(LUẬN văn THẠC sĩ) đánh giá giáo trình solutions upper intermediate dùng cho học sinh chuyên anh lớp 10 tại trường THPT chuyên

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

In Vietnamese high schools, textbooks play a crucial role in English education, with non-specialized schools utilizing standard textbooks approved by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) Specialized high schools, however, have the autonomy to select their own coursebooks, leading to a diverse array of materials available for teaching This abundance makes the selection process critical, as teachers must be well-informed to choose the most appropriate resources for their students, adhering to established guidelines and criteria A notable example is the Foreign Language Specialized School (FLSS), where teachers in the English Division convened to determine the best coursebooks for their curriculum.

The "Solutions Upper-intermediate" coursebook has been utilized for three years as the primary resource for tenth-grade English major students However, the researcher questions its suitability for the students, as there have been no established criteria or conducted research to evaluate its effectiveness.

This research aims to evaluate the coursebook "Solutions Upper-intermediate" for tenth-grade English majors at FLSS, ULIS, VNU, focusing on how well its content and language skills align with students' English proficiency and expectations By analyzing data collected from students, the study will provide teachers and administrators at FLSS with insights into the effectiveness of the course material, highlighting areas for improvement that better meet students' needs and expectations.

Aims and objectives

This study aims to evaluate students' and teachers' perceptions of the coursebook, specifically assessing the content's suitability and language skills relative to students' proficiency levels and expectations The findings will identify the current learning and teaching environment, leading to recommendations for adaptations tailored to learners' needs, ultimately enhancing the quality of language instruction at FLSS.

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the suitability of the coursebook for tenth-grade English majors, specifically assessing its alignment with their content comprehension and language skill levels.

“To what extent does the coursebook match tenth-grade English majors‟ general expectations of the coursebook in terms of the content and language skills?”

Significance

This research is crucial for FLSS as it provides evaluative feedback from both students and teachers Such insights will enhance the understanding of the current learning and teaching dynamics, enabling educators and administrators to implement necessary improvements for future English courses.

Scope

This paper focuses on assessing the appropriateness of content and language skills in relation to the students' levels and expectations of the coursebook It does not consider other evaluation criteria or learner-related factors The study involves tenth-grade English majors at FLSS during the 2014-2015 school year, along with their teachers Additionally, the research is confined to evaluating the "Solutions Upper-intermediate" Student's Book, excluding references to the accompanying teacher's book and workbook.

Methodology

This thesis utilizes both qualitative and quantitative research methods to meet its objectives Data is collected from students via questionnaires and from teachers through interviews The questionnaires aim to capture students' perspectives on the specified criteria, while insights from teacher interviews will be recorded, analyzed, and incorporated to enhance the overall understanding of the research.

Organization of the thesis

Chapter 1 “Introduction” is an overview of all main contents of this study

Chapter 2 “Literature review” presents a review of literature concentrating on the definitions of coursebook, evaluation, and materials evaluation After that, types of and purposes materials evaluation, textbook evaluation methods, and criteria for evaluating coursebook are shown Finally, some previous studies are mentioned Chapter 3 “Methodology” has the first part about the course, the coursebook, the students and the teachers at FLSS The second part includes participants, data collection instruments and data collection process and analysis

Chapter 4 “Results and discussion” reports the result of analysing data from collected questionnaires, interviews and discuss them

Chapter 5 “Conclusion” summarizes all the main issues mentioned in the study It consists of the conclusion of the research, recommendations based on the research, limitations of the research and suggestions for further studies.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Definition of coursebook

The coursebook plays a crucial role in English Language Teaching (ELT), serving as a central element in the teaching and learning process (Hutchinson & Torres, as cited in Tomlinson, 2003) It is often regarded as the core component of any successful ELT program (Sheldon, 1988).

“Coursebook” is considered as a different name of “textbook” by both McGrath

According to Tomlinson (1998), a textbook serves as the essential resource for language courses, encompassing key components such as grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing He defines language teaching materials broadly, including anything that aids language learning, such as textbooks, workbooks, audio recordings, videos, and even handwritten notes McGrath (2002) agrees, describing a coursebook as a specific type of textbook foundational to a course Thus, in this thesis, the terms "textbook," "coursebook," and "materials" are used interchangeably for clarity and to avoid redundancy.

Definition of evaluation

In an educational context, evaluation is defined as a systematic process of gathering, analyzing, and interpreting information related to teaching and learning, aimed at making informed decisions that improve student achievement and the effectiveness of educational programs (Rea-Dickins & Germaine, 1993; Genesee & Upshur, 1996; O'Malley & Valdez-Pierce, 1996, as cited in Carter & Nunan, 2001, p 144) Genesee highlights three key characteristics of evaluation: it can focus on different aspects of the educational process, be conducted for various purposes that significantly influence outcomes, and consists of four essential components.

Figure 1: Four basic components of evaluation

Identify and collect relevant information

The evaluation process begins by clearly stating its purpose, followed by the identification and collection of relevant information Subsequently, this collected data is analyzed and interpreted, providing a solid foundation for informed decision-making.

One of examples which Genesee (as cited in Carter & Nunan, 2001) gave is as follows:

The English Language Institute at Central University, South Africa, provides specialized courses in oral and written English tailored for adult non-native speakers in business environments These courses are aimed at employees whose companies are considering transferring them to international roles To assess the effectiveness of the program and determine its continuation for the next year, the institute will implement an evaluation process that includes feedback collection through questionnaires from students, teachers, and employers.

This evaluation includes four key components: determining the future use of oral and written English courses, gathering relevant feedback from students, teachers, and employers, interpreting this feedback, and making informed decisions on whether to retain or discard the materials.

In this thesis, the evaluation also consists of four parts as follows:

 The purpose of the evaluation to identify the current situation and to have suitable changes in the coursebook,

 Relevant information (feedback from students and teachers),

 The interpretation of the feedback,

 Decisions made about what can be adapted.

Definition of materials evaluation

Materials evaluation has become such a crucial activity that has attracted the attention of several linguistic researchers with various definitions

Evaluation involves assessing the appropriateness of a resource for a specific purpose, rather than merely determining its quality (Hutchinson & Waters, 1987) This perspective emphasizes that the focus of evaluation is on suitability rather than labeling materials as good or bad Consequently, the process of evaluating materials is essential for ensuring their effectiveness in meeting intended objectives.

Evaluating learning materials involves assessing their value and potential impact on users, as highlighted by Tomlinson (2003) This process examines how appealing and engaging the materials are for both learners and teachers (Tomlinson & Masuhara, 2004) Tomlinson distinguishes between evaluation and analysis, noting that evaluation is user-centered and subjective, while analysis is objective and focuses solely on the materials themselves Littlejohn (1998, as cited in Tomlinson, 2003) supports this distinction, emphasizing the importance of understanding the different approaches to assessing educational resources.

Hutchinson, Waters, and Tomlinson outline the concept of materials evaluation, while Brown (1995) emphasizes its advantages Textbook evaluation involves systematically gathering and analyzing relevant information to enhance curriculum development and assess its effectiveness in a specific context.

From the above definitions, this research highlights some following aspects:

 Judging the fitness of the content and language skills of the coursebook for the students‟ levels and expectations,

 Making judgements about the effect of the material on the users (tenth-grade English majors),

 Promoting the improvement of the English coursebook at FLSS,

 Evaluating within the specific context which is at FLSS.

Types of materials evaluation

Ellis (as cited in Tomlinson, 1998), along with Tomlinson (2003), McGrath (2002), and Cunningsworth (1995), propose two distinct methods for categorizing materials evaluation The first method focuses on evaluation aspects, while the second divides the process into three types based on three evaluation stages Together, these classification methods provide evaluators with a comprehensive understanding of materials evaluation.

Firstly, Ellis divides materials evaluation into macro-evaluation and micro- evaluation As shown in the article “The evaluation of communicative tasks”, they have some differences as follows:

Marco-evaluation can be defined as evaluation that seeks to answer one or both of the following questions:

1 To what extent was the program/project effective and efficient in meeting its goals?

2 In what way can the program/project be improved?

The implementation of a macro-evaluation for a program or project requires the collection of diverse information related to administrative and curriculum aspects, including materials, teachers, and learners.

Micro-evaluation, as defined by Ellis (cited in Tomlinson, 1998, p 219), focuses on specific elements of the curriculum or program administration Examples of micro-evaluation include assessing timetables, evaluating tasks, examining questioning practices, and analyzing participant levels.

