English Methodology II
Text book Evaluation
Teacher: Mg. Roxana Correa P.
Students: Cristian Díaz A.
Exequiel González L.
Factual details
Title: Looking Ahead
Author (s): Jolanta Polk Reyes
Publisher: Ediciones calycanto (ecc)
Price: Provided by the minister of education
ISBN: 978-956-8623-65-4
No. of pages: 200 hundreds
Components: SB/TB/ Tests/CALL/
Other: CD’s, final check (guided analysis of students’ strengths and weaknesses, to help them
to check their progress) and web resources
Level: 2nd high school
Physical size: 20,7 cm wide/ 27 cm long
Length: One academic year
Units: 6
Lesson/sections: 24
hours: one lesson/3to 4
hours
Target skills: Reading /listening/ speaking and writing
Target Learners: English learners as a foreign language
Assessment
Factors
*Poor
**Fair
***Good
****Excellent
Rating and
comments

Rationale
Availability

The plan of the
book is based
on
the
communicative
approach,
because it aims
to make Ss be
able
to
performance on
the four skills.
This book is
available in all
public schools
since the books
are provided by
MINEDUC.
Layout/graphics

The book uses a
variety of
pictures, colors,
diagrams,
charts,
schemas, and
so on. These are
useful for the
different
learning styles.
Selection/grading

The units can
work alone. It
possible to
work with each
unit
independently
Cultural bias

The book
attempts to
contextualize
the content
using some
Chilean
contexts.
Stimulus/practice/revision

The book
provides
enough
exercises for
students to
practice.
Flexibility

In terms of
grammar the
book suggests a
sequence, so it
would not be
appropriate to
skip a unit.
However; it is
possible to skip
some unit in
term of
content.
Authenticity

The analysis of
the dialogues
show that there
is no use of
discourse
features. So the
dialogues seem
to
be
not
authentic.
Analysis of authenticity in terms of four discourse features
dialogues
Discourse features
Dialogue 1
Dialogue 2
Dialogue 3
False starts
x
x
x
Repetition
x
x
x
Pauses
x
x
x
Hesitation devices
x
x
x
X: means that the discourse features is not present
Source: Sheldon (1988: 242)
We decided to analyze the unit 6. “Traditions, traditions”.
Do the materials of chosen unit provide a balance of activities that is appropriate for your
students?

