THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGESTRAN THI NGOC ANHAN INVESTIGATION INTO STUDENTS’ AND TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES TOWARDS THE USE OF NEW GRADE 10 ENGLISH TEXTBO
INTRODUCTION
Rationale
Textbooks play a crucial part in a student’s learning journey since it does not only act as a syllabus reference but teach students knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values In addition, textbooks provide both teachers and students with instructions and sources of knowledge so they help them save time and effort while searching for information
In the case of English, textbooks are more important as the role of English has been more and more highly valued to suit the needs of modernization and integration As English is increasingly significant, English teaching and learning have been increasingly concerned by the Government in general and The Ministry of Education and Training in particular
Foreign languages have always been required coursework from the general education level to the graduate level in Vietnam's language policy since the 1960s From the early 1970s, when English was taught without explicit curriculum and textbooks, to the late 1970s and early 1980s, when English was taught for 3 years in the North and for 7 years in the South with the curricula implicitly incorporated in the contents of the two respective textbook series, to the period of 7 years, when English was explicitly taught throughout the country Along with improvements in textbook and curriculum development, Vietnam's English teachers have made commendable strides in their educational backgrounds and communication abilities Some English teachers in schools are capable of teaching a whole lesson in English However, in a world where internationalization and integration are unavoidable trends, Vietnam now faces a pressing need for highly qualified individuals who can communicate effectively in English It was a challenge to uphold the current standards for education and use because of this intense political and economic need Without significant adjustments and substantial contributions to curricula, textbooks, teaching strategies, and assessment, foreign language teaching in general and English language teaching in particular in Vietnam would be unable to adequately meet the expectations placed upon it (Hoang Van Van, 2015)
As being newly applied in Quang Ninh for nearly a year, the textbook of
“Tieng Anh 10 (Global Success)” has drawn much attention from the teachers and students However, there are certainly no perfect textbooks that match all the preferences and levels of all learners Therefore, textbooks need to be updated and adjusted to satisfy the needs of teachers and learners In order to do that, teachers' and students’ opinions on the use of the new textbooks are valuable sources for textbook designers to make appropriate adjustments to improve the quality of English teaching and learning
The above-mentioned reasons have endlessly urged the the researcher to put more effort to conduct this study “An Investigation into Students’ and Teachers’ Perspectives towards the Use of New Grade 10 English Textbook in Quang Ninh Province”.
Aims and Objectives
The study aimed at investigating the students’ and teachers’ perspectives on the use of the new grade 10 English textbook at a high school in Quang Ninh province with a view to find ways to better English teaching and learning at this particular context
More specifically, the study was conducted to shed light on:
- Looking into the students’ opinions toward the use of the new grade 10 English textbook
- Identifying the teachers’ opinions toward the use of the new grade 10 English textbook.
Scope of the Study
The study was implemented on 200 ten-grader students and five English teachers at Doan Thi Diem Ha Long high school in Quang Ninh Besides, the study only collected students’ and teacher’s opinions on the use of the new grade
10 English textbook There are many aspects regarding opinions on textbooks, but the study only focused on several areas adopted from Srakang (2013) Other aspects were not the concern of this study.
Research Questions
The study aimed at finding the answers for the following questions:
1) What are the students’ opinions toward the use of the new grade 10 English textbook?
2) What are the teachers’ opinions toward the use of the new grade 10 English textbook?
Significance of the Study
The project investigated the opinions of teachers and students who experience the new textbook The findings of the study were expected to identify problems and propose ways to improve the quality of using new English textbook in this context and beyond
Moreover, it would suggest ideas for textbook authors, teachers, and teacher trainers in Vietnam to have appropriate adjustments to help learners improve their English proficiency
In addition, the study would give an overview on how the book was evaluated in students and teachers’ opinions and therefore would offer policy makers and boards of managers an insight on better adaptation and choices of textbooks in the following academic years
Finally, the study would hopefully serve as a reference for further researchers who would like to conduct similar research related to this field in the future.