Learner evaluation task evaluation, etc evaluation of questioning practices, etc evaluation of levels of participation, etc timetable evaluation , etc

Figure 2 : Macro and micro-evaluation in language teaching

According to Tomlinson (2003), McGrath (2002), and Cunningsworth (1995), materials evaluation can be categorized into three types: pre-use, in-use, and post-use evaluation This classification indicates that evaluation can occur at three different stages: before the coursebook is implemented, during its application, and after its completion.

According to Tomlinson (2003), evaluators assess the potential value of language teaching materials, which can be context-free, context-influenced, or context-dependent While pre-used evaluations often rely on impressionistic judgments, establishing clear evaluation criteria can help reduce subjectivity and enhance the evaluation process Cunningsworth (1995) highlights that this method poses challenges, as teachers and learners may not have engaged with the coursebook long enough to provide a thorough assessment.

2.4.2 In-use evaluation or whilst-use evaluation

In-use evaluation, as defined by Tomlinson (2003, p 24), refers to the assessment of materials' value during their actual use or observation This approach is considered less subjective compared to pre-use evaluation, as it relies on measurable and observable factors However, it is important to note that individuals can only assess what is directly observable.

In an in-use evaluation, Tomlinson identifies key measurable factors including the clarity of instructions and layout, the comprehensibility and credibility of texts, and the achievability of tasks Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of achieving performance objectives, the potential for localization, and the practicality, teachability, and flexibility of the materials Furthermore, the appeal and motivating power of the materials, along with their impact and effectiveness in facilitating short-term learning, are crucial elements to consider.

Post-use evaluation is considered by Tomlinson (2003, p 25) as “the most valuable type of evaluation as it can measure the actual effects of the materials on the users”

He points out that this process can answer some huge questions below:

 What do the learners know which they did not know before starting to use the materials?

 What do the learners still not know despite using the materials?

 What can the learners do which they could not do before starting to use the materials?

 What can the learners still not do despite using the materials?

 To what extent have the materials prepared the learners for their examinations? (p

He also indicates methods of measuring the post-use effects of materials including:

 tests of what has been „taught‟ by the materials;

 tests of what the students can do;

 criterion – referenced evaluations by the users;

 post – course „shadowing‟ of the learners;

 post – course reports on the learners by employers, subject tutors, etc (p 25)

Measuring the post-use effects of coursebooks reliably requires time and expertise According to Cunningsworth, such evaluations are valuable for pinpointing the strengths and weaknesses of a coursebook during extended use This assessment can aid in determining whether to continue using the same coursebook in future educational settings.

This study employs a micro-evaluation approach, utilizing post-use evaluation methods to gather valuable insights into the actual impact of the coursebook on students' learning outcomes.

Purposes of materials evaluation

There are various reasons for materials evaluation

The first reason is to select a new suitable material, which is the frequent and major reason for evaluation as shown by Cunningsworth (1995), Hutchinson and Waters

Materials evaluation enables teachers to understand their teaching and learning contexts, as highlighted by Hutchinson & Waters (1987) Additionally, it allows educators to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their current coursebooks, facilitating the enhancement of effective elements and the modification or replacement of less effective ones, as suggested by Cunningsworth (1995) and Ellis (1997) This process ultimately aids teachers in making informed decisions about whether to continue using existing materials or to seek superior alternatives.

This research enables teachers and administrators at FLSS to assess their teaching and learning environment effectively It identifies both suitable and unsuitable aspects concerning students' levels and expectations, allowing for the adaptation or replacement of inappropriate materials.

Methods of textbook evaluation

Three methods for evaluating textbooks identified by McGrath (2002) include the impressionistic method, the checklist method, and the in-depth method

This method is “to obtain a general impression of the material” (McGrath, 2002, p

25) Cunningsworth (1995, p 1, as cited in McGrath, 2002, p 25) uses the term

The "impressionistic overview" method for evaluating global textbooks is characterized as wide-ranging yet relatively superficial Evaluators typically skim through the publisher's blurb, content page, organization, layout, topics, and visuals Consequently, this approach proves inadequate for comprehensive textbook evaluation and selection.

A checklist is defined as a list of items used for comparison, identification, or verification (Collins English Dictionary, 1992, as cited in McGrath, 2002, p 26) Utilizing checklists for specific evaluation purposes offers several advantages, including improved organization, enhanced accuracy, streamlined processes, and increased accountability.

1 It is systematic, ensuring that all elements that are deemed to be important are considered

2 It is cost effective, permitting a good deal of information to be recorded in a relatively short space of time

3 The information is recorded in a convenient format, allowing for easy comparison between competing sets of material

4 It is explicit, and, provided the categories are well understood by all involved in the evaluation, offers a common framework for decision-making

The systematicity of the checklist method ranks the first among all the advantages

It is well brought out by Skierso (1991, p 440, as cited in McGrath, 2002):

A textbook evaluation checklist must include a thorough set of criteria grounded in the fundamental linguistic, psychological, and pedagogical principles that support contemporary language learning methods These criteria should be comprehensive to ensure a complete assessment of all textbook characteristics, while also being specific enough to allow for focused evaluation on individual traits or groups of related traits.

While checklists offer systematic advantages, their effectiveness is limited by the relevance of their criteria to the specific context of use Additionally, as noted by Williams (1983, as cited in McGrath 2002, p 27), checklists cannot be viewed as a static phenomenon; instead, they represent the beliefs and temporal context of their creators.

In-depth techniques are explained by McGrath (2002, p 27-28) as follows:

To effectively evaluate educational materials, it is essential to critically analyze the language used, the underlying assumptions about learning, and the values that inform the publisher's and author's claims.

In a broader sense, this method explores whether the materials are likely to live up to the claims being made for them

McGrath argues that while such techniques ensure that the selection process is a more considered affair, they may also have certain disadvantages:

1 Representativeness of samples: the samples (e.g exercises, lessons, units) selected for analysis may not be representative of the book as a whole, and this may therefore distort any judgment

2 Partiality: because in-depth analysis is normally narrowly focused (being based either on a particular section of the material or one or more threads running through it)

It gives only a partial insight into what the material offers

3 Time and expertise required: some proposals for in-depth evaluation would involve a good deal of time; others require expert knowledge (e.g of language description) that is not available Though it can be argued that the time spent on evaluation is well spent if a potentially unsuitable textbook is rejected, there may be more economical ways of arriving at this decision (p 28)

In this thesis, the checklist method is chosen for evaluating the coursebook

The "Solutions Upper-intermediate" coursebook is a cost-effective and convenient choice for researchers, making it particularly advantageous for this study Despite potential limitations, this research focuses exclusively on the coursebook used for tenth-grade English major students at FLSS during the 2014-2015 school year, ensuring that the checklist criteria are contextually relevant Furthermore, the categories in the checklist are reflective of the specific timeframe in which the study is conducted.

Criteria for materials evaluation

Establishing a set of evaluation criteria is essential for making informed decisions about what should be assessed (Tomlinson, 1998, p 220) These criteria serve as the fundamental framework that guides evaluators in their judgments Therefore, dedicating adequate time to defining these evaluation criteria is one of the most critical steps for evaluators.

Materials evaluation criteria vary based on the specific materials being assessed and the purpose of the evaluation (Dudley-Evans & John, 2007) Experts like Cunningsworth (1995), Hutchison and Waters (1987), Tomlinson (2003), and MOET (2015) have developed practical checklists to facilitate textbook evaluation.

Cunningsworth (1995) suggests a list of checklists covering seven areas: Aims and approaches; design and organization; language content; skills; topic; methodology; teachers‟ books and practical considerations

Material evaluation, as outlined by Tomlinson (2003), is a comprehensive process that assesses various aspects of educational resources These aspects include their appeal and credibility to learners, teachers, and administrators, as well as their validity and reliability Additionally, effective materials should engage and motivate learners, providing both short-term and long-term learning value The evaluation also considers the perceptions of both learners and teachers regarding the material's worth and the support it offers to teachers in preparation, delivery, and assessment.

MOET (2015) suggests a checklist (see appendix 1) for the process of evaluating materials, which is composed of 45 criteria under 4 main headings:

 Objectives, teaching principles and methodology (from item 1 to 10): focus on the aims of the coursebook corresponding with the aims of the teaching program and the methods of teaching

The design and organization of the coursebook, encompassing items 11 to 18, provide a comprehensive overview of its foundational structure This includes an analysis of the cover, introduction, and table of contents, alongside the integration of visuals Additionally, the book's size and weight play a crucial role in its overall usability and accessibility for learners.

