Evaluating the quality of the two textbooks tiếng anh 3 – tập 1 and family and friends – grade 3 a comparative study

When working on the national project “Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages in the National Education System, period 2008 - 2020”, at the end of 2010, MOET approved Pilot English Curri

HANOI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, VIETNAM

UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES

NGUYỄN THỊ MAI

EVALUATING THE QUALITY OF THE TWO TEXTBOOKS TIẾNG

ANH 3 - TẬP 1 AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS - GRADE 3: A

COMPARATIVE STUDY

(Đánh giá chất lƣợng của 2 cuốn sách Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 và Family and

Friends - Grade 3 : Một nghiên cứu so sánh)

(MA MINOR PROGRAM THESIS)

Field : English Teaching Methodology

Code : 60140111

HÀ NỘI - 2016

tự:……

HANOI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, VIETNAM

UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES

NGUYỄN THỊ MAI

EVALUATING THE QUALITY OF THE TWO TEXTBOOKS TIẾNG

ANH 3 - TẬP 1 AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS - GRADE 3: A

COMPARATIVE STUDY

(Đánh giá chất lƣợng của 2 cuốn sách Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 và Family and

Friends - Grade 3 : Một nghiên cứu so sánh)

(MA MINOR PROGRAM THESIS)

Major: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111

Supervisor: Prof Dr Hoang Van Van

HÀ NỘI - 2016

tự:……

i

DECLARATION

I, Nguyễn Thị Mai, hereby certify that the thesis “Evaluating the quality

of the two textbooks Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 and Family and Friends - Grade 3:

A comparative study is submitted for the partial fulfillment of the Degree of

Master of Arts at the Faculty of Graduate Studies - University of Languages and International Studies - Vietnam National University, Hanoi I also declare that this thesis is the result of my own research and efforts and that it has not been

submitted for any other purposes

Hanoi, 2016 Signature

Nguyễn Thị Mai

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would like to express my indebtedness and sincere gratitude to

my supervisor Prof Dr Hoang Van Van for his invaluable guidance and great support without which this thesis would not have been completed

Besides, I am heartily thankful to all the lecturers and teachers of the Faculty of Graduate Studies - University of Languages and International Studies - Vietnam National University, Hanoi for their valuable and interesting lectures and assistance during my study at the university

Many thanks go to all the teachers of English from many primary schools whose active participation and cooperation helped me to fulfill this study

Last but not least, I send my special thanks to my husband, my family and my friends who have provided abundant assistance and encouragement while this work was in progress

textbook offered a large amount of knowledge, big size of paper, unfamiliar contents and so on…, that affect teachers‟ low ratings on the quality of the textbook compared

to Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 However, it can be concluded that Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 and Family and Friends - Grade 3 are suitable to Vietnamese teachers and pupils

Although there exist some minor weaknesses, these two sets of the textbooks are seen

to be a good choice of textbook and can be widely used

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

ABSTRACT iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS iv

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii

LIST OF APPENDIXES viii

PART A: INTRODUCTION 1

1 Rationale for the Study 1

2 Aim and Objectives of Study 3

2.1 Aim of Study 3

2.2 Objectives 3

3 Research Questions 3

4 Scope of Study 3

5 Significance of the Study 4

PART B: DEVELOPMENT 5

CHAPTER 1 LITERATURE REVIEW 5

1.1 Teaching and Learning English in Vietnam under the National Foreign Language Project Entitled: “Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages in the National Education System, Period 2008-2020” 17

1.1.1 Teaching and Learning English at Primary Schools in Vietnam 17

1.1.2 The National Foreign Language 2020 Project 17

1.1.3 The Pilot English Curriculum for Vietnamese Primary Schools 18

1.1.4 Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 19

1.1.5 Family and Friends - Grade 3 20

1.2 Textbook Evaluation 5

1.2.1 Textbooks 5

1.2.2 Roles of Textbook 5

1.2.3 The Needs for Textbook Evaluation 6

1.2.4 Quality Standards for Textbook 8

1.2.5 Textbook Evaluation Methods 10

1.2.6 Previous Studies on Comparative Evaluation of the Textbook 13

CHAPTER 2 METHODOLOGY 17

2.1 Research Method 17

2.1.1 Sites and Subjects of the Research 21

2.1.2 Research Instrument 21

2.1.3 The Questionnaire 22

2.1.4 Survey Procedure 24

2.1.5 Methods of Data Analysis 24

CHAPTER 3 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 26

3.1 Overall Rating 26

3.2 Teachers‟ Evaluation of the Textbooks in each of the Nine Categories 26

3.2.1 Teachers‟ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Objectives” Category 26

3.2.2 Teachers‟ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Layout and Design” Category 27

3.2.3 Teachers‟ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Topics” Category 28

3.2.4 Teachers‟ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Language Skills” Category 29

3.2.5 Teachers‟ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Methodology” Category 30

3.2.6 Teachers‟ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Types of Activities” Section 30

3.2.7 Teachers‟ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Teaching Aids” Section 31

3.2.8 Teachers‟ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Linkage” Category 32

3.2.9 Teachers‟ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Cultural Values” Category 33

3.3 Findings for Research Question One 34

3.4 Findings for Research Question Two 35

3.5 Findings for Research Question Three 36

3.6 Summary of Main Findings 37

PART C: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 39

1 Conclusion 39

2 Limitations of the Study 39

3 Suggestions for Further Studies 40

REFERENCES 41

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

LIST OF APPENDIXES

Page

Appendix 1: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR TEACHERS OF TIẾNG

ANH 3 - TẬP 1 (ENGLISH VERSION)

I

Appendix 1: PHIẾU KHẢO SÁT DÀNH CHO GIÁO VIÊN

DẠY TIẾNG ANH 3 - TẬP 1 (VIETNAMESE VERSION)

II

Appendix 2: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR TEACHERS OF

FAMILY AND FRIENDS - GRADE 3 (ENGLISH VERSION)

