DESIGNING REFLECTIVE AND CULTURALLY-INTEGRATED ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS TO FOSTER EFL STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILLS

Abstract

This study aims to design and implement reflective and culturally integrated English textbooks grounded in the Piil Pesenggiri values to foster EFL students’ speaking skills. The research involved two implementation phases: a limited trial (n = 9) and a large-scale trial (n = 24) to assess the textbook’s effectiveness and feasibility. Expert validation revealed high quality across all dimensions, with mean scores of 4.5 for material quality, 4.2 for cultural relevance, 4.7 for the reflective approach, 4.3 for structure and presentation, and 4.4 for text readability on a 5-point Likert scale. Student and lecturer assessments further confirmed the textbook’s practicality and relevance, yielding ratings between 77% and 92% for clarity, structural coherence, cultural integration, and contribution to speaking improvement. Comparative analysis between pre- and post-tests demonstrated significant gains: fluency increased by 26.7%, articulation and intonation clarity by 25.4%, argument coherence by 32.0%, reflective application by 45.2%, and cultural value integration by 48.0%. These results confirm that a reflective and culturally grounded textbook not only enhances linguistic performance but also builds students’ confidence, reflective awareness, and cultural identity. The study contributes to reflective and culture-based English language pedagogy, curriculum innovation, and the integration of local wisdom into communicative learning. Future research is recommended to extend the application of this reflective textbook model across broader educational contexts and to examine its long-term impact on students’ communicative competence and character development.