CHAPTER IV DATA DESCRIPTION, DISCUSSION, AND TRUSTWOTHINESS
B. Discussion
The extent to which reading materials in the English textbooks for grade X Senior High School match the characteristics of genre for grade X as stated in Standard of Competence and Basic Competence and criteria of good text aspects
is depicted by the result of the analysis of data collected using document analysis techniques in which the researcher provided reading materials analysis sheets.
In the genre for grade X Senior High School section, the researcher discusses the genre for grade X, purpose, generic structures, and grammatical features aspects of reading materials of modeling texts in written cycle of English textbooks successively. Based on the data description, generally reading materials provided in English textbooks fulfill the characteristics excellent on genre of the texts in which each book uses genre intended for grade X Senior High School students as it is stated in Standard of Competence and Basic Competence. Genre of each text can be easily recognized since each paragraph in the reading materials intended as modeling of the text is marked with its Generic Structures. The reading materials provided are for modeling of Recount, Narrative, Procedure, Descriptive, and News items texts.
However, there is one book that still uses theme-based approach as 1994 curriculum in selecting materials used in each chapter. In this case, it forces to use the same theme in certain genre for different activities. For example, when it highlights the theme about sports, the texts provided in listening and reading activities contain information about sports and the writer uses generic structures of certain genre to develop the texts. So, they just introduce vocabularies related to sports. It also makes the texts unnatural and monotonous.
is depicted by the result of the analysis of data collected using document analysis techniques in which the researcher provided reading materials analysis sheets.
In the genre for grade X Senior High School section, the researcher discusses the genre for grade X, purpose, generic structures, and grammatical features aspects of reading materials of modeling texts in written cycle of English textbooks successively. Based on the data description, generally reading materials provided in English textbooks fulfill the characteristics excellent on genre of the texts in which each book uses genre intended for grade X Senior High School students as it is stated in Standard of Competence and Basic Competence. Genre of each text can be easily recognized since each paragraph in the reading materials intended as modeling of the text is marked with its Generic Structures. The reading materials provided are for modeling of Recount, Narrative, Procedure, Descriptive, and News items texts.
However, there is one book that still uses theme-based approach as 1994 curriculum in selecting materials used in each chapter. In this case, it forces to use the same theme in certain genre for different activities. For example, when it highlights the theme about sports, the texts provided in listening and reading activities contain information about sports and the writer uses generic structures of certain genre to develop the texts. So, they just introduce vocabularies related to sports. It also makes the texts unnatural and monotonous.
Nevertheless, the texts have superiorities in possessing the purpose and the generic structure of the text. The idea in the story or information in each text used as models in written cycle are presented based on the correct generic structures of genres that should be taught for grade X Senior High School
students. It can be seen in the overall structure of the text. Brown (2004:186) states each type or genre of written text has its own set of governing rules or convention that must be anticipated by the reader to process meaning efficiently.
Furthermore, the distinctive set of stages through which the texts move help the texts achieve the goal successfully.
In terms of grammatical features, all the texts in book 3 and 4 are adequate and so are some texts in book 1 and 2. There are only three texts which are placed in position of good. The data show that the writers use grammar and features that become the characteristics of particular genre to express the meaning or signal information and make each genre quite different. In relation to this condition, Brown (1994:287) states each type of genres has certain rules or convention for its manifestation and distinctive features, so that the readers are able immediately to identify a genre and to know what to look for within the text.
In terms of interest, the texts related to the story are placed on the position of excellent since the average of each text is 4. Nuttal in Day (1994:20) states that text in the form of story makes students want to read for them. And, they find the text interesting when it tells things they don’t already know. The students are not motivated to read the text other than the story since the texts discuss about topics that have been so familiar with them that they do not get any new information from the text.
Relating the text with the objective of the lesson is also another factor considered in analyzing reading materials to improve students’ ability in reading.
