TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS

A. Definition of Textbook

A textbook is teaching material for the teacher anda learning material for the

learner. It means that teachers and learners take it as a source of the material in

facilitating their teaching and learning process in classroom. (Awasthi,2006).

Richards (2001) states that textbooks are a key component in most language

programs. They serve as the basis of language input that learners receive and the

language practice that occurs in classroom. Textbooks provide the content of each

lesson, the skills to be taught and the kind of language practice that learners can take

part in.

Furthermore, Richards (2001) also stated that no commercial textbook will ever

be a perfect fit for a language program. It means that even the textbook is a key

component in teaching and learning process, it is necessary for teacher to assess the

material of the lesson that exist in the textbook. Even the textbook is released by trusted

publisher, it still has to be analyzed or assessed first. Because, there is no a perfect

textbook out there.

It can be concluded that textbook is a book that consists of some materials that is

used in teaching and learning process. Teachers use textbook in order to make them

easier to teach students after the teaching and learning process itself. Meanwhile,

students use textbook to help them repeating teacher’s explanation about the lesson in

the class previously.

 B. Importance of Textbook

Hutchinson and Torres (1994:323) state that textbooks is an effective agents of

change. They indicate that textbooks introduce change gradually within a structured

framework and create a supportive environment for teachers in potentially disturbing

change processes, helping them to feel more confident to demonstrate new

methodologies and relieving them from the burden of responsibility for introducing

change. Textbooks have a vital importance in teaching the English language, especially

at an elementary level, and they become even more important in periods of change.

Furthermore, Richards (2001) states that textbook plays an important role in

language teaching and provides a useful resource for both teachers and learners. It is

generally accepted that the role of the coursebook is to be at the service of teachers and

learners but not to be their master. It means that textbook is the most popular teaching

materials used in foreign language class. Because in textbook itself contains the

essential elements of language and culture and also textbook reflects the objectives that

have already been set in terms of students’ needs, cultural background and level of

linguistic proficiency.

According to Cuningsworth (1995:7), textbook has multiple roles in ELT and

can serve as:

a. A source of materials whether in spoken and written skills

b. A source for the learners to practice the materials after teaching and learning

process in doing individual exercise and have the communicative interaction in

doing group exercise

c. A reference for learners in learning grammar, vocabulary, pronounciation, and

spelling

d. A source for teachers in creating different language activities in teaching and

learning process

e. A syllabus (where textbook reflects learning objectives which has already been

determined by the government)

f. A resource for self-directed learning at home after teaching and learning process

happened in school

g. A suport for less experienced teachers who have yet to gain in confidence

h. A partner who supports the less experienced teachers in order to make them become

more confidence in teaching their students.

Above of all, it can be concluded that textbook is very important in teaching and

learning process. It becomes the main source for teacher and students in teaching and

learning process. As the important of textbook, teachers need to analyze or evaluate the

textbook that they want to use in teaching and learning process. In order that if the

textbook does not fulfill the criteria of good textbook. Therefore, teachers can can

enhance the materials from other resources, like another textbook, magazine, newspaper,

or internet.

As we know, nowadayas the government in Indonesia has decided which

textbook that teachers should use in teaching and learning process to every school level.

Actually it becomes the problem and burdens the teachers, because they can not choose

any textbook that they want to use in teaching and learning process. Therefore in order

to raise teachers’ awareness in using the textbook that has been decided by the
government, teachers are hoped to analyze or evaluate the textbook to make them know

what are the advantages and disadvantages of the textbook itself.

Textbook has to adjust to students’ needs and learning objectives and aslo has to

follow the latest curriculum. Curriculum that currently exists in Indonesia today is

Kurikulum 2013 (K13). The government permits the school to arrange the curriculum

objectives based on students needs and learning objectives and choose the materials for

teaching and learning process.

C. Assessment on Learning Material in Textbook

There are many textbooks can be found out there. Every publisher releases a

different textbook to the market. The publishers usually compose the textbook based on

the current curriculum and syllabus on that time. Therefore, the materials of the lesson

in the textbook will change over time.

