Efl teachers’ perspectives on the textbook “family and friends 5” (special edition) a study at primary schools in thu duc city

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY --- LE THI HONG PHUC EFL TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON THE TEXTBOOK “FAMILY AND FRIENDS 5” SPECIAL EDITION:

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

-

LE THI HONG PHUC

EFL TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON THE TEXTBOOK “FAMILY AND FRIENDS 5”

(SPECIAL EDITION): A STUDY AT PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN THU DUC CITY

Major: English Language Course code: 19SNA21

HO CHI MINH CITY, JULY 2022

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in English Language

Course code: 19SNA21

By

LE THI HONG PHUC

Supervised by

NGUYEN THI KIEU THU, Ph.D.

HO CHI MINH CITY, JULY 2022

The thesis entitled EFL Teachers’ Perspective on the Textbook “Family and Friends” (Special Edition): A Study at Primary Schools in Thu Duc City was successfully defended and approved on … at Hochiminh City University of Technology (HUTECH)

Academic supervisor:

Nguyen Thi Kieu Thu, Ph D

Examination Committee

3 Tran Quoc Thao, Ph.D Reader 2

4 Nguyen Thi Nhu Ngoc, Ph.D Member

On behalf of the Examination Committee

Chair

Le Van Tuyen, Ph.D

HCMC UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

POSTGRADUATE INSTITUTE

HCMC, September 20th, 2021

MASTER’S THESIS REPORT

Student name: Le Thi Hong Phuc Sex: Female

Date of birth: September 2nd, 1984 Place of birth: Ninh Thuan province Major: English Language Student code: 1941900041

I- Thesis title:

EFL Teachers’ Perspective on the Textbook “Family and Friends” (Special Edition): A

Study at Primary Schools in Thu Duc City

II- Objectives and contents:

The thesis, as its title states, aims to investigate EFL teachers’ perspectives on the textbook

“Family and Friends 5” (special edition) used at primary schools in Thu Duc city The

thesis consists of two main objectives The first one is to survey the perspectives of teachers

in Thu Duc city about the topics, language contents, skills, and methodology of the

textbook “Family and Friends 5” (special edition) currently in use at primary schools by

using a questionnaire Another objective is to explore teachers’ experience on how they adapt the textbook

The analysis from data collected proved that Family and Friends 5 (Special edition) is

suitable for EFL teachers and students It is highly appreciated and of high quality although there exist some weak points The findings have led to conclusion that the textbook, although there exist some minor weaknesses, is evaluated to be a good choice of textbook for the population in consideration and can be used in other primary schools

III- Starting date: March 20th, 2021

IV- Completing date: September 20th, 2021

V- Academic supervisor: Nguyen Thi Kieu Thu, Ph.D

ACADEMIC SUPERVISOR FACULTY DEAN

Nguyen Thi Kieu Thu, Ph.D Nguyen Thi Kieu Thu, Ph.D

CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY

I certify my authorship of the Master’s Thesis submitted today entitled:

EFL Teachers’ Perspective on the Textbook “Family and Friends” (Special Edition):

A Study at Primary Schools in Thu Duc City

In terms of the statement of requirements for Theses in Master’s programs issued by the Higher Degree Committee of Faculty of English Language, Ho Chi Minh City University

of Technology

Ho Chi Minh City, September 2021

LE THI HONG PHUC

RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS

I hereby state that I, LE THI HONG PHUC, being a candidate for the degree of Master of Arts (English Language) accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s Theses deposited in the library

In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my Master’s Thesis deposited in the library should be accessible for purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the Librarian for the care, loan, and reproduction for theses

Ho Chi Minh City, September 2021

Signature

LE THI HONG PHUC

In addition, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the EFL teachers teaching at primary schools in Thu Duc city for taking time to answer my questionnaire and interview

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr Nguyen Thi Kieu Thu, my supervisor, for her patience, guidance, insightful advice, and constant encouragement through the whole research process Without her support and guidance, this thesis would have never been completed

Last but not least, I warmly thank my family, friends and colleagues for their encouragement and help

ABSTRACT

A textbook designed for teaching and learning a language is a significant tool in ESL/EFL classrooms It is important to have a suitable textbook for learners to facilitate their language learning processes Textbook evaluation is to introduce a new textbook and recognize specific advantages and shortcomings in textbooks that are already in use The

selected textbook in the present research is in “Family and Friends” series for primary students, that is, Family and Friends 5, (Naomi Simmons and Tamzin Thompson, special edition) 60 EFL teachers of 8 males and 52 females participated These EFL teachers have

been teaching the textbook for at least 2 years and consequently are able to identify their strengths and weaknesses To conduct the study, an EFL textbook evaluation checklist consisting of 27 items served as the instrument in the present study The checklist was divided into four sub-parts as follows: Topic, Language Content, Skills, and Methodology, each directly related to a criterion and likewise, an important aspect of textbook evaluation The checklist is the adapted and modified version of Mc Donough and Shaw (1993) which provided an evaluating model for the study Frequencies and percentages were calculated for each item to describe the overall picture of how the teachers rated the textbook in terms

of four criteria The finding indicated that the teachers were satisfied with a majority of the textbook’s features, such as the diversity of the topics, the compatibility with students’

ability, and the motivation that the textbook brings to learners Therefore, “Family and Friends 5” (special edition) is concluded as suitable to be used in primary schools in Thu

