CULTURAL ELEMENTS IN THE GOVERNMENT-PUBLISHED EFL TEXTBOOK “WORK IN PROGRESS”: A CONTENT ANALYSIS

This study investigated the cultural information and elements of culture depicted in the EFL textbook titled “Work in Progress” published by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture. It also explores the adaptation of government-issued EFL textbooks by English teachers in Keerom Regency. This study conducted a content analysis to uncover the cultural elements present in these English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks. In addition, this study employed descriptive qualitative analysis to communicate the adaption of the textbooks. The data collection methods employed were document review and interviews. The data was examined using the Krippendorff method, which includes unitizing, sampling, coding, reducing, interpreting, and narrating. The research findings indicated that the cultural content in the EFL textbook “Work in Progress” released by the government, was mentioned 32 times. The majority of these mentions (32%) were delivered through written tasks. Moreover, the cultural aspects were seen 12 times, with art and literature being the predominant focus, accounting for 50% of the occurrences. This study also discovered an unequal distribution of the source culture, target culture, and foreign culture in this EFL textbook. Furthermore, the cultural representation in the textbook appears to prioritize showcasing the culture to outsiders rather than focusing on internal cultural aspects. Moreover, the interview findings about the teacher adaptation of cultural content revealed that they modified and adjusted the cultural material in response to the particular needs and cultural backgrounds of the students.