A comparative study of the previous and the new English language textbook: Pre-university book versus Vision 3 (Research Article)

Saidi, Mavadat

doi:10.22034/elt.2021.42935.2313

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Mavadat Saidi

English Department, Faculty of Humanities, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/elt.2021.42935.2313

Abstract

The current comparative study aimed to juxtapose the newly compiled English textbook for the students in the third grade of senior high school, Vision 3, and the previously taught English textbook for pre-university students. To this end, 130 experienced teachers, with the experience of teaching both textbooks, were asked to complete an eclectic checklist comprising 38 items and evaluating the book in terms of nine major criteria, namely general considerations, vocabulary, grammar, speaking, listening, reading, writing, pronunciation supplementary materials, tasks, and activities. Following that, 20 teachers were interviewed to enrich the results of the quantitative data. Overall, the results revealed the teachers’ contentment with the newly developed English textbook. In particular, the mean values indicated that English teachers rated the speaking and listening sections as the most satisfactory parts while they ranked the supplementary materials criterion as the least satisfactory one in Vision 3. Indeed, they believed that notwithstanding the dramatically positive changes in Vision 3, the book still requires undergoing major revisions to act as a rich source for enabling the EFL students to communicate fluently, accurately, and effectively. In this regard, the findings would benefit the materials developers to locate the areas for further modifications.

Keywords

20.1001.1.22517995.2021.13.27.13.8

Main Subjects

English language learning

References

Ahmadi, A., & Derakhshan, A. (2016). EFL teachers’ perceptions towards textbook evaluation. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 6(2), 260-267.

Ahmadisafa, M., Ghonchehpour, A., Malekmohammadi, R., Seifi, Z., & Zekrati, S. (2017). Textbook evaluation of Prospect 2 from teachers’ perspectives. Journal of Language Research, 9 (24), 7-32.

Ahmadisafa, M., & Farahani, M. (2016). Developing intercultural competence in Prospect 1 from EFL teachers’ perspectives. Critical Studies in Texts and Programs of Human Sciences, 15 (36),1-24. [In Persian].

Ahmadisafa, M., Moradi, M., & Hamzavi, R. (2015). "Iranian EFL Teachers and Learners Perspective on Potentiality of Top Notch Series for Intercultural Competence Development". Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 3(2), 47-66.

Ansary, T. (2004). An analytical look at high school English textbook and introducing a sample lesson based on communicative syllabus design [Unpublished Master’s Thesis]. Islamic Azad University- Tabriz Branch, Iran.

Ansari, H., & Babaii, E. (2002). Universal characteristics of EFL/ESL textbook: a step towards systematic textbook evaluation. The Internet TESL Journal, 2, 1-8.

Atai, M. R. (2002). Iranian EAP programs in practice: A study of key methodological aspects. Sheikhbahaee Research Bulletin, 1(2), 1-15.

Bemani, M, & Jahangard, A. (2014). "Attitude Analysis of Teachers: The Case of Iranian Newly Developed EFL Textbook for Junior High Schools". International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World, 7 (1),198-215.

Byrd, P. (2001). Textbooks: evaluation for selection and analysis for implementation. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language, 3, 415-427.

Cunningsworth, A. (1995). Choosing your coursebook. Heinmann Publishers Ltd.

Daoud, A., & Celce-Murcia, M. (1979). Selecting and evaluating a textbook. In M. Celce-Murcia and L. McIntosh (Ed.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (pp. 302-307). Newburry House Publishers.

Dominguez, L. M. (2004). Gender textbook evaluation [Unpublished Master’s Thesis]. University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Ellis, R. (1997). The empirical evaluation of language teaching materials. ELT Journal, 51(1),36-42.

Ghorbani, M. R. (2011). Quantification and graphic representation of EFL textbook evaluation results. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 1(5), 511-520.

Hutchinson, T. (1987). What’s underneath? An interactive view of materials evaluation. In L. Sheldon (Ed.), ELT course books and materials: problems in evaluation and development, ELT documents (p. 126). Modern English Publications.

Hutchinson, T, & Waters, A. (1993). English for specific purposes: A leaning-based approach. Cambridge University Press.

Iraji, A. (2007). Pragmatic features of the New Interchange: How communicative and task-based is it?[Unpublished Master’s Thesis]. Shiraz University, Iran.

