Development of Intercultural Learning Media to Enhance Indonesian Language Teachers’ Competence in Teaching BIPA

Abstract

Teaching Indonesian as a Foreign Language (BIPA) requires strong pedagogical competence from instructors. However, besides this competence, teachers must also possess intercultural competence and cross-cultural communication skills. Some BIPA instructors still face challenges and limitations, such as the lack of intermediary language proficiency and the absence of contextually appropriate teaching media. This study aims to identify the needs for intercultural learning media and to develop intercultural-based teaching media that can enhance Indonesian language teachers’ competence in teaching BIPA. A qualitative descriptive method was used, involving interviews and a literature review related to BIPA teaching practices. The findings show that intercultural learning media such as bilingual videos, culture cards, and interactive comics are highly effective in strengthening teachers’ communicative and intercultural competence. These media are not only teaching aids but also pedagogical strategies to create more contextual, communicative, and culturally aware learning experiences. Therefore, the development of intercultural learning media has great potential as an innovative solution to improve the quality of BIPA instruction by bridging language barriers and enriching cross-cultural learning experiences.