000071665 AN EVALUATION OF THE ESP MATERIAL FOR THE THIRD -YEAR STUDENTS OF CONSTRUCTION AT LUONG THE VINH UNIVERSITY ĐÁNH GIÁ TÀI LIỆU ESP DÀNH CHO SINH VIÊN NĂM THỨ BA NGÀNH XÂY DỰNG TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC LƯƠNG THẾ VINH
INTRODUCTION
AIMS OF THE STUDY
1 evaluate the material by applying the checklist of Hutchinson and Waters (1987) in terms of aims, content and methodology to determine whether the material is appropriate for the students of construction at LTVU or not.
2 provide the researcher with data to decide to use the material again or make any changes for the material so that the material is more effective for future use.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
To obtain the aims, the study needs to answer the following questions:
1 To what extent does the material meet the requirements of the curriculum in terms of aims, content and methodology?
2 What suggestions can be made to improve the material?
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study was conducted at LTVU with third-year construction students and examined the criteria defined in the ESP course requirements for construction majors, which are presented below.
• Content of the material (in terms of lexical points, language points, skills, topic, text types)
• Methodology of the material (in terms of types and level of tasks and exercises)
SIGN IFICA N CE OF THE STUDY
This study identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the ESP materials currently used for construction students, enabling teachers to leverage strengths and address weaknesses so the materials better match learners’ level The findings are expected to assist education authorities in selecting and designing ESP materials for construction programs, thereby improving curriculum relevance and effectiveness Additionally, the researcher hopes the study will pave the way for further research on other ESP teaching materials in Vietnam.
OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
This thesis is organized into five chapters, guiding readers through the study from start to finish The first chapter provides the introduction, outlining the research objectives and scope The second chapter covers the literature review, surveying existing work and highlighting gaps The third chapter details the methodology used to conduct the research The fourth chapter presents the results and discussion of the findings The final chapter offers recommendations and conclusions, synthesizing the study’s implications and suggesting directions for future research.
The first chapter, Introduction, presents background to the study, aims of the thesis, the research questions, scope and significance of the thesis.
Chapter two, the Literature Review, outlines the fundamental theories underpinning the research area, including ESP materials and materials evaluation, and synthesizes previous research projects that focus on evaluating instructional materials This section establishes the theoretical basis for the study and highlights how prior work informs current approaches to ESP material development and assessment.
The third chapter, Methodology, deals with research methods used, data collection instruments, the participants of the study and data collection procedures.
Chapter 4, Results and Discussion, presents the evaluation of the study across three dimensions—aims, content, and methodology The findings come from a mixed-method analysis using document analysis, student questionnaires, and teacher interviews After analyzing the data, the researcher compared the results with the course requirements to determine whether the material aligns with the intended objectives and standards.
In the final chapter, Recommendations and Conclusion, the study presents recommendations for adapting the material and outlines the core adaptation techniques—adding, modifying, and deleting content—as essential methods to tailor the material to its goals The chapter also suggests directions for future research, proposing developments that could further explore the issue and inform subsequent studies.
LITERATURE REVIEW
ESP MATERIALS
ESP is an important area in ELT today when there are a large variety of processions which have developed and are developing and it is obvious that ESP materials play an important role in the process o f learning and teaching.
Definitions of ESP in the literature are relatively late in time if it is assumed that ESP began in the 1960s Hutchinson and Waters (1987) define ESP as an approach rather than a product That means ESP does not involve a particular type of language, teaching material or methodology Considering this definition, Anthony (1997) notes that it is not clear where ESP courses end and General English courses begin because a lot of non specialist ESP instructors use ESP approach in the way that their syllabi are based on analysis o f learner needs and their own specialist personal knowledge of English for real communication.
Robinson (1991) defines English for Specific Purposes (ESP) by two core criteria: first, it is goal-directed, and second, ESP programs are typically time-bound and delivered to adult learners in homogeneous groups, organized around the particular work or professional tasks the students perform.
According to Dudley-Evans and St John (1998), ESP has two aspects: absolute characteristics and variable characteristics Absolute characteristics emphasize tailoring ESP to learners' specific needs and using the underlying methodologies and activities of the target disciplines, with a focus on language, skills, discourse, and genres central to those activities Variable characteristics recognize that ESP may be linked to particular disciplines or may adopt teaching approaches different from general English in specific settings, and that ESP courses are designed for learners at different proficiency levels, typically assuming some basic knowledge of the language while remaining suitable for beginners.
