The Indonesian language is gaining recognition globally. Currently, Indonesian has been designated as one of the official languages of the UNESCO General Conference. Amidst the increasing international status of Indonesian, various innovations for introducing Indonesian to foreign speakers (BIPA) continue to be developed. One such effort is being carried out by Wati Istanti, a lecturer at Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), who is actively promoting the Indonesian language abroad.
Wati is once again traveling to the Americas from October 14th to 21st, 2024, to teach BIPA at Yale University and observe Indonesian language classes at Harvard University. As an Indonesian Language, Literature, and Regional Studies educator, she employs an innovative approach to BIPA instruction by integrating traditional game Engklek/Sudamanda with Real-time Multiplayer Virtual Reality technology.
Through Sudamanda, Wati teaches the Indonesian language and introduces local cultural wisdom to American students. This innovation is part of her research titled “Crossing Cultural Bridges: Utilizing Sudamanda Traditional Game Application in Teaching Indonesian Language and Culture in the United States.”
The students’ enthusiasm for learning the Indonesian language and culture was high during their time at Yale and Harvard. The interactions fostered through traditional games deepen their understanding of the Indonesian language and the cultural values inherent within it.
As the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Language and Literature Lecturers Association (ADOBSI), Wati hopes that this innovation can inspire more educators and researchers to integrate the teaching of Indonesian language with other disciplines through teaching, research, and community service, to be introduced to all international students.
Through this implemented innovation, the Indonesian language is expected to be increasingly studied, which will create more significant opportunities for it to become an internationally recognized and used language in various parts of the world.
