Register Journal

Exploring the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Supporting Pre-Writing Skills and Academic Literacy: A Reflective Classroom Inquiry in an Islamic Educational Setting

2025-09-15T15:54:26+00:00

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into English language teaching and learning has transitioned from a mere innovation to an essential component of higher education. University students are increasingly utilizing AI-based applications to support them in various academic writing tasks, ranging from idea generation to language refinement. However, the application of AI tools during the EFL pre-writing stage remains underexplored. This descriptive qualitative research aims to investigate the types, functions, and purposes of the AI tools used during the pre-writing phase. Participants engaged in reflective writing, allowing them to articulate and assess their experiences with AI during this critical phase of academic writing. A thematic analysis was conducted, drawing from data provided by 50 undergraduate students at Antasari State Islamic University in Indonesia. The findings revealed that the most frequently utilized tool was ChatGPT, followed by Perplexity AI and DeepL. The study indicates that students mainly utilize AI tools for generating ideas, sourcing references, constructing outlines, enhancing linguistic accuracy, translating text, and improving time management and academic compliance. While these practices demonstrate the practical advantages of AI integration, they also raise significant ethical concerns. In particular, the excessive dependence on AI may diminish cognitive involvement, potentially impeding the growth of their academic literacy. Therefore, the findings emphasize the necessity of maintaining equilibrium between AI-assisted strategies and conventional pedagogical methods in academic writing instruction.

Indonesian and Australian Students' Multimodal Perceptions on Master’s English Curriculum for Global Competition: A Comparative Study

2025-07-17T15:42:20+00:00

The Master’s English curriculum in postgraduate English language education programs is essential for developing the linguistic competence, academic expertise, and professional skills required in today’s globalized era. This research compares the curricula at Indonesian Islamic Higher Education institutions and Australian universities to identify similarities, differences, and their implications for producing competitive graduates. The study aims to align English education with global standards while integrating Islamic values. Key objectives include analyzing program structures, specializations, and content; identifying strengths and gaps; exploring innovative curricular practices; and proposing recommendations to enhance English curricula that promote both international relevance and Islamic identity. Employing a qualitative-comparative approach, this study utilized literature reviews, curriculum document analysis, stakeholder interviews, students and faculty surveys, classroom observations, and focus group discussions to gather diverse perspectives and practices. Findings reveal significant differences in pedagogical strategies, curriculum design, and philosophical orientations between the two contexts. A key area of divergence lies in how global academic standards are incorporated and balanced with Islamic educational principles. While both systems aim to prepare students for international competitiveness, Indonesian Islamic institutions focus on maintaining religious values, whereas Australian universities prioritize global benchmarks, highlighting a complex interplay between cultural identity and global educational demands. Drawing on these results, the study proposes strategic directions for curriculum development in Indonesian Islamic higher education, emphasizing the need to enhance graduates’ global competence while preserving religious and cultural integrity. The research provides valuable insights for policy formulation, curriculum innovation, and discussions on the internationalization of Islamic education.

Nurturing Heutagogy: Implementing Montessori Philosophy in English Language Acquisition within an Islamic School Context

2025-10-20T09:41:31+00:00

The Montessori method has become a trend in Early Childhood Education, particularly in terms of the students’ language acquisition within the Self-Directed Learning (SDL) framework. While SDL, as proposed in heutagogy, is theoretically ideal for language learning, practical implementations in a faith-based culture are not well understood. Therefore, this research analyses the teaching of the English language in a new educational context: a Montessori classroom in Indonesia that incorporates Islamic principles. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach, this research identifies the synergistic conditions that foster language development and describes the observable pathways of language acquisition within this context. Evidence gathered from classroom observations and teacher interviews identified three pillars that underpin success in this particular classroom environment: (1) radical autonomy, which offers personally meaningful language input; (2) a low anxiety classroom, which encourages spontaneous language production; and (3) a synergistic Islamic classroom environment, which strengthens self-discipline and independence in contrast to the Islamic faith. A specific four-stage sequence of acquisition was identified within this meticulously designed environment. The integration of Islamic character-building with Montessori pedagogy underscores the holistic development of the child and the language itself. This research adds value by addressing pedagogical needs at the cultural level, and, in doing so, establishes a conceptual framework that outlines the stepwise progression of learners within a framework of self-determination.

Gamified Flipped Classroom for Teaching EFL Productive Skills: Exploring Teachers’ Practices and Challenges in an Islamic University

2025-11-11T15:31:49+00:00

This study explores the implementation of a gamified flipped classroom model by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers at an Islamic university to teach productive skills, specifically speaking and writing. The research aimed to explore the practical application of this model as well as the challenges and opportunities encountered by teachers and students. A qualitative case study design was employed, focusing on a university language enrichment program. Data collection involved preliminary and semi-structured interviews with two EFL teachers and four undergraduate students, in addition to non-participant classroom observations. Thematic analysis, guided by Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework, was used to analyze the data. The findings indicate that teachers utilized familiar digital platforms, such as WhatsApp and a Learning Management System (LMS), to deliver pre-class flipped content, allowing classroom time to be dedicated to collaborative, gamified activities. This approach fostered student engagement, motivation, and confidence, particularly in group tasks. Despite the presence of challenges such as technological limitations and varied learner readiness, the model effectively transformed teachers into facilitators and created a student-centered environment that supports productive language development. The study concludes that the success of a gamified flipped classroom is dependent on thoughtful planning, accessibility to digital resources, and differentiated instruction. Furthermore, it contributes to the understanding of blended pedagogical models in higher education EFL settings.

Developing Digital English-Speaking Materials for Students at Islamic Senior High School

2025-10-13T12:27:42+00:00

Limited learning is the critical gap in English-speaking materials for Islamic senior high schools in Indonesia, which is that students must struggle, including a lack of vocabulary, grammatical errors, pronunciation difficulties, and poor fluency. Although current research has focused on all educational levels, there remains a notable scarcity of materials integrating Islamic values within communicative English teaching frameworks. The research aims to develop digital English-speaking materials that embed Islamic values into pedagogically sound language learning activities while emphasizing authentic communicative competence as the primary objective. The research employed the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) model through a Research and Development approach. Data were collected through needs analysis, expert validation, classroom observations, and student questionnaires at MA Al-Falah Lemahabang. The developed e-book encompasses seven fundamental public speaking aspects integrated with Quranic verses and Islamic themes, including the Five Pillars of Islam, Ramadhan, charity, halal food ethics, and Islamic greetings. Based on the results of the research that thematic coherence between Islamic content and communicative tasks expands language learning by providing authentic contexts for giving opinions, describing, and narrating. Expert validation confirms that moral elements complement rather than overshadow language-learning goals. However, critical limitations include predominantly text-based digitization rather than truly interactive multimodal resources, single-site implementation restricting generalizability, and tensions between religious contextualization and activities requiring critical analysis or disagreement. The materials successfully balance linguistic objectives with value-based outcomes, contributing to improved speaking competence, cultural sensitivity, and critical intercultural competence. Future development should incorporate multimedia elements, interactive simulations, explicit integration of critical discourse skills, multi-site implementations, and longitudinal studies to ensure Islamic content enhances rather than constrains authentic language use.