Organisation of the study
LITERATURE REVIEW
Theoretical background
According to Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, a textbook is a book that teaches a particular subject and that is used especially in schools and colleges Yulianti (2011) defines a textbook as an instructional material that consists of content and material of the subject that is well organized in written form and has a great contribution to the teaching and learning process A textbook is a book that contains comprehensive information about a course or a subject that a student needs, to get through the academic year This has a set of chapters, question-answers, and exercises included in the curriculum to improve the learning standards of a student (https://www.teachmint.com/glossary)
Lisbdnetwork (2014) explains that a textbook is a book of instruction Its primary aim is not to impart information about a specific subject but to enable one to develop a proper understanding of the subject While Gak (2011) defined the textbook as one of the many resources that enables teachers to deliver quality instruction, Poljak (1983) considered the textbook to be the fundamental teaching and learning material that enables students to acquire the necessary knowledge, develop critical, creative, and dialectical thinking, and develop their mental skills The textbook is a text-based teaching tool and a component of educational tools that improves both the effectiveness of instruction and individual student learning, according to Kova et al According to Ivanuš Grmek (2003), a textbook is a substantial teaching-learning work that transforms science or another subject into a way that is understandable to all students
William (1983) developed the following indicators for an ESL textbook that it should adhere to:
(i) Describe the presentation of linguistic objects and skills (General) (ii) Offer educational tools for pronunciation, such as the phonetic system (Speech)
(iii) Create intentional scenarios and approach changes to teach structural units (Grammar)
(iv) Differentiate the values and abilities used in the vocabulary teaching process (Vocabulary)
(v) Provide direction on how reading comprehension passages are initially presented (Reading)
(v) Write composition assignments that demonstrate the many tools for regulating and guiding material and expression (Writing), and that contain the required images, diagrams, tables, etc (Technical)
Based on the definitions above, it can be concluded that a textbook is a book that gives instruction on a certain subject Through a textbook, students can obtain information on that subject
Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines perspective as a particular opinion or attitude towards something or a way of thinking about something More specifically, in this study, students and teachers’ opinions towards to use of new grade 10 textbook used at Doan Thi Diem Ha Long highschool would be the main focus of the research
According to CERP Journal (2022), Today, a variety of educational tools are employed to assist students in their learning, with textbooks being the most prominent Almost every educational system in the world uses textbooks, which are a valuable resource for both professors creating courses and students learning new information
A textbook is one of the crucial tools used in the learning process for students The book is a highly important source of knowledge The book makes it simple for students to learn about the subject at hand The textbook includes instructional materials and is finished with exercises that encourage critical thinking in the students The textbook also includes student encouragement so that they can stay positive while they are still learning, (Sujimat, 1994; cited in Yulianti, 2011)
Unquestionably, textbooks serve as an essential educational instrument for transmitting knowledge to future generations (Palló, 2006), and they can be categorized by Marentič Požarnik (1988) as one of the external determinants of effective learning It represents a specific category of specialized writing that is
"determined by the subject matter and intended readership Since its content is
"determined" by the national curricula as well as the operational and content objectives of the subject or subject area, it is defined on a larger scale by the educational system (Turk Škraba, 2006) Thus, it may be said that textbooks significantly affect whether curriculum objectives are met (Hadar, 2017) Textbooks continue to be the educational resource linked with the required curriculum, claim Ersoy & Ahin (2012)
The usage of textbooks as syllabuses that reflect predetermined learning objectives is mentioned by Cunnningsworth (1995) Additionally, textbooks serve as syllabuses that have been carefully prepared and organized (Richards,
2001) Furthermore, textbooks offer clear frameworks that direct instructors and students in terms of what they have done and what they will do (Ur, 1998) The researcher also added that textbook provides a clear framework for the teachers and students to conduct teaching-learning activities sequentially It is used as a syllabus, which is designed systematically sequentially in a planned and balanced way It is used as ready-made texts and tasks A textbook is comparatively cheaper than other materials It is handy portable material so it is convenient It provides clear guidelines to novice teachers and learners can use a textbook as a self-learning material For teachers looking for guidance and course delivery ideas, textbooks can be a valuable resource (Tomlinson, 2008) The conduct of lessons can be modeled after well-written and organized textbook chapters (Edge
Sharing a similar view, Cunningsworth (1995) and Ur (1988) also claimed that textbooks can provide direction and support for rookie instructors who are uncertain about their language proficiency and have not yet developed a sense of work security Richards (2001) goes on to say that teacher manuals and textbooks have a part in teacher preparation They might first mentor less qualified and inexperienced instructors to help them get greater self-assurance while creating lesson plans and instructing in classrooms According to Ansary and Babaii
(2003), textbooks should play crucial roles in providing stability, direction, and support for less experienced instructors
Textbooks are effective resources in terms of time and money, according to O'Neill (1982), Sheldon (1988), and Ur (1988) Textbooks cut down on content preparation time, allowing teachers to spend more time teaching Additionally, effective textbooks can help teachers by offering engaging exercises that don't need a lot of advanced planning (Hutchinson & Torres,
