INTRODUCTION
R ATIONALE
The availability of textbooks is one of the crucial elements in the teaching and learning process because textbooks serve as a guide for students and teachers of all educational levels to engage in classroom activities actively This concurs with Iqbal's (2013) argument that using textbooks might help students attain their learning goals to the fullest extent possible In addition, textbooks are the foundation of educational practices and provide students with "a wide variety of fresh and possibly exciting knowledge, as well as open the door to a world of magnificent experience" (Chambliss & Calfee, 1998, p.7) English textbooks are one of the elements that affect teaching and learning in education Teachers utilize textbooks as teaching aids to assist them in explaining
Vietnam is changing from a mostly closed society with a centrally planned economy to one that is quickly urbanizing and has a global perspective The country's English language instruction has gone through many ups and downs and has taken severe turns from being nearly minimized to being the most important foreign language to be taught and learned English has been designated as "a compulsory subject" taught from Grade 3 to Grade 12 English has been seen as being "important to the Vietnamese young generation's future education and employability "in a globalized, multicultural, and multilingual world" (Government of Vietnam 2008, p.1) This pressing necessity has made it impossible for Vietnam to sustain its current standards of teaching, learning and usage of foreign languages Decision-making bodies (the Government and MOET) were increasingly aware that Vietnam's performance standards in foreign languages, in general, and English, would lag without a radical change in language policy, curriculum design, textbook development, teaching methodology, and testing and assessment For the national general education system's English teaching and learning, a new curriculum and many new textbooks have been produced to achieve this aim (Ministry of Education and Training 2015) According to Decision 441/QD-BGDĐT and Decision 442/QD-BGDĐT, a Decision approving the list of 7th and 10th-grade textbooks used in public education institutions dated January 28 th , 2022 And nine 10th-grade English books for next school year include Global Success, Think, English Discovery, Macmillan Move On, Friends Plus Global, Explore New Worlds, Bright, i-Learn Smart World and C21-Smart In practice, high schools in Phu Yen provice are free to choose one of the above nine books, but Global Success textbook is most commonly used at most high schools in Phu Yen
The attitudes of teachers toward English textbooks in ESL/EFL classes have been the subject of a few studies (Wen-Cheng et al., 2011; Kirkgửz, 2009; Rahimi & Hassani, 2012; Khodabandeh & Mombini, 2018) These studies talked about a checklist for evaluating textbooks that would be used for primary school testing Teachers are among the most crucial members of the educational system since they are on the front lines of instruction, actively involved in various teaching and learning processes, and the last people to put educational ideas and concepts into practice The importance of instructors' perspectives in the field of English language teaching professionals has been emphasized According to Robson (2002), language teachers' attitudes affect what they do in the classroom The perceptions of teachers also affect what they do both inside and outside of the classroom What teachers do in classrooms is influenced by their perceptions How instructors react to problems in their teaching environments is related to their perceptions This implies that teachers typically base their judgments and conclusions on their impressions Therefore, when doing their regular instruction, teachers must be conscious of what they perceive and believe Additionally, their views influence how teachers respond to flaws in their instructional environments (Moloy, 2009)
Some schools have only recently begun using the set of English textbooks under the National Foreign Language 2020 project for one year Especially, Global Success has not been tested for difficulties and advantages from EFL high school teachers The perceptions of teachers who use the textbooks directly about the benefits and challenges implementing the book have received little research Additionally, the National Foreign Language 2020 project's investigation of the English textbooks is complicated Because of this, I decided to conduct this study to find out how teachers view textbooks and make suggestions better the situation.
R ESEARCH A IM
The aim of the present study is to investigate what teachers think about the organization, activities, language skills in “Tiếng Anh 10” textbook by Viet Nam Education Publishing House.
R ESEARCH O BJECTIVES
There are 3 objectives which are focused on in this study:
- Investigate the teachers’ perceptions of the organization in the new “Tiếng Anh 10” published by Viet Nam Education Publishing House
- Examine the teachers’ perceptions of the activities in the new “Tiếng Anh 10” published by Viet Nam Education Publishing House
- Identify the teachers’ perceptions of the language skills in the new “Tiếng Anh 10” published by Viet Nam Education Publishing House.
R ESEARCH Q UESTIONS
With those objectives, the study focuses on answering:
- What are the teachers’ perceptions of the organization in the new “Tiếng Anh 10” published by Viet Nam Education Publishing House Limited Company?
- What are the teachers’ perceptions of the activities in the new “Tiếng Anh 10” published by Viet Nam Education Publishing House Limited Company?
- What are the teachers’ perceptions of the language skills in the new “Tiếng Anh 10” published by Viet Nam Education Publishing House Limited Company?
S COPE OF THE S TUDY
The new “Tiếng Anh 10” includes a student book and workbook Each book contains 4 review units and 10 units Each unit has 8 headings: Getting Started, Language (Vocabulary, Pronunciation, and Grammar), Skills (Reading, Speaking, Listening, Writing), Communication & Culture, Looking Back & Project Every unit begins with a discussion of the subject matter, including phonological and lexical items pertinent to the subject, particular functions and conceptions, and grammatical structures expressing them (MOET, 2012) However, in this thesis, I would like to investigate the perceptions of high schools teachers on the organization, the activities and the language skills The participants are 50 English teachers who used the new “Tiếng Anh 10” in 2022-
2023 academic year in Phu Yen Province.
S IGNIFICANCE OF THE S TUDY
“Tiếng Anh 10”- Global Success is the most popularly used at high schools in Phu Yen province in 2022-2023 academic year This book is expected to be used by almost all high schools nationwide soon However, no study has been done about the subject of the new “Tiếng Anh 10” textbook yet Therefore, this study will be crucial for effectively integrating the tenth-grade textbook into teaching and learning activities The study will be necessary for experts, language practitioners, policymakers, textbook designers, teachers, students, and others involved in teaching and learning activities, either directly or indirectly After this research project is finished, it will offer some advice and recommendations on organization, activities and language skills matters, which can help prevent some of the issues highlighted in the textbook From that, material developers and textbook writers can develop more suitable textbooks for teaching and learning in Vietnam.
S TRUCTURE OF THE S TUDY
Chapter 1 "Introduction": The rationale, goals and objectives, research questions, study scope, study importance, and study organization are all presented in Chapter 1
Chapter 2, "Literature review": A history of English textbooks at General Education in Vietnam, theoretical appraisal of the textbooks evaluation, role of the textbook, and related empirical studies in Vietnam are also covered in this chapter
Chapter 3, "Research methodology", data descriptions, data analysis, and research processes are covered in this section The authenticity and dependability of the data are also shown in this chapter
Chapter 4, "Findings and Discussions", focuses on describing and analyzing teachers' perspectives on the organization, activities and language skills of Tieng Anh 10
Chapter 5 "Conclusion and Implications" includes a summary of the study's findings Additionally, it discusses the study's limitations and makes recommendations for additional research, as well as implications for creating effective implementation strategies for these books.
LITERATURE REVIEW
A N O VERVIEW OF T EACHING E NGLISH AS AN EFL IN V IETNAM
All Vietnamese students in General Education Level classes must now study English According to Hoang, V V (2010), there are three levels of general education in Vietnam, which include 12 grades: primary (grades 1 through 5 for students aged 6 to 11), lower secondary (grades 6 through 9 for students aged 11 to 15), and upper secondary (grades 10 through 12 for students aged
15 to 18) Vietnam currently has a 10-year curriculum for teaching English that begins in grade 3 and requires all students to take foreign language classes In addition, it is not required to teach English in grades 1 and 2 (MOET, 2018) English is required in all primary (grades 3 to 5) and lower and upper secondary schools The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) national test requires all students to study English as a required subject All public schools are required to follow the government-set curriculum There are now two different types of curriculum: 10-year and 7-year English textbook curricula
As a result, the decision to use textbooks is based on the local authorities' demands and each school's requirements
In the middle of the second half of 2010, work was done on the ten-year English textbook series' design and development The primary English authors finished authoring English 3, English 4, and English 5 by the end of 2012, and 92 chosen primary schools across Vietnam received them for assessment However, the Vietnam Education Publishing House (VEPH) determined that working with foreign publishing partners was essential to enhance the ten-year English textbook series to regional and worldwide standards Consequently, two collaboration agreements between VEPH and two top publishers in the globe were signed: one with Pearson Education for the development of lower secondary and upper secondary English textbooks and the other with MacMillan Education for the development of elementary English textbooks The National Evaluation Council of MOET, which is made up of experienced and highly qualified school teachers of English and experts on English education from Vietnam and abroad, evaluates the ten-year English textbooks to make sure they adhere to the standards of a contemporary English textbook series in regarding language knowledge, language skills, and cross-cultural knowledge
The study of English is enhanced, and the standard of English teaching and learning in Vietnam is also encouraged to keep up with the progress of globalization in the context of globalization and the demand for teaching and learning English as an international language Because of this, on September
30, 2008, the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam signed Decision No 1400/Q-TTG announcing the 2020 Project, a national project titled "Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages in the National Education System, Period 2008-2020" (MOET, 2008) The 2020 project's general objective is that by the year 2020, "the majority of Vietnamese students graduating from secondary, vocational schools, colleges, and universities will be able to use a foreign language with confidence in their daily communication, their study, and their work in an integrated, multi-cultural, and multilingual environment, making foreign languages a comparative advantage of development for Vietnamese people in the cause of industrialization and modernization for the country."
