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2. The Role of Textbook
Using a textbook brings both advantages and disadvantages to teachers. Some experts like Gebhard 1996, Graves 2000, Richards 2001 and Brewster,
Ellis and Girard 2004 have discussed this issue by mentioning the advantages and disadvantages of using a textbook. However, they agreed that the availability
of a textbook is beneficial and important for the teachers, despite the fact that it also brings disadvantages.
Gebhard 1996 mentions two advantages of using a textbook. The first is that using textbook can save teachers’ time. The second is that a textbook can be
teaching materials functioning as guidance that takes the teacher and students through the lessons systematically. Graves 2000 also agrees that using a
textbook can save teachers’ time. She says that what a textbook provides such as visuals, activities, reading, etc. help teachers in finding or developing materials,
and thus it saves teachers’ time. Besides, she also mentions that a textbook provides syllabus for the course, basis for students’ assessment, consistency
between level, supporting materials and security for the students. The students feel secure since they know the road map of the course. Therefore, they know
exactly what to expect and what is expected from them. Graves 2000 concludes that a textbook may provide all what are needed by teachers from materials until
evaluation. Richards 2001 even claims that “commercial textbooks together with
ancillaries such as workbooks, cassettes, and teachers’ guides are perhaps the commonest form of teaching materials in language teaching” p. 254. He
10 mentions eight principal advantages for using a textbook. First, textbooks can be a
representation of a syllabus of the language program. Second, using textbooks can help to make sure that the students get similar materials and assessment. Third,
the materials of textbooks usually are more reliable since they have been tried and tested. Fourth, textbooks are usually accompanied by supporting materials such as
workbooks, CDs, cassettes, videos, CD-ROMs and teaching guides. Fifth, using textbooks is efficient. Sixth, textbooks can be models of language input for
teachers especially for those whose first language is not English. Seventh, textbooks accompanied by teacher’s manual can be guidance for teachers who
have limited teaching experience. Eighth, since textbooks usually are well- designed, they are attractive for learners and teachers.
Together with Gebhard 1996 and Graves 2000, Richards 2001 agrees that using a textbook is efficient. It provides the teachers with some features such
as syllabus and resources that will help them to teach in the class. Therefore, the teachers can devote their time more in teaching rather than in producing the
materials. Brewster, Ellis and Girard 2004 add some other reasons for using a
textbook. They not only agree that the textbook can provide resources for teachers and can reduce their workload, but also say that a textbook is a useful aid for
learning. It helps both the teacher and the student to know what should be taught and learned as well as the methodology and the order to do it.
Based on the elaboration above, it is clear that a textbook can bring many benefits for the teachers. Some experts such as Gebhard 1996, Graves 2000,
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