Textbook Review (20%): Select an English course book and a checklist to

evaluate that book. Conclude by explaining whether or not you would

recommend its adoption by your school (or any other institution of your choice)
and why.

A. INTRODUCTION
As the main means of conveying knowledge to students, textbooks play a
significant role in the teaching and learning process. Besides, one of the basic
functions of textbooks is to make the existing knowledge available and
apparent to the learners in a selected, easy and organized way. According to
Hutchinson and Torres (1994), any textbook can play a significant and
beneficial role in English teaching and learning. According to them, textbooks
offer the required input into lessons taught in classrooms through various
exercises, readings, and explanations. Because they fulfill specific demands,
textbooks will always be used. According to Richards (2001), a learning
program without textbooks may have no impact because they offer structure
and a syllabus. Additionally, using a textbook can ensure that students in
various classrooms will learn the same material and can be assessed similarly.
In other words, textbooks offer the educational standards. They also provide a
variety of learning tools, like workbooks, CDs, cassettes, and movies, among
others, to make learning engaging and fun for students. They act as a teacher's
manual for conducting classes in addition to giving teachers a framework for
attaining the course's goals and objectives. What teachers teach and students
learn is influenced by the material in English language textbooks. It is crucial
to carry out an evaluation when choosing a new textbook to make sure it is
appropriate. Evaluation is frequently recognised as a potent tool for raising
educational standards. The prospect of leveraging changes in evaluation
techniques to improve the curriculum has been brought to the attention of
educational planners and administrators by a number of scholars (Broadfoot et
al. 1990, Stake et al. 1991, Gifford and O'Connor 1992). For the evaluation, a
few requirements must be taken into account. The criteria will unavoidably
change because each educational environment is distinct from the next in that
each student has a unique history, set of skills, and set of requirements. The
evaluation should also consider additional factors, such as the viewpoints of the
teachers and the course syllabus. The researcher's evaluation criteria for
textbooks were based on a set of universal—but not theory-neutral—
characteristics that not only met local demands, but were also adaptable enough
to be applied globally with some adjustments. This study was an attempt to
evaluate A2 KEY 1 text book of Cambridge university press and English
assessment English with respect to general criterion. As a result, various
textbook evaluation checklists for ELT textbooks have been proposed. The two
main types of evaluation among these are external evaluation and internal
evaluation. With the external evaluation is a brief overview of the material from
the outside, namely the cover, introduction and table of contents and the
external evaluation is conducted through the cover and introduction, about the
Author, intended audience, educational context and the proficiency level and
presentation of language items. But with the internal evaluation is to examine
the extent to which the external evaluation factors match up with the claims
made by the publisher of the materials actually presented in the course book.
Moreover, this is done through examining at least 2 units of the coursebook
materials to investigate:
- Skill presentation in the materials:
• Listening
• Reading
• Speaking
• Writing
- Grading and sequencing of materials
- Relationship of tests and exercises
- Opportunities for different learning styles, including self-study
- Motivation to use the coursebook by both the teacher and learner

I. EXTERNAL EVALUATION
1- Key Facts about the Book-Authors and Publishers
The book selected for evaluation was  Cambridge University Press's "A2
KEY 1 FOR THE REVISED 2020 EXAM" using the Cambridge Assessment
English (2012) for English learners. The reason for choosing this book was
based on the need of English learners to assess whether it would be
recommended to adopt this book in many schools. This complete collection of
tests includes the Cambridge English Qualification A2 Key Examination paper.
Students can practice these tests on their own or with the help of a teacher. 
2- Target Audience and Proficiency Level
This A2 KEY examination is part of series of Cambridge English
Qualification for general and higher education. This series consists of
five qualifications that have similar characteristics but are designed for
different level of English language ability. The A2 Key certificate is
recognized around the world as a basic qualification in English.
Cambridge CEFR UK National
English Level Qualifications
Framework Level
Qualification
s

