CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION
Writing and ideology aim to develop your capacity to analyze and discuss
literary texts, and to open up your understanding of how such texts articulate and
criticize the ideologies of differing groups, societies, cultures and historical periods.
Introductory lectures give an overall survey of the concept of ideology, with basic
definitions provided and some fundamental issues raised. In the body of the course
those issues are then taken up in relation to the specific prescribed texts.
Wang (Wang: 2) stated that the idea of evaluating textbooks is seen by some
to be closely linked to the selection of textbooks. The evaluation helps the selection,
which serves as an important decision making process. Therefore, evaluating a
coursebook will help teachers in choosing the proper book to be used in teaching and
learning activity based on their teaching objectives.
Hanusova (Hanusova: 2) elaborated that it is very important to realize that a
textbook is an aid, not a sacred text. Teachers should work out the best ways to use
their books but they should never let the book use them. Coursebooks must be at the
service of teacher and learners, not their masters.
While we are choosing coursebook we should have aims and objectives. Then
we should take into account of the aims and objectives of the coursebook that we will
choose.

CHAPTER II
FINDING AND DISCUSSION
Look Ahead is an English course for the first year of senior high school
students. Book title is not related to English subject. The binding does not use hard
cover, its quite legible. Font of the book is big enough and simple (see appendix 1).
The book is considered as teachers/students book since the book consists of seven
units which provide students material that covers listening, speaking, reading and
writing. The coursebook material is well-organised. The structures are based on the
complexity of materials. The topics hold many interesting themes, such as, telling
stories, beautiful places, breaking news, etc. Pictures and examples of objects
discussed are given in the book.
The layout of the course is presented clearly in the introduction part in each
level. Before going to the unit, the coursebook starts with the steps which guide the
students to build their background knowledge prior to understand the unit. It provides
the introduction, grammar in action, social functions, schematic structure, and
language features (see appendix 1). It also states the purpose of learning the unit.
According to Cunningsworth (1995:28), lots of teachers and students are gladder
when they have a clear-cut direction during the course and at times they feel safer
when the straight all direction is applied. In Look Ahead; each unit is structured in the
same way. They all include vocabulary, listening, reading, working with grammar.
This provides the teachers and students to find their way around the coursebook
easily.
Vocabulary and pronunciation are firstly given to the students. But the
meaning of the vocabulary is rarely appeared and it is only found once in the end of
the unit. Then grammar sections are presented in boxes with the example. The content
is put in order given that the complexity moves from the less complex to the more
complex. For instance, the first unit is tell me what happened, and then in the end of
this unit, the students must be able to make a recount text according to their
experience. Afterwards, the last unit is breaking news, here at the last activity; they

have to be able to write the latest event in their country (see appendix 1). We consider
the last unit is more difficult than the first unit. As we know, make some news is more
complicated than tell the personal experience. Most of all chapters are learnable and
authentic seeing as it fits the daily context. For example, there is an instruction to
make a noodle and tea. Even though, there are some conversations which look
bookish and are not suitable enough for real life communication. Furthermore, the
book presents some integrated skills, for example reading and speaking are integrated
in one activity.
Each unit begins with the list of new words. Each word is presented with the
pronunciation so that students understand how to say it rightly. Sometimes, they listen
to the new words from the cassette after that they have to repeat it orally. On
occasion, they have to listen to some conversations through cassette and complete the
blank passage orally (see appendix 1.5.1 and 1.5.2 page 139, 146, and 154). Most of
the conversations are headed by listening activity. It is so important to help students
to master listening skill and pronunciation. Moreover, each dialogue is followed by
reading comprehension exercises (see appendix 1.5.3 page 160). After each reading
comprehension text, there is explanation of grammar section. Speaking activity is
realized through pairs dialogues, interviewing friends and discussions. In the end of
the unit, they have to produce a short piece of writing related to the topic (see
appendix 1.5.4. page 158).
This book is quite communicative enough for the students. The dialogues in
this book use real-life language use and the language is also suitable for the students
although some of the name of the person use western name. The design of this book
is also well organized. The composition between the text and picture in this book is
balance. The picture followed by some texts which can help the students to
understand the picture description. The picture not only shows the western picture but
also Indonesia picture such as Monas, Bali, Borobudur temple, etc (see appendix 1,
page 149, 160 and 167). The organization of conversation is run well in this book.
Most of the conversation in this book consists of two speakers and they talk
interchangeably. It can teach to the students that they must hear the speaker until s/he
finishes speak and they may not cut directly when someone speaks.

The topic and the content in the book are also suitable for students. For
example, when the students learn about beautiful place, the book gives some texts
such as about Borobudur temple, Bali, Eiffel, London, etc. The conversation in the
book also teaches the students how to ask to someone in the tourism object with the
polite language. Besides, it also contains social and cultural values in the
conversation which can teach the students how to speak to older people politely and
response the question from other people (see appendix 1, page 142 and 146). The
conversation also teaches how to do effective personal interactions with other people
so that the students will get the information that they want to know.
The conversation in this book teach the students how to begins the
conversation politely because in the beginning of the conversation, the 1st speaker
always greeting the 2nd speaker. It is suitable with our culture which always greets
someone before we are asking questions to him/her. We will find many greeting
words in this book such as good morning, hi, excuse me, etc before the 1st speaker
begins the conversation (see appendix1, page 142 and 146). It is quite useful for the
students because they will accustom to greet someone before they start the
conversation. In the end of the conversation, there are also closing words such as
thank you, good bye, etc. These words will help student to have polite conversation in
the opening and closing of the conversation so that they will have effective
conversation.
This book also has good style and appropriacy for the students. Most of the
texts in the conversations are suitable with the physical context (setting) of the related
topic. It can help students to comprehend the materials easily because they will have a
picture in their mind about the conversation. The purpose of each interaction in this
book is clear because every conversation has clear purpose whether it wants to ask,
making request or rejection based on the words used in the book (see appendix 1,
page 142 and 146). This book is also provide polite some indirect expressions to
make students utterances more polite when they want to reject something without
offence the speaker by using circular pattern rather than straight pattern. It is suitable
with our culture that is usually use circular pattern when people want to reject or
making request to someone.

