A qualitative content analysis of when English rings a bell-grade VII.

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ABSTRACT
Luluk Iswati. 2015. Quatitative Content Analysis of “When English Rings a Bell
–Grade VII.” Yogyakarta: The Graduate Program, English Language Studies,
Sanata Dharma University.
It is widely accepted that in the teaching and learning process, textbooks
play an important role. For EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners, a
textbook serves as a road map of what it is expected from them and what should
be achieved in a program. Textbooks often become a major source as well as
equipment in which learning activities are already provided and teachers do not
have to make a long preparation. The implementation of the 2013 Curriculum
demands a shift in the pedagogical method. This curriculum, which focuses on
acquiring three competencies – attitude, skill, and knowledge – has brought a new
concept in its materials design (textbooks). Consequently, the textbook used for
the learners should also be in accordance with the 2013 Curriculum.

This research aimed to evaluate When English Rings a Bell – Grade VII to
discover to what extent the book complies with the 2013 Curriculum and the
general aspects of textbook evaluation. This research employed qualitative content
analysis method, and the data were obtained through a checklist and interviews.
The checklist was based on Cunningsworth (1995), Mc Donough et al. (2013),
and Mukundan and Nimechisalem (2012). The checklist was used to score each
aspect and its evaluation ranges from to a great extent, to some extent, not
satisfactorily, and not at all. To ensure the result of the researcher’s evaluation
using the checklist, interviews were conducted to four SMP English teachers in
Jogjakarta province. The respondents were senior teachers whose schools applied
the 2013 Curriculum and used the book in teaching. The main data from the
checklist were evaluated and described, and then they were verified with the
findings from the interviews. All aspects of evaluation were then categorized into
high, medium, and low compliance.
The findings of this research show that although the book is the revised
edition, ‘When English Rings a Bell –Grade VII’ has medium compliance with the
2013 Curriculum, which means that not all aspects of the 2013 Curriculum are
well-distributed through the book. Two aspects which have low scores are
spiritual atitude and exercises. In regard with the general aspects of textbook
evaluation, it also shows that the book has medium compliance. It lacks listening

and reading materials, and the visuals are not quite appropriate for the intended
learners. Therefore, it is suggested that the book be revised to be highly in
compliance with the 2013 and the general aspects of a good EFL textbook.
Key words: textbook, evaluation, the 2013 Curriculum, general aspects

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ABSTRAK
Luluk Iswati. 2015. Qualitative Content Analysis of “When English Rings a Bell
- Grade VII ”. Yogyakarta: Program Pascasarjana, Kajian Bahasa Inggris,
Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Sudah menjadi hal yang wajar bahwa dalam proses belajar mengajar, buku
teks memegang peran yang penting. Bagi mereka yang belajar bahasa Inggris

sebagai bahasa asing, buku teks merupakan pegangan untuk mengertahui apa
yang diharapkan dari mereka dan apa yang harus dicapai dalam sebuah program.
Buku teks seringkali menjadi sumber utama dan ‘alat’ dimana kegiatan
pembelajaran sudah tertuang di dalamnya dan guru tidak harus membuat
persiapan yang panjang. Implementasi kurikulum 2013 menuntut perubahan
dalam metode pedagogis. Kurikulum ini, yang berfokus pada pencapaian tiga
kompetensi – sikap, keterampilan, dan pengetahuan – telah membawa konsep
baru dalam materi pembelajaran (buku teks). Oleh karena itu, buku teks yang
dipakai untuk siswa juga harus sesuai dengan kurikulum 2013.
Penelitian ini mengevaluasi When English Rings a Bell – Kelas VII untuk
menemukan seberapa jauh buku ini sesuai dengan kurikulum 2013 dan aspekaspek umum dalam evaluasi buku teks. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode
analisa konten kualitatif, dimana data diambil melalui checklist dan wawancara.
Checklist dibuat berdasarkan Cunningsworth (1995), McDonough dkk. (2013),
dan Mukundan & Nimechisalem (2012) yang dibuat sendiri dan melalui
wawancara. Checklist digunakan untuk memberi nilai tiap aspek dengan penilaian
sebagian besar, sampai derajat tertentu, tidak memuaskan, dan tidak sama sekali.
Wawancara dipakai untuk memeriksa kembali data utamanya, dan ada empat
responden yang diwawancara. Responden terdiri dari guru-guru senior yang
sekolahnya menerapkan kurikulum 2013 dan menggunakan buku teks tersebut.
Data dari checklist kemudian dievaluasi dan dideskripsikan, lalu diverifikasi