Yes
No
Summary of planning decisions
Lesson
Adapting tasks
Adopting tasks
Rejecting tasks
One
Task 2
Task 1
Task 3
Instead of telling the
students to check the
This task doesn’t have a
Task 5
meaning of certain
words in a dictionary it
coming activities, so it is
Task 6
would be more
appropriate to give them
close relation with the
no suitable. It can work
as a previous activity
Task 7
,but there are enough
Task 8
Task 10
the definition of the
words. Students have to
match the words with its
correct definition.
It is not appropriate to
Task 9
Checking words in a
dictionary take a lot of
time.
do this activity. It would
be better that the
Task 10
teacher explains that in
one of the texts the
Task 4
Task 12
writer is using informal
Students have to read
language
four texts, but two of
Task 14
them are too long. It
It would better to give
would be more
the students the chance
appropriate to delete
to speak, but without
unnecessary information
following a chart with
and language.
confusing and unclear
information
Task 13
Students will complete a
paragraph using
affirmative, negative
form of the present
perfect (interrogative
form won’t be
considered)
Task 15
Recording the questions
using the teacher’s voice
in order to make the
recording easier.
two
Task 5 and 6
task 1
Task 3
If the listening is unclear
task 4
It is time consuming, and
and so fast it would be
task 10
it is a tricky activity.
better if the teacher
task 11
recorded it.
task 14
Task 7, 8 , 9
task 15
It would be better to
allow the students to
listen to the recording
more than twice
Task 12, 13
It would be appropriate
that the students
practice the
conversation with a
partner , but with their
own information
e.g
How long have you lived
in Santiago?
Concepcion
Curanilahue
Temuco
Etc.
three
Task 5
Task 1
Task 8
It would be more
Task 2
The teacher previously
appropriate to match
Task 3
will tell the students that
the professionals with
Task 4
the text is written in two
pictures instead of long
Task 7
different form and why.
written descriptions
task 9
Task 10
Task 6
task 11 and 12
It is time consuming to
The text is too long, and
do this activity, because
the words too small. It
the students have to
would be appropriate to
read again.
shorten the text by
deleting the unnecessary
information.
Task 13 and 14
It would be ideal to
introduce reported
speech with simple
structure. Get simple
sentences from the
students on the board.
Task 15
Instead of rewriting and
interview it may be more
challenging to students
to create some
questions and then they
may ask the questions
each other, and finally
they could report what
someone said.
Lessons
Pre-communicative activities
Communicative activities
Structural activities
Quasi-
Functional
Social interaction
communicative
communication
activities
Prereading
It
is
quasi
communicative,
because
the
teacher
elicits
information from
the students, it is
like
an
open
dialogue.
The
students put the
One
language
they
that
already
know
“Let’s
into
practice, but in a
celebr-
very reduce way.
ate”
While-
It
is
reading
communicative,
because
quasi
the
students are not
able to use the
language in social
context.
Here the students
just
read
select
and
the
appropriate
answer for each
question.
Post-
The post reading
reading
includes a wide
range
of
functional
communication,
because
the
learners will be
able
to
work
within
conversations
and
dialogues,
but
the
communication
is restricted. It
has to follow a
pattern.
Pre-
the pre listening in this lesson is may
listening
considered
as
quasi
communicative
interaction, because the learners have to
role play a dialogue by changing the end
of it, and the teacher will create a short
Two
interaction with the students by asking
questions.
However, this pre listening involves
teaching vocabulary, so it may also be
considered as structural interaction,
because the teacher intends to teach
vocabulary
“Let’s
While-
It belongs to this
do it all
listening
part of the chart,
togeth-
because in this
er”
part of the lesson
there
are
activities
which
in
the
students have to
work
out
in
sequencing
events in a set of
pictures, but also
they
have
listen
to
and
complete
activities,
and
charts
Post-
It includes grammar
In
this
listening
practice activities in
listening
the
which the students
students
role
practice the past
play a dialogue
continuous
given by teacher
previously
It
has
quasi
communicative
Three
Pre
activities, because
reading
the
students
“Hold-
produce or use
ing the
the language but
world
very reduce. In
on your
this
should-
case the learners
ers”
match
particular
pictures,
complete charts,
and describe.
While
It
has
many
reading
activities
which
post
are not design to
put the language
into
communication
practice. All the
activities in the
while
reading
don’t allow the
learners to put
their ideas in oral
presentation
.they are asked to
complete charts ,
missing word, etc.
Post
There are some
At the end of the
reading
activities in which
post
the focus is directly
there
to grammar. Here
one activity in
the learners
which
the
complete a series of
students
are
sentences with the
allowed to use
form of the verb.
the language, but
reading
are
they
just
should
follow
a
structure,
in
other words is
not a really free
activity
Teachers’ view on course-books
The Chilean ministry of education provides to schools a huge quantity of books every year.
Every student should have at least among 4 to 5 books during their academic year. Books are
considered as very useful tools not only for the students but also for the teachers. The course
books provide to the students an essential guidance and a variety of learning materials. On the
other hand, it tends to dictate to the teachers what they have to teach, and in what order
(Nemati, 2009). It can be argued that course- books, with all their aspect have a direct effect
on teacher attitudes, and learning could be affected by how teachers use the course-books.
Therefore, the aim of this piece of paper is to analyze an interview given by a teacher of
English as a foreign language, from a secondary school in Hualpen. It is intended to analyze the