English for Specific Purposes (ESP) grew from a combination of three key factors: expanding demand for English tailored to particular needs, advances in linguistics, and progress in educational psychology (Hutchinson and Waters, 1987) These interconnected developments reshaped language teaching by emphasizing purpose, context, and learner needs.
After World War II, there was a rapid expansion of scientific, technical, and economic activity on an international scale, creating a new world of technology and commerce This surge generated a strong demand for an international language to facilitate cross-border exchange English quickly became the lingua franca for foreign trade, travel, banking, aviation, and telecommunications, a status reinforced by the United States' position as the postwar world's leading economic power Consequently, English established itself as the international language of technology and commerce.
Alongside the growing demand for English tailored to specific needs, new ideas emerged in language study, emphasizing how language is actually used in real communication rather than just the formal features of usage This shift shows that the English we speak and write varies considerably across different contexts In language teaching, the English required by a particular group of learners can be identified by analyzing the linguistic characteristics of their specialist field.
Recent educational advances have driven the rise of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) by centering on learners and their attitudes toward learning Learners now recognize that they have unique needs and interests when acquiring a new language, which strengthens motivation and enhances learning effectiveness As a result, course development has become more learner-centered and tailored to those needs and interests, making programs more relevant and impactful.
Since the early 1960s, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has emerged as one of the most prominent areas of EFL teaching It is considered a distinct strand within English language instruction, with ESP developing its own methodologies and drawing on research from applied linguistics as well as other disciplines—an interdisciplinary approach that marks ESP as unique Central to ESP is needs analysis, guiding the preparation of learners to communicate effectively in tasks defined by their field of study and workplace contexts.
Dudley-Evans and St John (1998) argue that ESP materials function as a source of language input and as learning support, while also motivating learners, stimulating their engagement, and serving as valuable reference material for real-world language use.
In contexts where English is a foreign language rather than a second language, the ESP classroom can be the main source of English exposure Therefore, teaching materials must present authentic, real-language usage and address the full range of linguistic needs that learners require.
Effective learning support materials must be reliable: they should work as intended, maintain consistency, and follow a recognizable pattern that learners can anticipate This reliability does not require a rigid unit structure or a fixed format; rather, materials can be flexible in organization and presentation while still supporting clear understanding and easy navigation.
Effective learning materials stimulate motivation by balancing challenge with achievability, introduce new ideas while grounding them in the learners’ existing knowledge and experiences, and foster fun and creativity They should combine concepts that are familiar with fresh insights to create a clear reason for learners to communicate and participate The input must be applicable beyond the classroom, aligning with real-world use and addressing language learning needs, with a purpose that is explicitly tied to the learners’ realities.
ESP learners often have limited time for classroom contact and rely on a mix of classes, self-study, and reference materials For self-study or reference purposes, those materials need to be complete, well laid out, and self-explanatory Learners want explanations, examples, and practice activities that include answer keys and discussion keys to facilitate self-assessment and productive discussion.
Different materials were designed in different forms for different purposes Robinson
As described in 1991, instructional materials fall into two categories: published textbooks and in-house materials The choice between these options depends on the specific teaching situation and context, including learning objectives, student needs, resource availability, and institutional constraints Weighing these situational and contextual factors helps ensure the selected material type supports effective teaching and desired learning outcomes.
The word ‘textbooks’ refers to the commercially published materials Richards (2001, p.254-255) shows that the use of textbooks in teaching has both advantages and disadvantages Among the principle advantages are
MATERIALS EVALUATION
Materials evaluation is a key process in teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) because it delivers tangible results from well-designed course development, ensuring students receive targeted materials that equip them with the knowledge and skills required in their particular major field.
There are several definitions of evaluation in language education Gronlund (1981), Weiss (1972), and Doff (1998) view evaluation as the process of collecting information about a language program to determine whether its aims have been achieved Among these perspectives, Hutchinson and Waters’ definition is the most notable, with the term evaluation typically defined in the following manner.
Evaluation is the process of judging how well something fits a particular purpose, emphasizing its fitness for that use rather than any absolute standard of good or bad In this view, evaluation is about relative merit, yielding no universal verdict—only degrees of fitness for the required objective.
Evaluation is not a process for judging goodness or badness; it focuses on the subject's suitability or unsuitability for a specific context or objective This view helps both evaluators and authors by clarifying the aim of the evaluation and guiding the selection of an appropriate evaluation method.
Materials evaluation in language teaching is the systematic appraisal of how well learning materials meet both the course objectives and the learners’ personal goals, effectively measuring their value for teaching and learning In practice, this evaluation often relies on impressionistic judgments to predict whether learners will be able to use the materials with manageable effort and whether they will find the learning experience engaging Thus, the overall definition of materials evaluation is the process of assessing the value and effectiveness of learning materials (Richards & Schmidt, 1985).
