Refining the ‘English for Cultural Voices’ Coursebook: Feedback From Indonesian English Teachers

This research focuses on the development and evaluation of the English for Cultural Voices coursebook, designed to integrate Indonesian folktales into English language teaching for secondary school students under Kurikulum Merdeka. The study explores how culturally contextualized materials can enhance language acquisition, promote cultural understanding, and foster autonomous learning. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the coursebook by gathering feedback from Indonesian English teachers regarding its content, structure, and applicability in real classroom settings. A qualitative research design using a case study approach was employed, with participants drawn from the Musyawarah Guru Mata Pelajaran (MGMP) community in Bangka Barat, Pangkal Pinang. Data were collected through document analysis, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and questionnaires. The document analysis focused on assessing the coursebook’s cultural relevance, structure, and content. FGDs provided in-depth insights into teachers' perceptions of the coursebook's impact on student engagement and language development, while questionnaires offered quantitative data on its effectiveness. The data were analyzed using Miles, Huberman, and Saldana’s framework for data reduction, display, and conclusion drawing. The study found that the coursebook significantly enhanced student engagement, improved speaking and vocabulary skills, and supported autonomous learning. However, challenges such as the complexity of narrative structures and limited access to technology were identified. This research contributes to the field of curriculum development by offering practical insights into the integration of cultural content and digital tools in language teaching