That is why, before analyzing the texts, it is important to understand Standard of Competence and Basic Competence, especially for reading. The results show that
only nine texts have correspondence to the aim of reading lesson and those stated in Standard of Competence and Basic Competence for grade X Senior High School. There are three textbooks which state the objective of reading lesson at the beginning of each step. But, the exercises or activities provided to reach the aims do not support what have been stated as the aims before. In this case, the objective of reading lesson designed in syllabus cannot be accomplished (Day, 1994:21). Basically, the ability in reading is not only about the ability to read the words in correct pronunciation but also to extract meaning, to know what to look for within the text and to identify genre of the text as stated in Standard of Competence and Basic Competence for grade X Senior High School.
How easily a text can be read or understood depends on many factors.
In this qualification the texts have superiorities. Almost all the texts in these English textbooks for grade X Senior High School present the information and action in a logical manner. The actions are also direct and simple. Tronbacke (1996) states that the texts are easy to read and understood because the presentation is made specific and easy to follow. The texts are also well organized in which the information is presented in paragraph and the writers use simple grammar and introduce linguistics items in appropriate context.
However, the texts have quality totally lack in terms of providing contexts clues. Instead of using context clues to explain the meaning of certain words used in the texts, the writers provide special space or page to list vocabularies used and their meaning in Indonesia language. The meaning of a word is determined by the context. There are several clues that are usually used by the writers to introduce unusual word and they can be used to extract the meaning.
Providing visual supports to aid comprehension toward ideas in the texts is also an indication of a good text for learner of English as a foreign language. Generally, reading materials provided in the textbooks fulfill the requirements of adequate. There is one textbook provides no visual support. Reiss (2005:63) argues that visual supports are designed to appeal to students, to capture their attention, to offer them contextual support, to enrich their understanding of concept presented in the text, and to activate or build their background knowledge.
In terms of providing the exercises, each text is followed by exercises intended to comprehend the text. However, they are limited and not arranged from easy to difficult ones. And, questions to understand kind of text, its features or generic structures are not provided. It is better to include the exercises to understand the genre of the text and to understand cultural information in order to make them familiar with a particular text since the genre of a text enables readers to apply certain schemata that will assist them in extracting appropriate meaning (Brown, 2004:187). They can do cross cultural comparisons of systems of genres to see what is the same and what is different in English and in their first language (Paltridge, 2001:27). So, it will make them easy to create their own texts which match the norms and expectations of a particular audience in writing activity.
The topics of the texts provided in written cycle vary from factual to anecdotal ones and sometimes are funny stories. The topic chosen are suitable to the students of grade X Senior High School but they are placed on different level.
There are only two texts that are placed on excellent level. Three texts are on adequate level. There is one text placed on weak level. Most of the texts are
graded as good in terms of choosing suitable topic. Majority of the topics are related to local information. And, most of the textbooks only provide one topic because there is only one text in modeling of the text. Basically, providing more than one topic for modeling of the text in reading activity will aid the students in facilitating reading comprehension and building background of knowledge (Day, 1994:22). In addition, students can analyze the text in order to get better understanding on genre introduced since each writer has different style in writing even though s/he follows generic structures of certain genre.
The texts have totally lack quality in terms of providing correct and current cultural information of target language since almost all the texts provided contain local cultural information. In this case, the texts contain culture of area in Indonesia. There is only one text which has quality good in this term.
Consequently, most of the texts cannot be used as the windows to learn the culture English speaking people. In accordance to this condition, Paltridge (2001:52) argues that genres do not exist in a sociocultural vacuum but they are embedded in social and cultural ways of doing something. Besides, comprehension on cultural information can also be assisted by artwork provided. Most of the texts for modeling are accompanied by artwork related to the topic. However, the artworks cannot help the readers to understand the target culture. It is because the topics of the texts are related to information of local area, Indonesia.
Finally, the paper used to print reading materials is acceptable regarding to the quality and clarity. It is thick enough and its size is convenient for the reader to handle. Each textbook uses the letters typed by using san serif style. The letter’s font is 13 and the ink used gives a uniform blackness and not showing
through. However, it would be more appealing if artwork and colorful pictures of real people and real environment related to the topic are used since they attract reader’s interest to read and help the reader to understand the text.