III

Appendix 2: PHIẾU KHẢO SÁT DÀNH CHO GIÁO VIÊN

DẠY FAMILY AND FRIENDS - GRADE 3 (VIETNAMESE

Appendix 4: TRANSCRIPT OF EMAIL INTERVIEW OF

FAMILY AND FRIENDS - GRADE 3

VI

Appendix 5: THE PRIME MINISTER‟S DECISION No

1400/QĐ-TTg

VII

PART A: INTRODUCTION

1 Rationale for the Study

We are living and working in the world of cultural diversity, in which languages operate Learning a language provides us with a new communicative tool to transfer advanced science and technology knowledge and to learn about different cultures, which makes a contribution to mutual understanding, helps to form global citizen awareness and develops personal qualities and performance By dint

of learning a foreign language and having much knowledge of different cultures,

we gain a deeper understanding of our own language and culture

English is one of the most common international languages in the world Learning English at primary level helps students form and develop their English communicative ability by practicing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills English learning is also a beginning step in forming and developing long-life studying skills, working ability in the future and cultural-social activity participation at the same time Learning English from primary level provides a basis for continuously studying English at higher levels or learning other languages in the future Besides, English study gives students a chance to form their idea-expressing ability confidently, independently and creatively With the thorough understanding of the importance of English, the quality of English teaching and learning has attracted considerable interest from the society Such issues as the quality of teachers, facilities, and curriculum have been widely discussed in the media In order to have a quality curriculum, the quality of the textbooks plays an extremely important role Nevertheless, a countless number of English textbooks are available on the market today The eyes can easily be deceived by colorful covers, a beautiful layout and attractive artwork As an inexperienced teacher it can be particularly difficult to know what to look for a good textbook for use Therefore, the selection of a course book is one of the most important decisions a teacher will make to have a textbook that involves matching

the material against the context in which it is going to be used, following the aims

of the teaching program, as well as fitting the personal methodology of the teacher

In the Vietnamese context, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has implemented its policy of radical and comprehensive reform, in which the quality

of education, teachers and textbooks has received a lot of special attention When working on the national project “Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages in the National Education System, period 2008 - 2020”, at the end of 2010, MOET

approved Pilot English Curriculum for Vietnamese Primary Schools and assigned

Vietnam Education Publishing House to organize the writing of the set of

textbooks, including Tiếng Anh 3, Tiếng Anh 4 and Tiếng Anh 5 This set of

textbooks is being piloted in some selected primary schools While the set of primary English textbooks published by Vietnam Education Publishing House is

being piloted, the Family and Friends set compiled by foreign authors has also

been used in a number of primary schools in Vietnam since the mid 1990s It has been familiar to many teachers and pupils After that, this set of textbooks has been adapted to suit the teaching context of Vietnam However, there are different opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of these two sets of textbooks But there has not been any research to compare them For this reason, in this minor thesis, I will attempt to conduct a preliminary research to compare two sets of

textbooks Specifically, I will attempt to compare Tiếng Anh 3 – Tập 1 compiled

by Vietnamese authors of Vietnam Education Publishing House in collaboration

with English native authors of MacMillan Publishing House and Family and Friends - Grade 3 compiled and adapted by foreign writers of Oxford University

Press

2 Aim and Objectives of Study

2.1 Aim of Study

As stated, the aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of the two sets of English

textbooks currently in use in Vietnamese primary schools Tiếng Anh 3 – Tập 1

written by Vietnamese authors in collaboration with English native authors and

Family and Friends - Grade 3 written and adapted by foreign authors in order to

find out their strong and weak points

2.2 Objectives

To achieve the above aim, the following objectives are set for exploration:

- Establishing quality standards for evaluating Tiếng Anh 3 – Tập 1 and Family and Friends - Grade 3

- Establishing criteria basing on quality standards for evaluating the textbooks

- Comparing the two sets of textbooks in terms of the established criteria to find their similarities and differences, their strong points and weak points and their appropriateness to Vietnamese teachers and students

3 Research Questions

1 What are the similarities and differences of the two textbooks Tiếng Anh 3 – Tập 1 and Family and Friends – Grade 3?

2 What are the strong and weak points of each set of the textbooks?

3 Which set of textbooks is more suited to Vietnamese teachers and pupils?

4 Scope of Study

Given the aim and objectives, the study is confined to the evaluation of the two

sets of primary English textbooks: Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 and Family and Friends - Grade 3 To do this, the study will focus on establishing the criteria for evaluating

these two sets of textbooks and comparing them in terms of the established criteria

to point out the strengths and weaknesses of each set of textbooks To explore

which set of textbooks is more preferred in the Vietnamese context, the opinions

of the teachers who have used the textbooks are consulted

5 Significance of the Study

This study can be significant because textbooks are a key component in most language programs In an EFL context like Vietnam, it may even constitute the main source of language input that learners receive and the basis for language practice that occurs both inside and outside the classroom Therefore, textbooks need to be professionally designed, fit the curriculum, and closely correspond with the aims of the teaching program and the needs of the learners However, a variety

of textbook types currently is in use for grade 3 in Vietnam, either written by Vietnamese authors or foreign authors, has created confusion on the appropriateness of those textbooks to the teaching context, which has great influence on the learning quality The current study attempts to evaluate the quality of the two above mentioned textbooks It is hoped that this research will be

of some value to textbook writers and primary English teachers in Vietnam

PART B: DEVELOPMENT

To provide the theoretical basis for this study, in this chapter, I will review issues regarding the content of the study Firstly, I present the teaching and learning English in Viet Nam, in which, teaching and learning English at primary schools and the pilot foreign English curriculum for Vietnamese primary schools and the textbooks are reviewed Secondly, I mention such textbook evaluation as roles of textbook, the need, quality standard and method

of textbook evaluation The last part of this chapter presents previous studies on comparative evaluation of the textbook Textbook Evaluation

1.1.1 Textbooks

Textbooks are an important element in language teaching curriculums They are necessary for both teachers and learners as they give them confidence According to Brown (2001: 136), “The most obvious and most common form of material support for language instruction comes through textbooks.” Hutchinson and Torres (1994: 232) defined the role of textbooks in educational system as “a vehicle for teacher and learner training, as a support and relief, as providing as complete a picture as possible of what the change will look like and as a psychological support they give to teachers.” It can be argued that although there are role plays, conversations, discussions, and chalkboard work, none of them fulfills the role of textbooks which are unified instructional materials, moreover as supporting materials they play a very important role in the classroom (Brown, 2001)

