Situating English language teaching in culturally specific contexts: a narrative case study into teachers’ intercultural experiences

In culturally diverse settings, English Language Teaching (ELT) is a context-sensitive practice shaped by local values and communication styles. This narrative case study explores how five EFL teachers situate their teaching practices within culturally specific contexts across Indonesia. Data were collected through online semi-structured interviews with teachers working in Papua, Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo, Moluccas, and East Kalimantan. Thematic analysis revealed that intercultural communicative competence (ICC), along with sociolinguistic, socio-humanistic, and pedagogical competences, are key factors influencing their ability to adapt and teach effectively. Beyond these functional adaptations, their practices were also influenced by the historical legacies of colonization that continue to shape educational expectations in postcolonial Indonesia. The study recommends integrating ICC into ELT curricula, pre-service teacher education, and teacher recruitment, and advancing decolonizing pedagogy by incorporating local cultures into ELT materials.