dengan temuan dari hasil wawancara. Semua aspek yang dievaluasi lalu
dikategorikan ke dalam tinggi, sedang, dan rendah dalam hal kesesuaian.
Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa meskipun merupakan buku
teks yang sudah direvisi, When English Rings a Bell –Kelas VII memiliki tingkat
kesesuaian yang sedang dengan kurikulum 2013, yang artinya tidak semua aspek
dari kurikulum 2013 didistribusikan dengan baik melalui buku tersebut. Dua
aspek yang bernilai rendah adalah aspek sikap spiritual dan aspek latihan.
Berkaitan dengan aspek-aspek umum dalam evaluasi buku teks, buku ini juga
memiliki tingkat kesesuaian sedang. Materi mendengarkan dan membaca kurang,
dan visual buku tersebut tidak begitu sesuai untuk pemakaianya. Disarankan agar
buku tersebut direvisi lagi agar mempunyai tingkat kesesuaian yang tinggi
terhadap kurikulum 2013 dan aspek-aspek umum dalam buku teks bahasa Inggris.
Kata kunci: buku teks, evaluasi, Kurikulum 2013, aspek umum
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A QUALITATIVE CONTENT ANALYSIS OF WHEN ENGLISH RINGS A
BELL - GRADE VII

A Thesis Presented to
the Graduate Program in English Language Studies
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Magister Humaniora (M.Hum.)
in English Language Studies

LULUK ISWATI
126332023

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2015

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, I would like to convey my gratitude to Allah S.W.T who has
given me strenght and endurance to finally accomplish this hard work. Without
Allah’s guidance, this thesis writing could not have been accomplished.

I would also like to convey my gratitude to my thesis supervisor, Dr. J.
Bismoko, who has guided me to the right track during the writing of this thesis. I
was also blessed to have F.X. Mukarto, Ph. D., Dr. Fr. Alip, M.Pd.,M.A., and Dr,
B.B. Dwijatmoko, M.A as my thesis examiners who opened up my eyes and
awareness about the limited knowledge and competence I had in this thesis
writing. Indeed, their suggestions have broadened my insight in thesis writing.
To my amazing respondents – Bu Yeyen (SMP Muhammadiyah 9
Yogyakarta), Bu Erwanti (SMP 1 Sewon), Pak Zamzani (SMP 1 Bantul), and Pak
Otniel (SMP 8 Yogyakarta) – I would like to convey my sincerest gratitude for
their cooperation and their willingness to help me in the process of data
acquisition. This piece of work would have been impossible to be accomplished
without their contribution.
To my colleagues at PPB UMY as well as my ‘thesis consultants’ – Bu
Fitria, Bu Rina, Ika, Uke, and Bu Irna - thank you for being there to listen and to
share. To my husband, Awan Wisnu Handoko, thank you for the support. Last but
not least, to the apple of my eye – Saktiawan Herkamoyo – you are the main
reason for my struggle.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE..................................................................................................

i

APPROVAL PAGE........................................................................................

ii

THESIS DEFENSE APPROVAL PAGE....................................................

iii

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY.............................................................

iv

PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI............................................

v

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................

vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS...............................................................................

vi i

LIST OF TABLES..........................................................................................

x

LIST OF FIGURES........................................................................................

xi

ABSTRACT....................................................................................................

xi i

ABSTRAK........................................................................................................

xi i i

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH ...................................................

1

B. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION ..............................................................

4

C. PROBLEM LIMITATION .........................................................................

6

D. PROBLEM FORMULATION ...................................................................

7

E. RESEARCH GOALS..................................................................................

7

F. RESEARCH BENEFITS ............................................................................

8

CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW
A. THEORETICAL REVIEW ........................................................................

9

1. English Textbooks ..................................................................................

9

2. The 2013 Curriculum...............................................................................

14

a. Competency.........................................................................................

19

b. Learning models..................................................................................

24

c. Process.................................................................................................

26

3. Textbook evaluation ...............................................................................

28

a. Cunningsworth’s model (1995) .........................................................

30
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b. McDonough, Shaw, and Masuhara’s model (2013)...........................

37

c. Mukundan & Nimechisalem’s model (2012).....................................

45

4. Qualitative Content Analysis ...................................................................

48

a. Meaning and function........................................................................

48

b. Types of qualitative content analysis.................................................

49

c. Procedure...........................................................................................

52

d. Quality criteria of textbook evaluation based on Rahimpour and
Hashemi (2011)..................................................................................

53

B. SIMILAR RESEARCH REPORTS............................................................

55

C. FRAMEWORK OF PRE-UNDERSTANDING
AND PRE-FIGURED THEMES ................................................................

57

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................................

