<![CDATA[Indonesia’s junior high school students continue to demonstrate low reading competence, as reflected in the decline of the country’s reading literacy score in PISA 2022. In response, the School Literacy Movement (SLM) was introduced to strengthen students’ reading culture; however, challenges remain in sustaining engagement, integrating local culture, and utilizing digital media effectively. This study investigates the integration of digital flipbooks featuring English translations of Banjarese folklore as a culturally responsive strategy to support English Basic Literacy Skills (EBLS) within the SLM. Employing a survey design, data were collected from 846 junior high school students across five public schools in Banjarmasin, Indonesia, using open-ended questionnaires that examined students’ familiarity with Banjarese folklore, perceptions of digital flipbooks, and literacy outcomes. The findings indicate varied levels of prior familiarity, with students’ reading choices influenced by cultural familiarity and the perceived mystique of folklore titles. Students reported positive perceptions of digital flipbooks, particularly valuing their interactive and multimedia features. Analysis of written responses shows that students were able to comprehend narrative content, identify characters, and interpret moral values, despite persistent grammatical and lexical inaccuracies. These results suggest that digital flipbooks supported emergent reading comprehension and written meaning-making rather than measurable gains in linguistic accuracy. Overall, integrating Banjarese folklore into digital flipbooks enhanced engagement, reinforced cultural awareness, and supported foundational literacy processes. The study highlights the potential of culturally grounded digital media as a meaningful tool for strengthening basic literacy within the School Literacy Movement, particularly in non-English-dominant and resource-limited contexts.]]>
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