1994) Textbooks, according to Ansary and Babaii (2003), are time and program controllers Additionally, as compared to alternative resources like learning kits, photocopied worksheets, or computer software, textbooks are comparatively affordable (Ur, 1998)
Cunningswoth (1995) emphasized that textbooks are viewed as sources that students can utilize to advance their knowledge and language abilities in addition to being useful teaching tools As a key source of language input for students, textbooks support the input given by teachers According to O'Neill
(1982), adopting a specific textbook not only enables students to catch up on missed classes but also aids students in being ready for subsequent sessions in advance Since students can utilize textbooks as tools for learning new content, for evaluating and monitoring their learning progress, and for both, Cunningsworth (1995) and Ur (1998) concur that textbooks aid in self-directed learning or self-assessment As a result, textbooks contribute to giving students greater freedom than they otherwise would
According to Kovač et al (2005), a textbook is one of the most important instructional resources used in the teaching-learning process and is designed to be used by both teachers and students According to Herlinda's (2014) study, textbooks are viewed by teachers as the fundamental teaching instrument It serves as a teaching or learning tool by giving students engaging learning exercises (Gak, 2011; Štefanc, 2005) In addition, it serves as both an informational and a formative tool because it both imparts knowledge and fosters the development of competence, skills, and values at the same time (Kukanja-Gabrijelčič, 2015) A textbook serves both didactic and instructional purposes during the teaching process (Jurman, 1999) It is an essential learning tool since it offers learning materials and information that ought to inspire students to learn (Hung Lau et al.,
2018) It is crucial as a tool for autonomous learning and for reiterating previously taught material (Kovač et al., 2005) Since the textbook represents a source of knowledge that is formally acknowledged as appropriate and objective, it is susceptible to social control processes It is crucial to establish professional standards for judging the quality of textbooks because the open market for textbooks and the diversity of textbook supply point to a democratization of the educational system (Kovač et al., 2005) According to Hadar (2017), who examined the relationship between textbooks and teachers in her research, a high- quality textbook frequently serves as the foundation for a high-quality lesson The author discovered that when giving educational material, (mathematics teachers) typically adhere completely to textbooks It's also crucial to remember that professors use various texts and employ diverse instructional techniques Additionally, textbooks have an impact on the choice of teaching aids
The new grade 10 English textbook
The textbook of Tieng Anh 10 (Global Success) is a newly applied in Quang Ninh for the first time in academic year of 2022-2023 The table below indicates the time allocated for teaching, reviews, tests, and reserves
Table 2.1 Time allocated for teaching, reviews, tests, and reserves Time allocated for: Number of periods teaching 88 reviews, tests, and reserves 17
As could be seen in Table 2.1, the total time was 105 periods (each period is equivalent to 45 minutes) in which the time allocated for teaching is 88 periods and the rest of 17 periods are for reviews, tests, and reserves
The textbook of Tieng Anh 10 has a framework that consists of 10 units and 4 reviews The upper secondary textbook has a unit structure that is made up of eight periods or lessons In terms of components, upper secondary textbooks have eight headings for each subject Getting Started, Language (Vocabulary, Pronunciation, and Grammar), Skills (Reading, Speaking, Listening, Writing), Communication & Culture/CLIL, and Looking Back & Project In terms of how a unit begins and ends, each unit starts with a dialogue about the subject that combines words and phrases with phonological and lexical associations to the subject, as well as specific functions and ideas, and grammatical structures that make these things real Before teaching students four macroskills (reading, speaking, listening, and writing), these language components, functions, and conceptions are then practiced and elaborated upon in the next session or classes, and some cultural contents related to the topic of the unit The unit ends with a project which provides students with an opportunity to use the language and skills they have learned to perform communicative tasks in real contexts (Hoang Van Van, 2015, p.8-9) Table 2.2 summarizes the unit's structure and the teaching period(s) allotted for each component and title
Table 2.2 Book structure, unit structure, component headings and time allocated for each heading (Hoang Van Van, 2015, p.9)
Structures and time allocated Information
Number of components per unit 8
Reading Speaking Listening Writing Communication & Culture/CLIL Looking Back & Project
Time allocated for each heading 1 period
The particular details of the textbook series that were suggested by the collaborative writers and authorized by the collaborative publishers are listed below
Table 2.3.Details of the textbook series suggested by the collaborative writers and authorized by the collaborative publishers (Hoang Van Van,
Textbook Components: Student’s Book, Teacher’s Book, Workbook, and audio-CDs Unit contents: Topic, language focus (vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar), reading, speaking, listening, writing, communication & culture and project incorporated across period/lesson titles such as Getting started, Language (Vocabulary, Pronunciation, Grammar), Skills (Reading, Speaking, Listening, Writing), Communication & Culture/CLIL, Looking back & project Each of the titles consists of varying exercises and communicative tasks/activities which require individual work, pair work, group work, class discussion, and different patterns of interaction such as teacher ↔ student, student ↔ student, etc
Art: Mix of drawings and photos
Number of pages per period:
Number of pages per unit:
Variety of English for audio CD recording:
Balance of skills: 25% listening, 25% speaking, 25% reading, 25% writing
Previous Studies
The "New Interchange" textbook series was evaluated by Riasati and Zare
(2011) using the checklist approach The study's objectives were to ascertain the textbook's fitness and appropriateness in an Iranian environment and, using survey methodologies, to identify the series' weaknesses as perceived by teachers 35 English teachers from various institutions were the study's teacher participants The outcomes highlighted the series' positive points, which included pragmatic elements including its accessible location, affordable pricing, and availability of an audio cassette and teacher's guide Additionally, emphasized were the series' proper communicative practice and the balance of exercises according to the four abilities However, some shortcomings were also mentioned