importance of course- books for teacher.
As it was mentioned previously the text- books are very essential in the process of
teaching -learning. According to the Chilean ministry of education the text-books are
important for teacher, because they are active tools in the classroom. In addition, the books
help them to plan and to prepare the class. According to the interviewed teacher, she agrees
with that the course-books are important she said “they are important, but sometimes
educational course that we have in establishment don’t give us good information, so we have
to choose part of the books and uses in the class”. We can infer that she uses the books but
she has to adapt it. It can also be inferred that the teacher modifies the units through the
selection of different activities from different part of the text. Therefore, the teacher uses
some criteria for choosing course-books, for her is important that the books contain relevant
information. In addition she also rearranges the course-books in order to make it more
appealing.
Even though text-books are important sometimes is necessary to supplement it. There are
a wide range of arguments about it. In the argument given by the teacher she points out that
text books require being supplemented, and supplementing a course- book have to take into
consideration the learners need and the characteristics of a particular class, so using the
different part (s) of the text will depend on students need, characteristics, etc. it is important
to say that the interviewed teacher doesn’t follow the order of the units, she change the
order, the materials in order to make the text-course easier for the students. She mentioned
that materials or task included in the course-books need adaptation and selective use it will
depend on the level of English that the students have. However, teachers are allowed to make
changes when they consider it is necessary. In this sense the interviewed teacher also
mentioned that she uses worksheets instead the exercises provided by the text-books.
Ministry of education (MINEDUC) points out that the course-books are sources of many
activities and they are also referential books in terms of grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary,
and so on. So the teachers receive lot of help from the text. In this sense the interviewed
teacher said that “it would appropriate if the course books include pronunciation, it will be very
useful for the students and for the teachers”, so according to her the books have not still
include aspect such as pronunciation. For her it is important to include it in the course-books.
In addition, she argues that in terms of grammar the course-books should provide more
exercises. For example word order and she also expect to have more clear instructions from
the text-books.
To sum up the books play an important role in the process of teaching and learning. They are
not only useful for the students but also for the teachers. The course-books are essential tools
which provide the teachers materials and it serves as guidance.
Annex
1. Do you think course-books are important?
Yes, they’re important, but eh sometimes eh educational course-books that we have eh
in the establishment eh don’t give us good a information so we have to choose part of the
book due to in the class
2. What are your criteria for choosing a course-book?
Eh according to the unit, the subject that we are studying with the students for example
in this second term we are in unit four and we are working with vocabulary about job and
anything is related to interview, application so in the course books that we have received
from the government eh appear special part given information about this unit so I have to
choose the specific and use
3. Which part (s) of the course-books do you frequently use and which part (s) do you
seldom use?
Eh as I said before, eh I have to choose the part according to the unit I don’t follow the
order of the course book I work in order to my plan and and I try to fix something and try
to uses with eh according to the unit I’m applying.
4. When, why and how do you supplement the course-book?
Eh usually I try to use eh worksheets that are very useful and I try to em give them a lot of
example, explaining eh in different words, simple words, using simple vocabulary that the
students could understand in a better way.
5. What kind of help would you like to have from the course-book in teaching grammar or
any other aspects of the language?
Eh it could be pronunciation, pronunciation it could be very helpful for the students and
for the teacher, too because sometimes we have some confusions and it could be very
helpful for us and for the students.
And In terms of grammar?
In terms of grammar..I think that word order could be a very useful part, but sometimes
rules have to be clear enough that could be a the important part of a course-book …rules
have to be clear in simple word, don’t use eh … without using complex vocabulary.
In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in English Coursebooks since these
serve as an aid for English language teaching and learning. This interest in English
coursebooks has been focused on some components of English language teaching such as
methodology, skills, assessment and so on, in order to see if these aspects are used and
taught appropriately through the coursebook that is being used. In this essay we attempt to
analyze the coursebook we selected towards the methodology used in it to carry out
teaching, and the way in which the coursebook aim to teach English language skills. This
analysis will be carried out based on what some authors suggests regarding to methodology
and English language skills for English language teaching.
A large and growing body of literature has investigated the field of methodology. It is
suggested that methodology refers to pedagogical practices in general and to any
consideration that involves how to teach something (Brown, 2001). The notion of teaching
methods has had a long history in language teaching since a variety of methods have risen