T EXTBOOKS
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a textbook is a book that provides comprehensive knowledge on a subject for readers who are studying it Following the creation of the curriculum, the textbook serves as a source of teaching-learning materials used by both the students and the teacher Additionally, the teacher uses textbooks to manage the lesson in the teaching and learning process For teachers, textbooks serve as a guide and a repository of ideas for delivering lessons (Tomlinson, 2008)
Additionally, textbooks function as meticulously planned and made schedules (Richards, 2001) According to the definition, EFL textbooks are practical tools intended to provide students with essential information, language proficiency, and understanding of English-speaking nations while also preparing them for contact with individuals from other countries and various cultural backgrounds Each textbook provides students with knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and communication skills Because of this, students can improve their language abilities by using their textbooks as a motivating tool to help them learn the language
Textbooks work as syllabuses, giving teachers content to teach in the classroom The usage of textbooks as syllabuses that reflect predetermined learning objectives is mentioned by Cunningsworth (1995) Additionally, textbooks offer clear frameworks that direct educators and students in terms of what they have done and will accomplish (Ur, 1998) For teachers, textbooks may serve as a guide and a repository of lesson-delivery ideas (Tomlinson, 2008) Chapters in a well-written and organized textbook might guide how lessons should be taught (Edge & Wharton, 1998)
Textbooks are practical resources in terms of time and money, according to O'Neill (1982), Sheldon (1988), and Ur (1998) Textbooks cut down on content preparation time, allowing teachers to spend more time teaching Additionally, engaging exercises found in good textbooks that do not need much preparation might help teachers (Hutchinson & Torres, 1994) According to Ansary and Babaii (2003), textbooks are time and program controllers Additionally, textbooks are cheap compared to alternative products like learning kits, photocopied worksheets, or computer software (Ur, 1998)
The detailed teaching and learning materials created for the students based on the curriculum are defined as textbooks It is frequently utilized as a stand-alone resource to meet curricular goals The activities and pictures are also produced in sequential order as a result A textbook is a piece of instructional material that includes subject-related content and materials that are neatly structured in writing and make a significant contribution to the teaching and learning process, according to Yulianti (2011)
As English takes on more importance in educational systems, EFL textbooks may significantly influence how future generations in non-English-speaking nations view the functions of English and their connections with it Within the parameters of critical pedagogy, Rashidi and Safari (2011) created a paradigm for EFL instructional materials The approach takes into account "the specifics of the local setting as well as the difficulties and concerns of the learner It provides strategies for assisting students in honing their second language abilities while fostering a critical awareness of social structural concerns in their environment (p 250)
2.2.2 The Role of Textbooks for EFL Teachers and Students
English is now an essential component of the academic program in Vietnamese schools In developing nations, particularly our nation, teaching and learning English as a foreign language is a difficult challenge Generally, the methods used to teach and study English as a foreign language in schools must be based on primary resources As a result, a textbook is among the most crucial tools for the EFL teaching and learning processes because it assists both teachers and students
English is spoken and studied as a second language in many nations worldwide Effective English teaching and learning have been priorities in Vietnam Thus, English textbooks may serve as students' primary or sole source of language instruction and the foundation for language practice both within and outside of the classroom According to Richards (2001), textbooks are essential in many language classrooms "Textbooks continue to be a mainstay of the global school curricula, providing teachers and students with the endorsed values, attitudes, skills, and behaviours of authorities in those fields as well as the official knowledge of school subjects." (Wen-Cheng et al., 2011)
Textbooks work as syllabuses, giving teachers content to teach in the classroom The usage of textbooks as syllabuses that reflect predetermined learning objectives is mentioned by Cunningsworth (1995) Additionally, textbooks serve as syllabuses that have been carefully prepared and organized (Richards, 2001) Additionally, textbooks offer clear frameworks that direct educators and students in terms of what they have done and will accomplish (Ur, 1998) For teachers, textbooks may serve as a guide and a repository of lesson-delivery ideas (Tomlinson, 2008) Chapters in a well-written and organized textbook might guide how lessons should be taught (Edge & Wharton, 1998)
According to Tomlinson (2008), the immense potential of textbooks may ask teachers to rely too much on them and spend less time designing lectures Because of this, the instructor ends up instructing the text rather than the language itself (McGrath, 2002) Richards and Mahoney (1996) further examined teachers' opinions and behaviours regarding the use of textbooks To find out how English textbooks were utilized in the ESL environment of Hong Kong, the researchers surveyed ESL instructors in secondary schools They discovered that teachers thought the textbook could successfully support their instruction The textbook was one of many sources of instruction or the focus of the whole class The study concluded that teachers had a critical view of their textbooks
Another benefit textbooks bring is about time and money, according to O'Neill (1982), Sheldon (1988), and Ur (1998) Textbooks cut down on content preparation time, allowing teachers to spend more time teaching Additionally, engaging exercises found in good textbooks that do not need much preparation might help teachers (Hutchinson & Torres, 1994) According to Ansary and Babaii (2003), textbooks are time and program controllers Additionally, textbooks are cheap compared to alternative products like learning kits, photocopied worksheets, or computer software (Ur, 1998)
2.2.3 A Description of the 10th – grade English Textbooks
“Tiếng Anh 10” is in the Global Success English Textbook Series by Prof Dr Hoang Van Van, the Editor-in-Chief This is the first book for the high school level On January 28, 2022, English 10 Global Success was officially approved by the Minister of Education and Training in the list of grade 10 textbooks used at general education institutions from the 2022 - 2023 school year, according to decision No 442/QD-BGDDT “Tiếng Anh 10” – Global success is published by Viet Nam Education Publishing House Limited Company It is taught within 105 periods “Tiếng Anh 10” Global Success is built in the direction of communication, helping students to form and develop communication ability through training in the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing and language knowledge, including phonics, vocabular, and grammar according to the framework program After completing the “Tiếng Anh 10” program, students can achieve Level 3-1 according to the 6-level Foreign Language Competency Framework for Vietnam (MOET, 2014) The system of topics in “Tiếng Anh 10” Global Success is built closely related to each other, suitable for the age characteristics of 10 th graders, helping them to have some general understanding of countries, people and cultures of many countries around the world; and educating the values of the Vietnamese national culture In addition, “Tiếng Anh 10” Global Success also helps students to form the necessary qualities and competencies, such as awareness, community responsibility and, above all, the ability to adapt to the context nowadays “Tiếng Anh 10” - Global Success - The student's book is compiled in the direction of integrating skills, whereby the skills of reading, speaking, listening, and writing complement each other and are developed around four themes close to each other Our Lives; Our Society; Our Environment and Our Future, these four topics are concretized into ten units of lessons and each lesson unit corresponds to a topic After each topic is a review, focusing on training language knowledge and developing language skills that students have learned
The following table 2.1 summarized the structure and content of the new “Tiếng Anh 10” textbook
Structure and Content of the New “Tiếng Anh 10” Textbook
Number of sections per unit 8
Reading Speaking Listening Writing Communication & Culture (CILL) Looking Back & Project
Time allocated for each heading
Unit 2: Humans and the environment Unit 3: Music
Unit 4: For a better community Unit 5: Inventions
Unit 7: Viet Nam and international organisations
Unit 8: New ways to learn Unit 9: Protecting the environment Unit 10: Ecotourism
P ERCEPTION AND I TS I MPORTANCE IN T EACHING AND L EARNING
From a physical, psychological, and physiological standpoint, perception can be characterized According to a psychological definition, perception is choosing, organizing, and interpreting information from receptors Perception may reveal a person's inner potential, including their attitudes, sentiments, and points of view (Baron-Cohen, 1995) Another way to think about perception is that it is a process wherein individuals organize and interpret their sensory experiences to make sense of their surroundings
One more definition of perception is that it is "a notion, belief, or image that you have as a result of how you view or comprehend something" (Hornby, 2005) Perception is defined as "someone's understanding, beliefs, and feelings about people, circumstances, and events as his or her learning experience, which will be the key determinant of the stimuli to which he or she responds," according to Jalilah (2010)
