Teacher Challenges and Adaptive Pedagogical Responses in Teaching English Vocabulary: A Qualitative Case Study at an Indonesian Primary School in Batam

Abstract

Teaching English vocabulary in primary school EFL contexts requires teachers to respond to diverse learner characteristics, limited exposure to English, and classroom-level constraints. Although previous studies have identified challenges in vocabulary teaching and various techniques for supporting young learners, less is known about how primary school English teachers adapt their pedagogical practices in response to challenges that emerge in authentic Indonesian classroom contexts. This qualitative case study explored the challenges encountered by English teachers in teaching vocabulary to fourth- and fifth-grade learners and examined how they responded to these challenges through their classroom practices. The participants were three English teachers at a private primary school in Batam, Indonesia. Data were collected through classroom observations, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically to identify recurring patterns across the data sources. The findings revealed four prominent challenges: limited exposure to English, variation in students' vocabulary knowledge, low motivation and limited attention, and classroom management difficulties. To address these conditions, teachers drew on a range of practices, including visual materials and realia, games and interactive activities, contextualized vocabulary teaching, storytelling, repetition and recycling, and digital learning resources. Importantly, the findings showed that the effectiveness of these practices depended not simply on the techniques used but on teachers' ability to adapt them to students' needs, classroom conditions, and responses during lessons. The study provides context-specific evidence of the importance of teacher responsiveness and pedagogical flexibility in primary EFL vocabulary teaching and suggests that teacher development should support adaptive instructional decision-making rather than focusing solely on a repertoire of teaching techniques.