 8(1), 164–174. https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v8i1.1022
Ekşi, G. Y., & Gazi, A. A. (2015). Enriching Microteaching in Teaching English To Young Learners (Teyl): an Action Research. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching, 2(1), 26–41.
Garton, S., & Tekin, S. (2022). Teaching English to young learners. In In Handbook of practical second language teaching and learning (pp. 83–96). Routledge.
Hecker, S., Wicke, N., Haklay, M., & Bonn, A. (2019). How Does Policy Conceptualise Citizen Science? A Qualitative Content Analysis of International Policy Documents. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 4(1), 32. https://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.230
Hwa-Froelich, D. A. (2022). Social communication development. In In Social communication development and disorders (pp. 150–175). Routledge.
Ilham, M., Rahman, F., Kholid, M., & Sari, D. D. (2024). The Efficacy of e-Guru Application in Boosting Learning Effectiveness: Does It Deliver Results? International Journal of Social Learning (IJSL), 4(2), 197–209.
Inan, S., & Karaca, M. (2021). An investigation of quality assurance practices in online English classes for young learners. Quality Assurance in Education, 29(4).
Kabesh, D. M. M. L. (2023). The Effectiveness of Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL) Program on Fostering Early Primary EFL Teachers’ Storytelling Performance. العلوم التربوية, 31(2), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.21608/ssj.2023.306371
Lichtman, M. (2023). Qualitative research in education: A user’s guide. Routledge.
Malini, N. L. N. S., & Tan, V. (2017). International Journal of Education. International Journal of Education, 9(1), 53–58. http://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/ije/article/view/3718/pdf
Meisani, D. R., & Musthafa, B. (2019). Responses towards Policy on TEYL in Elementary Schools: A case study in Malang City. 254(060), 140–144. https://doi.org/10.2991/conaplin-18.2019.29
Nikolov, M., & Timpe-Laughlin, V. (2021). Assessing young learners’ foreign language abilities. Language Teaching, 54(1), 1–37. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444820000294
Pinter, A. (2015). Task-based learning with children. In Teaching English to young learners (pp. 113–128).
Rahman, F., & Saputra, N. (2021). English as International Language Revisited: Implications on South Korea’s ELT Context. Scope : Journal of English Language Teaching, 6(1), 08. https://doi.org/10.30998/scope.v6i1.9383
Steele, J. L., Murnane, R. J., & Willett, J. B. (2010). Low-Performing Schools Attract and Keep Academically Talented Teachers ? Evidence. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 29(3), 451–478. https://doi.org/10.1002/pam
Syahriani, F., Yufriadi, F., & Fismanelly. (2023). Empowering the Future: Innovative Education Strategies for Global Skills in the Context of the Golden Generation 2045. International Journal of Applied Educational Research (IJAER), 1(2), 121–134. https://doi.org/10.59890/ijaer.v1i2.1077
Uztosun, M. S. (2018). Professional competences to teach English at primary schools in Turkey: a Delphi study. European Journal of Teacher Education, 41(4), 549–565. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2018.1472569
Wilcox, G., MacMaster, F. P., & Makarenko, E. (2022). Cognitive neuroscience foundations for school psychologists. In Brain-behavior relationships in the classroom. Routledge.
Xie, R., & Ding, D. (2017). The Influence of Local Context on the Games in Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL) in Tongren (China). International Journal of Education, 9(2), 53. https://doi.org/10.5296/ije.v9i2.10998
Zein, M. S. (2017). Elementary English education in Indonesia: Policy developments, current practices, and future prospects. English Today, 33(1), 53–59. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266078416000407
Zein, S. (2018). Translanguaging in the EYL classroom as a metadiscursive practice: Preparing prospective teachers. In in English Language Teacher Preparation in Asia (pp. 47–62). Routledge.
Zein, S., & Coady, M. R. (2021). Early language learning policy in the 21st century. Springer International Publishing.



