TEACHING EVALUATION

The process of evaluating a textbook is key to lead to a potential resource of knowledge.

Garinger (2002) argued, “the use of an evaluation procedure or checklist can lead to a more
systematic and thorough examination of potential textbooks”. In this assignment, we evaluate
Textbook 10 – Semester 1 with 2 criteria. Criterion 17 indicates that teaching contents for
developing capacity as Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing and contents of knowledge as
Vocabulary, Pronunciation, Grammar are distributed properly in each unit. Criterion 20 presents
the issue that teaching activities are designed logically, diversely with clear objectives and
instructions, and are arranged step by step, from easy to complex levels.

1. Criterion 17: Teaching contents for developing capacity as Listening, Speaking,

Reading, Writing and contents of knowledge as Vocabulary, Pronunciation, Grammar are
distributed properly in each unit.
To analyze criterion 17, we conduct an evaluation with 2 main categories.
1.1. The distribution of teaching contents for developing skills.
Teaching contents are designed to match to the program curriculum. They consist
of a moderate volume of knowledge. It is essential for improving skills, not too overwhelming for
students to assimilate. Besides, contents reach an ideal length of time, each part usually takes up 1
page in the textbook, contents are arranged in 2 columns in each. Skill parts contain an equal
amount of content. The number of exercises varies between 3 and 5 in each part. There is no case
that a plethora of exercises are included in this part, whereas, there is a shortage in another. We
attach more visual examples in Appendix 1.
Skill parts are arranged in the order of Reading, Speaking,
Listening, and Writing. Contents in Reading part focuses on reading
comprehension, provide students with essential information related to
the topic. It serves as an input resource of knowledge. Speaking part is
designed right after that. The content in this part simulates practical
conversations with the purpose to enhance students’ communication. It
functions as an output of language. Listening part is another input
source with listening comprehension contents. The last part – Writing is
another process of language output.
From our perspectives, this order is not appropriate enough for language
acquisition. Walsh (1985) mentioned “Clearly, the first priority for the integrated teacher should
be to direct attention to "oracy" (listening and speaking) along with "literacy" (reading and
writing) ….. Thus, integrated activities that involve both the aspects of oracy and literacy follow
logically as a means to promote the students' overall development of language.”. The content of
listening is advised to cooperate with that of speaking, similarly with reading and writing skills.
In a study, Williams (1983) argued: “In a context where English is a medium of
instruction, an important criterion would be that textbooks should provide balanced and
systematic training in all language skills”. After analyzing, we draw a conclusion that teaching
contents of skill parts in Textbook 10 are distributed equally; however, they have yet to give a
systematic order.
1.2. The distribution of teaching contents of knowledge.
We evaluate the distribution of contents of
knowledge as Vocabulary, Pronunciation, Grammar. These 3 parts
are included in Language section. All 3 parts include a standard
repertoire of knowledge.
In terms of Vocabulary, new words are shown after students read the passage in
Getting started. These words are relevant to the topic, they are taken from the passage in Getting
Started. Definitions and meanings of words are also attached in this part. The amount of new
words is equivalent to students to understand the lesson and apply it to the following sections.
The level of words is proportionate to the proficiency level of students. They easily find it not
hard to assimilate these words.

In the part of Pronunciation, the content is sufficient for

students. In each unit, from 3 to 4 pronunciation points are included. In
this part, students are taught how to pronoun new words correctly by
the content of consonant clusters, sound clusters, etc.
Grammar points are related to contents in the lesson. Students are expected to use
previous new words in grammatically practical contexts. For grammar points learned at lower
levels, the textbook designs review tasks for students to practice. For new ones, the textbook
provides students with clear theory together with specific examples.
The order from Vocabulary, Pronunciation, and Grammar as in the Textbook, in our
opinion, is appropriate. Students receive new words with definitions after reading the passage,
then they learn how to pronounce words precisely, before putting them in grammatical practice.
Other examples are in Appendix 2.
In conclusion, it can be seen from the above analysis that teaching contents for developing
skills or other contents in each unit are distributed properly despite a minor illogical order among
Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing.

