Viewing Skill in an English Textbook for 8th Grade

Abstract

This study investigates the types and stages of viewing skills presented in the English for Nusantara textbook for 8th-grade junior high school students taught under Indonesia's Emancipated Curriculum (Kurikulum Merdeka). The curriculum emphasizes flexible, student-centered learning and expands language competencies beyond the traditional four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). As viewing visual objects is considered the core language skill, this research aims to identify how visual literacy and critical viewing are implemented and supported through textbook activities. Using a descriptive qualitative method, the researcher analyzed each chapter of the textbook content, focusing on the presence of viewing activities and their alignment with the viewing stages: pre-viewing, during viewing, and post-viewing. The findings reveal that visual literacy, as well as critical viewing, are consistently incorporated, not only in designated viewing sections, but also across various language activities throughout the five chapters. The textbook includes the pre-viewing activities such as prediction and questioning, during-viewing activities such as interpretation and analysis, and post-viewing activities involving reflection and creation. This study highlights the significance of the textbook in bringing about multimodal literacy and facilitating visual engagement in language learning. Based on these findings, the researcher suggests that teachers should guide students to develop both viewing types and take advantage of all viewing stages to enhance comprehension and critical thinking.