A Content Analysis of Writing Tasks in the English for Change Textbook for Eleventh-Grade Students of Senior High School

Abstract

This study analyzed the writing tasks in the English for Change textbook for eleventh-grade students based on Brown’s (2004) theory of writing performance. The aims were to identify the types of tasks, determine the dominant type, and investigate their distribution across chapters. A qualitative content analysis was used. The researcher served as the key instrument and employed document analysis as the data collection technique. Data were collected from all writing tasks in the textbook using a checklist. The writing tasks were coded into four categories: Imitative, Intensive, Responsive, and Extensive, based on the directions and instructions in the learning activities across the chapters. The findings showed that out of Brown’s 22 subtypes of writing task performance, 12 subtypes were included and 10 subtypes were absent. A total of 36 writing tasks were identified across Chapters 1 to 5; Responsive Writing was the most dominant category with 50.00%, followed by Intensive 25.00%, Extensive 19.44%, and Imitative 5.56%. In terms of distribution, the tasks progressed gradually but unevenly. Intensive and Responsive tasks appeared in Chapters 1–2, Imitative and Extensive tasks emerged in Chapters 3–4, and Chapter 5 remained dominated by Responsive tasks. It was concluded that the textbook scaffolds from Intensive to Responsive writing, but lacks balance in Extensive writing tasks. Therefore, it is recommended that additional Extensive writing tasks be included in the textbook to align with the demands of the Kurikulum Merdeka.