 Content and language skills (from item 19 to 42): concentrate on topics, content, four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), the language content (vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation)

 Textbook user supports (from item 43 to 45): mean evaluating the supplementary materials

The author will evaluate the coursebook "Solutions Upper-intermediate" using criteria adapted from a textbook evaluation checklist by MOET (2015), which is valued for its clarity and relevance to the Vietnamese educational context Tomlinson (2003) highlights that coursebook criteria are often localized, making it challenging to establish universal standards in English Language Teaching (ELT) This study will specifically assess the coursebook's general learning and teaching content, as well as its focus on language skills, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing; however, pronunciation will not be evaluated as it is not included in the coursebook.

Previous studies on materials evaluation

The author would like to mainly mention several of works which investigate the same field with this thesis - materials evaluation

In her 2006 study, Isil Cakit evaluated the "New Bridge to Success 3" coursebook from the perspectives of teachers and students across four high schools in Mersin, Turkey, including three Super Lycees and one Anatolian Fine Arts school The evaluation utilized eleven criteria at a macro level, incorporating a review of literature on the roles of textbooks and approaches to materials evaluation in English Language Teaching (ELT) Data were collected through questionnaires from 336 students and interviews with 8 teachers, revealing a general dissatisfaction with the textbook's characteristics Both students and teachers criticized the textbook for being unsuitable for the target age group and failing to accommodate diverse learning styles, including visual, auditory, and kinesthetic preferences However, a notable strength of the textbook was its up-to-date content, which helped students grasp lesson material effectively.

The material "Lifelines" for first-year non-English major students was evaluated by Tran Thi Chung Oanh (2010) at Hai Phong University, utilizing Hutchison and Waters' (1987) criteria alongside questionnaires and informal interviews The study found that while the content and methodology of the material met the students' needs, there was a discrepancy in time allocation Consequently, recommendations were proposed to enhance the material by adjusting the time proportion for each unit and the overall course duration.

In her 2011 research, Tran Thi Thu Trang evaluated the intermediate textbook "English Written Proficiency," designed for freshmen at Thainguyen University's Faculty of Foreign Languages, from the perspectives of both teachers and students Utilizing five criteria from Hutchinson and Waters for materials evaluation, the study found that most participants had a positive view of the textbook's characteristics However, it also identified gaps in the layout, organization, content, and methodology, suggesting that improvements are necessary to maximize its effectiveness for users.

Le Thi Bac (2013) conducted a study on the piloted coursebook “English 6” to assess its alignment with the 2020 Project and the Piloted English Language Curriculum for lower secondary education in Hai Duong province Utilizing a survey questionnaire developed from evaluation checklists and informal discussions, the research revealed that the textbook was appropriate for teaching and learning in various lower secondary schools The findings confirmed that the book met the criteria set by the National Foreign Language 2020 Project and the Piloted English Language Curriculum, indicating its suitability for educational use.

While there are similarities between this thesis and previous studies on materials evaluation, significant differences exist in the literature review content and evaluation criteria Some studies lack definitions of evaluation and textbook evaluation methods Most authors rely on a single checklist or a combination of checklists tailored to their specific goals, with many utilizing Hutchinson and Waters' criteria (1987) for evaluation In contrast, this study will adapt MOET criteria to better fit the specific context Additionally, while some research examines all aspects of a coursebook, this study will focus specifically on content and language skills, emphasizing two key factors: learner levels and overall expectations of the coursebook.

Summary

Chapter 2 discusses the concepts relating to coursebook, evaluation, materials evaluation, types of materials evaluation, purposes of materials evaluation, methods of textbook evaluation, and criteria for evaluating coursebook Finally, some previous studies are mentioned Tomlinson, Cunningsworth and McGrath are three influential authors whose theories are mainly referred In this study, the terms

In this research, the terms "material" and "textbook" are used interchangeably with "coursebook." The study will focus on post-use evaluation of materials, aiming to understand the teaching-learning context and identify both the strengths and weaknesses of the coursebook in relation to students' levels and expectations This evaluation seeks to facilitate appropriate modifications for enhanced educational outcomes.

In this study, the checklist method will be utilized for materials evaluation, as it is one of three methods, alongside the impressionistic and in-depth approaches Although various authors propose different criteria, the checklist developed by MOET has been selected and adapted for this research.

METHODOLODY

THE CONTEXT OF THE STUDY

The Foreign Language Specialized School (FLSS), established in 1968, is a prestigious institution for gifted students specializing in foreign languages and is affiliated with the University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS) at Vietnam National University (VNU) Before delving into the details of the course for tenth-grade English majors, it is essential to highlight the school's esteemed reputation.

In this school, language teaching materials include the MOET-provided English 10 (Advanced) and the core coursebook "Solutions," selected by the English Division teachers This coursebook is utilized by both English-major and non-English major students in the eleventh and twelfth grades, with variations in difficulty levels to accommodate different student needs.

The objective of the tenth-grade English course is to help students achieve a B2 level, as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages At this level, students will be able to understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field of specialization They will also interact fluently and spontaneously with native speakers, facilitating regular communication without strain Additionally, students will learn to produce clear and detailed texts on a wide range of subjects and effectively explain their viewpoints on topical issues, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

To gain admission to this school, students must achieve a minimum score of 24 out of 30 on rigorous entrance exams in Literature, Maths, and English In grade 10, the school offers a total of 11 classes, each accommodating 40 to 45 students, with only 5 specialized English classes (10A, 10B, 10H, 10I, 10K) To enhance the effectiveness of English learning, each class is divided into two smaller groups Students receive instruction from Vietnamese teachers for six 45-minute periods each week Throughout the academic year, they are required to complete 10 tests, including both 45-minute and 90-minute formats, as well as two end-of-term exams.

3.1.2 The coursebook “Solutions Upper-intermediate” – Student’s book

Tim Falla and Paul A Davies are the authors of "Solutions Upper-intermediate," published by Oxford University Press as part of a five-level English course designed for teenagers This coursebook has been utilized for tenth-grade English majors at FLSS for three years, providing students with a clear and straightforward layout that enhances their learning experience Spanning 151 pages, it features 10 topic-based units that effectively support students in their English language development.

Each teaching unit covers a general topic and is structured into 7 sections: A Vocabulary and Listening, B Grammar, C Culture, D Reading, E Grammar, F Speaking, G Writing analysis and Writing task

In each section, there is a specific topic For example, Unit 1 has the general topic is

“Against the odds” and the specific topic of part A is “Talking about people.”

Part A of the unit, titled "Vocabulary and Listening," serves as an introduction, focusing on essential vocabulary while incorporating speaking activities for students This approach is consistent across other sections like "Grammar," "Reading," and "Writing," ensuring that speaking and listening skills are developed frequently Students engage with new vocabulary through listening exercises and various activities, with additional consolidation opportunities in the "Vocabulary Builder" at the book's end Following this, Part B, "Grammar," presents the unit's first grammar point along with practice exercises, featuring helpful boxes labeled "Learn this" and "Look out." This section seamlessly connects to the "Grammar Builder" at the back of the book, offering further practice and grammar references.

Part C, titled "Culture," focuses on the diverse cultures of Britain, the USA, and other English-speaking countries While it offers valuable insights into these societies, it remains an optional component of the teaching curriculum for students at FLSS.

Part D of the unit features reading texts that connect to the unit's theme while reinforcing key grammar points New vocabulary is highlighted for emphasis and practiced through follow-up activities and workbook exercises In Part E, the second grammar point is introduced, with "Learn this!" boxes offering clear, essential information Additionally, a speaking activity in this section encourages students to personalize and apply the new language effectively.

In Part F "Speaking," students enhance their listening skills to gather new ideas, vocabulary, and comprehension, while practicing functional phrases Meanwhile, Part G "Writing Analysis and Writing Task" focuses on essential writing skills needed for exams, offering students additional listening opportunities to enrich their understanding Each unit features two writing lessons, encompassing both "Writing Analysis" and "Writing Task," complete with sample texts and a "Check Your Work" section to support learners in refining their writing abilities.