Ellis (1997) describes two evaluation types in education: predictive evaluation and retrospective (restrictive) evaluation Predictive evaluation helps teachers decide which materials are best suited to their objectives and contexts before use, while retrospective evaluation assesses after the fact whether the materials have worked for learners Taken together, these evaluations improve the teaching and learning environment by guiding teachers to make informed judgments about the materials they deploy for their learners.
Tomblinson (1998) identifies three types of coursebook evaluation: pre-use evaluation, in-use evaluation, and post-use evaluation The pre-use evaluation is the most common yet the most challenging because teachers have no actual classroom experience with the book to draw on The in-use evaluation assesses the material while it is being used, capturing its effectiveness during instruction The post-use evaluation reviews the book’s overall performance after a period of use, identifying strengths and weaknesses and guiding decisions about whether to reuse the same course book in future iterations.
Robinson (1991) identifies three types of materials evaluation—preliminary, formative, and summative Preliminary and summative evaluations tend to focus on published or completed materials, while formative evaluation concentrates on in-house materials to support ongoing improvements Preliminary evaluation is conducted before a course begins and involves selecting the most appropriate factors from available publications; formative evaluation takes place during the course so materials can be revised in real time; and summative evaluation occurs after implementation to determine the overall effectiveness of the course.
Although different terms are used for material evaluation, the core types share the same purpose: predictive, pre-use, and preliminary evaluations search for suitable materials before use, while in-use and formative evaluations monitor ongoing development to improve materials during the course Retrospective, post-use, and summative evaluations assess how effectively the materials were used after implementation This study aims to evaluate the current ESP material for construction students to determine whether it aligns with the course aims, content, and methodology Based on the findings, the study offers suggestions to enhance the material's relevance and effectiveness for the students, with formative evaluation serving as the primary framework.
Reasons for materials evaluation are many and various Hutchinson and Waters (1987) show the reasons for materials evaluation as follow:
Evaluation results typically determine whether to invest heavily in a published course or to devote substantial time to creating or adapting materials, and a thorough evaluation can save considerable expense and avoid frustration by steering the choice toward the most effective option.
Ellis (1997) identifies two core purposes of materials evaluation: selecting the most suitable materials for a given situation and assessing whether the chosen materials effectively fulfill their intended purposes after they have been used for a period.
An evaluation of teaching materials helps identify their strengths and weaknesses, allowing educators to assess their overall effectiveness and efficiency By understanding what works and what doesn’t, schools can decide whether to reuse the materials and what changes are needed, guiding improvements for more effective future use.
This material is being evaluated because it aligns with the reasons outlined above The evaluation results will guide the changes needed to make the material more suitable for the course requirements Although the material has been in use for some time, it has not yet undergone formal evaluation, so it is now necessary to assess it to ensure it meets current standards and learner needs.
Because teaching materials play a crucial role in language learning, substantial research has focused on evaluating language teaching materials To assess these materials, scholars have proposed several evaluation models in the literature, including Cunningsworth (1995), Ellis (1997), McDonough and Shaw (1993), and Hutchinson and Waters (1987).
Cunningsworth's 1995 model is built on four broad guidelines that function as concise, overarching principles underpinning longer and more familiar checklists used in predictive evaluation, such as those employed when selecting a book for a specific course (Ranalli, 2002) These four guidelines form the core framework guiding material choice, linking the evaluative process to course goals and learner needs In this way, the model encapsulates a principled approach to curriculum material selection that emphasizes efficiency and relevance in the decision-making process.
Guideline one: Coursebooks should correspond to learners ’ needs They should match the aims and objectives o f the language learning program.
PREVIOUS RESEARCH PROJECTS ON MATERIALS EVALUATTION
A large body of research has focused on materials evaluation in diverse contexts, with scholars applying different criteria to assess textbooks and other instructional materials For example, Litz (2005) evaluated the ELT textbook English Firsthand 2, which is used as a language teaching course book.
At Sung Kyun Kwan University in Suwon, South Korea, the study aimed to determine the overall pedagogical value and suitability of the textbook for a specific language program The research employed Litz’s (2005) textbook evaluation questionnaires, designed to be answered by both instructors and students Litz’s checklist is organized into main categories with detailed items, uses simple terms that are largely comprehensible, and appears comprehensive and balanced across the various aspects it covers, though it lacks certain points such as guidance on language learning strategies or advice on how to use the book.