Secondly, the study by Handayani, Suwarno, and Wayan (2018) investigated the evaluation of the English textbook “Think Globally Act Locally” for ninth-grade students by the author Siti Wachidah, et al published in 2015 from EFL Teacher's perspectives It was classified as a descriptive one, and it applied There are two ways to gather data: a questionnaire modified from an approachable 139-item AbdelWahab's (2013) textbook evaluation checklist includes an interview and five Likert scores Defining the phenomenon to be studied is the first step in the process of data analysis Finding a good checklist for textbook evaluation comes next Distributing the questionnaire to the study sample, which is the third step The fourth step is to compile the participant surveys Fifth is compiling the data gathered Interviewing some of the participants is the sixth step Seventh is using textbook classifications for the findings The eighth step is describing the study's findings In this study, 32 EFL teachers of ninth graders from 14 junior high schools served as the population and sample
In addition, Jannah, (2019) also examined teachers’ perception of the use of English textbooks in teaching English To address the textbook issue, the author studied the textbook use based on the opinions of the teachers at the Islamic senior high school, MAN 3 Kota Banda Aceh The purpose of this study is to find out how teachers feel about using textbooks in EFL classes as well as what challenges they face while choosing and modifying English textbooks This study used interviews and observation to collect data in a qualitative descriptive manner Data was descriptively examined Three English teachers who taught in each grade of the students' level served as the respondents for this study The findings indicated that the textbook was well-received by the teachers The textbook matched the curriculum, the syllabus, and the needs of the students The challenge for teachers in selecting the right textbook was adapting the content to the curriculum and the learning environment of the students
Nguyen Thi Thuy Minh, (2007) conducted a study to assess the approach and applicability of the new English textbook series It specifically aims to look at the textbooks' communicative capabilities and usability This means that it aims to provide answers to issues such as how the four language skills and language elements are taught and practiced, whether or not all facets of communicative competence are covered, and how much instruction students and teachers receive regarding the use of the books The findings show that in general, the books are improvements over the previous ones Firstly, they are more communicative as they integrate all four language skills In addition, to develop each language skill, the books consist of a separate section for practicing The books also provide students with learning strategies and regular review and revision to encourage independent learning The books are also well- illustrated with beautiful visual images The study also listed some weaknesses of the books, including non-communicative speaking activities and unrealistic and unnatural discourse Another disadvantage is that sometimes there is no guidance for students to do the tasks Next, the writing tasks sometimes confuse teachers and students due to the lack of readership and text types
Finally, Tran Phan Ngoc Tu and Tran Quoc Thao, (2020) investigated how communication skills are portrayed in the new English textbook for grade 10 from the viewpoints of EFL teachers and students 42 students participated in this study by filling out a questionnaire, while 5 teachers responded to interview questions The results of the mixed methods approach showed that participants thought the new English textbook for grade 10 could help them communicate more effectively Particularly, the textbook's activities helped pupils improve their communication abilities Additionally, the textbook's language is appropriate and favorable for students, and the topics and contents may aid in the development of student's communication abilities
As can be seen, up to now, there have not been any previous studies researching on students and teachers’ perspectives on the new grade 10 textbook of Global Success Therefore, the study would be the first one to investigate on this particular textbook with these subjects of high school students and teachers in Quang Ninh province
This chapter provides relevant literature that shapes the theoretical and conceptual framework for the study
First, a set of concepts of definitions of important terms such as textbooks and perspectives were discussed, followed by the importance of textbooks, limitations of textbooks, types of textbooks, evaluation of textbooks, and aspects of the textbook quality which formed important elements of questionnaires concerning students and teachers’ opinions on the new textbook
In addition, the new grade 10 English textbook was also introduced and finally, previous studies regarding students and teachers’ perspectives on the new textbook was discussed to show the research gap with the current study.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The study aimed at investigating the students’ and teachers’ perspectives on the use of the new grade 10 English textbook Therefore, the researcher uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative method to complete this study
Creswell (2011) claimed that quantitative method concentrates on the collection and analysis of data It gathers numbers and statistics from a group of people, then generalizes those outcomes to a larger group Data collection can be done on a larger sample that represents the whole population Therefore, the results are more logical and unbiased On the other hand, qualitative method includes the collection and analysis of non-numerical data to obtain an insight into various opinions and experiences from the respondents’ perspectives
In this study, by distributing sets of questionnaires to Doan Thi Diem school’s students and teachers, quantitative method was applied to acquire data on the respondents’ opinions towards the use of new grade 10 textbook of Global Success Quantitative data was examined through numerical comparisons and presented through statistical analysis The next step was to adopt qualitative method and carry out interview with teachers to crosscheck with questionnaire results Subsequently, these non-numerical data were analyzed by themes from the interviewees’ descriptions and reported in the language of the informants.