“Writing analysis” provides a sample and exercises for students to do on this

“Writing task” arranges phrases for students to write

The curriculum includes "Get Ready for Your Exam" lessons following each unit, designed to prepare students for their exams with tasks focused on reading, speaking, listening, and use of English After every two units, a "Language Review" consolidates vocabulary and grammar knowledge, offering numerous exercises on newly learned words and grammar points Additionally, a "Skills Round-Up" section reviews the four key skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing, ensuring comprehensive skill development for students.

This coursebook features a grammar builder and reference section at the end, offering essential grammar points and exercises for students Additionally, it includes a vocabulary builder that provides extensive practice opportunities Each unit contains a word list of new vocabulary and communicative activities designed to enhance speaking skills, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience.

Ten-grade English majors at FLSS, aged 15 and 16, have specific expectations for their coursebook, as revealed by a recent survey.

 Helping them broaden their horizons,

 Opportunities to accumulate vocabulary and enhance language skills with various activities and useful guidance

The questionnaires reveal three key aspects of learners' experiences with English: duration, proficiency levels, and motivations for learning Most students have been studying English since the 1st or 3rd grade, accumulating approximately 8 to 10 years of experience, while a smaller group has been learning for around 5 years By the end of their courses, students achieve at least a B2 proficiency level Additionally, they enter the school with various aspirations and reasons for learning English, reflecting their diverse goals for the future.

 To meet their interests in learning English,

 To communicate with native and non-native speakers,

 To get high marks in tests such as TOEFL, IELTS or exams for gifted students,

 To have a dream job with handsome salary

A group of seven dynamic and enthusiastic teachers, aged between 25 and 30, has been assigned to teach English to tenth-grade English majors All of them hold Bachelor of Arts degrees from ULIS and other prestigious universities, bringing years of teaching experience to the classroom They primarily deliver lectures in English, with some content presented in Vietnamese to enhance understanding.

METHODOLOGY

The study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating both quantitative and qualitative research techniques through questionnaires and interviews While the quantitative data collected from student evaluations can be measured and analyzed statistically, it lacks insight into the underlying reasons and explanations behind the responses Therefore, qualitative research is incorporated to gather deeper insights and comments from participants, enhancing the overall understanding of the findings.

“Comments” in the questionnaires with the students and from interviews with the teachers

This research belongs to survey research because according to Brown (1988, p 3),

Survey studies examine a group's attitudes, opinions, and characteristics, allowing researchers to gather a significant amount of information quickly However, a common drawback is the low response rate, particularly for mailed questionnaires To address this issue, this thesis distributes questionnaires directly to tenth-grade English majors in their classes, leveraging participant enthusiasm to enhance engagement and response rates.

This study involves tenth-grade English majors and their teachers at FLSS as participants in evaluating the coursebook The researcher chose to include both groups in the evaluation process, resulting in a comprehensive survey with two distinct participant categories.

The study focuses on a sample of 70 tenth-grade English-major students from five classes (10A, 10B, 10H, 10I, and 10K), representing approximately 33.3% of the total population of 210 students at FLSS during the 2014-2015 school year Utilizing a systematic sampling strategy, a random starting point is chosen to select every third student, ensuring that the sample accurately reflects the entire population This method is favored for its simplicity and ease of implementation.

A group of four qualified teachers is responsible for teaching English to tenth-grade students, selected from a larger pool of seven teachers specializing in English for tenth-grade English majors Due to convenience and time constraints, only these four teachers participated in the survey, and they were interviewed to provide additional insights.

Questionnaire and semi-interview are used as two instruments for collecting data There are some reasons why they are chosen in this study

The questionnaire is an effective data collection method, as highlighted by Nunan (1992), enabling access to a large participant pool It includes both close and open-ended questions tailored to the research objectives, with the incorporation of Vietnamese terminology to minimize misunderstandings and enhance accuracy Additionally, the study will utilize semi-structured interviews with teachers, providing a flexible framework that allows for question adjustments and follow-ups As noted by Dowsett (1986), these interviews yield rich interactions and valuable insights that surpass those obtained through structured interviews or questionnaires, making them a vital component of the research methodology.

Mc Donough (1997) also have the same idea that this kind of interview allows

The researcher emphasizes the importance of "richer interactions and more personalized responses" (p 184) in their study Although access to additional interview subjects is limited, in-depth discussions with teachers, accompanied by thorough note-taking, will yield valuable insights to effectively address the research questions.

Finally, as shown in types of materials evaluation, according to Tomlinson (2003), questionnaires and interviews are two of among methods of measuring the post-use effects of materials

In this thesis, the questionnaire for students (see appendix 2 and 3) consists of two sections as follows

The "Learner's Information" section features open-ended questions aimed at encouraging respondents to share their unique perspectives and provide more detailed insights, as highlighted by McDonough and colleagues.

In this thesis, questions are employed to gather essential factual information about the learners, including their ages, duration of English study, language proficiency levels, and motivations for learning English This section seeks to enhance understanding of the learners within the context of the research.

The second section, titled "Student Evaluation of the Coursebook," features scaled questions aimed at gathering students' opinions on the appropriateness of the content and language skills relative to their levels and expectations This section seeks to address two specific research questions and utilizes a checklist format with a three-point scale (0 - poor, 1 - satisfactory, 2 - good).

According to Donough and Mc Donough (1997), questions are utilized to "elicit opinions" (p 176), and additional "comments" are included at the end of each section to gather further insights and explanations Prior to developing section two, a brief survey was conducted to assess students' general expectations of the coursebook, which informed the design of the criteria Additionally, the checklist is adapted from the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET).

Although the author bases on the checklist by MOET, there are some changes made, for example, editing or adding by the researcher The checklist for evaluating

“Solutions Upper-intermediate” includes 40 criteria, in which the author adapts as follows:

1, 2 Edited from criterion 19 19-21 Copied from criterion 31-33

3, 4 Edited from criterion 20 22 Added by the researcher

5, 6 Edited from criterion 21 23 Copied from criterion 34

7, 8 Edited from criterion 23 24 Edited from criterion 35

9 Copied from criterion 24 25 Edited from criterion 36

10 Copied from criterion 26 26 Added by the researcher

11 Copied from criterion 27 27 Copied from criterion 37

12 Added by the researcher 28 Copied from criterion 38 13-15 Edited from criterion 28 29, 30 Edited from criterion 39

16 Copied from criterion 29 31, 32 Edited from criterion 40

18 Copied from criterion 30 38, 39 Edited from criterion 41

Table 1 : Adaption from MOET’s checklist

More specifically, the checklist used for this thesis comprises 40 criteria under 6 main headings as follows:

 General content (from item 1 to 10): concentrates on evaluating whether the content in general is suitable for students‟ levels and general expectations or not

 Listening (from item 11 to 17): evaluates whether listening skills are suitable for students‟ levels and general expectations or not

 Speaking (from item 18 to 22): evaluates whether speaking skills are suitable for students‟ levels and general expectations or not

 Reading (from item 23 to 26): evaluates whether reading skills are suitable for students‟ levels and general expectations or not

 Writing (from item 27 to 30): means evaluating whether writing skills are suitable for students‟ levels and general expectations or not

 Language content (from item 31 to 40): focuses on evaluating whether vocabulary and grammar are suitable for students‟ levels and general expectations or not

The interviews for the teachers (see appendix 4) are designed regarding the following issues

The first section, titled "Teacher's Information," consists of open-ended questions aimed at gathering factual details about the teachers, such as their age, qualifications, and years of experience in teaching English This section is designed to offer a comprehensive understanding of the teachers' backgrounds within the context of the study.

Section two, titled "Teacher's Evaluation of the Coursebook," includes 10 open-ended questions designed to gather insights into teachers' assessments of the coursebook's appropriateness This section aims to provide valuable information to address the research questions and solicit suggestions for improving the textbook The questions are based on the Ministry of Education and Training's (MOET) criteria, focusing on essential aspects of teaching content.