Duc city and in similar contexts

Keywords: Family and Friends 5 (special edition), evaluation, teachers’ perspectives,

EFL teachers, textbook evaluation

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

Certificate of originality ……… i

Retention and use of the thesis……… ii

Acknowledgements……… iii

Abstract……… iv

Table of contents……… v

List of tables……… ix

List of figures ……… ……… x

List of abbreviations……… xi

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.6 Textbooks for young learners 20

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

4.1.1 Evaluation of the Topic of the textbook 48 4.1.2 Evaluation of the Language content of the textbook 50 4.1.3 Evaluation of the Skills of the textbook 54 4.1.4 Evaluation of the Methodology of the textbook 61

4.2 Results of the interview 64

4.2.1 Result of teacher interview about the unbalance between speaking

activities of individual response, pair work, and group work 64 4.2.2 Result of teacher interview about the problem “too many new

4.2.3 Result of teacher interview about the culture factors in the books 66 4.2.4 Result of teacher interview about the culture factors in the books 66 4.2.5 Result of teacher interview about the activities that interest primary

Appendix C: (Book content) 89

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.3: Interview participants’ general information 40 Table 3.4: Cronbach’s Alpha of the questionnaire 44

Table 4.1: Descriptive statistics of questions concerning the topic 48

Table 4.2: Descriptive statistics of questions concerning the Language Content part 51

Table 4.3: Descriptive statistics of questions concerning the Listening Skills part 54

Table 4.4: Descriptive statistics of questions concerning the Speaking Skills part 55

Table 4.5: Descriptive statistics of questions concerning the Reading Skills part 57

Table 4.6: Descriptive statistics of questions concerning the Writing Skills part 58

Table 4.7: Descriptive statistics of questions concerning the methodology part 61

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.2 Conceptual framework of the current study 28 Figure 3.1: Coursebook assessment and adaptation process (David Petrie, 2015) 32

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS

EFL English as a Foreign Language

ESL English as a Second Language

ELT English Language Teaching

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter alludes to the overall parts of the study The chapter begins with the passage

of Background to the study, in which the researcher makes reference to certain issues concerning and encouraging the researcher in order to advance the study for certain reasons and targets referred in the two next sections This part provides a framework for the next two sections, Statement of the Problems (in which the thesis's problems are addressed) and Aims and Objectives of the Study (which, as the name implies, describes the study's goals) Section 1.4 follows to formulate the research questions on which the study was conducted

to answer them in Chapter 4 at the end of this thesis In section 1.5, Scope of the Study, the researcher outlines the focal point of the study and states the reasons why the study does not move toward different aspects practically pertinent to the study Section 1.6 notices some significant realities which the investigation uncovers and that contribute to the study's relevance The following section, at that point, is for explaining terms utilized with precise meanings in the study before introducing the organization of the thesis

1.1 Background to the study

Currently, English is taught at almost all of the schools in Vietnam as a foreign language Despite being taught in the same situation, there are differences in settings based on whether textbooks satisfy the needs and characteristics of learners Textbooks are fundamental materials that are obligated in schools; thus, it is essential to utilize appropriate textbooks in teaching and learning Textbooks are primarily intended for students Students can acquire basic, modern, and systematic knowledge from textbooks Students can learn from a variety of sources, but textbook knowledge is regarded to be the most conventional Textbooks, in terms of providing new information, also assist students

in integrating, summarizing, and putting knowledge in order through revision and study aids Materials are frequently considered as the essence of a specific program and are the

most obvious manifestation of what transpires in the classroom Razmjoo (2007) believes that the use of textbooks can make students feel safe, progress and accomplishment According to Riazi (2003), textbooks are essential in both language instruction and learning They are arguably the most crucial component in a second/foreign language classroom, second only to the teachers (page 52) More specifically, textbooks make a major contribution in language classes, so choosing a good textbook is very necessary No one would doubt the fact that any textbook chosen by the teacher or any education system ought to be carefully considered, because an incorrect decision may waste money and time and adversely affect students and even teachers A good chosen book would be very practical for teaching progress and professional evolution

In each context of teaching, textbooks help to communicate information to students and back teachers in their teaching obligation, so every material requires authenticity The authentic materials could help limit the unnatural language, avoid distorting content, be useful to elicit genuine responses from learners, and upskill teachers To guarantee these benefits, textbook evaluation is important to be done routinely

Textbook evaluation, according to Cunningsworth (1995) and Ellis (1997), may help teachers move beyond impressionistic review and acquire valuable, reliable, comprehensive, and contextualized insights into the general character of textbook materials Furthermore, textbook evaluation can be an essential component of teacher education programs, since its motivation is to empower instructors to discover significant highlights to build up students' capacities up to their requirements

Lightbown and Spada (2006) point out that young learners have different important characteristics that distinguish them from adult learners in language learning It's vital to remember that these students are still growing As they become older, several elements of their intellectual function improve