Respondents and locale of the study
The study applied total sampling techniques whereby all 200 ten-grader students and five English teachers who were using the new grade 10 textbook participated in the study with the purpose of giving their opinions on the use of the new textbook
The study was implemented at a Doan Thi Diem Ha Long school where the researcher has been teaching English for more than 05 years The new grade
10 textbook of Global Success has been chosen by Quang Ninh Department of Education and Training as an official textbook for high school students in the whole academic year of 2022-2023.
Data Collection Instrument
According to Nunan (1992, p 140), “Survey designs are widely used for collecting data in most areas of social inquiry from politics to sociology from education to linguistics” The researcher listed eight steps to conduct survey research as follows:
Table 3.1 Steps to conducting survey research (Nunan, 1992, p.141)
Step 1: Define objectives What do we want to find out?
Step 2: Identifying target population What do we want to know about?
Step 3: Identifying target population What other said and discovered about this issue?
Step 4: Determining sample How many subjects should we survey, and how will we identify?
Step 5: Identifying survey instrument How with the data be collected: questionnaire/ interview?
Step 6: Design survey procedure How will the data collection actually be carried out?
Step 7: Identify analytical procedure How will the data be assembled and analyzed?
How will result be written up and presented?
A set of questionnaires were used to collect the teachers’ and students’ opinions toward the use of the new grade 10 English textbook
There were 35 items in the teacher’s questionnaire, which were adopted from Srakang (2013) It took the teachers no more than forty minutes to complete the survey This questionnaire was adapted to create the students’ questionnaire The students’ questionnaire had 19 items, which took the students no more than twenty minutes to complete To answer the survey questions, the teachers and students selected the box equivalent to their levels of agreement (1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree) For students’ convenience, all of the questions were translated into Vietnamese
An interview is a process of communication and interaction between interviewers and interviewees The interviewees' condition determines their outstanding qualities It depends on whether or not the interviewee is prepared to provide the necessary information
In contrast to other types of interviews, semi-structured interviews are in- depth interviews in which respondents must respond to predetermined open- ended queries Extensive use is made of semi-structured, in-depth interviews as a technique for interrogating individuals or, on occasion, groups These interviews are conducted solely with a single individual or group (Shazia, 2014)
There were eight questions in the interview All of the responses were transcribed and analyzed to investigate deeper into the teacher’s opinions on the use of the new grade 10 English textbook, how they used the textbook, their difficulties using the textbook and the contents that are hard for them to understand.
Data collection procedure
Based on the theoretical results and the research objectives, the researcher created questionnaire surveys for teachers and students After asking for permission in conducting the study, the researcher selected the respondents and let them complete the survey questionnaires All of the responses were synthesized, analyzed, and descriptively presented Then, the researcher noted down some sections that need to be investigated deeper and created the questions for the teachers’ semi-structured interview All of the information was transcribed and presented by a descriptive method.
Data analysis
The statistics were input and processed into Excel Spreadsheet The quantitative and qualitative analysis was involved in several categories of parametric figures The statistics from both of the questionnaires were analyzed and synthesized to draw conclusions
In this chapter, the methodology for the study, which is a combination of qualitative and quantitative research design, has been presented The researcher has provided a description of data collection tools and procedures as well as data analysis procedures The results of questionnaires and interview were then collected and analyzed.
