In contrast to the reality outside of school, textbooks, especially in the context of teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), are still the most important medium for language learning purposes today. However, the academic evaluation of textbooks is surprisingly a rather neglected field of study. Also, the very few studies that evaluate an EFL-textbook mostly only consider the technical dimension of analysis, such as the theoretical perspective of EFL methodology. Yet, to gain a more holistic impression of a textbook, one should also include the practical perspective of EFL teachers.
Therefore, the present case study critically evaluates one exemplary textbook combining the theoretical perspective of EFL didactics and the practical perspective of EFL teachers. The TEFL textbook chosen for this case study is titled “English G21 A5” published by Cornelsen in 2010. It is designed for grade 9 at Gymnasium in Germany. Taking Unit 1 of this textbook as an example, this paper aims at examining the potential of this textbook for EFL learning and teaching. The central question is whether the textbook meets the various requirements posed to a textbook including the numerous principles that are part of contemporary EFL methodology and central educational standards.
In the first part of the analysis (chapter 4) the question is in how far the textbook meets the theoretical requirements of TEFL. For the second part of the analysis (chapter 5) a small survey was carried out conducting qualitative interviews with four different teachers. Employing qualitative content analysis, the survey intends to find out about the teachers’ opinion on the textbook focusing on the question, how the teachers assess the value of the textbook for their teaching practice. Prior to the analysis it is, however, necessary to elaborate on some theoretical background (chapter 2). This involves describing the main paradigms of contemporary EFL methodology as well as illustrating relevant theoretical context in relation to the term textbook and textbook evaluation revealing central requirements EFL textbooks need to fulfil. The aim of this twofold description is to develop a list of criteria (section 2.2.4) that will be used as the foundation of the textbook evaluation. The selected textbook will be introduced in more detail in chapter 3.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. THEORETICAL CONTEXT
2.1 Contemporary EFL Methodology
2.1.1 Transition from traditional approaches to communicative language teaching
2.1.2 Communicative Competence and Intercultural Communicative Competence
2.1.3 Interactionism and Constructivism: Two learning theories that shape CLT
2.1.4 Important facilitators of modern TEFL
2.1.5 Educational and Curricular Standards
2.2 Textbooks and their potential for EFL learning
2.2.1 Textbooks: A Definition
2.2.2 The role and the functions of the textbook in the EFL classroom
2.2.3 Textbook related academic research and the need for textbook evaluation
2.2.4 Expectations and requirements posed to an EFL textbook: Towards a set of criteria as an evaluation tool
2.3 Criteria Checklist
3. THE TEXTBOOK IN QUESTION: ENGLISH G21 A5
4. ANALYSIS PART I (THE THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE)
4.1 Unit 1: Lead-In
4.2 Unit 1: Part A
4. 3 Unit 1: Part B
4.4 Unit 1: Part C
4.5 Unit 1: Part D
4.6 Unit 1: Other aspects
5. ANALYSIS PART II (THE TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVE)
5.1 Method of research and evaluation
5.2 Content analysis of the teacher interviews
6. RESEARCH RESULTS
6.1 Results
6.2 Critical Discussion
7. CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Themes
This case study critically evaluates the EFL textbook "English G21 A5" to determine if it meets modern pedagogical requirements, principles of communicative language teaching (CLT), and central educational standards. By combining a theoretical analysis with qualitative insights from experienced teachers, the study aims to assess the textbook's functionality, its potential for effective classroom teaching, and its ability to support diverse learner needs.
- Theoretical evaluation of EFL methodology principles in the context of textbook design.
- Empirical analysis of practitioners' perspectives through qualitative teacher interviews.
- Assessment of task quality, authenticity, and differentiation potential within textbook units.