Byers-Heinlein, K & Lew-Williams, C (2013) believe that at this age, young learners’ brains are quick and knowledge can be imprinted in their brain in the best way

It is very important to choose an English textbook that is really good and suitable for them

A wide range of materials are available to access Teachers should perceive the promising advantages of textbooks and advise the most appropriate for their distinguishing teaching context The goals of the teaching program ought to acclimate before the materials are chosen General methodology must be supplied so as to accomplish the ordinary intention

Cunningsworth (1995) states that it is important to embrace a teaching technique revolving around the standards of learning foreign languages for young people and the requirements of particular learners The learning-centered perspective used in this study may promote learning through activities that aid in the creation of the necessary dynamic relationship between expectations of students and involvement in learning

In the Vietnamese background, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has carried out a proposed action of fundamental and inclusive reform, with a huge emphasis

on educational achievements, teachers, and textbooks At the end of 2010, the Family and Friends set, created by foreign authors, has also been utilized in a wide range of primary schools in Vietnam when embarking on the nationwide program “Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages in the National Education System, period 2008-2020.” Since the mid-

1990s, a number of elementary schools in Vietnam have adopted the Family and Friends

set which currently has three versions that are being used Family and Friends 5 (special edition) has been widely used in primary schools in Ho Chi Minh city, especially in TD since the end of 2010 In the process of using, there are many opinions from teachers and students about the amount of vocabulary and grammar in each lesson However, in the training sessions on using books organized by the Department of Education in association with the publisher which are held periodically at the beginning of each school year- the most recent one is organized according to official letter 449/SGDDT-GDTH, the teachers

have had no chances to raise their opinions about the textbook with the publisher At the same time, in the selection of knowledge to teach and design the test, teachers have many contradictions This study was conducted to clarify the problems faced by Family and Friends 5 (special edition) based on the perspectives of teachers who are using the textbook in teaching

The opinions of practicing teachers who have already had some experience of using the materials in question is one of the approaches Cunningsworth (1995) A survey of the perspective of teachers to understand the appropriateness and practicality of a textbook would provide informative feedback for better application

1.2 Statement of the problem

Mukundan et al (2011) claimed that in foreign language education, material selection may be a decisive element in the effectiveness of the learning-teaching method and the achievement of desired training objectives While publishers have worked hard to deliver effective commercial coursebooks to stakeholders such as teachers and students, the one-size-fits-all coursebook that can completely match all designed curriculum, teaching and learning situations is impossible to be made As a result, evaluating and adapting a coursebook are ongoing must-do requirements to assure the training quality

In many classes in elementary schools in Thu Duc City- Hochiminh City, Vietnam,

the textbook “Family and Friends 5” (Special Edition) for grade-5-students has been

taught tentatively This material, on the other hand, has never been reviewed by teachers who actively educate children in primary schools to evaluate if it fits the stated goals of the obligatory English program for grade 5 students and if it is suitable for the students' English proficiency and fundamental understanding It has been a source of great debate among teachers and educators since it was first established as an experimentation It is claimed as

a well-written textbook, and has an undeniable constructive impact on teaching and learning English as foreign language, but it is not appropriate for students who lack

disappointment remain The textbook has been criticized by both teachers and students for several reasons According to some teachers, every single lesson in all units of the textbook includes a huge amount of vocabulary Consequently, students find it hard to study by heart the new words from the lesson and it is not easy enough for learners to understand Therefore, teachers who teach the textbook to students need to carefully prepare lessons, adjust teaching strategies, and consider the level of effectiveness of the textbook While some teachers are dissatisfied with the course, others find it well-planned with regard to current ELT trends in Vietnam

Until now, there has not been any review on the textbook to evaluate how well the textbook is actually in use and whether or not it meets the criteria of the course For those

reasons, “EFL teachers’ perspectives on the textbook Family and Friends 5 (special

edition): A study at primary schools in Thu Duc city” is chosen as the title of the thesis

This research therefore aimed to analyze the textbook "Family and Friends 5" (Special Edition) in terms of its topics, language contents, skills, and methodology from the

perspectives of teachers

1.3 Aims and objectives of the study

This study was an attempt to investigate the opinion of teachers about the textbook

“Family and Friends 5” (special edition) currently in use at primary schools in Thu Duc

city The objective of this study was as follows:

● To survey the perspectives of teachers in Thu Duc city about the topics, language

contents, skills, and methodology of the textbook “Family and Friends 5” (special edition) currently in use at primary schools

1.4 Research questions

The thesis was guided by the following question:

What are the perspectives of the teachers at primary schools in Thu Duc city on the

textbook “Family and Friends 5”?