Even though the selection of textbook is not depend on the teacher who teaches

that lesson, but nowadays it is determined by the government. So, to overcome it,

teachers asked to be critical in thinking about the material selection. Then from material

assessment, teachers can have the conception about what they will teach to students.

Thus, it makes teachers should be aware to notice the content of the textbook. It

is not only on the content of the textbook, but also teachers should notice to the

presentation of the textbook and the language used in the textbook.

Numerous form of material assessment have been designed by many experts to

help teachers to assess the materials of the lesson in the textbook (e.g. in Sheldon, 1987;
Cunningsworth, 1995; Litz, 2005). Mostly, these assessments are checklist-based,

usually in the form of questions to be answered in determining to what extent the

materials fulfill a set of criteria.

According to the Littlejohn (1998: 190) in Tomlinson (2003:37), it is necessary

for teachers to be able to examine the implications that use of a set of materials may

have for classroom work and thus come to grounded opinions about whether or not the

methodology and content of the materials is appropriate for a particular language

teaching context’.

Furthermore, Tomlinson (2003) defined material assessment as a procedure that

involves measuring the value (or potential value) of a set of learning materials. An

evaluation focuses largely on the needs of the users of the materials and makes

subjective judgements about their effects.

Based on those definitions toward the material assessment, then it can be

concluded that material assessment is an activity that teachers should be mastered with

in order to be able to evaluate the materials of the lesson in the textbook. Through

material assessment, teachers can decide whether the textbook appropriate or not to be

used in teaching and learning process in the classroom.

D. Criteria of a Good Textbook

The quality of textbook itself is diverse out there. There is a complete textbook

and there is not. However, it is hoped that publisher can compose agood quality of a

textbook whichcan meet the criteria of a good textbook.

 There are many experts have proposed their criteria of a good textbook. They

have different criteria to decide a good textbook. Two of them have proposed six criteria

for evaluating textbooks. They are:

1. Textbooks should cover topics, genres, and literacy skills targeted in the course.

2. Textbooks should present suitable samples of the genres and text types that you

want your students to read, analyze interpret, critique, and reproduce.

3. Textbooks should contain a clear content, well constructed activities, tasks,

exercises, and projects that will help students to develop the L2 literacy skills

targeted in the curriculum plan and course objectives.

4. Textbooks should provide an adequate number of useful, productive, provocative,

and socioculturally appropriate discussion topics, classroom activities, and

composing assignments.

5. Textbooks should present information, explanations, procedures, strategies, and

supplemental material that will help teachers to present new material, skill

incentives, and composing strategies to students effectively.

6. Textbooks should look appealing in terms of its underlying, philosophy,

organization, comprehensiveness, visual features, and potential ease of use.

The quality of a good textbook is affected with several factors, like relevance to

the latest curriculum, attract student’s interest, enhance student’s motivation, stimulate

the activities of the students, the language is compatible with the ability of students, use

the simple and interesting language, does not contain the elements that can cause a

chaos relates to ethnicity, race, and religion.

 In Indonesia, we have BSNP (BadanSatuan Nasional Pendidikan) as an

institution that assesses the quality of the textbook. BSNP already recognized by the

ministry of education as the institution that has the authority to assess the textbook. It

has regulated in Government Regulations No. 19 in 2005 in article 43 section 5, stated

that the feasibility of content, presentation, and language of the textbook assessed by

BSNP and already set by Minister Regulation. Also, National Minister of Education

Regulation No. 11 in 2005 about textbook in article 3 section 1, stated that every

textbook is used by any level of education has chosen among the textbooks that has been

set by Minister based on the recommendation of feasibility assessment from BSNP.

1. Component of Textbook Assessment from BSNP

BSNP has released an assessment process of textbook in Pusbukur (Pusat Buku

dan Kurikulum) in form of rubric assessment to evaluate the feasibility and also the

compatibility of a textbook. The rubric assessment from BSNP is designed to

qualitatively describe and assess any content related items and materials in a textbook

then quantitatively coding it.

BSNP has determined the standard of quality of the textbook that can be used in

teaching and learning process. The standard covers the feasibility of the content,

presentation, and language. The standard has developed by BSNP is effective and hedge

all of education units nationally.