- Integration of both theoretical and practical dimensions to provide a holistic critique.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1 Unit 1: Lead-In
The Lead-In to Unit 1 about Australia (pp.6f) represents the very first content page of the textbook. The first major aspect that stands out is that the authors of the textbook seem to have put much effort in making these two starting pages seem authentic. What is presented is not just an uninspired informative text about Australia. Quite the contrary it is the homepage of an online blog by a 15-year-old German girl, who just moved to Australia. At the top of the page one can even see the status bar of the internet browser (probably Firefox browser) implying that Judith’s blog is a real and authentic website. This can also be interpreted as a motivating feature of layout and design. The textual input, i.e. the six short blog posts as well as Judith’s brief profile on the left, represent another attempt of being as authentic as possible. The new text format casually introduced in this lead-in, namely a blog, is kept in rather simple language, contains many instances of informal language (e.g. ‘coz’, ‘Yay!’, ‘couch potato’), contractions (e.g. ‘it’s’), short abbreviated sentences and some terms typical of Australian English (e.g. the word ‘barbie’ for ‘barbeque’). Hence, one can certainly speak of comprehensible input here.
Judith, who writes about her first experiences in the new country, is of the same age as the students typically are in year 9. Her blog entries read like a travel report or the report of an exchange student, Both, travelling and being an exchange student, clearly relates to the interests of students of this age and can thus be a motivating aspect. Judith’s profile on the left presenting some information about herself including a photo of her fits the media format (blog) and thus introduces this new character to the students in an authentic way. Further, the blog is a clear example of meaningful material that focuses on fluency and meaning rather than on form. Yet, this text format might help students foster their text-reception-skills, which, is part of the field of methodological competences.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Outlines the pivotal role of textbooks in modern EFL classrooms and introduces the central research question regarding the effectiveness of "English G21 A5".
2. THEORETICAL CONTEXT: Provides a foundation by discussing key paradigms like Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), interactionism, and constructivism, while establishing criteria for textbook evaluation.
3. THE TEXTBOOK IN QUESTION: ENGLISH G21 A5: Describes the structure, content, and organization of the selected textbook for year 9 students.
4. ANALYSIS PART I (THE THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE): Evaluates Unit 1 of the textbook using the defined theoretical criteria to check for alignment with modern didactic standards.
5. ANALYSIS PART II (THE TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVE): Presents and analyzes qualitative interview data from four teachers to assess the textbook's practical utility in daily school life.
6. RESEARCH RESULTS: Synthesizes the theoretical and empirical findings to discuss the overall quality and pedagogical potential of the evaluated textbook.
7. CONCLUSION: Offers final reflections on the textbook's performance, limitations, and recommendations for future use by teachers and educators.
Keywords
EFL Teaching, Textbook Evaluation, Communicative Language Teaching, CLT, Case Study, Task-Based Language Teaching, Intercultural Communicative Competence, Educational Standards, Teacher Perspective, Differentiation, Classroom Activities, English G21 A5, Media Integration, Qualitative Research, Language Learning
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this Master of Education thesis?
The thesis focuses on the critical evaluation of the English textbook "English G21 A5" to assess its effectiveness for teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in the 9th grade, combining theoretical pedagogical principles with real-world teacher experiences.
Which theoretical frameworks underpin the evaluation?
The evaluation is primarily guided by Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) principles, interactionism, constructivism, and established national educational standards for English instruction.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine if "English G21 A5" meets modern pedagogical requirements and effectively supports student learning through its provided materials and activities.
What methodology does the author employ?
The research uses a mixed-method approach: a theoretical qualitative close-reading analysis of Unit 1, supplemented by qualitative interviews with four English teachers and a supplementary quantitative questionnaire.
What aspects of the textbook are analyzed in the main part?
The main part covers the fulfillment of contemporary EFL methodology, conformity with student needs, the quality of tasks and classroom activities, the structure and organization, and the usefulness of supplementary materials.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include EFL Teaching, Textbook Evaluation, Communicative Language Teaching, Case Study, Task-Based Language Teaching, and Teacher Perspective.
How do the teachers generally perceive the textbook "English G21 A5"?
While the teachers find the textbook a helpful and structured resource for their lessons, they also criticize it for being somewhat outdated, lacking sufficient differentiation options, and having a monotonous structure in its practice sections.
What did the author conclude regarding the "stolen generations" material in Unit 1?
The author identifies this material as a central component for fostering intercultural communicative competence, as it introduces students to important socio-political issues in Australian history, although it has been didactically adapted for the students' proficiency level.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Saleem Arif (Autor:in), 2020, Evaluating Textbooks and Their Potential for EFL Learning and Teaching. A Case Study, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/539495