C2 Proficiency C2 3

C1 Advanced C1 • 2

B2 First for Schools B2 1

B1 Preliminary for B1 Entry 3

 Schools
A2 Key for Schools A2 Entry 2

3- Cost Effectiveness
The authors claim that all their authentic tests go through the same design
process as the A2 KEY for school exams and they check every single part of
their practice tests with real students under exam conditions, to make sure
they give learners the most authentic experience possible. As this state above
is designed this book to help students develop 4 skills of English and have the
real experience with tests and makes no claim to be focused on specific
learners or purposes. Its Effectiveness has been investigated in my teaching
context, my students were fairly interested in practising these tests of this book.
In fact, students were keen on this book in my teaching experience and they
had a clear understanding after finishing this book.
4- Accessibility and Availability
The information contained in this practice book is designed to be an overview
of the exam. For a full description of all of the above exams, including
information about task types, testing focus and preparation and learners can
refer and see the relevant handbooks which can be obtained from the
Cambridge Assessment English website at: Cambridgeenglish.org. Besides,
there are a wide range of teachers currently are using this book for their
students because of the needs of students and the updated perfection of this
book. Moreover, It is completely suitable for the student's level in Viet Nam;
both teachers and students spend the reasonable price on the item or they can
download this material from website widely.
5- Presentation of language items
For Hutchingson & Waters (1987) evaluate content with a much
more detailed checklist. The evaluation checklist for content analysis
focuses on grammar analysis in the textbook (structure, function, notion,
etc.), whether skills are covered equally and in an integrated manner, text
types (story, dialogue, etc.), topic variety and how they are handled, and
how the content is presented (for example, around grammar) and graded.
The subject matter component is concerned with things like
appropriateness and level of interest, ordering, different text forms, content
grading, level of abstractness, register, cultural sensitivity, content
accuracy, authenticity, currency, and cultural integration. The "Vocabulary
and structures" component is concerned with the quantity and order of the
words, their appropriateness, precision, clarity, and completeness, as well
as their meaningful context, load suitability, and context. Thus, based on
those factors, the researchers found that with this book:
 The vocabulary load (i.e., the number of new words introduced in each
lesson) is reasonable for the students of that level.
 The new vocabulary is repeated in the subsequent lessons for
reinforcement.
 The number of grammatical points introduced in each lesson is
appropriate.
 The sequencing of grammatical points is appropriate.
 The new structure is repeated in subsequent lessons for reinforcement.
 The number of vocabulary and grammar items introduced in each unit
is the same (Acar, 2006, p.139).
6- Audio-Visual Aids and Supplementary Materials
For this book, the researchers investigated and pointed out them below:
 The appearance of the book's cover and pages is effective.
 There are enough images (pictures, graphs, and diagrams) to
aid in the students' comprehension of the text.
 The graphic materials aren't just for show; they are really
incorporated into the text.
 The presentation and layout are both clear.
 The student can use the information simply, especially for
revision and self-study purposes, thanks to indexes, vocabulary
lists, section headings, and other methods of content
signposting.
 The textbook is economical in terms of cost, labor, and time,
and it is successful in your educational environment (Acar,
2006, p.139).
7- Overall Organization of Textbook
This book consists of 4 tests from test 1 to test 4 and each test involves 3
skills which are reading, writing and listening. With speaking tests are on
page 72. Besides, the book provides learners and teachers with the exact
answers for listening & reading and some suggestions for speaking &
writing that people refer to. For this part, the researchers would show the
content of this book included:
Contents

