Ethno Digital Curriculum for Vocabulary Scaffolding in Indonesian Early Childhood Education

Abstract The proliferation of digital technology in early childhood education often exacerbates cultural alienation due to the dominance of Western-centric content. This study aims to construct an "Ethno-Digital Game" model that leverages indigenous kinetic memories to stimulate vocabulary acquisition among early childhood learners. Merit: Addressing the "cultural blindness" in existing educational applications, this research contributes a novel framework for decolonizing digital literacy, proving that technological advancement need not come at the cost of cultural identity. Method: Adopting a Constructivist Grounded Theory design, the research utilized the reengineering of traditional Bugis games (Dende-dende and Maggasing) into a mobile interface as the primary intervention tool. Procedures: Data were gathered through iterative naturalistic observations of 20 "digital native" children and in-depth interviews with educators and cultural experts in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding to generate a substantive theory. Results: The analysis yielded three key findings: (1) Kinetic-Linguistic Mapping, where digital gestures anchor vocabulary recall through embodied cognition; (2) Triadic Scaffolding, which utilizes local cultural narratives to significantly lower the affective filter; and (3) the emergent theory of Ethno-Linguistic Resonance, positing that alignment between digital mechanics and cultural memory accelerates linguistic processing. Implications: The study concludes that "cultural mechanics" are vital variables in algorithm design. It offers a transferable framework for educators and developers globally to transform passive screen time into culturally situated learning, mitigating heritage language loss in the digital age.