64

B. NATURE AND SOURCES OF DATA .....................................................

65

C. OPERATION ..............................................................................................

66

1. Sources of data. ........................................................................................

66

2. Instrumentation.........................................................................................

67

3. Data gathering procedure..........................................................................

70

4. Data analysis and presentation.................................................................

71

5. Trustworthiness........................................................................................

71

CHAPTER IV DATA ACQUISITION AND DESCRIPTION
A. DATA ACQUISITION...............................................................................

73

B. DESCRIPTION...........................................................................................

76

1. Chapter Evaluation of When English Rings a Bell – Grade VII..............

77

2. The whole evaluation of When English Rings a Bell – Grade VII..........

115

2.1 The compliance with the 2013 Curriculum...................................

115

a. Competencies............................................................................. 115
b. Learning models........................................................................

121

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c. Process.......................................................................................

126

2.2 The compliance with the general aspects of textbook evaluation..

128

a. Materials....................................................................................

128

b. Topics........................................................................................

137

c. Language skills..........................................................................

139

d. Exercises.................................................................................... 147
e. Physical aspects.........................................................................

148

f. Vocabulary list...........................................................................

150

g. Teacher’s book..........................................................................

151

3. Other finding...........................................................................................

153

C. INTERPRETATION...................................................................................

154

CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS
A. CONCLUSIONS........................................................................................
1. The textbook compliance with the 2013 Curriculum..............................

156
156

2. The textbook compliance with the general aspects of textbook 157
evaluation................................................................................................
B. IMPLICATIONS......................................................................................... 158
C. SUGGESTIONS..........................................................................................

159

BIBLIOGRAPHY..........................................................................................

161

APPENDICES................................................................................................

168

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1
Table 2.2
Table 2.3
Table 2.4
Table 3.1
Table 3.2
Table 4.1

The differences between School-Based Curriculum and
Competency-Based Curriculum............................................
The competency level of Junior High School students
based on 2013 Curriculum.....................................................
The content of English as a subject for high school students
grade VI- VIII.......................................................................
The quality criteria of textbook evaluation based on
Rahimpour and Hashemi (2011)...........................................
A checklist for When English Rings a Bell – Grade
VII.........................................................................................
Interviewblueprint (simplified) ............................................

16
19
23
53
67
69

Table 4.4

The data of the textbook evaluation from the self-made
checklist.................................................................................
The textbook compliance with the 2013
Curriculum.............................................................................
The textbook compliance with the general aspects of
textbook evaluation...............................................................
The distribution of social attitudes........................................

Table 4.5

The distribution of projects...................................................

121

Table 4.6

The promotion of discovery learning....................................

123

Table 4.7

The implementation of scientific approach in each chapter..

126

Table 4.8

The sequence and grading of acitivities in chapter II...........

129

Table 4.9

The order of topics distribution.............................................

137

Table 4.10

The type of listening materials..............................................

140

Table 4.11

The type of speaking activity in each chapter.......................

142

Table 4.12

The distribution of reading materials....................................

144

Table 4.2
Table 4.3

74
75
76
77

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 Three competencies of the 2013 Curriculum ..................................21
Figure 2.2 Step model of inductive category development ...............................50
Figure 2.3 Step model of deductive category development ...............................51
Figure 2.4 General qualitative content-analytical procedural model .................52
Figure 2.5 The framework of understanding......................................................59

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ABSTRACT
Luluk Iswati. 2015. Quatitative Content Analysis of “When English Rings a Bell
–Grade VII.” Yogyakarta: The Graduate Program, English Language Studies,
Sanata Dharma University.
It is widely accepted that in the teaching and learning process, textbooks
play an important role. For EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners, a
textbook serves as a road map of what it is expected from them and what should
be achieved in a program. Textbooks often become a major source as well as
equipment in which learning activities are already provided and teachers do not
have to make a long preparation. The implementation of the 2013 Curriculum
demands a shift in the pedagogical method. This curriculum, which focuses on
acquiring three competencies – attitude, skill, and knowledge – has brought a new
concept in its materials design (textbooks). Consequently, the textbook used for
the learners should also be in accordance with the 2013 Curriculum.
This research aimed to evaluate When English Rings a Bell – Grade VII to
discover to what extent the book complies with the 2013 Curriculum and the
general aspects of textbook evaluation. This research employed qualitative content
analysis method, and the data were obtained through a checklist and interviews.
The checklist was based on Cunningsworth (1995), Mc Donough et al. (2013),
and Mukundan and Nimechisalem (2012). The checklist was used to score each
aspect and its evaluation ranges from to a great extent, to some extent, not
satisfactorily, and not at all. To ensure the result of the researcher’s evaluation
using the checklist, interviews were conducted to four SMP English teachers in
Jogjakarta province. The respondents were senior teachers whose schools applied
the 2013 Curriculum and used the book in teaching. The main data from the
checklist were evaluated and described, and then they were verified with the
findings from the interviews. All aspects of evaluation were then categorized into
high, medium, and low compliance.
The findings of this research show that although the book is the revised
edition, ‘When English Rings a Bell –Grade VII’ has medium compliance with the
2013 Curriculum, which means that not all aspects of the 2013 Curriculum are
well-distributed through the book. Two aspects which have low scores are
spiritual atitude and exercises. In regard with the general aspects of textbook
evaluation, it also shows that the book has medium compliance. It lacks listening
and reading materials, and the visuals are not quite appropriate for the intended
learners. Therefore, it is suggested that the book be revised to be highly in
compliance with the 2013 and the general aspects of a good EFL textbook.
Key words: textbook, evaluation, the 2013 Curriculum, general aspects