DISCUSSIONS OF FINDINGS
Findings from students’ questionnaire
There were 200 ten-graders participating in the survey questionnaire Most of them (71.5%) studied English for more than five years The rest learned English for less than five years
4.1.2 Students’ perspectives towards the use of the new grade 10 English textbook
The following table summarizes the students’ perspectives towards the use of the new grade 10 English textbook
Table 4.1.Students’ perspectives on the new grade 10 English textbook
Opinions on the new grade 10 English textbook Mean
1 The objectives are explicitly laid out in an introduction and implemented in the textbook 3.9 Agree
2 The layout and design are attractive and easy to read 3.1 Neutral
3 The instructions are clearly stated 3.5 Agree
4 The topics and tasks are interesting and motivating 2.4 Disagree
5 There is a variety of topics and tasks provided for different learner levels, learning styles, and interests 2.8 Neutral
6 There are periodic review and test sections provided 4.3 Strongly
7 There is an appropriate balance of the four language skills 3.4 Agree
8 Pronunciation explanation and practice are suitably presented 2.9 Neutral
9 Vocabulary explanation and practice are clearly presented 3.2 Neutral
10 Grammar presentation and practice are clearly presented 3.6 Agree
11 The textbook provides adequate activities and practice 3.1 Neutral
12 The textbook encourages learners to develop their own learning strategies and to become independent in their learning
13 The textbook is readily available locally 4.3 Strongly
14 The price of the textbook is reasonable 4.4 Strongly
Agree Overall mean score 3.45 Agree
As demonstrated in Table 4.1, the students had different opinions on each questionnaire item In the evaluation of the new grade 10 English textbook section, the students strongly agreed with items 6, 13, and 14, with the average levels of agreement from 4.3-4.4 This result means that the students highly evaluated the organization of the review and test sections of the textbook Besides, it could be inferred that students could buy the textbook easily where they live and could afford to buy it
In addition, students agreed with items 1, 3, 7, and 10, with levels of agreement ranging from 3.4 to 3.9 Correspondingly, students appreciated the way that the objectives were clearly stated in the introduction and carried out in the textbook The instructions were made clear, the four linguistic abilities were well-balanced, and the presentation of grammar and practice was comprehensible for the students The textbook also gained students’ recognition as they agreed that it enabled learners to develop their learning strategies and to beco me independent in their learning
In contrast to the high evaluation of the ideas mentioned above, students did not value the topics and tasks in the textbook The level of agreement of 2.4 means that the topics and tasks were not appealing to them
Regarding the layout and design, the variety of topics and tasks provided for different learner levels, learning styles, and interests, the pronunciation explanation and practice, the vocabulary explanation and practice, and the adequacy of activities and practice, students had averaged levels of agreement (from 2.8 – 3.2)
Table 4.2 below presents the students’ perspectives on the roles of the new grade 10 English textbook:
Table 4.2.Students’ perspectives on the roles of the new grade 10 English textbook
Roles of English textbooks Mean
15 The textbook serves as a source of homework 4.3 Strongly
16 The textbook serves as an essential source for learners 4.2 Agree
17 I use the textbook as the only source of learning materials 2.3 Disagree
18 I understand the content presented in the textbooks 3.4 Agree
19 I understand the cultural issues presented in the textbooks 2.5 Disagree
Concerning the roles of the English textbook, students strongly agreed that it served as a source of homework The results are in accordance with the current fact of teaching and learning as teachers often have students do homework in the textbook
Besides, students agreed that the textbook was a significant source for them, with a level of agreement of 4.2 Although students also agreed that they understood the content of the textbook, the level of agreement was much lower, only 3.4
On the other hand, students disagree with items 17 and 19, which means that the textbook was not the only source of learning materials, and the cultural issues presented in the textbooks were not comprehensible to them
In summary, students seemed to be satisfied with the textbook in terms of objectives, instructions, review and test section, balanced language abilities, grammar presentation and practice, learning strategies development, local accessibility, reasonable price, homework, and content However, according to students, the textbook should be improved in the topics and tasks and the cultural issues In addition to the textbook, students have other sources of learning material.