Riasati and Zare (2010) evaluated the New Interchange series, widely used in Iranian language classrooms, to determine its overall pedagogical value and suitability; using Liz’s (2000) textbook evaluation questionnaire, they highlighted strengths such as practical considerations—reasonable price, accessibility, and the inclusion of a teacher’s guide and audio tape—and a clear, well-organized layout, along with a balance of activities across the four skills and adequate communicative practice However, the series also presents several limitations that teachers should consider when adopting it, and the authors emphasize that no single textbook can meet the diverse needs of large learner groups, placing the responsibility on teachers to compensate for deficiencies to achieve effective learning outcomes.
Hoang Hoa Lien (2005) evaluated the English for Architecture, Construction, Urban Planning, Physical and Urban Environment course at Hanoi Architectural University using the Hutchinson and Waters (1993) model, focusing on four criteria: audience, aims, contents, and methodology The study triangulated data from document analysis, teacher interviews, and student questionnaires, and found that the material meets some course requirements, with the aims of providing vocabulary related to the students’ specialist subjects being well met However, the resource is fairly challenging for students, so it only partially achieves the goals of improving reading, writing, and speaking skills The author concludes that the materials can be used, but recommends changes in language use, language skills coverage, and the length of the unit to better meet learners’ needs.
Nguyen Thi Hang (2010) conducted a study on the English textbook used for 11th grade at Xuan Truong High School to assess its alignment with curriculum requirements, identify its merits and demerits, and provide recommendations for improvement The study employed two qualitative methods—document analysis and questionnaires—to ensure reliability and objectivity, and adopted the Cunningsworth evaluation model for material assessment Findings indicated that the textbook partly meets the curriculum’s desired features, leading to recommendations for modifications to enhance alignment with curriculum requirements The study also notes limitations: only seven evaluation criteria were examined out of many possible ones, and the sample size was small, which may limit the generalizability of the results.
Pham Thi Thu (2011) evaluated the ESP materials currently used at the Academy of Finance for third-year students, applying Hutchinson and Waters’ (1987) model and criteria to assess the textbook’s suitability The study examined how well the material meets ESP objectives, authentic language use, learner needs, and task relevance, with findings highlighting the textbook’s strengths and identifying areas for improvement within the context of higher‑education ESP programs.
This study employed a combination of three methods, and the results indicate that the materials partly meet the course objectives To enhance usability, the materials require some modifications However, the study has limitations: the scope is narrow, as many criteria exist for evaluating materials, yet this evaluation used only three criteria; and the small number of participants may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Via the previous studies mentioned, it is clear that each researcher uses each model by one author to evaluate a textbook In this study, the researcher used the criteria by Hutchinson and Waters (1987) to evaluate the ESP textbook The aspects o f evaluation are aims, content and methodology with the aim that there would be an overall consensus on the materials evaluation Furthermore, it is obvious that there has never been any evaluation on the materials “English for Architecture and Building Construction” for the third-year students at LTVU Therefore, it is an educational necessary for the researcher to make an evaluation on the material.
SUMMARY
This chapter has presented the basic theoretical issues which are related to evaluating materials In the first part, the chapter introduces a brief overview of ESP including development of ESP, ESP materials, role of ESP materials and types of ESP materials
Part two examines materials evaluation, outlining the types of materials evaluation, the reasons for evaluating materials, and, in particular, the models and criteria used for evaluation, with explanations of why specific models and criteria are chosen The chapter also surveys previous materials evaluation studies to situate current approaches.
M ETH O D O LO G Y
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
As presented in the introduction, this research tried to answer the following questions:
1 To what extent does the material meet the requirements of the curriculum in terms of aims, content and methodology?
2 What suggestions can be made to improve the material?
DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS
This thesis adopts three data collection instruments—document analysis, a questionnaire, and interviews—to triangulate data and provide clearer insight across different levels of analysis This mixed-methods approach allows one method to illuminate another, aligning with established rationale (Jick, 1979; Tashakkori & Teddlie, 1998), and enables the results of one instrument to inform or develop the others (Greene, Caracelli & Graham, 1989) By collecting the same information about aims, content, and methodology from these three sources, the study seeks to yield detailed findings that support a robust evaluation.
Document analysis was selected in evaluation because existing documents can provide valuable information and represent a core data source for the assessment This approach delivers systematic background information that underpins the evaluation process and helps enhance the objectivity of the research, aligning with Robinson (1991), who notes that documents form an essential part of the data for evaluation.
The documents analyzed in this study were the requirements o f the ESP course and the current material for the third year students of construction at LTVU.