Question 1 is to ask about the suitability of the coursebook for students‟ levels

Questions 2-9 are about evaluation the suitability of the coursebook for students‟ expectations, which are based on the checklist in the questionnaires for the students Question 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are designed based on the criteria 7, 8, 11, 18, 23, 27, 34, and 39 in the questionnaire respectively Question 10 is to ask them about suggestions for any changes to improve the coursebook

The procedures of pooling the data were conducted in the middle of May, 2015 that was at the end of the 2014-2015 school year as follows:

The initial phase involved preparing for the data collection process, which included a preliminary survey to gauge students' expectations of the coursebook, serving as a foundation for the evaluation checklist Subsequently, questionnaires and interview schedules were crafted for two primary participant groups: teachers and students The researcher then dedicated three days to distribute survey questionnaires in Vietnamese to 70 tenth-grade English majors, ensuring the confidentiality of their personal information Before answering the questions, students were briefed on the research topic and its purpose to enhance the accuracy of the results Ultimately, the researcher expressed gratitude to the respondents for their participation, as it took approximately 25 minutes for all students to complete the questionnaires, achieving a remarkable response rate of 100%, facilitated by the support of teachers and the enthusiasm of students at FLSS.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Findings for the first research question

Number of students based on evaluation rubric (percentage)

12 The difficulty level of listening tasks is suitable for the learners‟ ability

16 The length and difficulty levels of the listening passages are appropriate to the learners‟ ability

22 The difficulty level of speaking tasks is suitable for the learners‟ ability

25 The length and difficulty levels of the reading passages are appropriate to the learners‟ ability

26 The difficulty level of reading tasks is suitable for the learners‟ ability

30 The writing tasks are appropriate to the students‟ level

33 The number of new words in each lesson is 15 33 22

The table presents the learners' evaluations regarding the suitability of content and language skills for their English levels Nearly 50% of students felt that listening tasks were inappropriate for their proficiency, with 46% finding them too easy Additionally, 48% indicated that the length and difficulty of listening passages were inadequate, as they were perceived as short and not challenging In contrast, tenth-grade English majors expressed satisfaction with speaking tasks, with 56% content and 30% completely happy Regarding reading, 67% of students believed the length and difficulty of reading passages were highly suitable, while over half found reading tasks appropriate Lastly, writing tasks were deemed generally suitable, with 71% of learners rating them positively.

In a recent survey, students expressed satisfaction with the vocabulary content of their textbook, with nearly half finding the number of new words acceptable While one teacher noted that some vocabulary was challenging, she acknowledged that her students enjoyed learning difficult terms A significant 70% of respondents felt that the difficulty of the vocabulary exercises aligned well with their levels Conversely, more than half of the learners indicated that the grammar content did not meet their proficiency levels.

37 The coursebook covers the main grammar items appropriate for the students‟ level

40 Exercises about grammar are suitable for the students‟ level

A survey revealed that students found certain content and language skills in their materials unsatisfactory, particularly in grammar exercises which they deemed too easy due to extensive preparation for entrance exams Interviews with teachers confirmed that listening and grammar were perceived as relatively simple for the students Conversely, reading materials were considered highly suitable, while speaking, writing, and vocabulary content were deemed appropriately aligned with the students' language levels Overall, there is a notable mismatch in the appropriateness of listening and grammar exercises for the students.

Findings for the second research question

Number of students based on evaluation rubric (percentage)

1 The textbook covers a variety of topics from different contexts and cultures

2 The textbook helps enrich the learners‟ knowledge and experiences

3 The subject and content are popular 5

4 The subject and content are educational in terms of behaviour and life skills development

5 The content is up-to-date 9

6 The content is interesting, which encourages the learners‟ motivation and interests

7 The teaching-learning activities are various, well-organized, leading learners

53 (76%) from easy to difficult, simple to complex tasks

8 The teaching-learning activities have clear objectives and instructions

Each lesson in the English language curriculum is structured to logically distribute content, allowing for integrated or individual practice of language skills Even when focusing on a specific skill, the practice often incorporates elements of other skills, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience.

10 The textbook provides a balance of activities and tasks that focus both on fluency and accuracy

Table 3 : Students’ evaluation on the appropriateness of general content to their expectations

Table 3 presents the students' evaluation of the general content in the "Solutions Upper-intermediate" book While 58 students acknowledged its coverage of diverse topics from various contexts and cultures, with 40 rating this aspect as "good," some felt it lacked relevance, particularly regarding youth issues and current affairs One student noted that although technology was addressed, it was limited to basic topics like telephones and the Internet Despite this, a significant majority (81%) believed the book enriched their knowledge and experiences, particularly through reading and listening passages, as well as the Culture section, exemplified by the piece "The Price of Fame" on page 52 The content's popularity was reflected in the ratings, with 27 students marking it as satisfactory and 38 as good Additionally, most students viewed the subject matter as educational for behavior and life skills, although only 9 expressed satisfaction with this aspect Furthermore, 61 students considered the coursebook to be up-to-date, although a notable number pointed out that some content was outdated.

A recent survey revealed that while some topics in the coursebook were outdated, most students expressed interest in the content, with 33 finding it engaging and 27 feeling satisfied Only 10 students considered the material uninteresting The majority appreciated the coursebook's topics, which motivated their English learning, though some suggested incorporating more engaging subjects Additionally, 76% of students rated the variety and organization of learning activities as "good," with teachers agreeing that the structure effectively guided students from simple to complex concepts Students valued the clear objectives and instructions, with 80% rating them positively; teachers noted that students particularly liked the "I can " sections, which outlined learning goals Although one teacher mentioned needing to clarify complex writing instructions, this was not seen as a significant issue Overall, the coursebook content meets students' expectations effectively.

4.2.2 The appropriateness of listening skills to students’ expectations

Number of students based on evaluation rubric (percentage)

11 The listening tasks are various, which helps learners to develop their listening comprehension skills

13 The listening material is well-recorded 0

14 The listening material is authentic or close to real language situations

15 The listening material focuses on English linguistic competences such as stress, intonation, and aspects of connected speech

17 The listening material is accompanied by background information, questions and activities which help comprehension

Table 4 : Students’ evaluation on the appropriateness of listening skills to their expectations

The table presents learners' evaluations of their listening skills, revealing a general dissatisfaction with listening tasks in enhancing comprehension abilities Only 17 students rated these tasks as "good," while 35 felt that the focus was too broad, lacking emphasis on developing specific listening skills Additionally, interviews indicated that students underestimated the diversity of listening tasks available to them.

A teacher emphasized that merely practicing listening skills was insufficient for her students However, the students acknowledged that the listening materials were well-recorded and aligned with their expectations for enhancing their English linguistic competencies The authenticity of the listening texts and the guidance provided for skill development were highly valued by a significant majority of learners In summary, while listening skills partially meet students' expectations, there remains room for improvement.

4.2.3 The appropriateness of speaking skills to students’ expectations

Number of students based on evaluation rubric (percentage)

18 The speaking tasks are well-designed, encouraging learners to speak, and naturally develop their communication skills

19 The learners are provided with sufficient input and language content, and are led from controlled to guided and/or free speaking activities

20 Speaking activities are developed to encourage student-student and student- teacher communication

21 There is sufficient material for spoken English (role-play, discussion, work in pair, work in group, presentation, debating, project work, etc.)

Table 5 : Students’ evaluation on the appropriateness of speaking skills to their expectations

It is clear that the table describes the results in the survey about whether speaking skills match the students‟ expectations There was a substantial number of student

A survey of 56 students revealed that while they rated the speaking tasks as "good" for encouraging communication skills, interviews with four teachers highlighted a significant discrepancy, with teachers claiming the tasks were poorly designed and ineffective One teacher noted that speaking lessons often included more listening, reading, and writing activities than actual speaking practice Despite students unanimously agreeing that they received adequate input and guidance, they expressed limited opportunities for interactive communication through activities like role-play, discussions, and group work Consequently, the coursebook does not fully meet students' expectations regarding the development of their speaking skills.

4.2.4 The appropriateness of reading skills to students’ expectations

Number of students based on evaluation rubric (percentage)

23 The reading passages are various, helping learners develop their reading comprehension skills

24 The reading passages are natural and authentic

Table 6 : Students’ evaluation on the appropriateness of reading skills to their expectations

Table 6 reveals that all students (100%) believe their reading comprehension skills improved due to the coursebook Additionally, interviews with four teachers indicated satisfaction with the diverse reading passages, which resonated well with the students; 52 students rated the language as "good." In conclusion, students at FLSS value the reading content in this book.

4.2.5 The appropriateness of writing skills to students’ expectations

Number of students based on evaluation rubric (percentage)

27 The writing tasks enhance varied writing opportunities, developing the writing skills of learners

28 Learners are provided with sufficient input and language content, and are led from controlled to guided and/or free writing activities

29 The writing tasks are authentic and contextualized

Table 7 : Students’ evaluation on the appropriateness of writing skills to their expectations

The survey results indicate that students are generally satisfied with the variety of writing tasks provided, aligning with the perspectives of their teachers A significant number of students expressed appreciation for the valuable guidance offered to enhance their writing skills, as well as the relevance and authenticity of the writing assignments.