1.1.2 Roles of Textbook

English language teaching/learning has many important components but the essential one to many EFL classrooms is the textbook Teachers feel that it is

very difficult for them to teach systematically without a textbook Indeed, the textbook plays a crucial role in providing a base of materials for both teachers and learners Sheldon (1988: 237) suggests that textbooks do not only represent the visible heart of any EFL program but also offer considerable advantages for both students and the teacher when they are being used in the ESL/EFL classrooms Hutchinson and Torres (1994: 315) and Hoang Van Van (2012: 75),

on the other hand, maintain that "the textbook is an almost universal element of teaching Millions of copies are sold every year, and numerous aid projects have been set up to produce them in different countries…No teaching-learning situation, it seems, is complete until it has its relevant textbook"

Cunningsworth (1995: 7) identifies a number of roles that textbooks can serve in the curriculum, including providing (a) a syllabus based on pre-determined learning objectives, (b) an effective resource for self-directed learning, (c) an effective medium for the presentation of new material, (d) a source of ideas and activities, (e) a reference source for students, and (f) support for less experienced teachers who need to gain confidence

Hutchinson and Torres (1994: 232) identify four ways in which textbooks can help in times of educational change: first as a vehicle for teacher and learner training; second because they provide support and relief from the burden of looking for materials; third by providing as complete a picture as possible of what the change will look like; and fourth through the psychological support they give to teachers

1.1.3 The Needs for Textbook Evaluation

The ever increasing number of textbook on the market makes formulating the right choice in textbook difficult (Cunningsworth, 1995; Green, 1926) Textbook selection can have a massive impact on the teaching and learning process as teachers would make references to the textbooks (Cunningsworth, 1995; Harmer, 1991) or even design the entire EFL syllabus around it In that sense, the quality of a textbook might be so important that it can determine the success

or failure of an ELT course (Green, 1926) However, textbooks are often purchased without careful analyses (Green, 1926) Frequently, a textbook selection is not based on its intrinsic pedagogical value, but of the perceived prestige of the author and or the publisher (Green, 1926), or skillful marketing

by the publishers (McGrath, 2002) Preference is given to books printed in attractive covers or that teaches would blindly use the best-selling textbooks which are used in many other places (Green, 1926; Tomlinson, 2010) A number

of studies have suggested that most current global, local ELT textbooks are developed for commercial purposes but are not based on principles of language acquisitions and development recommended by scholars and educators (Tomlinson, 2003, 2008) Financial success has become the primary goal of textbook publishing (Sheldon, 1988) “Textbooks, like any other book that publishers print, are pieces of merchandise; the ultimate objective of their production is for commercial success” (Dendrinos, 1992: 35) Instead of contributing positively to student‟s development in the acquisition of the English language, many textbooks are in fact leading to learner‟s failure in acquiring the language and in the worst case, contain serious pedagogical flaws and practical shortcomings (Litz, 2005) According to Tomlinson (2008), the cause of learning failure is twofold The first cause of failure is that possibly motivated

by the need of commercial success, publishers would have to produce according

to the public demand Textbook writing as a result is molded according to the liking of teachers, parents and administrators with a heavy focus on teaching of linguistic items instead of creating opportunities for students to acquire the language (Tomlinson, 2008) Also, teachers tend to choose textbooks that are designed to allow for minimal preparation for their classes (Tomlinson, 2008) The second cause of failure is that instead of focusing on how learners could actually benefit from using textbook, textbook writers relied on their intuition and produce materials what they think would work best for their intended learners (Tomlinson, 2008: 7) They are biased toward perceived rather than actual need of learners In view of the above, it is therefore very important for us

to conduct EFL textbook evaluation so as to ensure ELT textbooks can effectively facilitate the attainment of our teaching objectives, and at the same time, be economically viable to teachers and students Wrong choice of textbooks would be likely to negatively affect both teaching and learning Financial resources would also be wasted (Sheldon, 1988)

1.1.4 Quality Standards for Textbook

According to Ornstein (1990) a good textbook has many desirable characteristics They were all organized, relatively up to date, and accurate A good textbook must be well organized Here, textbook must have a good composition of instructional materials The materials must be organized clearly and contain of all English skills A good textbook is relatively up to date It means that the material of the textbook must contain of the newest things, so it will give some new news or information to the students A good textbook should

be accurate In this case materials in the textbook should not present wrong information or presented in error grammatical language and incorrectly words According to Celce and Murcia (2001) a textbooks categorized good if it is viewed from the whole aspects of the textbook They are subject matter, vocabulary and structure, exercises, illustration, and physical appearance A textbook is good if: The subject matter covers variety of topics which are suitable with the curriculum The ordering of materials are arranged in logical form; the content grade are appropriate with the students‟ need; And the materials are accurate up to date The vocabulary and structure which is used is appropriate with the students‟ grade; The vocabulary items are controlled from the simple to complex one; The new vocabularies are repeated in the next chapter to make the students‟ memory stronger; The sentences length is suitable with the students‟ level; the structures gradually increase in difficulty level to suit the growing ability of the students; the words that are used are the daily words, and the sentence structures follow normal word order; the sentence and paragraph follow one another in logical sequence; and linguistic items are

introduced in meaningful situation A textbook can be said good if the exercises develop comprehension and test knowledge of main ideas; involve vocabulary, structures, and language skills which build up the students‟ ability; Provide practice in difference types of written work (like sentence completion, spelling and dictation, guided composition, and others); cumulatively test new materials; and develop meaningful communication by referring to realistic activities The illustration of a good textbook should create a favorable atmosphere by depicting realism and reaction; be clear, simple, free, and interesting; and directly related to the content to help the learners in understanding the text the last aspect is physical appearance the cover is durable enough; the text is attractive; the picture on the cover can make the students are interested; and the size is suitable with the students‟ handle

In the book entitled “The Guide for the Good Textbook”, Ivi‟c, Pesikan and

Anti‟c (2008) attempt to define general quality standards for textbooks In their research work, quality standards for the following areas have been defined as: Group A: Quality standards for textbook sets

Group B: Quality standards for textbook as books for student use

Group C: Quality standards for thematic units

Group D: Quality standards for textbook content

Group E: Quality standards for the didactic design of textbooks

Group F: Quality standards for the language of textbook

Group G: Quality standards for electronic textbook components and electronic textbooks

Mamood (2009) based on studying internationally available criteria for textbook evaluation and Garvin‟s (1988) eight dimensional model of quality product, and, later on finalized them with the following characteristics of a textbook

i Conformity to curriculum policy and scope

ii Vocabulary and format

iii Horizontal and vertical alignment of the text

iv Acceptability

v Text reliability

vi Cognitive development and creative thinking

vii Learning and Assessment

viii Bias free: diverse background of students, gender equality

With various standards for a quality textbook, the writer selects the most common quality standards to evaluate the textbook in terms of Objectives, Layout and Design, Topics, Language Skills, Methodology, Types of Activities, Teaching Aids, Linkage and Cultural Values