Jahangard, A. (2007). Evaluation of EFL materials taught at Iranian public high schools. The Asian EFL Journal, 9 (2), 130-150.

Jamalvandi, B. (2014). ELT textbook evaluation in Iran, new insights. European Online Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, 3(4),1068-1078.

Juan, R. (2010). A content analysis of the cultural content in the EFL textbooks. Canadian Social Science, 6(5), 137-144.

Littlejohn, A. (2011). The analysis of language teaching materials: Inside the Trojan Horse. In B. Tomlinson (Ed.), Materials development in language teaching (pp.179-211). Cambridge University Press.

Litz, D. R. A. (2005). Textbook evaluation and ELT management: A South Korean case study. Asian EFL Journal. Retrieved from http://www.asian-efljournal.com/Litz thesis.pdf., June 2018.

Low, G. (1987). The need for a multi-perspective approach to the evaluation of foreign language teaching materials. Evaluation and Research in Education, 1(1),19-29.

McDonough, J., & Shaw, C. (2003). Materials and methods in ELT: A teacher’s guide (2^nd ed.). Blackwell Publishing.

Mirzaei, N, & Tabatabaei, O. (2017). Textbook analysis: comparing the recent and the old first grade high school English textbooks, teachers and learners’ perspectives in focus. Research in English Language Pedagogy, 5(2),167-180.

Moghtadi, L. (2014). Iranian high school EFL textbooks. Why they should be modified. International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World, 5(2),53-69.

Nejati, R., Cheraghi, Z., Nasery, A. (2018). Evaluation of tokens of Communicative Language Teaching in Prospect (1) of junior high school in Iran. Journal of Technology of Education, 13(1),259-272. [In Persian].

Nunan, D. (1987). The learner-centered curriculum. Cambridge University Press.

Ranalli, J. C. (2002). An evaluation of New Headway upper-intermediate.Retrieved from http://www.cels.bham.ac.uk/resources/essays/Ranalli3.pdf., September, 2018.

Rashid, N., & Kehtarfard, R. (2014). A needs analysis approach to the evaluation of Iranian third-grade highs school English textbook. Sage Open, 1-9.

Razmjoo, S. A. (2010). Developing a textbook evaluation scheme for the expanding circle. Iranian Journal of Applied Language Studies, 2(1), 121-136.

Richards, J. C. (2001). Curriculum development in language teaching. Ernst Klett Sprachen.

Salehi, H., & Amini, M. (2016b). Teachers’ perceptions of the new English textbook named Prospect 1 used in Iranian junior high schools. Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods, 6(6),407-416.

Shahmohammadi, S. (2018). Textbook evaluation: looking at Prospect series through teachers’ perspective. Research in English Language Pedagogy, 6(2),182-2014.

Sheldon, L. E. (1988). Evaluating ELT textbooks and materials. ELT Journal, 42(4), 237-246.

Tok, H. (2010). TEFL textbook evaluation: from teachers’ perspectives. Educational Research and Review, 5(9), 508-517.

Tomlinson, B. (2003). Developing materials for language teaching. Continuum.

Tomlinson, B. (2008). English language learning materials: a critical review. Continuum.

Torki, F., & Chalak, A. (2017). An evaluation of English textbooks used in Iranian high schools: teachers’ and learners’ attitudes. Research in English Language Pedagogy, 5(1), 52-60.

Ur, P. (1996). A course in language teaching. Cambridge University Press.

Vellenga, H. (2004). Learning pragmatics for ESL and EFL textbooks: How Likely? TESL EJ, 8(2). Retrieved from http://www.teslej.org/wordpress/pastissue/volume8/ej30/ej30a3., August, 2018.

Williams, D. (1983). Developing criteria for textbook evaluation. English Language Teaching Journal, 37(3), 251-255.

Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning

A comparative study of the previous and the new English language textbook: Pre-university book versus Vision 3 (Research Article)

References

References

Volume 13, Issue 27 - Serial Number 27
June 2021
Pages 333-358

A comparative study of the previous and the new English language textbook: Pre-university book versus Vision 3 (Research Article)

References

References

Volume 13, Issue 27 - Serial Number 27June 2021Pages 333-358

Volume 13, Issue 27 - Serial Number 27
June 2021
Pages 333-358