A survey of 68 students revealed that the coursebook is considered "good" for offering writing guidance Overall, learners express satisfaction with the writing content included in the coursebook.

4.2.6 The appropriateness of language content to students’ expectations

Number of students based on evaluation rubric (percentage)

31 The textbook provides appropriate and context-based vocabulary

32 There is a reasonable distribution of vocabulary load across the whole book

34 Material is adequate in terms of range of vocabulary

36 The presentation of grammar is clear and understandable

38 The grammar points are contextualized 0

39 The grammar points are taught communicatively with a focus on both form and use

Table 8 : Students’ evaluation on the appropriateness of vocabulary and grammar to their expectations

Table 8 presents the evaluation results of students regarding vocabulary and grammar For vocabulary, the criterion "The textbook provides appropriate and context-based vocabulary" received a score of 2 points, indicating a good rating.

“There is a reasonable distribution of vocabulary load across the whole book.” However, in term of its range, most of the students just scored 1 point (satisfactory)

In the interview, all teachers felt happy with the variety of vocabulary in this book

Most students evaluated grammar on a scale of 1 (satisfactory) to 2 (good), reflecting a consensus on its effectiveness Teachers echoed this sentiment, emphasizing a communicative approach to grammar instruction that prioritizes both form and practical usage.

In a nutshell, the participants have a positive look at the content of vocabulary and grammar in this coursebook.

Summary

This section addresses two research questions regarding the appropriateness of content and language skills for students' levels and expectations The findings, presented in tables 2 to 8, indicate that reading received the highest number of "good" ratings from students While speaking, writing, and vocabulary are generally suitable for students, the listening and grammar components are deemed inadequate Overall, the content aligns with students' expectations to some degree, but improvements are necessary in the speaking and listening areas.

CONCLUSION

Conclusion

This study reviews literature on coursebook and materials evaluation, highlighting the work of Tomlinson (1998, 2003) and McGrath (2002) It adapts evaluation criteria from MOET to assess the "Solutions Upper-intermediate" coursebook, considering the teaching and learning context at FLSS, focusing on content and language skills aligned with student levels and expectations Data were gathered through questionnaires from 70 students and interviews with 4 teachers The analysis of this data leads to several key conclusions, which are summarized in the following sections.

Research question 1: “To what extent does the coursebook suit tenth-grade English majors‟ levels in terms of the content and language skills?”

The coursebook content is generally appropriate for students' English proficiency levels, with reading passages receiving positive feedback from respondents Speaking, writing, and vocabulary components align well with students' abilities However, listening skills and grammar sections fall short, as the listening passages are too brief and simplistic, while the grammar content lacks sufficient complexity and exercises for effective learning.

Research question 2: “To what extent does the coursebook match tenth-grade English majors‟ general expectations of the coursebook in terms of the content and language skills?”

The survey results reveal that the coursebook partially meets students' expectations regarding content and language skills While the diverse and engaging topics are commendable, the addition of more new topics would enhance the material Both students and teachers value the reading and writing sections; however, the listening and speaking components fall short, as students have limited opportunities to develop these skills Overall, the vocabulary and grammar content is deemed appropriate for learners.

Recommendations

Based on survey findings and teacher interviews, it is recommended to adapt supplementary materials to include contemporary topics relevant to young learners Incorporating compelling and updated content can enhance engagement For listening skills, utilizing authentic materials from the Internet can improve comprehension and involvement in lessons Listening texts should be interesting, appropriately timed, and aligned with students' levels To develop speaking skills, well-designed activities are essential to meet both student and teacher expectations While reading materials are appreciated, introducing more current texts is necessary, and lessons should provide guidance for complex vocabulary Lastly, grammar instruction should include more advanced concepts and exercises tailored to students' proficiency levels.

Therefore, supplementary materials to close the gap of the current material should be thought of and designed to match both students‟ level and expectations.

Limitations

Despite the significant time and effort invested in this thesis, certain limitations are inherent to the study Notably, the evaluation was conducted by a single researcher, which may not provide a comprehensive perspective As suggested by Tomlinson et al (2001), involving multiple evaluators could enhance the assessment process by allowing for a combination of individual evaluations, leading to a more thorough and balanced analysis.

The study, as referenced by Tomlinson & Masuhara (2004), highlights several limitations, including a small sample size of just 70 students and 4 teachers Additionally, it primarily focuses on assessing the suitability of the coursebook in relation to the students' English proficiency levels and their overall expectations regarding content and language skills.

Suggestions for further studies

This section offers valuable recommendations for future researchers interested in this topic It is advisable for evaluations to be conducted by multiple individuals to ensure more reliable results through averaging Additionally, expanding the study to include a larger sample size of students and teachers is recommended Future research should aim to broaden the scope of investigation, focusing not only on content and language skills but also on other critical aspects such as educational objectives, teaching principles, methodology, design and organization, and support for textbook users Furthermore, exploring the suitability of the "Solutions Upper-intermediate" coursebook in relation to various learner factors could significantly enhance students' overall abilities.

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2 Brown, J., D (1995) Overview of the curriculum The Elements of language curriculum: A systematic approach to program development Boston, M.A:

3 Brown, J., D., & Rodgers, T S (2005) Doing second language research

4 Cakit, I (2006) Evaluation of the EFL textbook “New Bridge to Success 3” from the perspectives of students and teachers Ankara, Turkey: Middle East

5 Carter, R., & Nunan, D (2001) Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

6 Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K (2000) Research Methods in Education London: RoutledgeFalmer

7 Council of Europe (2001) Common European Framework of Reference for Languages Retrieved November 19 th , 2015 from www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Source/Framework_EN.pdf

8 Cunningsworth, A (1995) Choosing Your Course Book London: Macmillan

9 Dowsett, G (1986) Interaction in the semi-structured interview In M.Emery (e.d.), Qualitative Research Canberra: Australia Association of Adult Education

10 Dudley-Evans, T., & John, M J S (2007) Developments in English for Specific Purposes: A Multi – Disciplinary Approach Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

11 Ellis, R (1997) The Empirical Evaluation of Language Teaching Materials Oxford: Oxford University Press

12 Hutchinson, T & Waters, A (1987) English for Specific Purposes

13 Kiely, R & Rea-Dickins, P (2005) Program evaluation in language education Great Britain: Palgrave Macmillan

14 Le Thi Bac (2013) Evaluating the coursebook Tieng Anh 6- tap 1 (Sach thi diem) compiled under the national foreign language project entitled

“Teaching and language foreign languages in the national education system, period 2008-2020 M.A Thesis Hanoi: Learning Resource Center of ULIS,

15 McDonough, J & McDonough, S (1997) Research Methods for English Language Teachers London: Arnold

16 McDonough, J & Shaw, C (1993) Materials and Methods in ELT Oxford: Blackwell

17 McGrath, I (2002) Materials Evaluation and Design for Language Teaching Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press

18 Nunan, D (1992) Research Methods in Language Learning Cambridge:

19 Richards, J C (2001) Curriculum Development in Language Teaching

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

21 Tomlinson, B (Ed.) (1998) Materials Development in Language Teaching Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

22 Tomlinson, B (Ed.) (2003) Developing Materials for Language Teaching Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

23 Tomlinson, B., & Masuhara, H (2004) Developing Language Course Materials Singapore: SEAMEO Regional Language Center

24 Tran Thi Chung Oanh (2010) An evaluation on the material "Lifelines" for the first year non-English major students at Hai Phong University M.A

Thesis Hanoi: Learning Resource Center of ULIS, VNU

25 Tran Thi Thu Trang (2011) An evaluation of the material "English Written Proficiency - Intermediate 1" for first year students of Foreign Languages Faculty, Thai Nguyen University M.A Thesis Hanoi: Learning

Resource Center of ULIS, VNU

1 English textbook evaluation form of MOET……… V

2 Questionnaire for the students (English version)……… XI

3 Questionnaire for the students (Vietnamese version)……… XV

4 Interview prompts with the teachers……… XX

5 Note-taking of interviews with the teachers ……… XXI

APPENDIX 1 ENGLISH TEXTBOOK EVALUATION FORM OF MOET (FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN VIETNAM)

(Accompanying Circular……./ TT-BGDĐT date… month… 2015 of the Minister of

(Evaluation rubric: 0: poor; 1: satisfactory; 2: good)

I Objectives, Teaching Principles and Methodology

The textbook establishes a solid foundation for teaching and learning English, aligning with the curriculum's objectives for essential knowledge and skills, while also meeting the standard teaching volume requirements.