1.5 Scope of the study

A variety of factors, such as audience, goals, contents, method, and other standards, should be considered when evaluating textbooks, as stated by Tom Hutchinson (1993) However, owing to time restrictions and the limitation of the minor thesis, in this study, it mainly focused on the teachers’ perspectives about the topics, language contents, skills,

and methodology of the textbook “Family and Friends 5” (special edition) By doing so,

the study did not involve other aspects of textbook evaluation such as its effectiveness or layout They were beyond the scope of study

The study was conducted at 20 different primary schools in Thu Duc city There were 60 participants who are teaching at twenty different schools in Thu Duc district, namely Nguyen Van No, Binh Quoi, Hiep Binh Phuoc, Binh Chieu, Dao Son Tay, Nguyen Van Triet, Nguyen Trung Truc, Luong The Vinh, Binh Trieu, Dang Thi Ranh, Thai Van Lung, Tam Binh, Tran Van Van, Hoang Dieu, Dang Van Bat, Linh Dong, Hiep Binh Chanh, Tu Duc, Truong Van Hai, and Nguyen Van Lich

The retrospective evaluation offers textbook information which was used to make decision if the textbook was readily available to reuse, which parts or activities in the textbook requested to be modified so as to make it more adequate to use henceforth The textbook “Family and Friends 5” (special edition) has been used at primary schools in Thu Duc city for five years but its effectiveness has not been evaluated That is the reason why

it might be evaluated through retrospective evaluations This study used a retrospective evaluation with a quantitative methodology through a 27-question-questionnaire and an informal interview with 6 open questions to affirm the qualitative result

1.6 Significance of the study

The study was hoped to be of much benefit to both the teachers and the students at primary schools in Thu Duc city

Theoretically, the findings of this study would shed more light on the relationship between teaching materials, in particular the textbooks, and the effective teaching and

learning Since it illustrates the strengths and flaws of the textbook “Family and Friends 5” (special edition), the outcomes of this study might contribute to the field of materials

assessment The thesis results might offer the authorities and the group of the textbook’s authors at the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training a few solutions with research-based proof to enhancing the effectiveness of the present material utilized for grade 5-students in Vietnam

Practically, the results of this study would benefit all the teachers teaching English

as a foreign language to young learners with the textbook “Family and Friends 5” (special edition) The statistics also indicated the advantages and disadvantages of the textbook in

use, encouraging teachers to identify suitable teaching techniques for students of various levels, and authorities and authors to ameliorate the textbook if feasible This study had the potential to be noteworthy because textbooks are an essential element of most language programs In an EFL environment like Vietnam, it might even be the essential source of language instruction for students and the foundation for language practice both inside and outside the classroom As a result, textbooks must be appropriately formulated, match the curriculum, and precisely correlate with the goals of the teaching program and the requirements of the learners

1.7 Definitions of the key terms

In this section the key terms that are used throughout the study are explained as follows:

Materials

Materials are described by Tomlinson (1998) as everything that helps teachers in teaching language for learners You could find the material in the form of a textbook, a workbook,

a cassette, a CD-rom, a video, a photograph, a photocopy of the material, a newspaper, and

a paragraph written on a blanket board (p.xi)

Textbook

In this study, textbook refers to the materials used to teach students including the book

“Family and Friends 5” (special edition) written by Naomi Simmons and Tamzin

Thompson (2016), published by Oxford University Press

Grade 5 students

In this thesis, grade 5 students are learners who are ten years of age and are learning in the last class of primary schools in Thu Duc City

EFL teachers

EFL teachers most commonly refer to the teachers teaching English as a foreign language

In the current study, they are 60 teachers, having at least two years teaching experience of the book under study, from twenty different primary schools Their age ranges from 26 to

40

Perspectives

Thinking about something in a specific way, particularly one that is shaped by belief or experience In the current study, perspectives are the views of primary school teachers in Thu Duc city on the topics, language contents, skills, and methodology of the textbook

“Family and Friends 5” (special edition)

The study, titled EFL teachers’ perspectives on the textbook Family and Friends 5 (special edition): A study at primary schools in Thu Duc city consists of five chapters

● Chapter 1- Introduction

The fundamental aspects for a thesis were presented in this chapter These aspects notice the background of the study, the issue that the researcher had dealt with to form the two research questions by setting up the aims and the objectives for the study This chapter likewise notices the significance of the study and explains some key terms

● Chapter 2- Literature review

In this chapter, the researcher audited the writing that will become the theoretical framework of the study They were determining materials evaluation along with non- major students’ textbooks for the study Some former studies that the researcher had alluded to are likewise detailed with their fundamental opinions For the further analysis in the subsequent chapters, this chapter was finished with the conceptual framework

● Chapter 3- Methodology

This chapter presented an outline of the methodology used to carry out the study In this section, an all through depiction of the information data collection and analytical procedures were introduced

● Chapter 4- Result and discussion

There were two substantial parts in this chapter The first part associates with investigating the collected data The second part identified with deliberating the conclusions of the statistic runs prior to forwarding the research questions Finally,

it summarized the survey's findings as well as noteworthy aspects

● Chapter 5- Conclusion

As it was stated in the name of the chapter, this chapter summed up the study prior

to presenting the enhancement to the materials The chapter, likewise, prescribed a few opinions for future research to address the restrictions that this thesis obtained just as to amplify the extent of the study

