Beyond English as a Medium Instruction

This study aimed to examine the role of English use in teaching Indonesian to Foreign Language Speakers or Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing (BIPA) at Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS). Although previous studies have examined English as a Medium Instruction (EMI) in higher education, fewer have distinguished full English-medium teaching from selective English support in a target-language classroom. This distinction is important because BIPA is not a content course taught through English. It is a language-learning context in which Indonesian remains the instructional goal. Using a qualitative case study design, this study explored how international students perceived the advantages and disadvantages of English use in BIPA classes and how such use influenced Indonesian language learning and cultural engagement. Data were collected from seven international students at UMS representing diverse backgrounds, through semi-structured interviews and observation. The findings show that English functioned as a useful scaffold, especially for beginners, by clarifying grammar, task instructions, unfamiliar vocabulary, and culturally dense concepts. At the same time, excessive reliance on English created linguistic and cognitive challenges, reduced opportunities for sustained Indonesian use, and weakened immersion in local communicative and cultural practices. The students therefore emphasized a gradual transition toward greater Indonesian use and teaching strategies that manage cognitive load while sustaining participation. This study contributes to multilingual pedagogy by showing that the role of English in BIPA is better understood as strategic pedagogical scaffolding than as full EMI. It also offers practical implications for designing BIPA instruction that balances comprehension support, target-language exposure, and cultural learning.