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ABSTRAK
Luluk Iswati. 2015. Qualitative Content Analysis of “When English Rings a Bell
- Grade VII ”. Yogyakarta: Program Pascasarjana, Kajian Bahasa Inggris,
Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Sudah menjadi hal yang wajar bahwa dalam proses belajar mengajar, buku
teks memegang peran yang penting. Bagi mereka yang belajar bahasa Inggris
sebagai bahasa asing, buku teks merupakan pegangan untuk mengertahui apa
yang diharapkan dari mereka dan apa yang harus dicapai dalam sebuah program.
Buku teks seringkali menjadi sumber utama dan ‘alat’ dimana kegiatan
pembelajaran sudah tertuang di dalamnya dan guru tidak harus membuat
persiapan yang panjang. Implementasi kurikulum 2013 menuntut perubahan
dalam metode pedagogis. Kurikulum ini, yang berfokus pada pencapaian tiga
kompetensi – sikap, keterampilan, dan pengetahuan – telah membawa konsep
baru dalam materi pembelajaran (buku teks). Oleh karena itu, buku teks yang
dipakai untuk siswa juga harus sesuai dengan kurikulum 2013.
Penelitian ini mengevaluasi When English Rings a Bell – Kelas VII untuk
menemukan seberapa jauh buku ini sesuai dengan kurikulum 2013 dan aspekaspek umum dalam evaluasi buku teks. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode
analisa konten kualitatif, dimana data diambil melalui checklist dan wawancara.
Checklist dibuat berdasarkan Cunningsworth (1995), McDonough dkk. (2013),
dan Mukundan & Nimechisalem (2012) yang dibuat sendiri dan melalui
wawancara. Checklist digunakan untuk memberi nilai tiap aspek dengan penilaian
sebagian besar, sampai derajat tertentu, tidak memuaskan, dan tidak sama sekali.
Wawancara dipakai untuk memeriksa kembali data utamanya, dan ada empat
responden yang diwawancara. Responden terdiri dari guru-guru senior yang
sekolahnya menerapkan kurikulum 2013 dan menggunakan buku teks tersebut.
Data dari checklist kemudian dievaluasi dan dideskripsikan, lalu diverifikasi
dengan temuan dari hasil wawancara. Semua aspek yang dievaluasi lalu
dikategorikan ke dalam tinggi, sedang, dan rendah dalam hal kesesuaian.
Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa meskipun merupakan buku
teks yang sudah direvisi, When English Rings a Bell –Kelas VII memiliki tingkat
kesesuaian yang sedang dengan kurikulum 2013, yang artinya tidak semua aspek
dari kurikulum 2013 didistribusikan dengan baik melalui buku tersebut. Dua
aspek yang bernilai rendah adalah aspek sikap spiritual dan aspek latihan.
Berkaitan dengan aspek-aspek umum dalam evaluasi buku teks, buku ini juga
memiliki tingkat kesesuaian sedang. Materi mendengarkan dan membaca kurang,
dan visual buku tersebut tidak begitu sesuai untuk pemakaianya. Disarankan agar
buku tersebut direvisi lagi agar mempunyai tingkat kesesuaian yang tinggi
terhadap kurikulum 2013 dan aspek-aspek umum dalam buku teks bahasa Inggris.
Kata kunci: buku teks, evaluasi, Kurikulum 2013, aspek umum
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
The initial chapter of this thesis is intended to expose the purpose and background
of this study. Therefore, some similar studies that had been conducted previously
by many researchers are going to be exposed. This chapter contains (1)
background, (2) problem identification, (3) problem limitation, (4) problem
formulation, (5) research goals, and (6) research benefits.

A. BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH
It has been widely accepted that textbooks play an essential role in the
process of teaching and learning a language. In fact, most teachers and students
rely much on the existence of a textbook to facilitate the teaching learning
process. In Indonesia, where English is taught as a foreign language and students’
main exposure to English is obtained in the classroom, the role of textbooks is
very crucial. Almost all teaching practices in formal and informal schools can
hardly be separated from the use of textbooks, although they are not the main
factor which determines the success of learning and teaching. For schools which
have limited number of qualified teachers, the role of textbooks become more
important as they often serve as the main language inputs for students.
The fact that textbooks are one of the important elements in language
teaching has motivated a lot of researchers and educators to conduct a research on
textbook evaluation. The researches in textbook evaluation have been done in
many countries and are focused on various aspects. In 2008, a study was

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conducted by Hamidi on the evaluation of English textbooks used at the
University of Jordan focusing on the functional aspects. The study revealed that
the instructors and students believed that the textbooks are functional enough.
However, after being analyzed, the textbooks showed that most of the functional
aspects of the lexicogrammar are not equally-distributed. Labelle (2010) did a
content analysis study of 33 ELL (English Language Learning) textbooks used in
Milwaukee. After being analyzed, it showed that 6 of the 33 textbooks were at the
range of good to excellent in term of L2 learning strategies in both illustrated and
written representation. A study conducted by Rahimpour & Hashemi (2011) on
English textbooks used at high schools in Iran were focused on three aspects: the
sections, physical make-up, and some practical concern. Being evaluated on those
three major aspects, the result revealed the fact that the textbooks are not
acceptable from the teachers’ point of view. In 2014, Hooman conducted a similar
research on EFL textbooks used in all universities in Sistan and Baluchistan
province of Iran by interviewing the teachers and students. The elements which
were evaluated include ethnicity, gender, and cultural values. The results of the
research show that both teachers and students believed that the textbooks which
are used are not against the students’ ethnicity, gender, and cultural values, yet
they argued that other principles are not given proper attention.
In Indonesia, the abundantly available textbooks, especially English
textbooks which are used in schools, have triggered many researches in textbook
evaluation. In 2009, Wasono did a study on evaluation of the 2006 curriculumbased English textbook. The results revealed that the textbook was applicable and

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suitable with the 2006 Curriculum. Keban et al. (2012) conducted a content
analysis study on a textbook used at the Elementary schools in Malang. The
findings of the study showed that 60.86% of the textbook met the criteria of a
good EFL textbook. In general, it can be inferred that the thriving research on
textbook evaluation is often based on teachers’ concern about the quality of
textbooks.
Along with the changing curriculum, textbooks have been becoming an
issue which often raises controversy in Indonesian education. Once a new
curriculum is applied, many publishers make this as an opportunity to gain
financial benefits by launching new textbooks. However, not all textbooks in the
market are carefully designed based on the concept of a released curriculum.
Some textbooks are often too difficult or too easy for the targeted students, while
others often do not quite facilitate the students’ needs.
The 2013 Curriculum has been launched to replace the previous
curriculum called KTSP (School-Based Curriculum). However, this curriculum
principle still refers to the School-Based Curriculum. This curriculum is expected
to be able to increase the quality and ability of Indonesian students in coping with
the global changes. This curriculum is implemented in order to create learners
who are competitive, innovative, creative, critical, communicative, and has a
strong character. Therefore, the 2013 Curriculum highlights the development of
learners’ competency in attitude, skill, and knowledge, in order to shape learners
who possess hard skills and soft skills.

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In line with the development of Indonesian curriculum, the approach in
English teaching has also been altered. Using scientific approach, the teaching
process based on the 2013 Curriculum should cover five main activities—
observing, questioning, exploring, associating, and communicating. Those stages
require students to be actively involved during the learning process. Among
school teachers, the term of ‘books change as curriculum change’ are still
common. For them, the need to have a newly-designed book based on the current
curriculum is crucial. Following the release of 2013 Curriculum, students’
textbooks which flourish in the market nowadays claim to have adopted the
concept of teaching based in that curriculum. Despite the pros and cons which
revolve around the implementation of 2013 Curriculum, new textbooks are
published. In regard to the facts above, this study attempts to describe the
evaluation of an English textbook used by junior high school students grade VII
based on the implementation of 2013 Curriculum.

B. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
As the 2013 Curriculum is implemented in schools, English teaching and
learning process should also be adjusted by emphasizing skills, knowledge, and
attitude. In the process of teaching, teachers use a new approach—scientific
approach. Consequently, the materials which are used to facilitate the teaching
learning process should also be based on that approach. It is widely known that in
scientific approach teachers implement different teaching procedure. The teaching
and learning stages should involve the students to actively participate through

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observing, questioning, exploring, associating, and communicating. Those stages
are designed in order to reach the goal of the 2013 Curriculum—to create
Indonesians who are competent, religious, productive, creative, innovative, and
affective, and are able to contribute to the society, country, and the global
civilization (Law No. 69, 2013, Ministry of Education and Culture).
In language teaching, the role of textbooks are influential. Textbooks
usually provide instructional materials and activities which facilitate learners to
use the target langauge. Graves (2000) states that the quality of a textbook will
affect the quality of the language being taught or learnt. Similarly, Albatch and
Kelly (1998) suggest that the role of textbooks is important in the development of
national school system and in improving the contribution of schooling to policy
goals, despite the fact that many teachers use textbooks only as supporting
resources. They often develop self-designed materials to meet their students’
needs based on the curriculum. Meanwhile, for a lot of teachers, textbooks are
used as the main sources of their teaching. It is because their schools do not
provide sufficient teaching resources or access to supplementary materials. The
other reason is that not all schools have qualified teachers who are able to design
materials for their teaching practice. Therefore, they depend a lot on the help of a
textbook. Graves (2000) suggests that using a textbook can save teacher’s time in
preparing their teaching materials. In fact, it is undeniable that due to teachers’
busy schedule, many of them often do not make any preparation. They simply
rush to the class with a textbook to teach for the whole session.

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With a wide choice of textbooks available in the market, their quality is
worth evaluating. Therefore, it is necessary for the teachers to carefully select a
textbook which is really in line with the implemented curriculum. A lot of
textbooks have label ‘based on 2013 curriculum’, but quite often that the content
is not related to that curriculum. To have a careful selection of a textbook which is
to be used in class, teachers should go deeper inside the textbook. Some aspects
such as content, language, and presentation, should be evaluated. The sad fact is,
many schools use certain textbooks based on a business negotiation with certain
publishers (Kiswara, 2009). The main consideration is how the schools will get
financial benefit from that negotiation, not how good the textbook is. Without
proper consideration and evaluation, finally a textbook is chosen to be used by the
teachers and students, neglecting the suitability of the content of a textbook with
the students’ needs and the curriulum. This problem is the base of why this
research is conducted. Commonly, teachers are busy with their tight teaching
schedule and doing administrative work that they hardly have time to take a
deeper look at the textbook they are using. In other words, textbook evaluation is
still rare to be done by teachers. Therefore, this study will focus on the
researcher’s evaluation of an English textbook used by students of grade VII.

C. PROBLEM LIMITATION
Evaluating a textbook should be thoroughly done. However, due to the time
constraint, this study is limited to evaluating an English textbook used by grade
VII entitled When English Rings a Bell which is based on the 2013 Curriculum.

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In this qualitative study, the researcher limits the study by evaluating the textbook
to discover to what extent the book complies with the 2013 curriculum and meets
the general aspects of textbook evaluation. Besides, some interviews were
conducted to gain more data. Due to the limited time and fund, the interviews
were only conducted to four SMP English teachers in Yogyakarta province who
implemented the 2013 Curriculum and used the same book. Due to the limited
data acquisition, the results of this study may not represent the general reality or
condition in Indonesia.

D. PROBLEM FORMULATION
In this descriptive research, the problems are formulated as follows:
(1) To what extent does the textbook When English Rings a Bell - Grade VII
comply with the 2013 Curriculum?
(2) To what extent does the textbook When English Rings a Bell - Grade VII
comply with the general aspects of textbook evaluation?

E. RESEARCH GOALS
This research has three goals : immediate, intermediate, and ultimate. As an
exploratory research, the immediate goal of this research is a logically explained
description of When English Rings a Bell -Grade VII regarding its compliance
with the 2013 Curriculum and the general aspects of textbook evaluation.
Meanwhile, the intermediate goal is to offer insights for the textbook writers on
the textbook aspects which comply with the 2013 Curriculum and the general

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aspects of textbook evaluation, as well as to offer inputs about the aspects of the
book that still need improvements. Besides, this research offers a practicality on a
textbook evaluation, as it is important to evaluate a 2013 Curriculum-based
textbook in a systematic and practical way. Then, the ultimate goal of this
research is to reach efficiency in English teaching and learning, particularly in
using When English Rings a Bell - Grade VII, so teachers can have a better
teaching, and students can learn effectively.

F. RESEARCH BENEFITS
This study describes the evaluation of a textbook based on the 2013 Curriculum.
The result of this study is expected to give scientific benefits and practical
benefits in the teaching of English in Indonesia. The scientific benefits of this
study offer findings to what extent the book complies with the 2013 Curriculum
and the general aspects of textbook evaluation. For the practical benefits, this
research offers some findings for the textbook writers and teachers about the
aspects of the textbook which comply with the 2013 Curriculum and the general
aspects of an EFL textbook, as well as aspects that need improvement. Therefore,
further improvement can be made based on the findings of this research. Besides,
this study gives teachers an insight on the importance of having a textbook
evaluation. This study will also serve as a reference for other researchers to
conduct an extended research about textbook evaluation.

