THE EVALUATION OF ENGLISH ELECTRONIC BOOKS FOR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL IN INDONESIA
Submitted to Department of English Education of Faculty of Arts and Language Education of Indonesia University of Education as a Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements of Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
By
Miftahur Rijal Anshar 0900736
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EDUCATION FACULTY OF ARTS AND LANGUAGE EDUCATION
THE EVALUATION OF ENGLISH
ELECTRONIC BOOKS FOR JUNIOR HIGH
SCHOOL IN INDONESIA
Oleh
Miftahur Rijal Anshar
Sebuah skripsi yang diajukan untuk memenuhi salah satu syarat memperoleh gelar Sarjana Pendidikan (S.Pd.) pada Fakultas Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni
© Miftahur Rijal Anshar 2014 Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Januari 2014
Hak Cipta dilindungi undang-undang.
PAGE OF APPROVAL
MIFTAHUR RIJAL ANSHAR (0900736)
THE EVALUATION OF ENGLISH ELECTRONIC BOOKS FOR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL IN INDONESIA
Approved by: First Supervisor
Prof. Hj. Emi Emilia, M.Ed., Ph.D. NIP. 196609161990012001
Second Supervisor
Ika Lestari Damayanti, S.Pd., M.A. NIP. 197709192001122001
Head of English Education Department Faculty of Language and Fine Arts Education
Indonesia University of Education
ABSTRACT
The research paper entitled “The Evaluation of English Electronic Books for Junior High School in Indonesia” aims at finding out in what aspect English Electronic Book (BSE) fulfill the criteria of a good English textbook and finding out features of supporting aids in the textbooks. This research focuses on evaluating two English electronic books (BSE) for the seventh grade of junior high school based on physical appearance, content and the supporting aids of the textbooks following the works of Skierso (1991) and Cunningworrth (1984). Since the research employs qualitative study design, the researcher applies a document analysis. To answer the research questions, the research uses several steps. The first step is categorizing the data from the checklist into aspects of textbooks which were analyzed. The second step is analyzing and interpreting the data based on related theories. The result of analysis and interpretation, reveals that from several aspects both English Electronic Books (BSE) entitled “English in Focus” and “Scaffolding” fit the criteria of English
textbooks in terms of physical appearance and content of the textbooks. However both textbooks need some improvement on how to design the activities and to add some proper supporting aids for the teacher. Both the textbooks are attractive in layout, and use some fun explanation on grammar and language function. They also emphasize listening and speaking skills. However the textbooks do not provide complete supporting aids for the teacher such as audio recording for listening activities and teachers’ book. There are some suggestions for the teacher of English in junior high school, textbook publisher, and further research. For English teacher in junior high school, good English teacher should be selective if they decide to choose and use their textbooks in their teaching and learning process. For the publisher and the authors of textbooks, they should consider not only the physical appearances but also the contents and the component which support teachers to use the textbooks. For the further research, the researchers are suggested to conduct research in evaluating textbooks based on the students and teachers’ points of view. The research should be in depth illustrations to give more comprehension about the criteria of good textbooks.
ABSTRAK
TABLE OF CONTENT
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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
This chapter starts with background of the study in which reason for choosing the topic and significance of the research is included. The chapter also includes research questions and aims of study. Then, clarification of key terms is delivered to clarify some disputable terms. At last, organization of paper will be explained in the end of this chapter.
1.1. Background
Textbooks play a very important role for the success of teaching and learning. Textbooks provide educational text, which can be used as source of the material (Cunningsworth, 1995). They provide objectives for the teaching process, so the teacher can choose which objective that will lead the learning process (Richards, 2001). Textbooks also provide dialogues and worksheet. So the time would not be consumed too much by the teacher to make or design some exercises for the students. In learning activity, textbooks contain many materials which are used to develop
students’ cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills (Littlejohn and Windeatt,
1989). To develop students’ cognitive skills, textbooks provide lots of materials and exercises. To develop students’ affective skills, textbooks provide dialogues. And to develop students’ psychomotor skills, textbooks provide some movement activities in the exercises.
and learning process. As Cho (2007) states that textbook is a primary material in teaching and learning process and act as the teaching aids. In line with Oliveira (1995 cited in Rahmani, 2009) who claims that textbooks are the simple way in getting various instructional resources to support teacher and student in learning process. Even though textbook is the simple way to get various instructional in teaching and learning process, teacher needs to be careful in selecting textbook as their source of materials in the class.