Findings from teachers’ questionnaire
Table 4.3 below illustrates the teachers’ background information
Table 4.3 Teachers’ background information Information Number (teachers) Percentage
According to Table 4.3, there were two teachers with BA degrees, accounting for 40%; three teachers with master degrees, equivalent to 60% In terms of teaching experience, there was one teacher with less than five years of teaching experience, accounting for 20%, two people with 5 to 10 years of teaching experience, making up 40%, and the rest two teachers having more than ten years of teaching experience, taking up 40%
4.2.2 Teachers’ perspectives towards the use of the new grade 10 English textbook
The teachers’ opinions towards the use of the new grade 10 English textbook were illustrated in the table below:
Table 4.4.Teachers’ perspectives on the new grade 10 English textbook Teacher’s opinions on the new grade 10 English textbook
1 The approach recommended in the textbook is educationally and socially acceptable to the target community
2 The objectives are explicitly laid out in an introduction and implemented in the textbook 3.6 Agree
3 The layout and design are attractive and easy to read 3.8 Agree
4 The instructions are clearly stated 4.2 Agree
5 The topics and tasks are interesting and motivating 2.5 Disagree
6 There is a variety of topics and tasks provided for different learner levels, learning styles, and interests 2.8 Neutral
7 The content is clearly organized and graded
8 The subjects and content are relevant to learners’ needs 2.5 Disagree
9 There are periodic review and test sections provided 3.8 Agree
10 The language used is authentic 3 Neutral
11 There is an appropriate balance of the four language skills 3.6 Agree
12 Pronunciation explanation and practice are suitably presented 3 Neutral
13 Vocabulary explanation and practice are clearly 3.2 Neutral presented
14 Grammar presentation and practice are clearly presented 3.8 Agree
15 The textbook provides adequate activities and practice 3.2 Neutral
16 The textbook encourages learners to develop their own learning strategies and to become independent in their learning
17 The textbook provides adequate guidance for the teacher; not too heavy a preparation load 3.2 Neutral
18 The textbook is accompanied by good audio cassettes, CDs, Supplementary materials, and a
19 The textbook is readily available locally 3.6 Agree
20 The price of the textbook is reasonable 3.6 Agree
21 The culture presented in the textbook is appropriate for the Vietnamese context 2.3 Disagree
22 The subject and contents are relevant to the school curriculum 4 Agree
According to the data in Table 4.4, we can see that the surveyed teachers gave different opinions on the questionnaire items In the evaluation of the new grade 10 English textbook section, the surveyed teachers strongly agree with items 1 and 18, with the average levels of agreement from 4.6-4.8, which means that they highly appreciated the suggested strategy which is socially and educationally acceptable to the target community and the provision of good audio cassettes, CDs, supplemental materials, and a teachers' guide included with the textbook
Besides, the teachers also expressed their agreement with items 2, 3, 4, 7,
9, 11, 17, 19, 20, and 22, with the levels of agreement ranging from 3.6 to 4.2 This means they agreed that the goals were clearly stated and implemented in the textbook in the introduction; the style and layout were appealing and simple to read In addition, they also agreed with the clear directions, the assignments and subjects in the textbook are stimulating and engaging And they also claimed that they agree with the fact that there are different topics and tasks offered for various learner levels, learning preferences, and interests; the information in the textbook is categorically arranged and rated (according to difficulty) Teachers appreciate having sections for tests and reviews In particular, the four language abilities are well balanced, and the comprehensible grammar presentation and practice are also well evaluated The fact that the teacher received appropriate instructions from the textbook and not having to prepare a lot also received approval from the teachers The textbook's acceptable representation of culture and its relevance to the academic program of subject matter and contents are well-agreed by the teacher
However, students strongly disagreed with item 33, which means the textbook was not the only source of teaching materials for teachers They also disagreed with item 8, which means they thought that the subjects and content were not relevant to learners’ needs In addition, the teachers did not appreciate the cultural section of the textbook as well as its topics and tasks It seemed that, like the students, the teachers did not find the topics and tasks appealing enough for learners
The surveyed teachers gave neutral opinions on items 6, 10, 12, 13, 15, and 16, and 17 with a ratio from 2.8 to 3.2 This means that they do not have a clear opinion as to whether the subjects and content are relevant to learners' needs or not Or whether the language used is authentic or not Nor did they favorably agree or disagree with whether the pronunciation explanation and practice are suitably presented, whether the vocabulary explanation and practice are clearly presented, or whether the textbook provides adequate activities and practice They can't even explicitly choose whether the textbook encourages learners to develop their own learning strategies and to become independent in their learning
Teachers’ perspectives on the role of new grade 10 English textbook are presented in the table below:
Table 4.5.Teachers’ perspectives on the role of new grade 10 English textbook Teacher’s opinions on the role of the new grade 10
23 The textbook serves as a syllabus 3.2 Neutral
24 The textbook helps in planning daily instruction 3.8 Agree
25 The textbook serves as a source of assessment items 3 Neutral
26 The textbook serves as a source of homework 4.6 Strongly
27 The textbook serves as an essential source for teachers 4.6 Strongly
28 The textbook serves as an essential source for learners 4.6 Strongly
29 The textbook helps teachers to teach English effectively 3.6 Agree
30 I follow the sequences of contents provided in the textbook 3.2 Neutral
31 I teach exclusively from the textbook 4.6 Strongly
32 I rely on the textbook when teaching 3.6 Agree
33 I use the textbook as the only source of teaching materials 1.8 Strongly disagree
34 I fully understand the content presented in the textbook 4 Agree
35 I fully understand the cultural issues presented in the textbook 3.6 Agree
When asked to give opinions on the roles of the new grade 10 English textbook, teachers strongly agree with items 26, 27, 28, and 31, with a ratio of 4.6 This means they appreciate that the textbook serves as a source of homework, an essential source for teachers, and an essential source for learners They also strongly agree that they can teach exclusively from the textbook
Besides, they also agree with items 24, 29, 32, 34, and 35 with a ratio of 3.6 to 4 That is, the teachers agree with the textbook helps them in planning daily instruction, it also helps teachers to teach English effectively They agree that they rely on the textbook when teaching Fully understanding the content presented in the textbook and the cultural issues presented in the textbook was also concurred by the teachers
On the other hand, teachers also did not have a clear opinion of items
23, 25, and 30 with a ratio of 3-3.2 They do not specify whether they agree or not with whether the textbook serves as a syllabus, or whether it serves as a source of assessment items or not They also clearly stated if they followed the sequences of contents provided in the textbook.