According to Norman (2002), perception is the beneficiary's conscious, attentive response to objects and events in the present moment In his study,
Searle defined and explored perception as visual awareness In addition, he noted that "Western philosophy for the three centuries after Descartes was preoccupied with the relationship between perceptual experiences and the real world, of which vision is the most important type of experience." (Searle, 2015)
With the support of the above definitions of perception, in this study perception is the act of making sense of data obtained from the human receptor organs or instructions about objects and events in order to create meaning for the environment
2.3.2 Related Studies on Teachers’ Perceptions
Several significant areas of interest to ELT professionals have examined the function and significance of instructors' perspectives Jeon and Hahn (2006) studied 228 middle and high school instructors to find that specific beneficial ramifications of teachers' perspectives were found, which could aid teachers and teacher trainers in creating and implementing task-based language education more successfully
Aminuddin (2009) examined how teachers employed textbooks and lesson plans as instructional tools in language classes and how students reacted to the teachers' application of such tools The study involved eight English teachers and students at the Language Center of the State School of Administration Sciences in Indonesia In order to gather information, the researcher used document analysis, classroom observations, and interviews It was discovered that teachers believed textbooks needed more content appropriateness, making it difficult to serve both their and their students' requirements adequately On the other hand, students largely concurred that the learning resources could meet their needs, demonstrating that the teachers' use of these teaching aids in the classroom was beneficial
Dolati and Richards (2012) investigated how visual aids helped students' vocabulary development The study, conducted in elementary schools, was expressly designed to look at how dual coding theory might help alter language instructors' attitudes toward using visual teaching aids in their classes Data were gathered through focus group interviews The findings indicated that teachers generally had a favourable attitude toward employing visual aids in teaching communication skills
2.3.3 Importance of Perception on Learning and Teaching
The role of the teacher and the students is crucial to the teaching and learning process and has a significant impact on the educational system The teacher is seen as a manager, advisor, enforcer of classroom rules, mentor, counselor, role model, and planner who may help pupils improve both their behavior and their learning According to Razmjoo (2007), using textbooks allows pupils to feel secure and speeds up their acquisition of subject material The learning environment is significantly shaped by teachers' perceptions (Windiarti et al., 2019) According to McDonald (2011:2), perception refers to how people interpret a phenomenon that occurred in the real world The ability to provide one's own point of view or interpretation on how to value something based on what one knows depends on that person's background knowledge
Yu (2004) asserts that teachers' beliefs affect their actions within and beyond the classroom As a result, teachers need to be careful about what they think about teaching and learning Language instructors' attitudes affect what they do in the classroom, according to Barcelos (2000) How instructors respond to problems in their classroom environments relates to how teachers see themselves (Moloi, 2009) Additionally, Pedersen and Liu (2003) claim that instructors' choices and behaviours in the classroom are solely based on their views or ideas This implies that instructors typically base their judgements and conclusions on their impressions Kurniawati (2006) asserts that teachers' beliefs may be used to learn more about their practices and guiding principles Understanding language instruction from the instructors' perspective is made possible by revealing elements underlying teachers' behaviours and examining teachers' mental experiences and beliefs According to Jia (2004), as thinking drives conduct, knowing instructors' views and beliefs may help teachers improve their practices while providing a more profound knowledge of their classroom behaviour
In conclusion, teachers' perceptions are essential to the teaching and learning processes because they affect teachers' behaviours and decision-making and offer essential insight into various facets of education.
E VALUATION OF T EXTBOOKS
According to Cunningsworth (1995), evaluating textbooks would entail carefully choosing materials and determining if they accurately reflect a particular educational program's objectives, goals, strategies, and values It also enables students to gain practical, precise, methodical, and contextual insights into the general character of textbook elements (Cunningsworth, 1995) Textbook evaluation aids teachers in moving beyond impressionistic judgments Teachers can more easily modify a textbook to meet the course's objectives, the student's requirements, and their own beliefs by understanding the book's substance and its strengths and shortcomings According to Littlejohn (1998), the textbook evaluation aims to determine whether the materials' technique and content are appropriate for a specific language teaching context The evaluation would examine the claims the materials make for themselves, including if they foster autonomy, entail problem-solving, and are communicative, as their authors say
The assessment of ELT textbooks may also be divided into three categories based on the various stages, including "predictive" or "pre-use," "in-use," and
"retrospective" or "post-use" evaluations (Cunningsworth, 1995); (Tomlinson, 2003); (Ellis, 1997) They claim that the 'predictive' or 'pre-use' evaluation is made to look at a textbook's prospective or future performance The 'in-use' assessment, which examines how ELT textbooks are used in classrooms, is one of the various forms of textbook evaluation The evaluation of a textbook after it has been used, either temporarily or permanently, is known as a "post-use" evaluation All three of these assessment methods assess how well ELT textbooks serve a particular objective, such as fostering academic literacy in learners, implementing curricula, or assisting students in test preparation
2.4.1 The Evaluation of the Physical Aspects of Textbook
According to McDonough and Shaw (2013), this preliminary assessment aids in assessing a textbook's physical components The textbook's physical evaluation includes the following elements
• Material quality The textbook's paper should be of the highest standard Each leaf of the book should not be improperly folded after it has been used for a very long time The students' level and age should be considered when choosing the textbook paper It is regarded as an excellent textbook if good-quality paper is utilized
• Size and binding It is stated that a textbook with a firm binding will last longer The book has been appropriately bound with gum after stitching with pins (stapler) The textbook should be manageable so students may transport it wherever needed
• Spacing and lettering In textbooks, the letters and the space between them should be acceptable The learners' level and age should be considered while choosing the letter sizes and styles The typography and spacing in a textbook should be appropriate
2.4.2 The Evaluation of the Academic Aspects of Textbook
Academic aspects involve content, language skills, and exercises The term
"Academic Aspects Evaluation" refers to an internal assessment of the supplied materials, which includes the presentation of language abilities, the structure of language or content, and the grading and sequencing of activities The following is a description of the components of the academic aspects
• Contents: From elementary to complicated principles, any textbook's content should be carefully chosen, arranged, and presented The variety of themes in the textbook should be arranged in a methodical order, chapter by chapter, according to Sheldon (1988) According to the topic's title in the textbook, each unit had one to two subtopics Accurate information should be included in the contents The content's subject matter should be organized systematically according to level, grade, learner interest, and needs The students' physical and social environments should be considered when choosing the content As a result, the textbook's contents should be appropriate and carefully chosen
• Language Based on the degree of proficiency of the students, the language of the textbooks should be chosen The rate at which a textbook introduces new linguistic concepts should be appropriate for the book's readers, according to Grant (1987) The textbook's wording should emphasize the students' communicative proficiency The language used in the textbook should be informal and contextually relevant We should be concerned with carefully chosen words and enough communicative actions Language should be natural and functional, with well-chosen linguistic structures The development of all four linguistic skills should be emphasized
• Exercise There are enough activities in the textbook for students to practice "The role of the textbook in a students-centred approach is guiding the students, managing students' activity, and directing students' learning." As a result, the textbook should include many practical group and pair work exercises that outline the traits of a student-centred approach Exercises in textbooks should be formal and textually suited to the situation There must be a sufficient number of activities that match the curriculum Each exercise in the textbook should have detailed instructions The exercises in a good textbook should be varied, objectively focused, and evaluated according to difficulty in a systematic fashion The exercises in the textbook motivate the students to work alone, in pairs, and in groups.