3.2.1.1 The analysis of the curriculum document
Curriculum documents comprise several components, including audience, aims, content, methodology, time allocation, assessment, and test format In practice, the investigation focused on three core elements—aims, content, and methodology—because these aspects are most critical for directing instruction and aligning assessment with learning objectives.
3.2.1.2 The analysis of the materials
An analysis of ESP materials was conducted to systematically collect factual information on their aims, content, and methodology The evaluation used a checklist of criteria adapted from Hutchinson and Waters (1987) to assess whether the materials align with the course requirements and truly reflect the intended aims, content, and instructional approach.
The questionnaire was chosen for students for several reasons: it is self-administered and can be distributed to large groups at once, making it more cost-effective than other procedures; respondents tend to share sensitive information more readily when anonymity is assured; and the data are more uniform, standard, and accurate because all participants complete the questionnaire at the same time (Seliger & Shohamy, 1989).
The questionnaire, adapted from the Hutchinson and Waters (1987) checklists, was built around three criteria—aims, content, and methodology—and comprised three parts Part I (Aims) evaluated how well the material's goals aligned with the ESP course Part II (Content) analyzed language points, including vocabulary (quantity, presentation, and practice) and grammatical structures (the length and complexity of sentences and their presentation and practice); it also assessed language skills to determine whether the textbook activities would develop students' reading, speaking, and writing of specialized documents, considered topics appropriate to students’ specialized knowledge, and reviewed the suitability of different text types.
The study evaluated whether the text types were varied and plentiful and whether their length was appropriate for the class time, emphasizing how text variety and pacing align with lesson constraints Part III (Methodology) analyzed the suitability of the tasks and exercises and the skill-based activities employed to develop the targeted competencies.
Interviews were used as the primary data-collection method in this study because they provide in-depth, valuable information and support robust evaluation (Dudley-Evans & St John, 1998) This approach yields a high amount of relevant data in a relatively short time, enabling efficient insights Furthermore, the format allows researchers to ask follow-up questions to clarify responses and elicit more detailed information.
The interview questions were organized into four parts: Part I examined the aims of the material, for example whether it provided students with new vocabulary related to their major Part II addressed the content of the material, including language points, language skills, topics, and text types Part III focused on the methodology of the material, with questions mainly about the tasks, exercises, and skills activities Part IV is referenced but not detailed in the excerpt.
IV was the last one related to the teacher’s teaching experience and attitudes towards the material.
PARTICIPANTS OF THE STUDY
Eighty male students participated in the study; all were third-year English non-majors in classes K6-XDA and K6-XDB Their ages ranged from 19 to 21 About 20 percent had never learned English before, having studied other languages, while the remainder learned English in high school Despite this background, the group did not perform well on the mid-term and final tests, indicating limited English proficiency.
Three ESP teachers have been teaching English at LTVU, with ages ranging from 28 to 41 Two hold M.A degrees, and one is currently pursuing an M.A in TESOL Most of them have taught the material and have offered comments on its effectiveness They are eager to see how the material performs in practice and how it could be taught more effectively in the future.
DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES
Evaluation criteria were established to reflect the study's purpose, emphasizing the aims, content, and methodology of the material The researcher analyzed the material against these criteria to identify its actual aims, content, and methodology After this analysis, a comparison was conducted between the material analysis results and the ESP course requirements to determine alignment.
To support the evaluation, a questionnaire was developed to collect the information needed The questions were adapted from the checklists by Hutchinson and Waters (1987) The instrument was checked for errors, and five copies were given to five pilot students from two classes, K6-XDA and K6-XDB, to assess its suitability for students and for the research purposes After the pilot responses were returned, the questionnaire was reviewed again to identify mistakes and determine any required changes Finally, 80 copies of the questionnaire were distributed to students, with the researcher explaining the purpose of the questionnaire and instructing them on how to complete it.
Before the interview, English teachers were gathered and briefed on the study’s objectives and how the results would be used, and each teacher received a copy of the interview format to prepare with a fixed interview date set During the interview, the participants answered the prepared questions while the interviewer engaged in dialogue to elicit in-depth information about the issues under investigation The interviewer asked follow-up questions when responses were unclear or insufficiently detailed and took notes on the answers for later analysis.
SUMMARY
This chapter details the study’s methodology, presents the research questions, describes the data collection instruments and participant characteristics, and concludes with the data collection procedures The results and the discussion of these results will be presented in the next chapter.