2 The components, structure and layout of the textbook help teachers to choose appropriate teaching aids and methods

3 The contents of the textbook are relevant to the learners' cultures and related to their needs and interests

The textbook shows a consistency among the teaching components including the objectives, teaching methods, teaching-learning activities, testing and assessment, and teaching aids

5 The textbook makes a balance of the four main skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing

6 The textbook encourages the use of modern teaching methods, which are consistent with the teaching objectives, creating and fostering learners‟ communicative competences and autonomy

7 The teaching methods used in the textbook are applicable to different groups of English teachers

The teaching-learning activities are various, which enables the teachers to flexibly apply different teaching methods to different learners

The teaching-learning activities are purposeful, making a balance of the development of language content and skills, facilitating individual, pair and group work opportunities

The textbook maintains a consistent and systematic approach to language content and skills, aligning with the learning outcomes outlined in the six-level framework of foreign language competencies for Vietnamese learners.

The textbook features visually appealing and informative covers that include essential details such as the title, intended users, educational levels, authors, publisher, and year of publication Additionally, the design elements, including sub-titles, logos, text fonts, sizes, punctuation marks, and page numbers, maintain consistency and adhere to conventional standards, ensuring an error-free presentation.

The textbook is well-structured and efficiently organized, featuring a systematic presentation of lessons that include essential components such as an Introduction, Table of Contents, Units/Lessons, Revisions, Grammar Reviews, Pronunciation guides, a Glossary, Cultural Notes, and References.

13 The visuals used in the textbook are attractive, functional, and relevant to the age groups of the learners, as well as the culture and customs of Vietnam

The visuals used in the book stimulate creativity of teachers and learners, providing input for communication and language practice

15 The textbook size and weight, the number and sizes of the visuals are relevant to the age groups of the learners

16 The volume of each lesson fits well with the standard class hours of each educational level

17 The textbook offers a balance of the introduction of new language and practice activities

The textbook has periodical revision lessons and tests to help review and consolidate learners‟ language knowledge and skills

III Content and language skills

The textbook covers a variety of topics from different contexts and cultures, which helps enrich the learners‟ knowledge and experiences

The subject and content are popular and suitable to the learners‟ capabilities, and educational in terms of behaviour and life skills development

21 The content is up-to-date and interesting, which encourages teachers‟ creativity, and learners‟ motivation and interests

The content of the textbook is free from stereotypical images and information about gender, ethnic origins, religion, occupations, social groups, age groups, etc

The teaching-learning activities are various, well-organized, leading learners from easy to difficult, simple to complex tasks with clear objectives and instructions

The English language curriculum is structured to logically distribute content across lessons, allowing for both integrated and individual practice of language skills Even when focusing on a specific skill, there is an emphasis on incorporating the practice of other skills.

25 The language used in the textbook is natural, authentic and appropriate to the age groups of the learners

26 The textbook provides a balance of activities and tasks that focus both on fluency and accuracy

27 The listening tasks are various, helping learners to develop their listening comprehension skills

The listening material is well-recorded and authentic, focusing on English linguistic competences such as stress, intonation, and aspects of connected speech

The length and difficulty levels of the listening passages are appropriate to the learners‟ ability and encourage post- listening practice of other language skills

30 The speaking tasks are well-designed, encouraging learners to speak, and naturally develop their communication skills

The learners are provided with sufficient input and language content, and are led from controlled to guided and/or free speaking activities

32 Speaking activities are developed to encourage student- student and student-teacher communication

There is sufficient material for spoken English (role-play, discussion, work in pair, work in group, presentation, debating, project work, etc.)

34 The reading passages are various and interesting, helping learners develop their reading comprehension skills

35 The reading passages are natural, authentic, and relevant to the learners‟ capabilities and interests

The length and difficulty levels of the reading passages are appropriate to learners‟ ability and encourage post-reading practice of other language skills

37 The writing tasks enhance varied writing opportunities, developing the writing skills of learners

Learners are provided with sufficient input and language content, and are led from controlled to guided and/or free writing activities

39 The writing tasks are authentic, contextualised, goal-oriented and achievable

The textbook provides appropriate, context-based vocabulary presenting techniques with a reasonable distribution of the vocabulary load across the whole book

41 The grammar points are contextualized and taught communicatively with a focus on both form and use

Pronunciation activities are integrated in the listening and speaking tasks with an emphasis on natural pronunciation, including stress and intonation

The textbook has proper supplementary materials which support the teachers to develop active and efficient teaching, innovative testing and assessment methods, through which professional development is fostered

Supplementary materials aligned with textbook content enhance learners' self-study and self-assessment, fostering active learning methods.

45 The supplementary materials of the textbook enhance the application of information technology in teaching-learning activities, which is appropriate to particular teaching conditions

APPENDIX 2 QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE STUDENTS (English version)

AN EVALUATION OF THE COURSEBOOK “SOLUTIONS UPPER- INTERMEDIATE” FOR TENTH-GRADE ENGLISH MAJORS AT FOREIGN

LANGUAGE SPECIALIZED SCHOOL, ULIS, VNU

This questionnaire aims to assess the alignment of content and language skills with students' English proficiency and the overall expectations of the coursebook Your feedback is invaluable and will remain confidential Thank you for your participation.

Age: … How long have you been learning English?

What are your reasons of learning English?

Section II Learners’ evaluation of the coursebook

I would like you to indicate your opinion after each criterion by putting a tick in the box that best indicates the extent to which you evaluate

Evaluation rubric: 0: poor; 1: satisfactory; 2: good

1 The textbook covers a variety of topics from different contexts and cultures

2 The textbook helps enrich the learners‟ knowledge and experiences

3 The subject and content are popular

4 The subject and content are educational in terms of behaviour and life skills development

5 The content is up-to-date

6 The content is interesting, which encourages the learners‟ motivation and interests

7 The teaching-learning activities are various, well-organized, leading learners from easy to difficult, simple to complex tasks

8 The teaching-learning activities have clear objectives and instructions

The English language lessons are structured logically, allowing for the practice of language skills either in an integrated manner or individually Even when focusing on a specific skill, the practice incorporates elements of other skills to enhance overall learning.

10 The textbook provides a balance of activities and tasks that focus both on fluency and accuracy

11 The listening tasks are various, which helps the learners to develop their listening comprehension skills

12 The difficulty level of listening tasks is suitable for the learners‟ ability

13 The listening material is well-recorded

14 The listening material is authentic or close to real language situations

15 The listening material focuses on English linguistic competences such as stress, intonation, and aspects of connected speech

16 The length and difficulty levels of the listening passages are appropriate to the learners‟ ability

17 The listening material is accompanied by background information, questions and activities which help comprehension

18 The speaking tasks are well-designed, encouraging learners to speak, and naturally develop their communication skills

19 The learners are provided with sufficient input and language content, and are led from controlled to guided and/or free speaking activities

20 Speaking activities are developed to encourage student-student and student-teacher communication

21 There is sufficient material for spoken English (role-play, discussion, work in pair, work in group, presentation, debating, project work, etc.)

22 The difficulty level of speaking tasks is suitable for the learners‟ ability

23 The reading passages are various, helping the learners develop their reading comprehension skills

24 The reading passages are natural and authentic

25 The length and difficulty levels of the reading passages are appropriate to the learners‟ ability

26 The difficulty level of reading tasks is suitable for the learners‟ ability

27 The writing tasks enhance varied writing opportunities, developing the writing skills of learners

28 Learners are provided with sufficient input and language content, and are led from controlled to guided and/or free writing activities

29 The writing tasks are authentic and contextualized

30 The writing tasks are appropriate to the students‟ level

31 The textbook provides appropriate and context-based vocabulary

32 There is a reasonable distribution of vocabulary load across the whole book

33 The number of new words in each lesson is appropriate to the students‟ level

34 Material is adequate in terms of range of vocabulary

35 Exercises about vocabulary are suitable for the students‟ level

36 The presentation of grammar is clear and understandable

37 The coursebook covers the main grammar items appropriate for the students‟ level

38 The grammar points are contextualized

39 The grammar points are taught communicatively with a focus on both form and use

40 Exercises about grammar are suitable for the students‟ level

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!