R EVIEW OF R ELATED E MPIRICAL S TUDIES
Vietnam has experienced several changes in the way that English textbooks are adopted From the beginning of secondary school in grade 6 until the conclusion of upper secondary school in grade 12, official textbooks have generally been approved by the government for use in classroom instruction Since Project 2020, all Vietnamese schools from elementary level, grade 3, until the end of grade 12, use national English textbooks
There are several relevant studies on teachers' perceptions when using EFL textbooks The first study was conducted by Nguyen, T T T (2018) and examined the obstacles that high school instructors had while applying the textbook to reality High school teachers from the north of Vietnam were the focus of the case study The finding pointed out how high school English instructors saw the difficulties while using the textbook in their province Five English teachers from various high schools in a northern Vietnamese province were the subjects of the study, together with two teacher educators who had participated directly in creating and revising the set of English textbooks The findings of this study demonstrated that teachers who used textbooks directly faced six difficulties: (1) a broad range of challenging and unfamiliar topics or text genres; (2) not enough time and program allocation; (3) a lack of teacher references; (4) a mismatch between learning and testing; (5) mixed-level classes; and (6) undermotivated students
In the second study, Tran, P N T., and Tran, Q T (2020) investigated high school teachers' and students' perceptions of communicative abilities shown in the new English textbook for grade 10 The study examines how communicative skills are shown in the new English textbook for grade 10 from the viewpoints of EFL teachers and students At Bui Thi Xuan High School in Lam Dong Province, this research included 42 students who responded to a questionnaire and 5 teachers who gave interviews The study's findings showed that participants thought the new English textbook for grade 10 would help them communicate more effectively
In a different research, the adaptability and standards of EFL textbooks in Hong Kong secondary schools are explored from the perspectives of teachers and students (Chow, 2004) The survey involved 2,535 students and 555 instructors from 52 Hong Kong schools The findings revealed statistically distinct perspectives among the intra-groups (such as topic streams, learning stages, and teacher credentials and experience) and the inter-groups (such as students and instructors) In order to increase textbook applicability and user satisfaction, the research recommended more collaboration among the stakeholders in textbook production and review
In a different study, Nguyet, H T T., and Long, N V (2020) evaluated the two textbooks used in Vietnam's senior high schools They assessed the efficacy of the new one by focusing on lexical resources at the word level, precisely specific words, and phrasal verbs The analysis of the mutual and exclusive terms, as well as the lexical complexity of the two sets of textbooks, produced measurable data that provided an evaluation of the lexical resources
Another study by Mai, T V., and Thi, T T P (2021) revealed that the same English textbooks for grades 6 through 9—English 6, English 7, English 8, and English 9—represent men and women inequitably More specifically, male speakers predominated the casual environment and its substance Importantly, when questioned, the textbook authors acknowledged explicitly addressing the gender discrepancy, yet it persisted in the final products One author made it clear that when the textbooks were being created, language issues took precedence over gender considerations, leaving this imbalance ignored
Additionally, Srakang (2013) researched how English instructors of the 10th grade considered the usage of English textbooks Twelve teachers of English from the 10th grade in Maha Sarakham Province participated in this investigation Data collection methods include surveys, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews The results demonstrated how utilizing English textbooks in the classroom affected student learning in terms of instructors' attitudes about using English textbooks, the functions of English textbooks in classroom practice, and issues associated with applying English textbooks
The overview of the use of English at the general education level in Vietnam, the importance of textbooks in teaching and learning, and the challenges associated with textbook evaluation have all been covered in this chapter Additionally, this chapter included a few relevant research studies The methodology will be covered in more detail in the next chapter, including the study's participants, instruments, and data analysis methods.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
S AMPLING
More than half of high schools in Phu Yen chose the new “Tiếng Anh 10” for their teaching and learning process in the 2022-2023 academic year So, 50 English teachers from some high schools such as Luong Van Chanh High School for the Gifted, Nguyen Trai High school, Le Hong Phong High school, Nguyen Truong To High school, Nguyen Van Linh High school, Chan Quoc Tuan High school, Phan Dinh Phung High school, Chan Phu High school, Le Loi High school, Nguyen Du High school, Phan Chu Trinh High school, Nguyen Thai Binh High school, Phu Yen ethnic minority boarding school, Duy Tan High school, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High school, Chu Van An Secondary and High school, which are using this textbook voluntarily answered the questionnaire, and 10 teachers among these participants voluntarily took part in the interview to give more detailed answers about their opinions The participants were chosen through a sampling process Purposive sampling, as described by Silverman (2000), selects participants for the sample who can provide information on specific aspects of the topic under study Purposive sampling also seeks to gain a deeper comprehension of the studied topic The background of the participants were shown in Table 3.1
The Background of Teacher Participants
The data presented in Table 3.1 shows nearly all of this study's participants are female teacher Furthermore, the majority of the participants in this survey have more than 10 years of experience teaching English Almost all the participants have got the degree of bachelor in English teaching education.
D ATA COLLECTION
The research instruments employed in this research included questionnaires for quantitative data, and structured interviews for qualitative data
A questionnaire is a usual technique for gathering data and is used to elicit responses, attitudes, or views, according to McMillan and Schumacher (2001) Additionally, a questionnaire is a tool frequently used to gather data on various topics (Richards, 2001) As a result, the researcher chose to use a questionnaire as the primary technique for gathering information about teachers' perceptions
A questionnaire draft was created by modifying and expanding Ahmadi Safa’s and Karampour’s (2018) The poll allowed participants to express their ideas, attitudes, and beliefs regarding English textbooks
The questionnaire consisted of 17 items scored on a five-point Likert Scale ((1) Strongly disagree, (2) Disagree, (3) Neutral, (4) agree, or (5) Strongly agree) The questionaire were used to find out high school teachers’ perception on the new “Tiếng Anh 10” textbook The questionnaire was divided into two parts: Teachers’ personal Background and Teachers' Views on English Textbooks
The purpose of the first section was used to get some demographic data from the participants, such as their gender, level, and the year of teaching
2 Part II: Teachers' Views on English Textbooks
This section included 17 items dealing with organization, activities and language skills In 17 items, 5 statements for organization, 5 statements for activities and 7 statements for language skills The objectives of the questions from 1 to 5 were to gather data regarding the textbook's organization The purpose of the questions from 6 to 10 was to gather information about what teachers think about the activities in the book The last questions from 11 to 17 represented the language skills about four skills, vocabulary and grammar
On a scale of 1 to 5, the participants were given a rating for each item that related to their perceptions as follows: (1) Strongly disagree, (2) Disagree, (3) Neutral, (4) agree, or (5) Strongly agree
All participants were explained the purpose of this questionnaire and the reseacher gave them instruction clearly to make sure the teachers understand the questionnaire The researcher delivered 17 - question questionnaires via online Google Form through the link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1KvP6BxGRTfXKs7rHY_
67pa84Z6OuC67Uto_8ZEGzkxA/edit and sent them to 65 EFL teachers, who had one month to think and give their opinions by themselves After a month, the research received 50 replies
According to DeMarrais (2004), an interview is a procedure in which a participant and a researcher converse about issues related to a research project According to Merriam and Tisdell (2015), the primary goal of an interview is to obtain a particular sort of information; as a result, employing interviews is intended to acquire a more profound knowledge of people's perspectives The researcher can gain insight into participants' perspectives on a problem or issue through interviews in a way that is impossible through observation (Merriam, 2009) As a result, the researcher chose to use the semi-structured interview method This type of interview allowed the researcher to get more in-depth responses and double-check the validity of observational data
After recieving the responses of the questionnaire, the researcher sent emails to
20 teachers and 10 of 20 agreed to join the interview The researcher coded the interviewees into T1, T2, … T10
The interview questions were developed to collect information on the English textbooks for the tenth grade The interviews were translated into Vietnamese Ten teachers were taking part in the interview The interview questions were designed to elicit more detailed responses and to verify the validity of survey results on participants' opinions of the 10th-grade English textbooks The interview questions for the teachers included eight questions focused on three areas: organization, activities, and language skills.