For teachers who use the textbooks as their main source of materials, they should be careful in selecting the textbooks. Since, it may mislead the students who learn English as foreign language (EFL) if the textbooks are not appropriate with the learners. Inappropriate textbook can be found if the textbook does not match with the
learners’ needs and characteristics, such as age of the learners, level of the learners and also the learning style of the learners. If the textbook are not appropriate with age, level and learning style of the learners it could mislead the learners. Previous studies claim that there are some textbooks which are not appropriate with the students. Gustin and Sundayana, (2008) found that there are some inappropriate textbooks for learners characteristics. They found that there are some textbooks for senior high school which do not consider the level and learning style of the learners in senior high school. Yusuf (2008) also found some weaknesses in senior high school textbook, in terms of the instruction of the book and the content of the book. For that reason, textbook evaluation is necessary to be conducted.
information in evaluating textbooks and can lead the teacher to choose the proper textbook for their teaching and learning. So this research uses in-depth evaluation approach.
Recently, the Indonesian government has published Buku Sekolah Elektronik (BSE) or English Electronic Books. It is a kind of textbook which can be used by the teachers in their teaching and learning process. Even though BSE or English electronic books are published by the government, the teachers should be able to conduct an evaluation for BSE before using it as source of materials which are adjusted to the characteristics of their class.
To contribute in the development of educational quality in Indonesia, this research is aimed to conduct an evaluation of two electronic books (BSE) for junior high school students and to analyze the appropriateness of two BSE for junior high school students, in terms of cover, content, and supporting aids of the textbook. The present study is a kind of post-use or reflective evaluation with more emphasis on vocabulary teaching and learning as an aspect of language which is usually taken for granted. Surely, the results will be a great help for the policy makers, staff and those who have a hand in writing materials according to school syllabus. In analyzing the appropriateness of BSE, this study also involves one English teacher at one junior high school in Bandung as the second evaluator to make the study more reliable since the teacher is the user of the two electronic books (BSE) which are evaluated in this study.
1.2. Research questions
The problems of this study are formulated in the following research questions:
1. In what aspects does the English Electronic book (BSE) for Junior High School students fulfill the criteria of a good English textbook?
1.3. The Aims of Study
This research is intended to find out the aspects of textbooks which fulfill the criteria of good textbook, of the two Electronic textbooks were distributed to 7th grade students of Junior high school, and it was approved by National Ministry of Education in Indonesia. In terms of cover, layout and design, objectives, activities, assessing and supporting aids for the teacher will be analyzed based on the evaluation criteria developed by Skierso (1991) and Scott and Ytreberg (1990) Grant, (1987) McGrath, (2002) Cunningworrth (1984), Harmer (2001), Woodward (2001), Pinter (2006).
1.4. Significance of The Study
This study is significant from two perspectives. Theoretically, this study is expected to enrich research about the textbook evaluation in Indonesia. The study is also expected to make contribution to the understanding of the importance of textbook evaluation for the teacher and also for EFL classroom in Indonesia. It is also hoped that this research can contribute to the improvement of EFL textbook in Indonesia.
Practically, the study can give information to other teachers in implementing textbook evaluation in evaluating another textbook before they use it in their classroom. And the teacher can be more selective in choosing the textbooks. Through textbook evaluation the books can be more appropriate to the students and can help the teacher to determine whether the textbook is good or not. So, it can help the teacher to avoid misleading in their teaching and learning process. Additionally, the research is expected to enhance a better condition in developing teaching and learning process in EFL classroom.
1.5. Clarification of Terms
1. Electronic books
Electronic books that are selected as the materials for this research are universally known as e-books. However, in this case the electronic books are books that have been developed by authors under authorization of government, specifically Department of National Education of Indonesia in form of electronic which means that books are not printed form but in form of soft file of PDF file. Nationally, the term for the electronic books is Buku Sekolah Elektonik (BSE).
2. Evaluation
Evaluation has to be defined eloquently, since misperception frequently occurs in defining what evaluation is. Evaluation is the process that involves the data collection in order to gather information to establish particular understanding or further action that can be developed through follow-up conceptions. In this case, the process is collecting data from English electronic books for junior high school students in terms of the reliability of the book based on the criteria that have been mentioned before.
3. Texts
Texts in this research are reading passages and conversations including given examples both in English in Focus and Scaffolding.
4. Illustrations
Illustrations are all pictures presented both in English in Focus and
Scaffolding.
1.6. Organization of the Paper
This paper is organized into five chapters as follows:
Chapter I Introduction
Chapter II Theoretical Foundation
This chapter consists of related theories from the experts and their research with related literature that the writer uses in this research.
Chapter III Research Methodology
This chapter discusses the methodology that covers research design, site and participants, data collection, and data analysis.
Chapter IV Findings and Discussion
This chapter consists of result and findings of the research.
Chapter V Conclusion and Recommendation
The last chapter consists of conclusion and recommendation that are synchronized with the research findings.