and fallen throughout the history of language teaching, for instance, audio lingual method
was the orthodox teaching method of the 1970s in many parts of the world, the silent way
in the 1980s and so on (Richards, 2002). Nonetheless, Brown, 1997 (cited in Richards,
2002) claimed that the term method is best replaced by the term pedagogy due to the fact
that the term pedagogy suggests a dynamic interplay between teachers, learners and
instructional material during the process of teaching and learning. It is claimed that English
language teaching is in a post- method era where the communicative language teaching
approach is placed (Celce-Murcia, 1996; Richards, 2002). It seems that the coursebook
under analysis uses a communicative approach since it tries to make students develop the
four English language skills throughout different tasks. It could be said that the approach
that is being used in the coursebook is appropriate for the learning and teaching situation
since this is what is being suggested by different authors in order to achieve a
communicative competence in English (Brown, 2001, 2002; Celce-Murcia, 1996). It seems
that the English language skills are quite balanced in terms of tasks since different skills are
practiced in each lesson. In terms of techniques, It seems that some techniques, depending
on the skill, are taught through different tasks, for instance, students are asked to predict, to
scan, to group when doing a task. This is very good, in fact It is suggested to teach students
different learning strategies in order to help them to become more independent and active
learners (Chamot, 1999; Oxford, 1990). However, It seems that there is not much or any
advice for students to study skills and learning strategies on their own. It is argued that a
task is communicative when; pays attention to meaning, use and form, there is a reason to
communicate, there is classroom rehearsal to real world use, students are able to express
their own ideas with their own words, and when it is not only a speaking task (McGrath,
2002). In terms of what it is suggested regarding communicative tasks, it could be said that
the communicative abilities seem to be encouraged through communicative tasks. It could
be claimed that the coursebook, in terms of methodology, serves to the purpose of teaching
English under a communicative approach.
In the history of English language teaching, teaching the four language skills has been
thought of as an important and essential matter when teaching English as second or foreign
language. Decades ago, before the communicative language teaching approach, the four
language skills used to be taught separately focusing on two of them since there was not a
concept of integration of skills at that time (Brown, 2001). Nowadays, it is suggested to
teach the four skills in an integrated way in order to develop all of them (Brown, 2001). In
relation to the coursebook under analysis it could be said that it covers the four skills since
there are tasks devoted to develop these skills in each lesson. It seems that each task
devoted to develop each skill is suitable for the level that students supposed to have,
however, it could be the case that students don't have the level they supposed to. In terms of
reading and listening skills, Brown, 2001 suggests a lesson plan format which consists on
pre, while and post activities. it seems that all the reading passages and tasks are associated
with topics of interest for students, besides there are lots of readings that aim to develop
this skill. These reading tasks follow a pre, while and post reading structure which
facilitates students to do the tasks. There are recordings in order to develop the listening
skill, however, these recording are not always authentic since it is evident that they were
made to be used in the coursebook. The listening tasks follow a pre, while, and post
listening structure which is useful and highly recommended. Regarding speaking tasks, The
coursebook has dialogues and role plays to make students practice and use the language;
Nonetheless, It seems that the speaking tasks presented in the coursebook are not well
design to equip students for real life interactions since some discourse features such as false
starts, pauses, overlapping, hesitation devices and so on, are missing. In terms of writing, it
seems that the tasks are suitable and there is a suitable guidance through simple
instructions. It seems that English language skills are on the way to be appropriately taught
since there are some things missing that are needed to develop these skills appropriately.
To sum up, it seems that the coursebook analyzed serves the purpose of teaching English
under a communicative approach since it integrates all the skills in a lesson. It could be said
that the skills are on the way to be appropriately taught due to the fact that there are some
things missing which are needed to develop communicative abilities.
References
Brown, H. D. (2001). Teaching by principles: an interactive approach to language
pedagogy. Longman.
Brown, H. D. (2002). Strategies for Success: A Practical Guide to Learning English.
Addison Wesley Longman.
Celce-Murcia, M. (1996). Teaching Pronunciation Audio Cassette: A Reference for
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. Cambridge University Press.
Chamot, A. U. (1999). The Learning Strategies Handbook. Addison Wesley Publishing
Company Incorporated.
McGrath, I. (2002). Materials Evaluation and Design for Language Teaching. Edinburgh
University Press.
Nemati, A. (2009). Evaluation of an ESL English coursebook: A step towards systematic
vocabulary evaluation. Journal of social Sciences, 20(2), 91–99.
Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language learning strategies: what every teacher should know.
Newbury House Publisher.
Richards, J. C. (2002). Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current
Practice. Cambridge University Press.
Textos Escolares. (s. f.). Recuperado 28 de octubre de 2013, a partir de
http://www.textosescolares.cl/