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter evaluates the theories and studies that relate to the research to have a standard

for analyzing the viewpoints of the EFL teachers on the course book named “Family and Friends 5 (special edition)” Firstly, the chapter administers the consistent literature, starting with Types and the roles of the textbook in entry 2.1 and entry 2.2 Entry 2.3 accompanied to highlight the Significance of the textbook evaluation Next, entry 2.4 gives

a general review of the characteristics of young learners and the textbooks for young learners Furthermore, in entry 2.5, earlier studies that relate to the topic were analyzed to have a decent standard for the study The chapter closes with Conceptual framework

2.1 Types of the textbook

A textbook is a specified publication for the learners of a certain age group Textbook is called the instructor in print Oxford dictionary states that a book used as a typical help for the research of a certain subject, a handbook of guidelines in a subject of research study Deborah and Sharon (1988) claim that the textbook is a tool not only for the learners but also for the teachers According to Tomlinson, B (1998), textbooks are the most efficient means of delivering content since they serve to provide a guideline and framework through which learners may gain an impression of system, cohesiveness, and accomplishment, as well as lesson planning A language program without a textbook, up

to Richards (2006), may lose its fundamental core, and students may lack an appropriately organized syllabus

A textbook, according to Tomlinson (1998), is a coursebook that includes work on grammar, vocabulary, functions, and the skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking and works as the core materials for a course The term "textbook" is sometimes used to refer to text materials that have been carefully selected and used for teaching purposes by teachers, particularly in the local setting As a result, the terms "textbook," "coursebook," and "materials" are often interchanged

A textbook plays a typical role in a subject It is mean for both the instructor as well

as the students Simply a textbook is a hands-on guideline It is not only a material but also

a method Textbooks can be used for formal as well as casual education and learning It is

a tool for recognizing the instructional objectives of the topic Textbook is the structure on which the training course is built up It contains picked and needed information and provides material in graded form Textbook is a principle source of research study material for a provided training course It is a learning tool made use of by the learners An adequate textbook provides knowledge, a guide, a direction to the learners, a means of defining truth,

as well as a device

As Lalji, G B (2021) states, there are four basic types of textbooks:

Student book- the book that students use to gather information from Usually, it is given to the students to look through, study and pull notes from

Workbook- the book that usually lets students to write in and is used as an adjunct

to the "student book" to help the students answer questions and retain the information in the student book

Teacher’s book- the book that provides teachers ideas for making a topic alive It includes a plethora of additional tools to help students practice aspects of the language that they find difficult

Supplementary readers- They are books that may be utilized with other textbooks They include skills development materials, grammar, vocabulary and phonology practice materials, collections of communicative activities and teacher’s resource materials

2.2 Quality Standards for Textbook

A quality textbook, according to Ansary and Babaii (2002), has a number of essential features They were all well-organized, moderately up to date, and comprehensive A decent textbook must be well-organized In this case, the textbook must

have a suitable arrangement of teaching contents The materials must be well-organized and feature all English skills A good textbook is moderately up to date It indicates that the textbook's content must be up to date in order to provide students with new knowledge

or information about things that are happening A quality textbook should also be accurate

It means that materials in the textbook should not contain erroneous information or be written in grammatical errors or with improper terminology

As stated by Murcia (2001), a textbook is considered good if all aspects of the textbook are evaluated Subject material, vocabulary and structure, exercises, graphics, and outward appearance are all examples A textbook is effective if it meets these criteria: the source material covers a variety of topics that are appropriate for the curriculum; the subject matter includes a variety of issues The materials are ordered in a logical format, the content level

is sufficient for the students' requirements, and the materials are reliable and up to date The language and structures that are utilized correspond to the kids' grade level; vocabulary categories range from simple to complicated To strengthen the memorizing ability of students, the new vocabularies are reiterate multiple times in the following chapter; the sentence length is appropriate for the students' level; the structures steadily enhance in level

of difficulty to accommodate the students' growing ability; the words included are common words that are widely used and the sentence structures follow standard word order; the sentences and paragraphs are logically sequenced, and linguistic elements are presented in

a reasonable context

A textbook is considered decent when the activities create achievement and problems understanding of primary concepts; contain vocabulary, structures, and language skills that increase the potential of students; offer additional exercises in various types of written work (such as sentence completion, spelling and dictation, guided composition, and others); accumulatively try out the innovative materials; and establish effective conversations by involving students in activities that are practical A good textbook artwork should establish a pleasant environment by portraying reality and responsiveness; it should

be transparent, straightforward, spontaneous, and entertaining; and it should be intimately

associated with the material to assist learners in comprehending the text The final consideration is physical appearance The cover is sufficiently durable; the content is appealing; the image on the cover may arouse the students' attention; and the dimension is appropriate for the students to carry

2.3 The roles of the textbook

Until Cunningsworth (1995), textbooks were best thought of as a tool for attaining goals and objectives that had already been established in terms of the requirements of the learners They should not set the goals for themselves or take on the roles of the goals It

is widely acknowledged that teaching resources are critical in the teaching and learning process of any language since they are the most appropriate interactive teaching technique

in the classroom; without materials, the indoor classroom teaching procedure cannot be carried out The textbook's function is to assist teachers and students rather than to be their master Its role is not to act as the arbitrator of course content and teaching techniques in a dictatorial manner Its role is not to rule over course material and teaching techniques in a dictatorial manner However, it must be acknowledged that teaching materials may have a significant impact on what teachers teach and how they deliver it They are sources of excitement and inspiration that may be used in class activities to offer students more opportunities to practice communicative engagement As a result, it is important to undertake the rigorous selection and ensure that the materials chosen firmly represent the educational program's aims, techniques, and beliefs

