A Content Evaluation on “When English Rings the Bell”- an English Textbook for Seventh Graders of Junior High School

ABSTRAK Khumairoh, Nur. 2014. A Content Evaluation on “When English Rings the Bell”- an English Textbook for Seventh Graders of Junior High School.Thesis.English Department, Faculty of Letter, State University of Malang. Advisor: Prof. Hj. UtamiWidiati, M.A., Ph.D. Key words:content evaluation, When English Rings the Bell, English textbook. This study is conducted to analyze an English textbook entitled When English Rings the Bell published by Ministry of Education and Culture as first edition which is adapted from the 2013 English curriculum for seventh graders of Junior High School. This study is aimed to analyze how much this textbook meets the requirement of good EFL textbook in terms of: (1) Standard of Content of National Standard of Education, (2) methodology, (3) language skills, (4) topics, (5) design and layout, (6) and cultural appropriacy. This study employed qualitative research. The design is descriptive content analysis since it deals with the content of the textbook. The researcher used checklist as the main instrument which involved some criteria based on the adaptation of materials proposed by core competence and basic competence in 2013 curriculum English syllabus and some experts who are Cunningsworth (1995), Harmer (2007), and Brown (2007). The evaluation rating scale is also used in this study to measure how much the textbook meets the requirement of good EFL textbook by giving them score ranges. The score ranges are divided into poor (10 – 40), fair (41 – 60), good (61 – 80), and excellent (81 – 100). When English Rings the Bell was qualified as a good textbook, because the total score toward the six factors of consideration is 74.45%. First, on the availability of materials toward standard of content from National Standard of Education, the textbook obtained 66.67% and was categorized as good. Second, on methodology aspect, the textbook obtained 55% and was categorized as fair. Third, on language skills aspects, the textbook obtained 50% and was categorized as fair. Fourth, on topics aspect, the textbook obtained 81.25% and was categorized as excellent. Fifth, on design and layout aspect, the textbook obtained 93.75% and was categorized as excellent. The last is on cultural appropriacyaspect, the textbook obtained 100% and was categorized as excellent. As the suggestion from the researcher, the author and publisher should understand standard of content of the textbook based on National Standard of Education and good EFLtextbook criteria by some experts in order to create the better textbook. The balance skills, such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing should be considered well. Furthermore, the weakness found in the textbook should be revised thoroughly in order to provide good material. Moreover, English teachers who are going to use the book should also provide some additional materials to overcome the weakness of the textbook. Also, the future researcher is expected to do some betterment in conducting the study of textbook evaluation by determining good criteria from experts and developing it well