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e. Topic aspect
Textbooks as part of language learning should provide materials related to real life situation. It is because the aim of language learning is to help the students
to be able to communicate in the social life. Textbooks need to equip students who have various backgrounds. As stated by Cunningsworth 1995: 86,
Learners come to class with, among other attributes, knowledge, attitudes, skills, cognitive abilities, curiosity and experience. Language learning as a
process will relate to and engage these attributes so that the learning process is enriched and made more meaningful. Textbooks can contribute to this
process by including subject matter which, whilst being primarily designed for language teaching, is also informative, challenging, amusing, exciting
and occasionally provocative. They can provide opportunities for expanding students’ experience in general, as well as in language learning.
Students will learn more enthusiastic if the topics they are learning are
interesting. Cunningsworth 1995 states, “topics which are real and immediate must command more interest and response from learners than imaginary, made-up
content” p. 86. Another discussion about topic is stated by Riddell 2003. He says that the topic for higher level should be challenging and more thought-
provoking, for example technology, jobs, culture, etc. While for the lower level, the topic should be easier.
Social and cultural context which closely related to the students can also gain their interests. According Cunningsworth 1995: 90, “textbook sets its
material in social and cultural contexts that are comprehensible and recognizable to the learners, in terms of location, social mores, age group, etc”. When the topics
are close to students’ real life, they will be able to relate the language use to their social and cultural situations.
23 Besides social and cultural context, textbooks should cover topics where
women are portrayed equally with men. The other aspects that can be discriminated such as ethnic origin, occupation, age, social class, and disability
must be presented equally in the textbooks. Cunningsworth 1995 agrees that equal presentation of those aspects will give a better perspective to the students
and will avoid negative stereotyping.
f. Methodology aspect
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