English for Nusantara Kids
Local culture in reading texts for young learners
Keywords:
cultural representation, discourse analysis, EFL textbooks, local culture, teaching English to young learnersAbstract
This study examines the representation of local culture in reading texts from the Grade 6 English module Bahasa Inggris: English for Nusantara Kids. The research aims to identify cultural themes embedded in the textbook and explore how these themes support English learning for young learners. The study applies Discourse Analysis (DA) to qualitatively investigate how cultural meanings are constructed through narratives, dialogues, and descriptions in the reading materials. The data consist of selected reading passages that reflect everyday activities, social interactions, and cultural practices. The analysis focuses on textual patterns, discursive interpretation, and the broader social context represented in the texts. The findings reveal ten major cultural themes: local food and culinary culture, family interaction and cooperation, health and hygiene education, traditional games and cultural heritage, peer interaction in children’s play, extracurricular activities, family communication and achievement, outdoor experiential learning, science and everyday learning, and agriculture and gardening. These themes indicate that the textbook emphasizes familiar cultural contexts and daily experiences. Overall, the study suggests that integrating local culture into English materials can support meaningful language learning while strengthening learners’ cultural awareness and identity.References
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