Integrating Ethnopedagogical Approaches in English Vocabulary Learning: A Qualitative Study from Toraja, Indonesia

Abstract : learning and identifies the challenges teachers face in implementing these culturally responsive approaches in the Toraja context, Indonesia. Employing a qualitative research design with thematic analysis following the Miles and Huberman interactive model, data were collected through in-depth interviews with English teachers regarding the integration of ethnopedagogical approaches in vocabulary instruction. Findings reveal that ethnopedology significantly enhances student motivation across eight dimensions: increased learning attractiveness and information retention, enhanced overall motivation, greater active participation, increased confidence, improved long-term vocabulary retention, stronger sense of ownership and cultural pride, increased perseverance, and fostered independent learning habits. Teachers face ten substantial implementation challenges, including limited competence in integrating local wisdom, insufficient contextual materials, absence of evaluation standards, time constraints, difficulty balancing cultural content and linguistic targets, and assessment difficulties. Despite these challenges, teachers employ ten effective strategies including the use of authentic cultural objects, storytelling, discovery learning, cultural portfolios, and collaboration with community experts. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on culturally responsive language teaching by providing empirical evidence from an under-researched Indonesian context, offering practical implications for teachers, curriculum developers, and policymakers.