This paper discusses coursebook evaluation based on personal experience and papers

read. Coursebook evaluation needs a careful review and an effective criteria, such as

McDonough and Shaw design. The language used in this paper is for teachers more than

scholars.

Coursebook Evaluation

Author: H.O.D. Noura Al-Bedaiwi

Current Job: Al-Adaileya Primary School/Girls – Ministry of Education. February-2017

What is a Coursebook?

It is one of the tools used for teaching a curriculum. Some curriculum developers and teachers claim having a coursebook is a must, while others prefer not to use a specific coursebook. In Kuwait, coursebooks are a must and they are chosen by decision makers. Recently, coursebooks for first, second, and sexth grade were adapted to the new KNCS.

A coursebook contains a syllabus, units and exercises. It reflects the philosophy, approach, competences and standards of a designed curriculum.

Whether teachers choose the coursebook or not, they should know how to use it and evaluate it to provide insight for shareholders and to be able to use it in the best way they could reflecting learners’ needs: “The general view among current researchers supports the opportunity for choice, in accordance with student’s learning needs and interest” White.P3.

How to Evaluate a coursebook?

Having a criteria aids teachers/curriculum designers to decide if the book reflects the expected outcomes/standards or if it can be adapted. Internal (e.i. units and lessons complexity and order) and external (e.i. coursebook cover) evaluation should be considered when deciding to use or adapt a coursebook.

Such criteria could be entailed with questions explaining how to evaluate a coursebook:

1. An Overview: Is there an introduction in the coursebook/teacher guide explains the coursebook philosophy, how the coursebook

structured and how it can be used in the most effective way?

2. Methodology: Does the coursebook reflects the philosophy, teaching approaches, competences and standards provided in the new KNCS?

3. Authenticity: Is the explanation provided by the coursebook designers authentic and reflects the coursebook design?

4. Assessment: - Does it reflect the new grading system? - Can self and peer assessment be implemented?

5. Materials: - Are there any realia, props, or audio materials provided

with the coursebook?- Are the materials provided suitable and effective?

6. Language: Is the language used in the coursebook suitable for the level of learners? Sentence structure and vocabulary used should be suitable for the level of the learners.

7. Up to date: Are the topics up to date and reflect the modern life learners live?

8. Suitability: Are topics, pictures and characters used in the coursebook racial or culturally insensitive?

9. Language Skills: - Are the productive and perceptive language skills

practiced through the coursebook?

- Does it help teachers and learners develop the language skills intended for the level they teach/learn? A teacher should know what kind of approach is used in building the language skills. For example, letter/word recognition and grammar and vocabulary coding, in reading, should be planned integrating simple to complex approach or complex to simple approach in the coursebook units and lessons.

10. Colours and font: - Are the texts’ colour, font, size and bold suitable for the

level of the learners and are they eye friendly while reading?

- Do the pages and pictures colours suit the content and age level?

11. Practicality: - Does the coursebook have too many exercises and

topics? - Does it suit the time schedule provided?

12. Obtainability: - Is the coursebook affordable?- Can it be locally obtained?

13. Coursebook content: - Is the syllabus clear and indicative for teachers and

learners?- Is there a vocabulary index? - Are the units well organized using a proper approach

developing the language skills targeted? - Do the lessons reflect learners’ needs and easy to use by

teachers and learners?14. Teaching and Learning Styles:

Does it represent different teaching and learning styles?15. Adaptivity:

Can the coursebook be adapted?16. Comparison:

If there is a different coursebook used, is the new coursebook suggested better or worse than the one currently used and why?

The previous questions could be answered before, while and after using the coursebook to have more of an authentic assessment. Visits of colleagues to observe the suitability of the course book can be applied through the course. The teacher can have a rubric, or write a report about the coursebook using the previous set criteria.

All teachers can be coursebook evaluators; all it needs is time and effort provided willingly. Also, there are many online teachers’ friendly articles of how to evaluate a coursebook in the simplest and most effective way to help teachers assess.

Teachers’ suggestions and usage of the coursebooks help decision makers choose ones that are practical to teachers and learners, and reflect learners’ needs and the different teaching styles.

References

1. Evaluation of a ELT Coursebook Based on Criteria Designed by McDonough and Shaw - A Module Three Assignment Lexis and Syllabus and Materials. White, Andrew. P3

2. A Teacher Friendly Process for Evaluating and Selecting ESL/EFL Coursebooks. The Internet TESL Journal. Shave, Jon:http://iteslj.org/Articles/Shave-CourseBookEvaluation.html

3. Evaluating a Text Book:http://www.professorjackrichards.com/evaluating-text-book/