Challenges in Implementing Indonesian Language Teaching Materials in Elementary Schools

Abstract


Introduction
The success of the learning process greatly depends on the smooth functioning of its components.This study aims to shed light on the challenges faced by elementary school teachers when implementing teaching materials in the Indonesian language learning process.The research employs a descriptive design by utilizing quantitative methods, questionnaires as the research instruments.The questionnaires used are teacher challenges (14 items) and proficiencies questionnaires (13 items) on a Likert scale, which was presented using Google Forms and distributed through WhatsApp groups.The sample comprised 94 respondents, elementary school teachers from many regions in Sumatra, Indonesia.According to the research findings, it can be deduced that elementary school teachers encounter various difficulties when teaching Indonesian language.These challenges encompass the impact of the local or mother tongue on the learning process and the complexities associated with dynamic language development.Moreover, the study employed factor analysis to pinpoint four specific areas that teachers can enhance, as they significantly improve the obstacles they face.These factors consist of ensuring adequate learning resources, enabling teachers to develop teaching materials that align with the existing curriculum, enabling teachers to design teaching materials based on students' characteristics, and fostering the ability of teachers to establish a positive and captivating learning environment.
I ndonesian language learning in elementary schools does not always go smoothly.There are obstacles in the learning process experienced by teachers and students with different backgrounds and conditions (Amelia et al., 2023).These obstacles can also have an impact on the students' learning outcomes, which may not be optimal.Several studies have shown that both teachers and students face challenges (Basuki et al., 2017;Fauziah et al., 2018;Maghfiroh et al., 2019;Oktadiana, 2019;Saugadi et al., 2021).There are still some teachers who are not proficient in delivering Indonesian language lessons in the classroom (Praheto et 225-237 al., 2020;Setiawan et al., 2021).The low competence of teachers can be a factor influencing suboptimal learning outcomes (Hidayati & Wuryandari, 2012).Therefore, teachers must continue to strive to improve their success in teaching Indonesian language in schools, such as implementing effective, innovative, active, creative, and enjoyable teaching innovations, specifically in speaking skills.
The implementation of innovative learning activities will create a classroom atmosphere that is not confined to a rigid and monotonous environment (Kalyani & Rajasekaran, 2018;Khairnar, 2015;Magulod Jr, 2018).Students will be encouraged to engage in more discussions, interactions, and dialogues so that they can construct their own concepts and principles of knowledge, rather than being spoon-fed or lectured (Praheto et al., 2020).Students also need to be accustomed to expressing different opinions, so that they can become intelligent and critical individuals (Setiawan et al., 2021).Additionally, each student has their own learning style.According to Barbe and Milone Jr (1980), there are three learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.Among these, the most common categories are visual (30% of the population) and mixed (30%), followed by auditory (25%), and kinesthetic (15%) (Persellin, 1992).This piece of data suggests that teachers need to vary their instructional methods to increase the chances of understanding for each student's learning pathways.
Speaking is an activity that always fills various areas of human life, including in the fields of economy, law, politics, and education.This activity can take place transactionally or interactionally (Ochs & Schieffelin, 2008).Through language, individuals can convey ideas, thoughts, feelings, or information to others, both orally and in writing (Aji & Budiyono, 2018;Daely, 2015;Syahrul, 2017;Thalib, 2018).This is in line with the notion that language is a communication tool among members of society in the form of sound symbols produced by human speech organs (Al Farizi, 2019).In the field of education, particularly in Indonesian language education, language learning is divided into four language skill aspects: listening, reading, speaking, and writing.Ultimately, the goal is to guide students to be able to use language for learning, express ideas fluently and clearly, and communicate effectively with others (learning to use language, learning about language, and learning through language) (Al Farizi, 2019;Barnawi et al., 2019;Fhonna & Yusuf, 2020).
