31 matter? instead of what you do not understand from previous material? This
indicates that they do not understand the contents of the curriculum as a soul of education. Seemingly, education treaded as transferring knowledge from
textbooks to students per se. In this case, textbooks as if inhibit creativity in the classroom. As a result, it leads learners to be passive, because the teachers
could not facilitate them to improve their knowledge. Whereas, education is not just to intellectualize people but more important is that it is to civilized
human. Furthermore, Richards elaborates the weaknesses of textbooks as follows:
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1. They may contain inauthentic language.
As textbooks sometimes present inauthentic language when texts, dialogs and other aspects of content tend to be written to enclose
teaching points of certain matter and are often not representative of real language use.
2. They may distort or twist the content.
Textbooks often present an idealized view of the world so they fail to represent the real issues. In order to make textbooks more acceptable in
many different contexts avoid raising controversial topics and idealizing certain dominant class view. Whereas, every single student is different
and every single class consists of homogenous students that make textbooks do not represent the real issues which are needed for fulfilling
students’ knowledge. 3.
They may not reflect students needs. Since textbooks are often written for global markets they often do not
reflect the interests and needs of students especially for who live in remote areas and hence may require adaptation. It makes textbooks
become unreadable by students, and probably it leads them become unusable in the classrooms.
4. They can deskill teachers.
If teachers use textbooks as the primary source of their teaching activity, As a result they become not creative in managing the other sources of
instructions such as grammar books, internets and other sources from their environment.
5. They are expensive.
Commercial textbooks may represent a financial burden for students in many parts of the world especially in developing and under developing
countries. Therefore, most teachers prefer using textbooks given by the government to investing in commercial ones.
Based on the explanation above we know that besides the advantages, textbooks also give many drawbacks. The existence of textbook appropriately
59
Richards. Op. Cit., pp. 255 —256.
32 to contribute and support the teachers in creating many activities in the
classroom. Therefore, the weaknesses of textbooks actually not need to appear when teachers realize the role of textbooks and the role of teachers in
using the textbook well. Teachers also should be creative in selecting the appropriate matters which are needed by their students, since the content of
textbook usually written in the global intention. Adopting the content of the textbook should be accompanied by adapting it to the real condition of
students and their environtment. It is required teachers’ inventiveness and skill to over come this problem.
H. English for Vocational Students
Vocational students are those who have various needs according to their talents and interests. That is why they take certain discipline to enable
them to develop and to improve their skills in a particular field. However, as already described in the previous chapter that most of vocational students
have low motivation in understanding other subjects but productive subjects, one of them is English. It is not easy to understand, eventhough they have
learnt it previously. Whereas, the matter of English in vocational school is almost the same like what they learnt in junior high school.
However, when English materials are in line with their productive subjects. There is no doubt, they will feel a little more curious and may
encourage the need of it as a preparation when they become a professional worker. It is prefer for vocational school students to be indtroduced to
English for Specific Purposes then. ESP materials was developed specifically for students who were perceived to have particular needs in terms of subject
content which could not be met fully by general material.
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Therefore teachers should take into account students’ expectation, are the ESP materials
meet their need and is the language taught macthes to the language they will use?
The role of teacher in teaching ESP will be different from when they were teaching general English. Since the teachers have not necessarily
mastered the fields explored by students, while the students are very likely mastered the material their expertise. So that teachers can work together with
students to develop a more effective learning activity for ESP.
Cunningsworth found that skill-based and task-based can be emphasized in developing their special skills in the context of ESP. That is by
involving an element of problem solving and subtantially drawing the content of learners’ specialist subject knowledge and professional experience.
Besides project work method is one effective way to help students developing their skills and strategies they need. Cooperation that occurs
60
Cunningsworth. Op. Cit., p. 132.
33 within the project group will also provide an opportunity for students to
develop their language skills in interpersonal relationships and will help increasing their confidence in using their English in a professional manner.
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It is expected that when the students felt English language as a necessity, since they English lesson supporting their profession, the textbook
will be more legible and further their understanding of English lessons will be more increased as well.
I. Previous Study
There are many studies have been done by many researchers previously concerning the English textbooks. Since it has a lot of spaces and
gaps that could be used as the domain of research regarding English language textbooks, the writer compiles some previous study regarding English
textbooks research from journals and thesis of Universitas Pendidikan
Indonesia’s Master students. Some of previous studies concerning English textbooks are evaluative
study viewed from various aspects. One of them is a research conducted in Iran done by Nurkhalajji. The result of her study is determining common
global textbook regarding the overall pedagogical value and suitability of the material. Then the result is expected to assist ELT teachers in making
decisions of adopting and adapting the materials.
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The other researcher Yamanaka conducted the research in Japan. The study is aimed to evaluate English textbooks to find out the cultural
dimensions of English usage to understand as wide a variety of cultures as possible for effective intercultural interactions, since it is as one of the main
objectives in teaching English at the secondary school level.
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The other one also evaluates the presence and absence of characteristics of a quality textbook as approved by the Ministry of Education
of Pakistan. This study done by Mahmood, the result is that he disclosed that experts with practical experience in curriculum material development and
evaluation have deeper understanding of textbook evaluation as compared to those who have theoretical knowledge of the subject andor only teach it.
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61
Cunningsworth. Op. Cit., p. 132.
62
Saeedeh Syafiee Nurkhalajji. An Evaluation of a Global ELT Textbook in Iran: A Two phase Approach. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 2 No. 3
February, 2012 pp. 184 —191.
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Nobuko Yamanaka. An Evaluation of English Textbooks in Japan from the Viewpoint of Nations in The Inner, Outer, and Expanding Circles. JALT Journal, Vol. 28, No. 1, May,
2006 pp. 57 —76.
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Khalid Mahmood. Comformity to Quality Characteristics of Textbooks: The Illusion of Textbook Evaluation in Pakistan. Journal of Research and Reflections in Education, Vol. 5,
No.2, December, 2011 pp. 170 —190.
