Two Indonesian language teachers in Perth are fostering student interest in learning Indonesian by bringing Indonesian culture into the classroom.
Samuel Ide has been learning Indonesian for six years. The Year 6 student at Carey Baptist College in Forrestdale, Perth, said quizzes are his favourite part of class because they show him how much he has learnt.
Malachi Hunt, a Year 6 student at Attadale Primary School, is just as enthusiastic. He started learning Indonesian in Year 3 and enjoys classroom games because they help him remember new vocabulary, Malachi said.
Malachi is also drawn to Indonesian culture, including Nyepi Day, Ogoh-Ogoh and Indonesian food, he said.
Both students received a Bahasa Indonesia Students Award organised by the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) in Perth on 31 July 2026. The annual award, held since 2023, recognised 56 students from 36 schools across Western Australia.
The award has motivated Samuel to keep learning, he said.
Behind the enthusiasm of these two students is the creative work of their teachers.
Indonesian language lessons at the primary school level run for just one hour a week, which poses a real challenge, said Stevannie Santosa, an Indonesian language teacher at Carey Baptist College.
Students quickly forget what they have learnt, Santosa said. She tackles this by constantly revisiting material through varied activities, including games, movement and connecting the language to Indonesian culture, Santosa added.
Dian Leggett, an Indonesian language teacher at Attadale Primary School and Roleystone Community College, faces similar challenges. Beyond limited class time, some students feel anxious when asked to learn something unfamiliar, Leggett said.
Convincing them that learning Indonesian is fun is a key part of her job, Leggett added.
To spark students' curiosity, Leggett uses authentic teaching materials such as restaurant menus and supermarket catalogues from Indonesia, she said.
Cultural activities like dancing, singing and cooking Indonesian food also help drive interest in learning the language, Leggett said.
Both Santosa and Leggett agree that recognising student achievement plays a vital role in sustaining motivation. Students who feel valued grow in confidence and become more motivated to keep learning, Santosa said.
Recognition does not always have to be based on grades. It can also come in the form of appreciating students' effort and progress, Santosa added.
Parents also feel proud when their children receive an award, whether at the school level or from the broader community, Leggett said.
The Indonesian Consulate General in Perth is working to ensure interest in Indonesian among students in Western Australia does not decline, said Antonius Prawira Yudianto, Consul for Information and Socio-Cultural Affairs at the consulate.
The Indonesian diaspora in Western Australia actually plays a bigger role than the consulate in that effort because they are the ones who are always there, Yudianto said. Many activity initiatives come from these community partners, he added.
Listen to the full interview on the SBS Indonesian podcast.