The use of various innovative techniques and methods can certainly create a conducive learning environment (Khairnar, 2015).In this context, students are directly involved in absorbing information and expressing their understanding based on their individual abilities.Through dynamic learning processes, it is expected to foster oral communication among students, facilitated through listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, thus avoiding a monotonous learning atmosphere (Ramadhan et al., 2019).The success of a learning process will be achieved when the components of learning run smoothly.During the teaching process, teachers still face difficulties in implementing instructional materials.This is due to their lack of proficiency in using technology and inadequate facilities and infrastructure (Ramadhan et al., 2018).Additionally, teachers' ability to keep students focused during the learning process is often lacking (Yusuf et al., 2018).
One important element in the learning process is instructional materials.The weakness in Indonesian language learning lies in the emphasis on speaking aspects rather than using the language in writing or reading, which is one of the reasons why Indonesian language learning does not achieve the intended goals in learning and everyday life (Nurdiyanti & Suryanto, 2010).Tsou et al. (2006) revealed the difficulties teachers face when teaching storytelling in English to elementary school students in Taiwan, indicating the need for innovation in using technology such as websites.Instructional materials play a crucial role in the learning process, so teachers must use instructional materials effectively to overcome such problems/issues in their teaching activities.This is in line with the opinion of Farhatin et al. (2020) that instructional materials are one of the supporting elements in the learning process, as they serve as a source of teaching and learning and as a guide for educators and students.
Moreover, in an effort to develop instructional materials, a teacher should refer to the Core Competencies and Basic Competencies for the alignment between the content and the Indonesian language curriculum syllabus of 2013 (Khairunnisa & Mayrita, 2019).The Indonesian language curriculum syllabus of 2013 distinguishes between Core Competencies, which are broad educational goals ecompassing various aspects of personal and societal development, and Basic Competencies, which are specific learning outcomes tailored to individual subjects or areas of study.Azmi (2022) stated that instructional materials should be tailored to the Basic Competencies that are related to language politeness in primary schools.Furthermore, the instructional materials used by teachers should display the competencies that students will acquire for use in the learning process, aimed at planning and examining their application in the learning process (Dafit & Mustika, 2021).
Therefore, instructional materials serve as tools to support teachers in the learning process, and they should be engaging to make the learning process active and effective (Nurdiyanti & Suryanto, 2010).The instructional materials used in the learning process play a crucial role in the intellectual, social, and emotional development of students across all subjects (Arif & Iskandar, 2018).One way to develop instructional materials is by designing thematic instructional materials based on local wisdom to overcome challenges faced in schools (Meilana & Aslam, 2022).It cannot be denied that learning can now be done online, thus requiring teachers' creativity in developing electronic instructional materials to assist students in online learning (Afifulloh & Cahyanto, 2021).Teachers need to develop instructional materials using an approach and media that aim to make the learning process easily understandable and capture students' attention (Amelia et al., 2021).When developing instructional materials, a teacher must determine the success of the learning process through materials designed in accordance with the current curriculum (Magdalena et al. 2020).
Thus, engaging teaching materials used in the learning process will make students more creative and enthusiastic about learning.During the implementation of teaching, teachers often use worksheets as a guide, and the lack of creativity in teachers' application and development of interesting teaching materials is due to teachers' limitations as well as inadequate facilities and infrastructure.Nuraini and Abidin (2020) affirm that the learning difficulties of elementary school students in general can be attributed to students' shortcomings in understanding the Indonesian language.Furthermore, Saja'ah (2018) adds specifically through their findings that difficulties with the Indonesian language can affect the elementary school mathematics learning process.Therefore, this research is conducted to examine the difficulties faced by teachers/educators in implementing teaching materials in Indonesian language learning activities at elementary schools.Specifically, this study aims to address various research inquiries, such as: 1) What difficulties do elementary school teachers encounter when developing learning materials for the Indonesian language?2) What abilities do teachers bring to the table in the process?3) What are the primary factors that teachers should prioritize to enhance their proficiency in creating learning materials for the Indonesian language?