D ATA A NALYSIS
Quantitative data from the questionnaires would be calculated by using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for Windows to find out the value It is examined by descriptive statistics analysis to calculate the mean and standard deviation Descriptive statistics give a concise summary of the data, allowing researchers to obtain a better general knowledge of the data set (Mackey, & Gass, 2015) Particularly, the Frequency, Mean, Standard Deviation, percentages were calculated The mean values were interpreted as follows:
Analysis was done on the qualitative information collected from the interviews The first step in the procedure was to convert the data from the audio recording into text After that, the researcher reviewed the information transcribed from the audio tape and made important notes for addressing the study questions, identified the main points to quoted in this study to support the results in the questionnaire The findings from questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were combined to address the research questions Scale Tests in SPSS program supported the researcher check the reliability of the questionnaire Table 3.2 below showed the result of the Scale Reliability Statistics of the questionnaire
Reliability Statistics of the Questionnaire
The reliability of the questionnaire was acceptable (α=.746) so the questionnaire was reliable enough to be used in this research
In short, this chapter included background data about the research participants, research tools, data collecting, and data analysis The data analysis from the questionnaire and the interviews with high school instructors and students are covered in the following chapter.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
T EACHERS ’ P ERCEPTIONS OF THE O RGANIZATION IN THE N EW “T IẾNG
This section presents the results of the questionnaire, which consists of 5 questions about teachers' perceptions of the organization of the textbook, to answer the first research question, "What are the teachers' perceptions of the organization in the new “Tiếng Anh 10” published by Viet Nam Education Publishing House Limited Company?" A Likert scale with five possible responses—one for "strongly disagree" and five for "strongly agree"—were used for the survey It could be understood that the level of agreement among the participants was high when the mean score was high
Concerning the 5 statements regarding the organization of the new “Tiếng Anh 10”, the mean and standard deviation of teachers' responses to each of the statements in the first section are shown in table 4.1
Teacher’s Perception of the Organization of “Tiếng Anh 10”
Organization N Min Max Mean S D Level of agreement
1) The book is well organized 50 2 5 4.20 0.92 Agree
2) The table of contents is quite comprehensive and useful
3) List of words at the end of the book is useful and effective
4) Preface of the text briefly explains objectives and fundamental learning theories based on which the text is designed
5) The textbook is designed based on communicative teaching approach (CLT)
As seen from Table 4.1, the overall mean score was 4.10, indicating the teachers' favourable opinions of the organization of the “Tiếng Anh 10” textbooks According to the scale data, it demonstrates that the arrangement of the textbook satisfied the expectations of most EFL teachers More specifically, teachers’ agreement can be seen in the appropriate organization of the book, with M = 4.20 Ranking the second is the comprehensiveness and usefulness of the table of content (M = 4.16) Item 3 ranked third The respondents believed that glossary is useful and effective (M = 4.12) Ranking fourth was item 5, with a mean score of 4.04, which showed that teachers agreed that the textbook is designed based on communicative teaching approach (CLT) Compared to the other items, the last one on the questionnaire received the lowest mean score (M = 4.00) The result about the preface of the book showed that most of the teachers share the positive thinking about the clarify of the book
The detailed descriptions help answer the research question and provide a further understanding of teachers' perceptions of the book's organization
To begin with, the appropriate organization of the textbook is illustrated in Table 4.2
Appropriate Organization of the Textbook
Table 4.2 gives information about participants' awareness of the book's structure 78% of participants agreed with the suggested idea, showing that many teachers believed the form of the book was appropriate 8 out of 50 participants, making 16%, were unsure, which may mean that they did not seem to pay attention to the book's organization Just 6% of the total respondents showed their disagreement with this idea It indicated that three participants did not find the organization appropriate The explanation for these can be seen from the interviewees’ replies Some participants indicated in their responses to the semi-structured interview that they found the textbook's organization satisfactory, demonstrating the consistency of the findings from the questionnaire Most teachers shared the same opinion that be book is well organized For example, T1 said that “the organization was appropriate for the students I taught” In a similar vein T5 shared “the organization of the book was good, it included the expected language area” On opposite sides, T2 replied “I do not pay attention to the organization of the textbook”, or T4 mentioned “I realized that the tasks and activities were not organized in a clear and logical sequence” The findings about teachers’ perceptions on the organization are line with the results of Ayman's (1998) According to his study, the instructors who were interviewed generally agreed that the order in which the materials were presented in each unit and throughout the course was suitable and clear
The summary and data for the second item of the questionnaire, which is about the table of content of the textbook are presented in Table 4.3 below
Comprehensiveness and Usefulness of the Table of Content
As demonstrated in Table 4.3, 78% of participants agreed with the suggested idea, indicating that many teachers used and saw the effectiveness of the table of contents in the textbook 11 out of 50 teachers, making 22%, chose neutral Nearly one-fourth of respondents ignored the table of contents, so they were unsure about its usefulness To clarify this result, eight interviewees participating in the interview confirmed that the table of contents in the textbook is helpful For instance, T3 mentioned, "The table of contents clearly shows the headings, subheadings, skills, and grammar points, so I can follow and get a big picture of each lesson easily." T9 added, "I think teachers should read over the table of contents to obtain a general view of the textbook"
However, two interviewees shared their neutral opinions For example, T7 replied, "Because I have never used the table of contents before, I do not know how its effectiveness is."
As for the usefulness of glossary, the list of words at the end of the book, teachers’ opinions are shown in Table 4.4
As seen from Table 4.4, most teachers, accounting for 74%, agreed with the given idea, meaning they found the glossary compelling Meanwhile, 22% of the respondents chose the neutral column, which showed they did not know whether the glossary was helpful Just 4% disagreed with the effectiveness of the glossary, indicating that two teachers did not find it helpful after using the textbook The questionnaire findings and the responses from the semi- structured interview were in line One participant expressed uncertainty about the usefulness because she did not use the glossary on the last page of the textbook However, four teachers concurred that it was usually beneficial For instance, T6 noted, "It is helpful for students to have a quick look to find out the meaning by themselves, which helps me save much time to supplicate the meaning to my students" T10 mentioned, "I also look at this and decide the number of vocabulary I wrote on the board to ensure that my students did not learn too many words by heart in one period"
The fourth item in the questionaire asks teachers about the preface of the book, the detailed information is shown in Table 4.5
Clarity of the Preface of the Book
According to Table 4.5, 37 out of 50 teachers, making 74%, agreed with this item, which indicated that they believed the textbook's preface briefly discussed its aims and the core learning theories that helped teachers have an overall view of this book Eight participants (16%) had doubts about the idea
It may be assumed that they either did not care about or they did not pay attention to the preface while using the book Only five teachers disagreed with the clarity of the textbook's preface, which showed that they were dissatisfied that the preface of the textbook briefly explains objectives and fundamental learning theories The explanation for these can be seen from the interviewees’ replies Most of them agreed with the clarify of the preface in the textbook For example, T4 mentioned “I think the preface is clear enough for the teachers can understand more about the textbook in terms of the reason why this textbook is published, the topics” On the other hand, T9 said “I have not read the preface of the textbook so I am sure about it” or T2 noted “In my opinion, I do not see that the preface is clear because it gives a lot of information that is not really relevant to teachers and students or the notes when using this book”
The final statement is about the textbook's method design The findings have been showed in Table 4.6 below
The Realization of CLT in the Textbook Design
The last statement in this part of the questionnaire asks teachers about the realization of CLT in the textbook design The textbook is confirmed by teacher participants that it is based on the Communicative Language Teaching Approach (CLT) as this statement received a high score of agreement, reaching 74%, which shows that nearly three-fourths of participants agreed on the CLT- based design of the textbook 9 out of 50 teachers chose neutral, probably indicating that they did not concern about this area 8% of the respondents showed their disagreement about the suggested item, which meant they realized CLT was not presented in this textbook This could be explained by some interviewed teachers that “sometimes I confused between the methods of teaching used for this textbook” (T3) T2 shared “I do not agree because it is only in theory, in fact the level of my students are so low that I can only use grammar-translation method.”