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CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW

The purpose of this chapter is to clarify the constructs of the title of this study. It
will discuss theories of the major concept and the concepts in relation. It consists
of several sub-titles: (1) theoretical review, (2) similar research reports, and (3)
framework of pre-understanding and pre-figured themes.

A. THEORETICAL REVIEW
This section attempts to elaborate and clarify the theories and constructs of this
study. The elaboration of some related theories will give comprehension about the
concepts employed in this study. Therefore, this section will focus on discussing
the followings: (1) English textbooks, (2) the 2013 Curriculum, (3) textbook
evaluation, and (4) qualitative content analysis.
1. English Textbooks
The practice of English teaching and learning in EFL countries like
Indonesia can hardly be separated from the use of English textbooks. They are
widely used in various educational institutions such as private schools, public
schools, English courses, language institution, etc. The type of English textbooks
which are used usually are based on the learners’ needs and the curriculum of the
institution. Many teachers and institutons find the ease of using certain textbooks
for they can be a saviour during their teaching practice in the classroom. The role
of an English textbook becomes so significant when the content is arranged and

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presented in line with the implemented curriculum. It is undeniable that a lot of
teachers still depend a lot on textbooks. Lamie (1999) states that although
technologies have allowed teachers to access high quality materials, the need for
textbooks continues to increase, so publishing industry keeps on producing new
series every year. For teachers who lack teaching experience, a textbook can often
be the main ‘weapon’. Additionally, for busy teachers who have a tight teaching
schedule and less time for making preparation, a textbook might make them a
little relaxed and less worried. Similarly, textbooks also play a role in learners’
learning process. As Razmjoo (2007) suggests, textbooks make learners feel
secure as they can develop a sense of progress and achievement during their
learning process. They also provide activities which enable learners to be involved
in a series of structured steps. Beside, they serve as a tool from which materials
are taken and delivered to learners. In short, textbooks not only help teachers but
also learners.
In fact textbooks have various roles, and among others are the followings.
In Richards and Renandya (eds., 2002), Crawford cites the role of textbooks
according to Hutchinson and Torres (1994). There are two roles : as an agent for
change and as a structuring tool. First, textbooks have a role as an agent for
change. To be an agent of change, there are some conditions which must be
fulfilled. First, a textbook should provide a clear, detailed teacher’s guide and in
the student’s book there is a learning-how-to learn suggestion. Second, a textbook
should support and assist with classroom management, so teachers are free to deal
with new content and procedures. Third, a textbook should offer an easy-to

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understand image about what the change will be like, as well as provide a clear
guidance on how to use it in the classroom. The last, if a textbook is uniformly
used by a school, colleagues should share responsibility and support each other in
having a commitment to a change.
Furthermore, Crawford (2002) suggests that textbooks can also become a
structuring tool. When teachers work within a new program and unpredictable
learner types, a textbook can give a sense of security for both teachers and
learners as it becomes a medium through which an interaction is built. Textbooks
offer structured materials which can accomodate learners’ development in their
language skills. Although

a textbook does not control the teaching learning

process, it offers the structure and predictability to make the classroom interaction
more tolerable to the participants. Therefore, a ‘threatening’ atmosphere can be
reduced or avoided.
Meanwhile, Cunningsworth (1984) lists several roles of textbooks in
English language teaching. First, textbooks have a role as a resource for
presentation material. They help teachers in presenting their spoken and written
materials during the teaching learning process. Therefore, it saves their time for
preparing their own teaching materials. It cannot be denied that generally, teachers
have a tight teaching schedule that they often have less time to explore and
prepare teaching materials. Beside, they must also deal with administrative works
which are often time consuming. When textbooks are available, teachers can
depend on them to some extent.