Research Design
The method used is a descriptive design by utilizing quantitative methods, with questionnaires as the research instruments.This research endeavors to answer several research questions, including: 1) What difficulties do elementary school teachers encounter when developing learning materials for the Indonesian language?2) What abilities do teachers bring to the table in the process?3) What are the primary factors that teachers should prioritize to enhance their proficiency in creating learning materials for the Indonesian language?

Research Context
Despite Indonesian being the national language of Indonesia, it is not directly taught to children due to Indonesia being a country with over 700 languages spoken, which is equivalent to 10% of the world's languages (Eberhard et al., 2021).Javanese and Sundanese are the most widely spoken, with 84 million and 34 million speakers respectively, while Madura, Minangkabau, and Buginese each have approximately 6 million speakers.In this research, it involves elementary school students who come from an area where Minangkabau is the predominant everyday language, which presents a unique challenge for teachers to introduce formal Indonesian language.The variables discussed are the difficulties experienced by teachers in preparing learning materials for the Indonesian language and the proficiencies possessed by teachers.

Data Collection
This research technique was conducted using a survey collection method, with questionnaire sheets as the research instruments.The questionnaires were distributed from December 2022 to January 2023 through a Google Forms application, with the link shared via a WhatsApp group.In this research, two questionnaires were used, namely the challenges questionnaire (14 items) and the proficiencies questionnaire (13 items).The validity test results for all items in both questionnaires showed that the Pearson correlation value was greater than rtable (0.194), indicating validity for all items.Meanwhile, the reliability test results are shown in Table 1.Based on the data in Table 1, it can be stated that all items are reliable because α (Cronbach's alpha) > 0.80 (good reliability).This research instrument utilized the Likert scale to gather data accurately, as the answer choices for each question ranged from very positive to very negative or vice versa.The Likert scale is used to measure the opinions, perceptions, and attitudes of individuals or groups towards social phenomena (Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2009).This study employed a closed-ended questionnaire that provided answer options, allowing respondents to mark the appropriate answer choice on the Google Forms platform as a survey related to the investigated phenomenon.The answer alternatives in this survey were: Disagree (D), Somewhat Disagree (SD), Agree (A), Strongly Agree (SA).The answer scores in this research were as follows: 1 (Very Low), 2 (Low), 3 (High), 4 (Very High) (Yusuf, 2016).

Participants
The sample consisted of 94 respondents who are elementary school teachers in Sumatra, Indonesia.This research employed purposive random sampling technique, supported by careful considerations.
Purposive sampling is a sampling method where decisions are made based on criteria believed to be in line with the characteristics of the target population (Heale & Twycross, 2015).The criteria for sample selection in this study are respondents who are elementary school teachers teaching at elementary schools located in West Sumatra Province, Indonesia.In this study, the consent form is filled out before the respondents answer the questionnaire.In this consent form, the respondents declare that they are participating voluntarily and are informed that all of their responses will be kept confidential and used only for the purposes of this research.

Data Analysis Techniques
The data from the questionnaire was analyzed through several steps.First, respondents' answers were categorized and calculated as percentages to determine their perspectives on the difficulties in implementing Indonesian language teaching materials in elementary schools.The data was analyzed by describing the findings obtained through the questionnaire and described through descriptive statistics (Sugiyono, 2017).In addition, factor analysis was conducted to determine the dominance aspect contribute to the teacher challenges.

Teacher Difficulties
Figure 1 Difficulties faced by teachers (*see Table 3) Based on Figure 1, the teacher difficulties can be identified.In addition, the whole responses from respondents are presented in Table 3.The highestrated challenges include the influence of the mother tongue on the learning process (P9), with a rating of 2.88.This suggests that the teachers find it challenging to manage and mitigate the impact of the local language on effective instruction.Another significant difficulty is the perception that the subject matter taught in elementary school is too complex (P7), with a rating of 2.63.This indicates that the teachers struggle to present complex concepts in a way that is understandable and engaging for young learners.
Additionally, there is a perceived abundance of Indonesian language content (P8), with a rating of 2.49, which may pose difficulties in balancing the curriculum and managing instructional time effectively.Inadequate facilities and infrastructures also present a significant challenge (P2), with a rating of 2.55, suggesting that the lack of resources and infrastructure hinders the teacher's ability to deliver optimal instruction.Additionally, the lowest faced difficulty (1.81), relates to the struggle of involving students in implementing instructional media (P4).This indicates that the teacher has relatively less difficulty engaging students and incorporating technology or media into the learning process.These identified difficulties shed light on the areas where the teacher may require additional support and resources to enhance their instructional practices and create a conducive learning environment.

