Exploring Moral Values Toward Nature in Indonesian English Textbooks Through Language Appraisal

Abstract

This study examines moral values toward nature in Indonesian senior high school English textbooks through Martin and White’s Appraisal Theory and Paul W. Taylor’s Biocentrism. The research is motivated by the growing urgency of global environmental problems such as global warming, pollution, and biodiversity loss that demand early character education to build ecological awareness. Using a qualitative discourse analysis approach, the study analyzes textbook excerpts related to environmental issues, focusing on three subsystems of the Appraisal framework: Attitude (Affect, Judgment, Appreciation), Engagement, and Graduation. The analysis reveals that textbooks convey values including Respect for Nature, Justice for Living Beings, Sustainability, Harmony with nature, Non-Maleficence, and Moral Responsibility, primarily through strong evaluative language in the Judgment and Appreciation categories. Nevertheless, certain key values such as Biotic Egalitarianism are absent, indicating that the materials often remain anthropocentric and do not fully embrace biocentric ethics, which recognize equal intrinsic worth for all living beings. These findings highlight the need for English textbooks to go beyond language instruction by integrating ecological ethics more thoroughly. The study offers recommendations for teachers, textbook authors, and policymakers to design materials that strengthen students’ environmental responsibility and foster a deeper, sustainable moral commitment to nature