T EACHERS ’ P ERCEPTIONS OF THE A CTIVITIES IN THE N EW “T IẾNG
This section interprets the results from the questionaire and interviews about the teachers’ perceptions of the activities designed in the textbook There are five items in this part regarding the range of exercises, the skills students can learn in these tasks, namely the collaboration, creativity, innovation, independence communication and the content of the activities
The Activities in the New “Tiếng Anh 10”
Activities N Min Max Mean S D Level of agreement
6) A balanced range of exercises is seen in the book 50 2 5 4.18 0.91 Agree
7) Individual, pair and group work are included 50 3 5 3.92 0.75 Agree
8) Activities of the textbook encourage students to respond creatively, innovatively and independently
9) Activities of the textbook are designed in such way that lead students to meaningful communication
10) Students’ learning new things is evaluated through tasks and activities
As seen from Table 4.7, the total mean score of these items is 3.88, which means that almost all teachers moderately agree with each other on the effectiveness of the activities designed in the textbook More specifically, teachers’ highest agreement can be seen in the balanced range of exercises, with M = 4.18 Ranking the second is the evaluation of the teachers about new things that students can learn via tasks in book (M = 4.04) Item 7 ranked third The respondents believed that the activities in the book provide a good range of individual, pair, and group activities (M = 3.92) Ranking fourth was item 8, with a mean score of 3.88, which showed that teachers agreed that the book's tasks inspire independence and creativity from the learners Compared to the other items, the last one on the questionnaire received the lowest mean score (M = 3.40) This finding about the possibility of enhancing meaningful communication for students via tasked showed that the participants had a moderate agreement, which indicated some teachers were not sure about the effectiveness of the activities in the textbook
The detailed analysis of the item with the highest mean score in this section is displayed in Table 4.8 below
A Balanced Range of Exercises in the Book
As demonstrated in Table 4.8, 78% of participants agreed with the suggested idea, indicating that many teachers believed the activities in the textbook were balanced in terms of the number of exercises related to vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and four skills 8 out of 50 students, accounting for 16%, said they were unsure if the textbook included equal tasks related to the language area Although most of the participants agreed with this statement, 6% of the teachers did not agree, which showed they did not appreciate that the book has a number of well-balanced tasks The responses extracted from the semi-structured interviews confirmed this finding More than half shared the same agreement with the balanced range of exercises in the textbook For example, T8 replied, "The number of exercises on skills, grammar and vocabulary is equal, which can reinforce what the students have already learned and improve their skills" T4 added, "There are an equal number of tasks in each lesson on the language aspects, guaranteeing my students spend time on vocabulary, grammar as well as skill equally so they do not have to focus on one language skill and ignore others" On the other hand, T5 shared "I usually give my students exercises outside the textbook to practice grammar further so I am unsure the number of tasks in the textbook" The findings about the teachers' perception of the balanced range of exercise and activities of the textbooks support the result from Khodabandeh and Mombini (2018), which show that it is commonly agreed that the overall quality of the English textbook is positive It offers a variety of balanced activities that enable pupils to practice communicating The results are consistent with Tomlinson's (2003) theory regarding activities and tasks in textbooks in general
Regarding to the collaboration of students required by the tasks in the textbook, Table 4.9 shows that 68% of the participants chose from agree to strongly agree with this item, which presented most teachers claimed that individual, pair, and group work are included Meanwhile, the remaining respondents making up
32% selected the unsure option, indicating they were unclear whether to agree or disagree with the statement, they were unconcerned about teamwork or working independently None of them expressed opposition to this idea
This finding was strengthened by the interviewees' responses to the question
“Does the activities in the textbook sufficiently encourage collaborative work (group and pair work)?” Answering this question, T2 said the textbook's activities can teach students to collaborate with their friends to solve an issue According to T7, the exercises promoted teamwork, and she continued, "I have seen that my pupils are interested in cooperating with their teammates We can do an activity much more quickly" However, T4 replied, “The level of my students is still low; I always guide them to complete the tasks, so I do not pay attention to collaboration work or not” From this answer, it can be assumed that some teachers had to adjust to form of collaboration designed in the textbook to meet their students’ level As a result, they chose to answer “ neutral” in the questionnaire
Whether the activities of the textbook can encourage students to respond creatively, innovatively and independently is clearly illustrated in Table 4.13
The Enhancement of Creativity, Innovation and Independence of Textbook Tasks
The result about independence, innovation and creativity in students' answers indicated that the teachers had disagreement about this influence More specifically, table 4.10 showed that 68% of the participants agreed with the idea, indicating that most teachers found out the textbook's tasks inspired independent and creative responses from the learners However, only 2 out of
50 participants, which accounted for 4%, did not agree with the suggested idea 28% of respondents were unaware of this item, which meant that some teachers were not sure about the possibility of supporting students to give responses independently and innovatively via tasks This could be explained by some interviewed teachers that “my students do their exercises through my guidance,
I do not have time to double check this idea so I am not sure about this effect”
On opposite side, most teachers agreed that activities of the textbook encourage students to respond creatively, innovatively and independently For instance, T8 said “there are some activities that relate to the learners’ self, which helps them to be more creative in their answer”
Table 4.11 below shows a detailed analysis of the item with the lowest mean score in this section
Enhancement of Students’ Communication via Textbook Tasks
As stated in Table 4.11, nearly half of the respondents (44%) agreed with this item, indicating that most teachers realized the benefit of the textbook's activities in enhancing learners' ability to make meaningful dialogues Meanwhile, 21 out of 50 participants, making up 42%, shared their undecided answers, which showed that many teachers were unsure about this result in their students The responses extracted from the semi-structured interviews confirmed this finding There was nearly a half participants shared the same idea that they taught their students following the tasks in the book, but sometimes the time is limit, they would reduce some skills activities so they are not sure about the meaningful communication effect For example, T1 replied
“a 45 – minute period is not enough for all task in one section so I sometimes glance through tasks” But, T4 mentioned “the tasks in speaking part is quite enough help students make meaningful communication” On the other hand, a few respondents shared their disagreement For example, T10 said “although the book has activities help learners communicate meaningfully, the effectiveness is limited because my students’ level is still low” T6 added “my students never talk anything, they do not have an environment to practice, from which they are afraid to communicate”
The summary and data for the last item of this section, which is about the new content of the activities in the textbook are presented in Table 4.12 below
The New Content Conveyed in the Activities in the Textbook
According to Table 4.12, almost all teachers (74%) agreed with this item, meaning they could highly appreciate the new things that students can learn from the tasks 36% of the participants hold a neutral opinion This finding showed that the participants were not sure about this effect 4 out of 50 teachers, accounting for 8%, disagreed, indicating that they did not believe the exercises in the textbook could evaluate if students could learn the new things or not from the taks.
T EACHERS ’ P ERCEPTIONS OF THE L ANGUAGE S KILLS IN THE N EW “T IẾNG
This section interprets the results from the questionaire about what the teachers think of the language skills in the textbook There are seven items in this part regarding the authentic language in the textbook, the appropriate language to students’ level, the clarity of the instructions, a balanced range of four skills, different dialects in audio files, the grammar points in authentic sentences, and effectiveness of the recycling vocabulary
The Language Skills in the New “Tiếng Anh 10”
Language skills N Min Max Mean S D Level of agreement
11) The language used in the book is real and expresses the language that is used in real life
12) The language used in the book is in accordance with the language proficiency level of the learners
13) Instructions to various sections are clear enough for the learners
14) All four language skills are covered in the book in an appropriate way
15) Miscellaneous listening and reading assignments with 50 1 4 2.36 0.77
Language skills N Min Max Mean S D Level of agreement audio files present different dialects of English to students
16) The grammar points are presented in authentic sentences or short paragraphs
17) Recycling vocabulary throughout the book has been done effectively
As seen from Table 4.13, the total mean score of these items is 3.17, which means that almost all teachers had neutral thinking about the effectiveness of the language skills in the textbook More specifically, teachers' highest agreement can be seen in the grammar point in authentic sentences, with M 4.18 Ranking second is the evaluation of the teachers about the clarity of the instructions (M = 4.06) Item 11 ranked third The respondents believed that the language used in the book is natural and expresses the language used in real life (M = 3.92) Ranking fourth was item 14, with a mean score of 2.92, which showed that teachers neither agreed nor disagreed with this issue In other words, some teachers thought the textbook should cover four language skills appropriately Nevertheless, the remaining items have nearly identical medium mean scores of 2.36, 2.38, and 2.40 respectively These low mean scores showed the respondents' negative views about different dialects in audio files, the appropriate language to students' level and the effectiveness of recycling vocabulary
As for the authentic language in the textbook, teachers’ opinions are shown in Table 4.14
The Language Authenticity of the Textbook
As demonstrated in Table 4.14, 68% of participants agreed with the suggested idea, indicating that many teachers believed the textbook presented authentic language to learners 16 out of 50 teachers, making 32%, selected neutral, indicating that one third of respondents may not pay attention to the authenticity level of the book This finding was strengthened by the interviewees' responses Most of the teachers agreed with the language authenticity of the textbook For example, T8 noted “in general, I see the language in the conversations in getting started and speaking part as the real language in everyday life” In contrast, T3 shared “I do not focus on the authenticity of the language so I am not certain if the language the book used is real or not”
The summary and data for the second item in this part, which is about the appropriate language to students' level in Table 4.15 below
The Language Appropriacy to Students' Level of the Textbook
As demonstrated in Table 4.15, only 4% of participants agreed with the suggested idea, indicating that two teachers believed the language used in the book was in accordance with the language proficiency level of the learners Furthermore, 32 out of 50 participants, accounting for 64%, expressed their disagreement, indicating that many teachers did not find the language in the textbook and the students' level appropriate 30% of teachers hold a neutral opinion, which showed they were unsure about the linkage between the language and the learners' level The responses extracted from the semi- structured interviews confirmed this finding When being asked about this issue, most interviewees agreed that the language was inappropriate for the students they were teaching due to their poor proficiency levels For instance, T6 stated, "Some topics in the textbook have many vocabularies, and they are quite difficult for my students to remember or reuse them again in their conversation" In contrast, T7 mentioned, "My students are in school for the
