Cunningsworth (1995: 15-17) mentions four criteria of textbook

evaluation. Those criteria serve as a guideline for developing checklist for

textbook evaluation. They include 1) corresponding to the learners’ needs, 2)

reflecting the present and future of language, 3) facilitating learning in various

ways, and 4) having a clear role as a support for learning.

The first criteria, corresponding to the learners’ needs, deals with the aims

and objectives of the textbooks. They can reflect the learners’ content and

communicative needs. Further, the aims and objectives of the books are realized

through the content of materials. As a result, the materials should match with the

learners’ needs in three major areas namely language items, skills, and

communicative strategies. The second criteria is related to the principle that textbooks should reflect

the present and future uses of language. This principle takes into account the

notion of providing the language content and items which are closely related to
what students need to learn. The effective use of language for the learners varies

in at least three situations namely personal, professional, and academic. Thus,

textbooks should also take into consideration the language beyond the classroom

to equip the learners with language use in real life setting.

In the third criteria, textbooks should facilitate the learners’ learning

process. As textbook promotes certain learning styles both explicit and implicit,

this criterion seeks to answers the question of what they are and how they are put

forward. In addition, facilitating the learners’ learning can be done through

fostering their motivation. In this case, textbooks should have a variety of tasks

and topics as powerful factors to boost the learners’ motivation.

The last criteria, having a clear role as support for learning, is related to

the support for teachers and learners. For teacher, textbooks provide ready-made
materials, texts, ideas for teaching, exercises, and tasks. While they provide

materials to be taught for teacher, textbooks support the learners in two ways.

They include providing teachable language models and providing exercises and

tasks supporting the learners’ learning.

Cunningsworth’s framework for textbook evaluation as presented earlier

has a comprehensive explanation on the internal approach to textbook evaluation.

It also offers a criterion for judging the effectiveness of textbooks seen from the perspective of the
reality that learners face in the future by presenting language

beyond the classroom. Nevertheless, this framework does not contain any

criterion on the external factor to textbook evaluation. That is, some criteria

comprise presentation, lay out, visual appearance, and so on.

The instrument for textbook evaluation consists of criteria drawn from

three major areas namely content, language, and presentation aspects. The

proposed criteria are then divided into some sub-aspects. These sub-aspects are
elaborated into some area. A more detailed and specific explanation of such areas

is elaborated through some items reflecting the ideal condition which should be

met by a textbook. The aforementioned features are then realized in the form of

table used as a researcher-generated document to be employed by the researcher

himself acting as the textbook evaluator for this study.

Table 2.1. Aspects, Sub Aspects, Areas, and Items for English Textbook

Evaluation Process

Aspects to

be evaluated

Sub Aspects Areas Items

Content The

relevance of
material to

the

curriculum

Materials

Completeness

Interpersonal texts

Transactional texts

Functional texts

Materials Depth Exposure

Retention

Production

Social Functions Interpersonal

communication

Transactional

communication

Functional

communication

Generic structures Descriptive texts

Narrative texts

Recount texts

Linguistic Features Accurate appropriate

language use in

context

The

supporting
learning

materials

Up-to-date Up-to-date sources

Relevant sources of

accompanying

materials

Life skills

development

Personal skills

Social skills

Academic skills

Vocational skills
Development of

insight on diversity

Appreciation on

cultural diversity and

plural society

Awareness of local

and national potential

aspect

Appreciation on

democratic values

relevant to the socio-

cultural context

Internalization of
belonging to

motherland, nation,

and country

Character building Character building

activities

Cultural aspects Local culture

Target culture

International culture

Language Appropriates

of language

Language and

students’

development
Suitability to the

students’ cognitive

development

Suitability to the

students’ socio-

emotional condition

Communicativeness Message readability

Grammatical

accuracy

Natural and real

language use

The coherence and

unity of ideas

Coherence on each

unit

Unity on each unit

Sequencing

techniques

Four skills Listening

Speaking

Reading

Writing

Other language

aspects

Vocabulary
Grammar

Pronunciation

Presentation Presentation

aspect

Organization Presentation of texts,

communicative acts,

and illustrations

The balance

between chapters

and units

Balanced presentation

of texts,
communicative acts,

and illustrations

Student-centred

principle

Communication

between students,

peers, and teachers

Development of

students’ initiative,

creativity, and

Communicative

activities based on

their initiation
critical thinking

Development of

autonomous

learning principle

Encouragement to be

autonomous learners

Development of

self-reflection

ability

Awareness of their

success and lacks in

teaching learning
process

Genre-based

approach

Building Knowledge

of the Field

Modeling of the Text

Joint Construction of

the Text

Independent

Construction of the

Text

Presentation

coverage
Introductory part Preface

Table of content

Introduction

Content part Learning load

Reference

Summary

Reflection

Closing part Glossary

Bibliography

Index