The State Islamic University (UIN) of Mataram held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) as part of the development of trilingual teaching materials, one of which is English for the elementary school level (SD/MI). In this academic forum, Dr. Santi Farmasari, M.Ed.TESOL., a lecturer in English Education at the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP), University of Mataram, served as the keynote speaker to present the results of her review on English teaching materials for elementary school students.

Drawing on child learning theory-based approaches, Dr. Santi emphasized the importance of using a comprehensive theoretical framework in developing teaching materials. She presented eleven key theories, including Behaviorism (Skinner), Cognitive Development (Piaget), Sociocultural Theory (Vygotsky), Comprehensible Input (Krashen), and Multiple Intelligences (Gardner). Each theory was explained with practical applications to support children’s language development through engaging activities such as games, songs, storytelling, and Total Physical Response (TPR).

In her review, Dr. Santi highlighted the importance of mindful, meaningful, and joyful learning in line with the Deep Learning principles of the Kurikulum Merdeka. She offered several recommendations, such as incorporating more student reflection activities, integrating mini projects, and utilizing safe and child-appropriate digital media. While the teaching modules were considered structurally sound, she noted that further improvements were needed in terms of language quality and visual presentation.

Dr. Santi also emphasized that English instruction for children should be oriented toward real-life relevance and that vocabulary enrichment should be cyclical and in-depth, rather than focused merely on quantity. She recommended the use of multimodal media, along with the integration of character education and 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.

This event served not only as a platform for academic review but also as a call to raise awareness about the importance of inclusive and adaptive teaching materials that support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4: Quality Education. UIN Mataram demonstrated its commitment to developing trilingual teaching materials that are not only curriculum-relevant but also foster the formation of competitive and character-driven learners.