Gifted, so the language is quite suitable and helps them widen their vocabulary related to various topics around them." T10 expressed her opinion, "My students are in a rural area, and after two semesters of using this book, I find that my students sometimes can learn the vocabulary in simple topics quickly, but when coming to the more complex topic, they have trouble because the vocabulary is too much and hard to pronounce or remember So I am not sure about this idea"
This finding can be explained by the settings of the study and students’ level of the schools that the researcher did this study Because some schools in rural or mountainous areas, the learners do not have much environment to practice English, the level of students in these areas was low, so students can not meet the level of the language in the textbook
The third item in this section asks teachers about the instructions in the textbook, which is shown in Table 4.16
The Clarity of the Instructions in the Textbook
According to Table 4.16, 36 of 50 teachers, making up 72%, agreed with this item, which indicated that they believed the instructions were clear enough for learners to finish the tasks by themselves 12 participants (24%) had doubts about the idea It showed they were not concerned about the book's instructions or that sometimes they did not find the instructions clear enough, but some other times they saw them clear Only two teachers disagreed with the suggested idea, which showed that these two people were dissatisfied with the clarity of the textbook's instructions To clarify this result, seven interviewees participating in the interview confirmed that the instructions in the textbook are clear For instance, T5 mentioned “the instructions are clear, my students can do the task without any doubt” However, T2 said “to save time, I usually guide my students to do the tasks I am not sure about the instructions are clear or not” In contrast, a teacher disagreed, he said “my students’ level is not good so they have difficulties in reading instructions so I have to guide them step by step”
As for a balanced range of four skills, teachers’ opinions are shown in Table 4.17
A Balanced Range of Four Skills
As seen from Table 4.17, nearly a half of participants, accounting for 40%, disagreed with the given idea, meaning they found the textbook did not present four skills appropriately 13 out of 50 (26%) gave a neutral answer, indicating the teachers were not sure of whether the exercises are related to language skills balance or not Meanwhile, 32% of the respondents chose the agree column, which showed they believed listening, speaking, reading and writing skills had a balanced frequency in the textbook This is a surprisingly unexpected result and this was explained in the interview answer The finding in the interview clarified the finding from the questionnaire For those who agreed of a balanced range skills of the textbook said that the textbook had divided the exercises of each skill relatively evenly, which can help students develop four skills For instance, T4 expressed "the book has a balanced range of four skills, which enhance students to learn and develop their skills" However, for participants to choose neutral explained because of some difficulties when teaching for skills such as their students who were afraid to speak in speaking period or sometimes they had trouble with listening audio file T3 mentioned "because of my students' level, in the classroom, I spend most of time on teaching vocabulary and grammar, so I am not concerned about the exercises related to skills" However, some teachers gave their dissatisfaction with this issue T10 shared "I think reading skills has much more tasks than others" T8 added "in general, four skills have tasks for students to practice, but in my opinion, the learners have to spend more time on reading text and doing activities related to reading skill" The importance of balancing four skills in a textbook has been mentioned in many previous studies such as Minh, N T T (2007), Yasemin Krkgửz's (2009), Khodabandeh and Mombini (2018) In Minh, N T T (2007), which demonstrated the equal treatment of four key abilities in English textbooks Yasemin Krkgửz's study (2009) which indicated that most EFL textbooks include a balanced development of four language skills as well as beneficial content for individual skill development According to Khodabandeh and Mombini (2018), who strongly valued the existence of an acceptable balance of four skills (receptive and productive) inside various exercises According to them, the activities' inclusion of such a balance of skills enables students to practice each one in conjunction with others and so fosters their interest in learning the language
On a certain level in terms of form, this book still has four skills but whether it is balance or not, it needs to be considered carefully
The fifth item in this section asks respondents about the audio file, of which the detailed data is presented in Table 4.18 below
Different Dialects in Audio File
According to Table 4.18, only 3 participants (6%) chose the agree column, showing that a few thought the audio files contained many dialects More than half the respondents, accounting for 60%, disagreed This indicated that most teachers had the same idea related to the audio file, which did not include a diversity of dialects 34% of the teachers had doubts about the idea It showed that they did not know for sure about the dialects of audio files
Table 4.19 below shows a detailed analysis of the item with the highest mean score related to the grammar point
The Grammar Points in Authentic Sentences
As seen in Table 4.19, only 6% of participants disagreed with the questioned idea, indicating that three teachers believed the textbook did not introduce grammar points in authentic sentences 16% of teachers held neutral thinking, which showed they were not concerned about how grammar point was presented However, 39 out of 50 respondents, making up 78%, agreed with this item It indicated that most teachers had positive feedback about the way grammar points were presented in authentic sentences in each unit The responses extracted from the semi-structured interviews confirmed this finding
When asked about this issue, most interviewees agreed that the textbook introduced grammar points in authentic situations For instance, T9 stated, "The grammar items are shown in a conversation naturally" T4 added, "The way this book introduces grammar makes me impressive, and it creates a conversation related to each unit's topic From that, they add the grammar point in the conversation, which makes learners understand the usage and the meaning" In contrast, T5 mentioned, "I think the grammar points are not presented in the actual situation, some of them are academic or abstract, which makes confusing for learners."
The last item in the questionnaire is about the reuse of vocabulary was shown in Table 4.20 below
As demonstrated in Table 4.15, only 14% of participants agreed with the suggested idea, indicating that seven teachers believed recycling vocabulary is practical 26% of teachers selected a neutral answer, which showed they were unsure about whether the vocabulary is repeated in the textbook Furthermore,
29 out of 50 participants, accounting for 60%, expressed moderate disagreement, indicating that most teachers did not find learners could use the vocabulary many times in the textbook The responses extracted from the semi- structured interviews confirmed this finding Most interviewees showed displeasure in their answers For instance, T8 stated, "Each lesson has a different topic, so recycling vocabulary is ineffective." T4 added, "Some topics have a vocabulary that could not be used again in another topic; we cannot reuse vocabulary related to "generation gap" in the topic "Environment" or something like that." This is different from what Cunningworths (1995) and
Hinkel (2006) concluded Cunningworths (1995) mentioned the importance of word recycling For pupils to memorize, become proficient in using, and develop a deep knowledge of vocabulary words, he emphasized the need for students to encounter them frequently and in many circumstances According to Hinkel (2006), a word must be used between 12 and 20 times before it can be understood from context The authors of textbooks should make sure that new vocabularies are properly recycled during the course The reason for this discrepancy might be the difference in English teaching and learning settings and participants
In conclusion, the information gathered from participant surveys and interviews was evaluated and interpreted in this section to ascertain the opinions of the high school teachers in 3 areas of the new “Tiếng Anh 10” textbooks, including the organization, the activities, and the language skills of the textbook In the first area, most teachers agreed with the organization of the new “Tiếng Anh 10” textbook in terms of the well-organized, the table of contents, the glossary, the preface and the CLT in textbook design For the second one, the teachers also showed moderate agreement with the items regarding the range of exercises, collaboration work, creativity and independence of students' responses, meaningful communication and evaluating students' learning via tasks For the last aspect, four items received positive feedback from the teacher (authentic language, clarity of instructions, balanced range of four skills and grammar in authentic sentences) Nevertheless, there are still some issues that the teachers did not highly appreciate, such as the appropriate language for students' level, different dialects in audio files and the effectiveness of the recycling vocabulary.
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS
S UMMARY
This research explored high school teachers' perceptions of the new "Tiếng Anh 10," released in 2022 The researcher used a mixed-methods research methodology to gather information on the following research questions, including quantitative (questionnaires) and qualitative (semi-structured interviews) data:
1 What are the teachers’ perceptions of the organization in the new “Tiếng Anh 10” published by Viet Nam Education Publishing House Limited Company?
2 What are the teachers’ perceptions of the activities in the new “Tiếng Anh 10” published by Viet Nam Education Publishing House Limited Company?
3 What are the teachers’ perceptions of the language skills in the new
“Tiếng Anh 10” published by Viet Nam Education Publishing House Limited Company?
The results of research question 1 indicated that teachers teaching the 10th- grade English textbooks had a positive perception of the textbooks' organization In other words, it is said that the teachers supported the suitability structure of textbooks in teaching and learning More specifically, many teachers believed the form of the book was appropriate Additionally, they saw the effectiveness of the table of contents, the glossary, and the clarity of the preface in the textbook Furthermore, most participants could realize the realization of CLT in the textbook design
Concerning research question 2, the study has shown the results of high school teachers' perceptions of the activities in the textbook The result indicated that many teachers believed the activities in the textbook were balanced in terms of the number of exercises related to vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and four skills The respondents also believed that the skills students can learn via the tasks in the textbook, namely collaboration, creativity, innovation, and independent responses However, some teachers were unsure about the enhancement of students' communication via textbook tasks
The findings related to the last research question illustrated that teachers had different perceptions of the language skills in the textbook Although the teachers showed moderate agreement with the authentic language in the textbook, the clarity of the instructions, and the grammar points in authentic sentences, some teachers were not sure whether the exercises were related to language skills balance or not On the other hand, the teachers claimed that the language used in the book is not in accordance with the language proficiency level of the learners Besides, most teachers had the same idea related to the audio file, which did not include a diversity of dialects Moreover, regarding the effectiveness of recycling vocabulary, most teachers did not find that their learners could use the vocabulary many times in the textbook.