1.1.5 Textbook Evaluation Methods

1.1.5.1 Impressionistic and In-depth Method

Many researchers (eg Cunningsworth, 1995) have suggested that it would be best for textbook evaluation schemes to adopt a “leveled” approach in evaluation in which a first level overview “impressionistic” evaluation should be conducted followed by an in-depth evaluation

Impressionistic evaluation is conducted by quickly looking through the textbook cover to cover to try and get an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the book (Cunningsworth, 1995) An in-depth evaluation will be undertaken subsequently to provide a detailed evaluation of specific items in each textbook

on areas such as how the exercises can cater for the syllabus and learners‟ needs (Cunningsworth, 1995; McDonough & Shaw, 1993)

“First glance and Arm-chair evaluation” of McGrath (2002), “Internal and External evaluation” of McDonough & Shaw (1993) and “General and Specific evaluation” of Ur (1996) refer to the importance of a combination of impressionistic and in-depth evaluation of a textbook in order to bring about a quality evaluation process

1.1.5.2 Pre-use Evaluation Method

Pre-use evaluation proposed by McGrath (2002) and Tomlinson (2003) involves making decisions about the potential value of materials for their users

1.1.5.3 In-use Evaluation Method

In-use (McGrath, 2002) or whilst-use evaluation (Tomlinson, 2003) involves measuring the value of materials while using them or observing them as being used

1.1.5.4 Post-use Evaluation Method

Post-use evaluation (McGrath, 2002; Tomlinson, 2003) measures the actual effect of the materials on the users As Tomlinson (2003: 25) states, post-use evaluation can measure the actual outcome of the use of the materials and thus provide the data on which reliable decisions about the use, adaptation or replacement of materials can be made

1.1.5.5 Checklist Method

A checklist is an instrument that provides the evaluator with a list of features of successful learning-teaching materials As Tomlinson (2003) suggests, checklists are categorized separately into quantitative, qualitative, or outline format Quantitative checklists are those that utilize rating scales with or without accompanying questions Qualitative checklists are those that use close/open-ended questions without rating scales and outline format checklists are those without any rating scale and questions of any kind

Harmer (1998) states that there are nine main areas which teachers should consider in the books they evaluate: price (5 items), availability (6 items), layout and design (5 items), methodology (3 items), skills (5 items), syllabus (4 items), topics (5 items), stereotyping (4 items), and the teacher‟s guide (5 items) The weighting in this checklist is based on the descriptive answers provided by the users

Rivers (1968) presents a set of criteria for textbook evaluation which is based on seven major areas: appropriateness for local situation (including 6 evaluative items), appropriateness for teachers and students (10 items), language and ideational content (6 items), linguistic coverage and organization (9 items), types of activities (6 items), practical consideration (7 items), and enjoyment

index (1 item) Each of these evaluating items also includes several questions that aim at evaluating some features The rating system in River (1968; 477-483)‟s checklist is based on a 5-point scale: excellent (1), suitable (2), will do (3), not very suitable (4), and useless (5)

Daoud and Celce – Murcia (1979 cited in Celce Murcia, 2001) introduced a broad evaluative checklist They consider five major components for the textbook in their checklist: subject matter (including 4 evaluative items), vocabulary and structures (9 items), exercises (5 items), illustrations (3 items), and physical make-up (4 items) Also there is a section for teacher‟s manual which includes four major parts: general features (including 5 evaluative items), type and amount of supplementary exercises for each language skill (6 items), methodological/pedagogical guidance (7 items), and linguistic background information (4 items) The rating system is based on a 5-point scale: excellent (4), good (3), adequate (2), weak (1) and totally lacking (0)

Sheldon (1988) presented a checklist that includes two main categories: factual details and factors Factual details contain the title, author, publisher, price, physical size, duration of the course, target learner, teacher, and skill Factors include rationale (3 evaluative items), availability (2 evaluative items), user definition (3 evaluative items), layout/graphics (2 evaluative items, accessibility (4 evaluative items), linkage (3 evaluative items), selection/grading (3 evaluative items), physical characteristics (4 evaluative items), appropriacy (3 evaluative items), authenticity (3 evaluative items), sufficiency (2 evaluative items), cultural bias (6 evaluative items), educational validity (1 evaluative item), stimulus/practical revision (3 evaluative items), flexibility (3 evaluative items), guidance (6 evaluative items), and overall value for money (2 evaluative items) The assessment in this checklist is based on a 4-point scale: poor, fair, good, and excellent

Cunningsworth (1995) also suggests a checklist for textbook evaluation and selection organized under the following categories: aims and approaches, design

and organization, language content, skills, methodology, teacher‟s books and practical considerations

1.1.6 Previous Studies on Evaluation of the Textbook

Al-Hojailan (1999) investigated the quality of the English third grade secondary

textbook, English for Saudi Arabia The study used both quantitative data collection methods and statistical test analysis, supported by qualitative data and content analysis The participants in the study were teachers and supervisors The questionnaire contained 8 criteria The results of the study revealed support for the book's appearance, accompanying materials, academic content, cultural content, and evaluation techniques Disagreements appeared in terms of the national goals and the teaching methods The implications of the study included merging the textbook, the Workbook, and the Writing Book; stating the educational goals in the Teacher's Manual; inserting pictures in the book's cover

to make it attractive; increasing grammar; adding free composition, translation, and dictation; putting in model tests; and updating the book's topics every five years

Saeed Roshan (2014) investigated into the comparative critical evaluation of New Interchange Intro and New Headway Pre-intermediate series – two well-known series employed in EFL/EFL contexts The evaluation is done in terms of two assumptions; firstly, cultural and ideological assumptions, and secondly, assumptions about language, language learning and best practice Findings reveal that both New Interchange and New Headway texts reflect ideological and cultural assumptions through their focus on the US and UK way of life respectively The pictures and the material are found biased towards the culture

of these countries in their depiction of local cities and lifestyles and in the inclusion of subjects Regarding assumptions about language, language learning and best practice, the books focus on both form and meaning, and the grammar included is inductive and implicit In the context of Iran, however, New Headway seems to be better for school students while New Interchange would

be suitable for students and persons who aim to migrate or travel overseas The study gives some suggestions for improving the usability of these books in the context of Iran