EVALUATION OF THE MATERIAL
The defined aims of the course
Designed for construction students specializing in architecture and building construction, the course aims to equip learners with new vocabulary and technical terms to engage confidently with concepts in the field, while strengthening their grammar knowledge It also targets the development of integrated language skills—reading, listening, speaking, and writing—so learners can handle professional texts and communicate effectively Reading instruction focuses on navigating specialized books and journals, with practice in skimming, scanning, and other sub-skills In speaking, the program aims to improve fluency through engaging discussion activities, and in writing, students develop the ability to produce descriptive texts related to their major.
Because the designers did not clearly articulate the aims of the material, a thorough content analysis (see Appendix 6) was conducted to examine its vocabulary, grammar, topics, and the skills it targets, ensuring alignment with the intended learning outcomes and instructional goals.
Determining vocabulary suitability involved analyzing the words that appear in each unit across sections, tasks and exercises, and the reading texts The analysis shows that, to express the topic of each unit, the authors rely on a blend of common terms and technical vocabulary For example, in Unit 1, to describe material properties, objective adjectives such as light and heavy, permeable and impermeable, and transparent and opaque are used, along with other related adjective pairs, while shape terminology is introduced with words like cube, cone, and cylinder This pattern demonstrates how vocabulary choice is aligned with unit topics to convey concepts clearly and to support reader understanding, highlighting how word frequency and term relevance contribute to the effectiveness of the instructional material across sections, tasks, and readings.
1 Property and shape - Shapes: cube, cone, pyramid, cylinder , two dimensional shapes (square shape, triangular shape )
- Properties: light, heavy, flexible, rigid
2 Location - Words of location: west-facing, long axis, short axis
- Adjectives of position: perpendicular to, parallel to, adjacent to
3 Structure Technical words of structural systems: post-and- lintel, arch, steel skeleton
4 Measurement 1 - Technical words of dimension: length, height, width
- Common measurements in architecture: lumen, lux, degree Celsius
- Technical words of types of buildings: block o f flats, railway station
- Functions of an air conditioner: air cleaning, temperature control
- Adverbs of subsequence: initially, first, then, later, subsequently, finally
- Trades on a building site: steel erector, cladding fixer
Technical words of materials and their properties: density, melting point, typical tensile strength, relative cost
Words of cause and effect: due to, because of, with the result that, and as a re su lt
- Technical words of proportion: ratio, relatively
- Technical words of measurement: perimeter, area, volume
Words related to adverbs of frequency, tendency and probability
11 Process 4: Method Words of tools used by tradesmen working on a building site: panel saw, trowel, shovel
An analysis of the reading texts shows that the vocabulary is closely tied to terms in the core field of construction In Unit One's reading passage, "Different Types of Construction," the terminology includes frame construction, planar construction, and mass construction, highlighting a field-specific lexicon that supports comprehension and aligns with SEO goals by targeting relevant construction keywords.
5 One method of heating a building
6 The procedures of building construction
8 A low-pressure hot-water system
9 The effects of the surface area/volume ratio in architecture
10 The gravitational force on a structure
11 Calculation of the amount of daylight in a room
Through engaging with reading texts and completing related tasks, students gain substantial subject-specific vocabulary related to construction The material provides specialized construction terminology, helping learners build a practical lexicon aligned with their field Consequently, the content meets the objective of equipping students with vocabulary about their subject matter.
Grammar instruction was integrated into the sections through tasks and exercises rather than taught as a separate unit In Section 1, key grammar structures were introduced to express the topic of each unit, and in Section 2 these structures were continually reinforced Students were provided with examples that incorporated these structures, then practiced by reading and by writing sentences using the given words or by composing a short paragraph The approach included review of material previously learned, with some structures revisited to strengthen understanding, while other units introduced entirely new grammatical forms for students to master.
Although the grammar section provided the structures for practice, it did not include the theoretical explanation, leaving students with examples and exercises but little understanding of how the structures are formed In unit seven, the focus was on comparison and expressions of measurement, with samples like “The library is slightly bigger than the office” and “The library is approximately three times as big as the entrance hall.” Learners then reviewed a table of material properties and practiced by identifying materials and constructing sentences based on the data For the “too” and “enough” constructions, students first read a conversation and then were given situations to create conversations using too and enough.
The analysis shows that although the material offers structured practice for students, it lacks the theoretical guidance needed to help learners summarize and review what they have learned Nevertheless, the exercises and tasks included in the material contribute to improving students’ grammatical knowledge to a certain extent.