I MPLICATIONS OF THE S TUDY
The textbook edition board may recognize the textbook's strengths and weaknesses with thanks to of the teacher's answers, leading to improvements that will enhance the quality of the next edition From that, material developers and textbook writers can develop more suitable textbooks for teaching and learning in Vietnam
Additionally, the results may help teachers in various environments by giving them the opportunity to evaluate the textbook they use to choose the most effective method to raise learners' levels.
L IMITATIONS OF THE S TUDY
Because of the setting and the participants of the study, there are several limitations to this research
The first limitation of this research is that it is conducted with some teachers using the new "Tiếng Anh 10" - Global Success in Phu Yen Province This result cannot represent all teachers in Vietnam
The next limitation is that the Ministry of Education and Training applied this textbook to public education systems for the first time, so only a few schools chose this textbook to use in their schools That is the reason why the number of participants was low
The final limitation of this study is the time limit, so this study only evaluated three aspects of the textbook: the organization, activities and the language skills.
S UGGESTIONS FOR F UTURE S TUDIES
Based on the findings and limitations of this research, suggestions for future research can be made For this study, only ELT teachers were selected as participants Adding Phu Yen high school students to the research would have allowed for a more comprehensive understanding of the criteria and potential issues In the same way, a more comprehensive comparison viewpoint would have been obtained had high school instructors from other cities been included
The future research can conduct individual case studies, in which teachers who utilize the textbook provide comprehensive feedback on its advantages and disadvantages Additionally, observations of classes may be conducted so that the researchers can see the teachers' and students' reactions to the textbook's contents
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QUESTIONNAIRES
- Qualifications a) Bachelor’s degree b) Master’s degree c) Other
- Year of teaching a) Less than 5 years b) 5-10 years c) More than 10 years
Part B: Teachers' Views on English Textbooks
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
1 The book is well organized
2 The table of contents is quite comprehensive and useful
3 List of words at the end of the book is useful and effective
4 Preface of the text briefly explains objectives and fundamental learning
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree theories based on which the text is designed
5.The textbook is designed based on communicative teaching approach
6 A balanced range of exercises is seen in the book
7 Individual, pair and group work are included
8 Activities of the textbook encourage students to respond creatively, innovatively and independently
9 Activities of the textbook are designed in such way that lead students to meaningful communication
10 Students’ learning new things is evaluated through tasks and activities
11 The language used in the book is real and expresses the language that is used in real life
12 The language used in the book is in accordance with the language proficiency level of the learners
13 Instructions to various sections are
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree clear enough for the learners
14 All four language skills are covered in the book in an appropriate way
15 Miscellaneous listening and reading assignments with audio files present different dialects of English to students
16 The grammar points are presented in authentic sentences or short paragraphs
17 Recycling vocabulary throughout the book has been done effectively.
INTERVIEW
My name is Dang Thi Hoang Anh I am a master’s student in Theory and Methodology of English Language Teaching at Quy Nhon University The purpose of this interview is only to gather the necessary data for this research All participants’ information will not be made public Thank you for your participation
Question 1: Is the organization appropriate for our students? Does it cover the language areas that we would expect?
Question 2: According to you, what is the possible organization of a model ELT textbook in order to meet the needs of the students?
Question 3:How do the activities in the 10 th -grade English textbooks reinforce what the students have already learned and improve students’ English skills? Question 4: Does the activities in the textbook sufficiently encourage collaborative work (group and pair work)
Question 5: Does the number of new vocabulary the book introduce is appropriate at this level of proficiency?
Question 6: Is grammar presented and explained clearly and implicitly practiced throughout the book
Question 7: Does the coursebook have the appropriate balance of skills? Are the skill activities likely to engage students?
Question 8: What are your suggestions about the organization, activities and language skills in the textbook?
THE TRANSCRIPTION
Question 1: Cấu trúc của sách có phù hợp với học sinh của chúng ta hay không?
Có bao gồm các lĩnh vực ngôn ngữ mà chúng ta mong đợi hay không?
Theo ý kiến cá nhân của tôi sau khi dùng sách này thì tôi nhận thấy rằng cấu trúc của sách “Tiếng Anh 10” – Global success khá là phù hợp với học sinh mà tôi đang dạy
Mục lục sách tương đối rõ ràng, đầy đủ các tiêu đề của từng bài, tôi nghĩ các giáo viên nên đọc qua mục lục để nắm được toàn cảnh chung nội dung của sách
Về phần bảng từ vựng ở cuối sách, tôi thấy cũng khá là hữu ích Tôi thường đọc để chọn xem mình sẽ dạy những từ vựng nào cho phần nào đó
Tuy nhiên về lời nói đầu có rõ ràng hay không thì tôi không chắc vì tôi không có xem qua phần này
Question 2: Theo quý thầy, cô một cuốn sách giáo khoa mẫu thì cấu trúc như thế nào để đáp ứng được nhu cầu của học sinh?
Dựa trên quan điểm của tôi thì cấu trúc như quyển “Tiếng Anh 10” – Global Success cũng tương đối ổn rồi không cần thay đổi quá nhiều, chỉ cần điều chỉnh
1 số phần cho phù hợp hơn với trình độ học sinh là được Với lại theo tôi được biết thì sách này được thiết kế được thiết kế dựa trên phương pháp dạy học CLT tuy nhiên thỉnh thoảng tôi không chắc là dùng phương pháp giảng dạy nào cho cuốn sách này
Question 3: Làm thế nào để các hoạt động trong sách giáo khoa “Tiếng Anh
10” củng cố những gì học sinh đã học và cải thiện kĩ năng Tiếng Anh của học sinh?
Số lượng các hoạt động về mặt từ vựng, ngữ pháp, 4 kĩ năng tương đối đồng đều về mặt số lượng vì thế có thể đảm bảo được học sinh giành thời gian luyện tập, củng cố cho các phần là như nhau, thì sẽ không có tình trạng tập trung quá vào 1 phần nào đó mà lơ là các phần khác
Các yêu cầu đề bài của từng hoạt động cũng rõ ràng, tôi khá ấn tượng với phần này vì yêu cầu đề bài không quá khó thì học sinh có thể tự củng cố, luyện tập ở nhà mà không gặp khó khăn hay nghi vấn nào về phần đề bài của các hoạt động
Tuy nhiên, vì do trình độ học sinh mà tôi dạy còn khá yếu nên tôi không thấy được hiệu quả của các bài tập giúp cho học sinh có thể trả lời sáng tạo, độc lập
Question 4: Các hoạt động trong sách giáo khoa có khuyến khích học sinh hợp tác với nhau không? (làm việc theo cặp hoặc theo nhóm)
Trong sách có nhiều hoạt động yêu cầu học sinh làm việc theo cặp hoặc làm việc theo nhóm, nhưng học sinh thì gần như chưa chịu làm việc với bạn của mình nên hầu hết thời gian tôi đều hướng dẫn chung cho cả lớp cùng làm chứ nếu để học sinh tự làm việc theo cặp hoặc theo nhóm sẽ mất rất nhiều thời gian
Question 5: Số lượng từ vựng mà sách giáo khoa này đưa ra có phù hợp với ở mức độ thành thạo của học sinh hay không?
Học sinh tôi daỵ ở vùng quê nên khả năng tiếng Anh của hầu hết học sinh trong lớp còn khá thấp Sách thì có đa dạng chủ đề từ dễ tới khó, khi các chủ đề đơn giản thì tôi thấy học sinh tôi học được từ vựng khá tốt tuy nhiên khi học tới các chủ đề phức tạp hơn thì chúng lại chứa nhiều từ vựng tương đối khó nhớ và khó phát âm nên học sinh còn gặp khó khăn khi học từ vựng chính vì thế khả năng mà học sinh sử dụng lại các từ vựng trong sách gần như không có
Về việc ngôn ngữ được dùng trong sách có phải là ngôn ngữ thực trong đời sống hàng ngày hay không thì tôi không tập trung vào vấn đề này nên tôi không chắc,
Question 6: Các điểm ngữ pháp có được trình bày và giải thích rõ ràng và được luyện tập trong suốt cuốn sách hay không?