International Journal of Educational Review, Law And Social Sciences (IJERLAS)
Vol. 6 No. 3 (2026)

Multicultural Awareness in EFL Classrooms in Indonesia: Enhancing Communicative Competence and Empathy

ST. Marhana Rullu (Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang)
Ribut Wahyu Eriyanti (Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang)
Ria Arista Asih (Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang)
Joko Widodo (Universitas Negeri Malang)
Masduki (Universitas Negeri Malang)



Article Info

Publish Date
09 Jun 2026

Abstract

Indonesia's linguistic and cultural diversity creates both opportunities and challenges for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction, yet multicultural awareness is often sidelined in favor of purely linguistic accuracy. This study aims to addres how multicultural awareness is represented and operationalized in EFL teaching and how it contributes to students’ communicative competence and intercultural empathy. A qualitative meta-summary was conducted using ten Scopus-indexed studies published between 2020 and 2025, focusing on Indonesian EFL contexts. The study identifies three main aspects: integrating local culture, developing context-based skills, and fostering empathy. The findings conclude that effective EFL teaching goes beyond language accuracy, requiring cultural and emotional relevance. This research provides a significant academic contribution by offering a synthesized framework for culturally responsive pedagogy, emphasizing that teacher agency and institutional support are the primary catalysts for developing globally competent yet locally rooted learners.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

IJERLAS

Publisher

Subject

Religion Humanities Environmental Science Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice Library & Information Science Social Sciences Other

Description

This journal accepts articles on results of the research in fields of Education, Cross Culture, Law, Environmental Empowerment which are the latest issues from the results of activities or practical implementations that are problem solving, comprehensive, meaningful, latest and sustainable findings ...