1 Property and shape - To have the property o f
- To be adjective (o f basic forms) in shape
2 Location - To be bounded by
- To face west/ east/ south/ north
- To consist of/ conclude/ com pose of1 make up o f
- To have an internal area o f -To have a w idth o f
- To have the capacity to do
- To be capable of doing
- To enable somebody to do
- To be put in place
- Connectors: While, as soon as, at the same time, immediately after
- Comparison (comparative adjectives with adverbs: slightly, considerably, approximately)
- To have an insufficient amount of
- Clauses of cause and effect: with the result that, and as a result
- To be in proportion to
- To be relatively/ proportionately + adj
- To be directly/ inversely proportionately to
- Adverbs of frequency (all/always; nearly all/ nearly always; most/ generally; many/ frequently
- Tendency: To tend to do something
- Probability: to be highly unlikely/ impossible
11 Process 4: Method - To be a tool for doing something
- Verticality can/ may be checked by means of/ by using with
Reading was primarily focused in Section Three, where students engaged with several texts After each text, they completed a range of tasks—true/false statements, comprehension questions, gap-filling, matching, and finding words in the text These exercises were designed to develop reading skills such as understanding the general idea and extracting information for specific purposes.
Current practice relied mainly on while- and post-reading activities, with little pre-reading work to activate background knowledge, so students tended to read the text and then struggle to complete the tasks For example, in unit 6 the reading about the relationship among the architect, the client, and the contractor was followed by a "find a word or expression" exercise and a flow-diagram completion task (while-reading), and then a post-reading assignment asking students to describe separately the parts played by the client, the contractor, and the architect in constructing a building The absence of pre-reading activity left students without the necessary context, making it difficult for them to grasp the ideas and to perform the exercises effectively.
The conclusion about reading skill was that the materials did not meet well the aim of developing students’ reading skills.
Speaking is practiced in course sections as post-reading activities and as paired tasks after learners engage with reading or other skills, providing opportunities to speak In the tasks, students work in pairs to answer questions or generate conversations once given sentence structures to guide writing, typically following other language skills When speaking functions as post-reading activities, tasks include discussions or conversations based on the reading, completed after finishing the reading tasks For example, Unit 7 invites students to discuss choosing the best materials for building components by analyzing a table after comparing density, melting point, tensile strength, and relative cost In Section 2, learners ask and answer questions about situations using too and enough after reviewing two model conversations In Section 3, after reading about designing houses for tropical climates, students discuss which climate zone each graph represents and then compare sketches of buildings from different parts of the world, considering climate-related form, structure, materials, use, and social organization While the tasks are well aligned with the lesson content, they can be challenging if the necessary language structures and vocabulary are not sufficiently provided, making it hard for students to complete the speaking tasks and improve their speaking ability.
Overall, the speaking-task types aligned with the lesson content, but they were somewhat challenging for students at the current proficiency level To maximize learning, these tasks should be adapted to match learners' abilities while preserving the intended goals With appropriate adjustments—such as simplifying prompts, providing scaffolds, or offering tiered options—these activities can become more suitable and effective for all students.
Writing in this material was also done via the sections: presentation, skill development and reading The writing tasks/exercises were writing the short sentences or paragraphs
Unit 6 focuses on descriptive writing for a specialized field by providing model texts first and then prompting students to replicate the structure In section 1, after reading examples that use sequence markers such as initially, then, subsequently, and finally, students examined pictures and produced parallel descriptions In section 2, they practiced sentence construction with connectives like simultaneously, as soon as, or immediately after, and then wrote sentences based on the given information In section 3, students wrote three separate descriptions of the roles in a building project—the client, the contractor, and the architect—highlighting how different stakeholders contribute to the construction process The activities show that the provided models give students sufficient guidance to complete the writing tasks and exercises, supporting coherence and fluency in descriptive writing.
Overall, the study concluded that providing students with ample writing guidance enables them to craft sentences and paragraphs more effectively, which in turn improves their writing skills and equips them to produce accurate, field-specific descriptions within their specialized area.
No Aims o f the material Number o f choices
1 You have learnt a lot of words related to the specialized field.
2 Your grammatical knowledge has improved after learning the material.
3 You can read the material related to the specialized field after learning this material.
4 You can improve fluency through interesting speaking activities.
5 You are able to write a description related to the specialized field.
Table 4.1: Students’ opinions about the appropriateness o f the material to the aims o f the course
1 Strongly disagree; 2 Disagree; 3 Neutral (Neither agree nor disagree); 4. Agree; 5 Strongly agree
Table 4.1 shows that 85% of students agreed or strongly agreed that they had learned a large amount of vocabulary related to the specialized field, while 5% disagreed and 10% were undecided Regarding grammar knowledge, 65% combined strongly agreed and agreed that their grammatical knowledge improved after studying the material, whereas 25% disagreed When it comes to reading ability, more than half of the students did not believe they could read materials related to the specialized field after the course, with 25% agreeing that they could read and 15% undecided About speaking fluency, 75% believed they could not improve fluency through the interesting speaking activities provided, with the remainder distributed between agreement and undecided for item 4 For writing a description related to the major field, more than half of the students agreed, and just over a quarter did not accept the statement.