The topic and the content in the book are also suitable for students. For
example, when the students learn about beautiful place, the book gives some texts
such as about Borobudur temple, Bali, Eiffel, London, etc (see appendix 1, page 149,
154, 157, and 160). The conversation in the book also teaches the students how to
ask to someone in the tourism object with the polite language. Besides, it also
contains social and cultural values in the conversation which can teach the students
how to speak to older people politely and response the question from other people.
The conversation also teaches how to do effective personal interactions with other
people so that the students will get the information that they want to know.
The materials in the coursebook are graded based on each units difficulty.
They are sequenced from the easiest materials progressing to the more complex ones.
In addition, if we see how the materials are staged, we will be able to see that the
materials are staged shallowly, meaning that there is a few, or some relationship
between a sub-chapter with another, or a unit to another. For example, the
pronunciation of some words is given in several parts in of the corsebook. This gives
the students plenty of times to practice pronouncing English words, as well as
correcting their mistakes. According to Cunningsworth (1995: 60), a good
coursebook must be composed in a shallow staging to make sure that every material
will be presented thoroughly, and this coursebook has fulfilled this prerequisite of
good coursebook construction.
If we talk about the method that this coursebook employs to assess students
proficiency, or simply their understanding about particular chapter, this coursebook
provides various types of assessment items, not only written exercises, but also
exercises that train students auditory and oral skills. The exercise items for the four
language skills are not constructed discreetly, meaning that they are integrated. One
example is reading and listening skills integrated in cloze listening exercise
(appendix, page 139). Discreet-point test are no longer favoured amongst the
proponents of integrative testing because it is almost impossible for students to write
without seeing, or hearing the prompts and the questions (Brown, 2004:9). In some
part of the coursebooks, we find some group projects, along with the steps, just like
the manuals of conducting a small research (see appendix 1, page 146, 162 and169).

However, the authenticity of the project should be put before a question mark.
Although the tasks are authentic, they are not authentic for Indonesian students. For
example, the places or settings of an advertisement excerpt are not located in
Indonesia, and the names mentioned are mainly not Indonesian names (see appendix
1, page).
Language content aspects presented in this coursebook have already fulfilled
some good criteria like efficient presentation in terms of amount of time needed to
finish each items, the basis of aspects which suit the students needs, and the balance
between theory and practices given in the book. However there are some weaknesses
that this book still has not covered such as grammar items which are not contrasted or
compared with ones in the previous chapters, no specific structure for vocabulary
presentation, and poor discourse aspects discussed in each chapter (see appendix 1
page 160).
For the methodology used in this coursebook, most aspects of the learner
needs, principles and approaches are quite sufficient and clear but there is one
problem related to the students need. In this book the students needs are lacking the
detailed elaboration. The above picture is the part of objective found in the beginning
of a chapter. From the objective of one chapter we can see that the explanation lack
details of students needs or at least what the students will get after finishing this
chapter (see appendix 1, page 137).

CHAPTER III
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
To sum up,
Even though neglected for many times, it is always relevant to talk about
economic affordability of the analysed coursebook. A good coursebook will give
students only little benefit if it is unaffordable, and what is the use of practicing a free

coursebook, but has been proved to be a bad one? For the students whose schools are
using this coursebook, buying this English coursebooks will not be too serious;
however, for those who cannot afford to buy this coursebook, the Ministry of
National Education through BSNP has instructed several publishers to spread English
coursebooks in a very cheap price, if compared to the big names authoring the
coursebook.

REFERENCES
Brown, Douglas H. 2004. Language Assessment: Principles and Classroom Practices.
White Plains, NY: Pearson Education Unlimited.
Cunningsworth, Alan. 1995. Choosing your Coursebook. Oxford: Macmillan
Education.
OMalley, J. Michael & Pierce, Valdez, Lorraine. 1996. Authentic Assessment for
English Language Learners: Practical Approaches for Teachers. United
States of America: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
Wang, Jiazhi. Evaluating An EFL Textbook- A New English Course (e-journal).
Retrieved from google scholar on May 2nd.
Hanusova, Svetlana. Coursebook Evaluation (e-journal). Retrieved from google
scholar on May 2nd.

List of appendix
1.1. Coursebook evaluation sheet
1.2. Aussie (hal. 146), Paris (169), Jkt (162).
Material Communicativeness
1.3. Hal 160 Jakarta
1.4 Hal 140 Nama Indon
Skills
1.5.1. Hal 139 Active listening skill
1.5.2. Pronunciation Hal 154 & Pronounc. Practice (146)
1.5.3. Active reading hal 160
1.5.4. Hal 158 writing
Types of exercises
1.6.1. Cloze Test (139)
1.6.2. Filling the table (143)
1.6.3. Answering Questions (142)
1.7. Type of discourse related problems (160)

1.8. Objective of the lesson (137)