APPENDIX 3 QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE STUDENTS (Vietnamese version) ĐÁNH GIÁ GIÁO TRÌNH “SOLUTIONS UPPER-INTERMEDIATE” DÙNG CHO HỌC SINH CHUYÊN ANH LỚP 10 TẠI TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN

NGOẠI NGỮ, ĐH NGOẠI NGỮ, ĐH QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI

Câu hỏi này nhằm đánh giá sự phù hợp giữa kiến thức, kỹ năng và ngôn ngữ với trình độ tiếng Anh cũng như mong đợi chung của học sinh đối với giáo trình Ý kiến của bạn sẽ được trân trọng và bảo mật Xin chân thành cảm ơn sự giúp đỡ của bạn.

Phần I Thông tin học sinh

Tên (Không bắt buộc): Lớp (Không bắt buộc):

Bạn học tiếng Anh bao lâu? …………

Lý do học tiếng Anh của bạn là gì?

Phần II Đánh giá của học sinh về giáo trình

Bạn hãy đưa ra câu trả lời của mình cho mỗi nhận định bằng cách đánh dấu "" vào MỘT trong các lựa chọn dưới đây

Các mức đánh giá: 0: không đạt; 1: đạt; 2: tốt

1 Sách giới thiệu các chủ đề phong phú, đa dạng phản ánh các bối cảnh văn hoá, xã hội khác nhau

2 Sách giúp mở rộng nhận thức và trải nghiệm của người học

3 Các chủ đề và nội dung của sách phổ biến

4 Các chủ đề và nội dung của sách mang tính giáo dục cao về hành vi và kỹ năng sống

5 Nội dung sách cập nhật

6 Nội dung sách thú vị, tạo động lực và hấp dẫn đối với người học

7 Sách có các hoạt động dạy học được thiết kế khoa học, đa dạng, được triển khai từng bước, từ dễ đến khó, từ đơn giản đến phức tạp

8 Sách có các hoạt động dạy học được thiết kế có mục đích và hướng dẫn rõ ràng

Nội dung dạy học được phân bổ hợp lý trong từng đơn vị bài học, giúp rèn luyện các kỹ năng ngôn ngữ một cách hiệu quả Các kỹ năng này có thể được phát triển theo hình thức tích hợp hoặc đơn lẻ, tạo cơ hội cho sự phát triển đồng thời của các kỹ năng khác.

10 Sách tạo ra sự cân đối trong các hoạt động nhằm rèn luyện sự trôi chảy trong giao tiếp và độ chính xác trong sử dụng ngôn ngữ

11 Các hoạt động dạy nghe được thiết kế đa dạng, phát triển được các kỹ năng nghe hiểu khác nhau của người học

12 Bài tập của kỹ năng nghe phù hợp với trình độ người học

13 Bài nghe được ghi âm rõ ràng

14 Ngữ liệu nghe thực tế, gần gũi với các hoàn cảnh ngôn ngữ tự nhiên

15 Ngữ liệu nghe quan tâm tới việc phát triển năng lực ngôn ngữ như trọng âm, ngữ điệu và các yếu tố lời nói liên kết trong tiếng Anh

16 Độ dài và độ khó của bài nghe phù hợp với trình độ người học

17 Ngữ liệu nghe cung cấp thông tin cơ bản, các câu hỏi và các hoạt động giúp ích cho việc nghe hiểu của học sinh

18 Các hoạt động thực hành nói được thiết kế cẩn thận, tạo hứng thú, phát triển kỹ năng giao tiếp tự nhiên của người học

19 Người học được cung cấp đầy đủ về thông tin, nội dung ngôn ngữ và được dẫn dắt từng bước trong các giai đoạn thực hành nói

20 Các hoạt động thực hành nói trong sách khuyến khích tương tác giữa người học với người học và người học với giáo viên trong luyện tập nói

21 người học có cơ hội thực hành kỹ năng nói thông qua nhiều hoạt động đa dạng như đóng vai, thảo luận, làm việc theo cặp hoặc nhóm, trình bày, tranh luận và thực hiện các dự án.

22 Độ khó của các bài tập nói phù hợp với người học

23 Sách có hệ thống các bài đọc đa dạng, phát triển được các kỹ năng đọc hiểu khác nhau của người học

24 Ngôn ngữ sử dụng trong bài đọc tự nhiên và thực tế

25 Độ dài và độ khó của bài đọc phù hợp với trình độ của người học

26 Bài tập của kỹ năng đọc phù hợp với trình độ người học

27 Sách có các hoạt động phát triển kỹ năng viết đa dạng, tạo cơ hội cho người học viết nhiều thể loại khác nhau

28 Người học được cung cấp đầy đủ về thông tin, nội dung ngôn ngữ và được dẫn dắt từng bước trong các giai đoạn thực hành viết

29 Yêu cầu bài tập viết được giới thiệu trong ngữ cảnh, thực tế

30 Bài tập của kỹ năng viết phù hợp với trình độ của học sinh

31 Từ vựng được dạy phù hợp, gắn liền với ngữ cảnh

32 Lượng từ vựng được phân bổ hợp lý trong sách

33 Số lượng từ mới trong mỗi bài học phù hợp với trình độ của học sinh

34 Ngữ liệu cung cấp từ vựng một cách phong phú

35 Bài tập về từ vựng phù hợp với trình độ học sinh

36 Nội dung ngữ pháp rõ ràng và dễ hiểu

37 Các mục ngữ pháp phù hợp với trình độ của học sinh

38 Các mục ngữ pháp được dạy trong ngữ cảnh

Trong sách, 39 cấu trúc ngữ pháp được giảng dạy thông qua thực hành giao tiếp, đảm bảo sự cân bằng giữa việc dạy hình thức ngữ pháp và cách sử dụng thực tế.

40 Bài tập về ngữ pháp phù hợp với trình độ học sinh

CẢM ƠN BẠN VÌ ĐÃ HỢP TÁC!

APPENDIX 4 INTERVIEW PROMPTS WITH THE TEACHERS Section I Teacher’s information

2 What qualification did you get? (BA, MA, PhD, …)

3 How many years have you been teaching English?

Section II Teacher’s evaluation of the coursebook

1 Which parts (listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary, grammar) do you reckon suitable for students‟ levels? Why do you think that?

2 Do you think that the teaching-learning activities are various, well-organized, leading learners from easy to difficult, simple to complex tasks? Can you clarify this point?

3 Do the teaching-learning activities have clear objectives and instructions? Can you give me examples?

4 Are the listening tasks various, which helps your learners to develop their listening skills? Can you explain for me?

5 Are the speaking tasks well-designed, encouraging your students to speak, and naturally develop their communication skills? Why do you think so?

6 Are the reading passages various, helping learners develop their reading comprehension skills? Please tell me why

7 Do the writing tasks enhance varied writing opportunities, developing your writing skills? Can you clarify your point?

8 Is the material adequate in terms of range of vocabulary?

9 Do you think the grammar points taught communicatively with a focus on both form and use? Can you specify your point?

10 If you can change anything in this coursebook, what would you suggest to change?

APPENDIX 5 NOTE-TAKING OF INTERVIEWS WITH TEACHERS

1 Which parts (listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary, grammar) do you reckon suitable for students’ levels? Why do you think that?

- Teacher A: Of four language skills, reading and writing seem suitable for my students‟ levels The real problem is listening which is quite short and easy

- Teacher B: In general, this upper-intermediate book is suitable for the students‟ levels However, it is ideal to have more difficult points of grammar for students

- Teacher C: Some parts are simple like listening whereas some are challenging like vocabulary because there vocabulary is a little bit difficult However, my students liked this challenge

- Teacher D: Except for listening, I think everything is ok

2 Do you think that the teaching-learning activities are various, well-organized, leading learners from easy to difficult, simple to complex tasks? Can you clarify this point?

Before a lesson, students have the opportunity to engage with vocabulary and anticipate what they will learn through various methods, which aids their understanding This approach allows them to progress from simple concepts to more complex ones.

In a reading lesson, students engage in discussions about the text, allowing them to explore various issues Following this, they respond to general questions before tackling more specific or inferential inquiries about the reading material.

- Teacher C: I totally agree with this That is one point that I like in this book Learners feel comfortable in lessons with this organization of content

- Teacher D: This book provides variety of activities for students and they are well- organized In addition, I think, that is what they expected

3 Do the teaching-learning activities have clear objectives and instructions? Can you give me examples?