The interview results with the teachers revealed that three interviewed teachers shared nearly the same opinions with the students shown in Table 4.2.
No Aims o f the material Number o f choices
1 Your students are provided with new vocabulary and technical terms related to their major.
2 The material helps the students improve their grammatical knowledge.
3 Your students’ reading skills are developed so that they are able to read the materials related to the specialized field.
4 Your students’ speaking skills are developed so that they can improve fluency through interesting speaking activities.
5 Your students are able develop their writing with the aim that they can write a description related to the specialized field.
Table 4.2: Teachers’ opinions about the appropriateness o f the material to the aims o f the course
SUGGESTIONS FROM THE RESPONDENTS
In this thesis, both students and teachers were asked not only to voice their opinions about the material but also to propose concrete suggestions to improve its quality and usability By combining evaluative feedback with practical recommendations, the study aims to identify strengths and gaps, guide revisions, and enhance instructional effectiveness, accessibility, and learner engagement for future courses.
SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR FINDINGS
4.2.1 The students’ opinions and suggestions
Language learners are calling for more vocabulary and grammar practice, with extra tasks and exercises to reinforce what they've learned They also desire a theory-based grammar section that supports review and helps them focus on key concepts In addition, they want more pre-reading activities that provide background information to enhance their understanding of reading texts.
4.2.2 The teachers’ opinions and suggestions
The teachers also had some similar ideas to the students They suggested that more tasks/exercises on vocabulary, grammar, and reading skill should be added Furthermore, in terms o f text types, there should be more types o f text types in order to make them more various to meet the special field Besides that the speaking tasks/exercises should be redesigned to make them easier and more appropriate to the students’ level.
From the results and discussions of data collected from the document analysis, student questionnaire and teacher interview, the researcher can come to the conclusion that the material under evaluation has certain features that are divided into groups: Appropriate features of the evaluated aspects and inappropriate features of the evaluated aspects.
4.3.1 Appropriate features of the evaluated aspects
The findings collected from the research instruments and the discussions above showed that the material could meet the following course requirements:
The material offers a robust set of construction vocabulary and technical terms, giving students substantial exposure to field-specific language Through carefully designed tasks and accompanying reading texts, learners have ample opportunities to become familiar with these terms and to practice their definitions and usage in context.
Regarding grammar, findings from three sources indicate that most of the grammatical structures belong to a specialized field, yet these structures are presented clearly enough for students to understand This clarity supports learner comprehension and demonstrates that domain-specific grammar can be taught effectively.
Analysis of the topics shows that the majority of topics in the material meet the course requirements, demonstrating strong alignment with the students’ major field The topics are relevant and appropriate in terms of relation, scope, and depth, reinforcing curriculum goals and expected learning outcomes This alignment reflects thoughtful topic selection and effective curriculum design that supports student success.
The materials were aligned with students' writing skill levels, providing appropriate techniques and strategies The writing tasks and exercises were varied and familiar to learners, reinforcing what they studied and keeping them engaged As a result, these resources effectively supported students in improving their writing ability.
4.3.2 Inappropriate features of the evaluated aspects
However, the material was not very successful in providing enough tasks/exercises on grammar, vocabulary for the students to practice.
To strengthen language skills, increase reading activities that provide background information and actively involve students with the texts Additionally, design speaking tasks and exercises that are tailored to students’ proficiency levels to ensure confident participation and steady progress in communicative competence This approach boosts reading engagement, reinforces comprehension, and supports differentiated instruction to meet diverse learner needs.
Analysis indicated that almost all reading materials were a single text type—narrative—limiting exposure to the diverse text types typically used in the construction field Consequently, the materials did not offer a representative range of reading passages, and the content was outdated, hindering students from enriching their knowledge and staying current in the major field.
The major findings show that the material includes appropriate features but also contains some inappropriate elements To increase effectiveness and learner relevance, these inappropriate aspects should be identified and adapted so the content better fits students’ needs, abilities, and learning contexts By aligning the material with student-focused goals, the content becomes more suitable and effective for teaching and learning outcomes.