Introduction 5

Speaking: an overview for candidates 7

Test 1 Reading and Writing 8

Listening 18
Test2 Reading and Writing 24
Listening 34

Test3 Reading and Writing 40

Listening 50
 Test4 Reading and Writing 56
Listening 66
Speaking tests 72

Answer keys and transcripts 84

Sample answer sheets 120

Acknowledgements 124

Visual materials for the Speaking test 125

The length of each main unit must be realized by the teacher when deciding how it
will harmonize into a given educational program. (McDonough and Shaw 1993: 69).
The length of each part the researchers reminded above
8- Author's Claims- the Methodological Principles underpinning the
Book
The relationship between the language, the learning process, and the learner
should be taken into account while analyzing the author's perspective on
language and methodology. As stated in the coursebook’s Introduction, activities and
tasks are designed for students to “practise these tests on their own or with help of a
teacher. According to Experts of this book, they insisted that: “our aim is to
deliver the materials you tell us you need. Exclusive insights from test
development and candidate performance guarantee expert content. The result is
unique Exam Journey in each course, ensuring every student is ready on exam
day. From skills development to exam tasks, language discovery to real-world
usage, we create better learning experiences, together”. The researcher found
that the authors of this books could high concentrate on each test and each skill
of the book to upgrade student’s level. Furthermore, the comparison between
the old edit and the new one, learners can have a bright understanding of the
point. Consequently, the authors were trying to provide learners with the useful
learning resource.
9- Cultural Biases
Sheldon (1988) evaluates the textbooks' cultural content according to the
concept of "cultural bias." Under this component, he looks into a range of
subjects, including how religious and social surroundings are treated, as well as
stereotypical, false, and offensive depictions of gender, ethnicity, social class,
or nationality. Nevertheless, Cunningsworth (1995) argues that “if coursebooks
have any subject content, they will directly or indirectly communicate sets of
social and cultural values which are inherent in their make-up... Thus the
checklist for evaluating the cultural aspect of this book includes:
 There is an adequate treatment of native culture along with target
culture in the textbook.
 The characters in the textbook represent people from different
social class, age, and occupation.
  The characters in the textbooks exist in a social network (e.g.
family, peer group, workplace) and they are not there in isolation
without any social connection.
 The characters in the textbook are realistic (like real life characters,
their fears, hopes, and hates are reflected in the textbook).
 There is an equal representation of men and women in the
textbook.
 The women are represented in the same roles as men (e.g. doctor,
teacher) and they are not presented as passive participants (Acar,
2006, p.142).
II. Internal evaluation (at least 2 units)
1- Skill presentation in the materials:
Integration of the receptive and productive skills is the trend in modern
coursebook design. (Brown 1994, White 1988, Stern 1992, Cunningsworth
1995, McDonough and Shaw 1993). Each unit of this coursebook contains sections
below:
Reading and Writing: 60 minutes
Candidates need to be able to understand simple written
information such as signs and newspapers, and produce simple
written English.

Listening: 30 minutes approximately

Candidates need to show they can follow and understand a range
of spoken materials such as announcements, when people speak
reasonably slowly.

Speaking: 8-10 minutes

Candidates take the Speaking test with another candidate or in a
group of three. They are tested on their ability to take part in
different types of interaction: with the examiner, with the other
candidate and by themselves.

Overall length Number of Number of

' tasks/ parts items
Reading and 60 mins 7 3
Writing 2
Listening approx. 30 mins 5 2
5
Speaking 8-10mins 2 -
Total approx. 1 hour 40 mins
The authors' primary goal is to improve oral communication abilities of
learners, despite the fact that it appears that the four skills are given equal
weight. Moreover, learners can be familiar with the format of this A2 test and
A2 level through this book.The coursebook which is easily flexible benefits
students via tests of 4 skills and provides them with the sample for speaking
and writing and answer key for 2 remaining skills.
4- Grading and sequencing of materials

If language is a system, gradation is of great importance. (Mackey, in White 1988:48),

“for in a system one thing fits into another, one thing goes with another, and one thing
depends on another.” For this part, we would like to show you all of the gradation of this
book. All candidates receive a Statement of Results and candidates whose
performance ranges between CEFR Levels A1 and B1 (Cambridge English
Scale scores of 100-150) also receive a certificate.
• Candidates who achieve Grade A (Cambridge English Scale
scores of 140-150) receive the Key for Schools English Test
certificate stating that they demonstrated ability at Level B1.
• Candidates who achieve Grade B or C (Cambridge English
Scale scores of 120-139) receive the Key for Schools English
Test certificate at Level A2.
• Candidates whose performance is below A2 level, but falls
within Level A1 (Cambridge English Scale scores of 100-
119), receive a Cambridge English certificate stating that
they have demonstrated ability at Level A1.
For further information on grading and results, go to the website
(see page 5 for details).
For an overview for candidates: The Speaking test lasts 8-10
minutes. You will take the test with another candidate. There are
two examiners but only one of them will talk to you. The examiner
will ask you questions and ask you to talk to the other candidate.

