Year: 2026 | Month: August | Volume: 13 | Issue: 8 | Pages: 51-74
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260805
Beyond Reading Comprehension: Evaluating the Representation of CEFR B1-B2 Reading Descriptors in Train of Thought (English for Grade XII Senior High School)
Litani Ika Budiarti1, Widhiyanto2
1,2English Language Education,
Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia.
Corresponding Author: Litani Ika Budiarti1
ABSTRACT
The increasing adoption of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) as an international benchmark for English language education has highlighted the importance of aligning instructional materials with communicative language proficiency standards. As one of the primary learning resources in Indonesian secondary schools, English textbooks play a crucial role in facilitating the achievement of curriculum objectives and communicative competence. This study aimed to evaluate the representation of selected CEFR B1–B2 reading descriptors in Train of Thought: English for Grade XII Senior High School, an English textbook developed under Indonesia's Merdeka Curriculum. The study employed a qualitative descriptive design using qualitative content analysis. The textbook served as the primary research material, while reading passages, comprehension tasks, classroom activities, and assessment exercises constituted the units of analysis. Data were collected through systematic document analysis using a researcher-developed evaluation rubric adapted from the CEFR Companion Volume and analyzed through data reduction, coding, categorization, and descriptive interpretation. The findings indicate that the textbook generally demonstrates a satisfactory representation of the selected CEFR B1–B2 reading descriptors. Reading for Information and Argument and Identifying Cues and Inferring were the most strongly represented descriptors, providing learners with opportunities to interpret information, evaluate arguments, infer implicit meanings, and engage with authentic texts. In contrast, Reading Correspondence, Reading for Orientation, and Reading Instructions received comparatively less emphasis, indicating a need for a more balanced representation of communicative reading competencies. Overall, the textbook aligns well with the communicative and action-oriented principles of the CEFR while supporting the objectives of the Merdeka Curriculum. The findings provide valuable implications for textbook developers, curriculum designers, and English teachers in improving the quality and international alignment of English language teaching materials.
Keywords: CEFR; B1–B2 Reading Descriptors; English Textbook Evaluation; Qualitative Content Analysis; Merdeka Curriculum; Reading Competence; Train of Thought.
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