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Figure 2 highlights the teacher proficiency in several areas.Moreover, the details regarding respondents responses on proficencies are summarized in Table 4. Firstly, the teacher excels in creating a pleasant learning atmosphere (P26), with a rating of 3.12.This proficiency indicates their ability to establish an environment conducive to learning, fostering positive interactions and student engagement.Additionally, the teacher demonstrates expertise in capturing student interest (P17), with a rating of 3.11.Their skill in making learning engaging and captivating contributes to a motivated and enthusiastic student body.Furthermore, with a rating of 3.10, the teacher displays competence in designing lesson plans in accordance with established guidelines, ensuring adherence to prescribed educational standards (P18).These strengths collectively indicate the teacher's ability to foster an enjoyable learning environment while effectively structuring their teaching approach.Conversely, the data reveals a lower teacher proficiency in the area of dynamic language development (P27), scoring 2.81.This suggests that the teacher faces challenges in promoting a fluid and evolving language learning experience.It implies the need for further attention and growth in this particular aspect to enhance language development opportunities for the students.Overall, the data underscores the teacher's strengths in creating a pleasant learning atmosphere, captivating student interest, and designing lesson plans effectively.However, it also highlights the potential for improvement in promoting dynamic language development within the instructional framework.

Factor Analysis
This stage was conducted to test the correlation of the defined variables and to assess the suitability of a variable that will be analyzed using factor analysis, specifically by using the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity, as well as by examining the Measure of Sampling Adequacy (MSA) value.The KMO and Bartlett's test in factor analysis are conducted to examine the correlation between variables because the desired outcome in factor analysis is a high correlation among variables.If the KMO value is greater than 0.60 and the p-value (Sig) of Bartlett's test is less than 0.05, it indicates a high correlation among variables, and the process can be continued.Table 5 shows the results of the KMO and Bartlett analysis.Based on the analysis results, the obtained KMO value is 0.775 > 0.60, and the Sig p-value (Barlett value) is 0.000 < 0.05.This indicates that the indicators are correlated, allowing for further processing.MSA is a test used to measure the homogeneity between variables and perform variable screening so that only qualifying variables can be further processed.The MSA value, as determined by the anti-image correlation value, ranges from 0.5 to 1.0, with the following criteria: MSA = 1 indicates that the variable/item can be predicted without error by other variables; MSA > 0.5 indicates that the variable/item can be predicted and further analyzed.MSA < 0.5 indicates that the variable/item cannot be predicted, will not be further analyzed, and will be excluded from the other variables.The anti-image correlation values for each item can be seen in Table 6.
Factoring or extraction process is the process of separating variables that meet the correlation of MSA values.The method used is Principal Components Analysis (PCA).Table 7 shows the contribution of the extracted indicators, indicating the values of the indicators towards the formed factor.The greater the contribution of a variable, the stronger the relationship with the formed factor.Furthermore, a more specific extraction result is conducted using the PCA method, as shown in eigenvalue ≥ 1, as summarized in Table 8.Table 9 shows the number of extracted factors.Out of 27 extracted indicators, eight factors were formed.All of the eight formed factors have eigenvalues > 1, as seen in the total factor column.

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Subsequently, factor rotation and rotated factor loadings were performed in this study because each factor was able to accurately explain the variability of the initial variables, as shown in Table 10.The loading factor identifies the correlation between variables and the formed factor.A higher loading value indicates a stronger relationship between the variable and the factor.If the loading factor is negative, it indicates a negative relationship between the indicator and the underlying latent construct.
In other words, as the indicator value increases, the latent construct value decreases, and vice versa.It suggests an inverse association between the indicator and the construct being measured.Table 11 shows the interpretation results of the loading values for each indicator.