Furthermore, teaching materials serve as a source of reference for students in terms of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation Moreover, teaching materials, according to Dudley, T., Evans, and John, St (1998), can stimulate and inspire students to study independently in a more effective method Aside from its importance to students, teaching materials are acknowledged as a source of assistance for both experienced and novice teachers, as they commonly require resources to perform their lessons Richards (2006) gave an adequate explanation for this statement, indicating that effective teaching resources

may function as "a form of teacher training" and that teachers can utilize the concepts offered in the materials to organize their own lessons

There are four major characteristics of materials, according to Dudley, T., Evans, and John, St (1998): language source provision, learning support, motivation source provision, and reference source provision First, in terms of language source provision, particularly when using a new type of textbook, it can be stated that materials are the sole way for students and teachers to have access to the language information they require As a result, materials must present and explain a genuine language used in actual circumstances in order to be relevant to a large number of learners and meet their requirements and demands

in learning Second, with regard to learning support, Dudley, T., Evans, and John, St (1998) emphasized that resources could better involve learners in applying their intellectual concepts to the language That explains why in-class assignments should be designed to

“stimulate cognitive not mechanical process” (p.171) Third, in terms of motivation source provision, Dudley, T Evans, and John, St (1998) continue to claim that materials must be

“challenging yet achievable to offer new ideas and information whilst being grounded in the learners' experience and knowledge” (page 172) Lastly, in terms of the supply of materials as a reference source, Tomlinson (1998) stated that materials are valuable when they can assist students in class in making “efficient use of the resources in order to facilitate self-discovery” To put it briefly, the materials should include language usage examples, explanations, practice exercises, indoor and outdoor class activities It is also important to give thorough explanations and answer key to the exercises so that students may utilize the materials for self-study at home and teachers can rely on these keys and answers to obtain some additional helpful knowledge

It is also said that textbooks perform a very important part in the teaching and learning process in international and second language schools, becoming the second most important position after teachers (Riazi, 2003, cited in Razmjoo, 2010) Teachers must know how to use a textbook as well as how useful it is in order to turn the textbooks into

an efficient teaching tool (Razmjoo, 2007)

Textbooks identify not just the subject to be shown yet additionally the methods of teaching They are excellent learning materials for the learners as they can modify their lessons whenever they wish to do so Generally, textbooks are the core means for obtaining the goals of an educational program They gratify the needs of the learners They provide steady form to the educational program Scope of any subject matter can be much better understood with the assistance of textbooks Textbooks also aid the teacher in planning the annual job

2.4 The roles of textbook evaluation

According to Cunningsworth (1995), picking textbooks entails aligning the material

to the context in which it will be utilized No textbook intended for a wide market will be perfectly suited to a specific group of students, but the goal is to discover the best potential match, with the option of altering or enhancing parts of the material that are lacking or inappropriate

The task of textbook evaluation is to introduce a new textbook and recognize specific advantages and shortcomings in textbooks that are already in use It is seeking, by way of various steps, to make progress on its educational programs Textbook assessment

is critical for improving a language course since it identifies specific strengths and shortcomings of the materials that are being utilized Once the textbook has been in use for

a while, it should be evaluated to see if it has complied with the requirements of stakeholders Diverse methods for evaluating materials have been proposed Evaluating is

a comprehensive process, according to Dudley (1998), evaluation starts with deciding what information to acquire and ends with changing current activities or impacting future ones

In the words of Tomlinson (1998), this term relates to efforts to evaluate the productivity

of materials According to Hutchinson and Waters (1987), evaluation is a comparing procedure developed to determine the degree of connection between the requirements and proposed solutions In this context, it refers to attempts to evaluate the potential of materials and to determine the material's suitability In synopsis, materials evaluation is a process

including gathering data, providing analysis derived from collected data, and most crucially, determining if the materials are appropriate to the educational goals of a curriculum Change activities are usually included in evaluation outcomes

According to Richards (2006), teachers can evaluate textbooks to find things related

to the learner's purpose In certain situations, a book can be good for students because it perfectly provides the benefits for that situation However, in different situations, the same book cannot be used due to its limited contents, inadequate challenges to teachers and students, and poor matching with students’ needs Therefore, some information such as the role of textbooks, the role of teachers, and the role of learners in the program are included

in the textbook evaluation (Richards, 2006, p.256)

As defined by Nunan (1991, cited in Balegghizadeh & Rahimi, 2011), it is important

to ensure that the resources are appropriate for the learners' requirements and interests, and that they are in harmony with the language and the institutional ideology of the nature of learning The use of systematic textbook evaluation procedures has been carried out