2. Criterion 20: Teaching activities in the textbook are designed logically, diversely with
clear objectives and instructions, and are arranged step by step, from easy to complex levels.
We divide this content in this criterion into two main categories to facilitate evaluating.
2.1. The logicality, diversity with clear objectives and instructions of teaching
activities.
Pre-designed activities support the following ones and vice versa.
In terms of each unit, sections are designed in a
fixed order throughout the textbook, beginning with Getting
Started and Language. These two sections provide students
with essential information, new words, and grammar points.
Students use these materials to practice and improve
particular skills in the Skill section, followed by
Communication and Culture which contains related
extensive information. In the two last sections including
Looking back and Project, students review lessons and produce their own project.
In terms of each section, teaching activities are arranged following an order which
helps students receive then produce the language. The textbook offers essential information
before students are required to do related exercises.
We use exercises in the Listening part of Unit 5 (Textbook Grade 10) as an example
to clarify this point. Exercises in this part strictly follow certain steps for a skill lesson.
According to BA Upgrade: English Language Teaching Methodology (2003), there are 3 stages
for a skill lesson:
 - The pre-stage prepares students by getting them to think about the topic or situation
before they read, listen, speak, or write about it.
- The while-stage gives students a ‘guide’ or framework to help them practice the target
skill of the lesson.
- The post-stage helps students take information or whatever they have produced in the
While-stage, and do something meaningful with it.
Obviously, 5 exercises in this Listening part
follow the 3 above stages. Exercise 1 is of
the pre-stage, which expects students to
think about the functions of a flying car. The
While-stage includes Exercise 2, Exercise 3,
and Exercise 4. These exercises help
students improve their listening
comprehension. Exercise 5 in the Post-stage
asks students to discuss more deeply about a
flying car in their own expression.
Teaching activities in Textbook 10 are varied. This can explain what Garinger
(2002) discussed in his study that “The textbook should fulfill its role as a stimulus for
communication and not be simply an organizational tool for the teacher”. With different forms of
exercise, the textbook can interest students and motivates their learning process. (Appendix 3)
Besides, these activities are instructed clearly, along with practical examples. We
take an example in the Speaking part of Unit 1 (Textbook 10). An example of household chores
and reasons is shown before students accomplish the rest.

Obviously from the above analysis the authors put teaching activities in the correct order.
Each activity contains obvious instructions and specific objectives.
 2.2. The difficulty level of teaching activities.
Activities are arranged in ascending order of difficulty level. At an elementary
level, the new language is presented to students through teaching. At an intermediate level,
students are required to isolate the new language and practice it on their
own with the teacher’s assistance. At an advanced level, students
produce a new language on their own without help from the teacher.
Like the previous explanation, we analyze this category
through each unit and each section. In terms of each unit, students
obtain information in Getting Started and Language by the teacher’s
instruction. In the next sections such as Skill, Communication, and
Culture, students practise different skills and exercises called controlled
exercises under the teacher’s regulation and correction. The Project section is at a difficult level
when students are required to do free practice and do the work by themselves.
Similarly, in each section, teaching activities are designed from easy to hard. An
example is activities in Getting Started of Unit 4 (textbook 10). The teacher read a conversation
passage with students in Exercise 1. Students answer reading comprehension questions with the
instruction of the teacher in Exercise 2. Lastly, Exercise 3 requires students to produce the new
language on their own by making dialogues with a partner.

This order of difficulty level is the same as the discussion that “Exercises should
build on and reinforce what students have already learned and should progress from simple—both
linguistically and cognitively—to more complex and demanding. A textbook should require more
from students as their language skills develop so they are continually stimulated and challenged.”
(Garinger, 2002).
 It can be referred from the above analysis that the difficulty level of exercises is properly
distributed throughout the textbook. This enables students to gradually assimilate knowledge and
apply in practice.
From the above analysis, we jump to conclusions that the textbook designers do a great job
in satisfying criteria 17 and 20 about teaching contents and activities.
REFERENCES

- Garinger, D. (2002). Textbook selection for the ESL classroom. Center for Applied
Linguistics Digest.
- Walsh Dolan, M. (1985). Integrating listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the
classroom. Language Arts Journal of Michigan, 1(1), 4.
- Williams, D. (1983). Developing criteria for textbook evaluation. ELT journal, 37(3),
251-255.
- BA Upgrade: English Language Teaching Methodology (2003)
 APPENDIX
Appendix 1: The Equal number of exercises (Unit 4 – Textbook 10)

Appendix 2: The order of Vocabulary, Pronunciation and Grammar (Unit1-Textbook 10)

Appendix 3: Different kinds of teaching activities.