of senior high school students published by Penerbit Erlangga to see their readability level.
Further, the writer chooses Pathway to English 2 as the textbook to be analyzed because it is intentionally compiled to provide a framework
for teaching and learning English based on Kurikulum 2013. In addition, the writer also chooses this textbook because this is claimed to allow
students to practice the four-skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing in order to help them develop their discourse competence. This
competence, according to the textbook compilers, enables students to express themselves in different kinds of texts.
6
Finally, this study is aimed to know the the readability level of reading texts in Pathway to English 2 textbook for the eleventh grade of
senior high school students published by Penerbit Erlangga.
B. The Limitation of the Problem
Based on the background of the study, the writer limits this study on analyzing the readability level of selected reading texts in Pathway to
English 2 textbook for the eleventh grade of senior high school students published by Penerbit Erlangga.
C. The Formulation of the Problem
Based on the limitation of the problem above, the writer formulates the problem of the study as follows: how is the readability level of reading
texts in Pathway to English 2 textbook for the eleventh grade of senior high school students published by Penerbit Erlangga?
6
Th. M. Sudarwati and Eudia Grace, Pathway to English for Senior High School Grade XI, Jakarta: Penerbit Erlangga, 2014, p. i.
D. The Objective of the Study
Based on the formulation of the problem, the objective of this study is to find out the readability level of the reading texts in Pathway to
English 2 textbook for the eleventh grade of senior high school students published by Penerbit Erlangga.
E. The Significance of the Study
By conducting this study, the writer expects that this will have some significant contribution in the process of English language teaching
and learning at the senior high school. First, this study may give the teachers useful information in selecting suitable textbook as the additional
material for their students. Second, this may help the students in improving their reading comprehension skill by providing suitable
textbook with readable texts. Finally, this study may become a guideline in conducting readability study for the next researchers.
6
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A.
Textbook 1.
The Understanding of Textbook
The role of textbook in teaching and learning process is very important because it dictates the content and form of teaching.
1
It is used as a guideline for teachers to teach students in the teaching and learning
process and as a coursebook for students. Ornstein in Reed states “The
textbook has had the longest and most obvious influence on curriculum, to the extent of, in effect, standardizing teaching and instructional
practi ces.”
2
Thus, textbook is used to standardize the teaching and the instructional practices and finally to influence the curriculum as it is said
that textbook has an important influence on it. In addition, textbook is said to be a reflection of the curriculum and a form of curriculum package.
3
That makes textbook has a very important role in educational pragram. Many experts have defined textbook differently.
4
This makes us cannot specify textbook only by one definition beacuse all textbook
definitions cover what textbooks are. According to Reed et al., textbooks are the instructional tool that is used mostly in the classroom. It deals with
their statement that 75 percent of time in the classroom is used with the text materials.
5
Thus, textbooks are used as instructional tool by the teachers in the the teaching and learning process in most of the time.
Van Els et. al. define textbook as “a coherent body of teaching
materials which may consist of either just the course book s, but also of a
1
Theo van Els et. al., Applied Linguistics and the Learning and Teaching of Foreign Language, London: Edward Arnold Ltd., 1984, p. 298.
2
Arthea J. S. Reed,
Verna E. Bergemann, and Mary W. Olson
, In the Classroom: An Introduction to Education, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998, third edition, p. 256.
3
Ibid.
4
Ibid.
5
Ibid.
learning package consisting of several parts.”
6
Textbook is a collection of teaching materials that is used as the teaching sources or as a guideline for
teachers in the teaching and learning process. Textbook consists of materials needed both in the course book and in the teaching and learning
gudeline. Additionally, UNESCO in
Kolahi and Shirvani defines “Textbook is the
core learning composed of text andor images designed to bring about a specific set of educational outcome; traditionally a printed and bound book
including illustrations and instructions for facilitating sequences of learning activities.
”
7
As we find textbook that we usually see or use, it is a printed book that consists of materials with instructions andor illustrations that is
designed based on the sequence of learning activities. Textbook is intended to be used as one of learning facilitations and to make a specific educational
outcome.
From those definitions, the writer concludes that textbook is a coherent body consisting of some materials in form of printed text andor
images that is used as an instructional material in the teaching and learning process.
2. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Textbook
The important role of textbooks in the teaching and learning process has caused many writers and publishers to publish a large number of
textbooks, and those published textbooks have now been commercialized because of the high demand. However, since textbook has an important
role in the teaching and learning process, teachers have to pay attention to its advantages and disadvantages in order to provide them the knowledge
of textbooks.
6
Van Els, loc. cit.
7
Sholeh Kolahi and Elaheh Shirvani, A Comparative Study of the Readability of English Textbooks of Translation and Their Persian Translations, International Journal of Linguistics, Vol.
4, No. 4, 2012, p. 346.
