THE USE OF LOCAL WISDOM-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING FOR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN TIMOR TENGAH SELATAN REGENCY

Abstract

In English language teaching, integrating local wisdom into reading materials is frequently overlooked, leading to a disconnect between students and their cultural heritage. This gap often results from the reliance on external textbooks that do not reflect local culture, which can alienate students from their cultural identity and reduce their motivation to engage with reading materials. The research aims to describe the use of local wisdom-based instructional materials in English language teaching. Research focuses on junior high schools in Timor Tengah Selatan, emphasizing local cultural elements like historical sites, legends, and symbols. The data can be obtained through observation on the application of local wisdom-based instructional materials in English language teaching, analysis of lesson plan documents, using interviews, and a series of questionnaires. The interview is addressed to the teachers and students, while the questionnaire is addressed to the students, and the next is distributed to the teachers. The interview used to know how teachers apply local wisdom-based instructional material used in English language teaching. The researcher used questionnaire to find out the students’ and teachers’ responses on the use of local wisdom-based instructional materials in English language teaching. The researcher interviewed three teachers who have appropriate educational qualifications, more than 5 years of experience teaching English, and three students who get high level achievement, medium, and low achievement. The researcher adopted interview guidelines through a semi structured technique. Then the researcher distributed the questionnaires to know the students’ responses on the use of local wisdom-based instructional materials in English language teaching, and the teachers’ responses on the use of local wisdom-based instructional materials in English language teaching. This study included 60 students and 10 teachers engaged in activities featuring local cultural elements. Descriptive qualitative analyses were used to interpret the data, with responses categorized using Likert scale categories measure how strongly respondents agree or disagree with a statement. Local wisdom-based instructional materials in English language teaching incorporate regional cultural and contextual knowledge into the learning process. This approach makes learning more relevant and engaging for students, while also deepening their appreciation of their cultural heritage. Students generally respond favorably to these materials, finding them relevant, engaging, and culturally enriching. Teachers value the use of local wisdom-based materials because they connect students with their culture and enhance their English skills. This method also supports cultural preservation and makes learning more meaningful. The study recommends that English curricula include local folklore, myths, legends, and historical narratives. Texts, audio-visual aids, and interactive projects can strengthen students' cultural connections and improve their language acquisition