Textbook analysis and evaluation are beneficial to teacher advancement since it allows teachers to obtain valuable deeper meanings of the material Similarly, materials evaluation is a crucial part of teacher education, as it aims to introduce students and teachers to some of the most important traits to look for in textbooks while also reacquainting them with a range of published materials (Cunningsworth, 1995)

2.5 Criteria for textbook evaluation

Cunningsworth (1995) and Ellis (1997) have indicated that there are three distinct forms

of material evaluation They believe that the most common form might be the “predictive”

or “pre-use” evaluation, which is intended to examine the future or possible success of a textbook Even though it is the most prevalent, pre-use evaluation is also the most challenging type of evaluation because no one has real experience with the book to draw

on The potential or anticipated performance of the textbook is being considered in this

scenario The “in-use” evaluation is created to examine material that is currently in use, for instance, when a freshly launched textbook is being examined, or when a well-established but aging textbook is being evaluated to see whether it should be replaced The

“retrospective” or “post-use” (reflective) evaluation of a textbook that has been used in any particular institution are the other forms of textbook evaluation It can be valuable for recognizing advantages and disadvantages that develop after extended utilization This type of evaluation can be beneficial in determining whether to use the same textbook again

in the future, especially for short self-contained courses that are repeated every so often (Cunningsworth, 1995)

Rubdy (2003) suggested a framework including psychological validity (learners’ needs, goals and pedagogical requirements); pedagogical validity (teacher’s skills abilities, theories and beliefs); process and content validity (the thinking underlying the materials writer’s presentation of the content and the approach to teaching and learning respectively) Hutchinson (1987) advocated that, teachers take a gander beyond materials in order to make informed decisions and gain awareness of their own teaching-learning situation Hutchinson &Waters (1987) expresses that evaluation is fundamentally a process to match the requirements to accessible arrangements" To coordinate with the requirements and arrangements, the coordinating ought to be done as impartially as possible It implies that teachers must consider both the requirements of their students and the solution independently In conclusion, any decision will be based on personal preferences Subjectivity, on the other hand, may blind you to potential alternatives if it influences your judgment The evaluation process may be categorized into four major steps (see figure 2.1):

Figure 2.1: The materials evaluation process

Huang (2011) compares and analyzes 18 checklists since the 1970s for material evaluation She divides their criteria into 12 overall categories, representing the overall recommendations that teachers should consider during the material evaluation process, as follows:

▪ Teaching contexts and situations

▪ Authenticity

▪ Sensitivity to socio-cultural issues

▪ Organization of the materials

MATCHINGHow far does the material match your needs?

▪ Quality of the textbook

Leslie Sheldon states in her work called Evaluating ELT textbooks and materials (1988) that textbook criteria can be utilized versatilely by evaluators, it cannot be consistent, the factors of every criterion do not always come along together Ur (2012) states that the checklist of evaluation is classified into 20 items including objectives, approach, layout, appearance, interest, variation, instructions, syllabus, organization, review and test, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, learner independence, teacher’s guides, audio recording, visual materials, website, and availability” (pp.200-203)

2.6 Textbooks for young learners

Marie, N (2016) pointed out that there are a great variety of materials accessible, one of the most essential aspects of foreign language instruction in elementary school is to assist students acquire as broad and varied a vocabulary as feasible, and the textbook is a popular device for accomplishing this objective However, confronted with this wide variety of questions, what main questions should teachers ask to help recognize the

promising strengths of textbooks and to recommend the most relevant for their specific teaching context?

The aims of the teaching program should be familiarized before the materials are selected The core purpose is to help children ready to truly be equipped from the upper stage of language teaching they will get at the next grades (Ghosn, 2003) This basically means that psychologically, they will get to be conscious that another language will be spoken and written in what they speak and write in them Linguistically and psychologically, this ensures that they can experience recent phenomena and styles of living through diverse factors of daily life General methodology must be given in order to achieve the common purpose The things students do in class should be entertaining and pleasurable, but they should also be regularly monitored in terms of their language education and language ability, and how they respond to what has already been taught and what needs to be taught

Lee (2005) points that a textbook is being used for significant reasons Firstly, it is

a useful learning assistance Second of all, it recognizes what ought to be taught, learned

as well as the order in which to do it Moreover, it points out what method needs to be made use of Last but not least, it presents attractively and also financially, all or most of the materials required, minimizes teacher work, establishes a link in between the school and home

The initial step for choosing a book would be the catalogues of publishers or the description on the back of the book, even though it is not quite enough There is a quantity

of goals and methodology that exist in the field of ELT materials However, Skolverket (2006) reveals this information does not inform us enough It is also worthwhile

to look at content charts (course map, syllabus or scope and sequence chart) which clearly set out different aspects and also provide visibility into the methodology used

2.7 Previous studies

Basing on the checklists for evaluation and selection a coursebook in ‘Choosing your coursebook’ of Cunningsworth (1995), a wide range of textbook evaluations have

been undertaken in response to the crucial function of textbooks in language teaching and learning Questionnaires and interviews were mainly used in almost these studies in order

to assess a textbook These studies were conducted to evaluate various areas of a textbook such as the textbook's content, students' interest, activities, abilities, and skills