Nguyen Thi Huong Lan (2004) conducted a study “An Evaluation of the piloted

“English 10” Textbook 2 at Nguyen Tat Thanh High School” Research instruments used to collect data were questionnaire for teachers and students and informal interviews The author used the model suggested by Hutchinson and Waters (1993) to evaluate the textbook‟s objectives, content and methodology as compared to the statement objectives and aims defined by the Vietnam‟s Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) for grade 10 Findings reveal that the textbook under evaluation partly met the requirements of the course, suited

to the students‟ level Such criteria as Topics, listening sections and Tasks and Activities were highly evaluated However, there were some aspects of the textbook that need improving and changing The texts chosen for speaking, reading and writing sections were quite difficult for students to comprehend, there was not enough proper instructions given Some adjustment to the content and methodology and adaptation techniques such as adding, deleting, simplifying and reordering are also included in the study

Nguyen Thi Nguyet Anh (2010) conducted a study “Teacher‟s evaluation on

“Let‟s go 1A second edition” for grade 3 at primary schools in North Vietnam”

to determine whether the employment of this material is appropriate in the context of teaching ar primary schools in the North of Vietnam In order to accomplish the aim, the author used document analysis and questionnaire as research instruments The questionnaire consists of 4 main parts with 25 items The participants in the study were twenty grade 3 teachers of English The results of the study indicated that the textbook basically met the objectives prescribed of the course requirement There was a good match between what the textbook provides and what is required by the curriculum regarding linguistic input including vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation as well as communicative functions However, the topics of the textbook are not

diversified The methodology of the textbook is a challenge to many teachers using the book

Most recently, Hoàng Văn Vân (2015) conducted a survey on “Teachers‟ Evaluation of Primary English Textbooks for Vietnamese Schools Developed under the National Foreign Language 2020 Project: A Preliminary Internal Survey” to get evaluative feedback from the teachers who are using the primary English textbooks to find out their strengths and weaknesses so that further corrections and revisions will be made to perfect the materials The author used the questionnaire consisting of 52 items to ask teachers to evaluate the textbooks The participants of the study were teachers who are piloting the textbooks in 92 primary schools The results of the study have shown that teachers‟ evaluations of the textbooks are very positive The textbooks are written with high quality, meeting most of the criteria for a modern foreign language textbook and the requirements of MOET‟s Pilot English Curriculum for Vietnamese Primary Schools Research results, however, have also suggested that there are still some minor drawbacks of the textbooks in the categories of “General issues” and “Components accompanying Student‟s Book” that need to be improved to perfect the materials before putting them into use on a large scale

In summary, in this chapter, I have provided a literature review on the researches on textbook evaluation I began the chapter by looking briefly the teaching and learning English at primary schools in which, the National Foreign Language 2020 Project, the Pilot English Curriculum for Vietnamese Primary

Schools, Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 and Family and Friends - Grade 3 were reviewed

Then, I examined some issues concerning Textbook Evaluation by looking at the roles of textbook, the need for textbook evaluation, and the quality standards for textbook evaluation The methods and instruments for textbook evaluation are developed by different researchers It is clear from the reveal that different researchers held different views on how to evaluate the textbook They all seem

to prefer questionnaires and interview as the main research instruments

Drawing on this insight in the next chapter, I will develop a questionnaire to ask

primary teachers who are teaching Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 and Family and Friends

- Grade 3 to evaluate the quality of the two textbooks

CHAPTER 2 METHODOLOGY

In the Introduction part, I have presented the aim and objectives of the study and scope of the study Chapter 1 introduces literature review on teaching and learning English at primary school, the pilot English curriculum for Vietnamese primary schools, the two sets of textbooks and roles, need and quality and standards and methods for textbook evaluation This chapter will present research method used for the study

2.1 Teaching and Learning English in Vietnam

2.1.1 Teaching and Learning English at Primary Schools in Vietnam

Teaching and learning English at primary level have attracted great interest from schools, parents, managers and educational strategic planners as well According to Trinh Quoc Thai (2005), primary students in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City have started to learn English since 1990s at English centers or clubs

In 1996, MOET issued an official document that permits some primary schools

to teach English as an elective subject with 2 periods per week

In 2000, some Departments of Education and Training gradually considered English as a main subject by publishing the guidance document concerning teaching English at primary schools and opening training courses on teaching methodology for teachers In 2003, MOET officially issued the English primary curriculum beginning with grade 3 with 2 periods per week

From the year 2010-2011, MOET launched the pilot teaching program for third grade according to 2020 National Foreign Project at 92 primary schools nationwide English is taught 3 periods a week The curriculum covers 4 skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), in which particular emphasis is laid

on listening and speaking at the early stage

2.1.2 The National Foreign Language 2020 Project

MOET is currently launching the Project entitled “Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages in the National Education System, Period 2008-2020” which was approved by the Prime Minister on September 2008 (For more detail, see

Appendix 5) The National Foreign Language (NFL) 2020 Project specifies the goals of teaching and learning English within the national education system and identifies seven tasks at both macro and micro level for implementing the project in three different phases (2008-2010, 2011-2015 and 2016-2020) at a projected cost of 9,378 billion VND

The main goals of the project include increasing the use of foreign languages, mainly English in teaching and the foreign language competence amongst Vietnamese young people: so that “… by 2020 most Vietnamese youth whoever graduate from vocational schools, colleges and universities gain the capacity to use a foreign language independently This will enable them to be more confident communication, further their chance to study and work in an integrated and multicultural environment with variety of languages This goal also makes language an advantage for Vietnamese people, serving the cause of industrialization and modernization for the country” (For more detail, see Appendix 5)

In order to achieve these goals, ten specific tasks have been designed Centrally important to the tasks are making of language programs compiled with the 10-year National Curriculum for English from primary, lower secondary to upper secondary schools which will be launched nationwide from the year 2011-

2012 The completion of the textbook writing, the procedures of assessment and training courses on teaching methodology for teachers and the upgrading of teaching and learning facilities, etc

2.1.3 The Pilot English Curriculum for Vietnamese Primary Schools

The Pilot English Curriculum for Vietnamese Primary Schools is designed and developed with the whole time of 420 periods, from grade 3 to grade 5, 140 periods for grade 3, 140 periods for grade 4 and 140 periods for grade 5 In regard to principles of curriculum design and development, after finishing the curriculum, students will be able to reach A1 level as specified in the CFFR

