78 textbook. Since modules provide whether the summary of matter which
adapted to the various program of vocational schools or the exercises. Therefore, the authors of textbook should take into account the
various program in vocational schools. Since the students need and interest would be various as well. Presenting an idealized view to make
textbooks more acceptable in many different context makes textbooks failed to represent the real issues which were needed for fulfilling
students knowledge. It was what Richards mean that the weakness of textbook is distort or twist the content.
7
It could be summarized that the readability level of Get Along with English 1 was at 7
th
grade level. And the readability level of English for SMK 1 was at the 8
th
grade level. It means that the readability levels were below the students’ grade level. Both Get Along with English 1
and English for SMK 1 were appropriate intended to the tenth grade of vocational schools students. Since the comprehension of sudents will
enhance when the readability textbook was below or at the grade level of students, particularly for the low interest students. Therefore evaluating
and measuring how readable the textbook was a necessity to avoid inappropriate selection.
2. The Readability Level of English Textbooks and Students’
Readability
If it was compared with cloze scores of students, for cloze test of Get along with English 1 found that the percentage corret answers of
students X TKJ 1 of SMKN 1 Kadipaten 44, 43 and students of X ATPH 3 of SMKN 1 Maja was 42, 10. According to Taylor’s reading
level as mentioned on table 3.1 that when the cloze score stands in the interval of 35
—50, means students of X ATPH 3 SMKN 1 Maja as well as X TKJ 1 of SMKN 1 Kadipaten were at the instructional or
assisted reading level. It meant that students of both schools would understand what they read if
they were under the teachers’ instruction or assistance. Unless they were at the frustration reading level.
While the result of cloze tests three samples passages of English for SMK 1 were presented in the percentage of cloze score. The
percentage score of X TPM-B students of SMKN 1 Majalengka was 49,23. The percentage score of X TIK 3 students of SMKN 1
Panyingkiran was 43,43. And the percentage score of X UPW students of SMKN 1 Palasah was 45,43. If those percentage of cloze scores
refer to the explanation of Taylor’s reading level as mentioned on table 3.1. that when the cloze score stands in the interval of 35
—50, meant
7
Richards. Op. Cit., pp. 255 —256.
79 students of X TPM-B SMKN 1 Majalengka, X TIK 3 SMKN 1
Panyingkiran, as well as students of X UPW SMKN 1 Palasah were at the instructional or assisted reading level. It means that students of these
schools would understand what they read if they were under the
teachers’ instruction or assistance as well. Whereas, as shown on the Graph 4.1 the passages of Get Along
with English 1 was at the 7
th
readability grade level. And as shown on the Graph 4.2 the readability grade level of English for SMK 1 was at the
8
th
. It meant that, the readability of textbooks were below the students grade level. If we refer to Entin and Klare statement above, they ought to
have a good comprehension even they had a low interest to it. On the other words, to match the readability of textbooks and students’
readability, students should increase their percentage cloze score more than 50. The fact was the students at the instructional or assisted level,
the percentage cloze score was between 35
—50. Why does students’ reading level, based on their cloze score, stand on the instructional or
assisted reading level? It could be assumed that there were other things that influence the
readability of students towards their textbooks. It was as an additional factor why students of five vocational schools were at the instruction or
assissted reading level, namely guessing. It also influenced by their course experience as comprehensible input when acquiring the language
previously. It means that their prior knowledge played much role in comprehension the textbook. It also admitted by the student in their
interview that they knew more vocabulary they would understand more semtences.
The other facts that appeared during the test conducted, among others almost the correct answer of most students at the initial and the
last part of the test. It was indicated that most the test participant of X ATPH 3 SMKN 1 Maja, X TKJ 1 SMKN 1 Kadipaten, X TPM-B
SMKN 1 Majalengka, X TIK 3 SMKN 1 Panyingkiran and X UPW SMKN 1 Palasah were only recognizing the text not grasping. It was in
accordance with Patel and Jain argument that the process of reading that broadly classified into three stages:
“The first stage is the recognition stage. At this stage the learner simply recognizes the graphic counterparts of the phonological
items. The second stage is the structuring stage. The learner sees the syntactic relationship of the items and understands the
structural meaning of the syntactical units. The third stage is the interpretation stage. This is the highest level in the process of
80 reading. The learner comprehends the significance of a word, a
ph rase, or a sentence in the overall context of the discourse.”
8
In this case most of test participants were at the recognition stage. Since they were only recognizing the form of letters in every single
word. However some of them had come to the second stage that was stucturing stage where students make sense the meaning of the word. For
instant, C5 of
the second passage of English for SMK 1, 30 of test participants give the correct answer. It did not mean that only nine
students who answered the cloze item. The others had given their answer as well but incorrect.