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Second, textbooks can also serve as a source of activities for learner
practice and communicative interaction, because they provide activities through
which learners are given opportunity to practice using the language. The activities
usually range from individual work, pair work, group work, or whole-class work.
Learners will be involved in various interactive activities. Therefore, the
interaction is also built among learners, not just teacher-learner interaction.
Activities and language practice in textbooks can also encourage teachers to be
creative. They will be challenged on how they will conduct or modify the
activities so that they can accomodate all types of learners and meet the learners’
needs.
Third, textbooks can have a role as a reference source for learners on
grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and other aspects of language.They also
offer knowledge about general rules on using the language. Grammar, vocabulary,
and pronunciation are a few main rules which are useful in shaping learners’
accuracy and fluency in using the language. They are the foundation of language
learning. Learners can use grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation from
textbooks for practicing the language. Therefore, they do not have to buy books
about grammar rules, vocabulary, or pronunciation, because those aspects are
usually embedded in textbooks.
Fourth, textbooks’ role is as a source for stimulation and ideas for
classroom language activities. The materials or activities on textbooks often
inspire teachers to generate ideas on how to develop the activities to be more
accomodating for the learners. Teachers can develop classroom language

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activities by elaborating or extending the activities mentioned in the textbook.
They can design follow up activities by developing their ideas into more
challenging and interesting activities.
Fifth, textbooks serve as a syllabus reflecting the learning objectives
which have already been determined. Most of textbooks used for English
language teaching contain a syllabus which serves as a portrait of what will be
achieved by the learners and what are expected from the learners. Therefore, it can
be a guidance during the whole program. The existence of a syllabus in a textbook
also saves teachers’ time.
Sixth, textbooks are used as a resource for self-directed learning or selfaccess work. There are often sections in a textbook where learners can check and
assess their own progress. Learners can check their own progress individually
without feeling threatened or intimidated. This can be done not only in the class
but also at home. So, learners can be triggered to be autonomous. In other words,
textbooks, provided that the content and design are appealing to learners, can
motivate learners to not always depend on the teacher and the classroom
interaction.
Seventh, textbooks support less experienced teachers who have yet to gain in
confidence. For teachers who are not well-experienced in teaching, a textbook re
ally serves as a guidance or a private tutor. They do not have to prepare their own
teaching materials and figure out how to teach using their own materials. As
textbooks are usually equipped with teacher’s book, less-experienced teachers can
follow the procedures on how to conduct each activity. However, some

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adjustments, whether minor or major, sometimes are needed. Therefore, being
critical is necessary.
Additionally, according to Richards (2001) textbooks have two general
functions. First,textbooks may become the basis for much of the language input
learners receive and the classroom language practice especially in ESL and EFL
situations. Second, textbooks can serve as the basis for the content of the lessons,
the balance of skills taught and the kinds of language practice the students
participate in. Third, textbooks can be a primary supplement of teacher’s
instruction. Furthermore, Richards (2001) also highlights the different functions
of textbooks for teachers and learners, which are similar to Cunningsworth’s
(1984). For learners, textbooks can serve as the major source of contact they have
with the language apart from inputs provided by the teacher. So, language inputs
are not merely gained from teachers, but also from textbooks. For inexperienced
teachers, textbooks can be used as teacher training because they offer ideas on
how to design and teach lessons and offer formats that teachers can use. In other
words, when teachers have less opportunity to get teaching trainings, textbooks
can give inputs to teachers on what and how to teach.

2. The 2013 curriculum
Curriculum is the basic principle in every education program. It is the
foundation on which the teaching and learning process is based. An education
program will not run well if it has no curriculum, therefore, it is crucial to have a
fixed curriculum before an education program is held. Generally, the goal of

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curriculum is to create qualified learning output for young generation. According
to Richards (2013), curriculum is the whole plan or design of a course and how
the content of a course is changed completely into a blueprint for teaching and
learning so that the desired learning outcomes can be achieved. Richards (2001)
adds that the focus of curriculum development is on determining the knowledge,
skills, and values which are learned in schools. Beside, what experiences which
are offered to learners should also be included in the curriculum, and they should
be in line with the intended learning outcome. Also, a curriculum should tell how
teaching and learning are organized systematically involving planning, measuring,
and evaluating. Curriculum does not only rule academic matters but also
emphasizes the importance of values which students should develop. Besides, a
curriculum should also integrate the process of planning, measuring, and
evaluating the teaching and learning program.
Wiggins and McTighe (2006) state that curriculum is taken from external
standard and local goals which are then put into a plan to achieve effective
teaching and learning. Thus, a curriculum does not only contain the input (topics,
key facts, and skills). It should also serve as a map of how the outputs (e.g.
learners’ desired performance) can be achieved through appropriate learning
activities and assessments. So, the role of a curriculum is as a means to set and
achieve the goals. Therefore, curriculum should involve not only the effective
teaching and learning, but also how the students’s performance are assessed.
According to Law number 20 year 2003, curriculum is a group of plan and
arrangement of goal, content, subject matter, and the way how it is used as

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guidance in the implementation of learning in order to achieve the goals of
education. As new pedagogical methods develop, the 2013 curriculum (also called
competency-based curriculum) has been officially issued to replace the previous
curriculum named KTSP (School-Based Curriculum). The 2013 curriculum