Needs Analysis and Design of an English for Earlier Childhood Model Based on Papuan Folklore

Abstract

English teaching for young learners in Indonesia is constrained by prospective early childhood (PAUD) teachers’ limited readiness and generic materials disconnected from children’s cultural contexts. This study identified prospective PAUD teachers’ needs and proposed a conceptual design for an English for Earlier Childhood (EEC) model grounded in Papuan folklore. It covered the needs analysis and model design stages of a Research and Development procedure adapted from Borg and Gall. In June 2026, all ten eligible prospective PAUD teachers at Universitas Pendidikan Muhammadiyah Sorong completed a five-item questionnaire; five participated in semi-structured interviews. A literature review and criteria-based mapping of documented Papuan folktales supplemented these data. Questionnaire responses were analysed using score percentages, and interviews were coded thematically. The need indices reached 84% for feeling unprepared to teach English to children, 88% for needing a module with step-by-step guidance, and 92% for interest in folklore-based learning. All five interviewees reported a lack of English materials designed for young children. Of twelve inventoried folktales, six were selected for learning units. These findings informed a preliminary five-step, story-centred model: Story Introduction, Language Focus, Playful Practice, Retelling, and Reflection. A need–theory–design matrix documents the rationale for each step. The proposed model gives prospective teachers a culturally relevant teaching sequence, while its validity, practicality, and effectiveness await expert review and field testing.