1. Feasibility of Content

Components of feasibility of content include three sub-components: the

compatibility of materials with core of competence and basic competence, the accuracy

of the materials, and supporting materials.

A. The Compatibility of Materials with Core Competence and Basic Competence

− Completeness

A textbook must contain and demand the students to explore at least the

common texts (functional texts) which used in English communication to

give the opportunities for students to understand and produce expressions in

carrying out the functions of interpersonal and trasnsactional communication

whether in spoken or written, to interact with its environment according to

the context of its communication.

− In Depth

A textbook is expected to expose students with as many exercises relate to

the kinds of written or spoken text they have learned in order to achieve a

higher level of mastery in realizing social function relevant to the type of it’s

text.

B. The Accuracy of the Materials

− Social Function

The students are expected to have values in social function in its relation

with students daily life either in interpersonal or transactional.

− Element and Structure Meaning

The textbooks are expected to give the students insight and ideas to think

systematically in doing exercise or producing it in daily life.

− Linguistic Feature
 The textbooks are expected to be understandable and fulfill the norm and

characteristic values of a good communications in student’s daily life with

accurate and acceptable language quality.

C. Supporting Materials

− Relevance

Every item in supporting the materials and exercise provided within the

textbook (tables, pictures, texts, and references) should be taken from

relevance and newest sources available.

− Development of Life Skills

Every text and communicative exercise and task available within textbook

should motivate students toward a good personalities that concern about

social, academic and vocational life.

− Development of Diversity Insight

Every text and communicative exercise and task available within textbook

should motivate students toward a good citizen that concern, understand and

appreciate the multicultural diversity.

2. Feasibility of Presentation

Components of feasibility of presentation include three sub-components: technique

of presentation, learning of presentation, completeness of presentation.

A. Technique of Presentation

− Systematic
 Textbooks are expected to be systematic in delivering a chapter, starting

with introduction, body and after that closing in order for students to be

encouraged in learning from the book.

− Chapter Equilibrium

Textbooks are expected to deliver the content of a chapter as equal as

possible started from the number of pages, exercise generated within every

chapter and also illustration that equal within every content of chapter.

B. Learning Presentation

− Learner Centered

Textbook are expected to make students as the subject of learning so that

autonomous learning will occurs.

− Developing of Initiative, Creativity, and Learners Critical Thinking

Textbook are expected make students to be motivated and creative so when

they use the textbook they will be skeptical about “how, why, where, when,

etc.

− The Development of Self-Reliance Students

Textbooks are expected to make students curious and autofocus on what

they learn, expecting them to analyze what they learn so then they will

encourage toward discovering new things and knowledge.

− The Development of Learners Ability to Evaluate Themselves

 Textbooks are expected to encourage students to evaluate themselves, to see

how far they have learned from a chapter, and to review the lesson learned

from chapter.

3. Feasibility of Language

Components of feasibility of language include three sub-components: the

compatibility with student’s development, communicative, the coherence and the

integrity of idea.

A. The Compatibility with Student’s Development

− Compatibility with Student Intellectual Level

Any kind of language used both in exercise and describing concept of

teaching of tables, pictures or abstract illustrations should be matched with

student’s intellectual level (can be imaginatively understandable for

students).

− Compatibility with Student Emotional Level

Any kinds of language used either in exercising and describing concept of

teaching of tables, pictures or abstract illustrations should be matched with

student’s emotional level from local to global context.

B. Communicative

− Readibility of Message

Any kinds of language used both in exercise and describing concept of

teaching used as effectively as possible and minimizing ambiguities of

message so students will be motivated in learning.

− Accuracy of Language Uses

 Any kinds of language used both in exercise and describing concept of

teaching used as effectively as possible and consistent in language uses so

students will be motivated in learning.

C. The Coherence and the Integrity of Idea

− Coherence of Paragraph

The language delivering of text, picture and illustration of paragraph in the

textbook displayed in a well arranged and systematical manner in order to

create a coherent and cohesive paragraph.

− Coherence of Chapter

Language delivering of text, picture and illustration between each chapter

are close in understanding from one to another. Therefore, it would create a

logic and systematical arrangement.