Abstract
The English Language Teaching (ELT) syllabus in Indonesia is based on communicative language and genre-based teaching approaches. In many cases, teachers use textbooks without adaptation or selection (Sari 2011). The published English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks have to meet the standards set by the Indonesian Board of National Education Standards (BSNP). This Board evaluates EFL textbooks from primary to secondary schools. Silvia (2014) suggests that the evaluation is only applied to the physical aspects of the textbooks, such as the appearance and design. Tomlinson (2012) notes the continued use of textbooks despite complaints about design principles, selection of materials, and a lack of understanding of current teaching methodology and research in language teaching and linguistics. Lim (2007) examined a section of an English language textbook used in a Korean middle school and identified decontextualised and artificial texts with grammar dissociated from social purposes and doctored with selected grammar items to teach comparative and superlative adjectives. Textbooks with unnatural texts and pseudo-conversations provide no opportunities for learners’ meaning making for participation in sociocultural practices. Growing competition among EFL publishers (Littlejohn 2011), locally and globally, is the reason for systematic review of commercially published languages teaching resources.
The original version of this chapter was revised. An erratum to this chapter can be found at DOI 10.1057/978-1-137-59849-3_20
An erratum to this chapter can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59849-3_20
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Agustien, H. I. R. (2006). Systemic Functional Linguistics in the national English curriculum. Paper presented at Seminar dan Pembentukan Forum Sistemik Fungsional Linguistik Indonesia, UNJ Jakarta, Indonesia.
Alamiri, A. A. M. (2008). An evaluation of the sixth grade English language textbook for Saudi Boy’s School. Department of English Language, Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics thesis, King Saudi University.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1978). Language as social semiotic: The social interpretation of language and meaning. London: Edward Arnold.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1993). Towards a language-based theory of learning. Linguistics and Education, 5, 93–116, viewed 5 May 2014. http://lchc.ucsd.edu/mca/Paper/JuneJuly05/HallidayLangBased.pdf
Halliday, M. A. K., & Hasan, R. (1985). Language, context, and text: Aspects of language in a social-semiotic perspective. Victoria, Australia: Deakin University.
Kontozi, A. (2011). Analysis and evaluation of English 6 th grade textbook used in Greek public schools. University of Cyprus, Cyprus, Greek, http://www.academia.edu/3481650/Analysis_and_Evaluation_of_English_6th_ Grade_textbook_used_in_Greek_public_Schools%3E
Leeuwen, T. V. (2005). Introducing social semiotics. Routledge, London, UK, viewed 20 May 2014. doi:http://scholar.google.com.au.proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/scholar?hl=en&q=introduci ng+social+semiotics&btnG=&as_sdt=1%2C5&as_sdtp=
Lim, M. (2007). Exploring social practices in English classes: A qualitative investigation of classroom talk in a Korean secondary school. PhD thesis, University of Adelaide.
Littlejohn, A. (2011). The analysis of language teaching materials inside the Trojan Horse. In B. Tomlinson (Ed.), Materials development in language teaching (pp. 179–211). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Mickan, P. (2006). Socialisation, social practices and teaching. In P. Mickan, I. Petrescu, & J. Timoney (Eds.), Social practices, pedagogy and language use: Studies in socialisation (pp. 7–23). Adelaide: Lythrum Press.
Mickan, P. (2013). Language curriculum design and socialisation. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
Mickan, P., & Lim, M. (2004). “Poor students!” Malformed texts and language awareness. Unpublished manuscript, University of Adelaide.
Sari, N. T. A. (2011). Visible boys, invisible girls, the representation of gender in Learn English With Tito (A critical discourse analysis of English language textbooks for primary school). Conaplin Journal Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1(1), 84–104.
Sheldon, L. E. (1988). Evaluating ELT textbooks and materials. ELT Journal, 42/4, 237–246.
Silvia, A. (2014). A cultural content in English textbooks used at Madrasah Tsanawiyah Negeri in DKI Jakarta. English Master of Education thesis, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta.
Sugeng, B., & Zaimah, N. (2012). Contextual English 2 for grade XI of senior high schools physical sciences and social sciences majors. Solo, Indonesia: Platinum.
Tomlinson, B. (2012). Materials development for language learning and teaching. Language Teaching, 45(02), 143–179.
Widodo, H. P. (2014). Contextually framing the design of ESP reading materials: Vocational English reading tasks. In H. Emery & N. Moore (Eds.), Teaching, learning and researching reading in EFL (pp. 140–163). Dubai: TESOL Arabia Publications.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2017 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Widiastuti, R. (2017). A Socio-Semiotic Perspective on a Unit of Work in an Indonesian Textbook. In: Mickan, P., Lopez, E. (eds) Text-Based Research and Teaching. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59849-3_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59849-3_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-59848-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-59849-3
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)