textbooks contained long reading texts with vocabulary glossaries and grammar explanation in the students‟ native language.
In 1960s and 1997s the focus moved to audio-lingualism. Language textbooks representing audiolingualism presented dialogues, pattern practice, and
substitution drills in which the teacher provided a stimulus such as a sentence beginning with a certain personal pronoun and the learners provided a response
sentence changing the subject with another personal pronoun. In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a shift towards the notional-functional
approach in which language was used for the purposes of expressing opinions, to talk or write about both abstract and concrete topics. Textbooks began to stress
functional languages as well as pair and group work activities in which learners used the language to communicate with each other.
In the 1980s, task-based language teaching approach emerged. Language is learned through negotiation with other learners in problem-solving. This
approach focused on meaning rather than form. Textbooks then provide a needed structure for interaction in the classroom and learners see textbook as a guide that
helps them organize their learning and provides security. Many current textbooks have contained tasks or projects to stimulate interaction and negotiation among
learners.
b. Concept of Textbooks
A textbook can be defined as a published book especially designed to help language learners to improve their linguistic and communicative abilities
Sheldon, 1987. That is why textbooks are considered to have played a very significant role in education. Textbooks are regarded as learning aids Brewster et
al., 2001 and also as teaching tools Graves, 2000 which help teachers and learners conduct the process of study. Textbooks are also one of a lot of learning
media which holds significant roles in the classroom. It usually provides the curriculum material in an instructional system. Further, Richards 2001: 251
reveals that textbooks function as the source for much of the language input learners receive and the language practice that takes place in classroom. They
provide goals, process and the most frequently-used material of an instruction and educational planning.
For most teachers, textbooks provide the foundation for the content of lessons, the balance of the skills taught, as well as the kinds of language practice
the students engage in during class activities. According to Cortazzi and Jin 1999, the textbook can be a teacher, a map, a resource, a trainer, an authority,
and an ideology. Textbooks present the necessary tools in preparing learners for the transition of language skills across disciplines. For most teachers, textbooks
provide the foundation for the content of lessons, the balance of the skills taught, and the kinds of language practice the students engage in during class activities.
Textbooks turn out to be the focal source of language contact for students, apart from teacher input.
From aforementioned explanation about textbooks, it can be concluded that textbooks serve not only as a learning aid Brewster et al., 2001 or teaching
tools Graves, 2000 but they also provide goals, process and materials. Besides, textbooks are also considered significant as they provide language input for
language learners Richards, 2001 which help them enhance their linguistic and communicative abilities Sheldon, 1987.
