Developing an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Textbook for Pharmacy Students through a Contextual Teaching and Learning Approach

Contextual English proficiency is a strategic requirement for vocational students, particularly in pharmacy, to meet academic and professional challenges in the global era. However, English learning in pharmacy higher education still faces obstacles such as the limited availability of English for Specific Purposes (ESP)-based textbooks, teacher-centered practices, and the lack of authentic materials relevant to pharmaceutical contexts. This study aimed to develop an ESP textbook grounded in the Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) approach for pharmacy students and to examine its effectiveness in enhancing English competence. The research employed a simplified Borg and Gall Research and Development model combined with a quasi-experimental design involving eighty students at the Academy of Pharmacy Surabaya. The instruments included expert validation, language skill assessments, classroom observations, and student questionnaires. The findings revealed that the developed textbook was considered feasible by experts, positively received by students, and significantly improved the performance of the experimental group compared to the control group. These results highlight the importance of integrating CTL into ESP textbook development for vocational education both theoretically and practically. The textbook contributes to strengthening the ESP-CTL body of knowledge and offers a replicable model for other vocational education institutions.