Specifically, students can understand and use daily expressions and simple phrases to meet communicative need They can know how to introduce themselves and others, know how to ask and answer questions about personal information and will be able to carry out simple conversations in English

Specific goals of the curriculum are to help primary students form and develop English communicative competence through 4 skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), in which, speaking and listening are given priority Students show their basic knowledge of English including vocabulary, phonetic, grammar, and understanding of English-speaking country‟s people and culture The curriculum equips students with positive attitude towards learning English, which boots knowledge and love for their language and culture, forms strategies

to learn English effectively and provides a basis for studying another language

in the future Students‟ study results are shown in 2 forms of testing: continuous and periodic Basing on the facts of communicative competence students have achieved in their learning process The forms of testing also rely on teachers‟ observation and feedback during the school year Testing is various, both written test and oral test, and is a combination of 4 language skills

2.1.4 Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1

The textbook Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 is the first of the three-level English course

books for Vietnamese primary school pupils learning English as a foreign language (EFL) The teaching contents for each unit are summarized in a book map which is provided on the first page of the textbook It is accompanied with

an audio CD, student‟s workbook and teacher‟s manual

The book follows a systematic, cyclical and theme-based syllabus, approved by the Ministry of Education and Training in August, 2010, which takes a thorough development of skills, but gives particular emphasis to listening and speaking at the early stage The textbook reflects the carefully sequenced pedagogy of warm-up, presentation, practice, application and assessment to develop language

and developmental skills through two macro themes - Me and My Friends, Me and My School

There are ten teaching units and two review units Each teaching unit covers a

topic (see table) and is structured into different sections: Look, Listen and Repeat, Point and Say, let’s Talk, Listen and Tick, Let’s Write, Let’s Sing, Listen and Number, Read and Complete, Read and Match, Read and Write, Let’s Chant and Project Ten units richly illustrated, cross-curricular and theme-based

units focus on offering pupils motivation, memorable lessons and a joyful learning experience of English Clear lessons follow a logical progression and include a wide range of learning styles with activities that help pupils develop coordination, critical thinking, pre-language skills as they learn to speak and understand English

Singing activities, total physical response (TPR) chants, and exciting games reinforce previously learnt vocabulary, motivate pupils and help them build confidence in communicating in English There is a glossary at the end of the textbook The glossary contains Vietnamese translation for each word

2.1.5 Family and Friends - Grade 3

The Family and Friends - Grade 3 set has been used in a number of primary

schools in Vietnam since mid 1990s Currently, there are three different versions

of Family and Friends in use The first version compiled by Oxford University

Press is a seven-level primary series which offers teachers a package of integrated print and digital resources It combines a phonics programme, skills training and a fast-paced language syllabus with comprehensive testing material

and civic education The second version is Family and Friends (American

English) which is a six-level primary course offering an exceptionally strong skill-training programme covering language, phonics and civic education The

last version and also the one I evaluate and compare with Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 is

a three-level primary course which is said to be designed in accordance with the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training‟s primary curriculum It

comprises Family and Friends - Grade 3, Family and Friends - Grade 4, Family and Friends - Grade 5 Family and Friends - Grade 3 contains 9 units After

every three units, there is one review unit Each unit is organized by a set pattern

of different components including Listen, Point and Repeat, Listen and Chant, Listen and Read, Ask and Answer, Listen and Tick, Match, Write, etc… The

teaching contents for each unit are summarized in a book map which is provided

on the first page of the textbook It is accompanied by a Student MultiROM, Student‟s Workbook, and Teacher‟s book, Audio Class CDs, Digital Class Resources and a Website It provides exceptional strong skills training with extra classroom activities in the Photocopy Masters Book, a unique phonics programme, and plenty of practice for the Cambridge Young learners English Tests There is a glossary at the end of the textbook

2.2 Research Method

2.2.1 Sites and Subjects of the Research

The intended research site to conduct the evaluation of Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 is at

a good teacher contest held in Lap Thach Town Primary School, Lap Thach

District, Vinh Phuc Province The intended research sites to conduct Family and Friends - Grade 3 are 3 primary schools (Mai Dich Primary School, Nam Trung

Yen Primary School and Cong Hoa Primary School) and 3 English centers (AMA English center, Popodoo English center and May School) All these sites have good physical and teaching and learning facilities such as standard classroom, sufficient CD players, computers, etc…

The subjects of the survey are teachers who are teaching Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 and Family and Friends - Grade 3 All teachers have at least three or four years

of teaching experiences, have good basic of English and have enough conditions

to attend a good teacher contest

2.2.2 Research Instrument

To accomplish the aim as set above, a questionnaire and email interview were employed as research instruments The reason for choosing questionnaire is that

of all the research instruments, questionnaire is the most commonly used format (cf Trochin, 2005; Cohen, Manion & Morison, 2007); it is the least expensive which can be sent to a large number of respondents and can allow easy and quick data collection (Robinson, 1991; Bargiela-Chiappini, Nickerson & Planken, 2007) An email interview was also chosen for research instrument because the email interview reduces costs associated with data collection and participants have time to think of their responses before they send them, often leading to responses which are detailed, thoughtful and richer (Mann & Stewart, 2000; McCoyd & Kerson, 2006: 397)

2.2.3 The Questionnaire

The questionnaire is a research instrument widely used for textbook evaluation

by many researchers River (1968) developed a set of criteria to evaluate whether the textbook fits the needs of the students, the teachers and the school The questionnaire consists of 45 items that cover appropriateness for local situation, appropriateness for teachers and students, language and ideational content, linguistic coverage and organization, types of activities, practical consideration and enjoyment index Harmer (1998) used the questionnaire consisting of 42 items that focus on evaluating nine main areas such as price, availability, layout and design, methodology, skills, syllabus, topics, stereotyping, and the teacher‟s guide Hoàng Văn Vân (2015) tends to evaluate

as many aspects of the textbooks as possible Therefore, he developed a questionnaire consisting of 52 items which fall into four major categories such

as General Issues, Book Contents (including Phonics, Vocabulary, Grammar, Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing), Physical Features of the textbooks and Components Accompanying Student‟s Book

As mentioned, for the purpose of this study, a questionnaire is developed to evaluate the quality of the two textbooks The researcher bases on the quality standards to select appropriate criteria for evaluation The questionnaire consists

of 35 items which fall into nine major categories as follows:

