The Representation of Religious Values in The Indonesian ELT Prescribed Textbook for Senior High School Students

Abstract

This study examined the representation of religious values in tenth grade senior high school English textbook published by the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia using Critical Discourse Analysis framework by Fairclough. The study was expected to give enlightenment towards the discussion of religious values needed in ELT textbook and learning process for the students, the teachers, and the next researchers in the future. Additionally, the materials developers and policy makers knew how ELT textbooks represent religious values in educational system and make ELT textbooks that contain a large number of religious values that are suitable with the curriculum used. The study analyzed verbal and non-verbal depictions that provide information about religious values in senior high school ELT textbooks that contain a large number of religious values that suitable with the curriculum used that has three inter-related dimensions of discourse, they are text/ visual analysis (description), processing analysis (interpretation), and social analysis (explanation). This study used the three inter-related dimensions of discourse to analyze the religious values represented in the verbal and non-verbal depictions provided in the ELT textbook used in Senior High School, in order to reveal what and how the verbal and non-verbal depictions represent the ideas and religious values in it. Moreover, this study used the concept of religion by Smart. There were three dimensions to analyze religious values in the selected textbook; ritual, social, and material dimension. The main reason for analyzing the religious values in the ELT textbook was because verbal and non-verbal depictions tend to provide rich and accurate information about the religious values. The analysis results showed that there were four images that found which represented religious values. One image deal with social dimension and the others deal with material dimension. Moreover, there were four verbal texts represented religious values. Two verbal texts deal with ritual dimension and the others deal with social dimension. However, the ritual dimension only depicted in texts rather than non-verbally in images. The material dimension also was not found in the selected textbook regarding non-verbal depiction. Indonesia as the religious country and covers six religions should be concern about all religious values in the field of education. As textbook is the media or tool in teaching process, it should promote the religious values as it is really important for both students and teachers. Moreover, mostly Indonesian ELT textbook promote the Islamic values practiced in the materials than other religions. Moreover, language and religion should be treated as inter-connected elements that cannot betaken away from each other. As most Indonesians are traditionally religious, designing textbooks or activities for use in an English language classroom setting should take religious values into consideration. Therefore, teachers and authors have an important role in overcoming the problem by giving examples through reading text, dialog text, and instruction text. As evaluators and users of ELT textbooks, English teachers should become an active participant by choosing an appropriate ELT textbook, reviewing and analyzing the religious values sources, and giving feedback for the publishers.