THE APPLICATION OF EIL IN TEACHING EYL: TEACHERS’ PERCEPTION

This study aimed to explore elementary school teachers’ perceptions toward the application of English as an International Language (EIL) in teaching English to Young Learners (EYL) and to identify its implementation in EYL classrooms. This study employed a qualitative descriptive design involving five elementary school English teachers in Malang, East Java. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The findings revealed that the participants generally held positive perceptions toward EIL and viewed English as a communicative and global language. The implementation of EIL was reflected in communicative and contextualized learning activities, including bilingual instruction, CLIL, cultural integration, and the use of local and international teaching materials. The study concludes that EIL is relevant and applicable in EYL classrooms as it promotes meaningful communication, intercultural awareness, and contextualized English learning.