writer will do her research entitled The Readability Level of the Reading Texts on Advanced Learning English 2 An English Textbook for Senior
High School; A Descriptive Study at the Eleventh Grade of SMA Negeri 4 Tangerang Selatan.
B. Identification of the Problems
From the background of the study above, the problems that can be identified are:
1. The role of textbook has not been maximally helped the students in
improving their reading skill. 2.
Students get difficulty in understanding the text. 3.
Teacher gets difficulty on selecting the appropriate English textbook. 4.
The author who compilled the English textbook and publisher rarely concern on the aspects of the readability of the textbook.
5. The vocabulary in English textbook is not really appropriate for
students.
C. Limitation of the Problem
The writer focuses her study in the subject matter in analyzing the readability level of the selected reading texts on an English textbook entitled
Advanced Learning English 2 which is used at the eleventh grade students of SMA Negeri 4 Tangerangg Selatan, by using the Flesch Reading Ease
Formula. The texts that will be analyzed are all texts in the Reading section. The total texts in the reading part are 17 texts. See appendix 1.
D. Formulation of the Problem
After conducting the limitation of the problems, the research problem is formulated into: Does Advanced Learning English 2 published by Grafindo
Media Pratama have appropriate readability level for the eleventh grade students?
”
E. Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study is to find out the readability level of the reading texts on English textbook for the eleventh grade students entitled
Advanced Learningg English 2 at SMA Negeri 4 Tangerang Selatan.
F. Significance of the Study
The significance of the research is addressed to all people who read this research. However, this study esspecially addressed to:
1. the English teachers at SMA Negeri 4 Tangerang Selatan because this
study will be useful for them in choosing the appropriate English textbook that will be used for their students.
2. the institution of SMA Negeri 4 Tangerang Selatan because it will
used as beneficial contributions in improving the teaching and learning activities.
3. the next authors because this study is expected to give more
information about aspects of readability of the texts in textbook. 4.
the publishers because this study is hoped to present the information in selecting proper book that will be published.
6
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Text
1. Definition of Text
Based on the explanation from Sanggam Siahaan and Kisno Shinoda, a text is linguistic unit that is put in a context and has meaning.
1
The meaning of context here refers to either linguistic context the linguistic unit before and
after a text or non linguistic context outside a text. A text is both a spoken text and a written text.
A spoken text is any meaning spoken text. It can be a word, phrase, sentence or discourse. A spoken discourse can be monolog, dialog or
conversation. It can be a song, poetry, drama, lecture, etc. Moreover, a written text is any meaningful written text. It can be a notice, direction, advertisement,
paragraph, essay, article, book, etc. A text refers to any meaningful short or long spoken or written text.
2
According to Mark and Kathy Anderson, a text is defined as the result of some words which are put together to communicate a meaning.
Unconsciously, when someone speaks or writes to communicate a message, he is constructing a text. When someone reads or listens to a piece of text, he is
interpreting its meaning. Creating a text requires us to make choices about the words we use and how we put them together. Our choice of words will depend
on our purpose and our surroundings context.
3
1
Sanggam Siahaan and Kisno Shinoda, Generic Text Structure, Yogyakarta:Graha Ilmu, 2008, p. 1.
2
Ibid.
3
Mark Anderson and Kathy Anderson, Text Types in English, London: Macmillan, 2003, p. 1.
In addition, Alan Davies stated on his book, Dictionary of Language Testing, a text is any piece of written or spoken language of variable length. It
may be as short as a single word eg. Help, but is more considered to consist of two or more utterances or sentences joined together according to rules of
cohesion and rhetorical organization, and may include an extended piece of spoken discourse or any number of pages of writing.
4
It can be concluded that text is meaningful spoken or written words to communicate the meaning, and the term of text in this study is belong to
reading text written words; the printed material on the textbook which is
used in the process of teaching and learning reading. 2.
Kinds of Text
There are various kinds of text. It is very important for either the teachers or students to know about these kinds of text because it can help them to
understand about the purpose of texts. Mark and Kathy Anderson divided text into two types, literary and factual.
Literary texts include aboriginal dreaming stories, movie script, limericks, fairy tales, novels, song lyrics, mimes and soap operas. Literary text can make
us laugh or cry, think about our own life or consider our beliefs. There are three main text types in this category narrative, poetic and dramatic. Media
texts such as film, videos, television shows and CDs can also include in this category.
5
Factual texts include advertisement, announcements, internet web sites, current affairs shows, debates, recipes, reports and instructions. They present
information or ideas and aim to show, tell or persuade the audience. The main
4
Alan Davies, Dictionary of Language Testing, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002, p. 210.
5
Mark Anderson and Kathy Anderson, Text Types in English, London: Macmillan, 2003, p. 1.
