OCTAVIANA 2215083036 RDB 08

Title: Start with English (Bahasa Inggris untuk SD kelas 4)

Writer: Himawan, S.pd

Publisher: Erlanggas

Start with English (SWE) is developed based on 1994 curricula in which

the methodology adopted is communicative approach. This book uses some
syllabuses in organizing materials and activities (practices or exercises). It can
be looked from the table of contents given, the writer uses mixed syllabuses;
functional syllabus, theme or topical syllabus and situational syllabus. Actually,
the materials organized based on the situations and topics encountered by
students in their daily live such as at school and house. Each unit is titled mostly
based the theme or topic and situation that relate to student’ real live. As a
result they will be clear for students to expect what they will learn in each unit.
In addition, the organizing materials of this book are based on the language
functions such as greeting people, saying good bye as in unit 1, introducing
someone or giving information as in unit 6 and unit 12 and the like, as in unit
10. In short, the organizing materials in this book more or less match with the
approach. In addition the writer uses linear syllabus in organizing the materials.
The items in each material are introduced one at time and practiced quite
intensively before the next items appear. Because of the linear syllabus used,
the presentations of new language don’t force the teacher to follow the unit
sequence of the course book.

Unfortunately, this book is not sufficient in providing communicative and

meaningful materials and practices or exercise for students. We can see from
the illustration given in unit 6. there are inauthentic items and sound odd. In this
unit the writers intends to introduce the culture of target language; the use of
Mr and Mrs. Unfortunately, it looks strange. I think those items (forms) are rare
and even never used in daily life.

e.g.

1. they’re my parents. Mr. Budiman’s my father and Mrs. Budiman’s my

mother.

2. Hello, I’m Mr. Budiman. Mrs. Budiman is my wife.

Furthermore, this book seems like spoon-feed the students. The exercises or
practices given in this book don’t match or fit with the approach adopted. The
activities given mostly consist of structural items. They are monotonous, not
challenging and not developing students’ critical thinking. They are just
repeating what teacher says, copying the correct form of structures or words
(drilling) and filling in the blank in which the clues given in each blank are too

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much. In short, they mostly focus on developing students’ skill in terms of

mastering vocabularies and structures of the target language. In addition, I
think this book seems imbalance in giving activities. It focuses on accuracy and
controlled activities

Then, as we know the focus of language learning is to master the four

language skills; speaking, listening, writing and reading. However, this book
doesn’t provide varied materials and exercise to develop those skills. As a result
teacher who wants to use this book is demanded to be creative in terms of to
develop the materials and exercises to build students skills involving reading,
listening, speaking and listening. To overcome this problem, I suggest, teacher
who uses this book to adopt or select other materials from other sources, such
as stories, video, CDs, games etc. Moreover, as I mentioned before, this book
seems like spoon-feed the students by giving exercise which are not challenging
and varied, as a result this book doesn’t give students opportunities for
independent work and pair work. Then, this book doesn’t provide students with
learning strategies in order to develop their skills in each materials or exercises
given. Furthermore, this book is lack of authentic materials and language. Even
though this book is for 4th graders in elementary school and we know at that
level the aim of teaching English is just for introducing new language or other
languages besides mother tongue, it doesn’t matter if we adopting authentic
materials which consist of authentic language such as song, stories, games,
video, etc. by considering the level of students or students’ interest, as a result
the materials in our textbook will be rich, interesting, motivating and
meaningful. Then, there are some important things which don’t be included in
each material given in this book. The omission of socio-cultural context, scope
for developing citizenship education and there are no opportunities from cross-
cultural comparison between mother tongue and new language (English). I think
for those points which are not included can be taught by teacher in implicit
ways.

Then, we are talking about the gradation of new teaching points in this
book. Actually, I can see it clearly. But, I notice that they are graded from easy
or simple to difficult in terms of the structures of language are taught (simple
present to present continuous). The new teaching points are early introduced
focus on the use of simple present form. Then, students are introduced the use
of present continuous form in the middle of this book. The other new teaching
points are the use of this and that are early introduced, after that the use of
these and those are introduced.

Actually, in this book, there are special pages for review and reference on
the last page. Teachers’ guide is also given in this book. It is very easy to follow
because it is very simple. The teachers’ guide contains interleaved pages from

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student’s book. In addition, the layout and illustrations of this book are not
interesting. They are too simple. Mostly illustrations given are printed in black
and white (not colorful). There is a few illustrations are printed in color (colorful),
they are quite useful for students to understand the meaning of new language
items introduced, however. Then, the new language items are presented in
simple way by using illustration (pictures). The use of L1 translations are not
over. It is used only for the instructions for teacher and students. It is useful
although some of them are not easy to be understood and sounds unnatural or
odd. The last, the cost of book is affordable in terms of the cost.

TEPS: EVALUATING COURSEBOOK