Saeid, N S., & Hadi, H., & Rezvan, M (2013) held the view that textbooks are the

heart of education and control teachers, students as well as the dynamics of the classroom

while developing a study on the textbook English for International Tourism in order to

analyze an available specialized textbook for the students of Tourism on the basis of the evaluation checklist constructed by Daoud and Celce-Murcia (1979) The book's features were mostly evaluated in terms of its content, including grammar, vocabulary, exercises, and illustrations Generally, because the employed curriculum was mostly skill-based, an effort was created to make the students have the ability to communicate fluently and utilize the required skills in the travel industry The majority of the activities and exercises focused

on speaking and listening, with some writing and reading assignments developing concurrently as purposeful tasks Visualization was a primary technique used in this book, with different vivid photographs obtained from the internet or real-world photography, all with the goal of making the book and its information more appealing and stimulating Grammar focus sections focused on the essential grammatical structures that were necessary for the skills provided in each unit to be produced The Review Units, the audio CD, the listening scripts, and the grammatical glossary at the conclusion of the book were notable among the benefits of the current book

From the teachers’ perspectives, the appropriateness of “English Textbook 2'' for Iranian EFL second grade high school students were investigated by Touran, A., Bayezid, T., and Mahnaz, S (2013) The textbook was evaluated quantitatively using a modified checklist developed by Litz (2005) The checklist was a 5-point Likert scale, and three of the seven categories in Litz’s checklist were chosen for this study: subject and content,

activities, and skills The study’s outcomes indicated that “English Textbook 2” had far more drawbacks than positives According to the teachers, the textbook's subject and content are irrelevant to the students’ interests, needs, and concerns The listening, speaking, and writing skills are not addressed in the textbook, and only the reading ability

is prioritized In general, the “English textbook 2” is not adequate for Iranian high school students in terms of topic and content, activities, and abilities, according to the teachers Nevertheless, “no single textbook can meet the needs of a large and different group of language learners” (Riazi and Mosallanejad, 2010)

Using a questionnaire and an interview protocol, Hadi, S., Ameneh, D., and Melor,

M Y (2014) analyzed English for specific purposes (ESP) course book on “the ESP Course of Qur’anic Sciences and Tradition” which was taught at several universities in Iran Content and exercises, topics, skills and strategies, and teaching methodology were all taken into consideration while evaluating the textbook Data was gathered using a five-point Likert scale questionnaire which included 51 items and an interview process that featured several in-depth questions Regarding language skills, the data revealed that the textbook placed an insufficient priority on speaking ability On the contrary, the outcomes revealed that students were satisfied with their reading ability, reading passages, and associated activities Unfortunately, listening ability is not included in the course book According to the students, the vocabulary quantity is excessive, yet the textbook covers basic grammatical structures The textbook includes a wide range of themes related to the field in order to improve learning and fulfill the demands of Qur’anic Sciences and Tradition students It is reasonable to infer that the coursebook is useful for students of Qur’anic Sciences and Tradition in general Students, on the other hand, did not offer high scores on certain issues As clear as Cunningsworth (1995) had pointed out, there is no perfect textbook that fulfills all of the needs of teachers and students

An evaluation of the piloted English 10 Textbook 2 at Nguyen Tat Thanh High

School was conducted by Nguyen Thi Huong Lan (2004) Questionnaires for teachers and students were utilized to collect data, as well as informal interviews The author evaluated

the textbook’s objectives, content, and methodology to the stated goals and objectives established by Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) for grade 10 using the Hutchinson, W (1987) model The results indicate that the textbook under assessment partially fulfilled the course's criteria and was appropriate for the students’ level Topics, listening sections, and Tasks and Activities all received good results However, certain parts of the textbook needed to be improved or changed Students struggled to understand the materials chosen for the speaking, reading, and writing sections, and there were insufficient instructions provided The research also includes certain content and methodology adjustments, as well as adaptation techniques such as adding, deleting, simplifying, and reordering

Nguyen Thi Nguyet Anh (2010) carried out a study titled “Teacher’s evaluation on

Let's Go 1A (second edition) for grade 3 at primary schools in North Vietnam” to assess if

using this material in the context of teaching in primary schools in North Vietnam was effective The author utilized document analysis and a questionnaire as research instruments to attain the objective The questionnaire is divided into four sections, each with 25 questions Twenty English teachers in grades 3 took part in the research The study’s results revealed that the textbook satisfied the course requirement’s objectives in most cases In terms of linguistic input, such as vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation,

as well as communicative functions, there was a solid alignment between what the textbook delivers and what the curriculum requires The textbook’s subjects, on the other hand, are not diverse Many teachers who use the material find the methodology challenging

Recently, Hoàng Văn Vân (2015) carried out a survey titled “Teachers’ Evaluation

of Primary English Textbooks for Vietnamese Schools Developed Under the National Foreign Language 2020 Project: A Preliminary Internal Survey” to obtain observational comments and suggestions from teachers who are using primary English textbooks in order

to determine their advantages and disadvantages so that further adjustments and modifications can be made Teachers were asked to rate the textbooks using a 52-item questionnaire created by the author Teachers who are piloting the textbooks in 92 primary