1.7. Concluding Remark
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter elaborates methodological aspects in conducting this research covering research design, site and respondents, data collection and data analysis. It is divided into four sections which are: research design, site and respondents, data collection, and data analysis.
3.1. Research Design
This research is aimed at finding out the aspects of two textbooks, for teaching and learning English. It analyzes the aspects of textbook which fulfill the criteria of good textbook in terms of cover, layout and design, objectives, activities, assessing and supports for the teacher. For that reason, an in-depth explanation that covers contextual analysis in detail represents the real condition of the use of textbook evaluation which should be the priority in this research. This research uses qualitative research design that applies a descriptive study as its framework. This design is purely data-derived in that codes are generated from the data in the course of the study. (Cresswel, 2012)
3.2. Site and Respondents
The data of the research are two English Electronic Textbooks or Buku Sekolah Elektronik (BSE) of Seventh grade in junior high school which are administered by Indonesian government. Those textbooks are entitled “English in Focus” and “Scaffolding”. Those textbooks are mostly used in most of national Junior High School in Indonesia. To make the research more reliable, English teacher at one of Junior High Schools in Bandung is involved as a respondent and also as the second evaluator for the checklist of the research.
3.3. Data Collections
To answer the research questions “In what aspects do the English Electronic books (BSE) for Junior High School students fulfill the criteria of good English textbook?” and “What features of textbooks are provided to support the teacher?” this research employs two data collection methods, which are: document analysis and using a checklist of the criteria of good textbook covering physical appearance, content and supporting aids of the textbook.
To follow Cunningstworth (1995), Scott and Ytreberg (1990), Harmer (2001) and Pinter (2006), the procedures of analyzing the books can be described in several steps bellow:
1. Determining the instrument of evaluation of the textbook, based on evaluation checklist.
2. Requesting the experts’ opinion about the result of analysis in evaluating the English textbooks.
3. Categorizing the component of the textbooks finding based on criteria of evaluation textbooks.
3.3.1. Checklist
The table below is the example of analysis in terms of content in the textbook. Table 3. 1. Example of the Textbook Evaluation Checklist
No Main criteria Aspect (s) assessed
1 Cover
detailed overview of the genres, function, structure and vocabulary
The organizing of the units
3 Objectives
The material objectives
Implementing the materials
The approach recommended in the textbook
4 Activities
Contextual topic
language skill activities (listening, speaking, reading and writing)
The Activities (movements, meaningful and communicative)
grammar explanation
This chapter has described important aspects related to research methodology of the study. Like qualitative research in general, this research is basically aimed at finding out the aspects of two textbooks, for teaching and learning English. It analyzes the aspects of textbook which fulfill the criteria of good textbook in terms of cover, layout and design, objectives, activities, assessing and supports for the teacher.
3.5. Concluding Remark
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
This chapter contains the conclusions and suggestions from this research. Conclusions are derived from the discussions and findings in this research. Besides, this chapter also suggests several aspects dealing with textbook analysis for the English teachers and further researchers.
5.1. Conclusion
Textbooks are useful for teaching and learning process. They identify what should be taught in class and also give the instruction to be used. They help the teachers who have limited time to prepare their teaching or their materials. No matter how the textbooks are being used, it is hoped that they will assist the teachers in deciding the materials which are appropriate for the learners, especially for seventh grade students. Since, the aim of this research is to evaluate the electronics books for students of seventh grade school of junior high school in Indonesia.
analyzed in this study (Scaffolding) was using bilingual instructions to avoid misunderstanding for the students.
However, in terms of supporting aids of the textbooks, “English in Focus” and
“Scaffolding” did not provide audio, visual aids and teachers’ book. Fortunately, both
textbooks mentioned the publisher web-links and the other resources which help the teachers in using the textbooks. The web-link included sources of visual aids and the stories of the books. Thus, it can be concluded that both textbooks do not provide four kinds of supporting aids included in the checklist.
5.2. Suggestion
From this research, there are some suggestions recommended for English teacher in junior high school, for the publisher and for the further research.
For English teachers in junior high school, a good English teacher should be selective in choosing their textbooks for their teaching and learning process. Teachers should be more creative and flexible in order to accommodate the needs of the students. They could add or omit some activities based on the students’ need. Teachers should know the criteria of good textbooks before deciding which textbook is appropriate to use in their classroom. It aimed to keep the activities in the context of meaningful learning. In addition, for Indonesian students who learn English as foreign language, textbook should be presented in an interesting way to avoid learners from boredom and lack of motivation in studying English.
grade especially for seventh grade of junior high school. They should make some survey in using textbook in low-learners abilities rather than high abilities.
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