Findings from the teachers’ interview
4.3.1 Teachers’ general perspectives of the new grade 10 English textbook
In general, all of the interviewees had positive feelings toward the new grade 10 English textbook They also pointed out some strong points of the textbook Firstly, all of them highly appreciated the textbook package as it had necessary teaching supplementary such as CDs, PowerPoint presentations, and detailed teachers’ manuals Besides, the exercises and activities of the textbook were also mentioned as an advantage of the textbook, as a teacher said
“A wide range of detailed exercises help teachers save a lot of time and effort, and even money as there’s no need preparing or buying any extra materials.”
Another thing that teachers can benefit from the new grade 10 English textbook, as shared by two interviewees was that it serves as a guideline, which helps them understand the framework of each unit, and directs them to make better plans for their lessons
4.3.2 Teachers’ use of the new grade 10 English textbook
According to all of the interviewees, the new grade 10 English textbook plays an inevitable part in a lesson because of the education policy Therefore, they had to refer to the book and follow the order of the lessons/ units That also means that students have to use the textbook for every lesson as “the textbook is the main source of homework” said the third interviewee
However, four of the interviewees said that they had to use additional resources or external references As the first interviewee said,
“The large-size class means that students have different interests and levels That is the reason why teachers need to look for an external source to help students at all levels understand and be interested in the lesson”
“As the instructions and explanations are sometimes not clear enough for low-level students, teachers have to find other ways to help them Similarly, for those who are good at English, the exercises in the textbook are quite easy for them.”
4.3.3 Teachers’ difficulties using the new grade 10 English textbook
Firstly, according to the first and the second interviewees, the subjects of the textbook sometimes are not appealing enough to the students, which makes them spend a lot of effort preparing lesson plans In terms of cultural contents in the textbook, four out of five teachers said that several topics are not common in Vietnam Besides, the guidelines for culture sections are sometimes not adequate, which made it hard for them to understand, and then teach their students
The second difficulty, also mentioned by four out of five respondents, is that the contents of the book make it hard to develop tests and assessments
“While the book was designed to develop the student’s communication skills, grammar took up large weight in the tests, which caused the mismatch between what students have learned and what students have done.”
In addition, there was an imbalance among the contents of the sections in one unit or among different units Sometimes, due to the illogical knowledge arrangements, the lesson covers a huge amount of knowledge, which made it hard for teachers to teach the whole content
Besides, the cultural parts of the books were a concern to all of the interviewees According to interviewee 1,
“Some cultural contents were quite hard for the students to understand as they are completely different from what students have experienced.”
Interviewee 5 also shared the same concern by saying:
“It took me a lot of time to explain the cultural parts as the students did not know However, some students were not satisfied as they just could see so they could not explain how and why there were differences among cultures”
Having the same idea as the fifth interviewee, the third interviewee also suggested,
“It is better if the cultural section refers to things that were familiar to students and they will have chances to study them deeper, and if possible, they can explain and introduce them to foreigners.”
The interviewees also mentioned some indirect problems related to the learners’ language abilities, the size of the class, and the continuous changes in textbooks The teachers pointed out that the average language proficiency of the students was quite low, making the textbook content too difficult for them to comprehend Despite the interesting nature of the activities, students were unable to complete them, particularly the speaking and writing tasks Moreover, large- sized classes also caused difficulties for teachers to implement activities in the textbook, i.e., speaking or writing activities
“I would like students to make use of what is provided in textbooks because it is helpful, but I cannot have them all practice at once I was unable to call them individually to the front of the classroom and request that they speak or share because it is time-consuming”, said the fifth teacher
Last but not least, the fact that textbooks often change is also another cause of teachers’ difficulties in using them When teaching a new textbook, teachers need to spend more time learning about it, making teachers spend more time on preparation and investigation
Despite the difficulties, all of the five interviewees claimed that if they could decide, they would still choose the textbook in the future.
Summary
This part has shed light on main findings of the study in which students’ opinions towards the use of the new grade 10 English textbook was analyzed and discussed In addition, findings from teachers’ questionnaire regarding teachers’ opinions towards the use of the new grade 10 English textbook were also analyzed Finally, results from the teachers’ interview were illustrated with information on general opinions of the new grade 10 English textbook, their use of the new grade 10 English textbook and their difficulties using the new grade