Integrating Community-Embedded Culturally Responsive Teaching in Orang Asli Primary Schools

Abstract

This study aims to design a community-embedded culturally responsive teaching model for Orang Asli primary education in Malaysia by integrating indigenous knowledge into classroom practices. Despite national efforts to improve educational access and reduce dropout rates, Orang Asli students continue to experience disengagement due to the misalignment between mainstream curricula and their cultural contexts. Adopting a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews with four Orang Asli teachers and four school principals. The respondents were selected using purposive sampling across four zones in Peninsular Malaysia: Northern, Central, Southern, and East Coast. Additional data were gathered through classroom observations and document analysis. Thematic analysis revealed three core components essential to the proposed model: (i) systematic integration of indigenous knowledge into curriculum content, (ii) active community involvement in instructional processes, and (iii) enhancement of students’ self-assurance through cultural validation. Findings indicate that embedding local knowledge and community participation within teaching practices increases student engagement, strengthens cultural identity, and fosters a stronger sense of belonging to the school environment. The study contributes to the development of an inclusive pedagogical model tailored to indigenous contexts and offers practical implications for policymakers, educators, and curriculum designers seeking to promote equitable and sustainable education for minority communities in Malaysia.