Discussion
Based on the findings, the first research question is addressed that the challenges faced by teachers are the impact of the mother tongue on the learning process.Uzakova (2022) stated that the mother tongue acquired at home holds immense significance and serves as the basis for all subsequent language development.Parents, family members, and early childhood professionals have the greatest influence on the growth and preservation of the primary language.
In regards with the current study, several studies have been conducted on the influence of the local language, particularly Minangkabau, on the learning of the Indonesian language.Jannah and Anggraini (2023) have researched code-switching and codemixing of Minangkabau language in the process of learning Indonesian.Additionally, Susmita (2015) conducted a similar study on code-switching from Minangkabau, Kerinci, and Melayu Jambi languages to Indonesian.The purpose of code-switching from the local (traditional) language to Indonesian in Indonesian language learning is to facilitate better understanding and mastery of the Indonesian language by students (Cahyani et al., 2018).
Language acquisition for children, as demonstrated by Kelly and Megan (2019), states that the learning of English for children accustomed to using Spanish should be supported by parental involvement.The children's use of either English or Spanish language depends on their conversation partner and conversational goals.Elmar et al. (2012) suggest that early fostering of language acquisition during preschool is crucial, especially for children with a Turkish language background who need to master the local language, which is German.Furthermore, Tihana (2016) highlighted the importance of overt subject pronouns in ambiguous forward and backward anaphora sentences in the context of Italian language acquisition for children with a Croatian background.Milan et al. (2021) demonstrate the relationships between the development of first language skills in monolingual children (whose first language is Slovak) and bilingual children from the Roma-Slovak community (whose first language is Romani).They found that the progress in first language acquisition among Roma-Slovak bilingual children depends on the specific type of Roma community in which the child resides.Furthermore, in other languages like Icelandic, as Thordardittir and Juliusdottir (2013) observed, the process of acquiring Icelandic as a second language seems to happen at a slower pace compared to the acquisition of English.This could be attributed to the grammatical complexity of the Icelandic language and its relatively low global economic significance.
To address the challenges faced by students learning in a multilingual environment, Wedin and Wessman (2017) propose that promoting language policies that challenge power hierarchies is essential for driving social change.This approach encourages social fairness and encourages active participation in policy-making processes, which can potentially redefine what is achievable in education.Therefore, it can serve as a potent tool for improving schools.
In this research, the proficiency that most teachers possess is their excellence in creating a pleasant learning atmosphere.This particular situation can be achieved by implementing suitable learning model or media.Arga et al. (2020) emphasize the importance of using learning instruments or media that can enhance the pleasant atmosphere.A positive learning environment can enhance student motivation and persuade students of the advantages of this lesson for their future (Silalahi & Hutauruk, 2020).However, since in this study, respondents have revealed that they have already mastered this technique, they can focus on enhancing or addressing other teaching skills/ aspects.This study's results of the factor analysis on teacher difficulties suggest that Factor 1, which comprises indicators such as adequate learning resources, teachers' ability to develop teaching materials according to the current curriculum, teachers' ability to design teaching materials based on students' characteristics, and teachers' ability to create a pleasant learning atmosphere, is the most influential factor.This means that these aspects play a significant role in determining the challenges faced by teachers.
Learning resources in language learning can take the form of learning media.According to Zamzamy (2021), it is evident that learning media and teaching materials have the potential to enhance students' interest and enthusiasm in learning.However, this effectiveness is dependent on various factors, including the level of familiarity with specific technologies.

Conclusion
Based on the findings, the primary challenge faced by elementary school teachers is the impact of the mother tongue on the learning process.Furthermore, the ever-evolving nature of language development presents a challenge that can be surmounted through an understanding of technological advancements and an adaptation to students' needs.Through factor analysis, this study has identified four key factors that teachers can enhance, as they significantly influence the challenges encountered.These factors encompass the availability of sufficient learning resources, teachers' capacity to create teaching materials that align with the current curriculum, teachers' ability to tailor teaching materials according to students' characteristics, and teachers' proficiency in establishing a positive and engaging learning environment.
The findings from this research offer valuable recommendations for the professional development of elementary school teachers.It is advised that elementary school educators elevate their competence by formulating effective lesson plans that are closely attuned to students' requirements.Additionally, teachers may consider code-switching to the local language as a strategy for overcoming obstacles in teaching Indonesian.Furthermore, educators can enhance their technological proficiency to provide high-quality learning resources and media.
In this study, several limitations can be explained as follows.The scope of respondents involved in this research consists of elementary school teachers in the Minangkabau ethnic region, so the findings of this study are limited to the issues faced by teachers in that specific environment.Different issues may be encountered in environments with different ethnic or cultural backgrounds in Indonesia.Furthermore, this study does not address on-site incidents related to the difficulties of using the Indonesian language in other subjects experienced by students.

Table 1
Reliability Test Results

Table 3
Respondents' Responses on Teachers Difficulties Note: D=Disagree, SD=Somewhat Disagree, A=Agree, SA=Strongly Agree

Table 6
Anti Image Correlation Values

Table 8
PCA Extraction Results

Table 9
Number of Extraction Factors