Cultural Immersion in BIPA Learning: Innovative Strategy for Developing Speaking Skills through Local Wisdom

Background/purpose. Indonesian for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) strategically strengthens Indonesian insight and knowledge for international students. This research aims to describe the strategy and results of the Indonesian cultural immersion implemented in BIPA learning to improve speaking skills. Project-based learning and cultural integration through BIPA learning support the development of Indonesian language skills. Local wisdom in BIPA learning emphasizes culinary aspects, traditional clothing, tourism, and other fields with uniquely characteristic Indonesian values. Materials/methods. This research employed a qualitative design, involving research subjects such as managers, teachers, and 12 students from BIPA level 1 at Universitas Negeri Surabaya (UNESA). The research data sources are BIPA learning activities, questionnaires to strengthen observation results, curriculum documents, teaching materials, supporting literature studies relevant to learning strategies, speaking skills, and innovative project-based learning in BIPA learning. Results. The cultural immersion strategy is beneficial in understanding local Indonesian wisdom. Based on the data, the majority of respondents stated that innovative strategies in BIPA learning include visiting cultural places, participating in cultural activities, attending discussions and presentations, and watching Indonesian cultural films or videos. Additional support can be provided through role-playing or simulating cultural situations, as well as using applications such as Quizizz, Wordwall, and Kahoot. Reading articles or books also contributes to developing language skills through local wisdom. Conclusion. These results suggest that experience-based interactive methods are more effective than text-based approaches. Integrating direct experience through projects with digital technology in learning Indonesian culture has proven to be an effective strategy for increasing BIPA students' understanding and involvement.