CULTURAL THEMES IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEXTBOOK: AN INDONESIAN CONTEXT

Textbooks are still considered as the most popular learning tool in school education. Since language and culture are inextricable, teachers are now challenged in defining the best textbook that enables students, especially who are in senior high school learn both the language and the culture. To know what cultural content is represented in the textbook it is necessary to analyse its content in the form of cultural themes. This content analysis research aimed to investigate the stated cultural themes of English textbook at senior high school learning in Indonesia. The researcher collected the data through a textbook analysis checklist made based on the criteria of cultural themes proposed by Chen. The results showed that some parts of the book have been engaging culture in small “c” and big “C”. However, the amount is in a small number. In order to enrich cultural learning, students need more cultural themes of small “c” and big “C” to develop students’ cultural knowledge and competence. Knowledge about cultures will build students’ cultural competence and awareness. Thus, the inclusion of cultural should be the concern for the material developer of English textbook and English educators in the level of senior high school, especially in Indonesia

Digital Video Project: An Authentic Assessment to Assess Students’ Speaking Skills

This study was conducted to explore the use of digital video projects and to describe students' perceptions towards digital video project in the speaking assessment. The recorded students' speaking performances were assessed based on a speaking rubric that was adopted and modified to meet the requirements in authentic assessment using digital video projects. The criteria focused on three aspects, they are content, delivery, and creativity. This research involved 25 private university students from non-English departments who joined the English course at Universitas Slamet Riyadi Surakarta. The study utilized a content analysis method with a qualitative approach. The data were collected through the analysis of students' speaking rubric to explore the use of digital video project in speaking assessment and open-ended questionnaire to know the students' perception towards digital video project in the speaking assessment. In completing the project, the students follow four steps: starting the project, developing the project, reporting to the class, and assessing the project. The findings showed that digital video project helps learners to improve their ability to create a right introduction, keep their voice volume and expression, and promote their creativity to make interesting videos. The implication of the research is by employing the digital video project they create, students learn to speak and explore their ideas

Perspectives and Preferences towards Teaching Culture in EFL Classroom: Senior High School Context in Indonesia

Language and culture are two things that cannot be separated; therefore, while learning or teaching a language, there is a high possibility of also understanding the culture of the learned/target language. Despite the inseparable bond between language and culture, the inclusion of culture in teaching English as the mandatory foreign language in Indonesian schools is scarce. Most English teaching and learning processes focus on developing the student's understanding and mastery of language skills. Misunderstandings might happen during communication with people from different cultural backgrounds since English is served as a foreign language in Indonesia. Hence, teaching culture in an EFL classroom is required in this case. This case study investigated senior high school EFL teachers' and students' perceptions of the notion of culture and its significance in English classrooms. Moreover, the source of culture and the cultural themes were additionally examined. Six English teachers and seventeen students around Central Java joined in this research. The researchers used close-ended questionnaires and interviews to collect the data. The findings revealed that the teachers and students had varied views towards the definition of culture. They also believed that culture was a crucial part of English teaching, and they preferred some themes such as daily life, music, values and beliefs to learn in their EFL classroom. The research implies that the cultural teaching aspects in EFL classrooms are integral to linguistic elements.

Digital Video Project: An Authentic Assessment to Assess Students’ Speaking Skills

This study was conducted to explore the use of digital video projects and to describe students' perceptions towards digital video project in the speaking assessment. The recorded students' speaking performances were assessed based on a speaking rubric that was adopted and modified to meet the requirements in authentic assessment using digital video projects. The criteria focused on three aspects, they are content, delivery, and creativity. This research involved 25 private university students from non-English departments who joined the English course at Universitas Slamet Riyadi Surakarta. The study utilized a content analysis method with a qualitative approach. The data were collected through the analysis of students' speaking rubric to explore the use of digital video project in speaking assessment and open-ended questionnaire to know the students' perception towards digital video project in the speaking assessment. In completing the project, the students follow four steps: starting the project, developing the project, reporting to the class, and assessing the project. The findings showed that digital video project helps learners to improve their ability to create a right introduction, keep their voice volume and expression, and promote their creativity to make interesting videos. The implication of the research is by employing the digital video project they create, students learn to speak and explore their ideas