Cultural Representation in EFL Textbooks for Young Learners: A Comparative Analysis of Local, Target, and International Cultures
Keywords:
Comparative Analysis, Cultral Representation, EFL Textbook, Young Learner
Abstract
Incorporation of cultural materials into EFL textbooks play a crucial role in the development of the linguistic abilities and the cultural consciousness of young learners. The balance between local, target, and international cultures forms the key theme of this study of cultural information presentation in EFL textbooks for young learners. This study investigates cultural representation in Indonesian young learners' EFL textbooks with a focus on the balance between the local, target, and international cultures. Based on content analysis of the My Next Words series, the study concludes a dominant representation of local culture, raising issues about limited intercultural exposure. The study concludes that more culturally balanced material is needed to foster global awareness and intercultural competence among learners.
References
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Setyono, B., & Widodo, H. P. (2019). The representation of multicultural values in the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture-Endorsed EFL textbook: a critical discourse analysis. Intercultural Education, 30(4), 383–397. https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2019.1548102
Shin, J., Eslami, Z. R., & Chen, W.-C. (2011). Presentation of local and international culture in current international English-language teaching textbooks. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 24, 253–268. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2011.614694
Song, H. (2013). Deconstruction of cultural dominance in Korean EFL textbooks. Intercultural Education, 24, 382–390. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2013.809248
Suryanto, S. (2014). ISSUES IN TEACHING ENGLISH IN A CULTURAL CONTEXT: A CASE OF INDONESIA. JELE, 1, 75–82. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.36706/JELE.V1I2.2075
Tajeddin, Z., & Pakzadian, M. (2020). Representation of inner, outer and expanding circle varieties and cultures in global ELT textbooks. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 5, 1–15. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-020-00089-9
Alsagoff, L., Mckay, Sandra Lee Hu, G., & Renandya, W. A. (2012). Principles and Practices for Teaching English as an International Language. Routledge.
Amerian, M., & Tajabadi, A. (2020). The role of culture in foreign language teaching textbooks: an evaluation of New Headway series from an intercultural perspective. Intercultural Education, 31, 623–644. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2020.1747291
Ariawan, D. A., Nurkamto, J., & Sumardi. (2022). Critical Discourse Analysis of Cultural Representations in EFL National Commercial Textbooks. Studies in English Language and Education, 9(3), 1112–1127. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v9i3.24579
Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence Multilingual Matters. Multilingual Matters.
Cortazzi, M., & Jin, L. (1999). Cultural mirrors: Materials and methods in the EFL classroom. In Culture in second language teaching and learning (pp. 196–219). Cambridge University Press.
Dippold, D., Bridges, S., Eccles, S., & Mullen, E. (2018). Developing the global graduate: how first year university students’ narrate their experiences of culture. Language and Intercultural Communication, 19, 313–327. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/14708477.2018.1526939
Esteban-Guitart, M., Lalueza, J.-L., Zhang-Yu, C., & Llopart, M. (2019). Sustaining Students’ Cultures and Identities. A Qualitative Study Based on the Funds of Knowledge and Identity Approaches. Sustainability. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/SU11123400
Fairclough, N. (1995). Critical discourse analysis: The critical stdy of language. Longman.
Gay, G. (2018). Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice (3rd editio). Teachers College Press.
Gómez Rodríguez, L. F. (2015). The cultural content in EFL textbooks and what teachers need to do about it. Profile Issues in Teachers Professional Development, 33(1), 56–72.
Karen, Y. (2011). The Representation of Foreign Cultures in English Textbooks. ELT Journal, 65, 458–466. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1093/ELT/CCQ089
Krippendorff, K. (2018). Content analysis : an introduction to its methodology. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071878781
Kusumaningputri, R., & Widodo, H. P. (2018). Promoting Indonesian university students’ critical intercultural awareness in tertiary EAL classrooms: The use of digital photograph-mediated intercultural tasks. System, 72, 49–61. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2017.10.00
Lehtomäki, E., Moate, J., & Posti-Ahokas, H. (2016). Global connectedness in higher education: student voices on the value of cross-cultural learning dialogue. Studies in Higher Education, 41. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1007943
Lu, J., Lu, Y., An., L., & Zhang, Y. (2022). The cultural sustainability in English as foreign language textbooks: Investigating the cultural representations in English language textbooks in China for senior middle school students. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.944381
Mahmud, Y. S. (2019). the Representation of Local Culture in Indonesian Efl Textbooks: Rationales and Implications. Indonesian EFL Journal, 5(2), 61. https://doi.org/10.25134/ieflj.v5i2.1727
Marcellino, M. (2015). English Language Teaching in Indonesia: A Continuous Challenge in Education and Cultural Diversity. TEFLIN Journal, 19, 57–69. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.15639/TEFLINJOURNAL.V19I1/57-69
McConachy, T. (2018). Critically engaging with cultural representations in foreign language textbooks. Intercultural Education, 29, 77–78. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2017.1404783
McKay, S. L. (2002). Teaching English As An International Language: Rethinking Goals and Perspectives. Oxford University Press.
Otten, M. (2003). Intercultural Learning and Diversity in Higher Education. Journal of Studies in International Education, 7, 12–26. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315302250177
Philipson, R. (1997). Realities and Myths of Linguistic Imperialism. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 18, 238–248. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/01434639708666317
Poedjiastutie, D., Mayaputri, V., & Arifani, Y. (2021). SOCIO-CULTURAL CHALLENGES OF ENGLISH TEACHING IN REMOTE AREAS OF INDONESIA. TEFLIN Journal, 32, 97–116. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.15639/TEFLINJOURNAL.V32I1/97-116
Prihatiningsih, F., Petrus, I., & Silvhiany, S. (2021). Cultural Representation in EFL Textbooks for the Seventh Graders: A Multimodal Analysis. Lingua Cultura, 15(1), 121–133. https://doi.org/10.21512/lc.v15i1.7319
Rahim, H. A., & Daghigh, A. J. (2020). Locally-developed vs. Global Textbooks: An Evaluation of Cultural Content in Textbooks Used in ELT in Malaysia. Asian Englishes, 22, 317–331. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/13488678.2019.1669301
Setyono, B., & Widodo, H. P. (2019). The representation of multicultural values in the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture-Endorsed EFL textbook: a critical discourse analysis. Intercultural Education, 30(4), 383–397. https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2019.1548102
Shin, J., Eslami, Z. R., & Chen, W.-C. (2011). Presentation of local and international culture in current international English-language teaching textbooks. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 24, 253–268. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2011.614694
Song, H. (2013). Deconstruction of cultural dominance in Korean EFL textbooks. Intercultural Education, 24, 382–390. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2013.809248
Suryanto, S. (2014). ISSUES IN TEACHING ENGLISH IN A CULTURAL CONTEXT: A CASE OF INDONESIA. JELE, 1, 75–82. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.36706/JELE.V1I2.2075
Tajeddin, Z., & Pakzadian, M. (2020). Representation of inner, outer and expanding circle varieties and cultures in global ELT textbooks. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 5, 1–15. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-020-00089-9
Published
2025-11-25
How to Cite
Pujiani, T., Soali, M., Sukmawati, I., & Kafah, A. (2025, November 25). Cultural Representation in EFL Textbooks for Young Learners: A Comparative Analysis of Local, Target, and International Cultures. Seminar Nasional Penelitian Dan Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat 2025, 4(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.35960/snppkm.v4i1.1334
Section
Penelitian
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