The cause of it was that in our country English is studied as a foreign language. The lack of comprehensible input as they had a low
interest to it, make their recognition and structuring the passage hampared. It was admitted by the students that
Most incorrect answer was caused by much guessing in choosing the words to fill in the blanks of the cloze test. It means that in fact they
understand what it should be filled. Since they were rarely read and make use of the textbook that make this as a constraint to recognize it.
As convinced by the English teachers at SMKN 1 Majalengka, SMKN 1 Maja, and SMKN 1 Panyingkiran that they were rarely use the
textbooks. For accomplishing assignments or homework they commonly
used students’ worksheet. Only English teachers in SMKN 1 Kadipaten and SMKN 1 Palasah who usually make use of textbooks either as a
resource of teaching learning instruction or for accomplishing the assignments and practices.
Student’s readability which was at the instructional or assisted reading level was also caused by insufficient supporting images and
illustrations. According to Jeanne S. Chall and James R. Squire overviewed as edited by Rebecca Barr that:
“Most researchers report that illustration can either facilitate or hinder comprehension, depending on the nature of the visual, its
location, the level of the reading materials, and the extent to which it is designed to direct reader to the instructional focus rather than
detract
of it.”
9
The quotation above assured that the role of illustration sometimes could be lead for comprehension. The other side, it also could hamper students
to enhance their comprehension towards the textbook, when the illustration is more sticking out than the text itself. However, most
8
M.F. Patel and Praveen M. Jain. English Language Teaching: Methods, Tools, and Techniques, Jaipur: Sunrise Publisher. 2008, pp. 115
—116.
9
Rebecca Barr, Michael L. Kamil, Peter B. Mosenthal and P. David Pearson. Handbook of Reading Research Vol II, Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 1996, p.128.
81 teachers convinced that illustrations on textbook strongly give a good
impression for students to make sense the passages or sentenses. Based on the discussion above, it could be summurized that
students’ readability towards the English textbooks were not match to the textbook readability. The percentage of cloze scores of tests participant
from five vocational schools stand on 35 —50. Based on Taylor’s
reading level it means that students were at the instructional or assisted reading level. Whereas the textbooks readability levels were at the 7
th
and the 8
th
reading level, it meant 2 —3 levels below the students grade
level. To match students readability and textbooks readability, the percentage of cloze score should be more than 50 or unassisted reading
level. The constrants of students’ readability were caused by students
behaviour and interest during they grasping and completing the test. Guessing was the most common students use in completing the cloze
test. As a result, there were many incorrect answers, as their guessings were not accurate. Students’ reading behaviour also affecting to the
students’ readability. Most students still at the recognition stage rather than structuring and interpretation stage when they comprehend the text.
Besides, the insufficient supporting illustration particularly for the passage, hampering students comprehension towards the passage and
textbook in general. And the infrequent use of textbook whether in teaching learning activities or in doing the exrecises, hindering to
students’ readability towards the textbooks as well.
83
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
A. Conclusion
This study u sed Fry’s readability graph formula and cloze test to
measure the readability level of English textbooks Get Along with English 1 and English for SMK 1. The results showed that these two measures produce
contradictive findings.
The Fry’s readability graph formula measured that readability lavel of
Get Along with English 1 was at the 7
th
grade. The readability lavel of English for SMK 1 was at the 8
th
grade. These grades were at 2 —3 levels
below the real grade of the students that was the tenth. It can be interpreted that the English textbooks both Get Along with English 1 and English for
SMK 1 should be understandable by the tenth grade students of vocational schools easily. It was in accordance with Dubay opinion that the readability
level, 2
—3 below the real grade of the students, was useful to increase students’ comprehension for those who have a low interest in reading.
The cloze tests measured students’ comprehension on both English
textbooks. The results were average correct answers of test participants found that X TKJ 1 of SMKN 1 Kadipten was 44,43, X ATPH 3 of SMKN 1
Maja was 42,10, X TPM-B of SMKN 1 Majalengka was 49,23, X TIK 3 of SMKN 1 Panyingkiran was 43,43 and X UPW of SMKN 1 Palasah was
45,
43. Based on Taylor’s Reading Level the entire students as the participant of cloze test were at 35
—50. Taylor interpreted that the students were at the instructional or assissted level. It meant that they needed teachers
assistant to make sense the content of their English textbook. These contradictive findings could be influenced by many factors
among others: -
Students of vocational school in Majalengka had a low interest in reading that influence to their comprehension on English textbook.
- The lack of images that was supporting the reading text of both
textbooks had a great deal contribution towards students’ comprehension.
- The low motivation of students to learn the subjects especially English
rather than their vocational subjects. -
The limited English textbooks provided by the schools assumed as the other factor that hamper the students to have a good curiosity in
understanding the content of English textbooks. -
The content of English textbooks that far from their program caused the students reluctant to make sense them. Therefore, they have a low
interest in English subject.