A Objectives consisting of 2 items asks teachers to evaluate the suitability

between objectives of the textbooks and the levels of third grade students (item1), the objectives of the textbooks, and time allocation (item 2)

B Layout and Design consisting of 3 items (3, 4, 5) asks teachers to evaluate

the quality of paper and binding, the appropriateness of appearance, color, layout, and size of the textbooks

C Topics consisting of 4 items (6, 7, 8, 9) asks teachers to evaluate the diversity

of topic, familiar topics, real and natural used language, and fun elements

D Language Skills consisting of 8 items asks teachers to evaluate the

appropriateness of the listening texts (item 10), the diversify and relevance of the listening activities (item 11), the appropriateness of the listening activities being practiced in context (item 12), the appropriateness of speaking topics (item 13), the diversification of the speaking activities (item 14), the appropriateness of the reading texts to the units of the textbooks (item 15), the diversity and richness of the reading texts (item 16), the appropriateness of writing tasks to students „age and social background, and the length of writing tasks (item 17)

E Methodology consisting of 3 items asks teachers to evaluate the activities of

the textbooks to help students to use English outside the class (item 18), the ability of the textbooks to help teachers exploit activities (item 19), and the ability of the textbooks to help teachers and students localize activities (item 20)

F Types of Activities consisting of 4 items asks teachers to evaluate the

diversity of activities in the textbooks (item 21), the instruction of the textbooks (item 22), the appropriateness of the number of unit to students (item 23), and communicative exercises of the textbooks (item 24)

G Teaching Aids consisting of 6 items asks teachers to evaluate the quality of

the audio CDs and accompanying components (item 25, 26), the quality and suggesting abilities of Teacher‟s Book (item 27, 28), and the ability to

consolidate, support and expand linguistic knowledge and communication skills

of Workbooks (item 29, 30)

H Linkage consisting of 2 items (31, 32) asks teachers to evaluate the

coherence of the textbooks and the topics and content of the textbooks to connect students‟ daily life and experience

I Culture Values consisting of 3 items asks teachers to evaluate Vietnamese

contents of the textbooks (item 33), British and American contents of the textbooks (item 34), and the suitability of the content of the textbooks to students‟ background knowledge and social environment (item 35)

To facilitate the teachers‟ evaluation process, the questionnaire is presented in a

Likert-type scale – in this case a five-point scale: excellent, very good, not very good, not good 100% of the questions are close-ended

2.2.4 Survey Procedure

Before sending the questionnaire to the teachers, the researcher contacted the head of English department of the school where the good teacher contest was held to ask for permission to carry out the survey During the evaluation process, the respondents could communicate directly with the researcher to receive detailed instructions to ensure that all the items in the questionnaire were fully and accurately evaluated

The questionnaire was written in Vietnamese (in this study it is translated into English) to make sure that all the items in the questionnaire were equally understood

2.2.5 Methods of Data Analysis

Data was quantitatively calculated using Microsoft Excel for statistics and was converted into percentages from overall average percentage of 35 items to average percentage of 9 categories as described in Section 2.1.3, and to percentage of each item For convenience of presentation and observation, except for the overall evaluation and the evaluation of nine categories, the evaluation of each item in each column on the five-point scale was analyzed and

presented following the order: the number of respondents and the percentage that number accounts for out of 25 respondents of each textbook participating in the survey (for more detailed, see APPENDIX 1 and 2 (both English and Vietnamese Versions))

CHAPTER 3 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

Chapter 1 introduces the literature review Chapter 2 presents research method, research instruments, survey procedure and method of data analysis This chapter, chapter 3, will present the main findings from the questionnaire and discuss in some detail these findings

3.1 Overall Rating

The questionnaires were sent to teachers of Tiếng Anh 3 - Tập 1 (TA3) on

October 5th, 2015 and were returned to the author on the same day 25 TA3 teachers were under survey, 25 teachers returned the questionnaires, Accounting

for 100% The questionnaires were sent to teachers of Family and Friends - Grade 3 (FF3) in early August, 2015 and were returned to the author at the end

of month 25 FF3 were teachers under survey, 25 teachers returned the questionnaires, accounting for 100% From the results obtained, it can be said that the teachers have a very positive view of the quality of TA3 and FF3 This can be seen in the fact that the overall evaluation of the teachers of TA3 on 35 items at three scales excellent, very good and good is very high: 98.8%, of which 20.3% rated as excellent, 34.2% rated as very good, 44.3% rated as good; only 1.2% rated as not very good, 0% rated as not good The overall evaluation

of the teachers of FF3on 35 items at three scales excellent, very good and good

is more modest than TA3 but still very high: 93.8, of which 11% rated as excellent, 21.9 % rated as very good, 61.9% rated as good; 6.2 % rated as not very good, 0% rated as not good

3.2 Teachers’ Evaluation of the Textbooks in each of the Nine Categories 3.2.1 Teachers’ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Objectives” Category

The results obtained from the “Objectives” category show that the evaluation of the teachers on TA3 is very positive Overall, the average rating of the teachers

of TA3 on 2 items at three levels excellent, very good, and good is very high: 100%, of which 32% rated as excellent, 56% rated as very good, and 12% rated

as good; 0% rated as not very good and not good Regarding the evaluation of particular items, first, with regard to the suitability of the textbook‟s objectives

to pupils (item 1), 5 teachers (20%) rated as excellent, 14 (56%) rated as very good and 6 (24%) rated as good Secondly, concerning time allocation for the textbook‟s objectives (item 2), 11 teachers (44%) rated as excellent, and 14 (56) rated as very good No teachers rated as not very good and not good The average rating of the teachers of FF3 was quite positive However, the numbers

of teachers who rated FF3 excellent and very good is more modest when compared to TA3 94%, of which 8% rated as excellent, 12% rated as very good, and 74% rated as good 6% rated as not very good 1 teacher (4%) rated item 1 and 2 teachers (8%) rated item 2 as not very good The interview was conducted

to collect teachers‟ opinions for these two items Teachers of FF3 confirmed that they could not exploit all amount of knowledge and activities as well given by each lesson because of time limitation and students‟ level