Part 1 (3-4 minutes)

The examiner will ask you and your partner some questions. These
questions will be about your daily life, interests, likes and dislikes.
For example, you may have to speak about school, hobbies or
home town.

Part 2 (5-6 minutes)

You and your partner will speak to each other. The examiner will
give you a card with some illustrations on it. You will then discuss
the activities, things or places illustrated on the card with your
partner. The examiner will then ask you and your partner some
individual questions about the illustrations on the card.
5- Relationship of tests and exercises
Skierso (1991) focuses on a variety of topics, including the types of exercises,
whether they include vocabulary and structures, if they encourage active
engagement from the students, and whether they are connected to actual events
and circumstances. When evaluating activities, Daoud and Celce-Murcia
(1979) pay attention to whether they are relevant communicative activities, if
they present a range of written tasks, and whether they improve students'
capacity to comprehend main ideas. After evaluating exercises and activities
are suggested in this book, the researchers listed some points of the book
below:
 The pupils find the activities in the textbook to be
fascinating.Students can work in groups or pairs to broaden their
knowledge.
 Activities that encourage meaningful language usage (as opposed
to mechanical exercises) are adequately addressed. They can work
on four skills while using this book.
 The exercises offer many chances for interaction (group work, duo
work, etc.).

 When students attempt to write in the writing portion and read in

the reading portion of this book, the exercises in the textbook
stimulate critical thinking.
 This book contains a sufficient number of exercises for practicing
the language (vocabulary, grammar).
 The exercises are suitable for the students' A2 level (Acar, 2006, p.
141–142).
6- Opportunities for different learning styles, including self-study
The book includes such items:
 The book contains a sufficient variety of design to interest the learner like
simple vocabulary or simple written information for Reading and Writing.
For speaking and listening, the speaker speak the audio reasonably slowly
and learners can easily listen to the audio and practice them.
 There is a clear and logical page/unit organization so that the teacher and
the students can understand the theme, purpose and intended result. For
each skill of English, this book contains the simple task and clear sentence
for A2 level. Moreover, students can learn a lot of useful phrases and basic
grammar to have a deep understanding of English and apply them on daily
basis.
 Headlines, chapter or unit headings and subheadings help to summarize
what is to be expected in a unit. Publishers devided them into 4 skills
clearly to support learners and approach to 4 skills of English. For each
skill, they always have opportunity to improve their skill and practise all
the time.
 The density and variety of text are at the right level for the students.
Learners will work from easy to more difficult lessons and gradually
improve their level
 The topics in the textbook are interesting. The topic of listening, speaking,
reading and writing can all take place in real life, so it is easy for learners
to approach it and learners will feel familiar when doing the test and create
excitement every time they do the test.
7- Motivation to use the coursebook by both the teacher and learner
To begin with the motivation to use this book by both teacher and learners, the
researchers carried out and pointed out several features below:
- For teacher: This clear and useful learning resource supports teachers
specifically in teaching necessary skills during teaching process. Moreover, it
reduces some of the pressure in teaching and increases the knowledge of
students.
- For Learners: The prepare for the exam with practice tests from Cambridge:
Inside students will find out authentic examination papers from Cambridge
Assessment English. They are the perfect way to practise- exactly like the real
exam. In addition, learners are confident on exam day when they get to know
the exam format and understand the scoring system. Next they can train
examination techniques and collect many basic vocabularies through this
book(like several liking words or phases, and know to speak naturally like a
native speaker).
By start off by highlighting these points above, the researchers concluded that
this book meets the standard like helping the teacher and EFL students feel
inspired to use the information that the design is helping to transmit and Target
group accessibility ensures that both EFL students and teachers feel
comfortable connecting with the information on the page. Especially, in order
to know where to go and what to look at next, clear information pathways that
assist the EFL learner and teacher in understanding the relationships between
the texts, activities, artwork, and images are essential.

III. Overall evaluation

1- The usability factor 
2- The generalizability factor
3- The adaptability factor
4- The flexibility factor
• Conclude by explaining whether or not you would recommend its
adoption by your school (or any other institution of your choice) and
why. 
REFERENCES
APPENDIX