82 textbook only provides modelling, joint constructions, and independent
constructions.
c. Reading Skill
1. Strengths
First strength was that the reading passages are suitable for students’ level and interest. According to Cunningsworth 1995: 73, reading passages in the
textbooks should be “interesting, as authentic as possible considering the level, and well presented and accompanied by purposeful activities which help the
reading process”. This textbook provides reading passages which are suitable to students’ interest. The reading passages are about personal experience, fairy tales,
myths, traditional ceremony, jobs, famous actors or actresses, etc.
Figure 4.26 Example of reading passage
The second strength was that the associated activities are suitable for students’ level and interest. As stated by Field 2002 that activities or tasks are
effective to help the students to comprehend the materials. This textbook provides various activities for students’ comprehension. Those activities are fill in the
83 blanks, arranging jumbled paragraph, matching words, choosing true or false,
answering WH questions, answering multiple choices, and making summary.
Figure 4.27 Example of reading activity
The next strength was that this textbook provides sufficient reading material. It was because this textbook provides reading material in every unit.
Cunningsworth 1995 states that reading texts should be models for writing activities. There are at least two reading passages in each unit and followed with
activities to check students’ comprehension as mentioned above. Those passages are also examples for writing activities.
2. Weaknesses
The weakness of this aspect was that the reading activities or tasks in the textbook are not appropriate with genre based principles. This was because only
three stages of teachinglearning cycle covered in speaking section; modelling, joint constructions, and independent constructions. Since Interlanguage: English
84 for Senior High School Student X textbook implements genre based approach, the
sequence should also based on teachinglearning cycle. The sequence of reading activities for unit I and II are the same, modelling
and then independent constructions. For unit III, there are two short functional texts; invitation letters and procedural texts. The first one is invitation letters. The
sequence is modelling and followed by independent construction. And the sequence for procedural texts is modelling, joint constructions, and then
independent constructions. The functional text for reading activities in unit IV is the same as in unit IV, procedural texts. The sequence is also the same, modelling,
joint constructions, and independent constructions. Reading activities in unit V covers two functional texts. The first one is
announcement. There are two stages in announcement; modelling and individual construction. The second functional text is narrative text. The sequence of
narrative text is also modelling and independent constructions. Reading activities in unit VI is still narrative text. The sequence is also the same as before;
modelling and independent constructions. Unit VII is about descriptive text and it focuses on describing people.
There are three stages of teachinglearning cycle in reading activities which are arranged: modelling, joint constructions, and independent constructions. For unit
VIII, the functional text is still the same as previous unit; descriptive text. The difference is that unit VIII only covers two stages; modelling and independent
constructions. Unit IX and unit X cover the same functional text which is news
85 items. The arrangement of the activities is also the same: modelling, joint
constructions, and independent constructions.
d. Writing Skill
1. Strengths
First strength was that the writing activities are suitable in terms of amount of guidance or control. According to Cunningsworth 1995: 80,
Writing activities in textbook are normally of the controlled or guided kind, where a model is given and the student’s task is to produce
something similar, usually based on additional information given.
Almost all of the writing tasks in this textbook are completed with the writing guidelines. The guidelines are in forms of instructions or questions. By following
the instructions or answering the questions, the students are expected to make their writing organized.
Figure 4.28 Example of writing guidelines
The second strength was that the writing activities are suitable in terms of degree of accuracy. Writing can be considered a good writing when it is accurate
86 in terms of grammar, content, and organization. There are two types of writing
tasks in this textbook. The first one is controlled writing tasks. As explained before, this type provides guidelines for the students which lead them to make
organized writings and to make them focus on certain topic. Controlled writing tasks also help the teachers in assessing students’ writing. The teachers can focus
more on assessing the grammar because the content and organization are guided. The second type is less controlled writing tasks. This type only gives
instructions to the students to write something without any guidelines. This type is usually placed after the controlled one. Less controlled tasks require more
teachers’ effort in assessing students’ writing. It is because the teachers not only check the grammar, but also the content and organization of the writing because
they are not guided.
Figure 4.29 Example of writing information
The next strength was that the writing activities are suitable in terms of use of appropriate style. According to Cunningsworth 1995, “the aims of writing
activities are to familiarize students with the way written text is organized in
87 terms of its discourse structure” p. 80 and to help the students to use language
with an appropriate style. A good writing should use appropriate style, for example when composing a recount text, the tenses should be used is past tense.
This textbook provides examples in a form of reading passage and information for the students before composing a text. Those examples and information help the
students to use appropriate style for their writing.
Figure 4.30 Example of writing tips
2. Weaknesses
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