3.2.2 Teachers’ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Layout and Design” Category

The results obtained from the teachers‟ evaluation of the “Layout and Design” Category indicate that teacher‟s evaluation on the two textbooks is very positive Overall, the average rating of 3 items by the 25 teachers of TA3 at three levels excellent, very good and good accounts for 98.7%, of which 22.7% rated as excellent, 66.7% rated as very good, and 9.3% rated as good; only 1.3% rated as not very good (item 4) the color and organization of the textbook and (item 5) the size of the textbook was rated very good while one teacher (1.3%) rated the quality of paper and binding as not very good

The average rating of 3 items by 25 teachers of FF3 was positive but lower than those of TA3 93.3 %, of which 10.6 rated as excellent, 28% rated as very good, and 54.7 rated as good 6.7 % rated as not very good Being similar to TA3, item

3 of FF3 was rated as excellent (20%), very good (72%), and good (8%) However, 5 (20%) teachers rated item 5 as not very good The interview for this

item was conducted to collect teachers‟ opinion Teachers confirmed that the size of the textbook is quite big for pupils to handle and it is also bigger than other textbooks They found that their pupils are familiar with the common medium size of Vietnamese textbooks and it came to a bit strange and difficult

to use a bigger textbook like FF3

3.2.3 Teachers’ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Topics” Category

96% teachers highly appreciated TA3, of which 13% rated as excellent, 29% rated as very good, and 54% rated as good 4% rated as not very good Familiar topics to pupils (item 7) and real and natural languages (item 8) received good feedbacks from teachers 1 (4%) teacher thought that the topics of the textbook (item 6) was not very varied and 3 (12%) teachers thought that there was not many funny elements (item 9) exploited by the textbook

The number of teachers who highly appreciate FF3 accounts for 100%, of which 12% rated as excellent, 36% rated as very good, and 52% rated as good No teachers rated as not very good and not good 4 items (6, 7, 8, 9) were given high ratings with 100% (Item 6) the variety of topics, 4 teachers (16%) rated as excellent, 13 (52%) rated as very good, 8 (32%) rated as good (Item 7) familiar topics to pupils, 4 teachers (16%) rated as excellent, 10 (40%) rated as very good, 11 (44%) rated as good (Item 8) real and natural language, 3 teachers (12%) rated as excellent, 9 (36%) rated as very good, 13 (52%) rated as good (Item 9) funny elements, 1 teacher (4%) rated as excellent, 9 (36%) rated as very good, 13 (52%) rated as good

In general, the quality of topics covered by the two textbooks was highly

appreciated by teachers FF3 has strong points in having the variety of topics, real and natural language, familiar topics and funny factors TA3 was given high

ratings with familiar topics and funny factors However, participants also said that there should be more funny elements in the textbook TA3

3.2.4 Teachers’ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Language Skills” Category

Teacher‟s average rating of 8 items in the “Language skills” section (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing) for both TA3 and FF3 at three levels excellent, very good and good accounts for 99.5% and 99%, respectively, of which, 10.5% teachers of TA3 and 10% teachers of FF3 rated as excellent, 27% teachers of TA3 and 23% teachers of FF3 rated as very good, and 62% teachers of TA3 and 66% teachers of FF3 rated as good 0.5% teacher of TA3 rated as not very good and 1% teacher of FF3 rated as not very good, 0% teacher rated as not good Two sections including listening and reading of the two textbooks were given high ratings With regard to the listening section of TA3, The average rating of 3 items (10, 11, 12) by 25 teachers at three levels excellent, very good and good account for 100%, of which 12% rated as excellent, 42.7% rated as very good, and 45.3 % rated as good 0% rated as not very good and not good With regard

to reading section, the average rating of 2 items (15, 16) at three levels excellent, very good and good also accounts for 100% Of which, 8% of teachers rated as excellent, 8% teachers rated as very good, 84% teachers rated as good and 0% rated as not very good and not good Concerning to listening section of FF3, the average ratings of 3 items was that 10.7% teachers rated as excellent, 37.3% teachers rated as very good and 52% teachers rated as good Concerning to reading section of FF3, the average ratings of 2 items was that 12% teachers rated as excellent, 14% teachers rated as very good and 74% teachers rated as good Two sections including speaking and writing of the two textbooks were given quite modest ratings from the teachers 1 (4%) teacher of TA3 rated (item 14) as not very good The teacher said that group discussions in the textbook have not yet been fully exploited while the textbook concentrates mainly on other activities like monologue and pair work 1 (4%) teacher of FF3 rated (item 17) as not very good The writing skill of the textbook is quite simple and does not present the particular level of difficulty

3.2.5 Teachers’ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Methodology” Category

Teachers‟ average rating of 3 items (18, 19, 20) relating to the “methodology of the textbooks” category at three levels excellent, very good and good makes up 100%, of which 5.3% TA teachers rated as excellent, 14.7% rated as very good and 80% rated as good while 2.7 % FF3 teachers rated as excellent, 13.3 % rated

as very good and 84% rated as good Detailed ratings of each of the three items

as follows: with item 17, 1 TA3 teacher (4%) and 0 FF3 teacher (0%) believed that the usefulness of the activities in the textbooks reach excellent level, 2 TA3 teachers (8%) and 2 FF3 teachers (8%) rated as very good, 22 TA3 teachers (88%) and 23 FF3 teachers (92%) rated as good and 0 teachers of both of the textbooks rated as not very good and not good With item 19, 3 TA3 teachers (12%) and 2 FF3 teachers (8%) rated the textbooks‟ usefulness for teachers to exploit activities as excellent, the same number of teachers of the two textbooks,

6 (24%) rated as very good, and 16 (64%) and 17 (68%) rated as good; and with regard to the usefulness of the textbooks to help teachers and students localize activities (item 20), 2 levels of rating given by teachers were very good and good accounting for 100%, of which 3 TA3 teachers (12%) and 2 FF3 teachers (8%) rated as very good and 22 (88%) and 23 (92%) rated as good

3.2.6 Teachers’ Evaluation of the Textbooks in the “Types of Activities” Section

Teachers‟ average rating of 4 items in the “Types of Activities” section of the textbook TA3 at three levels excellent, very good and good accounting for 100%, of which 24% rated as excellent, 19% rated as very good, 57% rated as good and 0% rated as not very good and not good However, Teachers‟ average rating of 4 items of the textbook FF3 at 4 levels, in which 28% rated as excellent, 15% rated as very good, 56% rated as good, 1% rated as not very good and 0% rated as not good Various activities (item 21), clear and sufficient instructions (item 22) and the provision of communicative exercises (item 23) of